28

What happens after death to those not united to Christ by faith?
At the day of judgment they will receive the fearful but just sentence of condemnation pronounced against them. They will be cast out from the favorable presence of God, into hell, to be justly and grievously punished, forever. (John 3:16-18 & 36) (from here)

Lord Jesus, I want to tell you that I hate hell. I want to make you understand how deeply it troubles me. But you don't like it any more than I do.

I want to somehow convince you that it's unnecessary or unjust or could be avoided, that ridding us of it would be better for your image or make you a better God. I speak as if you were untroubled by its existence; as if you had not shown yourself to be perfectly good and loving; as if you were so cruel or uncaring as to allow it when other, better options were at hand. You are not that god.

I should rather believe you. That hell is real and eternal and terrible. That it is just - because it is what people want, and because it is what we deserve. That in its justice it is loving and dignifying - because it shows that what we do with our lives matters, and that the evil we do to others and they to us does not go unnoticed.

I cannot say why evil stepped into this world, why an angel became the proud, murderous, lying, crafty Accuser. It is better that I cannot say, for I would not wish there to be a reason. Yet still I cannot understand why you would have it so. But I see that it is bad and I see that there needs to be justice and I - mostly - believe you when you say that hell is just.

Father, as always, in the things I do not - and cannot - understand, and in the times when I rock on the edge of accusing you (following my former master), I come back to the cross. There I see that you suffered hell so that we might not have to. There I see that in your justice you were all love. There I see every person invited and beseeched to throw themselves upon your mercy.

Lord, teach me how to talk about this with my friends. Stir my heart to pray for them. Give me at once a dreadful urgency and a sure trust and joy in you. Make me more like your beloved Son.