How Could a Loving God Send People to Hell?

12/11/2008 56 min

Listen "How Could a Loving God Send People to Hell?"

Episode Synopsis

Since hell is no longer seen as an unavoidable fate for the unbeliever, it is often seen as incredibly offensive to tell anyone that people will actually go to such a place ��� a strange mixture of the writings of Dante, Edwards, Milton, Goethe, and the Bible. The main problem non-Christians see in the Christian belief in hell is an apparent contradiction that the Christian's belief in a God of unimaginable love could never be so unloving as to send people to a place of such unimaginable torment. While a belief in hell may stun our modern sensibilities, hell is a topic we must consider. Instead of starting with the infallible truth of Scripture, people discuss hell with their personal definitions of "fair" and "just" and "right" and "true." In doing so, personal sentiments and emotions are given a greater weight than the Word of God. When an apparent contradiction is "uncovered" between the horror of hell and the love of God, a panic-stricken search to reconcile the two begins. Too often, the solution is found in either modifying what the Bible declares or denying the Bible outright. Some may yet yield to the Bible but live in perpetual fear and doubt about God's goodness or wisdom. How do we come to a proper understanding of this difficult topic?