Judgment

Billy Graham – My answer – Timeless advice from God’s Word.

Question:

Why would a loving God send anyone to Hell? I have a hard time with this. It seems to me that if God truly loved us, we wouldn’t have to worry about judgment or Hell, would we? – S.R.

Answer:

Dear S.R.

If someone deliberately commits a crime and is caught, who is to blame if he’s found guilty and sentenced to jail? Is the judge to blame – or is he?

If you think about it, the lawbreaker is to blame for what has happened to him, not the judge. Yes, the judge sentenced him – but he alone broke the law, and he alone is to blame for the penalty he received. To put it another way, the judge didn’t send him to jail; because of his crime. He can’t blame the judge – he can only blame himself.

And this is what happens to us when we break God’s law. The Bible says God is “the Lord, the righteous Judge” (2 Timothy 4:8) – and when we deliberately turn our backs on Him and break His law, we stand condemned. But we are to blame for what happens to us, not God. We are the ones who have broken the law, and we can only blame ourselves for the consequences.

But listen: God has provided another way! We don’t have to pay the penalty for our sins and face Hell – and the reason is because Christ has already paid it for us. By His death on the cross, Jesus took the punishment you and I deserve. We deserve judgment and Hell – but He suffered them for us. Now all we have to do is trust Him for our salvation. Why not give yourself to Him today?

Suffering

Question:

 If God is in control of everything, why do bad things happen to us? I’d like to believe in God, but I just can’t understand this. – M.J.

Dear M.J.,

Answer:

I’ve been asked hundred times why God allows evil to take place, and I have to tell you honestly that I do not know the answer - not fully. The Bible talks about “the mystery of iniquity” (2 Thessalonians 2:7) – and that’s what evil is: a mystery.

But let me tell you three very important truths about evil that might help you. First, the Bible tells us that evil does not come from God, nor can we blame God for all the evils in the world. Evil comes instead from Satan, and it entered this world when Satan deceived Adam and Eve and caused them to turn against God. Both evil and Satan are real, and the two go hand-in-hand.

Second, the Bible tells us that someday all evil will be banished. The vast spiritual conflict between Satan and God that has raged from the beginning of time will be over, and God will triumphant. Someday all evil will be cast “into everlasting fire, prepared for the devil and his angels” (Matthew 25:41).

“It’s not a matter of what I believe; it’s what the Bible teaches.”

Third, the Bible tells us that in the meantime, God can give us victory over evil.  This doesn’t mean bad things will never happen to us – but even when they do, we can know God is with us, and He will give us strength to stand against them. Isn’t it better to face life’s problems with God rather than without Him? No, we may not understand everything that happens to us – but when we know Christ, we know we are on the winning side. Why not commit your life to Him today?