How Can a Loving God Send People to Hell?

Among seekers and skeptics, and even some Christians, the attempt to reconcile a loving God with eternal punishment in hell can generate passionate feelings that challenge any rational discussion about the issue.

Many consider eternal punishment as incompatible with the idea of a loving God, and as Bertrand Russell once said, the mere threat of hell seems cruel and inhumane.[1]

Even within the church, the very existence or duration of hell are being challenged. But if there is no hell, then we have no reason to spread the gospel, and we can give up on the assurance that justice will be served against those who have committed evil in this life. As Jesus taught (Matthew 10:28), why fear God and be saved if there is no everlasting hell?

While defending the faith, Christians should expect challenges to the reality and justice of hell. Unfortunately, to accommodate their own thinking on the subject, some have mistakenly either changed the nature of hell or changed the nature of God as taught in the Bible. Norman Geisler acknowledges the tendency for Christians to sweep under the carpet the inconvenient truths about hell: “We can tell ourselves that it would be wonderful if there were no hell or no final day of judgment at which we will be held accountable for all our deeds, but we shouldn’t fail to note that all of this is exactly what we naturally want to be true.”[2] To avoid this crucial subject—or alter the biblical descriptions of it—is to ignore the clear teachings of Scripture about God’s justice and the need for the gospel.

What Does the Bible Teach About Hell?

The reality of hell can be defended from the Bible and good reason, drawing upon passages in both Old and New Testaments, as well as reviewing the teachings of Jesus. What is more, the reason for eternal punishment is also grounded in God’s nature, which includes love and justice for all people.

Psalm 9:17 says, “The wicked shall return to Sheol, all the nations that forget God.” The term Sheol is used for both the grave and the place where the wicked go after they die.

The Old Testament describes human beings as a material body united with an immaterial soul (Genesis 2:7). At death, the immortal soul is separated from the body (Genesis 3:19). Therefore, a resurrection is required to reunite soul and body. Such is anticipated for both the saved and the lost (cf. John 5:28-29). Daniel 12:2 reads, “Many of those who sleep in the dust of the earth shall awake, some to everlasting life, and some to shame and everlasting contempt.” Note that both receive an everlasting resurrection with differing results—“life” versus “contempt.”

In the New Testament, the apostle Paul said, “They will suffer the punishment of eternal destruction, away from the presence of the Lord and from the glory of his might” (2 Thessalonians 1:9). Some have suggested that “destruction” entails annihilation or the cessation of existence.

However, this is unwarranted given the Bible’s entire teaching on hell, especially Jesus’s teaching (see below). In Scripture, “destruction” is often used to refer to the ruin of some nature or function rather than the concep of annihilation. The apostle Paul used this same term (“destruction”) for physical death (1 Corinthians 10:9-10), but held to the soul’s continued existence in the afterlife. In addition, the term “destruction” is used with the modifying word “eternal” to reveal the duration of the destruction. This language eliminates the possibility of destruction being a single action with no duration.[3]

The book of Hebrews asserts, “It is appointed for man to die once, and after that comes judgment” (9:27). Revelation describes this judgment for unbelievers:

I saw a great white throne and him who was seated on it. From his presence, earth and sky fled away, and no place was found for them. And I saw the dead, great and small, standing before the throne, and books were opened. Then another book was opened, which is the book of life. And the dead were judged by what was written in the books, according to what they had done. And the sea gave up the dead who were in it, Death and Hades gave up the dead who were in them, and they were judged, each one of them, according to what they had done. Then Death and Hades were thrown into the lake of fire. This is the second death, the lake of fire. And if anyone’s name was not found written in the book of life, he was thrown into the lake of fire (Revelation 20:11-15).

Whatever one may personally think about hell, these descriptions should leave no doubt that the Bible affirms the existence of such a place and condition. It serves at least two purposes: First, hell separates the unredeemed, in accordance with their decision, from God (and the redeemed) forever. Certainly, God would not be considered just or loving if He forced unbelievers, against their will, into heaven. Second, hell is a place of eternal punishment for those who have sinned against an eternal God—that is, the punishment fits the crime.

What Did Jesus Teach About Hell?

Some do not realize that Jesus spoke more about hell than anyone else in the Bible.[4] He warned in Matthew 10:28, “Do not fear those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. Rather fear him who can destroy both soul and body in hell” (cf. Luke 12:5). Jesus also spoke of the time when He will “say to those on his left, ‘Depart from me, you cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels’” (Matthew 25:41). He even told an interesting story about a sickly beggar, Lazarus, and a wealthy man.

There was a rich man who was clothed in purple and fine linen and who feasted sumptuously every day. And at his gate was laid a poor man named Lazarus, covered with sores, who desired to be fed with what fell from the rich man’s table. Moreover, even the dogs came and licked his sores. The poor man died and was carried by the angels to Abraham’s side. The rich man also died and was buried, and in Hades, being in torment, he lifted up his eyes and saw Abraham far off and Lazarus at his side. And he called out, “Father Abraham, have mercy on me, and send Lazarus to dip the end of his finger in water and cool my tongue, for I am in anguish in this flame” (Luke 16:19-24).

Charles Ryrie offered insights into this story: “Clearly, the account teaches some important facts about death and hell: 

(a) there is conscious existence after death;

(b) hell is a real place of torment;

(c) there is no second chance after death; and

(d) the dead cannot communicate with the living.”[5]

The teaching of the Bible—and of Jesus—clearly presents the

Reality and the eternal nature of hell.

Is God’s Justice and Love Compatible with Hell?

The Bible says God is love (1 John 4:16). He is also completely just and righteous (Isaiah 30:18). Good reason, as well as the Bible, recognizes that perfect justice is not always achieved in this world (Psalm 73:3). Dictators who murder millions and even common criminals sometimes go unpunished here on earth. Yet God promises that everyone will receive justice in the afterlife. If this were not the case, then God has no final victory over evil and cannot bring justice to the world, and He certainly would not be in sovereign control of everything (1 Corinthians 15:24-28).

James 2:10 says, “Whoever keeps the whole law but fails in one point has become guilty of all of it.” There is a standard of moral perfection that no one can measure up to on their own (Romans 3:23). God, because He is a perfect being, cannot approvingly tolerate or overlook moral imperfection or sin. Therefore, God’s holy justice requires a separation from unrepentant sinful creatures. Some might see this as cruel and inconsistent with God’s nature. However, God will not violate individual human freedom; it is preserved by His providence and guaranteed by His infinite love. That is to say, God’s love forbids Him to force anyone to love Him. As Norman Geisler states, “Forced love is a contradiction in terms.”[6] C.S. Lewis recognized this as well—he said, “The Irresistible and the Indisputable are the two weapons which the very nature of his scheme forbids him to use.

Merely to override a human will…would be for Him useless. He cannot ravish. He can only woo.”[7]

Those who decide not to love God must be given what they want. Though God desires all to be saved and that none perish (2 Peter 3:9), if people rebel against God’s light, they have chosen darkness; if they reject God’s offer to be with them for eternity, they will be separated from Him for eternity; if they refuse God’s offer of eternal bliss, they will experience eternal torment. To not honor human freedom violates human dignity and would not be loving. Lewis insightfully remarked, “There are only two kinds of people in the end: those who say to God, ‘Thy will be done,’ and those to whom God says, in the end, ‘Thy will be done.’ All that are in Hell, choose it.”[8]

The Nature of Hell

While the Bible uses metaphors to describe hell, this does not mean hell itself is metaphorical (i.e., not real). According to the collective descriptions found in Scripture, hell is a horrifying reality with sobering implications. These metaphors teach us that hell “is like being left outside in darkness; a wandering star, waterless cloud, a perpetually burning dump, a bottomless pit, an everlasting prison, place of anguish and regret.”[9] Hell is most often characterized by real fire because we understand the misery and pain of burning.

Despite the metaphorical descriptions, hell is not a fictional place. The kingdom of heaven is also spoken of in stories using metaphors (Matthew 13). Hell is described with the same words of duration (eternal or everlasting) that are used to describe eternal life. Hell is described as eternal punishment and eternal fire.[10] Revelation 20:10 mention the fate of the devil and false prophet: “They will be tormented day and night forever and ever” (emphasis added). Furthermore, Jesus said the lost would face the same eternal destination as the devil (Matthew 25:41).

What is more, many have misunderstood the nature of hell’s punishment as torture. It is important to recognize there is a real difference between torture and the Bible’s usage of the word torment to describe the punishment of hell. Essentially, torture is pain inflicted against one’s will by external causes, but torment is pain inflicted in accord with one’s will by internal causes (e.g., never-ending regret, spiritual thirst without remedy, sadness, depression due to awareness of your condition, darkness, emotional and spiritual pain, etc.).

Unbelievers often respond, “But I don’t want to experience those horrible conditions, nor did I ask for them. Thus, God should honor my freedom, which rejects hell.” Certainly no rational person would “want” to experience these conditions. However, just as an alcoholic does not “want” cirrhosis of the liver but has willed the condition by his decision to drink, those in hell willed their condition (state of being) by their decision to reject Christ and the salvation He offers.

C.S. Lewis, in his book The Problem of Pain, characterized the unbeliever’s decision to be in hell by saying that “the doors to hell are locked on the inside.”[11] He further said, “To be ‘cured’ against one’s will… is to be put on a level with those who have not yet reached the age of reason or those who never will; to be classed with infants, imbeciles, and domestic animals.”[12]

What About Annihilationism?

Some teach that those in hell will be annihilated—that is, they will cease to exist. However, this is contrary to the language and teaching of the Bible, which depicts hell as conscious torment “day and night forever and ever” (Revelation 20:10). Annihilationism is contrary to an all-loving God. For God to annihilate people created in His image is unloving. What father would kill his children just because they choose to go against their father’s will? God allows us to choose our own way, even if it is against His will. It is always better to exist than to not exist. It is an act of God’s mercy and love to keep His rational creatures from nonexistence. The conscious torment of the lost in hell preserves human dignity, honors personal decisions, and manifests the goodness, love, and justice of God.

One searches in vain for any mention in the Bible that hell is temporary. As others have noted, the language knife cuts both ways. If we give up the everlasting torment of hell, then we must also dismiss the everlasting happiness of heaven, for the same word is used of both domains.[13] And there is no good reason to think the Bible teaches that humans, saved or lost, cease to exist at any point after death.[14]

Conclusion

The death of Christ on the cross certainly affirms the reality of hell, for if there is no hell, Jesus’s coming to earth was unnecessary. Why suffer death on a cross to pay the penalty for sin? If there is no hell, the good news of salvation from hell is empty. If this is the case, Christ’s life, substitutionary death, and resurrection on our behalf are robbed of any eternal significance.

After death, everyone meets his or her intended end, which is God (Philippians 2:10). Those who believe the gospel are forgiven of their sins and are given a new birth. Upon death, their human nature (including the body) will be glorified and freely fixed toward the enjoyment of God.

Those who reject the gospel, in accord with their own choice, will be turned away from the enjoyment of God and justly punished for their sins. According to the Bible, these are the only two destinies of all human creatures.

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[1] Robert E. Egner and Lester E. Denonn, eds., The Basic Writings of Bertrand Russell (New York: Touchstone, 1961), 593.

[2] Norman L. Geisler, Systematic Theology, Church Last Things, vol. 4 (Minneapolis, MN: Bethany House, 2005), 337.

[3] Douglas F. Moo, “Paul on Hell,” in Christopher W. Morgan and Robert A. Peterson, eds., Hell Under Fire (Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan, 2004), 105-106.

[4] Matthew 5:29-30; 10:28; 11:23; 13:40-41,49-50; 22:13; 23:15-33; 25:41; Mark 9:43-48; Luke 6:19-31; 12:5.

[5] Charles Ryrie, Basic Theology: A Popular Systematic Guide to Understanding Biblical Truth (Chicago, IL: Moody, 1999), 606.

[6] Norman L. Geisler, Chosen but Free (Minneapolis, MN: Bethany House, 1999), 49.

[7] C.S. Lewis, Screwtape Letters (New York: HarperCollins, 1996), 39.

[8] C.S. Lewis, The Great Divorce (New York: Macmillan, 1943), 72.

[9] Norman L. Geisler and Douglas E. Potter, A Popular Survey of Bible Doctrine

(Matthews, NC: Norm Geisler International Ministries, 2016), 166. See Matthew 8:12; Mark 9:44-48; Luke 16:28; 1 Peter 3:19; Jude 13; Revelation 20:1,3.

[10] See especially the parallelism between Matthew 25:41 and 25:46.

[11] C.S. Lewis, The Problem of Pain (New York: Macmillan, 1962), 127.

[12] C.S. Lewis, God in the Dock (Grand Rapids, MI: Eerdmans, 1970), 292.

[13] Robert W. Yarbrough, “Jesus on Hell,” in Hell Under Fire, 76.

[14] See Robert A. Peterson “A Traditionalist Response to Conditionalism” in Two Views of Hell (Downers Grove, IL: IVP Academic, 2000).