If God is Love, Why Hell?, Part 3 August 20, 2012
The love of God, as we’ve been noting over the past fewweeks, is complex and unique. It takes a humble heart and a careful mind evento begin to grasp its contours and depths. That’s why the life and ministry ofJesus are so helpful: He shows us what God is really like. So it’s helpful toask, whatdid Jesus believe about God’slove, God’s judgment, and the danger ofhell?
One of the firstthings we notice about Jesus is His indiscriminate and lavish love—listening to sufferers, drawing near to outcasts,touching the defiled, and blessing the needy. His entire ministry revolvedaround His intention to show mercy (Mt 9:13). (If only Christians were known for following His examplein this, right?!)
But two other thingsstand out from Jesus’ words that are worthconsideration. First, he did not speak gently and acceptingly to everyone. Histreatment of religious hypocrites was particularly harsh. I would suggest thatthis is entirely consistent with love, because if you truly love someone or something, you are going to have to react stronglyagainst some other things, namely, those things that harm the object of yourlove. Example: If you truly love children, you will hate child abuse. It isprecisely because Jesus loves people so fervently that He hates thethings that destroy them: oppression, abuse, religious hypocrisy, idolatry, addiction,betrayal,injustice, sin, etc.
Second, Jesus talked about hell more than anyone else in the wholeBible. In fact, Jesus said more about hell than about any other topic. Onepastor estimated that thirteen percent of Jesus’ sayings are about hell andjudgment, and more than half of His parables relate to the eternal judgment ofsinners.
Yes, Jesus believed in the danger of hell. But the really fantastic part ofthe story is this: instead of leaving unworthy sinners like me and you to face God’s judgment on our own, Jesus bore it in His own body on the cross, so that we canbe forgiven of our sins if we embrace His sacrifice by faith. And if we do,Jesus’ sinless life has earned for us the delights of God’s lavish love andunrestrained pleasure forever.
Here is atrustworthy saying that deserves full acceptance: Christ Jesus came into theworld to save sinners—of whom I am theworst. (1 Tim 1:15-16)
And that is goodnews indeed!