Quote:
Originally Posted by Trouvere
the same as the purpose of prison
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I'd tend to agree that the notion of Hell lends itself to the concept of “prison”. However, we don’t torture prisoners. In addition we don’t sentence all prisoners to life in prison regardless of their crime.
Let’s take for example a 17 year old girl who dies in a car accident on her way to the mall who does not know God. She’s going to die “lost”. Let’s take a second individual who is 42 and a serial killer. How can it be “just” to punish each with unending torments in a lake of fire? What would the purpose serve? After billions of untold ages will their screams for mercy have accomplished anything? Is God satisfied, pleased, or entertained by such horror? Will we find entertainment or satisfaction in seeing such horror first hand?
How can we celebrate our salvation knowing that the majority of mankind will suffer such a fate? If Satan’s goal was to destroy mankind and less than 2% are saved, did Satan not win? If Christ’s intention was to save all of mankind and less than 2% are saved, did Christ not loose?
Some have postulated the argument that the lake of fire “refines” the soul, breaking its will, satisfying holy justice, and bringing the soul into harmony with God’s will. Those who propose this believe that at some point in eternity’s future ages all human souls will be reconciled to God through Christ’s shed blood. For these believers Hell’s flame has a purpose in God’s redemptive plan.
Some postulate that the lake of fire will “destroy” the soul, annihilating it from existence. All suffering ceases and their consciousness will be rendered non-existent. For these believers Hell’s flame serves a purpose in that it satisfies God’s holy justice and destroys wickedness from the Universe. Still it’s a concern that God would fail to find a successful redemptive plan for all humanity.
What purpose does the unending torment serve?