The Problem of Hell, Part One: Why Did God Create Hell?

"They will go away into eternal punishment, but the righteous into eternal life.” – Matthew 25:46

Hell is real and eternal. If God is all-loving and all-powerful, why would He allow anyone to spend eternity there? This question has puzzled mankind for centuries, both Christians and non-Christians alike. It is difficult to understand because it goes against the grain of our intuition and moral reasoning in Western society.

If God were all-loving but not all-powerful, then hell might make more sense to us. Or, if God were all-powerful but not all-loving, hell might also make sense. But if God is both all-powerful and all-loving—as the Bible clearly articulates—then does hell make sense at all?

Yes, it does. Hell makes sense within the Christian worldview, and its existence does not contradict God’s loving and powerful nature. In what follows, I will explore several reasons why hell exists, and why its existence is not a denial of God’s character, but a reflection of it.

We will explore:

• The relationship of God’s justice to our fallen nature

• Why God gave us free will

• Whether all people have the opportunity and ability to go to heaven

• Whether it would have been better for God not to create life at all

Before moving to the next article, I want to give a few disclaimers:

1. I am arguing under the assumption that God is who the Bible reveals Him to be—perfectly loving, powerful, and just. This series also assumes that the Bible is the infallible and inspired Word of God.

2. God cannot do anything inconsistent with His nature. Although God is perfectly powerful and sovereign, He cannot do everything. For example, He cannot lie, steal, or sin. This is an important distinction because for God to act without justice would be contrary to His good nature.

3. Hell is an unimaginably horrible place. That may sound painfully obvious, but many people, Christians included, talk about hell as if it is not a big deal. It is often described as merely rejecting Jesus, which of course it does consist of. However, if we warn others that hell is eternal rejection of Jesus, they may argue that they are happy now and choose to reject Him, so what is the big deal?

The Bible describes hell using vivid imagery: a place of torment, darkness, weeping, gnashing of teeth, and flames that are not quenched. The reality of hell is emotionally unbearable, especially when we think of those we love. That emotional weight often leads us—even unintentionally—to soften or redefine what Scripture actually says. Hell is horrific—but it is real. It is not merely rejecting Jesus while continuing life as usual, nor is it temporary.

But if hell is truly terrible, then why would a loving God allow those who reject Him to spend eternity in such a horrific place? This question has been on my heart, as well as on the hearts of countless others. If I were God, I might argue, I would not have created hell in the first place. Yet God did, and Scripture teaches that hell is not a contradiction of His nature, but a consequence of His justice, holiness, and love.

This article is the first in a four-part series exploring why God’s justice is consistent with His character, whether salvation is available to all, and why God chose to create us.

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