Heaven and Hell
Previously, a friend asked me why is there Heaven in the first place since the goodness and beauty of heaven is because there is an ugly hell to bring it out. Why not do away with both then? How would you answer her?
I cant really remember how I answered her. But i am sure it was inadequate. Even now as I attempt to answer this again, I am not sure if I can give a complete answer to it..
This question came back to me while I was singing Hymn 185. The lyrics generally asks us to ponder about our heavenly home, that our hopes is in Heaven and to think about the reason why we hold on to God's teachings and commandments despite much persecution and sufferings (so that we may return to this beautiful home). The title is si1 mu4 tian1 jia1 (paiseh, I sing chinese hymns. Not sure if this English version is the same. will check it out soon.). Anyway it got me thinking.
You see. In the beginning, there was only "heaven". That would be the garden of Eden. It is where all beings live harmoniously with each other, even man with God. This is where God intended for man to live in - our home. It was only after man sinned against God that man was cast out from the garden of Eden and where sufferings and labour and toil began. And that is why Christians always talk about returning to their heavenly home because this world is in fact just a temporary place.
This is also where Christianity differs from other religions. For religions like Taoism or chinese folk religion, their afterlife is different. I feel that adherents of these faiths placed equal, if not, more emphasis on this present life than their next life. They seek to maximise the utility of their present lives. Whereas for Christians, we seek to return to our home in heaven. We are merely passer-bys in this world.
I think for most people, when we talk about heaven and hell, the image that comes into their mind is that of heaven in the sky, the present world in the middle and hell at the bottom. I guess that is why my friend wondered why create the two in the first place. Let no one have to suffer extreme torture and no one experience extreme joy la?
But God created heaven for us man as our home. We were banished out of heaven into the current world right now. God is giving us a chance to know Him again and return back to Him.. and back to heaven.
I am not exactly sure when exactly was "hell" or "hades" first mentioned in the Bible. But I am sure the beauty of Heaven is definitely not due to comparison to the ugly Hell. In other words, it is not something relative. I've always held the belief that everything in the world is relative but only God is absolute. Likewise, our heavenly home is absolutely wonderful beyond description. I mean, only heaven was created in the beginning and it stood beautiful on its own.
ok ok. I feel that im running around in circles. My vocab is too limited. I hope you followed me so far. So i was saying I dun know exactly when the concept of "hell" first appeared. In fact, i think my concept of hell is different from most people out there. No, it isn't literally a place called Hell. As in like a place with land area and all that. In fact, similar to the concept of "evil is the absence of goodness", hell is the absence of God. Not that God is not omnipresent. He is. But hell is where you are when the grace of God is no longer with you any longer. Because you chose to shut God and His grace out of your life. Where you are forever separated from God.
Sigh. sounds sad to me. So in my opinion, God didnt really create Hell. But people blindly enter into "hell" when they turned away from God. And they suffer in there because the grace of God is not with them anymore.
aiyah. feels sad. I hope i conveyed my own opinions on heaven and hell somewhat clear enough. Share with me your opinions, if anyone of you is reading out there?
-------
Oh, and Happy Mother's Day, mameee!
I didn't get her any gifts though. Am still waiting for the day when i can share with her the best gift - God's love.
I cant really remember how I answered her. But i am sure it was inadequate. Even now as I attempt to answer this again, I am not sure if I can give a complete answer to it..
This question came back to me while I was singing Hymn 185. The lyrics generally asks us to ponder about our heavenly home, that our hopes is in Heaven and to think about the reason why we hold on to God's teachings and commandments despite much persecution and sufferings (so that we may return to this beautiful home). The title is si1 mu4 tian1 jia1 (paiseh, I sing chinese hymns. Not sure if this English version is the same. will check it out soon.). Anyway it got me thinking.
You see. In the beginning, there was only "heaven". That would be the garden of Eden. It is where all beings live harmoniously with each other, even man with God. This is where God intended for man to live in - our home. It was only after man sinned against God that man was cast out from the garden of Eden and where sufferings and labour and toil began. And that is why Christians always talk about returning to their heavenly home because this world is in fact just a temporary place.
This is also where Christianity differs from other religions. For religions like Taoism or chinese folk religion, their afterlife is different. I feel that adherents of these faiths placed equal, if not, more emphasis on this present life than their next life. They seek to maximise the utility of their present lives. Whereas for Christians, we seek to return to our home in heaven. We are merely passer-bys in this world.
I think for most people, when we talk about heaven and hell, the image that comes into their mind is that of heaven in the sky, the present world in the middle and hell at the bottom. I guess that is why my friend wondered why create the two in the first place. Let no one have to suffer extreme torture and no one experience extreme joy la?
But God created heaven for us man as our home. We were banished out of heaven into the current world right now. God is giving us a chance to know Him again and return back to Him.. and back to heaven.
I am not exactly sure when exactly was "hell" or "hades" first mentioned in the Bible. But I am sure the beauty of Heaven is definitely not due to comparison to the ugly Hell. In other words, it is not something relative. I've always held the belief that everything in the world is relative but only God is absolute. Likewise, our heavenly home is absolutely wonderful beyond description. I mean, only heaven was created in the beginning and it stood beautiful on its own.
ok ok. I feel that im running around in circles. My vocab is too limited. I hope you followed me so far. So i was saying I dun know exactly when the concept of "hell" first appeared. In fact, i think my concept of hell is different from most people out there. No, it isn't literally a place called Hell. As in like a place with land area and all that. In fact, similar to the concept of "evil is the absence of goodness", hell is the absence of God. Not that God is not omnipresent. He is. But hell is where you are when the grace of God is no longer with you any longer. Because you chose to shut God and His grace out of your life. Where you are forever separated from God.
Sigh. sounds sad to me. So in my opinion, God didnt really create Hell. But people blindly enter into "hell" when they turned away from God. And they suffer in there because the grace of God is not with them anymore.
aiyah. feels sad. I hope i conveyed my own opinions on heaven and hell somewhat clear enough. Share with me your opinions, if anyone of you is reading out there?
-------
Oh, and Happy Mother's Day, mameee!
I didn't get her any gifts though. Am still waiting for the day when i can share with her the best gift - God's love.
