<blockquote><font size=1>In reply to:</font><hr>[color:"blue"]<span style="background-color:yellow;">It is tragic that of all people, those who claim to be his, should even think of him in connection with deliberate, long-planned torture.</span> It should boggle the minds of atheists. God the Father in fact is merciful and gracious, slow to anger and plenteous in mercy. <span style="background-color:yellow;">Eternal separation from such an One is quite enough; heartfelt regret is part of that eternal punishment.</span> Read the posts and weep: most of even those who claim to be renewed in God's image sound as if they have buried their one talent and your god and theirs turns out to be 'a hard man'. Mt 25:24 </font><hr></blockquote><p> While I think the term "torture" is [color:red]not</font color=red> a biblical term for the [color:blue]eternal sufferings</font color=blue> of hell there is none the less SUFFERING. Where does the Bible say that God IS or WILL BE "eternally" merciful to the unrepentant? Did Jesus lie when He said:<br><br><blockquote>Matthew 8:12 But the children of the kingdom shall be cast out into outer darkness: [color:red]there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth</font color=red>. <br><br>Matthew 24:51 And shall cut him asunder, and appoint him his portion with the hypocrites: [color:red]there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth</font color=red>.</blockquote> When do the unrepentant EVER STOP sinning? Thus, when will their suffering cease? What BIBLICAL warrant do you have for for judging God's elect by saying they are incorrect for defending the truths of Scripture as seen above? Please SHOW US the Scriptures!!! [img]http://www.the-highway.com/w3timages/icons/ponder.gif" alt="ponder" title="ponder[/img] Something someone wrote a long time ago may help:<br><br><blockquote>God hath appointed a day, wherein he will judge the world, in righteousness, by Jesus Christ [1], to whom all power and judgment is given of the Father.[2] In which day, not only the apostate angels shall be judged.[3] but likewise all persons that have lived upon earth shall appear before the tribunal of Christ, to give an account of their thoughts, words, and deeds; and to receive according to what they have done in the body, whether good or evil.[4]<br><br><ul>1. Acts 17:31<br>2. John 5:22, 27<br>3. Jude 1:6; II Peter 2:4<br>4. II Cor. 5:10; Eccl. 12:14; Rom. 2:16; 14:10, 12; Matt. 12:36-37[/LIST]II. The end of God's appointing this day is for the manifestation of the glory of his mercy, in the eternal salvation of the elect; and of his justice, in the damnation of the reprobate, who are wicked and disobedient. For then shall the righteous go into everlasting life, and receive that fullness of joy and refreshing, which shall come from the presence of the Lord; but the wicked who know not God, and obey not the gospel of Jesus Christ, shall be cast into eternal torments, and be punished with everlasting destruction from the presence of the Lord, and from the glory of his power.[5]<br><br><ul>5. Matt. 25:21, 31-46; Rom. 2:5-6; 9:22-23; Acts 3:19; II Thess. 1:7-10; Mark 9:48[/LIST] III. As Christ would have us to be certainly persuaded that there shall be a day of judgment, both to deter all men from sin; and for the greater consolation of the godly in their adversity:[6] so will he have that day unknown to men, that they may shake off all carnal security, and be always watchful, because they know not at what hour the Lord will come; and may be ever prepared to say, Come Lord Jesus, come quickly, Amen.[7]<br><br><ul>6. II Peter 3:11, 14; II Cor. 5:10-11; II Thess. 1:5-7; Luke 21:27-28; Rom. 8:22-25<br>7. Matt. 24:36, 42-44; Mark 13:35-37; Luke 12:35-36; Rev. 22:20[/LIST] WCF CHAPTER XXXIII. Of the Last Judgment</blockquote>As Pusey said: "Right exposition is at variance with all heresy: and a fuller and more literal apprehension of Scripture is, at the same time, a shield against doctrinal error."

Reformed and Always Reforming,