what the HELL?

Rob Bell (Nooma videos) recently sparked a major discussion on hell with his idea that hell doesn't exist. Many others, including Francis Chan, have come up with responses. Overall, I hope it challenges us to really think about what we believe and bring us back to the gospel.

I recently heard about this guy who approached a pastor and asked, "God’s so powerful and so good, why does bad stuff happen?"

The pastor replied, "I’m not going to answer the question, until you ask it correctly."

So the guy says, "How do I ask it correctly?"

And the pastor answers:

Here’s how you ask that question properly. You look me in my eyes and you ask me this. How on earth can a holy and righteous God, know what I did and thought and said yesterday and not kill me in my sleep last night. You ask it that way and we could talk.

But until you ask the question that way, you don’t understand the issue. Until you ask the question that way you believe the problem is out there. Until you ask the question that way, you believe that there are somehow, some individuals, who in and of themselves deserve something other than the wrath of almighty God. Until you ask me the question that way, until you flip the script and say “Why is it that we are here today, why has he not consumed and devoured each and every one of us? Why oh God does your judgment and your wrath tarry?” When you ask it that way, you understand the issue.

When you ask it the other way you believe in the supremacy of man. How dare God not employ his power on behalf of almighty Man. You flip the question around and you believe the supremacy of Christ. How dare I steal His air, because the last breath I took I borrowed it from Him…

We don't deserve anything. God doesn't owe us anything. YET, Christ still chose to love us and sacrifice Himself for us. That's what makes GRACE so amazing. Instead of asking, how can a loving God send people to hell, what about asking how can a perfectly holy and just God not send a sinner like me to hell? How can the almighty, sovereign God love me and even die on the cross for ME? It's a humbling thought. Don't cheapen GRACE.