“There are only two kinds of people in the end: those who say to God, ‘Thy will be done,’ and those to whom God says, in the end, ‘Thy will be done.’ All that are in Hell, choose it. Without that self-choice there could be no Hell.”
(C.S. Lewis, The Great Divorce, p. 72)
I love the angle of Lewis. I think another interesting thought that comes up in this is how much does this have to do with understanding doctrines and how much does it have to do with for lack of a better way of saying it, intuitively grasping true humanity (living into shalom, through God’s prevenient grace).
It’s why I think regardless of the stance the argument that any thought on this cuts against evangelism is tough for me to handle. Ultimately evangelism is just proclaiming Jesus and God’s Kingdom, and how humanity is to truly live. It seems to me that proclamation is good news regardless of your view of who gets in or doesn’t because it disregards any emphasis on that following Jesus is better for you, your neighbor and the world now.
Thanks Steve – that seems to encapsulate a bit of what some in the Eastern church think – everyone goes to be with God, just it is amazing for some (who have trusted Christ and are prepared to stand before him) and hell for others (who have not – unprepared and blinded by his glory).
But alas, how little fit for heaven are many who talk of ‘going to heaven’ when they die, while they manifestly have no saving faith, and no real acquaintance with Christ. You give Christ no honor here. You have no communion with Him. You do not love Him. Alas! what could you do in heaven? It would be no place for you. Its joys would be no joys for you. Its happiness would be a happiness into which you could not enter. Its employments would be a weariness and burden to your heart. Oh, repent and change before it be too late! (J.C. Ryle)