How are we supposed to enjoy heaven when our non-Christian loved ones are in hell?

[TonyChanYT]

1. Lovingly tell them about Jesus.
2. Pray.
3. Trust in God that he will do what is just concerning them.

When I have done the above, I feel peaceful.

You can't enjoy heaven if you don't trust God to do the right things. I trust God will do the right things for non-believers. I know that I will enjoy heaven, Isaiah 65:

17 For, behold, I create new heavens and a new earth: and the former shall not be remembered, nor come into mind.

Revelation 21:

4 He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away.”

See also Worries about the new heaven and earth?.

 

[Freedm]

I don't believe is a real thing, so I'm not worried about it. The way I understand it, you either have eternal life, or eternal death. And if you're dead, you know nothing, so you don't suffer.

 

[TonyChanYT]

I don't believe is a real thing, so I'm not worried about it. The way I understand it, you either have eternal life, or eternal death. And if you're dead, you know nothing, so you don't suffer.

See Does the Bible teach conscious torment over an infinite period of time? and follow up there.

 

[Randy Kluth]

1. Lovingly tell them about Jesus.
2. Pray.
3. Trust in God that he will do what is just concerning them.

When I have done the above, I feel peaceful.

You can't enjoy heaven if you don't trust God to do the right things. I trust God will do the right things for non-believers. I know that I will enjoy heaven, Isaiah 65:


Revelation 21:


See also Worries about the new heaven and earth?.

I have lived this for many years. And I'll tell you how I deal with it. I recognize a special fellowship with those who are truly born again and living it. I'm heartened that friends made here will be friends forever.

On the other hand, I have loved ones and relatives who are not born again. As enjoyable as it is to have relatives with the same DNA, the same interests, as you, I don't have that special spiritual fellowship with them that I have with fellow Christians.

In light of this, I know that fellowship in heaven must be different than worldly friendships. All will go where their hearts tell them to go, the corrupt to where they want to twist God's word, and the righteous to a place where God's word reigns supreme in our hearts. It will be a just solution, and that allows me to be at ease.

I also don't think "Hell" will be the "torture chamber" Dante made it out to be. Hell itself is burned up, and the everlasting fire simply means people perish from this present earth forever. So those who pass out of the existence on the New Earth will live somewhere called "Outer Darkness" and will find some purpose in God's Kingdom elsewhere, outside of the fellowship of the saints. Perhaps they will find work to do that doesn't require them to be "in church." ;(

 

[Scott Downey]

What people in hell experience is eternal torment. They won't be working for God in some forgotten place on the far side of somewhere.
We also don't know anything pleasant or neutral even about that place or if it actually ends, scripture tells us it is forever and ever.
What we do know is sons of disobedience fully deserve hell, read Romans 1 about the reprobate. No one will accidently end up there.

Rev 20

7 Now when the thousand years have expired, Satan will be released from his prison 8 and will go out to deceive the nations which are in the four corners of the earth, Gog and Magog, to gather them together to battle, whose number is as the sand of the sea. 9 They went up on the breadth of the earth and surrounded the camp of the saints and the beloved city. And fire came down from God out of heaven and devoured them. 10 The devil, who deceived them, was cast into the lake of fire and brimstone where[b] the beast and the false prophet are. And they will be tormented day and night forever and ever.

Revelation 14:10
he himself shall also drink of the wine of the wrath of God, which is poured out full strength into the cup of His indignation. He shall be tormented with fire and brimstone in the presence of the holy angels and in the presence of the Lamb.
Revelation 14:11
And the smoke of their torment ascends forever and ever; and they have no rest day or night, who worship the beast and his image, and whoever receives the mark of his name.”

 

[Randy Kluth]

What people in hell experience is eternal torment. They won't be working for God in some forgotten place on the far side of somewhere.

I disagree. People were created in the image of God, and that won't change. Neither will God's loving, compassionate nature change. His purpose with Man, righteous or wicked, will continue forever. God's word cannot be thwarted.

People will continue to live in the presence of God, whether in paradise or in outer darkness. The work, along with the rest, will go on. Eternal Rest will come to the Righteous. Eternal drudgery will come to the Wicked.

Our sense of punishment is different from God's sense of punishment. We get a jaded view of God's judgment when we see it in the light of the world as it presently exists. God has allowed human freedom and has therefore chosen to use humanity, good and bad, to become conduits of His judgment.

That makes God's judgment look harsher than it really is, because human indecency and sadism is mixed in with God's sense of judgment. In eternity, when human evils are penned up and mitigated there will only be God's sense of judgment.

People will forever be cut off from God's presence due to their choice for separation. But the resulting "torment" does not translate into God relishing the right to wreck vengeance and misery on people out of blood lust.

In fact we see God's nature in the Bible as being the opposite of this, not returning evil for evil. So, I do think the eternal fate of the Wicked will be less vindictive than how Hell is often portrayed. We are simply not given many details because at this point I don't think the issue of moral imperatives should be obscured with questions of "how pleasant or unpleasant will it be?"

 

[marks]

You can't enjoy heaven if

I'm not sure we can really expect to understand in this world what our emotional state will be in our resurrection.

Much love!

 

[Bob Estey]

1. Lovingly tell them about Jesus.
2. Pray.
3. Trust in God that he will do what is just concerning them.

When I have done the above, I feel peaceful.

You can't enjoy heaven if you don't trust God to do the right things. I trust God will do the right things for non-believers. I know that I will enjoy heaven, Isaiah 65:


Revelation 21:


See also Worries about the new heaven and earth?.

First, one has to understand what hell really is. I don't think most people do.

That said, hell is a choice. If someone chooses hell, why should we worry about them?

 

[Freedm]

First, one has to understand what hell really is. I don't think most people do.

That said, hell is a choice. If someone chooses hell, why should we worry about them?

What do you think hell is?

 

[Bob Estey]

What do you think hell is?

The consequences of sin. As I say over and over, if you rob a bank, you go to prison. You don't want that to happen.

 

[VictoryinJesus]

1. Lovingly tell them about Jesus.
2. Pray.
3. Trust in God that he will do what is just concerning them.

When I have done the above, I feel peaceful.

You can't enjoy heaven if you don't trust God to do the right things. I trust God will do the right things for non-believers. I know that I will enjoy heaven, Isaiah 65:


Revelation 21:


See also Worries about the new heaven and earth?.

Good question. To me it gives a new meaning to
1 Thessalonians 4:13 But we do not want you to be uninformed, brothers, about those who are asleep, that you may not grieve as others do who have no hope.

My mom …she says you die and are buried and that is it. There is nothing afterwards. This brings her comfort because she is tired and ready to go. People maybe would tell me to be anxious and worried over what will happen to my mother because she hasn’t fulfilled the necessary requirements for salvation. That is why “that you may not grieve as others who have no hope” stands out to me.

 

[Freedm]

The consequences of sin. As I say over and over, if you rob a bank, you go to prison. You don't want that to happen.

Sure, it's a consequence, but I mean what do you think it really is. Do you think it's a fiery pit where people scream in pain for eternity?

 

[TonyChanYT]

she hasn’t fulfilled the necessary requirements for salvation.

See What about people of other cultures, ancient Chinese, ancient Australians, Islamic, Hindu, etc?

 

[Bob Estey]

Sure, it's a consequence, but I mean what do you think it really is. Do you think it's a fiery pit where people scream in pain for eternity?

No - if you rob a bank, you go to prison. That is hell. If you commit adultery, you lose your wife and kids. That is hell.

 

[Freedm]

No - if you rob a bank, you go to prison. That is hell. If you commit adultery, you lose your wife and kids. That is hell.

Oh, so you don't believe it's a place. More like a state of being that you can move into and out of. Interesting concept.

 

[Bob Estey]

Oh, so you don't believe it's a place. More like a state of being that you can move into and out of. Interesting concept.

I believe hell is the unpleasant consequences of our sin, as I've described.

What is heaven? Is heaven a beautiful place, or is it peace of mind? What good is a beautiful place if you don't have peace of mind?

 

[Freedm]

I believe hell is the unpleasant consequences of our sin, as I've described.

What is heaven? Is heaven a beautiful place, or is it peace of mind? What good is a beautiful place if you don't have peace of mind?

I would have peace of mind, if I could stop worrying about providing for my family.

 

[Bob Estey]

I would have peace of mind, if I could stop worrying about providing for my family.

I suppose peace of mind requires two things. First we have to repent of our sin (Matthew 4:17). And we need to trust God.

 

[Ezra]

See Does the Bible teach conscious torment over an infinite period of time? and follow up there.

in hell yes heaven no

 

[Freedm]

in hell yes heaven no

Does it, though?