How Could a God of Love...?

#1 · July 23, 2002, 2:16 pm

Posted by: biblenotes <biblenotes@...>

Subject: How Could a God of Love...?
From: Martin M Overfield
Date: Sat, 26 Feb 2000

    An oft-proclaimed argument against the truth that

never-dying souls will spend eternity in Hell is this,

"How could a God of love send souls to Hell?"

     I here present a fairly short Scriptural answer.

In Mark 10:17-24 we see the rich young ruler asking how

to "inherit eternal life".  Jesus made it clear that he

would have to live righteously here on earth.  Then, when

the man said that he had kept all the commandments that

Jesus had mentioned to him, "Jesus beholding him loved him".

This love Jesus had for the man even though the man was

still not qualified for heaven.  When Jesus further told

him that he lacked "one thing", and explained what the man

must do (and thus escape Hell), the man "went away grieved:

for he had great possessions".

     If this man continued in his disobedience he most

certainly made his choice for Hell and against Heaven.

The point here is that, though God loves the sinner, the

sinner makes the choice as to whether he will go to Heaven

or to Hell.  In fact, it is consistent with God's love

that we are free to choose.  What kind of love would force

upon us a relationship against our will?  Certainly not the

love of God!

Yours In Christ,
Martin Overfield

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