Hell

In this life we have the ability to do good and the ability to do evil. I don't mean this in any technical way, I just mean that someone can feed the poor or rape a twelve year old. At the time of death, when the soul seperates from the body, it becomes unencumbered by the limitations imposed upon it by the body. For when a human is born, it begins with a body, and a soul is joined to it sometime during pregnancy. The soul is limited by the body. Ever tried going for hours without sleep? Your body ultimately forces you to sleep. This is where an interesting collision of external force and internal will occurs. During this life, as a man makes use of his freedom and does good or evil, he establishes habits. Once a man gets in the habit of beating his wife every night it becomes more difficult for him to even desire to do otherwise. Once he dies and is no longer limited by his body, he will continue to desire to do evil. In fact, without limitations, it will become impossible for him to desire anything other than evil. The wife beater will not be sorry that he chose to beat his wife, because now, just as before, he thinks that it is what ought to be done. However, after death his soul will be alone, and he will not be able to satisfy his desire to beat his wife. Ever will he yearn to do evil, and ever will he be denied any gratification. He will then regret his evil choices, not because he detests his sin, or that he wouldn't do it again if given the chance, but because he cannot have what he chose - he gets only and everything that he disgusts. The wife beater will continuously hold an evil attitude, and yet burn with misery for his choices and the glory that he gave up. Even supposing Heaven and Hell are "real" places or physical locations, if God Hiimself placed this man in Heaven next to God, the sinner would be in agony, not desiring to relate to God, but wanting evil and seperation from good. Heaven would be Hell to him. This anguish is artistically described by Isaiah 66:24, "Their worm shall not die".

The fact that a human's earthly life is short when juxtaposed with eternity bears no consequence with regard to the duration of his punishment. This is similar to the fact that a man who committs a murder or a rape in a short period may be sentenced to an entire life in prison. Moreover, a man still living on earth has the opportunity to repent, whereas the dead man who continues in his obstinancy without end in eternity will not repent. It is appropriate that he be tormented throughout eternity. Lastly, the greater the person who is offended, the worse the punishment. Striking the President would no doubt bring upon a man far more severe consequences than striking another drunkard in a bar. How much more extreme the effect of an offense committed against He who is without limit in His greatness.