A question no one can answer:
The polite version – “Why does God create humans He knows will not repent and join His family?”
The more direct version – “Why does He create people destined for Hell?”
The coarse version – “Why does God create throw-away people?”
This is the most disturbing of questions I can formulate. And no one can give an answer. At best we can say that God must have a good reason, and that we simply must trust Him. After all, if we have spent any time learning about God, we know Him to be just, loving and merciful.
Yet the existence of Hell is not inconsistent with God’s loveliness. As much as I DO empathize with how horrid the reality of Hell is (who would wish this on even his worst enemy!), I believe it is at least as defensible as the logic we employ ourselves. Let me explain.
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If you think about it, we live with a double standard. Every day we make questionable decisions that we justify. And we have no problem even considering ourselves ‘good’ people. Consider the following, cast in a justifying light:
- We break our society’s laws by speeding when we have good cause – ‘my wife is having a baby and I have to get her to the hospital’
- We kill other human beings – ‘we’re at war with this country and I’m a soldier called to fight’
- We abort babies – ‘it’s legal and the baby had Down’s syndrome’
- We lie – ‘the truth was too painful and she doesn’t need to know’
My point is that we make decisions that might seem evil or wrong to some. Nonetheless, we find reasons that are consistent with our pre-suppositions. If WE humans reason and act thus AND consider ourselves good, then we should be consistent and allow that God must have good reasons for doing even the unimaginable and ultimate consigning of people to Hell.
Even though I don’t like the idea of an eternal conscious hell for those people who never receive God’s grace, I have to admit that it is fair. After all, God created us and as the creator, He has the perfect right to do with us as He sees fit. This is how Paul argues in Romans 9: 21 – Does not the potter have the right to make out of the same lump of clay some pottery for noble purposes and some for common use? God has a right to do what He wants with us because we belong to Him. Somewhat akin to the artist who crumples up a first attempt, God uses His creation as He sees fit. (I’m not implying that some people are ‘do-overs’ or that He makes mistakes). Simply put, the Creator is under no obligation to let His creation in on His reasons.
I know that we all want to know the WHYs of life, yet knowing that I deserve Hell as a daughter of the rebellious first couple, and am being spared that fate makes me super joyful. Someone may argue, “I didn’t choose to rebel against God. Why should I inherit Adam’s sin nature? That’s not FAIR!!!!” You’re right! But again, that’s not a point worth arguing. We belong to God; therefore, He has the right. And the fact that He offers salvation to some is equally beyond fair. Why are we not arguing against the injustice of a perfectly innocent Jesus dying on the cross for us?
At bottom is this: there’s nothing fair about grace. Imagine griping about an inheritance of 30 million dollars? The nature of gifts is that they are gratuitous and undeserved.
So if you ARE a chosen beloved child of God, revel in that grace. Then go out and share the good news of grace with others. There will be one of two reactions. By the power of the Holy Spirit operating through God’s word, those appointed for eternal fellowship with God the Father will respond. Those not appointed will be indifferent or infuriated. Since God is good, then we can trust Him to judge and deal fairly. Those who ignore or hate God will get exactly what they deserve, given their rebellion toward their maker. And we who are spared just have to trust the plans of Our Father. To quote our current president, some things are ‘beyond our pay grade’.
Reflections on God's Word 
May 07, 2012 @ 05:40:21
i see your point.
we can attribute this ‘justifying our actions because the end is good’ to the tree of knowledge of good and evil.
the fruit of that tree is that we know what is good and evil, and that we decide this is good and that is evil. we know at least in our perspective, not God’s.
if you notice its “tree of knowledge of good and evil” and not “tree of sin”.
people go to hell not just because of sin, rather because they are the consequence of what Adam did in the garden. we all are separated from God.
we bowed down to the devil, when Adam gave the crown to the devil. thus we are no longer God’s children. we are lost.
but God in his righteousness, cannot save us, just like that. He is righteous, and someone must be punish, someone who is like Adam who did a domino effect.
so God sent His Son, in the likeness of Adam, so that all who believes in Jesus, God’s son will have eternal life. Jesus is the last Adam.
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@“Why does God create humans He knows will not repent and join His family?”
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It is the goodness of God that leads men to repentance, repentance being “change of mind”.
the thing is this. People never have the chance to see the goodness of God. either the christians preach God as angry, punishing every sin you commit, or that God hates gay people. or that God hates sinners,
christians made christianity an exclusive membership club. or unbelievers refuses to join their fellowship, because they think christians are the worst people in the world. judgemental, accusasive or insane.
but come on. we are not like that. our God has made a way for man to reconcile to Him. our God love us so much by sending Jesus His son.
if God is angry, His love is greater. God did not send an angel to die for us? and that when He is angry He can jsut change his mind? no! God sent Jesus to show us how much He loved us.
so let us come to God, come to Jesus. dont come to religion or churches. come to Christ first and foremost.
@“Why does He create people destined for Hell?”
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in your context, you mean why did even God created adam and eve when their children will go to hell because of sin.
that is a tough question i’ve asked for many many years and found no answer.
but one thing I know, God created man, so that God can love man and show his Grace. its easy to love someone who obeys you completely, but someone who disobeys you and disrespects you, its not that possible to love or even lay down your life for them.
@“Why does God create throw-away people?”
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i dont think we are throw away people, but if keeping in your context, it is as if we are throw away because some will go to hell without Christ.
but think of it this way. if we are throw away people, would God send Jesus his son to die for them? we must be precious. and definitely not throw away when God would dare send Jesus his son to die for us.
– grace and peace