Not punishing His creatures for rebellion is mercy. Giving them grace, in its various forms, is kindness. It's not that God stops being kind and merciful after they die, it is that they are dead, no longer able to access His kindness and mercy.
If we are to believe Paul that "the devil blinds the minds of unbelievers" 2nd Cor 4.4 , then we do not really have free will, only apparent free will therefore it seems that God out of mercy would allow the so called wicked to actually see God unblinded and repent and go through whatever process justice demands to see the kingdom of God. As far as the wicked being dead, all we know is that they are in the lake of fire which can mean various things.
This seems like mercy and love so why is it so radical (biblically speaking) to accept that a process like this would be a climax of God's love,
and love is who he is according to John.
Our kind and merciful God
Re: Our kind and merciful God
Steve7150,
You wrote:
3. But even if our gospel is veiled, it is veiled to those who are perishing, 4. whose minds the god of this age has blinded, who do not believe, lest the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine on them.
But how is it that the god of this age blinds them? Are they not willingly blinded? Take ol' Hugh Hefner, for example. Did Satan use the things of this world to blind him? Do you think Hefner resisted that blinding, or gladly went along with it, and it was not possible for him to make any other choice? I would be inclined to think his own lust for the pleasures of this world made him an easy, and eager, candidate for being blinded.
I have the impression that you think Satan has the power to "predestine" people to be damned.
You wrote:
2. Corinthians 4:3-4 (New King James Version)If we are to believe Paul that "the devil blinds the minds of unbelievers" 2nd Cor 4.4 , then we do not really have free will, only apparent free will therefore it seems that God out of mercy would allow the so called wicked to actually see God unblinded and repent and go through whatever process justice demands to see the kingdom of God.
3. But even if our gospel is veiled, it is veiled to those who are perishing, 4. whose minds the god of this age has blinded, who do not believe, lest the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine on them.
But how is it that the god of this age blinds them? Are they not willingly blinded? Take ol' Hugh Hefner, for example. Did Satan use the things of this world to blind him? Do you think Hefner resisted that blinding, or gladly went along with it, and it was not possible for him to make any other choice? I would be inclined to think his own lust for the pleasures of this world made him an easy, and eager, candidate for being blinded.
I have the impression that you think Satan has the power to "predestine" people to be damned.