"This is what the LORD says: "Let not the wise man boast of his wisdom or the strong man boast of his strength or the rich man boast of his riches, but let him who boasts boast about this: that he understands and knows me, that I am the LORD, who exercises kindness, justice and righteousness on earth, for in these I delight", declares the LORD" [NIV]

   Here is a reality - God loves you so much that He sent His Son to die on the Cross, so that He could pay for your sins. Here is another reality - God is going bring judgment someday - He will punish everyone who persists in doing evil. Have you ever heard someone ask the question, "If God is so loving, then how could He send anyone to Hell?" When people ask questions like this, they are in essence saying that God's love and God's justice are in conflict with each other - that there cannot be a peaceful coexistence between these two concepts. Some people use this question as an excuse, they are trying to find some kind of legal loop hole around having to answer for thier sins. There are those who believe that God is all loving, that He is too nice to punish people. And there are those who believe that God is all about judgment and wrath. Those who talk about God's judgment are often viewed by the world as being too harsh and legalistic and judgmental towards others.

   The reality is, these concepts of God's love and His justice are not in conflict with each other as many suppose, but they are actually completely separate issues which just so happen to be the two most important parts of the same Salvation message.

   To understand this, we need to go back to the beginning, where God created everything good. As you read through the beginning of Genesis, you will notice that God keeps looking back on everything He made, and He sees that "it is good". And everything stayed good, until man sinned. God is a good God - He is pure, holy and righteous. He made man in His image to also be pure, holy and righteous. Now, here is where things become complicated. God did not make man into a mindless robot that would carry out every command without ever questioning whether he should obey or not. God gave man the gift of free choice.

   Without hesitation, everyone agrees that even though there is the possibility that people might make wrong choices, everyone should still be allowed to make our own free choices. We live in a world where we are indeed free to make choices. However, we also live in a world were there are consequences for every choice we make, whether good or bad.

   God gave man the gift of free choice, because He is a loving God. God made man as a special creation for Himself. Because He is loving, He had to give man the right to choose whether he will obey or disobey His commands. And at the same time, God even warns man of the consequences of disobedience to His Laws to help man make the right choices. If God is going to love us, He must give us the free choice to either love Him, or to hate Him, to obey Him, and even to disobey Him. Love has to be free. You cannot force anybody to love you back. Whenever you love somebody, you are taking the chance that they might not want to love you back. That is the risk you take whenever you love somebody.

   Because Adam and Eve sinned, the nature of sin that entered through them was passed down through the entire human race. Now, all of mankind is a prisoner to sin.  Consequently, because of sin, we die, for the wages of sin is death. This leaves all of mankind helpless, in need of saving. When you are dead, you are dead. Dead people cannot do anything to rescue themselves back to life again. This is where God's love comes in. For the scriptures say, "For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever puts their trust in Jesus shall not perish but have eternal life" (John 3:16). Every time the Bible talks about the love of God, it is always in the context of what God does, or has done already, to rescue His people. It was because of God's love that Jesus died on the Cross. Read John 15:9-13;

   "As the Father has loved me, so have I loved you. Now remain in my love. If you obey my commands, you will remain in my love, just as I have obeyed my Father's commands and remain in his love. I have told you this so that my joy may be in you and that your joy may be complete. My command is this: Love each other as I have loved you. Greater love has no one than this, that he lay down his life for his friends" [NIV]

   When Jesus died on the Cross to pay for our sins, He demonstrated the most ultimate kind of love there is, "Greater love has no one than this, that he lay down his life for his friends". Jesus laid down His life for ours. He made the ultimate sacrifice. He was willing to pay the required price of redemption for us, because we are unable to pay it. Because of God's love, God treats us better than we deserve. Read Romans 5:6-8;

   "You see, at just the right time, when we were still powerless, Christ died for the ungodly. Very rarely will anyone die for a righteous man, though for a good man someone might possibly dare to die. But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us" [NIV]

   And read 1John 3:16;

   "This is how we know what love is: Jesus Christ laid down his life for us. And we ought to lay down our lives for our brothers" [NIV]

   So yes, the Bible very clearly states that the same God who made the Universe and everything in it, is a God of love and that He is loving. He has proven His love for us through His Son Jesus At the same time, the Bible very clearly states that this same loving God is also a God of justice too. God is a good judge. And because He is a good judge, He cannot leave justice undone when somebody sins. God cannot be fooled, He cannot be bribed. He cannot "overlook" the transgressions of one sinner because they committed fewer sins than another sinner. He must hold everyone to the same standard of right and wrong. He must punish everyone who does evil and He must bring all sinners to justice. Read Hebrews 12:6-11;

    "...because the Lord disciplines those he loves, and he punishes everyone he accepts as a son. Endure hardship as discipline; God is treating you as sons. For what son is not disciplined by his father? If you are not disciplined (and everyone undergoes discipline), then you are illegitimate children and not true sons. Moreover, we have all had human fathers who disciplined us and we respected them for it. How much more should we submit to the Father of our spirits and live! Our fathers disciplined us for a little while as they thought best; but God disciplines us for our good, that we may share in his holiness. No discipline seems pleasant at the time, but painful. Later on, however, it produces a harvest of righteousness and peace for those who have been trained by it" [NIV]

   Who has ever said of their parents, "If my Mom and Dad love me so much, then how could they punish me?" Do you have parents? Did they ever punish you? Of course they did! Why? For two reasons. First, because they love you, and second, because you needed correction. Could you conclude that because they punished you, that they didn't love you? On the contrary! Your parents punished you because they love you. If your parents didn't correct you when you did something wrong, it would show they didn't care about you. Likewise, God loves us, so He punishes us when we do wrong.

   God loves justice. He does not punish people because He "hates" them, or because He is "unloving" or "mean", He punishes people because they have broken His laws. If God did not punish sinners, then it would prove that He really didn't love justice, and from this we could then conclude that He is a corrupt judge. But God will not be mocked! He is a perfect and righteous God.

   Have you ever watched what happens in a court room? A criminal is brought before the judge, and is asked whether he would like to plea "guilty" or "not guilty". From there, the evidence and facts of the case against the criminal are reviewed. Based on the evidence and the facts, the judge must decide on what punishment most appropriately fits the crime. Also factored in is the criminal's plea. If the judge believes the criminal was genuinely sorry for what he has done, that there is a high likelihood he won't do it again, then the judge may see fit to exercise some measure of mercy. But, if the judge believes the criminal was just sorry he got caught, then the judge may see fit to exercise a heavier sentence.

  What criminal could hope to stand before a judge and hope to be freed from punishment because they have done some good deeds? Could they stand before the judge and say, "Yes your honor, I believe you are a good judge, I did the crime, but I'm hoping you will be merciful to me because I have done some good deeds..." If that judge is worth their salt, they will respond, "You are absolutely right about me being a good judge, and because I am a good judge, I'm going to see to it that justice is done to you." It doesn't matter how many good deeds we may have done. If we commit a crime, then we must answer to the law for breaking it. Our good deeds cannot be used to bribe the judge into giving us a lighter sentence.

   The same is true with God. He is a good judge. God loves righteousness and justice. He detests bribes, and dishonesty and hypocrisy. We cannot stand before Him and ask Him to have mercy on us because we have done some good deeds. If God is going to be the good judge that He is, He must make every law breaker answer for breaking His laws. Because we have all sinned, we all are guilty before God. Every person who has sinned deserves the punishment that God's justice demands.

   But some will argue, "Why does the punishment for sin have to be death, and eternal torment in Hell?" People who ask such a question need to understand whom they are sinning against. If you do something against your neighbor, he might be upset with you for a while. If you do something against law enforcement, the policeman might throw you in jail for a while. If you do something against the president, you could go to prison for the rest of your life. But if you sin against an infinitely holy God, the price tag is death. What's the difference? The penalty is determined by whom you have sinned against. God is so high and so holy and perfect - there is absolutely no corruption in Him. He does not answer to anyone. God is the one to which everyone will answer to on Judgment Day. There is no other recourse. Everyone will answer to God whether they want to or not! Therefore, the punishment for sinning against God carries the highest price tag.

   Here is where God's love comes in. God is treating us better than we deserve by giving us a chance to turn away from our sins, and to be rescued from the punishment that we all rightfully should receive. The punishment that we deserve has been put on Jesus, when He suffered and died on the Cross. Justice has been completely served, on just one condition - that we turn away from our sins, and put our trust in Jesus to save us from our sins. This is our chance to be set free from our sins. This is our chance to receive mercy. Your sins are paid for in full, if you repent and trust in Jesus. Through Jesus, you are reconciled back to a righteous standing with God. At the Cross, God made an exchange - if you give Him your sins, He will give you His righteousness and His forgiveness. Read Ezekiel 18:21-23;

   "But if a wicked man turns away from all the sins he has committed and keeps all my decrees and does what is just and right, he will surely live; he will not die. None of the offenses he has committed will be remembered against him. Because of the righteous things he has done, he will live. Do I take any pleasure in the death of the wicked? declares the Sovereign LORD. Rather, am I not pleased when they turn from their ways and live?" [NIV]

   Those who take God up on this offer will not have to stand before Him on Judgment Day and receive justice, they will receive mercy instead. Because of Jesus' death on the Cross, they will not be guilty. But, those who do not take God up on this offer will have to stand before Him on Judgment Day and receive justice for every sin they have committed. God does not look down upon the Earth and decide, "I think I'm going to love this person, and this person...and that person, and I think I am going to hate that person, and that person...and that person". It doesn't work that way. God looks down upon the Earth and sees people who have broken His Laws. He sees people who are lost in their sins. Because of His love for justice, He must see to it that justice is served. Because of His love for man, He has come up with a perfect solution. People can be rescued from sin, and justice can be served at the same time!

   The idea is this. One day, all sin will be destroyed, including death. God wants you to come to Heaven and spend eternity in His presence. But there is just one problem. Nobody can bring their sin with them. No sinner can stand before God and live. God is holy and pure. If we are going to spend eternity with Him, we too must be holy and pure as well. If you are going to spend eternity with God, you must love honesty, purity, and you must be holy. If you do not love or agree with these things, then you would not want to spend an eternity in Heaven. So, those who choose to not go to Jesus to be reconciled are sent away to a place called Hell. This is the sinner's only recourse. You either spend eternity with God, or you don't. You either love God, or you don't. If you don't want to get right with God now, then why would you want to get right with Him after it is too late?

Conclusion

   God's love and His justice are not in conflict with each other. Both of these are a part of what God is. And both are a part of the same Gospel message. There is no conflict. Because we all have sinned, we all die. But because Jesus paid the price of your redemption, you can be forgiven! Those who would ask the question, "If God is so loving, then why does He send people to Hell?" are asking the wrong question. They are confusing God's love and His justice, as if the Gospel doesn't make any logical sense.

   Consider this. You didn't ask to be brought into this world. You just arrived here because your mother and father came together, you spent 9 months in the womb, and then you were born. When you came out, sin was waiting for you. You sinned, and then your right standing with God was destroyed. There was nothing you could do about it if you tried. Also consider this. You never asked Jesus to rescue you. But God did everything necessary to rescue you anyway, knowing already who would or wouldn't turn away from their sins and put their trust in Him. This offer is open to everyone while we still have time. He offers to set you free from your sins, at no cost to you. Is that a good deal, or what? When a sinner is judged, God is completely fair to judge him. But because Jesus died for you so that you could be rescued from your sins, that is more than fair. There is nothing left for us to do but to look at how terribly wicked we have been, and to look at how wonderfully kind God has been with us because of Jesus' death on the Cross. What is your response to this amazing grace going to be?

All Scripture quotations, unless noted otherwise are taken from the HOLY BIBLE, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION ®. Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984 International Bible Society. Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved.