| Does GOD send anyone to HELL | Added: June-29-05 |
God doesn't send anyone to hell. He loves people so much that He made a way of escape from hell for everyone who will accept it (John 3:16). People go to hell because they choose to go. It is certain that God will pass judgment upon sin; however, every individual who is capable of thought has been given the choice to accept or reject God's plan of escape. All sin must be delivered to its proper place because it is unfit for heaven. Therefore, if someone has chosen to reject God's plan of escape through Christ and dies, that person's choice of sin, not God, has condemned his soul (John 3:17). "For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved. He that believeth on him is not condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God" (John 3:17-18).
One who denies Christ incurs God's wrath, which is to fall upon the devil, his angels, and the devil's children (Ephesians 2:2-3; I John 3:10). The Holy Spirit convicts men to accept God's plan (John 6:44). To openly deny the call is to speak against the Holy Ghost (Spirit). The unpardonable sin is to remain in disbelief. This sin will not be forgiven in this world or in the world to come (Matthew 12:32).
God extends the call of salvation to everyone. That call rings out throughout the lives of every individual (Acts 17:30; Romans 11:29); however, God "...will by no means clear the guilty" without repentance (Exodus 34:7). Accepting Christ as personal Savior is the most important decision one can possibly make (John 14:6). Matthew and Luke's Gospel accounts contain Jesus' warnings that God is to be feared more than the most powerful of men. Men can only kill the body; but God is able to cast one into hell and destroy both body and soul. "And fear not them which kill the body, but are not able to kill the soul: but rather fear him which is able to destroy both soul and body in hell" (Matthew 10:28).
"And I say unto you my friends, Be not afraid of them that kill the body, and after that have no more that they can do. But I will forewarn you whom ye shall fear: Fear him, which after he hath killed hath power to cast into hell; yea, I say unto you, Fear him" (Luke 12:4-5).
The word "destroy" comes from the Greek word apollumi. It does not mean to annihilate. The idea is not extinction but ruin. It is the loss of well being, not the loss of being (Vine's Expository Dictionary Of New Testament Words). Apollumi is also used in passages such as Matthew 9:17; Luke 15:4; and John 6:12,27. In none of these instances does it mean to pass out of existence, or to annihilate. Therefore, to "destroy" means to bring to an everlasting state of ruin. An individual who has chosen hell will not deteriorate to annihilation. His eternal soul will be joined to an indestructible resurrected body (resurrected for the Great White Throne Judgment and Gehenna hell (Daniel 12:2; Revelation 20:12).
Death is an appointment made by God (Hebrews 9:27); therefore, we must take Christ's warning to heart, because hell is serious business (Romans 6:22-23).