Our Lord Jesus Christ who is God's only begotten Son, lived, died, and was risen from the dead for the total healing of man (not just so that man could escape death and hell). He was not trying to appease an angry Father. God the Father was never our enemy. It was us who were in enmity with Him.
The Grace of God is experienced by the righteous and the sinners in a different way, even in this life! As we can read in the Book of Daniel, there flows a river of Fire from the throne of God. At the last judgment all mankind will experience God in this Fire. In the Gospel of St Mark 9:49, we read, "For everyone shall be salted with fire.. ", "that is, shall be tested. Paul also says that all things shall be tried by fire, 1 Corinthians 3:13." (Blessed Theophylact of Bulgaria in The Explanation of the Gospel of St Mark p. 80).
The righteous, the saved, that is, those who love God and want to be united to Him; will see the Fire as light and blessedness. The sinners and lost, that is, those who love their sin and refuse to repent will experience Fire, Darkness and Torment.
Ultimately Heaven and Gehenna are the same Reality, the Uncreated Energy of God; the Grace and Glory of God in Uncreated Light, which will be blessedness for the saved and torment for the lost.
Today is the day of salvation. We must repent from our sins, and purify our hearts so that on the day of judgment we may experience God as Light and not as Fire.
The biblical basis for this truth is found in the book of Daniel. The Prophet writes in Daniel 7:9-10,
"I beheld till the thrones were cast down, and the Ancient of days did sit, whose garment was white as snow, and the hair of his head like the pure wool: his throne was like the fiery flame, and his wheels as burning fire.
10 A fiery stream issued and came forth from before him: thousand of thousands ministered unto him, and ten thousand times ten thousand stood before him: the judgment was set, and the books were opened."
St Basil the Great (see Note) explains, "the nature of the fire will be divided, and the light will be assigned for the pleasure of the just, but also for the painful burning of those punished"
This is what the Psalms mean when we read, Psalm 29:7 "The voice of the Lord divideth the flames of fire."
Lord have mercy! We must be prepared, before the Lord comes in His Glory.
For more on this subject please read, The River of Fire by Dr Alexander Kalomiros
Note
St Mark of Ephesus in Oratio Altera page 59, quotes St Basil's Hexaemeron, 6,"the nature of the fire will be divided, and the light will be assigned for the pleasure of the just, but also for the painful burning of those punished"
Note
St Mark of Ephesus in Oratio Altera page 59, quotes St Basil's Hexaemeron, 6,"the nature of the fire will be divided, and the light will be assigned for the pleasure of the just, but also for the painful burning of those punished"
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