A man asked this in a Bible Study - he said God knew all the millons or billions of these people would end up in the terrible place of hell before he created them. The pastor said it was difficult to understand, but people still have the free choice to accept his son as their Savior or not. God doesn't send anyone to hell, but we essentially send ourselves there by rejecting Jesus. I can't remember the exact wording of his answer, but is this a good answer?
134046
There is a much simpler answer.  Actaully it's more of a question: Does God know the future?  I'd have to say no.\n\nGod knowing the future takes away free will.  If God knows what I will do tomorrow, can I do something different?  Do I have a choice? Am I anything more than a robot.\n\nThere are numerous examples in the Bible that God does not know the future.  Two that stand out are:\n\n"'Do not lay a hand on the boy,' he said. 'Do not do anything to him. Now I know that you fear God, because you have not withheld from me your son, your only son.'" -Gen 22:12\n\nIf God knew the future, he would have known that Abraham would not hold Issac back.  \n\nGenesis 18:16-33.  Abraham pleading with the Lord for Sodom.  Eventally God says he will not destroy Sodom if he finds 10 righteous people there.  He has actually been talked down from 50.  Would he not have just said something like, "There are only 3 righteous people in Sodom," and ended the discussion?  why did he waste time if he already knew the number he would find?
268706
Hi,\nYou are misinterpreting the text.\n\nAfter we die, we go to 1 of 2 places:\n\n1. Those who accept Jesus as Lord and Savior go to be with God. To be absent from the body is to be in the presence of the Lord\n\n2. For the unsaved, yes even those who seem to be really 'good' people go to hell.\n\nWhat God is referring to in Revelations is the Lake of Fire-\nEternal Damnation, even Satan himself will be in there. \n\nGod's word is infallible, its us that misinterpret his word, distort his word, or just pervert His Word.\n\nGOD BLESS YOU\nJESUS SAVES
102206
Sola Scriptoria[isim?]!!! W00t!\n\nI think things are pretty much predestined but we've still got plenty of wiggle room.\nKind of like God has set the basic pattern for things and lets us fill in the details. \n\nYou've been wondering this for a while, haven't you? I think I remember you asking pretty mush the same question when you were 10 or something.\nIf you actually believe and accept (accepting is the important part) that Jesus is the Son of God who died for your sins and was resurected, you're going to heaven. Even if you're stuggling with "being good", you're still saved.\nAnd as for God deciding beforehand who's going to heaven and who's not. Well, if it was up to Him all of mankind would end up in heaven and there wouldn't be a Hell because everyone would be perfect. But He gave us free will and Adam and Eve took advantage of that and now look at things.\nGod knows everything and is all powerfull but I think he decided to let some things out of His grip and give us free will because He's nice like that.\n\n(And yeah, I have class this morning but not 'till 1050)
93338
Hell is the worst thing you can imagine.  Hell is so bad...it is unimaginable.  There is no way to describe how bad it is going to be.  Fortunately, we have a God who loves us and wants to save us from that fate.  To avoid hell, you have to apologize or (repent) for the bad things (sins) that you have done, and know and believe that God sent his Son, Jesus Christ to die for your sins.  If you believe that and LIVE AND TELL outloud, that you believe that.  Then you will live forever in Heaven.  Heaven is as good as Hell is bad.
84049
No,just like people who were raised with a different religion throughout their childhood doesn't go to hell.There is no hell.Everything that we are is the way God intended it to be;If it wasn't,it wouldn't be.Man made the concepts of good and bad,not God.In reality nothing is really good or bad,it's our thoughts that make them so.
316341
What sort of all-powerful god would make disabled people in the first place? Most will say mentally disabled people go to heaven, but, does that make sense? If it is so, then why would god not make everyone mentally disabled so they all go to heaven? It appears that the brighter people are, the sooner they go to hell. Popular theology is not wisdom, it's nonsense.
257891
God does not what you to be damned so he sent Jesus!\n\nWhen you reject him and basically say screw you GOD go away, he does what you ask. \n\nOnce you are dead and do not have GOD stopping you from over comsuming on sin, you will continue to be tortured by not being able to control yourself. Kinda like drug users who destroy there lives for drugs!\n\nBut if god made you a robot so you had no choice to choose or reject him, you would be mad as well, I will post a question called GOd and hell, so you can reply there!\n\n\npart 2\nIt is hard to understand how serious sin is to GOD!  It is hard for me to understand that as simple as GOD's plan for redemption is, people reject it! It is not like GOD set it up so you had to do all these things to work for forgiveness. IF GOD would have required me to do things I could not, then punished me for not being able to do it, I would agree with you. since GOD made it as easy as believing he did all the work and just wants me to believe he did! It is as simple as believing in GOD! \n\n\nI also know GOD characteristics of Love, Mercy, Justice!\n\nIs GOD a sadistic Creator for giving free will? \nIs man sadistic for choosing to be separated from GOD?\nJustice requires consequence for choice!\n\nI rest that when it is done we will agree that GOD acted fairly in Love, Mercy, and Justice.\n\n\nI will check my question for more replies! GOOD Question though!
199592
God doesn't leave people to kill each other, unless they choose to.  God did not make man a robot but a creature who can choose right or wrong.  He doesn't want people to starve but many starving nations do not believe in Him, nor call on Him for intervention.  However, missionaries are going into those places and doing a good work.  Others who are Christians and being tortured are victims of an evil power over them in the form of govt.  They are martyrs for their faith.  Many of us have prayed for our brothers and sisters in Sudan for years and we see our prayers answered.  Other Christians have gone in and rescued those being tortured as slaves by the govt.  They are receiving help.  It doesn't matter where you are born, you can always chose to believe in God.  God knows us even before we are designed in our mother's womb.  I came from a non-christian home but I chose to follow after Him, seek Him, serve Him.  I am not exempt from trials, persecution and sorrows of life but I have divine joy and peace because of the hope He brings me.  It is all a matter of faith.  Either believe or not believe.  I'm one who says there are vast rewards to having faith where there is otherwise total hopelessness.  Press on!
671141
Children who die will go to Heaven. Every child born knows God at their first breath.  Read John 1.\n\nAlso, I believe every ones name is written in the Lamb's book of Life at the foundation. It is written that hell was made for the Devil and His angels.   When one isn't taught who God is they are judged according to land laws and conscience.  Creation itself reveals who it's Creator is.\n\nThe choice to love God or reject God comes when a person hears the salvation message.  Upon continual rejection & rebellion of God, a person may get their name blotted out of the Lamb's book of life.  Upon Accepting God and His salvation plan through the Lamb of God, one gets Spiritually born and everlasting life.
273701
I AGREE W/ WHAT YOU SAID 100%. BASICALLY HELL IS FOR THE DEVIL, GOD DOESN'T WANT US TO GO THERE BUT SOME PEOPLE WILL. ONE DAY GOD WILL THROW THE DEVIL IN HELL! PRAISE GOD! THAT WILL BE A GREAT DAY. AND HE WILL SPEND ETERNITY THERE. SO THAT'S WHY HE MADE HELL TO BEGIN W/.
563698
I'm a Christian, first of all, and I believe in the existence of Heaven and Hell, but I completely agree with you.  I can't possibly understand how someone could ever be evil enough to, when faced with the reality of God and His presence, turn it away!  Even the worst of the worst -- all have mental problems, like Hitler or serial killers.  It seems like everyone would make it to Heaven.
247472
long time ago in a far away land someone decided that people were living freely, doing just what they wanted, when they wanted and the government had to find a way to put\nthese people in place, so they thought of a story....lets make two places people can go when they die - the place for the good ones (who follow all the rules al the time) and the place for the bad ones (who don't follow the rules), then we threaten them with the bad place and they'll start following the rules, cause they wouldn't want to go there...you see, heaven and hell does not really exist. Come on our loving God put his own children in burning flame for eternity? Does that sound like the God you want to serve? Sounds a bit freeky to me. Truth is God loves everybody, every single one of us and there is only one destination for all of us, which is heaven, but if we were to know that - we'll stop following the "rules". Do you honestly think any one of us "deserve" to go to heaven? Nope...but ALL of us will be there one day and ALL of us will be happy! That's the real truth if you were wondering ; )\nTake care!
351687
You are much mistaken on many of your "if you do this then you go to hell" comments.  Those who go do hell are those who do not have faith in Christ for the forgiveness of their sins.  Christ is the answer to the sin problem.  Those who go to hell are the ones who do not take hold of the answer.  They try to solve their sin problem by some other means.\n\nKeep reading the Bible to find out what it really says.
620732
Good question, good to see that you are truly interested in seeking answers.  Jesus said, seek and you shall find, ask and you will receive.  Well, the bible states that only 144,000 people will go to heaven and that the righteous will possess the earth.  (Psalms 37:10,11).  God is a God of order, not of disorder.  He is very organized and he knows what he is doing.  For more info please go to the source below.  The bible states that for 1000 years the righteous and the unrighteous will be resurrected back to earth and come to perfection.  If they choose to disobey God during that time, they will be annihilated right away.
612637
Well technically YES, because fire and brimstone hell as has been preached in the past is false doctrine. The bible says that when people die, the are concious of nothing and feel nothing (pain, joy, sorrow. etc. ...) So 'hell' as referred to in the bible is simply the grave. So yes those people did go to 'hell', but they are not burning eternally!
256133
During the millennium, those who survived the tribulation (Christians) will give birth to children. These children are not automatically saved, they will have to make the same decision their parents did during the tribulation: Accept Jesus Christ as your Savior? The sacrifices will be reinstituted to be a picture of Jesus's sacrifice that had occured millennia ago. This is because the Age of Grace ended with the Rapture and subsequent tribulation. \n\nThis is much like the Old Testament sacrifices, except those pictured the sacrifice that had yet to come (Christ's crucifiction.)\n\nAt the end of the Millennium, Satan will be released again for a brief time from the bottomless pit. Once again he will amass an army, from those children who, despite having grown up under a perfect Government (Christ) will choose to reject Him and join satan. This will be satan's last rebellion, and he and his army will be killed by fire and cast into the Lake of Fire for all of eternity. This will conclude human history and usher in Eternity.
607310
good Question. According to many Xtians, they believe if you are not one, they reguardless of what you did, you will be in hell. I asked this preacher if GGhandi was in hell because he lived wrong (which isn't the right answer) of because of his religion.  I was tole that he is in hell, b/c of his religion. everything good thing in his life didn't even matter. Samo with mother theresa. But tell me what about the Xtians who killed people, and repented, are they in heaven because they were Xtians? Who knows..