How can a loving God send people to hell?

How can a loving God send people to hell? God’s love is not exactly what people want it to be. It is how God wants it to be.

John 17:3 And this is life eternal, that they might know thee the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom thou hast sent.

The Bible says that eternal life is to know God. But this is not just head knowledge, but rather having a personal relationship with God, specifically the relationship of salvation with Jesus Christ the Savior.

God is Love

1 John 4:7 Beloved, let us love one another: for love is of God; and every one that loveth is born of God, and knoweth God. 1 John 4:8 He that loveth not knoweth not God; for God is love.

Moreover, salvation is based on this knowing of God and in taking onto one’s self that moral character of God, love. Knowing about love or God’s love does not make one saved. It is only by receiving God’s love into one’s own self, and allowing that to flow out of you that you are saved.

John 3:16 For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.

Salvation is based in a focus on the love of God, that being the supreme example of love, Jesus dying on the Cross for one’s sins. To receive that love of God is salvation.

But there are some problems here that people often miss or ignore.

 

The Facts about Love

Firstly, love has to have two people to exist.

Self-love is a grievous sin which God predicates will be common and extreme in the last days before God has enough of man’s sin and calls an end with the Rapture and beginning of the Tribulation.

2 Timothy 3:2 For men shall be lovers of their own selves, covetous, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy, 2 Timothy 3:3 Without natural affection, trucebreakers, false accusers, incontinent, fierce, despisers of those that are good, 2 Timothy 3:4 Traitors, heady, highminded, lovers of pleasures more than lovers of God; 2 Timothy 3:5 Having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof: from such turn away. 2 Timothy 3:6 For of this sort are they which creep into houses, and lead captive silly women laden with sins, led away with divers lusts, 2 Timothy 3:7 Ever learning, and never able to come to the knowledge of the truth.

This passage describes the environment and sins of the ungodly just before the end. These characteristics are not a group of totally different people, but all describe the evil of people in this time. Consider this parallel (but inverse) to the fruits of the Spirit in Galatians 5:22-23. They are different manifestations of the same spirit indwelling these people.

Secondly, love has to be reciprocal.

Love cannot exist only on one side. For love to exist, both parties have to respond and participate in said love. One of the two persons have “to seek out” the other one. But in responding positively, love is recognized. Many a young man has wanted to love some pretty girl just to get “the cold shoulder”. Rejection of the advances of romance is essentially denying and rejecting that person. These young people “feel” offended, rejected, and often the observation is made that their hate after being rejected exceeds that love with what they first had for the person. This is not a degrading of that first seeking love, it is that love needs time and experience, history and proving in order to grow. After growing, that love is greater.

Thirdly, love is my sacrifice for your benefit.

Our understanding of love, that spiritual activity that is the essence of God, has to be the concept of sacrifice. There are elements here to consider. It has to be something good. Hurting somebody is not love. There has to be a benefit transferred. The person who initiated the love has to have something good to give. Although that gift (not purchased because that is buying-selling which is not love, but commerce) has to have some kind of benefit or value. Also, the beloved can just refuse the love gift. Refusing the love gift is refusing the person of the giver as much as refusing the gift.

In true love, the element of sacrifice has to be strongly present. We do not gift trash to somebody we love. We gift valuable things. That emphasizes the love aspect, but likewise emphasizes the great damage and insult of refusing or belittling the gift.

So the important point here is to understand that in order for love to exist, some person has to initiate it, and the beloved one has to reciprocate it, receive it, and appreciate it. If they despise that act of love given to them, then there is no love between the two people.

Fourthly, sin and offense enter into the love situation.

Some people speak of God’s love as unconditional. That is not biblical. God’s love has to be conditional because otherwise universalism would be true. If there is no condition to God’s love and saving the person soul, then how could anybody end up in hell? Jesus clearly taught in the parable of the rich man and Lazarus that the rich man ended up in hell. Luke 16. In Numbers 16, in the rebellion of Korah,

Numbers 16:31 And it came to pass, as he had made an end of speaking all these words, that the ground clave asunder that was under them: Numbers 16:32 And the earth opened her mouth, and swallowed them up, and their houses, and all the men that appertained unto Korah, and all their goods. Numbers 16:33 They, and all that appertained to them, went down alive into the pit, and the earth closed upon them: and they perished from among the congregation.

So not everybody will end up in heaven, and those that don’t, will be in hell, which is represented as a horrible place.

God knows all, and He knows that we all are sinners, and therefore the entire gift of salvation is to remedy our sinful, rebellious lives. God loves us even though we are sinners.

Ephesians 2:4 But God, who is rich in mercy, for his great love wherewith he loved us, Ephesians 2:5 Even when we were dead in sins, hath quickened us together with Christ, (by grace ye are saved;)

But to be precise here, God condition for salvation is not sinlessness on our part, but rather faith in Him. God’s “great love” with which He has loved us, is even when we were in a sinful state. God does not love us because we are good, but God’s love makes us good, brings good to us, and makes us live that good of God.

But again, love is a reciprocal thing. That means that when we receive the love sacrifice of God, we have to respond. There is nothing of merit we have or can do (a work) to purchase that gift. The only acceptable response in order to receive that gift is accepting it. That is the condition that secures the deal, the transfer, which is our salvation.

 

Salvation is Precious

1 Peter 1:18 Forasmuch as ye know that ye were not redeemed with corruptible things, as silver and gold, from your vain conversation received by tradition from your fathers; 1 Peter 1:19 But with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot:

If we compare what our salvation costs us, versus what it costs Jesus, there is no comparison. The most dedicated, sacrificing Christian that has ever lived simply doesn’t scratch the surface of what God done for him. But the point is that Christ’s sacrifice is of great value, even if those for whom He died don’t appreciate that sacrifice.

Precious means of much value. If you take a moment to consider the rich, they truly value their riches (to the point of making their riches their god). Most rich people are very smart, calculating people. They will not make bad decisions in life that would in any way ill affect their treasures. Every action, desire that they fulfill, every move that they make even down to how they spend their time is all focused on protecting their treasure. The rich don’t do some minor crime to spend 30 days in jail because that would affect their riches, their business, their income, or their watching over their money. Yet Christians would seem to be very lightly engaged in the salvation of their souls. Many who profess to be saved can go for months or years without attending church. They may go days or weeks without praying or reading their Bibles. And the problem is none of that really bothers them.

The “blood” of Christ was necessary in the justice of God in order for us to have salvation. That great price was demanded by God to emphasis how important our salvation is. Not just important to us, but how valuable that salvation is.

 

The Cost of Salvation

John 14:6 Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.

Acts 4:12 Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved.

In God´s plan for our salvation, Jesus is the key piece of the puzzle. It is only through Jesus that a person is saved and goes to heaven. But also equally important, it is only through the work of Christ on the cross, dying by blood being shed, that anybody is saved. That is a cruel picture. But that element is the heart of our salvation. It is not by our works, our good works for merit to in a sense purchase salvation, that we are saved. It is a free gift of God. This is the outworking of love. But in order to obtain that salvation, the love of God, we must reciprocate that love God has freely given to us. That is the element of love has to be reciprocal in order to exist. But how do we love God?

John 1:12 But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name:

The key is in receiving Jesus Christ as your Savior. That concept is difficult to understand completely. In what sense do we receive Him? By believing on his name. In other words, Jesus is named “Savior, Redeemer”. The Bible term most used is simply “Christ”. Christ comes from the concept of an anointing of God’s servant for a special task.

1 John 2:17 And the world passeth away, and the lust thereof: but he that doeth the will of God abideth for ever.

Abiding forever is eternal life. But note that what marks a person with eternal life is that they do the will of God. This love of God that saves us has two parts. God initiates that love relationship by sending Jesus to die for us on Calvary. But we respond to God’s love in order to complete the definition of love. How? False religions make a long list of dos and don’ts, but the Bible doesn’t look at this that way. Nobody is saved by doing (a work).

But the saved person’s response is first agreeing with God on the sin issue. They confess that they are sinners, and with that concept their is repentance which is remorse which pushes moral change not to sin. But the entire point is that they have faith.

Our sin was placed on Jesus on the Cross

Mark 15:34 And at the ninth hour Jesus cried with a loud voice, saying, Eloi, Eloi, lama sabachthani? which is, being interpreted, My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me?

The Trinity is a unity and a communion between the three Persons for all eternity. They are never separated. On the cross paid the cost by being temporarily separated from God the Father as He bore our sins.

What is a Cheap Salvation?

The concept is that some people estimate that salvation is “cheap” (like the value of a disposal cup) because they do not esteem it as what it is worth. They take little effort to honor God their Savior. They make little effort to obey God. Here doing the will of God is the same as pleasing God (with whom we have a love-salvation relationship), or obeying God.

The true mature Christian lives his faith. Habakkuk 2:4; Romans 1:17; Galatians 3:11; Hebrews 10:38. He lives his life inserting his relationship with God in every decision, every moment, every motive, emotion, or thought.

1 Thessalonians 5:16 Rejoice evermore. 1 Thessalonians 5:17 Pray without ceasing. 1 Thessalonians 5:18 In every thing give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you.

The mature Christian talks with God every day, all the time. His mental conversation is always with God. Analyzing life and seeking God’s judgment on everything in his life. What God indicates to him, he makes solid with compliance. He seeks to please God, because of this love relationship. Couples that get their marriage so messed up that they don’t seek the pleasure of their mate are a disaster. Anybody who does that with God likewise.

What is Faith?

Faith includes confession and repentance. If you trust God, then you do not start off by telling God that you were good in the past, and God wants you to be good, so your evaluation of your own life (that it is being lived right) is right “so both you and God are on the same page.” No. The Bible always represents all men as sinners, and salvation is a moral change in moral character. That change is from whatever else you were, to imitating the moral character of God (Ephesians 5:1). So faith is to turn to God, but away from confidence in what we were doing before.

1 Corinthians 2:9 But as it is written, Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love him.

John 3:16 For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.

To despise or esteem salvation very little is a grave error. That is what the unsaved do, and that is the single condition that God places on salvation, that you embrace it through faith that effects your life. Moral change in us pleases God.

2 Corinthians 5:17 Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.

 

Our Part in Salvation

While a young man can wish a pretty girl would love him, that wishing doesn’t mean there exists love between them. There has to be a positive response. What is that “positive response” which triggers and establishes the love relationship between the sinner and God? There is basically one thing, faith.

John 1:12 But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name:

That receiving Jesus is that action which secures the love relationship, that which God has initiated. The love gift, the sacrifice, is Jesus dying on the cross for our sins. In receiving Jesus as your Savior, you “receive” that sacrifice given for you. Jesus is the Messenger (or Angel) of God as noted in John 1:1, the Word or messenger between God and man. Within ourselves, we can neither save ourselves nor force God to save us. It is grace on God’s part, 100%. We only respond to what God has done. How? Faith in Greek is a substantive form of the verb to believe. Faith has an adjective form, which is faithful. The Bible teaches that faith is consistent conduct or practice that is caused and maintained because of some belief.

Romans 10:17 So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.

Faith comes to us through the Word of God. That is both the Bible and the Messenger, Jesus Christ.

Faith is shown by practice. It is what a person declares that he believes is true (reality), and he lives his life in accordance with that belief. This is exactly James’ point, of dead faith does not serve any good purpose (James 2:14-26). The positive presentation of the same point is that the just will live by their faith (Habakkuk 2:4; Romans 1:17; Hebrews 10:38; Galatians 3:11). What a person truly believes is seen constantly and consistently by how he lives his life.

But receiving Jesus as your Savior has to be seen in your life. Every newborn is incapable of most things, but with growth, they begin to gain abilities. According to John 1:12 above, God gives those abilities to respond to the love of God. But the point is that the redeemed person has, is, and will faithfully respond to God’s love by pleasing God, doing God’s will.

This is not works to be saved, or to obtain salvation, but rather it is an always present consequence of salvation. Every Christian struggles to know, understand, and obey God’s will. But the key point is that they always struggle, always are trying. It is important to them because that is their love relationship with God, their salvation.

 

Those that Refuse Salvation

Jesus taught on understanding salvation in the parable of the Sower in Matthew 13.

Matthew 13:4 And when he sowed, some seeds fell by the way side, and the fowls came and devoured them up:

These are the ones who just have no interest in God. They simply tell God no to all incursions of God into their lives. They see nothing good in God’s love, only complications to their own life.

Psalms 14:1 The fool hath said in his heart, There is no God. They are corrupt, they have done abominable works, there is none that doeth good.

So let’s take this verse apart for a minute. A fool is somebody who has the availability of something useful to him, but because of how he is, he refuses to accept that beneficial thing to himself. In Hebrew, the phrase “There is no God” isn’t quite exact. In Hebrew, it is simply, “No God”. Our translators (correctly) put in a gloss, extra words to help us understand the original language. They added “there is”. But this is not exactly like the modern day atheists that try to use science to disprove God. Science itself says that you cannot prove a universal negative. So if I live in the US and say there is no such thing as a kangaroo, for me, I may not know them, but in Australia they are common.

The point here is that the fool just wants God out of his life, and therefore when God tries to advance a redemption relationship, they unilaterally and unconditionally say no. They say “No God, get out of my life,” and they live their lives by that believe, that assertion. But they are in error, because they do not understand that all good things come from God, and without God, evil and bad things are all that is left. When they die, they will wake up in hell, in torment, and they will want mercy. Mercy is a good thing for all in heaven. For the occupants of hell, there is no such thing there. The rich man in Luke 16 wanted very little, just a drop of water, but the principle is, you didn’t want God nor anything God can give you in your earthly life, so God gave in to your foolishness, and now you got exactly what you have been living by all your life.

 

God’s Rule of Reaping what you Sow

Galatians 6:7 Be not deceived; God is not mocked: for whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap. Galatians 6:8 For he that soweth to his flesh shall of the flesh reap corruption; but he that soweth to the Spirit shall of the Spirit reap life everlasting.

While this is cruel, it is the rule of God. It is not unjust, either. God gives people what they really seek. If that objective is corruption, evil, aggression, etc., in hell they will receive all of this in a greater degree than anybody has on earth received. Worse, that situation is without mercy, without remedy. It is for eternity.

God is Love

1 John 4:7 Beloved, let us love one another: for love is of God; and every one that loveth is born of God, and knoweth God. 1 John 4:8 He that loveth not knoweth not God; for God is love.

2 Thessalonians 1:8 In flaming fire taking vengeance on them that know not God, and that obey not the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ: 2 Thessalonians 1:9 Who shall be punished with everlasting destruction from the presence of the Lord, and from the glory of his power;

The point here is that God’s love, God’s salvation which is the ultimate or most important love act, is good and of great value in itself, no matter how people respond to it. So how does this justify God casting somebody into hell? Because they despised that great gift. God’s love does not mean God loves everybody and every thing. God hates the sinner. He also hates sin. To move from that position of what God hates to what God loves is Jesus. Although God loves the entire world, living in sin displeases God.

2 Thessalonians 2:10 And with all deceivableness of unrighteousness in them that perish; because they received not the love of the truth, that they might be saved.

So the refusal to “love the truth” is what causes the unsaved to perish. To love something is to pay attention to it, to understand it, to make it a part of your life. God is long-suffering, but He is not going to ignore sin and that which displeases Him.

Despising God and His Salvation

If we can use the illustration of a young man and woman, where the man seeks romance with the girl, and she despises any gift he gives her, then we can understand this same thing on a spiritual level between us and God. In essense, the girl despises the man, not just his gifts. The greater the gift, the greater the offense.

1 Peter 2:7 Unto you therefore which believe he is precious: but unto them which be disobedient, the stone which the builders disallowed, the same is made the head of the corner, 1 Peter 2:8 And a stone of stumbling, and a rock of offence, even to them which stumble at the word, being disobedient: whereunto also they were appointed.

When a person despises Christ on the cross, or the Person of God, then he is under the wrath of God. He will go to hell in the end. God does not send him there, because God is not responible for his despising God’s gift. That blame only lies at the feet of the individual. God does much to “woe the sinner” to embrace salvation. That is the purpose and goal of all Christians, to reach the lost. So God is doing many good things to promote this love salvation relationship. But some people are just hard headed. Really, we all are, but in that we can be persuaded even a little, those are ones that end up in heaven. All others are tripped up by Christ. What does Christ represent? The moral character of God. He lived the proper and good life of godly spiritual principles that every person should imitate. To be more precise, people love their harmful to themselves sins more than the way of righteousness that God demands of man.

It is a very dangerous point to separate what God wants in that way of righteousness from what good consequences that way carries. The sinner follows the way of sin, and sin will be judged finally by God at the final judgment, but sin carries harm, earthly consequences, with it before God’s final judgment. Even an unsaved person will find a certain degree of blessing if he works hard like God commands, and doesn’t steal. Those who steal, will find that the civil authorities may place them in jail, and after he dies, God will judge him.

 

The Profile of a Person who Despises God

1 Corinthians 1:18 For the preaching of the cross is to them that perish foolishness; but unto us which are saved it is the power of God.

“Foolishness” is that it has no real value to them. It is empty of things that they want. The unsaved don’t want to go to hell, but they don’t want the rest of salvation and the Christian life.

1 Corinthians 3:19 For the wisdom of this world is foolishness with God. For it is written, He taketh the wise in their own craftiness.

The unsaved think that they are smart and God and everything having to do with God is foolish. But for what they think, God will turn the tables on them.

Psalms 14:1 To the chief Musician, A Psalm of David. The fool hath said in his heart, There is no God. They are corrupt, they have done abominable works, there is none that doeth good.

The unsaved person does not really want God in his life. He doesn’t want to go to hell, but he really doesn’t think hell exists, or that he won’t end up there. So his life is marked by telling God no in varius ways. He loves his sin more than he loves God. He will end up in hell.

God is not responsible for his being in hell. That individual is responsible for his own destiny. On the other hand, it is curious, but on the other hand, the saved are not in heaven because of their own selves. They are in heaven because of God’s love. They simply responded to God’s love with love for God. God saves them.

How can a loving God send people to hell?