How can a loving God send people to hell?

Q: "I'm trying to understand how God who is love can send people to be in hell. What's the thought behind going to hell?"

our A: Here are some things to consider:

(1) God has given all people enough evidence to know that he exists.

• "...What may be known about God is plain to them [people], because God has made it plain to them. For since the creation of the world God's invisible qualities -- his eternal power and divine nature -- have been clearly seen, being understood from what has been made, so that men are without excuse." (Romans 1:19-20)
  
  
• "The heavens declare the glory of God; the skies proclaim the work of his hands." (Psalms 19:1)

(2) Nonetheless, people choose not to know him.

• "They exchanged the truth of God for a lie, and worshiped and served created things rather than the Creator." (Romans 1:25)
  
  
• "The fool has said in his heart, 'there is no God.'" (Psalms 14:1)
  
  
• "We all, like sheep, have gone astray, each of us has turned to his own way." (Isaiah 53:6)
  
  
• "God looks down from heaven on the sons of men to see if there are any who understand, any who seek God. Everyone has turned away, they have together become corrupt; there is no one who does good, not even one." (Psalms 53:2-3)
  
  
• "There will be terrible times in the last days. People will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boastful, proud, abusive, disobedient to their parents, ungrateful, unholy, without love, unforgiving, slanderous, without self-control, brutal, not lovers of the good, treacherous, rash, conceited, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God." (2Timothy 3:1-4)

(3) Therefore, God is giving people what they want.

God wants all people to be rescued from their sins and know His truth (1Timothy 2:3-4). He desires all to repent and come to know him (2Peter 3:9). However, the Bible also reveals that God does not force Himself on people. He allows people to reject Him even though He doesn't like it. God is love (1John 4:16), but God allows people to reject His love, and to remain in their sins.

There will be a judgment of all people, where all people will be presented before God's throne (Rev. 20:11-13). Anyone whose name is not found in the "book of life" is thrown into the lake of fire (Rev. 20:15).

God told the Israelites, "I have set before you life and death, the blessing and the curse. So choose life in order that you may live" (Deuteronomy 30:19). In a way, that's the choice before all of us: the blessing or the curse, life or death, God's love or God's wrath.

It seems illogical to some that God could be loving and wrathful at the same time. However, much of God's character is beyond our comprehension. God's wrath and His love are compatible, even if in a way that we do not currently comprehend.

Even though we don't fully understand it, the decision is still before us. God says that we all deserve his wrath and judgment, even at this very moment. Jesus plainly said, "...unless you believe that I am he, you will die in your sins" (John 8:24). But He welcomes everyone to turn to Him for forgiveness, even at this very moment, so that instead of being condemned by him we can be forgiven and reconciled to him. Jesus said, "I tell you the truth, whoever hears my word and believes him who sent me has eternal life and will not be condemned; he has crossed over from death to life" (John 5:24). To find out how to begin a relationship with God and receive eternal life, please see: Knowing God Personally.

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