Does the Lord want people to go to hell? Of course not! The Lord loves man and desires His good. It is God's will that everyone be saved. "This is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Savior, who desires all men to be saved and to come to knowledge of the truth." (1 Timothy 2:2-4)
The proof of God's love is the cross on which Jesus died two thousand years ago. The apostle John wrote, "We know love by this, that He laid down His life for us..." (1 John 3:16). It seems there are those who have the warped notion that God will find some strange pleasure from knowing millions/billions of souls are being tormented in hell. That is wrong! The prophet Ezekiel wrote, "Do I have any pleasure in the death of the wicked, declares the Lord God, rather than that he should turn from his ways and live?" (Ezekiel 18:23). The Lord is not like some sick individual who finds pleasure through the suffering of another. The Lord finds pleasure in the lost being saved. The Lord said, "There will be more joy in Heaven over one sinner who repents, than over ninety-nine righteous persons who need no repentance." (Luke 15:7)
Another proof of God's love is the fact that the Lord has not returned in two thousand years. You ask, "How does that prove the love of God?" Think about this, if the Lord had come back yesterday, what would have happened to all the unprepared people living today? They would have been lost for all eternity. The apostle Peter said, "The Lord is not slow about His promise, as some count slowness, but is patient toward you, not wishing for any to perish but for all to come to repentance." (2 Peter 3:9)
It may be the case that there are people reading this who are not prepared to stand before the Lord. What would have happened to you if the Lord had returned yesterday? You too would be lost today. Can't you see that His delay is a demonstration of God's mercy? The Lord delays His coming because of His mercy and love for the souls of lost people. The Lord has not lost interest in this world, but He is interested in only one thing; your salvation. The Lord did not give you another day to make or lose money, to take another trip somewhere, or to buy another house or car. No! He gave you another day to make yourself right with Him before it is ever lasting too late. Who can you blame if you are lost? A friend of mine once said, "If I am saved, I have only the Lord to thank. If I am lost, I have only myself to blame." Why will people be lost? Is it because God cannot save man. The whole purpose of Jesus' death on the cross was to secure the salvation of lost man and to make forgiveness possible to all. This is incredible! The Lord desires my salvation in spite of all the terrible things I do and think. Who deserves the blood of Jesus that makes forgiveness possible? Do you? Do I? We are not worth the dirt that was on His feet as He carried the cross to Calvary where He died for sinners like you and me. Think about it, did Jesus die because we are cute, lovable, kind, and good? No! Why? We are many times just the opposite of all that. We treat people with disrespect. We say unkind things to one another and about one another and we are often spiteful in our dealings with one another. Even still, the Lord loves us and desires our salvation. "Jesus Christ came into the world to save sinners, among whom I am foremost all." (1 Timothy 1:15)
So, why will people end up in hell? The word is consequence. Consequence is something produced by a cause. For example, my son is sixteen years old and thinks the speed limit should be at least 75 mph everywhere in the world. I tell him, "Son, if the speed limit is 55 mph you are supposed to drive 55 mph. If you exceed 55 mph, you must accept the consequence. If you get a speeding ticket, that is the consequence." Hell is a consequence! If you reject the love, mercy, and sacrifice of Jesus that was made to save you, then you must accept the consequence. It is the price you pay and it is a high price. When the Lord returns the souls of men will spend eternity in one of two places. Heaven is a prepared place for a prepared people. It is one place you cannot get into without a reservation. "Blessed are those who wash their robes, that they may have the right to the tree of life, and may enter by the gates into the city." (Revelation 22:14) The consequence of trusting in the blood of Christ is forgiveness. Sin stained souls that are washed in the red blood of Jesus are made white/pure. What will get you into heaven? Morality? No. Morality is a good thing and we should strive for it, but morality alone will not save us because we are sinners. What about good deeds? Will doing good deeds save us? No. Good deeds are a good thing, but they won't off-set the bad deeds that we do. What will get me into heaven? The blood of Christ Jesus! What about those who are unprepared? Where will they spend eternity? Hell! "And these will pay the penalty of eternal destruction away from the presence of the Lord and from the glory of His presence." (2 Thessalonians 1:9) |
