Hell

Or: "Hell - Who Is There?"


Seems to me, if you ask most Christians, the response to the question of "who is hell for" would be "sinners" or something of that nature.

I am here to say that if that is your answer, then I believe you are wrong.

I could go ahead and say the obvious thing, that hell is for the devil and the demons, that is who God created it for. But I am not trying to be that obvious, just trying to spark an interesting (one-sided) conversation.

If hell was for sinners, we would all be there. Anybody who was born a human being, was born a sinner. Anybody who breathed even one breath on this earth, has sinned. And, even though God does not call Christians "sinners" but rather "saints", we know this is not from a lack of sin on our parts but by an over-abundance of righteousness that Jesus has and gives to us.

So, who is hell for?

I am going to put it to you, that hell is for the proud. Each and every person in hell, is guilty of pride. Pride was the overriding factor that caused them to reject Jesus Christ as their Lord and Saviour.

The Bible tells us that no one has an excuse. No one can stand before God and say that they did not know of Him. Every person born to humanity on this earth, has seen God through creation, and therefore knows that there is a God.

Ponder that for a moment. Basically put, this means that there are NO atheists. There are people who CALL themselves atheists, but God says that they actually know that there is a God, they are merely rejecting the truth.

Why do they reject the Truth? Why does anybody reject the Truth? Pride.

Pride. It was the downfall of Satan, and it is the downfall of every person who ends up in hell. This is why the Bible says that God hates the proud. We know that God does not hate sinners - if so, He would have to hate His very own people. John 3:16 teaches us that God loves sinners, and our own conversion experience has shown us that God loves us enough to die for us while we were yet sinners. But pride, pride God hates. It is pride that causes us to know the truth, but turn away from it. So "the proud", those who live a life defined by pride, does God hate them? Yes, He does; but only because of their pride, which keeps them from Him and His love for them.

Yes, it is true that sinners go to hell. But that is only a partial story. If you asked the question, "what are HOV (High Occupancy Vehicle) lanes for?", and I answered "they are for motorized vehicles to travel in", my answer would be correct. But, it would not tell the whole story. Yes, every lane of traffic on the road is made and designed for motorized traffic to travel on to get from one point to another point, this is absolutely true. But HOV lanes are ALSO there for vehicles carrying at least two people in them. You see, the answer was correct, but left out a lot of details.

In the same way, yes, everybody who ends up in hell is/was a sinner. But, not all people who sin end up there, just like not all vehicles can travel in an HOV lane.

The truth is, hell is for the proud. Pride is the original sin. Pride is what keeps people from God. Pride, therefore, is the sin that sends people to hell.

time of my life

It has been a good weekend for me so far. My "weekend" this week was/is Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday.

Got to play lots of my current video game passion, Neverwinter Nights 2. Watched all of The Batman Season 4, and also got to watch Phantasm (the first one). Slam Dunk Ernest, too.

Didn't manage (yet) to get to use the laundry room here in my building. Oh well, i have enough clothes and stuff to make it another week, it'll just mean i have that much more laundry to do next week.

Watched some NHL hockey this weekend. Had to endure my Penguins losing to the Senators, but then got to enjoy the Blackhawks beating up on the Flames. Currently, I have my eye on the Washington/Montreal game. In my hockey pool, I am in a good spot for now, sitting in third place.

Just got a batch of older comics in from Mile High Comics. Probably be the last order I get from there for a while, due to budget constraints.

My first (ex-)wife has had the swine flu, so i did not get to visit with her and my girl this weekend, but we have tentative plans to visit my parents for dinner next Thursday.

Also, been busy on http://ward-of-gorion.blogspot.com/ , where I have not only been blogging my video game adventures on a daily basis, but I found the time to upgrade the home-page a little bit and make it easier to understand (and a little bit more fun, too!).

That's all for now. Hope you are all safe and content. Slainte.

dreams

Genesis 40:8 - "Interpreting dreams is God's business," Joseph said.

And with that one line, God gets my attention.

I have had a lot of dream lately. For the last 8 days, I have had the unusual "pleasure" of waking up and remembering my dreams (which doesn't happen very much to me).

But, in this case, I think God is talking more about my dreams in life, my goals, my aspirations. He is the One Who interprets them, because He is the One Who gives them to me.

Something interesting to think upon throughout my day.

Losing It

LOST, Season 5, available on DVD December 8th 2009.

My pre-order with amazon.ca is in; is yours?

Heart-Plummet, Free Fall Stomach

At work tonight, I saw somebody. Somebody I did NOT want to see; Melanie.

She, of course, did not see me. But I definitely saw her. Laughing. Having fun. Scheming. Walking around in MY WORKPLACE, where she almost ruined me, acting like she belongs here.

I am calmer now. Then, not so much. My heart fell into my shoes. I instantly wanted to throw up. Then I got angry, very angry.

I could say a lot, but I won't say very much right now. I am not ready to yet.

Truthfully, I was not ready to see her. Even just to "see" her...I wasn't ready. I have prayed, oh so often i have prayed, that God would not let me see her or bump into her, not ever, not unless it was His will. So, what do I then take out of this sighting of her, and my reaction to it? How do I categorize this, other than by saying "more painful than I can express"? Was God not able to answer my prayer? Did God choose to have me see her, for a reason, or was this just chance rearing its ugly head? What was the reason? What does God want to work in me through this?

So many questions. One thing I know...on the way to work, i put my favourite worship CD, Worship In The Waiting by FFH, into my car stereo. I haven't listened to it in quite some time, but felt compelled to do so today. This is the CD that God used to get me through the hard times (the hardest times my life has ever had) with Melanie. The fact that God had me put that CD into my stereo today, and that it was on God Of Promise when I drove home...that was no fluke. God knew, and God prepared. He smoothed my way somewhat.

My reaction to her, however, tells me that as much healing as I thought I had gone through, I really have a lot more to go yet...

Why, Lord? Why so much deep-down pain over this one woman? What did she do to me, and how, and why?

The older I get, the less I understand, and the more I admit it.

God, be merciful to me, and heal me.

Chicken, Pickin', Lickin'

IF

I were, today, asked to pick the Olympic roster for the Canadian Men's Ice Hockey Team,

here is who would be on my team as of today...

Goaltenders:
1. Marc-Andre Fleury, Pittsburgh Penguins
2. Roberto Luongo, Vancouver Canucks
3. Marty Turco, Dallas Stars

Defencemen:
1st pair:
Jay Bouwmesster, Calgary Flames
Duncan Keith, Chicago Blackhawks
2nd pair:
Chris Pronger, Philadelphia Flyers
Scott Niedermayer, Anaheim Ducks
3rd pair:
Shea Weber, Nashville Predators
Robyn Regehr, Calgary Flames
extra pair:
Tyler Myers, Buffalo Sabres
Stephane Robidas, Dallas Stars

Forwards:
1st line:
Rick Nash, Columbus Blue Jackets
Sidney Crosby, Pittsburgh Penguins
Jarome Iginla, Calgary Flames
2nd line:
Jeff Carter, Philadelphia Flyers
Ryan Getzlaf, Anaheim Ducks
Corey perry, Anaheim Ducks
3rd line:
Brenden Morrow, Dallas Stars
Mike Richards, Philadelphia Flyers
Jordan Staaal, Pittsburgh Penguins
4th line:
Ryan Smyth, Los Angeles Kings
Brad Richards, Dallas Stars
Rene Bourque, Calgary Flames
extra forwards:
Patrick Sharp, Chicago Blackhawks
Shane Doan, Phoenix Coyotes

My Captain would be Crosby, and my two assistant captains would be Niedermayer and Nash.

true

Prosperity isn't about what you have, it is about Who you know.