Continuing our discussion of hell and justification...

In Jesus, and Him alone, the Justice of God is satisfied, and the Love of God is extended.

This leads us to consider a couple of other questions. If Jesus' death satisfies justice why is there still a hell? Does this mean that everyone automatically goes to heaven?

The belief that everyone goes to heaven is called universalism. This is essentially the position of Rob Bell. (His position is a bit more nuanced, but boils down to universalism)

You can come to that position, but just not from scripture. Jesus was clear that not everyone ends up in heaven. In fact, he says that most people will not end up in heaven.

But, if Jesus died for justice why do some still go to hell? The answer is that the gift of acquittal must be received in order to appropriate its benefits.

The biblical requirement for receiving the gift of pardon is repentance and faith. Jesus took the punishment, offers the gift, and gets to set the terms necessary for one to receive His gift. That is repentance and faith.

We must be clear about this. Reception of a gift is not a work to earn the gift. In fact, repentance and faith are a gift from the grace of God as well. If someone does not appropriate the pardon Jesus purchased then they forfeit its benefits forever. This is a tragedy. The gift is available and hell can be avoided. All one has to do is receive their pardon by grace through faith. If they don't, they will spend eternity in hell.

Imagine this: a person, JQ Everyman, has been walking down the broad path of life. JQ Everyman is handcuffed with his arms behind his back. He walks down a long hallway and comes to two doors. One door is big, broad. It is already opened. He can see down the path that this big door leads to. It is a broad path and there are lots of people ambling down this path. But, there is another door in front of JQ Everyman. It is a much smaller door and it is shut and locked. He is convinced that this door is the door to real life. But he can't open it, or go through it. It's locked and his hands are cuffed.
The owner of the door does something that JQ Everyman couldn't do for himself. The Owner comes and unlocks the door, and takes off his handcuffs. The Owner even opens the smaller door. JQ Everyman can see down this road. It is smaller, there are not as many people walking down it, but what he sees is truth, life, the Owner's invitation to walk with Him.

Then JQ Everyman turns away from the Owner and walks through the big door down the broad path that leads to destruction.

The story and analogy is far from perfect, but it is a bit similar to heaven and hell. Yes, Jesus satisfied the demands of a Just God and extends the love of God. But, if a person does not appropriate that by grace through faith/repentance, then they are walking down the broad road to destruction.

The jail door has been opened, the way to freedom is available if man would but repent and believe in Jesus. If not, they will spend and eternity in hell.

See Matthew 7:13-14

For review: God is Just and Holy. He would be perfectly justified in offering no one the opportunity of a relationship with Him and going to heaven. This because we are sinners. The fact that there is a way to be justified by Jesus Christ is the amazing love of God. He is both perfectly just and loving.
One cannot make a sound, biblical argument for the position of universalism.


Coming up next: some more thoughts about the reality of hell.