Hell's Population Clock

[Olde Tymer]

.
Luke 16:19-31 portrays Abraham conversing with one of his grandsons over on the
inferno side of the afterlife. I sure hope that's still possible because I'm pretty sure
my mom, two of my brothers, a nephew, an aunt and an uncle, and a cousin are
confined to that place. I would really like to keep in touch with them as much as
possible before they're transferred to the lake of fire depicted by Rev 20:11-15
where I may never get to speak with them again.

The thing is: according to Matt 10:28, the ultimate Hell is able to destroy souls.
Well; according to Gen 2:7, the soul is what makes us conscious beings. If
everyone's souls are destroyed, then my family won't even be able to recognize me
let alone speak.

I can't imagine the profound sadness I might experience from looking out across
the lake of fire and observing folks floating around out there like apples in a
bobbing tub realizing that some of them could very possibly be loved ones.

POP CLOCK UPDATE: 539 days have elapsed since beginning the thread. If the OP's
figures are in the ball park, then something like 37,433,550 new arrivals have checked
into the fiery sector of Hades since Oct 09, 2023.
_

 

[Olde Tymer]

.
● John 6:53 . . Truly, Truly, I say to you: unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man
and drink His blood, you have no life in yourselves.

The kind of life about which the Son of Man spoke is supernatural.

● John 6:54 . . He who eats my flesh and drinks my blood has eternal life.

Note the grammatical tense of "has eternal life". It's present tense rather than
future, indicating that when people correctly dine upon Jesus' flesh and blood they
obtain eternal life right then and there, no delay and no waiting period.

* Eternal life and immortality are not the same. The one speaks of a soul that's
immune to death and the other speaks of a body that's immune to death. Although
it's possible to obtain eternal life now, immortality has to wait until our
resurrections. (1Cor 15:51-54)

For example Jesus had eternal life prior to his crucifixion (John 5:26, 1John 1:1-2)
but he didn't obtain immortality till after his resurrection (Rom 6:9, Rev 1:18) And
according to John 5:24, the apostles had eternal life too; but it didn't prevent their
demise; they're all gone because eternal life doesn't prevent one's body from losing
its youth.

Now the thing is: eternal life is a very core element of New Testament Christianity,
viz: people who lack it also lack unity with God's son, i.e. they are literally quite
christless.

● 1John 5:9-13 . .We accept human testimony, but God's testimony carries more
weight because it is the testimony of God, which He has given about His son. . . .
And this is the testimony: God has given us eternal life, and this life is in His son.
Whoever has the Son has the life; whoever who does not have the life, does not
have God's son.

There are well-meaning Christians out and about insisting that no one obtains
eternal life until they cross over to the other side. Beware making that mistake
because when people wait to obtain eternal life when they cross over, then they
spend the remainder of their stay on earth in a christless spiritual condition.
Needless to say: that is very dangerous. (Rom 8:9)

POP CLOCK UPDATE: 545 days have elapsed since beginning the thread. If the OP's
figures are in the ball park, then something like 37,850,250 new arrivals have checked
into the fiery sector of Hades since Oct 09, 2023.
_

 

[Olde Tymer]

.
Going My Way?

I've reached the age of 81 and was recently given an end of life speech by my
oncologists who told me, in so many words, that there are no more viable
treatment options for my cancer.

At first I became envious of all the folks out there younger and healthier than I
before remembering none of them get to stay that way.

In other words; they're all headed to the very same place where I am now-- unless
something happens to them before the age of 81, they will reach my point in time
and then they too will envy the younger and the healthier than themselves. In this
situation, the olde saying is very appropriate: all roads lead to Rome.

POP CLOCK UPDATE: 563 days have elapsed since beginning the thread. If the OP's
figures are in the ball park, then something like 39,100,350 new arrivals have checked
into the fiery sector of Hades since Oct 09, 2023.
_

 

[Olde Tymer]

.
● Rom 8:26 . . The Spirit helps us in our weakness. We do not know what we ought
to pray for, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with groans that words cannot
express.

Intercession in that case can be thought of as assistance with an area of expertise
in which mortal men are amateurs. In other words; it's a silent, invisible, activity
whereby the Spirit moderates our prayers and revises them as need requires so as
to make them acceptable to God's ears.

And there's also God's son.

● Rom 8:34 . .Who is he that condemns? Christ Jesus, who died? -- more than that,
who was raised to life, is at the right hand of God, and is also interceding for us?

In that respect: intercession is prayer, petition, or entreaty in favor of another by
an advocate.

Those two passages reveal that two of the most powerful influences in Heaven are
kept busy supporting the folks who've entrusted their safety to Christ's crucifixion--
a remarkable difference between sinners who at one time were alienated from God
and sinners now reconciled with God. And those two powerful influences are doing
what they do without requiring a fee, i.e. they are not on retainer nor do they
charge by the hour nor is theirs a limited-time offer.

● Heb 7:24-25 . .Because Jesus lives forever, he has a permanent priesthood.
Therefore he is able to save completely those who come to God through him,
because he always lives to intercede for them.

* I was born, baptized, and raised a Roman Catholic. For a long time I was
convinced the Church's hierarchy would stand in my defense when the time came. I
had no clue, none at all, that there was a powerful Heavenly tag team in the wings
wanting to do that very thing for me-- the quality of their association with God far
exceeding the quality of every man of the cloth on earth. How does one even begin
to comprehend the magnitude of such a remarkable benefit?

POP CLOCK UPDATE: 577 days have elapsed since beginning the thread. If the OP's
figures are in the ball park, then something like 40,072,650 new arrivals have checked
into the fiery sector of Hades since Oct 09, 2023.
_