loving god send people to hell?

All Questions, Heaven and Hell

Why would a “loving God” send people to hell?

Category

Heaven & Hell,   All Questions

Last Updated

Feb 18, 2025

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Before answering this question we must define hell. According to the Bible, hell is separation from God because of our sins and rejection of Him. Notably, God did not create hell to judge humanity, but rather to prepare it for Satan and his angels, as Jesus stated in Matthew 25:41:

Matthew 25:41 (NKJV)

“Then He will also say to those on the left hand, ‘Depart from Me, you cursed, into the everlasting fire prepared for the devil and his angels:

There’s a common misconception that hell is a place created by God to scare people into doing good. However, the scriptures reveal that God desires that no one perish but that all come to repentance (2 Peter 3:9). Since the beginning of time, mankind has often chosen their sinful ways over the ways of God. Consequently, we bear the responsibility for our damnation due to our natural sinful disposition, as described in Romans 9.

People often misunderstand God’s justice, and God’s love.  But the same Jesus who talks about Heaven and God’s love also warns about the consequences for those who reject Him. But the message of the gospel is this, that God, who is rich in mercy, made salvation possible through Jesus.John 3:16-18 (NKJV)

For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life. For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through Him might be saved. ”He who believes in Him is not condemned; but he who does not believe is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God.

John 3:19 (NKJV) adds, “And this is the condemnation, that the light has come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil.”

This suggests that hell is not merely God’s rejection of us but also a result of our rejection of Him and preference for sin. In rejecting Jesus, we confirm our own choice to turn away from His grace, yet it is ultimately God’s righteous judgment that justly condemns unrepentant sinners. Hell is the rightful consequence of forsaking His eternal calling and living in rebellion against His holiness.

Therefore, the real question isn’t why a loving God would send someone to hell, but rather, why would someone choose hell over a loving God?

Hell is not God rejecting us, but the consequence of rejecting Him—yet His grace in Christ offers salvation to all who believe."

How can Jesus be both God and Man?

About Jesus, All Questions

How can Jesus be both God and man

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Jesus,   All Questions

Last Updated

Jan 8, 2025

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The statement that “Jesus was 100% God and 100% man” or “truly God and Truly man” is something you may have heard in Church. But what does this profound statement really mean?

To put it simply, Jesus existed as God before He existed as a human being.

Many have wrongly understood the nature of Christ by believing that He was created first as a man and then attained divinity.

But Jesus has always existed as part of the Godhead (second person of the Trinity). He took on flesh in the incarnation to fulfill his role as a sacrifice for our sins.

This belief in Jesus’ dual nature was solidified in early Christian theology and articulated in the Council of Nicaea (AD 325) and the Chalcedonian Creed (AD 451). These crucial gatherings of Christian leaders established that Jesus is both fully divine and fully human, two natures coexisting in one person without confusion, change, division, or separation.

Scripturally, this concept is supported by passages like John 1:1,14, which states that “the Word was God” and “the Word became flesh.” Additionally, Philippians 2:6-8 speaks of Jesus, who, being in the form of God, took on the nature of a servant, being made in human likeness. Colossians 2:9 further affirms this, declaring, “For in Christ all the fullness of the Deity lives in bodily form.”

It is also important to note that Jesus did not cease to be God in the embodiment; rather, He added the nature of humanity to His divinity.

In becoming man, Jesus did not become another ‘person’, but instead took on / added to Himself the human nature, which is how Jesus could be truly God and truly man.

This union of divine and human nature in Jesus is crucial for understanding His unique role in salvation history. His divine nature ensures the efficacy of His sacrificial death, while His human nature enables Him to empathize with our weaknesses and represent us before God (Hebrews 4:15-16).

In conclusion, the dual nature of Jesus as both God and man is not a mere theological abstraction but a central truth of the Christian faith. It underscores the depth of God’s love and the extent of His intervention in human history, revealing a Savior who is fully God and fully man, uniquely qualified to bridge the gap between humanity and the divine.

Jesus took on this role not for a mere display of His divinity but rather in Humility displayed for us all the love of God on the Cross.

Did God create us because He was lonely?

About God, All Questions

Did God create us because He was lonely?

Category

God,   All Questions

Last Updated

Jan 11, 2025

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Most people in trying to reason why God would have created humanity often conclude by stating that God must have been lonely therefore would have created people in His image to have a relationship with them.

The problem with this kind of reasoning is that it implies something lacking in God. However, if He is a perfect self-sufficient being, how can there be any lack in Him?

So was God lonely? To answer this, we first need to establish that God did not need us. If God never created us, it would not lessen Him.

Why do we say that? Christians believe God is triune, that is, one God manifested in three distinct persons, the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. All three persons eternally existed within the God-head before creation, so we can conclude that within the Trinity, there was already a perfect loving and harmonious relationship.

God did not need to create a group of rebellious, stubborn people to feel better about Himself. Instead, He created us to invite us into that which was already established within the Trinity.

God now calls for you and me to be part of His kingdom, and He extends this invitation to us through His one and only Son, Jesus Christ.

1 Corinthians 1:9 (NKJV)

God is faithful, by whom you were called into the fellowship of His Son, Jesus Christ our Lord.

Furthermore, God is love, and love by virtue does not focus on itself, but on others. Consequently with this in mind we can conclude that God populated the earth with people for whom He could express the greatest act of love: self-sacrifice. It was through Jesus that we were given the greatest gift in the universe: fellowship with Him.

In summary, the Bible does not depict a God who created humanity out of loneliness. Instead, it reveals a God who, out of the abundance of His love and self-sufficiency, sought to share the joy and fellowship of the Trinity with us. Our existence is a gracious invitation to experience the profound love of our Creator.

IF GOD HAD NEVER CREATED US, IT WOULD NOT LESSEN HIM AT ALL

Why is eternal security important?

All Questions, Salvation

Why is eternal security important?

Category

Salvation,   All Questions

Last Updated

Feb 7, 2025

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Why is Eternal security important?

It is essential that believers have assurance of their salvation since everything in the Christian lives depends on it. The foundation of our fellowship with God is based on the assurance that He has truly redeemed us from the clutches of hell and would not forsake us.

Furthermore, since individuals cannot receive salvation after death, God would want believers to know that they are saved.

What are the benefits of eternal security?

In addition to eternal security being an essential component of the Christian faith, it is also vital for a believer’s daily walk in faith. The following are some of the benefits of eternal security;

Stability in life: Believers who have an assurance of their salvation will remain stable during difficult times, they will live with the confidence that God does not change, and therefore, His grace is sufficient in all circumstances and situations.

An effective prayer life: Believers who have an assurance of their salvation will also have a practical prayer life, knowing that they can commune with God and approach Him with their requests.

Authority over Satan: Believers can be confident that they are “Hidden with Christ” (Col. 3:3). Therefore, trust the power of the Holy Spirit to help them resist Satan and stand firm when condemned by him.

As we can see, having an assurance of a secure relationship with God enables believers to endure the struggles of living in a fallen world.

THE FOUNDATION OF OUR FELLOWSHIP WITH GOD IS ALSO FOUND IN THIS ASSURANCE THAT HE HAS TRULY REDEEMED US AND SAVED US FROM THE CLUTCHES OF HELL.

Are Christians extremists in their beliefs?

All Questions, Christianity

Are Christians extremists in their beliefs?

Category

Christianity,   All Questions

Last Updated

Feb 15, 2025

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It is not uncommon for Christians to be branded as ‘extremists’ for claiming that the only way to Heaven is through faith alone in Jesus Christ’s finished work on the cross. Christians say this is based on Jesus’ statement;

John 14:6 (NKJV)

Jesus said to him, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me.

The idea that heaven is exclusive to Christians, which some may view as ‘extreme’, is not exclusive to the Christian faith.

A comparative study of major world religions reveals that they all contain elements of exclusivity. Each religion holds onto certain fundamentals that, if not adhered to, are believed to result in spiritual danger. Christianity is not unique in asserting a singular path to salvation.

Contrary to perceptions of narrowness, Christianity is one of the most inclusive religions. In that it embraces everyone, regardless of their background, culture, or past, and its followers are called to reach out to all people. John 3:16  emphasizes this inclusivity

John 3:16 (NKJV)

For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.

Christianity can however be ‘extreme’ in the sense of the profound and radical nature of God’s love that He sent His only Son as a sacrifice to pay for the sins of humanity, a concept that embodies extreme sacrifice and unconditional love.

In conclusion, while Christianity makes an exclusive claim about the path to salvation, it is an invitation extended to all, grounded in a message of radical love and grace. The perception of extremism may arise from misunderstanding the nature of this claim, which is less about excluding others and more about offering a transformative message of hope and redemption to all those who would believe.

Christianity’s exclusive claim to salvation is rooted in God’s radical love, offering grace and redemption to all who believe.

Do Believers have the ability to abandon their salvation?

All Questions, Salvation

Do believers have the ability to abandon their salvation?

Category

Salvation,   All Questions

Last Updated

Feb 7, 2025

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This question requires an examination between the interplay of God’s sovereignty and humanity’s free will. Although God is sovereign, humans have the responsibility of making their own moral decisions.

Human responsibility

From the standpoint of human responsibility, God calls all people to repent (Acts 17:30; Matt. 3:2; 4:17; Mark 6:12) and promises that whoever calls on the name of the Lord will be saved (Rom. 10:13; John 3:15–16). Yet the Bible also records that salvation does not depend solely on human will.

According to Romans 9:16, salvation depends not on man’s will, desire, or work, but rather on God’s mercy. As further stated in John 1:13, the redeemed are those born not of the will of man, but of God.

Furthermore, God grants two essential components of salvation, namely repentance (Acts 11:18; 2 Tim. 2:25) and faith (Eph. 2:8–9; Phil. 1:29; Acts 16:14).

Apart from God’s working in man’s heart, the scriptures also indicate that no one would be able to approach Him, since “there is no one who seeks after God” (Rom. 3:11; cf.8:7–8; 1 Cor.2:14; 2, Cor.4:4; Eph.2:1–3).

God’s sovereignty in salvation.

Salvation is completely under God’s control. Therefore, any errant theological system that makes salvation dependent on man’s will (alone) dethrones God.

Jesus said no one could come to Him unless the Father first draws them (John 6:44, John 6:65).

Ephesians 2:1 (NKJV)

And you He made alive, who were dead in trespasses and sins,

God’s saving work is the only thing that can bring spiritual life to unbelievers.

Oftentimes, we mistake our salvation for drowning in the ocean, and God sending a life jacket to save us. However this analogy is incorrect because God first needed to revive us as we were dead at the bottom of the ocean.

Unbelief can’t prevent God’s saving work on those He has chosen from eternity past, even if they are spiritually dead.

Furthermore, Christians find security in Christ, not in their own efforts. Instead, they persevere through God’s power.

1 Peter 1:5 (NKJV)

who are kept by the power of God through faith for salvation ready to be revealed in the last time.

A believer has a responsibility to trust and believe in God, and God has a responsibility to keep the believer.

As believers, we should continuously take advantage of the means of grace provided for us through the cross and the sacred scriptures and humbly submit ourselves to God’s power.

As God works within believers, they can work out their salvation (Phil. 2:12-13).

Salvation is secured by God's sovereign grace, and true believers persevere through His power.

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