Hell Is Too Extreme

It is said that hell doesn’t fit with the description of our loving, merciful and graceful father in heaven.  He is willing to give us many chances to be saved and if we don’t, we get hell fire for eternity.  That just doesn’t fit.

      The reason a person gets eternal punishment is because they sinned against an eternal God. 

Someone shared this illustration with me, maybe it will help.  If you come up to me after a sermon and call me a filthy pig, spit in my face and then slap me, what do you think will be the consequence of that?  I’m guessing we get in a fight (hopefully we take it outside). But what if you did that same thing to a highway patrolman?  The consequences would be different.  There would be no fight, he or she would simply call ‘back up’ and you would be hand-cuffed and jailed for a few days or weeks.  But what if you did all that to our governor?  You’d get some prison time.  What if you did that to the president of our country?  You might go to prison for the rest of your life.  Get it?  With me you get a fight, with the police officer you get 30 days, with the governor you get a year and with the president you get 10 years. Now think about an offense to God.  He is infinite, eternal and almighty in power.  Not only that but He sent His Son to die for those who would sin against Him.  If in our offending Him we reject the death of Jesus as a way (the only way by the way) to being forgiven; what consequence should be ours? 

      One more thought; even if this story of consequences doesn’t make sense to you, it is God’s position.  God who created everything and who put this sin and punishment rule into effect, has deemed hell as the correct penalty for those who will stubbornly refuse His provision for our poor choices.  Get mad at me if you don’t like this and “Oh well.”  Get mad at God, it is more than “Oh well.”