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?