God and Cronyism.

How can a loving God send people to hell? The question is often asked and the answer is nearly never waited for. The presumption of this question is that God is so good that he is willing to overlook the sins of men. He loves me so much, that he will not hold my sin against me. Yes I am really, really bad...but it does not follow that God is really, really mad. The question might sound like this: Rom 3:5-6 But if our unrighteousness serves to show the righteousness of God, what shall we say? That God is unrighteous to inflict wrath on us? (I speak in a human way.) (6) By no means! For then how could God judge the world?

Join me in an exercise of the imagination. Imagine that I stole your car. I am not a very gifted crook and you saw me commit teh crime. You even filmed me and can produce teh vehicle that clearly shows me stealing your car. You call the police and in teh course of time we sit before the judge in the courtroom. You make your case and it is a strong one. You give your testimony and show your video. I have no choice to admit to teh judge, yes I stole this car. The judge says "Jason, you are obviously guilty." The case gets weird at this point when he turns to you and says "You need to understand that me and Jason are good friends. I love Jason a great deal, even more than words can describe. So I am dismissing this case."

What will we be thinking when we leave the courtroom that day? I will love the judge and you will be, I assume, somewhat less enthusiastic about him, but both of us will know that he is a corrupt judge. We will know that he let his love for me get in the way of justice. He failed to do the right thing (give you back your car, penalty for me, so on) because it wasn't convenient for him.

The Bible assures us that God is not an unjust judge. He is righteous and Holy and Just. In fact Romans 3:26 says he is both "just and the justifier of the one who has faith in Jesus." In his love he would justify, but not by sweeping it away or ignoring our sin. That would be unjust. He satisfies both his love and his justice in Jesus Christ.

I am eager to get to the cross and the payment made for us, but lets return to the courtroom for just a moment. Feel the dread of the moment. We have just been found guilty by a judge, and this time he is not dismissive but just. Our guilt goes beyond car theft an extends to treason. We are looking justly at death...eternal death. Lets exmine tomorrow the sentence of hell.