Hell
How can a loving God send people to hell?
1. Though some topics might be uncomfortable, we must always allow God’s Word to be our final standard of truth. 2 Tim. 3:16
2. The doctrine of hell should always lead us to have a greater heart of compassion for lost people, and never used to condemn others. Rom. 9:1-3; 10:1
3. God is both loving and holy, which means he is also just. Jn. 3:16; Isa. 6:3
4. A just God must punish sin or else he would not be consistent with his nature. How would you feel about God being indifferent toward sin?
Num. 14:18 The LORD is slow to anger, abounding in love and forgiving sin and rebellion. Yet he does not leave the guilty unpunished; he punishes the children for the sin of the fathers to the third and fourth generation.
Nah. 1:3 The LORD is slow to anger and great in power; the LORD will not leave the guilty unpunished. His way is in the whirlwind and the storm, and clouds are the dust of his feet.
5. Sin is an eternal offense to a holy God. Romans 3:23; 6:23
Rom. 3:23-26 for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, and are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus. God presented him as a sacrifice of atonement, through faith in his blood. He did this to demonstrate his justice, because in his forbearance he had left the sins committed beforehand unpunished — he did it to demonstrate his justice at the present time, so as to be just and the one who justifies those who have faith in Jesus.
Rom. 6:23 For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.
6. Jesus’ blood payment for our sin meets the holy requirement of God and expresses the love of God at the same time; therefore God’s justice is met and His love expressed! This is why the Gospel is such good news! 1 Pe. 3:18; Hebr. 9; Rom. 3:23-26
7. Those who reject God’s remedy for sin in Christ must spend eternity separated from God. 2 Thess. 1:8-10; Mt. 25:30-46; Mk. 9:43-48; Rev. 14:9-11; Rev. 19-20
a. There are degrees of punishment in hell. Jn. 19:11-12; Rev. 20:12-13; Lu. 12:42-48; Jn. 15:22; Mt. 11:20-24; Hebr. 10:28-29; 2 Pe. 2:20-22; Jas. 3:1-2
b. There are degrees of reward in heaven. 1 Cor. 3:12-15; Lu. 19:17-19; Rev. 3:21
“It may help us to realize that if God were not to execute eternal punishment, then, apparently, His justice would not be satisfied and His glory would not be furthered in the way He deems wise. And it will perhaps also help us to realize that from the perspective of the world to come there is a much greater recognition of the necessity and rightness of eternal punishment. Martyred believers in heaven are heard by John to cry out, “O sovereign Lord, holy and true, how long before you will judge and avenge our blood on those who dwell upon the earth?” (Rev. 6:10).
Dr. Wayne Grudem, Systematic Theology, p. 1152
8. God takes no pleasure in the death of the wicked. Ezek. 33:11; Mt. 22:37-38
9. Hell is the place assigned for Satan, evil and all who reject Christ and the Gospel. Therefore, hell helps to secure another place called heaven where there is no sin or evil, and only that which is good and holy and godly. Heaven is the eternal place for God and His people, protected them forever from all evil, sin, and the ungodly. Rev. 20-21
10. The doctrine of hell and eternal punishment should motive our evangelism. Ezek. 33:11; 2 Pe. 3:9