Don,DonCameron wrote:Bart,
You said...
I believe we agreed that God created Satan and the fallen angels now known as demons correct?
I don't feel that God created "Satan the Devil." Rather that He created a perfect angel who later turned himself into Satan the Devil. In the same way, God didn't create "fallen angels." He created perfect angels who later used their free will to turn themselves into demons against God.
I also believe we agreed that Satan and his fallen angels would be in the lake of fire for eternity. Yes
On what basis do you separate fallen men who have rejected Christ and mitigate their sentence? I don't understand your question. Can you re-word it for me?
Is God Just in his pronouncement regarding Satan and the Demons? Yes
What delineates one for the other in terms of men? Sorry Bart but here too, I don't understand what you are asking.
Don
I agree with your clarification. I wasn't suggesting Satand and the fallen angles were created in that manner. They rebelled and fell.
Here's the point of my clarification.
On what basis do you delineate between God's justice in eternal torment and damnation for Lucifer and company and then suggest that God would treat fallen man differently?
I wonder if there is an unstated (to this point) motivation behind your thinking that God would not be so cruel or that he would in some manner be unloving to operate in this manner rather than simply annihilating.
To be honest, as I've stated before, I wish it weren't so in my own reckoning or understanding.
These verses indicate to me the Hell, the lake of Fire is eternal and those condemed there in eternal torment.
Mt. 25:46 "They will go away to eternal punishment."
Heb. 6:2 "… the resurrection of the dead, and eternal judgment."
Jude 7 The people of Sodom and Gomorrah serve as an example of those who suffer the "punishment of eternal fires."
Dan. 12:2 "… some to everlasting life, other to shame and everlasting contempt."
2 Th. 1:9 "…they will be punished with everlasting destruction."
Gal. 1:8 If someone preaches another gospel, he is to be "eternally condemned."
Is. 66:24 Those that rebelled against God, "Their worm will not die, nor will the fire be quenched."
Rev. 14:10-11 "And the smoke of their torment rises for ever and ever"
Mk. 3:29 Those who blaspheme will be guilty of an "eternal sin."
Is. 34:8-10 "Lord has a day of vengeance … it will not be quenched night or day. Its smoke will rise forever."
I think there's an element to what I've seen of your argument that is based upon some of the underlying premises of what I hope I've better clarified above for you.
How do you account for the inconsistency in treatment that you assert between humans and Lucifer and company and is it direct from the Bible or inferred by your values and philisophy in this regard?
Hope that makes better sense.
Bart