If God is all-loving, why does He send people to hell?
The Short Answer
The Bible teaches that God, in His perfect love and justice, does not actively "send" people to hell. Instead, hell is the natural and tragic consequence for those who have chosen to reject God's free gift of salvation through Jesus Christ.
The Biblical Basis
The Bible makes it clear that God's desire is for everyone to be saved. 2 Peter 3:9 says that God "is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance." The central message of the Christian faith is that God’s love provided a way for us to be saved from this separation.
In John 3:16-18, we find the core of this truth: "For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him. Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe stands condemned already..." This shows that a person's condemnation is the result of their own choice to not believe, not God's desire to punish them.
Diving Deeper
The question of hell is often misunderstood because we can separate God’s love from His perfect justice. Think of it like a judge. A loving and just judge doesn't let criminals go free; their love for the law and the safety of the community requires them to punish wrongdoing. In the same way, God's perfect justice requires a response to sin, which is a rebellion against His perfect nature.
Hell is a final, permanent separation from God's presence. It is what happens when a person's free will choice to live without God becomes eternal. The tragic reality is that God respects that choice. Hell was never created for people; Matthew 25:41 says it was "prepared for the devil and his angels." People who end up there do so because they have aligned themselves with the rejection of God that the devil represents.
What This Means for You
This truth isn't meant to be a frightening threat, but rather an urgent reminder of the incredible value of Jesus’s sacrifice. It highlights the seriousness of our choices and the depth of God’s love in providing a way out. God has done everything necessary for us to have a relationship with Him and avoid eternal separation. The choice is now ours.
A Question to Ponder
Knowing that God desires for all people to be saved, how does that shape your understanding of His love and the importance of the choice you have?
