When someone
says they cannot believe in a loving God who would send someone to Hell, I don’t
think they are thinking about the criminals in the world. I think they are
thinking about themselves. That is what we humans do. We think about ourselves
constantly, obsessively. Someone looks at us wrong and we assume that we are
the reason, or something we have done is the reason for the look. We internalize
everything. We are an individualistic, paranoid bunch.
And
when a Christian professes that you must believe in Jesus or you will go to
Hell, you take that very personally. The Christian seems to be telling you that
you are not good enough. The truth is the Christian knows none of us are good
enough. Certainly not the Christian.
So I think
this is a continuum argument. It is a debate over where along the spectrum of
evil to good does one lie. And it is also about distancing ourselves from the
evil endpoint. You know, if I haven’t committed one of the major sins and I am
basically good then why would a Christian tell me that I will go to Hell?
I
struggle with this continuum daily even though I am a Christian. One day I feel
that I am the worst person ever and how could anyone possibly love me. The
people I am around daily don’t even like me, so how can God love me? I think of
all the horrible, awful things I have done. I consider the last time I yelled
at my children or was in a foul mood or lied about a mistake I made. And I let
the Devil in and become depressed. I am not worthy.
The
very next day, I am wearing my pride on my sleeve. I am doing so well. I am
smiling at everyone. I comfort someone who looks sad. I remember to talk to God
and I feel Him listening. I imagine that I am following His command and
fulfilling His purpose for me. And I am high on life and love. I am doing good
deeds left and right. Are you watching? I hope you are watching. And keeping
score. No? Then let me tell you about them.
Both
of these are mistakes. The first mood is brought on by my denial of God’s
grace. I am not worthy. (Yes, I am. I am God’s creation.) The second euphoria
is brought on by my pride in my own good works. I am trying to please God NOT
because I am obeying Him, but because I want to be rewarded. I want to be
recognized. In both instances, I am ignoring the fact that Jesus has already
done what I could not. He did not sin and He acted towards fulfillment of God’s
purposes. Perfectly.
I
should know better by now. But I am not perfect. Genuinely flawed.
Yes,
there is Hell. And those that deny God. Those that don’t accept Jesus’
sacrifice on their behalf, will get what they want. Freedom from God. Separation
from God is Hell. Separation from God is that helpless struggle along the
continuum of good to evil. Desperately seeking to please, but never feeling
good enough.
And
behold, a man came up to him, saying, “Teacher, what good deed must I do to have
eternal life?” And he said to him, “Why do you ask me about what is good? There
is only one who is good. If you would enter life, keep the commandments.” He
said to him, “Which ones?” And Jesus said, “You shall not murder, You shall not
commit adultery, You shall not steal, You shall not bear false witness, Honor your father and mother, and, You shall love your neighbor
as yourself.” The young man said to him, “All these I have kept. What do I
still lack?” Jesus said to him, “If you would be perfect, go, sell what you
possess and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come,
follow me.” When the young man heard this he went away
sorrowful, for he had great possessions. Matthew 19: 16-22 (esv)
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