The final fate of us all.
My apologies that I missed the great debate that Christianblog started. I was at work and came to it later this morning.
However, the answer , I believe, is here. Known in the western Tradition , it seems, but more clearly and widely understood in the Eastern Orthodox Church.
Put most simply, we will all be forever in the presence of God, for all eternity when we die.
There will be a comparatively brief moment when we are asleep in death, but in the Last Judgment , we are raised to life again in the full awareness of God's eternal presence.
Now, that may seem unfair, that saint and sinner alike obtain the same state, but consider this - the same heat that will harden clay will melt cheese. In like manner, the same presence of God will be experienced in vastly different ways to different souls.
to the righteous, the Holiness of God will be as a warm glow, bright and reassuring. to the unrighteous, the love, the majesty and splendour of our God will bring pain and anguish beyond belief.
It is fully expounded here , far more clearly and articulately -
http://aggreen.net/beliefs/heaven_hell.html
To me, this sums up God's Justice and fairness entirely. How can a God who is loving torture His own creatures forever? some may ask. Yet, it is in choosing to be *unlike* their Creator that some will place themselves in such a wretched condition.
The link itself was supplied to me by one from the Eastern Orthodox tradition, together with others. It would seem that their ideas on theosis are a good deal closer to the original ideas in scripture than ours - as explained in the article this link, made by a western scholar, I note.
even so, it would only be fair to allow Pastorlenny and others of the Western tradition to respond to this, so I post it here. I also think that Christianblog would find it of interest as well.
To me though, this reveals God's Justice and Wisdom most clearly, and I am glad I asked the question, and got such a complete answer.
However, the answer , I believe, is here. Known in the western Tradition , it seems, but more clearly and widely understood in the Eastern Orthodox Church.
Put most simply, we will all be forever in the presence of God, for all eternity when we die.
There will be a comparatively brief moment when we are asleep in death, but in the Last Judgment , we are raised to life again in the full awareness of God's eternal presence.
Now, that may seem unfair, that saint and sinner alike obtain the same state, but consider this - the same heat that will harden clay will melt cheese. In like manner, the same presence of God will be experienced in vastly different ways to different souls.
to the righteous, the Holiness of God will be as a warm glow, bright and reassuring. to the unrighteous, the love, the majesty and splendour of our God will bring pain and anguish beyond belief.
It is fully expounded here , far more clearly and articulately -
http://aggreen.net/beliefs/heaven_hell.html
To me, this sums up God's Justice and fairness entirely. How can a God who is loving torture His own creatures forever? some may ask. Yet, it is in choosing to be *unlike* their Creator that some will place themselves in such a wretched condition.
The link itself was supplied to me by one from the Eastern Orthodox tradition, together with others. It would seem that their ideas on theosis are a good deal closer to the original ideas in scripture than ours - as explained in the article this link, made by a western scholar, I note.
even so, it would only be fair to allow Pastorlenny and others of the Western tradition to respond to this, so I post it here. I also think that Christianblog would find it of interest as well.
To me though, this reveals God's Justice and Wisdom most clearly, and I am glad I asked the question, and got such a complete answer.