Why did God create us? Over the past several posts, we’ve explored why God created hell and why some reject Him for eternity. Why must He punish sinners? Because God is just, and we are guilty. Why did He give us free will? Because coerced love isn’t true love.
But the deeper question remains: Why create at all?
Scripture doesn’t give a single, direct answer, yet it offers glimpses—threads that, when woven together, help us see part of the picture. This article explores several reasons God chose to create.
- Love and Joy Want to Share
God is perfectly loving and infinitely joyful (1 John 4:8; Psalm 16:11). Love, by its nature, is outward-facing. Perfect love delights to give. Just as we instinctively want to share good news—like a promotion or a personal achievement—God delights in sharing His love and joy with His creation.
He did not create to gain joy, but to give it. He is self-sufficient and would be perfectly happy with or without creation, yet it is in His nature to share (Acts 17:24-25).
We even get a glimpse of this in Hebrews 12:2, when it says that His Son endured the cross “for the joy that was set before Him.” What joy? Since He was going to Heaven after enduring the cross, and since the purpose of the cross is to redeem us, it is reasonable to infer that He was looking forward to the day when His redeemed could share in His love and joy for all eternity.
- Creation Glorifies God
The ultimate purpose of the universe is not human comfort or the absence of suffering, but to glorify God. As the Westminster Shorter Catechism states, “Man’s chief end is to glorify God and enjoy Him forever” (Isaiah 43:7; Romans 11:36).
God Himself is the greatest good, and His glory is the highest reality. Because God is the highest good, for Him to glorify Himself is not vanity but the giving of what is most valuable. His Creation reveals aspects of Him—His justice, mercy, and sacrificial love—that would otherwise remain unseen. The transformation of a sinner’s life shows His power, while the judgment of the unrepentant demonstrates His perfect justice. Without creation, these attributes would remain eternally true—but not displayed.
Suffering does not negate the goodness of life. Just as parents choose to bring children into a world with hardship, God created knowing suffering would exist. Yet the value of life, relationship with Him, and eternal joy outweigh present pain. A world where God’s glory is displayed, even through redemption and judgment, is a far greater good than a world that never existed. While this truth is difficult, Scripture presents existence—even with judgment—as part of God’s wise and just purposes, not as a tragic accident.
- The Lengths God Went to Save Us
When we ask, “Why did God create hell?” we are really questioning two things: Is God truly sovereign? And does He truly love us?
Though we cannot fully grasp whether non-creation would have been “better,” we can know that creation was not a mistake, because the cross reveals God’s intent. He did not create out of need, but from the overflow of His nature; even while knowing the cost would be the life of His Son.
I once heard an illustration that went something like this:
Imagine you are on trial for committing a murder that you know you are guilty of. The evidence is overwhelming. In your state, capital punishment is enforced. You are placed in a prison cell, awaiting the punishment you rightly deserve.
Days later, something unexpected happens. A prison guard approaches your cell and tells you that you are free to go.
Stunned and confused, you ask, “What happened?”
The guard hesitates before answering, “Someone volunteered to take your punishment.”
Struggling to process what you are hearing, you ask, “Who took my place?”
With a somber expression, the prison guard replies, “The judge’s son.”
Although this is merely an illustration, it demonstrates the wonderful power of His love. God’s choice to create was not casual. He knew we would rebel and that His Son would pay the price, yet He judged it “good” to create.
Whenever we doubt His love or power, the cross stands as the clearest revelation that God is both perfectly loving and all-powerful.
- What Do We Do From Here?
We have talked extensively about the question, “Why did God create hell?” We discussed God’s justice, man’s free will, and whether non-creation would have been better. God wants His children to grow in the knowledge of Him, which is why studying theology is vital to our faith. However, we must never let theology touch only our minds without touching our hearts.
There are at least three truths we can glean from the doctrine of hell.
Humility
First, we should meditate on the penalty we deserve.
Sometimes, we become so accustomed to God’s mercy that it begins to feel like our “right.” Though we may not articulate it this way, the attitude can shift from “God, please help me” to “God, You better help me.”
When we face hardships—being born into a broken home, not getting the job we wanted, or hearing bad news from a doctor—a sense of entitlement can loom over us like a dark cloud. Before God, we are not victims; we are debtors to mercy. We deserve far worse than we can imagine.
God could have justly never sent His Son to die for us. His Son’s death was not our right; it was the greatest act of mercy in the universe and the only thing that could save us. Whenever life hits us hard and we want to wallow in self-pity, we should reflect on the cross and the punishment Christ took for our sins.
Obedience
Second, we should respond with obedience.
All of this is in vain if we neglect God and continue in sin. The Bible says, “The wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord” (Romans 6:23).
Life or death—the choice is ours. We can trust Christ, believe in Him, and experience eternal life, or reject Him and experience eternal death.
For the Christian, we must also make every effort to live obediently. The severity of hell highlights the seriousness of sin, and the love of Christ shows us the kind of love we should strive to have for one another.
Gratitude
Third, we should live in gratitude.
Imagine how cold it would feel to exist in a world where God was all-powerful but indifferent, or how terrifying it would be if He were all-loving but not all-powerful.
Thankfully, He is infinitely loving, just, and merciful. He is eternally good. He chose to take on our sins so that we could experience the joy of being with Him forever.
We can look forward to a day without pain or suffering in Heaven. Ultimately, my hope in writing this is that we would make it our aim on earth to draw closer to Him and share this deep love with others.
Hell is real. Judgment is serious. Sin is costly. But above all, the cross is greater—and that is why creation was not in vain. God is good and worthy of our praise.
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