How to reconcile God’s love with eternal judgement is a sticky question many unbelievers use as an accusation against God. How can a holy and righteous God condemn unbelievers to eternal torment and suffering, as portrayed by the Masters of old? Surely only a sadist or tyrant could do such a thing? Where is the God’s of undying love?

Eternal Torment

The angel said: If anyone worships the beast and his image and receives a mark on his forehead or on his hand, he will also drink of the vine of the wrath of God, which is mixed in full strength in the cup of His anger. And he will be tormented with fire and brimstone in the presence of the holy angels and in the presence of the Lamb. And the smoke of their torment goes up forever and ever; They have no rest day and night, those who worship the beast and his image and whosoever receives the mark of his name, Revelation 14: 9-17.

Is this only for those who worship the beast? Note, they are punished in the presence of the holy angels and in the presence of the Lamb. This proves that God is everywhere as David wrote, If I ascend to heaven You are there. If I make my bed in Sheol, behold You are there, Psalm 139:8.

Jesus spoke of a place of darkness where there is weeping and gnashing of teeth, Matthew 8:12; 14:42,50. The sons of the kingdom in verse 12 are Jews would not receive God’s Messiah, Jesus Christ.  Then there is Matthew 22:13; 24:51; and Luke 13:28.

Punishment

Jesus said, Depart from Me, accursed ones, into the eternal fire which has been prepared for the devil and his angels, Matthew 25:41. These will go away into eternal punishment, but the righteous into eternal life, 25:46.

The word punishment in Strongs: correction, punishment, penalty. No man is righteous in his own right. God made Christ who knew no sin to be sin on our behalf, so that we might become the righteousness of God in Him, 2 Corinthians 5:21. We can only know righteousness through Christ. It is a free gift from God for those who believe in the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ, the Son of God.

Eternal Separation

Eternal punishment is a never-ending separation from the great I Am That I Am, Exodus 3:15. It is the choice people make in life on earth that decides their eternal destination. God so respects the freedom He gave the created that He allows the choice we make to stand forever.

Does that mean sinners are made extinct through a lake of fire death, or do they join the beast worshippers? We only know they can never be in the presence of God like those who accept Christ as their Lord and Saviour.

Is the eternal punishment non-existence? We only know followers of Christ will dwell eternally in the presence of the Lamb in a way the human mind cannot comprehend. What the eternal state of the sinner is, is beyond us. We will be unaware of their fate, for there will be no more tears or sorrow where we are, Revelation 21:4.

Our Choice

God could have created ‘robots’ who would blindly obey Him, but instead He gave man a free will. We can choose life by simply believing, Hebrews 12:1. Or face eternal punishment by rejecting the gift that cost the Son of God His life.

The correction, punishment and penalty are all the result of man choosing to deny the joy of being in a covenantal relationship with the Creator. The wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord, Romans 6:23. At the Cross of Calvary justice and mercy united when Jesus, who was God in the flesh, paid the price of our debt. God does not wish for any to perish, but for all to come to repentance, 2 Peter 3:9, Ezekiel, 33:11.

Parable

Then there is the parable of the rich man and the dying poor man, Luke 16:19-31. It shows the uncrossable divide between those who accept God’s great gift of salvation, Romans 6:23, and those who reject it.

Hades, or Abraham’s bosom, is the waiting place of those who die without accepting Christ. According to what Christ said, the soul is in a conscious existence in torment, in a real place with no second chance after death and unable to communicate with the living. These people will be resurrected to stand before the great white throne for judgement according to their work, Hebrews 9:27, Revelation 20:11-15.

They will see Abraham, Isaac and Jacob and the prophets. Then, if anyone’s name was not found written in the book of life, he is thrown into the lake of fire, Revelation 20:14. ‘Where is the love of God in this’?

God of Justice

We struggle and fight to find justice in this modern world that is corrupted through sin. Yet, God is perfect in justice, love, holiness, wisdom, and mercy. His attributes are all equal and cannot deny each other.

All this is clearly stated throughout the Bible, beginning in Genesis and ending in Revelation. Since the creation of the world God’s invisible attributes, His eternal power and divine nature have been clearly shown. Being understood through what has been made, so that they are without excuse, Romans 1:20. The heavens are telling of the glory of God and their expanse is declaring the work of His hands, Psalm 19:1. All have a measure of God’s love and mercy, even in the deepest jungle.

Reconcile God’s Love with Eternal Judgement

God’s ways are not our ways, Isaiah 55:8,9, but all His ways are perfect, Psalm 18:30. This is hard for us to comprehend in a world where a just and holy God permits Satan, a fallen angel, to be the prince of the power of the air, Ephesians 2:2.

We see the suffering in the world, innocent children hurt, people in terrible pain mentally and physically, and we ask how can a loving God permit this? Yet, for those who have eyes to see and ears to hear there is the mercy of God also all around us. God has an eternal plan, Jeremiah 29:11, that is beyond our understanding.

When we look at Adam’s failure, Genesis 3, our human instinct would say ‘Wipe him out and start over’. That is not the way of God. He looks on the heart and sees beauty and greatness where we don’t. Only an expert can create a glorious gem from a diamond in the rough. The trials of this life have a purpose. They either strengthen us or destroy us. The most uplifting songs ever written were composed by people who knew intense suffering.

Eternal Fellowship

God created man to fellowship Him in an eternal covenantal relationship. However, no unholy thing can dwell in His presence, Revelation 21:27. God, Himself, paid the terrible price for fallen man’s redemption.

Eternal punishment is not about how long the ‘punishment’ exists or lasts. It’s about the deadliness of sin and its rebellion against the very source of life. The Truth and Goodness that gave us life also is Judgement and Holiness.

Reconcile God’s Love with Eternal Judgement

Should the condemned prisoner in the dock rant and rave against the judge who announced the sentence? It was freedom of choice that brought the prisoner to that place.

The reconciliation between God’s mercy and love and eternal punishment may be difficult for the human mind to comprehend. However, the Bible remains clear in the fact of God’s judgement against those who rebel against Him and spurn His free gift of eternal salvation.

We can argue about the result of sin and eternal punishment. Or consider the indescribable joy of eternal salvation. The choice is ever ours.

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Dr. Wendy Stenberg-Tendys is a servant of the Lord who enjoys researching Biblical topics and sharing words of encouragement from the Word of God. She asks the hard questions.

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