Hell?

Have you ever heard the argument; how can a loving God send people to hell? These people don’t realize that it isn’t God ‘sending’ them anywhere, it is their choice, heaven is always an option. To be perfectly honest for a long time I struggled to refute that argument. Because I also fell for that rhetoric. In reality going to hell is a choice just like heaven is.
Believing in Jesus, the son of God, and that he lived, died and lives again to cover our sin is the criteria for going to heaven (very simplified). We accept and expect criteria for earthly things; why is it so difficult to place heaven and hell in the same framework? One expects that to go to a fitness center or a price club, a membership fee and identification as a member will be required; but doesn’t expect that there are criteria for heaven? Paradise?
I suppose it’s hard to accept that Jesus already paid the membership fee. People feel that they have to do something on a grand scale to earn the privilege. Perhaps the concept of belief is too simple or abstract. Many religions espouse the notion that believers have to do more, it isn’t that we shouldn’t do good things for others, it just isn’t a requirement.
Christians do good things because we want to demonstrate our love for Jesus as he demonstrated love for us. He was a servant to all and we should adopt that same attitude.
John 13:12-17 “When he had finished washing their feet, he put on his clothes and returned to his place. ‘Do you understand what I have done for you?’ he asked them. ‘You call me ‘Teacher’ and ‘Lord,’ and rightly so, for that is what I am. Now that I, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also should wash one another’s feet. I have set you an example that you should do as I have done for you. ‘Very truly I tell you, no servant is greater than his maser, nor is a messenger greater than the one who sent him. Now that you know these things, you will be blessed if you do them.”
Jesus says we “should” and we will be “blessed” by following his example. There are two commands given by Jesus; Love God and Love each other. But he took care of paying the price! We take care of each other.  Real love is doing something for someone for the sheer joy of helping or making someone happy. Jesus loved us while we were still sinners. I don’t think crucifixion was pure joy, although the victory of saving mankind had to be sweet. And he told us point blank in John 11:25,26 “Jesus said to her, ‘I am the resurrection and the life. The one who believes in me will live, even though they die; and whoever lives by believing in me will never die. Do you believe this?”
Heaven is a choice and hell is a choice, your choice.



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