Does God Punish?

Verse: Likewise every good tree bears good fruit, but a bad tree bears bad fruit. A good tree cannot bear bad fruit, and a bad tree cannot bear good fruit. Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and throw into the fire. Mathew 7: 17-19 NIV

As a Christian and a religious studies scholar, I have often puzzled over the question of whether God punishes His children either here on earth or after we die.

This passage from Mathew suggests God will banish everyone who is not living a Christian life into Hell (Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and throw into the fire).

Many people, including myself, have trouble connecting the angry God of the Old Testament and the generally loving God of the New Testament. The parts of the Bible were written at different times for different audiences.

Perhaps our perceptions of ourselves and God affect how we see God. For instance, if you see yourself as deserving of love, you might perceive God to be much more loving than someone who sees himself or herself as deserving of punishment.

While some denominations of Christianity may preach that one needs to live a good, Christian life to avoid going to Hell, others preach that as long as you repent and ask for forgiveness of your sins, God will save you from the fire.

In their book If Grace is True: Why God Will Save Every Person, Phillip Gulley and James Mulholland go as far as to claim that God will save every human being, no matter their sins, no matter if they have asked for forgiveness, no matter whether they believe in God. Their theory says Hell does not exist.

As you can see, theories about God and punishment clearly run the gammot.

Do you think God punishes either here or in the afterlife? Feel free to discuss in the comments section.

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