Saturday, March 28, 2009

Why Not? Have A Couple More...

It would be dreadful to suffer this fierceness and wrath of Almighty God one second; but you must suffer it for all of eternity. There will be no end to this extreme horrible misery. When you look forward, you shall see a long forever, a boundless duration before you, which will swallow up your thoughts, and amaze your soul; and you will absolutely despair of ever having any deliverance, any end, any mitigation, any rest at all. You will know certainly that you must wear out long ages, millions of millions of ages in wrestling and conflicting with this almighty merciless vengeance; and then when you have so done, when so many ages have actually been spent by you in this manner, you will know that all is but a point to what remains.

- Jonathan Edwards "Sinners In The Hands Of An Angry God" (emphasis mine)

This would be BAD - bad on the scale of crossing the streams in Ghostbusters. In fact, that really doesn't even touch on how bad that would be. It will happen to some because they foolishly reject the provision that Jesus has made for them and their sin. Do not let that happen to you.

A much better option follows...

It would be blissful to experience this fierceness of love and pleasure of Almighty God one second; but you shall delight in it for all of eternity. There will be no end to this extreme glorious ecstasy. When you look forward, you shall see a long forever, a boundless duration before you, which will swallow up your thoughts, and amaze your soul; and you will be absolutely astounded by the certainty that there shall be no end, no mitigation, no cessation at all. You will know certainly that you must expend long ages, millions of millions of ages in absorbing and basking in this almighty limitless adoration; and then when you have so done, when so many ages have actually been spent by you in this manner, you will know that all is but a point to what remains.

- Jonathan Eller from his essay "Sinners In The Hands Of An Angry God"

This would be GOOD. In fact, good really doesn't even come close to describing what this will be like. May I suggest this path? It will probably be more difficult on this side of death, but the trials faced are always for our good. And I can assure you that the final outcome will be far FAR FAR better.

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