My 10 year old nephew asked me this question and I didn't really have an answer for it (he doesn't know I am the last person in the family to ask questions about god to) he said if we do good things we go to heaven I said yes that's right. And if we do bad things we go to hell and I said yes that's right. He then said hell is our punishment for doing bad I said yes you are correct. Then next question really threw me for a curve. He said if the devil wants us to be bad and we are bad why would he punish us for doing what he wants?

Normally I would say don't worry about it cause it isn't real, but that is not how my brother and sister in law are raising him and I am not going to get in the middle of that. I said It is a punishment because we would not be with god ( I think that's what I was told in catholic school). He then says yeah but wouldn't the devil reward us and not make it a punishment because he won (he compares everything with winning or losing)

Now at this point I was stumped and didn't know how to answer. So I said talk to your dad about this cause he knows more then I do. My brothers answer was because "hell is a punishment." So could someone please give me a better answer then "hell is a punishment" My nephew did not really like that answer and I could see my brother starting to get mad so I changed the subject to the NBA playoffs before my brother lost his cool. ANy answers would be greatly appreciated.

First no, we do not go to heaven because we do good, and we do not go to hell for doing bad. ( well at least most christian faiths believe this) We go to heaven by accepting Jesus as our Saviour. As such we strive to do good as to follow the example of Christ.

Mankind as such are sinners and will go to hell as such without any further need to sin. So the devil does not even need to deal with those that are already sinners, they go to hell without any help from Satan.

Hell as such is for all sinners. So actually without offense you told them wrong, we do not want to scare a person that any sin they do will send them to hell, we want them to know that Jesus loves them past the sin and by faith in him we are saved regardless of the sin we may get into while trying not to.

And we have to remember that the devil will not be able to reward us, since he will be in prison also, and he will be in deep punishment and not able to help or reward us.

Technically Fr. Chuck is corrrect. But it works out to exactly what the child said. We go to hell for rejecting God. But we reject God by persevering in doing evil works.

Scripture says it like this:

Romans 2 5 But according to thy hardness and impenitent heart, thou treasurest up to thyself wrath, against the day of wrath, and revelation of the just judgment of God.
6 Who will render to every man according to his works.

And therefore, we do go to heaven for "doing good". Again, technically, we go to heaven for embracing God and rejecting the works of the devil. We confirm our acceptance of God by persevering in good works of faith which He prepared for us from the beginning.

7 To them indeed, who according to patience in good work, seek glory and honour and incorruption, eternal life: 8 But to them that are contentious, and who obey not the truth, but give credit to iniquity, wrath and indignation. 9 Tribulation and anguish upon every soul of man that worketh evil, of the Jew first, and also of the Greek. 10 But glory, and honour, and peace to every one that worketh good, to the Jew first, and also to the Greek.

Matthew 10 22 And you shall be hated by all men for my name's sake: but he that shall persevere unto the end, he shall be saved.

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Originally Posted by spitvenom

My 10 year old nephew asked me this question and I didn't really have an answer for it (he doesn't know I am the last person in the family to ask questions about god to) he said if we do good things we go to heaven I said yes that's right. And if we do bad things we go to hell and i said yes that's right. He then said hell is our punishment for doing bad i said yes you are correct. Then next question really threw me for a curve. He said if the devil wants us to be bad and we are bad why would he punish us for doing what he wants?

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Because the devil is bad. He is pure evil. There is nothing good in the devil. He only wants to hurt and destroy. Therefore, if you become his property, he will have free reign to hurt you.

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Normally i would say don't worry about it cause it isn't real, but that is not how my brother and sister in law are raising him and I am not going to get in the middle of that.

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That is honorable of you, really.

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I said It is a punishment because we would not be with god ( i think that's what i was told in catholic school).

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That is correct.

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He then says yeah but wouldn't the devil reward us

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If you call hell a reward, yes. But hell is the absence of love and since human beings are made to love, we would be like fish out of water.

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and not make it a punishment because he won (he compares everything with winning or losing)

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How do you treat a tissue that you've used to clean a mess. You dispose of it in the toilet or in the trash. That is what we are to Satan.

Pure evil cares nothing about others. Pure evil only cares about self. And if you do as Satan commands, he is simply using you as a rag which will be disposed of when he is through with you.

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Now at this point i was stumped and didn't know how to answer. So i said talk to your dad about this cause he knows more then I do. My brothers answer was because "hell is a punishment." So could someone please give me a better answer then "hell is a punishment" My nephew did not really like that answer and I could see my brother starting to get mad so I changed the subject to the NBA playoffs before my brother lost his cool. ANy answers would be greatly appreciated.

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Hell is a punishment. So, if that is what you said, I don't know why your brother would be upset at you. He was probably upset that his son was asking these questions. If it were my child asking these things, I would be concerned.

Apparently the boy is approaching the same test which Adam and Eve encountered. Who to trust. God or Satan. Adam and Eve trusted Satan and let sin into the world. If your nephew begins to trust Satan more than God, then sin will enter into his life.

And that is a serious problem because sin is usually more fun than good behavior. At least at first. It is only at the end that Satan shows his hand, once he has you firmly in his control.

The Catechism says:
392 Scripture speaks of a sin of these angels.269 This "fall" consists in the free choice of these created spirits, who radically and irrevocably rejected God and his reign. We find a reflection of that rebellion in the tempter's words to our first parents: "You will be like God."270 The devil "has sinned from the beginning"; he is "a liar and the father of lies".271

1033 We cannot be united with God unless we freely choose to love him. But we cannot love God if we sin gravely against him, against our neighbor or against ourselves: "He who does not love remains in death. Anyone who hates his brother is a murderer, and you know that no murderer has eternal life abiding in him."612 Our Lord warns us that we shall be separated from him if we fail to meet the serious needs of the poor and the little ones who are his brethren.613 To die in mortal sin without repenting and accepting God's merciful love means remaining separated from him for ever by our own free choice. This state of definitive self-exclusion from communion with God and the blessed is called "hell."

1037 God predestines no one to go to hell;620 for this, a willful turning away from God (a mortal sin) is necessary, and persistence in it until the end. In the Eucharistic liturgy and in the daily prayers of her faithful, the Church implores the mercy of God, who does not want "any to perish, but all to come to repentance":621

Father, accept this offering
from your whole family.
Grant us your peace in this life,
save us from final damnation,
and count us among those you have chosen.622

1057 Hell's principal punishment consists of eternal separation from God in whom alone man can have the life and happiness for which he was created and for which he longs.
Catechism of the Catholic Church - PART 1 SECTION 2 CHAPTER 3 ARTICLE 12


Sincerely,

De Maria

Fr Chuck and De Maria Thank you very much for the answers. I think I can combine both of your great answer and he will understand that no matter what if you do what the devil wants You will never be rewarded.

De Maria Thanks for saying that is honorable of me for not putting something in his mind that his parents don't want there.

God loves us and wants us to be with Him. Satan hates us and doesn't want us to be with God. Satan doesn't care about us, just wants to destroy us. To be without God for Eternity is Satan's punishment for rebelling in pride against God. If we choose to ignore God's plan of redemption through Jesus, then we are choosing the same punishment that Satan receives. Satan never repented, and God will not allow sin to enter into Heaven. He will cover us in Jesus and forget our sins if we choose Jesus.