Sundae Conversations |
This blog is a result of conversations and questions about life and spirituality between Scott Fields and Michael Schmitt. The original meetings were over caramel sundaes at a local McDonalds |
This is a conversation written by Scott Fields. Hopefully this will bring more clarity to weekly post topic and strengthen your own apologetics.
Question: Why is there a hell? Answer: Hell is a consequence of our evil. The primary function of hell is to separate us from God, who cannot be in the presence of evil.
Q: What do you mean “our evil”? I’m not evil. A: All human beings, except for Jesus Christ, are evil. We all commit what is called sin, which is the breaking of God’s law and makes us enemies of God.
Q: Why isn’t Jesus evil? A: His nature was not just human, but part God because He is the Son of God. He is limited as a human but had the flawlessness of God.
Q: How can God love us and send us to hell? A: Because God is loving and just.
Q: So I have to just wait until I die and go to hell? A: No.
Q: Then, by all means, won’t you explain to me how not to go to hell?!
A: First, stop shouting. Second, you have to realize where you and God stand. You are God’s enemy, separate from Him, and you cannot make yourself right with Him.
Q: Where is the not going to hell part of this explanation? A: Patience. You remember that Jesus fellow who’s all perfect-like and the Son of God?
Q: Yes, what about Him? A: He took care of the whole “you cannot make yourself right with God” situation.
Q: How? A: He lived a life without sin for some 33 years and was executed. His execution was the manner in which all the sin of all people was paid for, by laying it on His back while He was being killed. Then He was resurrected on the third day after He died.
Q: So all people get to go to heaven because this Jesus dude died and came back as a zombie? A: No, no, no!! Resurrection is not the same as zombification! He came back as a flesh and blood human being fully restored to His physical form.
Q: Why don’t all people go to heaven if the not-a-zombie Jesus died and was resurrected for all their sin? A: Because what He did for you is a choice. You don’t have to accept the gift of being free of the penalty of your sin.
Q: Why would anyone not want to accept that gift? A: Because it requires faith and most people today rely solely on facts which do not hurt, help, condemn or save you.
Q: And those who don’t accept the gift are going to hell even though their sins were paid for? A: Yes. The gift is that God separates your sins from you. Offering the gift only goes half the way, the rest is faith on your part.
Q: Why doesn’t God make an exception for those who don’t accept the gift? A: Because He loves them. Also, an exception would negate Christ needing to die on the cross.
Q: So sending people to hell is loving them? A: Yes. It’s like telling someone the truth even when it hurts them. You do it because the truth is more important than a lie. You cannot call yourself loving and a liar at the same time. If God wasn’t just He couldn’t be loving. He’s telling them the hard truth, that they were sinners and they didn’t accept the gift He offered them to remove the penalty of the sin.
Q: But what if you sin after you accept the gift? A: The gift doesn’t stop you from sinning, it removes the penalty of sin and makes you a son of God. You will most definitely sin again, but that’s why you are a son of God. After you sin, you apologize and change your ways. Being the son of God has the distinct advantage of God being with you to help you wherever you are. He is your strength, comforter, Father.
Q: So I’m God’s son? Like Jesus? A: Yes.
Q: But what about women? Please, tell me there are women in heaven! A: Yes, there are women in heaven. The gift was offered to everyone and all those who accept the gift are one in God. “Son” is more of a title of rank, which doesn’t discriminate because it is for those who are one in God. If you think about it, God told all those misogynistic he-men to go take a hike because women are equally as important to Him and loved by Him as men are.
Q: The God who sends people to hell is just and loving in doing so, but all those who accept the gift He offered are His sons and will be with Him when they die?
A: Yes.
