| For those who reject His Creatorship and | | | | decision is that God gives us exactly |
| Godship, He has ordained a place for | | | | what we ask for and desire: eternal |
| them in eternal isolation from Him. This | | | | separation from Him. Because He is Holy, |
| eternal isolation is so intense that it | | | | he cannot tolerate the presence of the |
| is referred to in the Bible as a Hell, | | | | unholy, of sin. The natural and normal |
| as a place of eternal torment. It will | | | | result of the choice to sin, to refuse |
| still be eternal life, but it will be | | | | to accept His Creatorship and Lordship, |
| eternal life in seclusion from our Lord | | | | is eternal separation from Him, which is |
| and Maker. | | | | effectively death (Rom 6: 23). |
| Have you ever been alone? Really alone? | | | | Fortunately, God in His infinite mercy |
| You think no one cares? No one wants to | | | | has crafted a plan, one which He set |
| talk? Imagine a place on this earth of | | | | into motion before He even created the |
| isolation. Imagine the prisoner of war | | | | earth, knowing what His creation would |
| who is put into an earthen cell, and fed | | | | do. He ordained that His own Son would |
| once a day. But even that prisoner, as | | | | die to bridge the gap between God |
| alone as he may feel, is not truly | | | | Himself, from whom every man chooses to |
| alone. Perhaps he can see the soldiers | | | | separate, and man, the creation. By |
| when they come to bring his daily food. | | | | being God Himself and taking on the |
| Perhaps the rats and cockroaches visit | | | | nature of man, when Jesus Christ, the |
| him in his cell. Perhaps he hears the | | | | Son of God, was put to death, his death |
| tortured screams of other prisoners. | | | | was able to pay the penalty, not of His |
| Perhaps he converses with his God. He is | | | | own sins, because He had none, but our |
| not truly alone. | | | | own sins, because He was pure in His |
| But nevertheless, he is experiencing a | | | | death. |
| type of living hell. Now imagine what | | | | You see, the acceptance of His death for |
| that same cell would be like with no | | | | our sins is the same difference as not |
| food, no rats, no soldiers or fellow | | | | eating of the forbidden fruit (which we |
| prisoners, and worst yet, no God. That | | | | have all done, in one form or another). |
| is Hell. | | | | It is the same difference as paying a |
| You see, when God created us, He created | | | | tithe of our property and our yearly |
| us for Heaven, not Hell. He created us | | | | increase. It is the ultimate form of |
| to always have communion, fellowship, | | | | recognizing that God created everything, |
| and communication with Him. Starting | | | | including us, and that He gave us |
| with the first man and the first woman, | | | | everything we have. It is simply saying |
| Adam and Eve, man as a race has chosen | | | | that I cannot, as man, do it on my own; |
| to 'eat of the forbidden fruit', to sin, | | | | I need a mediator, someone to stand in |
| or turn away from God. Everyone who has | | | | the gap for my rebellion, and prevent |
| ever lived to the age of understanding | | | | eternal isolation from the Creator of |
| has done it, turned away from God, and | | | | the universe. |
| failed to recognize Him as God and | | | | Questions for discussion: |
| Provider. Not only failed, but purposely | | | | Describe your view of the nature of God |
| tested Him to show that they are in | | | | and His redemption plan. |
| control of their own lives. The Book of | | | | Have you struggled with what you |
| Romans tells us: "For all have sinned | | | | perceived as God's wrathful and |
| and come short of the glory of God" | | | | vindictive nature? |
| (Rom. 3: 23). | | | | Does this lesson help you see that |
| Once we have sinned and rejected the | | | | eternal separation is a direct result of |
| promises of God, His life-giving power, | | | | our sin, not His vindictive nature? |
| once we eat of the forbidden fruit, so | | | | Have you sinned (rebelled against the |
| to speak, once we firmly establish that | | | | Creator of the universe)? |
| we own our lives and our futures, we | | | | Can God, in His holiness, permit sin in |
| effectively tell God that we no longer | | | | His presence? |
| need Him, that we can do it on our own. | | | | Have you accepted His loving plan to |
| And the natural and fair end of that | | | | keep you from eternal separation? |