They will suffer the punishment of eternal destruction, away from the presence of the Lord and from the glory of his might, - 2 Thessalonians 1:9
Does that sound scary to you? It probably should.
What this post is examining is the part of the phrase that says "away from the presence of the Lord." It is hard to believe, but there are people who actually think being away from God could be a good thing.
Yes, heaven sounds good on the surface, but do you have to act like you do in church? After all, church is about dressing up in uncomfortable clothes, watching what you say, asking for forgiveness of sin and doing what the Minister says. Is this the kind of life you want for eternity?
Who Is The God Of The Bible?
When some people hear the word "God" they think of someone who:
- wants to restrict you from enjoying yourself
- allows suffering in your life
- doesn't want for you the things YOU want
- is waiting to punish you
Indeed, there are many in past generations who view God as a bearded man in the sky waiting to punish you.
That does not accurately describe the God of the Bible, although being just IS part of his plan. That means that your sins can not go unanswered. Your sins must be acknowledged and atoned for somehow.
Justice
It is important to remember that being just is not the same as revenge. God can not let sin go unnoticed. It is acknowledged. However, by his mercy, God sent his son to "even the score" with God. God had a better plan than revenge.
According to the list above, some people wonder if they would want to be with God.
You see, God does not want revenge, per se. He sent his only Son to make up the difference. (Pretty nice, huh?) God is not waiting to punish you because he sent his Son to do the work.
Man Is Separate From God
The "evening of the score" means we are not separated from God if we accept his forgiveness. The union with God is what we wanted all along. This, of course, is based on the work of Jesus Christ and not on our own merit. Thinking we can save ourselves is futile.
Some people like how it "feels" to sin, such as bad habits and doing what seems easier. Thus, they think being with God will be like a chore. The separation from God (A.K.A. hell) is not what we really want, however.
What We Really Want Is To Be WITH God
Some people think when they are going through difficult times that God is not there. This seems to imply things would be better if God were there.
One place to learn about the essence of God is the Garden Of Eden. God's intention was not for Adam to sin, but rather for his Creation to live in Paradise (however you define that). It is a widely accepted belief that evil came into the world ONLY because Adam disobeyed God. This belief negates the notion that God created evil.
If humans only knew of this paradise it is unlikely they would want anything else. Sinning might "feel good" on the surface, but how does it make you feel deep down in the long term? Probably not very good, if you are honest.
The "New Jerusalem" described in the Book Of Revelation sounds like a place any rational person would WANT to live. It is a place that has no disease, injustice, night, unclean thing, tears, etc. (Revelations 21). That is hard to picture, isn't it? These things give a tiny glimpse of what a life with God is like. There are no human words can make people fully understand.
We all know how hell is described in the Bible, which is a separation from God. Can we trust ourselves to know what is best for us?
Are YOU separated from God?
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The God Of Good Things
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