The Reason for God by Timothy Keller - Chapter 4: How Can a Loving God Send People to Hell?

One of the greatest objections people raise against Christianity is the doctrine of hell. Believing in a loving and forgiving God, for many in the West, is easy. Accepting that this God is also just and holy, and that He will punish the guilty, is far more difficult to accept.

We have done a good job of creating a god made in our own image. A god whose sensibilities concerning right and wrong line up perfectly with our own. A god who is tolerant because Western society is tolerant. A god who subscribes to the philosophy of Live and let live. But is this god real?

Timothy Keller proposes an idea that is essential for those of us in the West to reflect on: "For the sake of argument, let's imagine that Christianity is not the product of any one culture but is actually the transcultural truth of God. If that were the case we would expect that it would contradict and offend every human culture at some point, because human cultures are ever-changing and imperfect. If Christianity were the truth it would have to be offending and correcting your thinking at some place. Maybe this is the place, the Christian doctrine of divine judgment." (p. 75).

It makes absolute sense that if the god you believe in agrees with you on all points of lifestyle and doctrine, then perhaps you believe in a god of your own making - a god of your design - and not the all-powerful Creator.

The Reason for God by Timothy Keller - Chapter 1: There Can't be Just One True Religion

We live in a world of choice. Want peanut butter? Chunky, smooth or natural? With jam or chocolate mixed in with it or perhaps marshmallow goo? The squirrel, bear or giant peanut-man variety? Ice cream parlours pride themselves in having so many flavours that you regularly second guess your choice and find yourself looking covetously at your friend's cone.

And not only do we live in a world of choice, but we live in a world where many choices are subjective and it doesn't matter what you choose. Chocolate, vanilla or cookie dough ice cream? It doesn't really matter. All are fine and acceptable (though friends might find you boring on the one hand or disgusting on the other if you go against their preferences).

Such subjectivism has carried over into the religious realm. A vast number of people in the Western world believe that all religions are equally valid. "We have no right to judge someone else's beliefs." "All paths lead to God." "All religions are true." My main point here is not to argue against such relativism or pluralism, although Steve Turner has some interesting thoughts for those who blindly assert wide-ranging commonality among all religions (as quoted in Ravi Zacharias, Can Man Live Without God (Dallas: Word, 1994), pp. 42-44 for whole poem):

          We believe that all religions are basically the same-
          at least the one that we read was.
          They all believe in love and goodness.
          They only differ on matters of creation,
          sin, heaven, hell, God, and salvation.
 
My desire here is to point out a powerful idea of Keller's that flows from the assertion that Christianity is unique and therefore different from other worldviews. All worldviews contain a potential danger. When we believe that we are right and others are wrong we often swell with pride and look down upon those who do not share our outlook. This leads to the belittlement and persecution of those holding other opinions. Keller explains: "Most religions and philosophies of life assume that one's spiritual status depends on your religious attainments. This naturally leads adherents to feel superior to those who don't believe and behave as they do." (p. 20). However, because Christianity is a religion of grace where we are saved not by our attainments but through faith, Christians have no right to look down upon others: "The Christian gospel, in any case, should not have that effect." (p. 20).

All worldviews (not merely religious ones, but atheistic ones as well, as the twentieth century has clearly demonstrated) have the potential of abusing those outside of their walls. Christians have mistreated many over the years, and these failures need to be addressed. However, when properly observed, Christianity leads the follower of Jesus to love and not abuse the non-believer. Two more quotes from Keller and then we will be finished: "It is common to say that "fundamentalism" leads to violence, yet as we have seen, all of us have fundamental, unprovable faith-commitments that we think are superior to those of others. The real question, then, is which fundamentals will lead their believers to be the most loving and receptive to those with whom they differ? Which set of unavoidably exclusive beliefs will lead us to humble, peace-loving behavior?" (p. 20) and "Why would such an exclusive belief system lead to behavior that was so open to others? It was because Christians had within their belief system the strongest possible resource for practicing sacrificial service, generosity, and peace-making. At the very heart of their view of reality was a man who died for his enemies, praying for their forgiveness. Reflection on this could only lead to a radically different way of dealing with those who were different from them. It meant they could not act in violence and oppression toward their opponents." (p. 21).

What type of a Christian am I? Do I reflect the love of Jesus towards those who are different from me? To those who hate me and what I stand for? What are some examples of my love in action?

But I say to you, Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, (Matthew 5:44)

The Reason for God by Timothy Keller - Introduction

For a number of years, one of my favourite books, both to read and to give away, has been The Reason for God. There are many who believe that apologetics (basically defending the truth claims of Christianity) has no place in the Christian church. "Preach the Gospel and allow the Holy Spirit to do the converting." While I believe that only God can change the human heart and bring about repentance and faith, I disagree with this no-use-for-it stance on apologetics. Christians and non-believers alike have significant questions related to issues of faith and worldview. Barriers must be deconstructed if faith is to be possible and vibrant. In The Reason for God, Keller tears down objections to faith and points to helpful clues of God's existence.

The introduction contains two apt proposals - one for Christians and one for skeptics. To the Christian he writes: "A faith without some doubts is like a human body without any antibodies in it. People who blithely go through life too busy or indifferent to ask hard questions about why they believe as they do will find themselves defenseless against either the experience of tragedy or the probing questions of a smart skeptic. A person's faith can collapse almost overnight if she has failed over the years to listen patiently to her own doubts, which should only be discarded after long reflection. Believers should acknowledge and wrestle with doubts--not only their own but their friends' and neighbors'." (p. xvii). As Christians, are we brave enough and secure enough to chew on what troubles us? To ask the difficult questions? To take them to Scripture, prayer, study, meditation and friends? Unless we do, we run the risk of having a shallow, easily shaken faith.  

There is a challenge for the skeptic as well: "But even as believers should learn to look for reasons behind their faith, skeptics must learn to look for a type of faith hidden within their reasoning. All doubts, however skeptical and cynical they may seem, are really a set of alternative beliefs. You cannot doubt Belief A except from a position of faith in Belief B. for example, if you doubt Christianity because 'There can't be just one true religion,' you must recognize that this statement is itself an act of faith. No one can prove it empirically, and it is not a universal truth that everyone accepts. If you went to the Middle East and said, 'There can't be just one true religion,' nearly everyone would say, 'Why not?' The reason you doubt Christianity's Belief A is because you hold unprovable Belief B. Every doubt, therefore, is based on a leap of faith." (p. xviii). If you have rejected Christianity, on what basis have you rejected it? Are you willing to submit your beliefs to the same standard of proof that you demand from Christian claims?

Us Versus Them

Us Versus Them

The Joyful Prayer Part 3 (Philippians 1:3-11)

Paul deems it wise to clarify what kind of love he wishes the Philippians to abound in. Listen to his words: “And this is my prayer: that your love may abound more and more in knowledge and depth of insight, so that you may be able to discern what is best”. Love needs guidance. It needs to be based on what is right. It needs the will of God as its guide. It needs Scripture as its base.

            Too often in our society we are confused with what love is. Some think that love is romantic desire. As long as you romantically desire someone you love them. But such longing is often pure selfishness. Some think that love is merely being nice to other people – but true love must often refrain from being nice in order to achieve a greater good, as in parental discipline. Many think that tolerance is equal to love – but often tolerance is the polar opposite of love – namely indifference. Our love, if it is to be a true and God-pleasing love, must be based on God’s will. We need God’s guidance to show us what love is and what we should drive towards in love. What is your guideline for love? Your own heart? It will deceive you. Society? It will lead you astray. You need the Word of God to guide your love.

            As a husband, I sometimes struggle with how I should show love to Karen. At times, I try to do it by buying her little things. In the past, one of the things that I have bought her is the big Cadbury Fruit and Nut chocolate bar (the dark chocolate version when I am feeling particularly nice). There are two problems that have emerged with this purchase. First of all, I love chocolate far more than Karen, and I have been known to open the chocolate bar before she has had the chance to eat it. She just lets it sit there and it proves to be too much of a temptation for me. The second problem is that she takes a very, very long time to finish a chocolate bar, so that I have been known to buy her a second bar before she has finished the first one. My intentions may have been good, but sometimes when I have bought her a chocolate bar it has been an unwise thing to do. Sometimes we make unwise decisions when we try to love others. God’s standard of right and wrong must guide our love. And in order for this to happen, we need to get His Word into our minds. We need God’s wisdom to know what love is, and we need His insight to know how to love.

            When we pray for God’s people who are dear to us, we need to be praying for their spiritual growth.

The Joyful Prayer Part 2 (Philippians 1:3-11)

First of all, Paul prays that their love would grow: “And this is my prayer: that your love may abound more and more . . .” Paul knows that love is central to the Christian life. He knows that without love all of our actions are useless. He is, guided by the Holy Spirit, the author of that great love passage in 1 Corinthians. Listen to his words: “If I speak in the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I am only a resounding gong or a clanging cymbal. If I have the gift of prophecy and can fathom all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have a faith that can move mountains, but have not love, I am nothing. If I give all I possess to the poor and surrender my body to the flames, but have not love, I gain nothing.” Love enables all spiritual gifts to be exercised properly.  

            If we are going to live a life which honours God, love is key. For the two greatest commandments, as expressed by Jesus, are love – we must love God and love our fellow human being. Listen to the Word of the Lord: “Hearing that Jesus had silenced the Sadducees, the Pharisees got together. One of them, an expert in the law, tested him with this question: ‘Teacher, which is the greatest commandment in the Law?’ Jesus replied: ‘“Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.” This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: “Love your neighbour as yourself.” All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments.’” Jesus was interested in building a community of love - a community that shone with the beauty of love.

            The movie The Mission is about the South American slave trade and the work of Jesuit missionaries on behalf of the natives who were in danger of being sold into slavery. As the movie draws to a close some of the missionaries choose to take up arms and fight against the Portuguese army, but the chief missionary, played by Jeremy Irons, is unwilling to fight. One of the other missionaries, played by Robert DeNiro, comes to Jeremy Irons and asks for his blessing. He is unwilling to give it, saying that if this other missionary is right to fight then he would have God’s blessing, but if he is wrong to fight then his blessing won’t mean anything. One particular phrase of Jeremy Irons stands out. He says “If might is right then love has no place in the world. It may be so, it may be so. But I don’t have the strength to live in a world like that.”

But my friends, I think that this line, as good as it sounds on first hearing, gets something backwards. It is much easier, I believe, to resort to fighting, anger and violence than it is to love with true, Christian, love. To love our enemy; to love when it will cost us dearly; to love when it means we will suffer for it. Do we have the strength to live in a world where we are called to love, even though there is so much hate, and so much indifference? We can gain this strength through prayer. If we are to make any progress in the school of Christ, if we are to grow as Christians, then we must grow in love.  

When we pray for people who are dear to us, we need to be praying for their spiritual growth.

The Joyful Prayer Part 1 (Philippians 1:3-11)

Once in a sermon, I remember hearing the story of a young boy that went something like this:

            Eight-year-old Jeremy very much wanted a bicycle. Now, Jeremy belonged to a Christian family, and so he decided that the best way to get a new bike was to ask God for one. The only problem was that he did not know how to pray, and so he looked to his parents for some advice.

            Jeremy’s father was from a very formal, Reformed Christian background and would often watch such preachers on the television in the evening. Before going to bed, Jeremy sat down beside his father’s arm chair and took in part of a sermon and a prayer by such a pastor. Then he retired to his room, knelt beside his bed and prayed: “Sovereign God, Creator of all that is. If it is your will that I should have a bicycle, please grant me said bicycle. And if it pleases you, may that bicycle be red and possess twenty-one speeds. And if you should ordain it, may the bicycle be found on the front porch tomorrow morning. Amen” He hopped into bed, confident that his prayer would be answered. But waking up early and rushing to the front door, he found no bicycle.

            He was a little saddened by the unanswered prayer, but quickly decided that he must have prayed wrongly and committed to learn to pray from his mother that day. She was from a charismatic background and would listen to Pentecostal preachers throughout the day on the radio. Jeremy spent several hours at the kitchen table with a pen and paper taking notes while these ministers spoke and prayed. At bedtime Jeremy ran to his room, paced back and forth with great intensity and shouted: “I CLAIM a bicycle! It WILL be red and have twenty-one speeds and it will most ASSUREDLY be on my front porch when I open the door tomorrow morning. AMEN.” But when he ran to the front door in the morning, no bicycle.

            Jeremy decided to take matters into his own hands. His grandmother had been a Roman Catholic in her younger years and had had a miniature statue of Mary that was now in storage in their attic. He spent the majority of his afternoon rummaging through the attic in an attempt to find this figurine and finally did just before dinner. He brought the statue down to the dinner table but would not tell his parents what he was doing with it. Curious, they both crept up to his door as he was going to bed and peaked in. They saw their son sitting on the edge of his bed, grasping the statue of Mary, and saying, “Jesus, if you ever want to see your mother again . . .”    

How should we pray? Or, more specifically, how should we pray for the people who mean a lot to us? Perhaps people in our family who we love most naturally. Or people at our church who are not only part of our family but who also work with us in ministry. Or people who have sacrificed of themselves so that we could benefit. 

            In Philippians, Paul is writing to a group of people who mean a great deal to him. Listen to his words: “God can testify how I long for all of you with the affection of Christ Jesus.” These were people who had not only come to faith but who had aided Paul as well. They were in his heart. How did Paul, the apostle of God, pray for these people who were dear to him? What did he want for them?

            What we are going to see, is that when we are praying for people who are dear to us, we need to be praying for their growth in spiritual matters. We need to keep their spiritual maturity in mind. This is not to say that we should not be praying for concerns of this world: jobs, finances, school, etc. But spiritual growth, Christian growth, needs to be our greatest concern.

            When we pray for people who are dear to us, we need to be praying for their spiritual growth.