This is the fifth post in a 14-week study. More information and resources can be found here.
A quick note to those of y’all who are not participants:
– Please read along as we go through the study chapter by chapter, and contemplate the questions we’ll be tackling. It’s gonna be good!
– We will be utilizing the comment section as a forum for discussion for the participants only. I respectfully ask – if you are not participating – that you refrain from commenting on the Reason for God posts, simply to help keep things well… simple.
– We have an incredible group of women representing various ages, faith backgrounds and life experiences – I hope you’ll check out all they have to say.
It is my prayer that the participants, as well as those of y’all who will be reading along, will contemplate your own faith and understanding of God in a new, and more purposeful way. If you have any questions about the study, or about God in general, feel free to email me from the link in the right sidebar.
The introduction to the chapter brings many of the questions that we have all heard or asked ourselves concerning a loving God and hell. Keller says, “In our culture, divine judgment is one of Christianity’s most offensive doctrines.” (p. 71)
A God of Judgement Simply Can’t Exist
Keller postulates that modern man believes that the natural world to be malleable, and within his power to manipulate. “Our new confidence that we can control the physical environment has spilled over so we now think we can reshape the metaphysical realm as well.” (p. 74) But according to Keller, this view of modernity is not accepted by all.
So many arguments against Biblical teachings are based on cultural beliefs. Keller shares a story in which a woman approached him to share that the very idea of a judging God was offensive. He responded, “Why aren’t you offended by the idea of a forgiving God? I carefully urge you to consider your cultural location when you find the Christian teaching about hell offensive.” (p.74) He then went on to ask her, did she believe that Western cultural sensibilities should be the final court in which to judge whether Christianity is valid? And did she consider her culture to be superior to non-Western ones? When she replied “no”, Keller concluded, “Well then why should your culture’s objections to Christianity trump theirs?” (p.74)
A God of Judgment Can’t Be a God of Love
The God of the Bible is One of love and of justice. While the love of God depicted in the Bible is not controversial here in the West, the wrath of God is. Keller explains that these two entities cannot be separated. When a loving person is faced with the mistreatment of a loved one, that love is the very root of the resulting anger and wrath.
Becky Pippert in her book Hope Has Its Reasons: “Think how we feel when we see someone we love ravaged by unwise actions or relationships. Do we respond with benign tolerance as we might toward strangers? Far from it… Anger isn’t the opposite of love. Hate is, and the final form of hate is indifference… God’s wrath is not a cranky explosion, but his settled opposition to the cancer… which is eating out the insides of the human race he loves with his whole being.” (p.76)
A Loving God Would Not Allow Hell
Keller describes the modern view of hell as God casting souls – those unfortunate ones who did not make the right choices in life before their time was up – into hell for all eternity… despite the pleas and cries for mercy. But this view misses the very nature of evil, Keller says. “The Biblical picture is that sin separates us from the presence of God, which is the source of all joy and indeed of all love, wisdom, or good things of any sort. Since we were originally created for God’s immediate presence, only before his face will we thrive, flourish, and achieve our highest potential. If we were to lose his presence totally, that would be hell – the loss of our capability for giving or receiving love or joy.” (p.79)
“Hell, then, is the trajectory of a soul, living a self-absorbed, self-centered life, going on and on forever.” (p.79)
Keller utilizes the story of Lazarus, a beggar, and the Rich Man in Luke 16:24-31 to support his view of hell. Incredibly, the Rich Man, despite the fact that he is in hell, does not ask to get out. But instead continues to complain to Abraham about his surroundings and bully Lazarus, the beggar, just as he had during their lives on earth. “Commentators have noted the astonishing amount of denial, blame-shifting and spiritual blindness in this soul in hell… He is only called a “Rich Man,” strongly hinting that since he had built his identity on his wealth rather than on God, once he lost his wealth he lost any sense of a self.”
“In short, hell is simply one’s freely chosen identity apart from God on a trajectory into infinity.” (p.80)
In C.S. Lewis’ book The Great Divorce, he compares hell to a busload of people who are asked to leave behind their sin and depart the bus – but refuse. Those on the bus are indeed miserable, but the desire for freedom to pursue their sin is too much to resist. They simply cannot risk losing ‘everything’ so instead choose to remain apart from God. Lewis says that the steps to the bus trip “… begins with a grumbling mood, always complaining, always blaming others… In each of us there is something growing, which will BE Hell unless it is nipped in the bud.” (p.81) However, rather than ending the pride of selfishness, people double down in the mistaken belief that they would rather have freedom than salvation. Keller writes, “Hell is, as Lewis says, the greatest monument to human freedom.” (p.82) Ultimately, according to Keller, “All God does in the end with people is give them what they most want, including freedom from himself. What could be more fair than that?” (p.82)
Hell and the Equality of People
Keller argues against the point of view that Christians belief system naturally makes them narrow-minded. He completely dissects the argument by demonstrating that a narrow-minded view is one that argues that there is no eternal consequence of sin. “Both the Christian and the secular person believe that self-centeredness and cruelty have very harmful consequences. Because Christians believe souls don’t die, they also believe the moral and spiritual errors affect the soul forever.” (p.83) This belief should lead the Christian to a greater understanding of the consequence of sin whereas the secular belief leads to a more narrow view because the consequence is finite and not relative past one’s own life.
“I Believe in a God of Love”
Interestingly, Keller titles the chapter as a statement. Previous to this, the title is simply used to break up thoughts. In this case however, he uses quotes to emphasize that this is an argument heard countless times, not merely a natural break in the chapter.
This section is a reminder of his earlier chapter that argued the cultural beliefs of ever person influences their interpretation of the Bible. However, Keller also argues that the belief in a God of love is not found in other faiths, so the central tenant must have come from within Christianity. “I must conclude that the source of the idea that God is Love is the Bible itself. And the Bible tells us that the God of love is also a God of judgment who will put all things in the world to rights in the end,” Keller says. (p.85) The real leap of faith comes when someone believes that God is love but judges no one. If you love someone and see them harmed, would you not be judging the instigator or would it be better to simply love the victim and the perpetrator? Those serving a loving God are not serving the true God but rather a fictitious god that helps them feel cozy and cuddly without dealing with the evil of this world brought to bear by Satan and man’s sinful nature. “The belief in a God of pure love — who accepts everyone and judges no one — is a powerful act of faith… The more one looks at it, the less justified it appears.” (p.86)
Question: Has this chapter opened your eyes to any false doctrine you’ve knowingly or unknowingly believed about God’s wrath? About hell?
My response: Absolutely. I am constantly amazed by how much false doctrine I have absorbed, without even realizing it. Because of this book, and Keller’s systematic approach, I have been able to recognize so much false doctrine in my own heart. After tracing it back to the roots (usually the desire to be politically correct here in the West) I have been able to inspect it and determine what really is truth. And this has grown my faith in a surprisingly big way.
Wrath. This used to cause great angst in me. I have always understood God’s love but His wrath was something that took longer. Much, much longer. Honestly, it wasn’t until I began really spending time in His Word that He began to reveal His true character to me, bit by bit. I mean I had read about God and had learned He was omniscient, omnipotent, omnipresent and so on. But I didn’t know it, deep in my bones. He has revealed to me how perfect, flawless, holy, worthy, patient, loving, merciful, protective, good, just and wrathful He is. It all works together for my good and most of all for His glory. If I could not trust His perfect and just wrath, then I don’t think I could truly trust His perfect and unconditional love.
Now about hell. I had read this chapter, as well as a bit from C.S. Lewis’ Great Divorce, last fall and since then my perspective of hell and those who are headed in that direction has completely changed. I admit to being one of those who couldn’t really fit the God I understood in my heart to the one Keller characterizes in this chapter. Both Keller’s and Lewis’ observations just make so much sense to both my head and to my heart. I have seen people living the very lives they describe – completely self-focused and self-absorbed, pursuing personal freedom at all cost – who are also some of the most unhappy and joyless people I know. While the most joyful, peaceful and hope-filled people I know are those who are on the opposite trajectory – moving, daily, closer to God and ultimately, to heaven.
For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through him. Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only Son of God. — John 3:16-18
Here is the button for the participants who will be linking up to the study. Grab the code, paste it into your Reason for God post and link up below.
This is the chapter I’ve been waiting for and I still don’t get it! I so wanted a clear answer to this. Is there a hell and who is in it? It was clear to me when I was younger. All I knew was a punishing God as I matured and experienced other churches I became to knew a more loving God but the “hell” thing still gets me. If we have a loving God, then there should be no hell? Why is my sin less then say, Hitler’s sins. As I read and reread this chapter, my conclusion is that if there is anyone in hell, it is by their own free will. Not by God’s hand.
Ruby, I don’t think that it’s a matter of rating sins as less than or more than someone else’s because James 2:10 tells us that “For whoever keeps the whole law but fails in one point has become accountable for all of it.” We all deserve separation from God because we daily choose to rebel against, deny, offend, and hate Him. But we also see in 1 Cr 15:3 that “Christ died for our sins in accordance with the Scriptures,” which shows that He died for all sins.
To me, hell is the absence of God and a glorification of self. Look at how hell was created in the first place…Lucifer wanted to glorify himself to the status of God (if not even higher) and he chose to eradicate God from his life. That is when hell began.
Also, the idea of a loving God who also feels wrath and metes out punishment is not so hard to grasp if you think of a parent/child relationship. Do we parents not love our children even when we are disciplining them? Isn’t our discipline of our children an extension of our love for them? Don’t we want to teach them the one true way to live because we love them? I see that as God’s wrath and punishment. He loves us SO much that “The Lord is not slow in keeping his promise, as some understand slowness. Instead he is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance.” 2 Peter 3:9
This chapter was a bit frustrating for me. When I first got the book, I was most excited to read this chapter, because it is the part of my faith I am most uncomfortable with. But I feel like he didn’t really address the most troubling parts of the Biblical teaching of Hell. For instance, for people who knowingly reject God, perhaps Keller’s assessment is correct and complete, but what about those millions and millions who die in countries where they are never presented the gospel? The Bible is pretty clear that there is one Way, one Name. Yes, those people are lost in their sin as much as those who outright reject Jesus, but the eternal ramifications seem to my finite and not God mind to be somehow out of proportion. I think I will always wrestle with Hell, and just need to trust that God is bigger than me and His eternal perspective is perfect and infinite while mine is flawed and finite. And I’m not sure I quite buy Keller’s view on Hell, either. There are times in the Bible when God hardens the hearts of people. There is even somewhere in the Bible (an epistle?) where Paul (?) speculates about what if God makes some earthly vessels just for destruction., Sying He would be within His rghts to do so, So I’m not 100% convinced, even after reading this chapter, that God doesn’t somehow or to some extent create people and somehow destine them for Hell.
here is more on the topic by Keller: http://www.redeemer.com/news_and_events/articles/the_importance_of_hell.html
“but what about those millions and millions who die in countries where they are never presented the gospel?”
This is a valid question, Gina. And while I don’t claim to have the answer, it leads me to the “justness” of God’s character. I believe that God is just, and only He can see the hearts of men. If a person truly has never been presented the gospel, then I believe God does not automatically condemn them to eternity in hell for their “unbelief” when they die. I don’t know or understand how it all works, but that is why God is God and I am not.
I wrestle with this as well.
After reading this chapter, that was a thought I had as well. I thought hard on this and prayed…..this is the thought I had: Perhaps God reveals himself to the people who live in places where the Word of The Lord hasn’t reached, yet. (???)
The belief that a loving God would not send people to hell was in part responsible for my salvation as a teenager. My brother and sister were hotly arguing this point, and I was being swayed in both directions. I decided the only way to find out the real answer for myself was to read the Bible – cover to cover, which I had never attempted before. I had never really spent any time reading it apart from a few scriptures in church. It was during those months of reading that I came to understand my place before God as a sinner who could do nothing to merit salvation, and that Jesus was not only the baby in the manger and the man who talked of loving your neighbor, but he was the man hanging on a cross for me and because of me. I had never really understood why Jesus had to come to earth as a man until that point.
While I still become uncomfortable reading about God’s wrath, especially with Old Testament stories about entire nations being destroyed I remind myself that if I choose to believe the Bible when it speaks of God’s amazing love and mercy toward us, that I must also believe that same Bible when it talks of a judging and jealous God.
Your words remind of this by CS Lewis:
“One of the greatest difficulties is to keep before the audience’s mind the question of Truth. They always think you are recommending Christianity not because it is true but because it is good. And in the discussion they will at every moment try to escape from the issue “True– or False” into stuff about a good society, or morals, … the Spanish Inquisition, or France.. or anything whatever.”
Loved hearing about how blessed you were by reading the entire Bible… it is indeed His way of revealing who He is to His people. And without it, we are really lost in trying to properly understand and worship Him.
Part of my “walk back to God” has been all about deciding exactly what I believe, truly believe, about many issues–and hell, justice and God’s character have all been a part of that dissection. I had allowed, for a very long time, all kinds of false theology to take up residence, and I think, while part of it–no doubt–was about political correctness, most of it was about the fact that I truly loved “good” people, and I couldn’t reconcile the thought of them in hell. So, I toyed around with a lot of different philosophies, all of which made it easier for me.
But, ultimately, I couldn’t reconcile one simple act: the cross. There is no way a father sends his son to the cross to suffer and to take on the sin of the world if its not needed. And, no matter how much I wanted there to not be a hell, to not be a place of exile, I knew I believed that Jesus was the Son of God who died on the cross, and I knew to deny the justice of God, while easily focusing on the love of God, was to make that act of Christ’s meaningless at worst and muted at best.
And that just wouldn’t do. So, now, when I try to dissect my beliefs regarding hell, wrath, justice, love, etc., I have to start with the cross. What does loving my neighbor look like in light of the cross? What does the cross do to God’s wrath? What do I think about God and His character? The cross has all those answers.
the cross…always the perfect place to land!
Amen!
So true! The Cross is the perfect place to start…..and end!
In a way that none of my upbringing (Lutheran dogma) ever made clear, this chapter drove home to me two points. First, GOD doesn’t consign us to Hell; WE DO – when we choose not to follow Him. Second, regardless of how it’s painted, Hell is the absence of God – or the hope of God – for all eternity. Not being a student of the Bible, I don’t feel qualified to debate the greater philosophical questions (although your comments & questions give me much about which to think); I’m just trying to make order of the chaos in my own heart & head. I know I didn’t answer the question, but that’s what came out of this chapter for me.
And Stefanie? Thank you (again!) for including me. I am grateful beyond words, because I am ready, finally, to listen. You put an amazing message in front of me.
Hi, Clara! Your words remind me of a post I recently read that included the following:
Fourthly, many Christians thinkers have argued that hell is essentially self-induced. Hell is not for the “unlucky” person who happens to get on God’s bad side. Hell, rather, is the culmination of the deprivation of good which sin always brings. This parallels what can be known of sin in everyday life. Dark movies are not happy movies, and wicked men are rarely models of joy and bliss. Hell is the infinite exaggeration of this principal. The selfish man is never knows the joys of contentment, the angry man never knows the joys of love, the bitter man never knows the joys of forgiveness. As Lewis remarked, hell is “locked from the inside” and mankind’s rebellions against what is their greatest good (God) necessarily dictates their own torment. In this sense, heaven, with all its joys, would only be torment (i.e. hell) to those whose hearts have been twisted by bitterness, self-centeredness, and sin.
So grateful for your participation in the study, Clara. I think we can all relate to just trying to make order out of the chaos… thank goodness we have Jesus to do that for us!
I totally agree with you , Clara-“God does not consign us to hell-we do” Mankind has open opportunity to use his freewill in choosing how we live. God forgives any sin if we just seek Him and ask for forgiveness. I know when I was a child I always thought it was unfair that a terrible person who lived their whole life destroying others lives could ask for forgiveness on their death bed and go to Heaven . But then, that is not for me to judge. I can only think of it as a parent loving their child throughout bad behavior they may choose in their lives but rejoicing and accepting them as the prodigal son story when they come back around. I do still struggle with the idea of people that have never been taught about God being condemned to hell -I used to wonder about that also as a child . My mother told me that God would have mercy on them because they did not know about Him . I always accepted that answer and I guess I still do to a degree..
I think this subject /question could debated forever but one day it will all be clear for all of us!
I blogged about this yesterday but wanted to give myself some time to reflect on the question before I answered here. I don’t think I have ever questioned God’s ability for wrath. I don’t think I’ve ever questioned whether there is a hell. My mom was visiting this week. We’re still grieving over my brother’s death. She pointed out that Keller’s version of death could be considered comforting to someone who lost a loved one but she wasn’t buying it.
As I’ve examined my heart and considered whether or not I was buying into bad theology, I think I’m ready to admit that I was seeing God as being just rather than loving. I need to know he is both.
I also think I need to remember Job 28:23… “God knows it’s way and He understands it’s place.”
loved the honesty of your blog post
brandi…perhaps check out this article by Keller:
http://www.redeemer.com/news_and_events/articles/the_importance_of_hell.html
I am enjoying reading your responses (the questions are great!) and will come back and respond myself but, in the meantime, want to share a few truths:
– God is love. 1 John 4:8
– God is light, and in him is no darkness at all. 1 John 1:5
– No one is without evidence of God: For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who by their unrighteousness suppress the truth. For what can be known about God is plain to them, because God has shown it to them. For his invisible attributes, namely, his eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly perceived, ever since the creation of the world, in the things that have been made. So they are without excuse. Romans 1:18-20
– NONE of us deserve heaven: For we have already charged that all, both Jews and Greeks, are under sin, as it is written: “None is righteous, no, not one; no one understands; no one seeks for God. All have turned aside; together they have become worthless; no one does good, not even one.” Romans 3:9-12
As we wrestle with our questions, may we trust that His sovereignty is perfectly balanced with His goodness.
Amen. May His truth be a lamp to our feet and a light to our path. Psalm 119:105
Oh my! I can understand why we believe in a God of pure love, especially in our Western culture, because the Bible teaches us to love God first and then love everyone else, including even those who are unlovely to us. But it seems somewhere along the way, we sort of grasped the ‘love’ concept, and then we became the jury, judge and executioner of all we believe to be wrong. So if we can make things right in our little world, why would we need God to do that?
I am ashamed to include a statement I made before I knew Christ. I was with my oldest and only child, who was probably 3 at the time, and an acquaintance mentioned something about ‘the devil,’ and I said, “Oh, we don’t believe in the devil or in hell.” Really?!?
It is an honest reflection of my ignorance. I didn’t know Jesus; I didn’t acknowledge my sin; I didn’t consider the consequences of my sin.
Several years later when I accepted Christ, I recalled that statement, and it haunted me so much that I found that person and corrected myself.
I believe in eternal separation from God, simply as a continuation of the choice one makes to turn from him in this life. We see people who are self-absorbed, indulgent and ruthless. They don’t want to be ‘controlled’ by anyone. They want ‘freedom.’ And the Bible tells us that their reward is here on Earth. Sadly, people living solely for themselves can never get enough of whatever they are after, and they seem to be chasing elusive happiness. They are critical and blame others, they are paranoid and anxious, and they are always right.
What about the common argument that so-and-so was such a good person, they simply couldn’t go to hell? After all, there are people who are kindhearted, generous and selfless. I was surprised this wasn’t addressed in this chapter, but it’s certainly something I hear.
Even though I’ve read about the Rich Man and Lazarus many times, I never caught onto the idea that the guy didn’t ask to get out of hell. He simply wanted relief from his torment. And he wanted Lazarus to do it for him. He still wanted to be served, even in hell.
“Hell begins with a grumbling mood, always complaining, always blaming others…but you are still distinct from it. You may even criticize it in yourself and wish you could stop it. But there may come a day when you can no longer. Then there will be no you left to criticize the mood or even to enjoy it, but just the grumble itself, going on forever like a machine. It is not a question of God ‘sending us’ to hell. in each of us there is something growing, which will BE hell unless it is nipped in the bud.” C.S. Lewis
The main impression I am left with after this chapter is that when we choose our own form of ‘freedom’ on Earth, we will continue to receive that ‘freedom’ for all eternity. The freedom from enjoying God in his kingdom will be lost forever.
Jesus, thank you for taking the wrath for my sin, and giving me the one and only way to escape eternal separation from God.
Well said Connie. I’ve been struggling for words after this chapter.
Connie…makes me think of Packer from the last study:
J.I.Packer writes: “Scripture sees hell as self-chosen . . . [H]ell appears as God’s gesture of respect for human choice. All receive what they actually chose, either to be with God forever, worshipping him, or without God forever, worshipping themselves.”
Again, it takes me to Milton’s Paradise Lost where Satan says something to the effect of “Better to reign in hell than serve in Heaven.” Like the rich man and Lazarus.
In the midst of all the talk about hell and judgment, I loved that Keller wrote, “The Bible says that God’s wrath flows from His love and delight in His creation.”
This chapter reminded me that God is love, not me. God is merciful, not me. God is wise, not me. God gave His Beloved Son for the sins of people who continually offend, ignore, rebel against, hate, and blaspheme Him, not me.
While, yes, there are questions swirling in my mind about this chapter, I think Keller’s words served to remind me of the amazing gift of God’s grace. I deserve to be separated from God (and, therefore, goodness, light, and love). In fact, I wanted to be separated from God! Sure I wanted my warped version of heaven after death, but I wanted nothing of God in my life while on earth. And, unless He had poured out His grace on me, I would have completely and continually rejected Him…even on my death bed.
People called me a “good” person, but I rejected God. I tried to be “god” myself by controlling my life. I revolted against His rightful authority over me as my Creator. SO why would I have wanted to spend eternity worshiping and loving God? I wouldn’t have!
My only hope was that, in His goodness and compassion and mercy, God loved me so dearly that He rescued me from myself. “but where sin increased, grace abounded all the more, so that, as sin reigned in death, grace also might reign through righteousness leading to eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.” romans 5:20-21
I believe God is a loving God, but also a just God. I don’t know if this false doctrine is on the fore front of my thoughts, but it is in there. Since God is such a loving God he has to be a just God also. However he gives us every chance to go to him and then he gives second, third, fourth, etc. chances. He never gives up. I do sometimes wonder about those who the gospel hasn’t reached and those who had have such evil harm them and never know God or turn away because of the things that have happened to them. For me though I think much of my doubt or my thoughts of these false doctrines stems from my doubt about myself. I want to grow closer to God and sometimes feel like I am never going to get to where I think I should be. This is a tough issue for me. I believe in the Bible literally and so I can’t separate the things in the Bible. I can’t pick and choose what to believe. It is either all of it or none. I am so grateful for God’s mercy and grace. He loved us enough to send his son to die and save us. He only wants the best for us and he knows what is best. I am striving to grow closer, give Him the glory in everything I do and to finally surrender everything to Him. Through the Bible, study groups like this, and reading more about God I pray I will understand more and be able to see the false doctrines and not fall to them. I pray for greater understanding and wisdom and discernment.
So true April: “I believe in the Bible literally and so I can’t separate the things in the Bible. I can’t pick and choose what to believe. It is either all of it or none.”
There have been times in my life when I have seen hell as a place where God sends people. But the older I get, and the more of God I know, I see that hell actually begins here on earth…in the hearts of man. And if those hearts never turn to God, hell will continue throughout eternity as a self-absorbed place without the light and love of God. I see hell as Milton describes it in Paradise Lost–not a fiery, hot, brimstone-y kind of place. But as a place of “darkness visible” with flames that produce NO light. A place lacking hope and rich in despair. A place that I don’t want to be found in, nor my loved ones. nor anyone for that matter. That is why the Bible says in 2 Peter 3:9–“The Lord is not slow in keeping his promise, as some understand slowness. Instead he is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance.”
Amy
Great insight, Amy. We are told that our eternal life starts as soon as we accept Christ as our Savior and I believe the alternative is also true. C.S. Lewis talks a lot about the daily decisions we make, each one taking us, bit by bit, in one direction or another. Either toward the light or away from it.
Wow – this chapter was really thought provoking. I am loving all of your responses too! Keller’s statement that hell is essentially the natural trajectory for those who pursue self above all was such an eye opener for me. I have believed some false doctrine about hell and this chapter really forced me to think about these.
It’s great to hear this book has encouraged you to consider things you hadn’t before, Suzette 🙂
Wow, loved reading all your responses.
I’m trying to wrap my head around all I have learned.
I think God’s wrath is something we bring on ourselves. We decide what is best for us, we create our own morals, we separate ourselves from Him…..we go spiraling down a path of destruction.
Hell. I’ve struggled with the notion of God sending people to hell. After reading this chapter, I have a much better understanding of what hell is, and why people end up there. To think it is really a choice on their part because of how they live, how they view life, how they become so absorbed in themselves, become bitter, angry, selfish….they literally become separated from God, their choice, not His.
Oh how we as a culture put God in a box, oh how we as a culture really do not understand Him, we so misunderstand Him. This truly breaks my heart.
For me, this chapter was a great comfort, because while I already agreed with Keller on the topic, I needed to read his clarifying words. As a few relatives and friends have died in the past year or two without knowing Christ, it hasn’t helped my heart to know that God was just and had lovingly offered them opportunities – which they rejected – to accept him. My heart ached (and still aches) for them and their eternal separation from God… and from me, since I am in Christ and they aren’t. I needed to revisit what the Bible says about hell to be reminded that the pain of separation isn’t meant to embitter me but to motivate me to share Christ with those who still have the opportunity to know Him.
It’s okay for me to grieve over their eternal loss, and I’m thankful God is using that grief to propel me to share His truth more boldly than before.
Loved hearing your perspective, Shannon. Especially this idea – “I needed to revisit what the Bible says about hell to be reminded that the pain of separation isn’t meant to embitter me but to motivate me to share Christ with those who still have the opportunity to know Him.”