This is a question that many people wrestle with. If God is good, how can he justify sending good people to hell? The answer to this question really lies in how we understand the goodness of God and the nature of man’s own heart.
I had the pleasure to publish an article on this very subject on a friend’s blog recently. I want to invite you to read it – How Can a Good God Condemn People to Hell
Like I said, I would encourage you to read this article as it lays the foundation of why a good God not only would but actually must condemn good people who fail to accept Him to eternity in hell. This is a difficult doctrine, but a very important one. As Christians we need to have a firm understanding of these truths. Failure to grasp it will lead to our softness in evangelism and complacency in the way we live.
Understanding Why
The essence of the argument is this – God’s character is defined by His attributes like goodness, holiness, justice, love, and sovereignty, which exist in perfect unity in Him. His absolute perfection is shown in His holiness and goodness, which must reject unholiness.
Due to man’s fall, humans are totally depraved, incapable of attaining righteousness alone. Our sinful nature leads to corruption and unholiness, and our efforts at righteousness fall short, as the Bible consistently shows, highlighting our need for a savior.
Foreknowing this, God planned our salvation before creation (Rev 13:8). He sent His Son to live a sinless life, fulfilling the law and paying our unpayable debt. Jesus’ sacrifice and resurrection, overcoming death, offer us adoption as God’s children through faith.
Quoting from the original article:
So, what about those who are just really good? Do you really have to trust in God? Can’t you just live a wholesome and upright life and in the end God will say, “Well, look at you. You did great! Come on into Heaven.”?
Source: https://levaire.com/how-can-a-good-god-condemn-people-to-hell/
The answer is NO. Sorry, it does not work that way.
“So, you are telling me God is just going to let all those people who were really good and fed the poor and helped the sick and gave to United Way go to Hell?” you ask.
Yes, that is what a just God must do. Remember, He is just and holy and unless you have wrapped yourself in the blood of Jesus and claimed redemption through trust and faith then you are unholy, and a just God cannot accept you.
This is what Jesus said about those who are headed to Hell and those who will be saved in Matthew 7:13-14:
If you do not enter through the narrow gate you are bound for destruction. God lets us choose. That is the purpose of free will. He will honor our choice. Either way the finality of divine judgment is just that—final. The eternal implications of our choices and the inescapable nature of God’s judgment post-death are inseparable.
This may sound like really bad news, and for the unrepentant it is, but there is good news. Literally it is the Gospel – the good news. In John 3:16 we read:
We are given a choice and we can decide that our destination will not be hell, rather that we will embrace the love of God and love Him back, that we will call on His Son to save us through the free gift He offers as a result of His dying for us on a cross. He did not just die, but also rose again as a living, reigning, sovereign King. Want to get to know Him? Check out this article:
Want to know more about Christianity and why it might be what you are searching for? Check out this article:
Learn More About Why Good People Go to Hell
For the whole explanation and the biblical passages that support the doctrine of hell and God’s holiness be sure to read the whole article here: How Can a Good God Condemn People to Hell