Why does God send good people to hell? (Or does He?)

[TricksterWolf]

Here's an old question. I'm sure there will be different points of view. Why does God send people to Hell?

As a child, I once had a teacher that told the class that babies burn in Hell, and the other children found that abhorrent. In fact, this is probably one of the events that led to me leaving the Christian faith; I became convinced that many Christians, in their zeal to worship a God that sends people to eternal torment, were basically worshipping Satan.

So if God isn't evil, why does he send anyone to suffer eternally? Are people really that horrible and worthy of eternal torture? How does worshipping a God that does this not equate with worshipping Satan?

Trickster

 

[Breaking Babylon]

I chose other answer.

God doesn't send people to Hell. People send people to Hell. In God there is perfect love, He's already given us a way to escape Hell. In God there is also perfect justice. Sin, or iniquity, is falling short of the mark and transgressing against the law which God has set, as such, it is dealt with with sheer justice. As it is impossible to go through our lives without sin, God made a way of escape for us through Christ Jesus. If you were warned the house is on fire and you didn't get up and go, who's fault is that? Surely not the one who warned you.

Why is it not comparable to worshipping Satan? One, Satan is a creation, God is the Creator. Two, God is not willing for any to perish, but for all to come to repentance and achieve the Kingdom he's set out for us -- Satan desires only to hinder us from that goal. Satan is not perfect love or perfect justice, nor does he desire for us to grasp that which God has made for us.

I do not worship a God who sends people to Hell. I worship a God who is saving me from Hell.

 

[TricksterWolf]

I chose other answer.

God doesn't send people to Hell. People send people to Hell. In God there is perfect love,

So God has no control over whether people go to Hell?

Is He simply powerless, or does He actually want people to burn in Hell?

Trickster

 

[Llauralin]

Other: we don't know who will end up in hell, good or otherwise, and it is highly doubtful that He sends them there at all, but rather that in some sense we choose it. It is also not definite that hell is a place; it may very well be a state of being; how we experience the presence of God.

 

[Renton405]

The problem is no one and I mean NO-ONE (except Christ) is truely a good person. There are people who seem good and are friendly and get along well. But you still don't see the things that go on behind curtains. We have all done things that merit us deserving to go to hell.

The only hope we have is God and Christs mercy and to do what he says we should do and believe in him. The Lord is the only thing that truely terrifys me, because he can send me to hell forever. Take ur hand and put it in a flame for a few seconds. now imagine that feeling for eternity! its unimaginable and horrifying.

God is our creator. He makes the rules. It is best to humble yourself to God, fear him, and do what he says. I know it makes it sound like God is unloving and brutal, but he is not, because he gave us an option to escape hell through his son. Since we are all imperfect we must be redemmed by something perfect, and that perfect being is Jesus Christ. The love of God can be found in Jesus Christ. He is the only way to bridge the gap between Man and God.

 

[039]

Society has always had it's standards of what the good-evil and friendly-hostile spectrums are. However, usually, it's based on what horrific or generous and caring acts are commited by it's members. When we talk about good and evil in the context of divine judgement, no one can stand to the measure, for it is man vs. God.

 

[Breaking Babylon]

So God has no control over whether people go to Hell?

God is much bigger than the box we try to place Him in. Of course He has control over that.

Is He simply powerless, or does He actually want people to burn in Hell?

Trickster

I suppose I didn't clarify the point well enough -- if God the Father wanted us to burn in Hell, He never would've come as God the Son.

 

[Kehaar]

So God has no control over whether people go to Hell?

Is He simply powerless, or does He actually want people to burn in Hell?

Trickster

Hiya

I chose 'other' also.

God is not powerless, He did provide, at great cost, a route by which we may be saved. Man has a choice whether to follow this route and be saved or remain in rebellion and reject this offer of salvation.

As Blake has already said:

God doesn't send people to Hell. People send people to Hell.

It is a choice man makes.

 

[Breaking Babylon]

Exactly. As any other gift in the world, it must be accepted. If Christ knocks on the door, it is your choice to answer.

 

[TexasGirl06]

Here's an old question. I'm sure there will be different points of view. Why does God send people to Hell?

As a child, I once had a teacher that told the class that babies burn in Hell, and the other children found that abhorrent. In fact, this is probably one of the events that led to me leaving the Christian faith; I became convinced that many Christians, in their zeal to worship a God that sends people to eternal torment, were basically worshipping Satan.

So if God isn't evil, why does he send anyone to suffer eternally? Are people really that horrible and worthy of eternal torture? How does worshipping a God that does this not equate with worshipping Satan?

Trickster

God does not send good people to hell.
God is just...
and all people are destined for hell. (because we have sinned)

God has provided a way for us to not go to hell.
We can choose whether we want heaven..
or hell.

So, I can be a good person....
and be condemned to hell...
by choosing not to acknowledge God's plan of salvation.

I see no evidence in scripture that babies or young children are condemned to hell if they should die in their young state.
I do see evidence that they will go to heaven.
See the story of David's young son.

**************
We have a loving God who is also a just God.
Sin must be punished.
Sin will be punished.

If you do not see your sin on Jesus at the cross,
you will see your punishment in hell.

**************
I also worship the Living God who has saved me from hell.
**************
Thank you for these great questions...which I know are questions that many people have. I had them once myself.

 

[TexasGirl06]

So God has no control over whether people go to Hell?

Is He simply powerless, or does He actually want people to burn in Hell?

Trickster

It is called "love".
Real love.

The love where we get to choose whether or not we want it.

He did not want us to have "robot love".

Free will....
to choose Him or not.

 

[TricksterWolf]

The problem is no one and I mean NO-ONE (except Christ) is truely a good person.

Does this mean that infants deserve to be tortured for eternity?

God is our creator. He makes the rules. It is best to humble yourself to God, fear him, and do what he says.

At some point, though, don't you need to question your faith to ensure you haven't been tricked into worshipping Satan under the name of "God"? If God is omnipotent in a universe filled with horrible things, this isn't something I can simply dismiss out of fear.

Trickster

 

[Breaking Babylon]

Does this mean that infants deserve to be tortured for eternity?

There is a common misconception that we are born into sin, but people fail to realize that we're not of the Adamic line, but of the Abrahamic line now. We fall by our own sin, not Adam's sin. Thus, infants are not sent to Hell as they're incapable of sinning.

At some point, though, don't you need to question your faith to ensure you haven't been tricked into worshipping Satan under the name of "God"?

This has never, ever, been an issue to me. My faith is based on God's promises, not personal doubts.

Jeremiah 17:9 "The heart is deceitful among all things and desperately wicked, who can know it?"

If God is omnipotent in a universe filled with horrible things, this isn't something I can simply dismiss out of fear.

Genesis tells us that God created all things, and all things were good. Satan brought the perversion of these things into existence. It has nothing to do with the work of God.

 

[TricksterWolf]

It is called "love".
Real love. The love where we get to choose whether or not we want it.

I think of "true love" as "unconditional". Why is love based on someone selecting the right religion more true than unconditional love? Shouldn't God love infants and children who are incapable of making that decision, too? Or young people in Africa who have not heard His name?

I'm sorry if these are hard questions, but I want to know how many Christians deal with this issue.

Trickster

 

[TricksterWolf]

God is much bigger than the box we try to place Him in. Of course He has control over that.



I suppose I didn't clarify the point well enough -- if God the Father wanted us to burn in Hell, He never would've come as God the Son.

I don't understand that. If God is omnipotent and doesn't want anyone to burn in Hell, then why do people burn in Hell? It doesn't make logical sense to me.

Trickster

 

[TricksterWolf]

Exactly. As any other gift in the world, it must be accepted. If Christ knocks on the door, it is your choice to answer.

What if Christ does not knock on the door?

Also, what if someone does not accept because they do not understand, or are not convinced that this religion is the only true one because they were reared to believe differently?

Trickster

 

[Breaking Babylon]

I think of "true love" as "unconditional". Why is love based on someone selecting the right religion more true than unconditional love? Shouldn't God love infants and children who are incapable of making that decision, too? Or young people in Africa who have not heard His name?

I'm sorry if these are hard questions, but I want to know how many Christians deal with this issue.

Trickster

A lot of people only want to look to Christ with the Sunday School meek and lowly approach alone, and forget about the Lion of Judah, Christ the Judge, returning with judgment.

This unconditional love is not built solely on love, but intertwines completely with unconditional justice.

As for those who have possibly never heard His name, why wouldn't He be merciful? God is much bigger than the box we try and place Him in.

 

[TricksterWolf]

all people are destined for hell. (because we have sinned)

I see no evidence in scripture that babies or young children are condemned to hell if they should die in their young state.

Can these both be true? Don't you mean "all people are destined for Hell, unless they die when they are young"?

This would seem to suggest that abortion is a wonderful thing! You're sending a child directly to Paradise, right? Wouldn't the only ethical act be to kill your children while they are very young so that they could not make the wrong decision later?

Trickster

 

[Breaking Babylon]

What if Christ does not knock on the door?

Also, what if someone does not accept because they do not understand, or are not convinced that this religion is the only true one because they were reared to believe differently?

Trickster

It's very hard to answer 'what ifs', admittedly. All I can say is that I don't let 'what ifs' determine my position in faith.

I believe that God is stern in justice, and rich in mercy. Hard-heartedness does not make one exempt from justice, but sheer ignorance does not make one exempt from mercy.

Do I believe that someone with cerebral palsy won't enter Heaven simply because he can't understand? Surely not.

 

[Breaking Babylon]

Can these both be true? Don't you mean "all people are destined for Hell, unless they die when they are young"?

This would seem to suggest that abortion is a wonderful thing! You're sending a child directly to Paradise, right? Wouldn't the only ethical act be to kill your children while they are very young so that they could not make the wrong decision later?

Trickster

Are you saying that we don't understand common morality?

See my post on the Adamic/Abrahamic line above to understand the salvation of infants.