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.

Argument From Justice - Part 2: Jesus and Justice

God is Holy and we are not. God is Just and His justice is perfect. He cannot allow crime to go unpunished for that would be unjust. The just punishment for our sins against a holy God is hell. That is what humanity deserves.

This means that there is a problem. The Bible talks about heaven. How can God remain Just and yet allow any sinful human to avoid hell and go to heaven?

Jesus is the Answer!

Jesus Christ took the punishment in our place. He paid the price we owed. In Jesus, God's justice was satisfied perfectly. Through Jesus a sinner can be acquitted while justice is upheld. Only God could devise such a perfect and amazing plan.

Here is how it works:

First of all, some might wonder why can't we pay for our own sins during this life? Is it possible for someone to do enough good deeds to balance out their sins against God? If that is possible then we could atone for our own sins. Maybe we could go so far to think that if we gave our life as a payment for our sins, wouldn't that be enough to procure acquittal?

No! Justice requires equitability. It must be equitable. Our good deeds, and even our very life is not an equitable payment for our sins. The reason our good deeds will never be good enough is because our sins have an infinite characteristic to them. Our sins are a violation against the infinite holiness of God. Equitability would require an payment, or sacrifice, that contains an infinite payment. As humans we are finite. Our good deeds are measurable and finite. Our own life is not an appropriate sacrifice because it is not infinite in value. This is a critically important truth that people need to grasp. You cannot pay for your own crimes against a holy God!

The problem we have requires a solution that is capable of meeting the infinite characteristics involved. This is where Jesus comes in. He is the infinitely perfect sacrifice to pay the punishment for our crimes. His life, and His life alone, can meet the requirements for the punishment of sin. Jesus is God. He is perfect in holiness and righteousness. He became man in order to die for our sins. He lived a perfect life and never sinned. When He willingly died on that cross He was the infinitely acceptable sacrifice for the payment of sins. The immeasurable quality of His person is what enables Jesus to satisfy the payment not just for my sins, but for others as well.

So, in Jesus, and only in Jesus, the justice of God is satisfied and His great love/grace/mercy are extended! Wow!

This raises some other questions: If Jesus' death satisfies justice why is there still a hell? Does this mean that everyone automatically goes to heaven?

Answer -- stay tuned!

Propitiation: Satisfaction of Wrath

Hebrews 2:17
Therefore He(Jesus) had to be made like his brothers in every respect, so that he might become a merciful and faithful high priest in the service of God, to make propitiation for the sins of the people.

1 John 2:1-2
My little children, I am writing these things to you so that you may not sin. But if anyone does sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous. He is the propitiation for our sins, and not for ours only but also for the sins of the whole world.

God’s wrath is real. It is the just response of a Holy God to man’s utter rebellion and sinfulness. The pages of the Bible are replete with this truth. It is found in both testaments and is foundational to fully understanding the cross of Jesus Christ.

So, what can we do? Nothing. Your goodness will never be enough to satisfy the wrath that our sins deserve. You cannot go to church enough, give away enough money to charity, be kind enough to cause God to overlook your rebellion. This is a huge problem. Is there a solution? Yes, and it is a huge solution.

The cross of Jesus Christ is the solution. Jesus is the propitiation for our sin. If you are familiar with this word then you will rejoice at the reminder of it’s meaning. If it is new to you then I encourage to learn, meditate and embrace this critical truth.

Propitiation is the satisfaction of wrath. And it occurred in Jesus Christ. God could not be just and let sin go unpunished. So, the Bible teaches us that Jesus took the punishment and wrath that our sins deserved.

Romans 3:23-26
for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, and are justified by his grace as a gift, through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus, whom God put forward as a propitiation by his blood, to be received by faith. This was to show God’s righteousness, because in his divine forbearance he had passed over former sins. It was to show his righteousness at the present time, so that he might be just and the justifier of the one who has faith in Jesus.

Some have misunderstood this doctrine of wrath and satisfaction. It is not a bribe. Like many of the pagan religions whose gods are filled with anger and then bribed to divert that anger.

God’s anger is not capricious, it is deserved. And it is not diverted, it is satisfied. God’s righteous anger must find its full expression and complete satisfaction. Where? Not in our actions, but in the work of Jesus Christ on the cross!

The cross is absolutely amazing. It satisfies God’s just demands that call for all sin to be punished. God does not wipe our sins under the proverbial “rug”. He placed them fully on His own Son.

Isaiah 53:4-5
Surely he took up our infirmities
and carried our sorrows,
yet we considered him stricken by God,
smitten by him, and afflicted.
5 But he was pierced for our transgressions,
he was crushed for our iniquities;
the punishment that brought us peace was upon him,
and by his wounds we are healed.(NIV)

The cross of Christ is not just expiation. The old RSV version translated the Greek word “hilasterion” as expiation instead of propitiation. Expiation is the removal of sin. Through the cross we can have our sins removed. This is a clear truth presented in scripture. But, the cross doesn’t just cleanse sin, it satisfies wrath as well.

Some liberal theologians over the years have had a problem with the concept of wrath. They don’t want a wrathful God so they say that the cross is only for expiation.

But Isaiah is crystal clear – Jesus suffered the punishment that we deserved. He satisfied the just wrath of a righteous God that was engendered by our sin.

This is not just a theological discussion. It is the core, the centerpiece, the truth that leads to life. We would be utterly hopeless if Jesus’ blood was not for the propitiation of our sins. We would have no opportunity for meaningful lasting life, peace with God, peace from God, true joy, or the promise of heaven.

That is extremely relevant! What an amazing God! How loving and kind! That Jesus would become my sin and take the punishment that I deserved is a truth that I will spend an eternity contemplating.
Thank You Jesus!


I have just scratched the surface in discussing the concept of propitiation. There have been volumes written on this subject by many people much more intelligent than myself.