Going to hell

How could a loving God consign anyone to hell?

That is just one of the many indictments that God's creatures lay against him.  It's an oldie, but the perspective is a bit skewed.

Take me for example.  Were I to hurl such an accusation into the cosmos, might not God arch up an "are-you-kidding-me" eyebrow?  In the span of eternity, my existence might cover 80 years, and I'm a bit over half way there.  Even at the end, my life will take part in only 1% of recorded history.

I have been to all but six of the United States, though some of those were only brief stops to a single city.  I've been to eight other countries, nine if you count Canada.  Of those nations, I know none of them intimately.

If I thoroughly read ten books each year, that's only 800 in one lifetime.  I think there are that many Harold and the Purple Crayon stories.

Does it not seem a bit presumptuous then for the creature to shake his puny fist at the Creator and question who is and who isn't going to hell?

Because the idea of ceaseless torment confounds some of us, we dismiss hell.  Often, we dismiss God, too.  We either conform him to our image or reject him out of hand.


The heart of darkness



Then along comes Jared Lee Loughner, killing six and wounding nearly two-dozen, and we pull hell out of the junk drawer and dust it off.  Okay, maybe it's a good place for some, we muse.  Surely Hitler, Stalin, Pol Pot and their ilk are there.  Of course Tim McVeigh, the high-jacking Muslims of 9/11, and every other Muslim who straps on C4 to self-detonate have joined the eternal damnation club.

Our problem with hell is that we think a lot about it but know very little about it, the magnitude of our own sin, or the wonder of Almighty God.

Some truths for consideration.

• God's righteousness demands justice.  Exodus 34:7, Numbers 14:18, and Nahum 1:3 all declare, and the rest of the Bible upholds, that he does not and will not leave the guilty unpunished.  It is the very nature of God within us that bristles when we hear of a criminal escaping justice through jurisprudent gymnastics.
• God in his mercy aches for his condemned creation.  Man rebelled against God.  Each one stands guilty before him of high treason (Romans 3:10-18).  Most of us just don't look that deeply into our own hearts.  Still, hear what God says, "The Lord ... is patient toward you, not wishing that any should perish, but that all should reach repentance" (2 Peter 3:9).  Paul writes to Timothy and states that God "desires all people to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth" (1 Timothy 2:4).

Here we stand.  All mankind rebellious against their Creator.  It's our way.  It's in our DNA.  It's our nature.  The image of God in man (good) has been marred, soiled, stained.  Seems hopeless.  Not quite.

• God, in love, intervened on behalf of his creatures.  It's the most flashed verse in the Bible.  John 3:16. 
  "For God so loved the world..."  Really, that shouldn't surprise us.  He made us in the first place, the pinnacle of his creation. 
  "...that he gave his only Son..."  Jesus.  God took on flesh to become man.  He lived a perfect life.  No sin.  He took the punishment deserved by us (Isaiah 53:4-6, 10a). 
  "...that whosoever believes on him..."  This is just trusting that his death on the cross took care of every sin you ever committed or will commit. 
  "...will not perish but have everlasting life!"  Bought back from the maw of hell and adopted into God's family to enjoy eternal life and fellowship with him.

There it is.  None have to go to hell.  None.  "Whosoever believes!"  God in his righteousness justly condemned man for his sin.  God in his mercy took on flesh to provide the sacrifice that would forgive mankind of its debt to open the doorway to heaven and eternal fellowship with him.

So hear's the deal.  If we all stand condemned already, but God in his mercy has provided a way of escape, then why should any go to hell?  As already stated, they don't have to.  But God declares, "I spread out my hands all the day to a rebellious people, who walk in a way that is not good, following their own devices" (Isaiah 65:2, see also Romans 10:21).

The only reason that remains for man to go to hell is that he has so chosen.  He prefers self and separation from God.  He prefers to go his own way rather than admit the putrescence of his sin and accept the gift of eternal life in Christ Jesus (Romans 6:23).

A loving God died on the cross so none would have to go to hell.  The real puzzler is why so few would accept God's lavish mercy.

"Enter by the narrow gate. For the gate is wide and the way is easy that leads to destruction, and those who enter by it are many. For the gate is narrow and the way is hard that leads to life, and those who find it are few."  ~ Jesus (Matthew 7:13-14)

"I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me." ~ Jesus (John 14:6)