Does the concept or reality of an eternal fiery hell burning forever scares you, why, why not?

[Hispanic-Cool-Guy]

[nolabels]

I don't know what to think anymore.
I was twice gone for a period of time, a few months back.

I went into what they call Sudden Cardiac Arrest due to a STEMI, VFIB "widow maker" heart attack.

When I was gone, I was gone. The blackest, most nothing gone that I've ever been. No white light, no waiting loved ones, just gone. I'm told that's rare. People who are resuscitated from SCAs more often experience something before returning, again, as I understand from talking with other Sudden Cardiac Arrest Survivors, (SCAS).

The process of resuscitation was horrifying, violent, lonely, so lonely.

Now that I'm back, everything in life is unbelievably horrible, with severe loneliness, anxiety, flashbacks, hallucinations, nausea, a severe stutter developed that recently has fully muted my voice, in other words, I can't talk anymore. I'm a completely changed person. I'm not even sure that I'm the same me as I used to be.

A fiery Hell? I haven't heard that from anyone who has come back.

[Telekinetic-Potato]

Can’t be much worse than working in the service industry.

Honestly, I’d probably take that shit over. It’s like what are you going to do? Fire me?

[coxoabean]

No, it doesn't scare me because I'm saved and know I'll be going to heaven when I pass on from this life.

[WhiteBoyChill]

I’m not so sure it’s that simple though

[coxoabean]

@WhiteBoyChill It is easy peasy lemon squeezy! It was done and paid for on the cross of Calvary! If Jesus died, but we had to do good works to get to heaven, then his death was in vain! Jesus is the only one that could take that punishment for us. It's like this, if you got a speeding ticket, wouldn't you have to pay the ticket or you'll be in trouble?

[coxoabean]

Yes, you do! What if you tried to offer them a new iPhone instead? Do you think they will accept that? Nope. Someone would have to pay your debt. That debt is your speeding ticket. You either pay it or get into more trouble. What if you had no way of paying it though. You literally couldn't find a way to pay it. So your friend comes along and says, "I'll pay it for you". They won't care who pays the money for the ticket as long as it's paid. You deserve to pay for that mistake you made. You do, but your gracious friend was willing to step out and help you. They took your payment upon themself and paid it, the full price. So, there, your debt is paid for.. what if you went back to try to pay for the ticket again?

[coxoabean]

They'll tell you "no, it was already paid for". What if you tell them, "no, it's not, I'll do anything, I'll wash your car, do whatever, I need to pay this", they'll tell you "it's already been paid for". It would be silly if you tried to pay for it on your own right? It was already paid for. What if you felt bad though that your friend payed for your debt. They told you, "it's a gift from me to you, I'm paying it for you, even though you do not deserve it, you have wronged me so many times, ignored me, you only call out to me when you want something, you haven't been the best of friends, but I love you and still want to pay your debt".

[coxoabean]

They paid for it, and you realized I have been a terrible friend, I don't deserve this, I didn't deserve to get off that punishment free like that. So you decided to make it up to your friend, that gift was already given to you! Your friend didn't ask for anything in return, he didn't say "I'll pay this for you if you wash my car, or if you do x, y and z." . No, because would that be a gift? No, salvation is a gift. A gift is given without expecting anything at all in return. So many times in the Bible God says salvation is a FREE GIFT FROM GOD. He isn't expecting anything in return, because then it's not a gift, it's a reward. A reward, and Christs death would've been in vain. If we had to work our way to heaven, then what in the world did Christ die for anyway, his death was in vain. You see, your friend in the example I gave paid your price, but you feel bad now. You want to make it up to him, you have been such a terrible friend towards them, so you decided to make it up to them. You start talking to them more, helping them with things, giving them gifts, blessing them, praying for them, showering them with so many blessings. That is by your own will, not because your friend made you do all that before paying your debt, no it's because you realize that that is the way you can have a great relationship with the one who deserves it. The one friend who never left you when you needed help, who was there, who loved you. You wanted to help them by your choice. Salvation is easy. It is just like that. Christ when he died on the cross shed his blood for you and me.

[WhiteBoyChill]

Where is the incentive to actually ever try to be a good person if I can just expect to be easily handed something instead?

[WhiteBoyChill]

By your logic, I might as well sin over and over again on purpose, deliberately. Since Jesus has it covered

[coxoabean]

@WhiteBoyChill It's you actually feeling bad that every time you sin that was a stripe you were adding to Jesus back. Did you know that when the Bible says our payment for sinning is hell, well Jesus came to this earth to pay for our sins right? He went to hell those 3 days and 3 nights he was dead! He was serious when he was paying for our sins

[coxoabean]

@WhiteBoyChill no, that doesn't mean in any way we can sin over and over. So, it's like you and your parents, or if you have kids, kids will always be there parents right? What if you were so bad and disrespectful to your parents, you did horrible things, you went out did dr*gs, and all kinds of things, will you still be your parents child? Yes ofc. Now, does that mean that they won't punish you no. You see, once we get saved, we can't go to hell, so God punished us for our sins here on earth. the Bible says you reap what you sew. An y bad sin we commit here on earth, he will make sure we pay for that sin. Say you rob a bank, he will make sure you are punished for that, whether it be him letting you be found and going to prison or anything else. So, we can't just go around sinning, no. When we are saved, we are saved from hell, not every punishment that could ever be given to us.

[WhiteBoyChill]

That still doesn’t address either of my questions tho. I get that Jesus paid the price, but I highly doubt his intention was to just make heaven this easy and near effortless thing to get into.

I mean, where would be the incentive to actually try and honor God and live a virtuous life?

[coxoabean]

@WhiteBoyChill punishment here on earth. He'll correct us on this earth, but he won't ever send us to hell. Those that are saved and his children he chastens. Would you correct your child if you saw them doing wrong? I'm sure you would. Would they stop being your child though? No. They will always be your child, they just won't reap blessings if they don't obey. Like you'd probably be more likely to bless your child if they obeyed right? It's the same with God. We should be driven to want to do right for blessings and to live a good life

[coxoabean]

We are driven to want to do right by the correction we will receive on earth, does that answer your question?

[WhiteBoyChill]

Still though. I don’t get how someone can 1) become a Christian, get saved.

And then somehow later in life no matter what it is they decide to do, no matter how atrocious their acts, they can still expect to get to heaven.

Do you think trans-Atlantic slave traders are in heaven?

Concerning the ones that never repented

[coxoabean]

@WhiteBoyChill dm me and I'll answer that in the dms.

[WhiteBoyChill]

Its just “being a Christian” on its own hardly seems like sufficient criteria.

That would be like if I acknowledged my friend for saving me from a car accident said “oh thanks bro”

And then I proceeded to just kill and run over him with my own car and expect to get to heaven still.

[WhiteBoyChill]

Acknowledging what Jesus did doesn’t just automatically make us these worthy people of being saved.

[coxoabean]

@WhiteBoyChill I dmed you. Like I said I'll answer there, it's easrier

[coxoabean]

@WhiteBoyChill *easier

[strateguy632]

if you obey the instructions it shouldn't scare you, as coxo elaborated here

[nawtee_me]

It is not how I would want to spend eternity for sure….

[AviatorTom]

No, it doesn't scare me. I'm not sue Hell exists, and if it does, I think I've led a good enough life to take the elevator UP, not down.

[Daniela1982]

Unfortunately, that is not how it works with God. You don't make it on your works.

[coxoabean]

@Daniela1982 I agree, salvation is by God's grace not our works

[WhiteBoyChill]

@coxoabean So in other words, since everything is predetermined from the start, we might as well live out our lives however we want since its a rigged game

[coxoabean]

@WhiteBoyChill No, that isn't what I'm saying at all

[WhiteBoyChill]

But you just said that God’s grace is the sole determining factor though. Not what we do on Earth

[coxoabean]

@WhiteBoyChill salvation isn't predestined. We are given freewill! We get to either choose to believe or not. If we believe that Christ coming here to die to pay for our sins was enough we will be given eternal life. Sin has to be punished, and therefore because we all sin we deserve to go to eternal damnation. but God doesn't want to send us there, so that is why he sent his one and only son Jesus to come to earth for us. Jesus Christ was perfect and died to pay for our sins. He took our punishment upon himself so that we could be saved. Any son you have ever done and any sin I have ever done, when Jesus died on the cross he was paying for ALL our sins! The past, present and future sins! God knew we would mess up, he knew we needed a way to get to heaven, and he knew that we could never be good enough to get to heaven.

[WhiteBoyChill]

@coxoabean Oh ok. So I guess by your logic I might as well just live out my life with utter impunity and recklessness then. Since I’ll just be forgiven anyway…..

[exitseven]

I love the hot weather so when I get down there I will feel right at home, especially since all my friends will be there

[Lliam]

Nope. Fantasy horror stories only scare children.

[RebelinSteel]

No it does not exist, as the counterpoint does not exist.

[WhiteBoyChill]

I don’t mean to sound arrogant, but as I understand it a majority of people don’t go to hell and I don’t think I will either

[coxoabean]

You don't think most people go to hell? May I ask Why not?

[Daniela1982]

@WhiteBoyChill You got that backwards. Matthew 7:13-14
New International Version
The Narrow and Wide Gates
13 “Enter through the narrow gate. For wide is the gate and broad is the road that leads to destruction, and many enter through it. 14 But small is the gate and narrow the road that leads to life, and only a few find it. The greater multitude will perish.

[coxoabean]

@Daniela1982 ya amen! More will go then not

[WhiteBoyChill]

I’m still kinda doubtful though. I’d argue probably 90% of people in life are just there. Existing. Idrk if that’s grounds for hell

[WhiteBoyChill]

I believe most people go to neither heaven nor hell. And all that really says the way I see it is that its far easier to get to hell than it is to get to heaven.

You don’t believe in purgatory?

[coxoabean]

Wait so are you a Christian? Mormon?

[coxoabean]

If I remember correctly I talked to a Mormon boy not too long ago and he believed in purgatory

[WhiteBoyChill]

@coxoabean Raised Catholic, but I consider myself to be Unaffiliated currently

[coxoabean]

I see. My dad was raised Catholic but then converted to Baptist. We believe that there is a heaven and hell. The sin of people has to be punished. But God didn't want to send anyone to hell, so He made a way... that was him sending Jesus to die on the cross. From what I know Catholics believe in the virgin birth, The Trinity, and the gospel pretty much the same as a baptist. The only difference is Catholics believe you must be Good enough to get to heaven. We believe all you have to do is believe that what Christ did on the cross was enough to pay for your sins. There is nothing good in this world that we can do to get to heaven. 6 But we are all as an unclean thing, and all our righteousnesses are as filthy rags; and we all do fade as a leaf; and our iniquities, like the wind, have taken us away. It says in Isaiah 64:6. So, we could try to be good enough to get to heaven, but we'd never make it, because we sin everyday. So what I bel is that you have to put your faith and trust in Christ that he was enough

[coxoabean]

He was enough when he came to earth to die for our sins, he paid for them all. Then he rose from the dead. Once saved always saved

[Daniela1982]

@WhiteBoyChill Well I see Satan has you fooled. He wants to take as many to hell as he can because he knows that's where he will be going in the end - the lake of fire where the Beast and False Prophet will be. All those who follow Satan will join him on Judgement Day. Because if you are not a follower of God, then you are a follower of Satan. There is no fence sitter or in between. You are one or the other.

[WhiteBoyChill]

@coxoabean I mean there’s no actual way of predicting who gets to heaven and who doesn’t obviously. But yeah trynna be a good person is certainly going to improve your odds. Faith alone is the path to salvation?

Seems to easy to me. If you want a certain priviledge in life, you have to fcking earn it and fight for it. It isn’t freely given

[WhiteBoyChill]

@Daniela1982 Do you not understand the concept that someone can be a Christian, but not affiliated with any particular church?

Also, what the hell makes you think that the average person who 1) goes to work 2) gets paid 3) covers their living expenses

Is somehow automatically destined for hell?

What makes you so sure about that?

[Daniela1982]

Because you don't go to Heaven based on what you do to earn your way. You are saved on the basis of what Christ did, He shed His blood to pay for your sins. God is perfect and doesn't want imperfect people in Heaven. So since no one is perfect God has taken the steps to give your forgiveness through the blood sacrifice of an innocent lamb. But the lamb in this case was Jesus. Since you can not earn your way to Heaven He is the only way you will get there. You have to accept Christ as your savior, repent of your bad ways and follow Him. Of course, not many want to do that. They want to live their lives as they please. And they will be the ones who take the broad path to destruction instead of the narrow path that leads to eternal life. I'm sure you can see that life here on Earth sucks more every year. People are killing each other like crazy, wars, famine, and death.

[WhiteBoyChill]

@Daniela1982 That makes more sense actually. It’s just earlier you made it sound like possessing the belief that there is a God was enough to get to heaven on its own.

To clarify, I don’t see getting into heaven as this chores or bucket list of things you have to do to get there.

I see the journey to heaven as a lifestyle where one must seek to do good in their lives, not because they feel obligated to but out of love for God.

[WhiteBoyChill]

A lifetime of service to God is what I meant by “earning your way” you have to surrender yourself completely and let God take over.

[coxoabean]

Wait, so do you think when someone is saved they'll do the good? Or just the good we do has nothing to do with salvation, but it definitely helps us live a good life on earth? It is our way of "thanking God" ? Our good is basically the least we can do

[WhiteBoyChill]

@coxoabean Ultimately the choices we make determine where we will end up is how I view it.

Impossible for us to know where we’re actually going though. With 100% certainty.

Earlier I only said that I figure I’m not going to hell. But its not like I have 100% evidence I won’t either. Nobody does.

Who knows how I might end up later?

I hope I don’t stray off path

[Jason2469]

I've been to Hell. It is what it is. Ain't nothing I can do about it.

[NathanDavis]

nope... I'm from Texas

[OhLongJohnsoning]

Jews don't believe in hell, sorry

[Daniela1982]

That is because they don't even believe that Jesus was the Messiah. But note that in the end times 144,000 Jews, 12,000 from each of the 12 tribes of Israel will be preaching the Gospel and will be telling of their destruction in hell. So if they don't believe now, they will not too long from now.

[OhLongJohnsoning]

@Daniela1982 If we don't believe in hell, how can we go there?

[strateguy632]

to oh, speak for yourself.
many jews are secular but jew religion n religious jews teach hell to scare ten year olds.

[strateguy632]

how can we go there? same as a flight to australia, a guy can say "i didn't see it so i don't believe it is real" he will still get there.