Why is it accurate to state, “God doesn’t send people to hell”?
God made us in His Image and Likeness. He sent His Only Begotten Son to die on the cross in our place; that cross is the bridge between ourselves (with our sinful nature) and God. Hell was created as a place for satan and the rebellious angels.
We were all given the gift of free will. Anyone who is in hell chooses to go there. Their hearts are so hardened with hate that, even presented with the choice, they still reject God and choose hell rather than God's Mercy. The breadth and depth of His Mercy is not fathomable, yet people make the choice for hell. God Honors the choice.
That's right Steve. Satan does the same thing he did with Eve and Adam. Place a doubt in our minds about God's promises. This is in every little decision that we make in our daily lives. When the doubt takes root we let our mind deceive us. We justify our actions so that our minds are at peace within ourselves. I think we are designed to be at peace with some standard. The question is, is that standard from God or from Satan.
The first thing Satan did was to start this movement to doubt God's existence. Once that came into play, then Satan's existence turned into a myth. There is no higher absolute standard to look up to at that point. "No one can come to my Father but through Me" became a statement that is arrogant and rude. We started believing that the luxuries that we have the so called successes that we have are purely from our efforts only. For "successful" people God was not necessary anymore. That is the reason, I believe, in wealthy communities faith is just an option. Not a necessity. When Mother Teresa spoke to some Bishops in New York, she said "America is spiritually poor".
