E-mail Questions Answered by Ken Smith:
12/11/06  Lake of Fire:
A bartender would be very uncomfortable at a Sunday School Picnic, I would think?  We first need to define "Lake of Fire" according to scripture and why it exists.  The little book of Jude holds some interesting information.  Jude, a son of Joseph and Mary and who grew up with Jesus has this to say, verse 13, "Raging waves of the sea, foaming out their own shame; wandering stars, to whom is reserved the blackness of darkness for ever.

It is noted here the potential for an eternal soul of being a star,  but then this is another interesting study.

A basic factor in the equation is: “Freewill.”  Does a soul have the right to reject the presence and creation of God?  Will the God of Truth and Light force someone to be in His presence.  Can there be True Love without Freewill?  The Bible teaches that God is not willing that any perish, 2 Peter 3:9-11.  So if God does not want folks to "perish" and each soul is "eternal" in its creation that does leave us a problem.  If a soul is contaminated with "ego centric behavior" and does not like truth and light then what are the options for God if that soul does not want to be in the presence of God.  And as all that is created contains the presence of God what is left to an eternal soul can only be "blackness and darkness for ever."  I believe that the total absence of creation and the creator would easily qualify as a "spiritual"  Lake of Fire,  a black hole.  Fire only being a metaphor for the pain of total recall without a physical body.  If that soul were going through eternity thinking, "If I had only" over and over and over, that would be painful.  So the stakes are very high for a soul on planet earth for eternity, Romans 12 (22).  Jesus said, "Enter ye in at the strait gate: for wide is the gate, and broad is the way, that leadeth to destruction, and many there be which go in thereat:  Because strait is the gate, and narrow is the way, which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it, Matt:7:13. 

This is a very light touch to an awesomely deep subject.  But I hope that it will head folks in the right direction of how a loving God can and will allow there to be a place where He does not go for those who don't want to be in His presence.  He, above all others, is very much of a gentleman...

Another factor, normally extended as an objection,  "What about the poor ignorant savage who has never heard about the Bible?"  Roman 1:18-32  handles that rather carefully along with the letter of Luke 11:9-10 where Jesus says that God is honor bound to send the Truth to those who are asking, knocking and seeking.  This is regardless of where they are on planet earth as they see God's signature in the things that have been created all around them.

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