(134) Punishment

Author:  Steve
To:  Mostly Bob, John Listening

        While there are some points of agreement between you and me in your recent posting (#133), I’m going to confront you on a significant disagreement in this short burst of mine.
        As I think about our differences on heaven and hell, I wonder if they don’t stem from possibly different exposure to punishment in our lifetimes, punishment at the hands of our parents and punishment we impose on our children. As we have all admitted, our life experiences seem to color our perceptions of what God is like.
        My parents were not harsh and neither am I. Nonetheless, they used punishment to correct me, and I did the same for my children. As I’ve said all along, punishment (or discipline) is one way of showing love. My parents loved me enough correct me, even if it meant brief physical pain or loss of privileges. I have similarly disciplined my children (and at times I might have been too lenient for their own good).
        Thus, to me, the concept of a loving God that dispenses only mercy does not capture His full character. He is an awesome God – far more potent than the mighty winds and waves of the fiercest hurricanes on this planet. He is a God to be feared – not in the afraid sense – but in his majesty. Just as I cannot fathom the depths of his mercy, neither can I fathom the intensity of his wrath when we willfully disobey.
        When our children were young, did they always obey us because they believed we loved them? Did they comply with our wishes because we were good guys? No, sometimes they obeyed because they knew we had the power and willingness to punish. There were times they feared us, not because we were abusive, but because they had experienced our wrath and anger. Sure, we would like our children to obey us out of love and respect for us. But face it, when they were very young (and also as teens), they often obeyed us simply because they feared the consequences of disobedience. And, admittedly, sometimes they disobeyed to test our willingness to discipline.

        Eternal Consequences. I cannot follow your logic on eternal consequences. You want God to stay out of our earthly lives, “I do not believe that a divine being actively intervenes to protect or bless or punish people during their earthly lives.” Yet, at the same time, you seem to want him to actively intervene in the hereafter, by granting bliss to all? You say, “Irreparably and eternally separating a being from bliss on the basis of attitudes and actions taken during a brief finite lifetime seems excessive.” You go on to say, “Further, consider that to be loving, punishment ought to allow for second chances. Eternal banishment based on a one-time tryout is not loving, it’s pure retribution.” Come on. Life isn’t a one-time tryout. It’s a lifetime of daily chances. More precisely, it’s a lifetime of daily CHOICES. You later say, and I agree, that life is the opportunity for character and soul building. But in the choices we make, some of us humans deform our character and stifle our soul.
        You want man to exercise free will on earth with no divine direction, but then you want man’s free will negated by God in the afterlife? That’s like saying we’ll let our children run wild with no intervening discipline from us, and then gently pat them on the head and tell them nothing bad will happen. A parent like that is neither loving nor truthful.

        Biblical Examples of Our Choices. You reject the notion that a loving God can dish out punishment. I return to my contention that we bring on ourselves separation from God. Our attitudes and actions have consequences. Strange as it might sound, some choose a path apart from the joy of walking with God. I’ll use a few Biblical examples, some of which I might have used before.
        The parable of the Prodigal Son (Luke 15: 11-32) is one example. The younger prodigal son chooses to leave his loving father. After wallowing in the mud of a sinful life, he finally recognizes his deplorable condition apart from his father. He returns to his father, humble, broken, and seeking forgiveness. The father joyfully welcomes him back. The younger son suffered the consequences of his sinful choices. But, he also receives the ultimate blessing of re-unification with his father when he chooses to ask for forgiveness.
        In contrast, the older son obediently follows close to his father most of his life. But he chooses not to join his father and brother at the re-unification feast. I wonder, how many will reject citizenship in the Kingdom of Heaven because it would require them to live for eternity with “those” people, folks they believe are less deserving or inferior to themselves.
        Now, a second example from Mark 10: 17-27. A rich young man approaches Jesus and asks what he must do to get into heaven. Jesus replies, “obey God’s commands.” The man says, “I have obeyed all his commands since my youth.” Jesus looks at him and says, “then sell all that you have, give it to the poor, and follow me.”  The man chooses to walk away.
        Jesus was lovingly trying to show the man that he was disobeying the essence of God’s expectations: 1) to love God with all your heart, mind, soul, and strength, and 2) to love your neighbor as yourself. I wonder, how many will reject citizenship in the Kingdom of Heaven because it would require them to share what they believe they have earned.
        A third example from Luke 23: 39-43. Two men hang on crosses next to Jesus. They will be executed by the Romans for their crimes. One man defiantly calls to Jesus, “if you claim to have been sent to save us, then prove it by rescuing me from the consequences of my sin and this terrible punishment.” The other man responds, “Don’t you even fear God when you are dying? We deserve to die for our crimes, but this man (Jesus) has done nothing wrong.” He humbly asks Jesus for forgiveness, “remember me when you come into your Kingdom.” Jesus replies to the repentant man, “today you will be with me in Paradise. This is a solemn promise.” I wonder, how many will reject citizenship in the Kingdom of Heaven because it would require admitting their sins and humbly asking for forgiveness.
        In all of these examples, I see visions of a loving God that desires to draw us to himself. I see a loving God of boundless mercy. I, like you, choose to optimistically believe in a joyful re-unification with God upon my earthly death. Hopefully, we will spend our lives growing closer to God, so that eternity becomes an extension and perfection of that relationship. Even those who admit on their deathbed that they have squandered a lifetime of opportunity will enjoy eternity with him. God’s mercy is that great.
        I also see an awesome and just God who will not override our defiant choice to walk away from him. He will spend our lifetimes reaching out to us, but ultimately, our “punishment” of separation is self-selected and self-inflicted.