Psalm 115:16
Does God Send People to Hell?
Gustave Doré, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons
To answer that question, you have to go back through a brief history of the world, and look at the question within that historic framework. It becomes much easier to understand the question and the answer.
This world is in a battle that began at the garden of Eden, actually prior to the garden of Eden. The forces of evil we see around us are a continuation of that historic event.
Prior to the history of this earth, Lucifer, a high-ranking angel in heaven, rose up against God in heaven to try to take the throne of God. Lucifer was thrown out of heaven as well as 1/3 of the angels who followed him. Thrown to the earth, Lucifer, whose name meant light-bearer, having lost the glory of the light given to him, began being known by a new name of satan or the serpent.
Luke 10:18 And he said unto them, I beheld Satan as lightning fall from heaven.
Revelation 12:7 And there was war in heaven: Michael and his angels fought against the dragon; and the dragon fought and his angels,
8 And prevailed not; neither was their place found any more in heaven.
9 And the great dragon was cast out, that old serpent, called the Devil, and Satan, which deceiveth the whole world: he was cast out into the earth, and his angels were cast out with him.
There was a newly minted man and woman on the earth, created by God, and given authority by the Lord God over the earth. Satan came to them and tried to enlist them in satan’s ongoing rebellion against God and also to steal their authority given by God. The serpent tempted them, “hath God said….” and by listening to that deception they disobeyed a commandment God had given them.
With that, what is called the Fall of mankind happened.
With that, they lost their relationship with God. Sin, sickness, and death entered the world. And every person since then has been born with what is called original sin.
Mankind did not evolve from the slime. Mankind fell from his relationship with God.
The only way out of that state is repentance, turning to the Lord Jesus Christ, and being born again by the spirit of God.
So how did Jesus become part of the process?
There is confusion about Jesus. Was he a teacher? a prophet?
Yes, he is all that, but more than that. He is the Saviour of mankind.
He lived a sinless life, became the propitiation for man’s sins, paid the price of justice for the Fall, and through him, by faith in him, by faith in his name, by faith in the power of His Blood and His redemptive work on the cross, man can be born again…if a man, woman, or child individually chooses to and asks to be born again.
Until Jesus, God had set up a system of temporarily dealing with the problem of sin. This is described in the Old Testament through the setting up of the tabernacle and sacrifices. Jesus came as the final solution, the final Sacrifice, the Lamb slain before the foundation of the world.
You can see from the above history, that the default state of every person is to be born into a fallen state, born into sin, born into the historic consequences of the fall.
God did not originally intend this. Mankind chose this.
When God created man he gave man the gift of free will. Otherwise, man would be a puppet.
So when the original ancestors fell, that was passed on to mankind. Jesus is the way out.
Why didn’t God call “time out” and start over? God can’t break his own laws.
Psalm 115:16 The heaven, even the heavens, are the Lord’s: but the earth hath he given to the children of men.
God gave earth to mankind. The problem of sin was now a problem of earth, and had to be solved on earth. Call it a matter of jurisdiction. Crimes are tried where they occur. The crime happened on earth and had to be tried here. Out of love and mercy for mankind, Jesus willingly became the victim for the crime committed at the Fall, and for the sin of every man, woman, and child after that. Jesus, God, the Son of God, willingly took the place of man to be tried for mankind for the Fall.
John 3:16 For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.
17 For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved.
We have no way out without Jesus.
The default situation of every person born on this earth is being headed to hell since we are born in trespasses and sins. Jesus made the way of escape.
John 14:6 Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.
Going back to the initial question, it is Jesus who offers a way of escape from hell.
The way of escape is there, the key is there, mankind must receive it. Mankind must individually receive the gift of salvation. The way of escape from hell is through Jesus Christ.
So if someone heads to hell, it is because they did not receive or refused the gift that Jesus offers.
Because of the Fall of mankind and the entrance of sin into the human race, because every person is born in trespasses and sin, without Jesus Christ, the default destination for mankind is hell.
Jesus offers the way of escape.
A blog post can only introduce a topic but not cover it in depth. For more study on various topics, click here for links to various Christian ministries.
Depending on the ministry, there may be online church services, YouTube videos, podcasts, radio programs, books, teaching, or more. You have to seek out what they have.
The Challenge of Taking Dominion
Genesis 1:26 (ISV) Then God said, “Let us make mankind in our image, to be like us. Let them be masters over the fish in the ocean, the birds that fly, the livestock, everything that crawls on the earth, and over the earth itself!”
Psalm 115:16 The heaven, even the heavens, are the Lord’s: but the earth hath he given to the children of men.
Luke 10:19 Behold, I give you authority to tread on serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy. Nothing will in any way hurt you.
Matthew 28:18 Jesus came to them and spoke to them, saying, “All authority has been given to me in heaven and on earth. 19 Go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 20 teaching them to observe all things that I commanded you. Behold, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.” Amen.
Matthew 7:24 “Everyone therefore who hears these words of mine and does them, I will liken him to a wise man who built his house on a rock.25 The rain came down, the floods came, and the winds blew and beat on that house; and it didn’t fall, for it was founded on the rock.26 Everyone who hears these words of mine and doesn’t do them will be like a foolish man who built his house on the sand.27 The rain came down, the floods came, and the winds blew and beat on that house; and it fell—and its fall was great.”
28 When Jesus had finished saying these things, the multitudes were astonished at his teaching, 29 for he taught them with authority, and not like the scribes.
God has never reneged on this.
The challenge to rise to what the Lord God wants.
The earth belongs to mankind. God will not swoop in and do man’s job.
If there is a problem in the earth, it is because man individually or collectively permits it. It is particularly up to believers to use the authority of the name of Jesus and the Word of God. God will work with believers in accordance with His Word. Believers have a part to play. Everyone is a part of God’s creation, but to be born again, to be a believer in Jesus Christ, is a personal choice.
Mark 16:20 They went out, and preached everywhere, the Lord working with them, and confirming the word by the signs that followed. Amen.
The Bible is full of examples where different ones or groups receive a miracle or a blessing or walk in the power of God
Does God have favorites?
No.
Acts 10:34 Peter opened his mouth and said, “Truly I perceive that God doesn’t show favoritism; 35 but in every nation he who fears him and works righteousness is acceptable to him.
Hebrews 11:6 Without faith it is impossible to be well pleasing to him, for he who comes to God must believe that he exists, and that he is a rewarder of those who seek him.
Revelation 22:12 “Behold, I come quickly. My reward is with me, to repay to each man according to his work.
What about grace?
A distinction must be made between the initial born again experience, which is by faith, through grace, and then serving the Lord after being born again.
Ephesians 2:8 for by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God,
Paul, who originally was known as Saul and who was persecuting Christians until he was converted, clearly understood that there was something beyond being born again.
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This same Paul, who wrote a good deal of the New Testament, wrote this.
Philippians 3:7 However, I consider those things that were gain to me as a loss for Christ. 8 Yes most certainly, and I count all things to be a loss for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus, my Lord, for whom I suffered the loss of all things, and count them nothing but refuse, that I may gain Christ 9 and be found in him, not having a righteousness of my own, that which is of the law, but that which is through faith in Christ, the righteousness which is from God by faith, 10 that I may know him, and the power of his resurrection, and the fellowship of his sufferings, becoming conformed to his death, 11 if by any means I may attain to the resurrection from the dead. 12 Not that I have already obtained, or am already made perfect; but I press on, that I may take hold of that for which also I was taken hold of by Christ Jesus.
13 Brothers, I don’t regard myself as yet having taken hold, but one thing I do: forgetting the things which are behind, and stretching forward to the things which are before, 14 I press on toward the goal for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus. 15 Let us therefore, as many as are perfect, think this way. If in anything you think otherwise, God will also reveal that to you. 16 Nevertheless, to the extent that we have already attained, let’s walk by the same rule. Let’s be of the same mind.
17 Brothers, be imitators together of me, and note those who walk this way, even as you have us for an example.
A blog post can only introduce a topic but not cover it in depth. For more study on various topics, click here for links to various Christian ministries.
Depending on the ministry, there may be online church services, YouTube videos, podcasts, radio programs, books, teaching, or more. You have to seek out what they have.