Question: How could God create anyone who He knew would suffer eternally?

September 1, 2021

TBC Staff

Question: You justify God for sending people to hell because He has provided salvation for them in Christ. That won’t do. Millions and probably billions will still spend eternity in hell.... God knew that. How could a good God create anyone who He knew would suffer eternally?

Response: God wants no one to go to hell. He has provided salvation for all through Christ, whom He sent into the world “that the world through him might be saved...” (John:3:17). He is not “willing that any should perish” (2 Peter:3:9) but desires “all men to be saved” (1 Timothy:2:4). Those in hell have only themselves to blame for rejecting the full forgiveness of sins and the eternal life offered to all as a free gift of God’s grace through Christ’s payment of the penalty for their sins. Why would God create those He knew would reject the gospel? Why didn’t He, who knows all in advance, create only those who would believe the gospel and leave uncreated those who would reject Christ?

The human race can’t be so divided. Those who reject Christ are still the parents, children, cousins, aunts, and uncles of those who believe. To not create unbelievers would also eliminate believers who would otherwise be born. God will be glorified by those in hell [see TBC, April 2001] because He did not back down from His desire to bless billions in His presence for eternity; nor did He go back on His Word and compromise His justice by unjustly forgiving those who rejected the salvation He freely provided. There is no way to fault God for creating mankind. He loves all and wants to bless all eternally.

Printer-friendly version