Would a "Good" God Do That?

“Why would a loving God send people to punishment in Hell?” That’s a common question when it comes to the secular world trying to understand Christianity, and it can be challenging to answer for believers. Secular folks think God is a God of “love,” which He is. But we need to clear up some misunderstandings.

One of the biggest reasons society trips up on this is its definition of the word love. Got Questions says, “Our culture tends to think of love as a completely non-confrontational, tolerant approval of whatever the one you love wants to do.” That definition is not Biblical.

The Biblical definition of love is goodwill and benevolence shown in sacrificing what you want because of an unconditional commitment to the one you love. Love is an action promoting the well-being of someone else.

Why would a "good God" send people to hell?

So yes, God is love. But that’s only one part of who He is. He’s also holy and just. That means He is unstained by sin in any way, shape, or form. The CS Lewis Institute says, “He’s completely holy and good. And a God who is good must also hate that which is evil because it’s contrary to His goodness.”

God Himself is the standard for what is right, good, and moral. And those standards are high. J. Warner Wallace of coldcasechristianity.com says, “The Christian God isn’t a ‘good God.’ He’s a perfect God. His standard isn’t goodness, it’s ‘perfection.’”  The real question we have to ask ourselves as Christians isn’t “are we good? It’s are we perfect? The answer, of course, is no.

I can hear what you’re thinking, because I’ve had the same thoughts: “I’m no Adolf Hitler. I haven’t killed anyone. I’ve certainly not robbed banks or committed felonies at that level.” That may be true.

But here’s the bad news: Wallace goes on to point out that “good” people are far rarer than most skeptics and many Christians are willing to admit. To wedge ourselves into the category of good, we would have to overlook a LOT of things we’ve done in the past, wouldn’t we? I know I would.

Comparing yourself to so-and-so who lives down the street is moral relativism, something that’s very popular in our culture today. “I’m not as bad as the guy living two houses down the street. Look what he’s done!” The CS Lewis Institute points out that the judgment of God provides the absolute objective standard to which all other moral judgments must conform.

Hell wasn’t even a place created for man. It was created for the devil and his angels. Matthew 25:41 says, “Then He will say to those on His left, ‘Depart from me, you who are cursed to the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels.”  Got Questions says it this way: “Only when humans joined the rebellion against God did hell become their fate too.”

Don't wait till Judgement Day. It'll be too late then. Look into the love of Jesus. You'll be surprised at the peace you'll find!

Remember when I said God is both Loving and Holy? Well, He must punish sin, as mentioned. But you do remember that Jesus came to Earth to pay the penalty for every sin you and I have ever or will ever commit. That’s loving. You can’t separate God’s love from His holiness. The Cross of Calvary showed a first-hand example of justice and love.

If you choose to reject God and the saving work of Jesus Christ, then you have to pay the penalty yourself. But you don’t have to do that. God gave you the choice of where you end up. Please come to know Jesus. His mercy made a way for you and me, and He didn’t have to do that. That’s how much He loves you!

Need a little more convincing? How about this from the late John MacArthur?