Hi Genna, I have heard this used many times but there is much to be learned concerning this mentallity. First, by thinking that their is no terrors of the Lord based on the fact that they do not continue for an eternity does not limit the force of such wrath whatsoever, only its duration.Genna said:Well one of the reasons as to why I thought about turning my life around was because of the possibility of eternal punishment for such a person like me. But since everyone (including me) will eventually be reconciled to God regardless of their lifestyle, no worries for me! I'll just continue to live my life the way I enjoy it! :beach: :grill: :cigar: :cloud9:
Secondly this attitude exposes the heart of the individual who speaks it. Is someone who wished to be saved merely because they were afraid of eternal wrath exempt from judgment altogether merely because it is not an eternal sufferring? No, of course not. Once this false doctrine of eternal torment is exposed, the hearts of the true elect shine through based on the fall of so many. If a person talks the talk for so many years in their life and then they recieve this understanding and fall away show that they never ever had a heart for God in the first place. They were following purely out of fear and not love which is a caranl selfish motivation which is a foundation built on sand and not on rock.
Thirdly, With this attitude you will certainly miss out on the blessings of knowledge and wisdom of things pertaining to the Kingdom and Gods redemptive plan. You may be saved in the end but it will be through wrath along with all them that know not God.
Fourthly, You take a complete opposite appraoch than the reasons for your seeking God out in the first place. You are seeking purely out of fear and not a love for the truth. Then because Gods wrath does not continue forever you completely turn from Him altogether with no fear at all. A balanced appraoch to God is needed in order to recieve even so much as a carnal knowledge. You must appraoch with fear and trembling but also with love and patience and meekness and humility. A comment such as your above statement only reveals a lack of all of the above and expose the true heart of the person.
Gods elect have pure heart seeking Gods face and not only His hand. Acknowledging our salvation through Christ is only the first little baby step in our spiritual walk with God. There is much, much, much more to His blessings and understanding than merely salvation. Salvation is a process and a work that continues in us by the spirit. I don't expect you to understand fully what I am saying right now but I wanted to reveal the heart behind such a comment as your above statement.
My sudjestion to you is that you need to search this out further than you have before settling on living like hell and still go to heaven mentality, not that I believe this is what you will do. I understand you were merely making a point but this is a point I've heard from others who truly feel this way. Remember God judges the heart and if this was in your heart all along while your appraoch to God is purely out of fear alone would be in vain. This is why many will come to Him (Christ) in that day and He will say "depart from me ye workers of iniquity, for I never knew you", because they were not drawn by God out of love but purely out of fear by a false doctrine which does not come from God. Fear is only part of the reason to come to God, it cannot be our only reason.
God Bless, Dave