Somehow you have completely missed my point.
My point is this: the punishment should fit the crime.
If some judge decided that an appropriate punishment for, say, rape and murder was to have the perp doused with gasoline and set on fire and burn until crispy, I think the Supreme Court would rule that cruel and unusual punishment.
Yet most Protestants think Mother Teresa and the Pope is going to burn for eternity, and justly so. And most Catholics think the same thing about Protestants.
Let me state my point one more time. No loving person (or Person) would allow someone to suffer excruciating pain for eternity. No crime fits that punishment.
No, you don’t get it.
The only way to enter into heaven is to be PERFECT!
So, if you are not PERFECT, as we all are not, then you need a pass. That pass is accepting Christ as your eternal sacrifice for the sins you committed.
We all commit sins. Did you live a perfect life as Christ did?
No, so you need to accept Him to get a pass.
So tell me. Why would you want to be in heaven around God if you think He is way too harsh?
Do not complain when you are in hell, because YOU CHOSE IT!
You need to stop kicking against the goads and understand that it has to do with perfection.
Can you be, are you, PERFECT?
Anything that falls short of God’s expected PERFECTION is a sin, and all sin is the same.
There is no level of evil to God, we are the ones that put one form of evil over another.
To God, hating someone is as evil as having sex with a two year old, which is as evil as burning 6 million Jews in a oven, as is thinking of sleeping with your neighbors wife is.
No one, but Christ ever lived a perfect life. That is why he was the perfect unblemished sacrifice, that took away the sin of those who put their faith in Him to do so.
When you face god, you will see your life pass before you. god will ask, who stands for this man’s sins. It will either be Christ who died for you, or you by yourself.
If you chose yourself, then the punishment will be the same for you as it is for Hitler, Ted Bundy, and the sweet little old lady down the street who thinks her salvation comes from Buddha.
Every knee shall bow, and every tongue shall confess that Jesus is Lord, but many who do, will still go to hell because they did not do so when they were alive.
They purchased the wrong ticket.
Like it or not, but standing down here and shaking your fist at God will not get you into heaven. God does not change his opinion just because some liberal judge thinks He is unfair.
You have your choice.
I suggest you choose wisely!
I posted the below in post #309. I think it gets to what you are discussing:
Post 309:
Roasted goat...Good one:) I am going to use that one in the future if you don’t mind.
The interesting point missed is you always have an open invitation to be gathered with the sheep.
God did not leave us out there flapping either. He provided a Way to “get right” with Him. The entire purpose for God communicating with us through His Word. Faithful and obedient servants throughout history wrote it down. Amazingly He took our form to be tortured shedding His Royal Blood dying on a cross and three days later rising from the dead for us ungrateful dirty nasty sinners. So why would we have a bone to pick with Him after doing that and extending us an engraved invitation?
Deal is most don’t want to change and put on Christ. Most love their own ways and love their sin. So they pin the blame on God for roasting goats.
Hey let’s say I am your 19 year old son and you worked hard for 19 years saving money to send me your pride and joy to college. You even give me money to live comfortable there. What would you do if instead of bringing home “A’s” I was doing drugs and getting arrested? I am sure you would cut off the money and look for a way to get me help. But instead I decided to give you the middle digit and move into a crack house. I am sure you would keep trying to save me from myself and would leave the door open hoping I would come home. If I did you would rejoice your lost son has come home; if I stayed in the crack house I would die.
Now I ask...Would you allow a son who is still shooting up drugs in your house with your other children? I am sure you would not. Of course you would demand your rules be obeyed. And as I stated above you provided, in love, the way to get back in the house.
So the real story is me the son, I am roasting myself and you the dad provided the way to be the sheep.
You are judging the punishment; using MAN's ideas and concepts.
What gives you the right to do that?
If I insult and call you a liar that's beyond the limits allowed in this forum. If someone implied or said the same about the site owner, he would be fully justified in banning you permanently. What do you think the consquences should be for an eternal insult? I am using the word eternal as referring to quality. On Judgment Day The Lord is going to ask many why they called Him a liar.
Whoever believes in the Son of God *has the testimony in himself. Whoever does not believe God *has made him a liar, *because he has not believed in the testimony that God has borne concerning his Son. ESV 1 John 5:10
Yet most Protestants think Mother Teresa and the Pope is going to burn for eternity, and justly so. And most Catholics think the same thing about Protestants.
Now, I realize you said that in frustration, but frankly that is pretty far from the truth. Yes, there are some that (IMHO mistakenly) believe that, but that you believe that most Prots and Catholics believe that about the other is troubling as that's simply not true. Your post points to a deeper problem of maybe not understanding what is central, and perhaps some bitterness that has come to you for your past attempts to minister (did I read that right, you were a minister of some kind?).
You might want to consider moving on to more important things, like God's grace, love and forgiveness, that you try to remember how wonderful God's love is for you, that you try to enter His rest rather than focus on things that are so fruitless. The central story is compelling and wonderful, don't just throw it away.
Now, from a prior post of yours I know you might think I'm just throwing you a bunch of trite phrases, but that's not my intent. Best of luck to you as you work this through.