Tuesday, February 15, 2011

Is God a Torturer?

I watched Joyce Meyer preach this morning, and I must comment on what she said about sinners burning in hell forever.

I do not believe this teaching. I could not worship or love a God who would do such a thing to people. I could not say to people, "God is love," if I believed he would torture human beings.

I wrote a post a while ago about this subject. I am posting it again. I have said many times how Joyce Meyer has helped me in my Christian walk, and that is true. I love her and I believe she is sincere and a beautiful Christian. But at times I disagree with some of her statements and this is one of those times.


"If God tortured his enemies in a fiery horror chamber throughout eternity, he would be more vicious and heartless than men have ever been in the worst of war atrocities. An eternal hell of torment would be hell for God also, who loves even the vilest sinner."
Amazing Facts Study Guide.

"Rightness and justice are the foundation of your throne.
Mercy and truth go before you."
Psalm 89:14

If God made people suffer forever he would not be just, righteous or merciful.

Psalm 37:20 says, "But the wicked will perish...they vanish - like smoke they vanish away.

Hosea 13:3 says, "The wicked will be like a morning cloud and like dew that soon disappears, like chaff which is blown away from the threshing floor and like smoke from a chimney."

Malachi 4:1 says, "...every evildoer will be chaff...it will leave them neither root nor branch." Verse 3 goes on to say, "they will be ashes under the soles of your feet."

Jesus said in Matthew 10:28, "Do not fear those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. But rather fear Him who is able to destroy both soul and body in hell.

2 comments:

Clarence Heller said...

I believe that God can only act in a loving way and that hell is living in a state/place of rejection of God's love. Hell is not something imposed as a punishment, but a choice we can make. There is no proof that anyone exists in hell. Who knows, perhaps the overwhelming mercy of God invites us to accept God's love even after we die.

Belle said...

We certainly don't know everything. I also think hell is seperation from God.