Question 6: Why would God send people to hell? (Part 1 of 2)
Adam Barr
August, 2019
Have you ever discovered something that changed the way you viewed another person? I can remember, as a young adolescent, hanging out with a buddy at a little sandwich shop eating hoagies. In the long ago and far away of my youth, people had to visit stores to rent movies. Our lunch spot also had an attached video rental section, separated from the few small booths by a trellis wall.
Inside that video shop, patrons could rent the latest new releases like Home Alone. They could also walk over to a large notebook labeled, XXX – 18+ ONLY in huge red letters. My friends and I knew that was the place where the “dirty movies” were advertised. We avoided it like a radioactive milkshake.
I can still remember how, as my friend and I munched away on our subs that afternoon, an older gentleman walked into the store. I recognized him as a guy who had coached at my Christian school. He was someone I admired and looked up to. I raised my hand to greet him, but he kept his head down and made a beeline for the video store. I watched through the trellis wall as he walked over to “the notebook,” flipped pages, and chose several videos. As he walked out, I sank down in my seat, hoping he would not look over and realize I had seen him.
I didn’t feel judgmental or angry. I felt embarrassed and shocked. My innocence took a blow that day as I got a glimpse of something I am sure that man wished to keep hidden. Have you ever had a similar experience?
I believe some people feel that way when they encounter certain teachings in Scripture. The truth is, the Bible doesn’t just give us candy and roses. Some of the things the Bible teaches us are tough to swallow. When we encounter such teachings, we might be tempted to look away and ignore them. We might even be tempted to question God’s goodness.
The Bible’s teaching about Hell probably tops the heap of difficult doctrines. The idea that people will spend eternity in conscious torment without hope of relief just seems unbelievable. The idea that a loving God would sentence people to such a fate seems unthinkable.
That is why it is shocking to realize that the person who spoke most clearly and forcefully about hell was Jesus himself, the most loving person imaginable. There are many places Jesus discusses hell; one poignant example comes from Matthew 25. Jesus, speaking of judgment day, uses the metaphor of a shepherd dividing his flock between sheep and goats. The goats represent people being sent away into hell. This is what Jesus says:
“Then he will say to those on his left, ‘Depart from me, you cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels. For I was hungry and you gave me no food, I was thirsty and you gave me no drink, I was a stranger and you did not welcome me, naked and you did not clothe me, sick and in prison and you did not visit me.’ Then they also will answer, saying, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry or thirsty or a stranger or naked or sick or in prison, and did not minister to you?’ Then he will answer them, saying, ‘Truly, I say to you, as you did not do it to one of the least of these, you did not do it to me.’ And these will go away into eternal punishment, but the righteous into eternal life.” (ESV)
"...Then he will answer them, saying, ‘Truly, I say to you, as you did not do it to one of the least of these, you did not do it to me.’ And these will go away into eternal punishment, but the righteous into eternal life.”"
In these few verses, we hear about a horrible reality from Jesus’ own mouth: Just as there is a place of eternal life and bliss, there is also a place of eternal punishment. In this article and one more to follow, we are going to examine five pressing questions about this place of punishment. At the heart of our exploration, we want to see how this teaching helps us live to save others from exile. This month, we will have time to look at one of those questions:
Question 1: Who will be there?
Answer: More people than we imagine.
Will only a few “really bad” people end up in this place of punishment? It would be comforting to think that only the really bad actors of history suffer for eternity. In fact, though most Americans believe in hell, the vast majority have no fear they will end up in it. A CBS news story reports: “Among those who do believe in heaven or hell, 82 percent expect to wind up in heaven at the end of their lives; two percent say they expect to end up in hell. Nine percent don’t think they will be in either place.”
It would be comforting to believe this. But Jesus paints a different picture. In Matthew 7:13-14, He says:
“Enter through the narrow gate. For wide is the gate and broad is the road that leads to destruction, and many enter through it. But small is the gate and narrow the road that leads to life, and only a few find it.” (NIV)
People want to believe that our default destination is heaven, but Scripture clarifies that this is not the case. The truth is, people are born drifting towards destruction like tubers floating downriver towards a waterfall. Only a change of direction can save them from the inevitability of disaster.
Jesus also makes it clear that some people who think they’re “good with God” will be horribly shocked when they face judgment. Later in Matthew 7, Jesus describes this moment:
“Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. Many will say to me on that day, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name and in your name drive out demons and in your name perform many miracles?’ Then I will tell them plainly, ‘I never knew you. Away from me, you evildoers!’” (NIV)
I don’t know about you, but Scriptures like these are like an alarm bell. They force me to reckon with reality in a new way, reminding me that everyone I meet has a destiny, including me. For some, that destiny will be tragic. In our article next month, we will continue exploring what Scripture has to say, both about hell and what we must do in response to it.
Adam T. Barr (MDiv, ThM) serves as senior pastor at Peace Church near Grand Rapids Michigan. In addition to his work in the local church, Adam speaks and writes on Christianity and culture, helping followers of Jesus understand and apply God’s Word in an increasingly post-Christian society. His most recent book, Compassion Without Compromise, is available through Bethany House.