Is the best answer: “Only God knows and you will have to ask Him when you get to heaven”?
No. The Bible tells us why people turn from the saving truths of the Gospel and from God.
John 3:19-20
19 And this is the condemnation, that light is come into the world, but men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil.
20 For every one who does evil hates the light, neither comes to the light, lest his deeds should be reproved.
It isn't that God is too weak to save or that He doesn't wish to save but that those whom He would save don't want to be saved. They prefer darkness to His light.
Romans 1:19-21
18 For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who hold the truth in unrighteousness;
19 Because that which may be known of God is manifest in them; for God has shown it unto them.
20 For the invisible things of him from the creation of the world are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even his eternal power and Godhead; so that they are without excuse:
21 Because that, when they knew God, they glorified him not as God, neither were thankful; but became vain in their imaginations, and their foolish heart was darkened.
People suppress the knowledge of God they obtain from the testimony of Creation and their own conscience in order to serve themselves. They desire to worship and serve the creature more than the Creator. (
vs. 25) God would save them, though, if they would be saved.
Ephesians 2:2-3
2 Wherein in time past you walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that now works in the children of disobedience:
3 Among whom also we all had our living in times past in the lusts of our flesh, fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the mind; and were by nature the children of wrath, even as others.
This is the state of all the lost. Every one who has not been saved is bound under the power of the World, the Flesh, and the devil. And so, until they hear the saving truth of the Gospel, which is the power of God unto salvation, they are unable to respond positively to the natural knowledge of God they have. Even when the Gospel is heard, the majority of people will not receive it, not because God couldn't force them to accept His work of salvation, but because, rather than kicking it in, He stands at the door and knocks and waits upon the one within to open it to Him (
Revelation 3:20). He draws (
John 6:44), illuminates (
John 16:13), convicts (
John 16:8), imparts repentance (
2 Timothy 2:25) and faith (
Romans 12:3) to the lost person but He does compel them to accept His gift of salvation in Christ. And so, not all who could be saved, are.
Could God not save anyone and be true to His nature?
The problem isn't on His end but ours. We could not truly love Him if we did so ultimately by divine compulsion. Love, by definition, cannot be compelled.
According to some, God could just as easily and righteously save your neighbor as you, so would you be just as happy or even happier if God saved your neighbor instead of you, since you are to Love your neighbor as Christ Loves them? How is this selection method not arbitrary?
It's only arbitrary if you accept the idea that God chooses and compels people to salvation. I don't.
Check out:
www.soteriology101.com or search "Molinism" at
www.reasonablefaith.org
God would thus be selfless, so not saving some has to be to the benefit of others, so how does some going to hell benefit anyone?
God has been selfless in taking on human flesh and dying a substitutionary atoning death on a cross for all of humanity. In doing so, He provides eternal salvation to all who would receive it. Many will not take it, desiring instead to worship and serve themselves rather than their Maker, and find themselves finally in hell. Their choice to do so doesn't benefit anyone, I think, but this is no way diminishes God's selfless, merciful, gracious efforts to make a way of escape from His righteous, holy judgment and wrath.
