Conquer Every Question With His Word

Resource from Christian Apologetics & Research Ministry at http://www.carm.org (Joshua highly recommends for reference)

This question raises many issues. If God is all loving, why would He send people to hell? What is hell? Is it a place of eternal torment? Why create creatures knowing they will end up in an eternity of damnation? Is God helpless to save them all?

Often times, skeptics try and present an idea so that fairness and compassion necessitate that the Christian God cannot be real. For example, they sometimes say that a truly loving God would not create people He knew would go to eternal punishment. Of course this is only an opinion, but it is sometimes raised nonetheless. As one skeptic put it, "If God truly loves us (this sacrificial love you talk about) then he would simply say 'I do not want the child to be born'. He is in control and has that ability doesn't he? As I would not wish any of my children who I love to go through a life of agonizing pain." The main problem with such an approach is that it is overly simplistic and based on emotionalism, not scripture. So, let's look at what the Word of God says.

First of all, when God made Adam, He made him good, not destined for hell. Adam had the freedom to choose to obey or disobey God yet Adam chose to disobey. God did not make him disobey and God is not responsible for Adam's disobedience. It would be like a parent having a child knowing that the child would eventually disobey the parent. Does this mean that the parent is responsible for the child's rebellion when it occurs because the parent knew it would happen? Of course not. Furthermore, if the parent has more children, does he/she not know that some children may very well turn out good and others bad? Should the parents then not have children at all just because some of them might turn out bad? The skeptic, if he is consistent, would urge parents not to have any children at all as some of them may turn out bad.

Second, if someone says that it is wrong for God to allow someone to be born who will go to hell, then would he rather have God remove our freedom to rebel against Him so that no one can be blamed for sin? If the critic says he only want those people born who go to Heaven, then how are they truly free as they do not have a choice?

Third, God could have reasons for sending people to hell that we cannot understand. But on the other hand, God did not “send” people to hell, it is not His will. It is people who “send” themselves to hell by choosing to sin and not choosing God for Heaven. It is God’s will for people to go Heaven and not hell. God provides us Jesus to save people to Heaven yet those who reject Him, in fact chose to be unsaved and chose hell.

Fourth, God is just and always does what is right. Therefore, sending people who are evil and sinful to hell is the right thing to do, especially when we understand that God is eternally holy and those who sin against God incur an infinite offense because the infinite God is the one who is offended. Doesn’t our human justice system also send criminals who break the law to prison to be just to the rest of the society who obey the law? Thus if God allow sinful unbelieving people to Heaven along with those righteous by faith people, how can God be just then? How can unbelieving people who do not follow His ways go to Heaven and not hell for breaking His laws?

Finally, the Bible simply tells us that people will go to hell. They go there because they are not covered by the sacrifice of Christ. Whether they are created or not does not affect the fact that sinners must be punished for their sins; otherwise, the holiness and righteousness of God means nothing.

For related reading on God, People and Evil, kindly read my previous posts :

How Can A Good God Send People To Hell?

http://joshuaconquers.blogspot.com/2009/04/tough-question-how-can-good-god-send.html

Wouldn’t It Be Better If God Did Away With All Evil Immediately?

http://joshuaconquers.blogspot.com/2009/04/tough-question-wouldnt-it-be-better-if.html