~
It's one thing to discuss Hell from the perspective of an armchair expert with
no emotional attachment, while quite another when one of your own might
be down there.
My kid brother decided early to live life on his own terms and not allow
religion to get in his way. As a result, he was secular his entire life before
passing away back in March of 2016 at 71 of pancreatic cancer. Well; if
there's a Hell, it's pretty certain my brother is down there; and that
suspicion has a very strong effect on my thoughts and feelings about eternal
suffering.
The thing is; my brother isn't just another nondescript skull in the gene
pool: he's my kin, my very next of kin actually, We were born the same
year: me in January and him in December. We grew up in the same home,
were nurtured by the same parents, ate the same foods, attended the same
church, and slept in the same bed for a while till dad got us some bunks. We
had mostly the same friends, and kept each other company and were
playmates together for quite a few years throughout childhood. Our life
together as juniors joined us at the hip, so to speak: forging a lifelong bond
that no amount of disagreement had ever broken.
My brother is a pretty tough guy, but Hell is designed to break people down,
and I fear that today my once-fearless adventuresome brother is now a
squeaky little whimpering gerbil wishing he'd taken an interest in religion
when it mattered the most.
There's an incident depicted in the 16th chapter of Luke wherein folks on
both sides of the afterlife are able to communicate. Well; I hope that's still
possible because I'd really like to visit my brother as often as I can before
he's transferred to the lake of fire depicted by Rev 20:11-15 because after
that, it's very likely I'll never get to see him ever again. And it appears from
Rev 21:3-5 that we're in for a memory wipe so I'll not even remember his
name and it'll be like he never existed; which is actually a blessing because
it would be very unpleasant to have thoughts of my kid brother haunting me
forever.
_
Very interesting, thanks for sharing. Don’t believe I have ever known natural siblings born in the same year, that were not from the same pregnancy.
Sad about your brothers plight of a physical disease, and very sad of his passing without salvation.
You mention a an “intermittent” time in Hell, of
folks (saved and unsaved) communicating.
I believe, that “WAS” the case, and applied expressly to departed (saved and unsaved) living “SOULS” (not body’s).
I do not believe, “SAVED” departed souls, continue to occupy “one side” of the great gulf, (in Hell) which at one time separated the departed (saved and unsaved) souls of men.
Further study of Scripture reveals, Jesus IS First “in all things”.
Saved souls IN Hell, were there, “in waiting”, not only, for Jesus’ soul to be visibly seen (by mens souls), but for mens souls to visibly see and notice Jesus’ soul departure from Hell.
Once Jesus’ soul RETURNED to Heaven, so ALSO could every “restored” (ie Saved) soul return to Heaven, to Gods Kingdom, from whence that soul came.
I believe
* the Living still tend to the burying of dead bodies…
* Departed Living Saved souls are “carried, escorted” (by Holy angels) to Heaven, to wait for their body’s to be risen up glorified.
* Departed Quickened Living born again spirits are “carried/ escorted (by Holy angels) to Heaven, to wait for their body’s to be risen up glorified.
* Departed Living unsaved souls are “sent” to hell, separated from God, wait in hell for their judgement day.
* Their natural spirit (ie truth in their heart), died with their natural body and was buried.
* I do believe you (still bodily alive) grieve, mourn, miss your brother, as do others who are alive, remember their dead loved ones…
* And agree:
~ Once you experience physical death, your memory of brother will cease.
~ Once you experience the raising up of your glorified body, your memory of mommy, daddy, siblings, etc. relationships and the sadness of not seeing them, will cease.
The good news for manKIND is:
God is Good.
God is Full of Grace.
God is Just.
* Men who freely Choose God shall “Live eternally” with God, void of pain, sorrow, etc.
* Men who freely Reject God shall “NOT Live eternally” … they also void of pain, sorrow, etc.
The reality is: As long as a man’s BODY is alive, it has a Living soul in it…and (regardless if that body has a natural spirit or a born again spirit)… that body, and that living soul, existing upon the Face of the Earth….Does, Will, Shall, experience
Pleasures; Beauty, Comforts, etc.
AND
Tribulations; Hardships, Fears, Diseases, Dis-Comforts, etc.
No man is “excepted”…
I have had loved ones pass away. While I am still naturally alive, I try to keep all the good memories of them present, full well knowing, that one day, such memories shall cease, and the relationships shall cease and that I will exist among all others in a relationship of God and Gods People.
(2 Cor 6:16)
God Bless you,
Taken