Do people end up in Hell because they’re ignorant? It’s easy to assume that those who refuse to be saved simply lack information. “If they had only understood,” we say. “If only they had known.” At first glance, these words feel compassionate, but they really expose an insufficient view of God.
Let’s examine the idea briefly. If a person goes to Hell because they’re ignorant, then God is unfair. That’s easy for us to see, isn’t it? Who could imagine that eternal separation from God could be just when the person in question simply didn’t know about God, or was never told about the gospel, or – even worse – had been lied to about who God is and how He works. That would certainly be cruel and unjust.
Again and again, the Bible tells us that God is just… that He will do what is right. If that’s true, then nobody – nobody – will end up in Hell because they simply lacked information. Romans 1:18-20 explains this clearly:
The wrath of God is being revealed from heaven against all the godlessness and wickedness of people, who suppress the truth by their wickedness, since what may be known about God is plain to them, because God has made it plain to them. For since the creation of the world God’s invisible qualities – his eternal power and divine nature – have been clearly seen, being understood from what has been made, so that people are without excuse.
Satan knows God. He knows who God is, how He works, and what He wants. Satan’s problem isn’t ignorance, but selfishness and pride. That’s the basis for all rebellion, including yours and mine.
It’s been said that there are three kinds of reasons for rejecting God:
- Intellectual reasons: I lack information
- Emotional reasons: I’ve been hurt, so I protect myself from further harm
- Volitional reasons: I refuse to submit to God
These reasons are all easy to understand. I’ve talked with people who share each kind of reason. Don’t get me wrong: more information CAN BE helpful. After all, that’s why GodWords exists. Good theology makes it easier to trust God, and bad theology makes it harder. That doesn’t mean that anyone will end up in Hell because they just didn’t know better. We do our part to convince others to trust God, but no amount of knowledge can change the mind of someone determined to rebel.
This is one way to understand what happens when Christians sin: we know better, but we do it anyway. We don’t sin accidentally. We choose to rebel… every time. Fortunately, God is equally willing to forgive both Christians and non-Christians.
This article quotes a handful of prominent people who put volitional rebellion on display. God will do what is right. Those who want nothing to do with Him will get their wish. If you want to be with God in Heaven forever, you can… all you need to do is acknowledge your need for Him by trusting that He really does love you, and put your life in His hands.
If you have questions about this, feel free to contact me.
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I was raised by a Baptist Preacher ( with a couple of Phds and books under his arm )I attended Tim LaHaye,s Christian School one year , my father,s school 2 years and graduated from Jerry Falwells School. I remember the call on my heart to go forward to accept Jesus Christ as my saviour in a church in Pinole , Ca. at the age of 7.I took two semesters of Greek to help in translation issues and for better understanding. Sorry to ramble but Now at age 68 I discovered Joseph Prince. I have never been so blessed , had a better understanding of God,s Word and have seen such heart opening perspectives from any other Preacher in my life. It is not my business to judge you , your hearts motives or even you views on salvation …… but were I you I would be very careful in what you profess to be doing here. Imagine someone that turned away from Joseph,s sermons because of the image you cast him in , a wolf in sheeps clothing. I have no idea if anyone turned away may never again have a chance to hear the gospel and somehow die suddenly before they come to a saving knowledge for salvation. Does this not trouble your sleep ?Out of curiosity I read what issues you have with Joseph and was surprised to see how easily
could be misconstrued but regardless None of those issues are mentioned in Romans 10;9,10 and I know his stance on that situation. Portraying a man of God in such a light seems to me to be a very dangerous thing to do. I am not judging you…. I am just wondering who is or who will be. I hope the best for you.
[For those who don’t know, John refers to The False Teaching of Joseph Prince.]
John:
I appreciate you writing to me very much. Like you, I like a lot of what Joseph Prince has to say. The trouble with false teachers doesn’t come from the true things they say, but the false ones. As you’ve said, it’s important to be VERY careful when writing about false teachers. I wouldn’t want to bear false witness against anyone, including a brother or sister in Christ. I don’t know whether Joseph Prince is saved, and neither do you… but that’s not the point. I’ve met a lot of Christians with some very bad ideas, and the New Testament – over and over again – addresses this situation. Romans 10:9-10 doesn’t apply here, John. You’re a Christian and I’m a Christian… but if I told you that God told me you should rob a bank, you ought to double-check whether my advice is good.
Joseph Prince teaches the Word of Faith, and he’s not shy about saying so. The Word of Faith is heresy, plain and simple. You may not know it, but plenty of others do. While I’m grateful that God has helped you in spite of Prince’s unbiblical ideas, that doesn’t mean he’s not a false teacher. He is. For your sake and for his, please detach yourself from his teaching and seek the words of faithful people who will not ALSO lead you astray.
I’m praying for you, John. Please join me in praying for Joseph Prince.