[Mortals] say of some temporal suffering, 'No future bliss can make up for it,' not knowing Heaven, once attained, will work backwards and turn even that agony into a glory. And of some sinful pleasure they say 'Let me have but this and I'll take the consequences': little dreaming how damnation will spread back and back into their past and contaminate the pleasure of the sin. Both processes begin even before death.
About this quote
- What does it mean?
- Lewis suggests that in the afterlife, past suffering can be transformed into glory and past sin can retroactively contaminate joy.
- In plain terms
- Heaven can change bad past into good, and hell can ruin past good with bad.
- What can you take from it?
- Eternal perspectives can radically reframe past experiences.
Where it applies
Putting it to work
Questions to consider
- Can past pain be redeemed?
- How does eternity change values?
Another view
This relies on unproven theological claims about time and eternity.
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