HELL - THE COMPLAINT AGAINST GOD

 

 

I have heard many say, “I refuse to worship a God who will throw well-meaning people into an eternal fiery furnace, simply because they cannot believe in the prescribed way.”

 

Are they correctly understanding the God of the Bible? I would like to simply respond that our God is perfectly just. I do believe this, but I don’t think that many will find my answer convincing.

 

Why not? There are many reasons for this. For one thing, there are many implicit assumptions in this accusatory statement:

 

·       There are well-meaning people.

·       People cannot believe because the evidence is lacking.

·       God will do the throwing into hell.

·       Hell is fiery.

 

For the first two assumptions, Scripture provides a clear and consistent message. Humanity is not as well-meaning as we would like to believe; nor is the evidence lacking. On the contrary, everything has the appearance of design:

·       For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who by their unrighteousness suppress the truth. For what can be known about God is plain to them, because God has shown it to them. For his invisible attributes, namely, his eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly perceived, ever since the creation of the world, in the things that have been made. So they are without excuse. (Romans 1:18–20)

 

The next two assumptions are difficult to definitively address. The answers are shrouded in metaphors and nuance, even though the reality of eternal judgment pervades all the uncertainties:

 

Will God do the judging? While some verses seem to indicate that He will proactively judge, others teach that hell is for those who choose it. Jesus claimed that He will judge no one:

 

·       “If anyone hears my words and does not keep them, I do not judge him; for I did not come to judge the world but to save the world. The one who rejects me and does not receive my words has a judge; the word that I have spoken will judge him on the last day.” (John 12:47-48; 3:17; 8:15; Luke 9:56)

 

How can words judge? They can provoke the conscience because we know that these words of judgment are true (Romans 1:32; John 16:8; Hebrews 10:26-27). We hate the condemning Word of truth so much that we will flee from it, even if it takes us to a place of torment:

 

·       “Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only Son of God. And this is the judgment: the light has come into the world, and people loved the darkness rather than the light because their works were evil. For everyone who does wicked things hates the light and does not come to the light, lest his works should be exposed.” (John 3:18-20)

 

How are they condemned already, even before they are judged. How? By their love of the self-deceptions of the darkness.

 

Will God the Father judge them? No:

 

·       “For the Father judges no one, but has given all judgment to the Son.” (John 5:22; 27)

 

However, the Son claims that He will not judge. Instead, it seems that their own hatred of the light of truth will ultimately self-condemn them.

 

C.S. Lewis summed it up this way: “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.” (Harvest.org)

 

Is hell a matter of being thrown into a lake of fire? It might simply be a metaphor for a place of torment. Is there reason to think so? Yes! Hell is also referred to as both “outer darkness” and as “destruction”:

 

·       “And do not fear those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. Rather fear him who can destroy both soul and body in hell.” (Matthew 10:28)

 

In short, there is a lot we are not given to understand about hell. It also seems, according to Jesus, that there are degrees of eternal punishment:

 

·       “And that servant who knew his master’s will but did not get ready or act according to his will, will receive a severe beating. But the one who did not know, and did what deserved a beating, will receive a light beating. Everyone to whom much was given, of him much will be required, and from him to whom they entrusted much, they will demand the more.” (Luke 12:47-48)

 

Therefore, let us not be too quick to judge God since we cannot clearly pinpoint about what we are criticizing Him. Judgment is an integral part of this life. Why should it then have no role in the next! Can we blame God for eternal judgment, especially if it is self-imposed?