I am a good father, a good husband, a good son… Just because I chose to not believe in Jesus, why does God send me to hell even though I am a good person?
He doesn’t.
Notice the framing of the question. “God sends me to hell”. God does not send you anywhere actually. He is a good father calling you to come home constantly. He sends text messages, mails letters and sends people to beg you to return. He wants ALL to be saved.1 Timothy 2:3-4: “This is good, and pleases God our Savior, who wants all people to be saved and to come to a knowledge of the truth.”
Imagine a place so bright and beautiful, full of love and peace. What would be the opposite of this place? What comes to mind? Evil, darkness, sinful, torment, unrest. If God is the source of all things good, then what becomes of a place where he is not at? Naturally the complete opposite. If God is light, then the place where he is not at will be filled with darkness. If God is love, then this other place must be filled with hate. This is the place we call hell. It’s a place where God and all his goodness does not exist.
But why is Jesus the only way to Heaven?
Why can’t I just be a good person and earn my way up there? Why does he deny me when I’m good? Have you ever sinned even once? Ever told a lie? Even a white lie? Have you dishonored your parents in any way? Have you fornicated? Lusted? Taken the Lord’s name in vain? Have you ever stolen anything even if it was so small you didn’t think it was theft? We have all sinned. Jesus answered: Mark 10:18: “No one is good—except God alone.”
God is a righteous God. If he allows a person into heaven that is 90% good, what about the 80% person? What about 70%, 60% or 51%? How is that fair for the guy that barely didn’t make it at 49.9999%? Romans 3:23: “for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.” Romans 6:23: “For the wages of sin is death.” So if we have all sinned and the price for sin is death, who is going to heaven? No one will make it, unless someone that is worthy enough to pay for all the sins of the world will die for it. No one is good but God alone. No human is good enough in the sight of God to pay for everyone’s sin through his blood. So how does God solve this problem if he wants all to be saved but sin must be punished?
God’s answer: God became a sinless man and died for us.
Jesus claimed to be God, proved to be God through his death and bodily resurrection, and says there’s only one way to heaven. If Jesus truly died and was raised from the dead, then everything Jesus said is the word of God. “Christianity, if false, is of no importance, and if true, of infinite importance. The only thing it cannot be is moderately important.” – C. S. Lewis We will discuss the evidence of the resurrection later.
Who can make it to heaven then?
When you die and stand in front of the judgment seat of God, what will you say or claim for yourself that you deserve his kingdom? We all fall short based on our good work because it has been tarnished by sin. Not one ounce of sin can be allowed to enter heaven. God the Father will only view you one of two ways at your physical death. He will either see you exactly the way you are, or he will see his Son Jesus Christ when he looks at you. For those who believe in Jesus, Colossians 3:3: “For you died, and your life is now hidden with Christ in God.” Galatians 3:26-28: “So in Christ Jesus you are all children of God through faith, for all of you who were baptized into Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ. There is neither Jew nor Gentile, neither slave nor free, nor is there male and female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus.”
This is the only way any of us will make it to our Father’s home. We have to be covered completely in the body of Jesus Christ. This is why in John 14:6, Jesus says, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.”
God does not send you to hell.
The question should be “God, how can I enter into your heaven?” How then must I be saved? Saint Paul answers this.
Romans 10:9: “If you declare with your mouth, ‘Jesus is Lord,’ and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.”
Love him only as your God. John 14:15: “If you love me, keep my commands.” Matthew 22:34-40: Jesus replied: ‘“Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.” This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: “Love your neighbor as yourself.” All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments.’”
Heaven is waiting on you. Accept the Lord Jesus before it’s too late. Once you face judgment, how do you want to be presented? As yourself, or as his son Jesus Christ?
Colossians 1:22 “But now he has reconciled you by Christ’s physical body through death to present you holy in his sight, without blemish and free from accusation.”