This post is in response to an email I received regarding the eternal nature of Hell and if the unborn are its inhabitants.
At first, I was just going to send you a link to an article, a video, or debate but I’ve decided to write about this myself, which is what is taking me more time than usual to forward you a response.
Some aspects of these questions and where these questions may lead I’ve already discussed somewhat in previous blogs.
jesusandjews.com/wordpress/2011/10/31/what-the-hell/
jesusandjews.com/wordpress/2009/05/17/pain-suffering-and-evil/
In respect to your first question, some would like to support the idea of Annihilationism as an immediate or finite consequence as corresponding to the finite sins committed during a finite existence on Earth and some will go as far as to even entertain Universalism, both of which, conflict with God’s justice. Others may take a more modified version of these positions such as a purgatorial realm with a redemptive purging of sin through a time of suffering, or an earthly confined karmic debt, before finally becoming released to a heavenly habitation or a nirvanic state.
The former assumes that sin is only finite, and yet, according to the biblical description, continues in hell indefinitely, as we are all immortal beings. And then the objection might be that sin is trivial compared to eternal punishment as with an imbalance of power, as the punishment doesn’t seem to fit the crime, and yet the most grievous of all sins of infinite consequence and proportion comes when rejecting and rebelling against the God who not only created us but made the necessary provision towards resolving our sinful rebellious state by giving us the precious innocent life of His Son to ensure our redemption and subsequent transformation as with the Holy Spirit in reconciling mankind unto Himself so that we are without excuse.
As a further matter, Purgatory, is not orthodox Christianity (Hebrews 9:27), thou accepted by Roman Catholicism and actually challenges the efficiency of Christ’s sacrificial atonement as given ‘once for all’ as in Hebrews 10:10, as well as, challenging eastern religion with its endless ongoing cycles of rebirth which is unlike the immediate righteousness or right standing that comes in relationship as we are rightly related to God through Christ as justified according to Christ’s perfect work or merit on earth, not our own.(Read Romans)
As a thought experiment, it may be hard to grasp this concept, especially if we accept a popularist view as excusing ourselves as, ‘we’re only human’ but I’ll try anyway. So just imagine a human parent, who is made a little lower than the angels, who sacrifices themselves with great love, thou imperfect, for the sake of their child who having reached an appreciable age of maturity as a grown up to then hate and murder the parent; it would then be no surprise that such an act as putting them in prison for life or even death row is not an unreasonable response to such a grievous sin committed. Thus to correlate this analogy with God, is that, we’ve affixed a cross to the greatest being as a sin of cosmic treason and then upon finding out that this sacrifice was purposed only for our benefit, as to remove all of our sins, even the previously mentioned parenticide, we then persistently neglect or reject so great a salvation, which comparably speaking to a human counterpart, is an infinite and unforgivable sin which has an infinite consequence of which we often underestimate, John 3:18. Furthermore, if the former knew the consequence of their sin as a prison term or perhaps even the death penalty but disregarded the law anyway then that makes it even more punishable and guilty as they become more conscionable of the crime as committed not only against the parent but against society that values human life. So when guilt is confirmed by the conscious, and Hell spoken according to the testimony of a biblical witness as the consequence of violating the eternal Son; then it’s not only a sin against Christ but against the entire Godhead as utmost in its severity, especially, when rejecting the One who holds the keys to Hell as to release you from its imprisonment.
As an afterthought, one other thing a person should consider is why some would have no problem in including the damnation of other rebellious created beings, namely the devil and his angels, while excluding themselves as rebellious creatures, Matthew 25:41.
Lastly, this analogy is probably insufficient or incomplete in its comparison, which at best may only be a hint or possibly an approximation towards the weight and truth of this matter.
Now regarding the unborn, infants, or even small children, as being the inhabitants of Hell; this is something the Bible is mute about and perhaps it’s because it’s not a live option or a real issue of consequence. If it were, it would seem that it would have been dealt with extensively considering the gravity of such a matter especially as Hell is discussed even more so than Heaven in the New Testament.
Thou it’s not conclusive, Jesus may confer or at least imply the status of innocence upon children, as stating to His disciples “unless you turn, and become as little children, you will in no way enter into the Kingdom of Heaven”, Matthew 18:3, 19:14, 2 Samuel 12:23. The emphasis may well be on the child-like characteristics as reflecting a child like faith without addressing this question. The biblical fact is that we are born with a sin nature, Psalm 51:5, and thou the wages of sin is death, Romans 6:23; it does not specify when the responsibility of sin occurs with those who are incapable of thinking abstractly about morality in relationship to God as having the maturity to behave with moral culpability. I think some have tried to deal with this problem through child baptism thou I don’t believe that’s necessarily biblical.
In Jewish culture when a person becomes bar mitzvahed they become a son of the commandment as morally responsible before God to perform mitzvoth, age 13 for boys, and 12 for girls. Christians loosely refer to it as the age of accountability?
Essentially the bible is quite and maybe I should be too. One thing the Bible is clear about is God’s goodness, which is both just and merciful, as the very essence of His nature.
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