Realizing the Holy and Hell's Reality

Recently there has been debate among professing Christian leaders regarding the Doctrine of Hell. Some uphold the 2,000 year old doctrine, while others object to the notion that God could send people to hell for eternity. Despite scripture's teaching on the subject, those who object, do so because this doctrine seems extreme in its punishment and this doctrine appears to malign God's character as loving and merciful. They object in part as an effort to save God's reputation. But in saving God's reputation, they are abolishing God's essence, which essentially is a dismissal of God as God.

What is important to understand about this debate is what is ultimately at stake. For those who are offended by the doctrine of Hell, they are offended because people's souls are at stake. They object that God could send people to hell. However, for those who support the doctrine of Hell, they ardently and rightly affirm this doctrine because something far more important is at stake. What is at stake is the recognition of the holiness of God. It is God's holy justice in response to our unholy, profaning rebellion that demands a punishment of hell. Holiness is God's essence and the essence of God's holiness demands hell. Therefore, for us to object to this reality is to object to God's essence and character.

John Brown, a Nineteenth-century Scottish theologian once said, "Holiness does not consist in mystic speculations, enthusiastic fervour's, or uncommanded austerities; it consists in thinking as God thinks, and willing as God wills." Perhaps when people object to the reality of hell as revealed from scripture its because they are simply not thinking or willing as a holy God thinks and wills. As this debate within Christian dome continues, it might behoove us to remember God's essence of holiness which means, "His ways are not our ways." Also it is important to remember Jesus' words in Matthew 11:6, "Blessed is the one who is not offended by me."

In short we object to the doctrine of hell, and it is this very objection that proves our sinful nature's objection to a holy God's essence and character. While the reality of hell can speak to the terrifying aspect of God's holiness, we also see that God's holiness is utterly awe-inspiring. Furthermore, because of Christ we are spared the terror and are afforded the opportunity to enjoy the blissful overwhelming Holy One.

Beams Away.