“How can a loving God send people to hell?” This is a common question, sometimes said in genuine enquiry, sometimes more as an accusation. It is however a wrong question. That’s because it ignores the reality which this quote nicely sums up:
“Jesus does not offer to make bad people good but to make dead people alive.”
Ravi Zacharias
Romans 3:23
Our reality is this – we start off as dead enemies of God.
God doesn’t condemn us but He does convict us. It doesn’t take much insight to see that in a form, hell is all around and within us. In the conditions we labour under with the fallen state of our world, our bodies and our hearts.
Romans 5:8
God is love and love doesn’t send anyone to hell, we’re already there. He’s rescuing us from it. It is that most fearful and awesome gift that God has given us that determines our ultimate destiny – free will. That’s what keeps us in or rescues us from hell.
“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.”
C.S. Lewis