by DThere

Created on: December 10, 2010   Last Updated: December 12, 2010

How can a loving God sending someone to hell (See Appendix A)? We assume here that the God mentioned is the “Christian” God. There are many who embrace the concept that there is only one way to be accepted by God. For many Christians, this concept is clear for Jesus has been quoted to say that acceptance of Him is the only way to the Father. Many of St. Paul's writing indicate that only those who believe in the Christ belong to Him. For those who believe this way, it is not God that sends people to hell but rather the unbeliever. Failing to commit to Christ, to believe in him, not acknowledging His authority and Presence results in eternal separation from God.

In other words, God is not to blame for a person’s demise. Other religions and spiritual movements provide similar ideas – that one must accept a particular perspective or do “things” in a particular ways in order to ensure salvation and eternal life. What makes Christianity different is that commitment and belief to a Person is of greater value than doing good things. Good works should be evidence of a committed heart but it is the commitment that ensures salvation.

However, there are many who question the validity of the Christian message. If the Christian message is suspect, then the question that a loving God could send someone to hell is not relevant. For such a God may not exist or hell may not exist (See Appendix B). If this is the case, then threats of eternal punishment by the Christian God are unverifiable. However, that does not mean that there is not a place like 'hell' where one can suffer. It just means that we may get there for different reasons. There are plenty of religions that provide more than adequate instructions on how one can mess up enough to be excluded from any hint of paradise.

However, let’s assume the Christian message is true. All that is required to avoid hell is a personal commitment to Jesus Christ – a belief that He is God in human form, died and was resurrected for humanity’s sins, and that anyone who accepts His sacrificial gift and embraces His authority is saved having gained eternal life.

There are two major responses to this idea within the orthodox Christian community. Some that believe those who are saved are known beforehand (predestination) and those who are not. Those who are known beforehand never lose their salvation. The alternate viewpoint is that those who are saved are not “elected” to be

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