Questions for GodSample

Okay, but what about hell? 

For a lot of people, their understanding of hell and God’s judgment makes God look like a cruel monster instead of a good father. 

This is why it’s so important to read every passage on hell through the filter of who God is as revealed through Jesus. When we look at Jesus, we see a God who is full of love, grace, compassion, and mercy. When we look at Jesus, we see a God who will stop at nothing to rescue humanity from our sin and reconcile us to Himself. 

At the same time, Jesus shows us a God who won’t shy away from calling sin and evil what they are. Not only that, but Jesus doesn’t hijack anyone’s free will. He gives people the choice to follow and trust Him, or to reject Him.

We all have the choice to choose life with God, or life apart from God. 

God will honor our choice. If someone chooses to reject God in their life, then God won’t override that choice when they die. This is why hell exists. Hell is the result of God honoring people’s freedom to choose life with Him or apart from Him.

What is hell? Hell is separation from God. 

One of the biggest problems people run into is that their idea of hell is often so much more detailed and specific than what is actually found in the Bible.

When talking about hell, Jesus describes it in several different ways. Sometimes, hell is a burning fire, sometimes it’s a furnace, sometimes it’s a trash dump, and other times it’s pure darkness. 

The details may be different, but the point is the same: Hell, eternity apart from God, is so much worse than eternal union with God. 

This is why the language about hell is so extreme and intense. Because Jesus wanted people to understand that they could choose eternal life with God! Or they could reject God and choose hell. 

“There are only two kinds of people in the end: those who say to God, ‘Thy will be done,’ and those to whom God says, in the end, ‘Thy will be done.’ All that are in hell, choose it. Without that self-choice there could be no hell. No soul that seriously and constantly desires joy will ever miss it.” – C.S. Lewis. 

At this point, you may still find yourself unsettled by the idea of hell. Good. That means you’re human. This should unsettle you. 

The Apostle Paul, in Romans 9:2-3, said this, “I have great sorrow and unceasing anguish in my heart. For I could wish that I myself were cursed and cut off from Christ for the sake of my people, those of my own race.”

Paul is saying he would choose hell for himself if it meant the rest of the Jewish people would choose life with God. 

That is the love that Jesus showed to us. By becoming sin on the cross, He allowed Himself to be separated from God so that we could have eternal life.