God's Goodness

11/24/18            Conner  (click here for video)

I was shopping at a Walmart and thought I would see if I could initiate a Gospel outreach conversation with a fellow shopper.  After he agreed, I asked Conner, mid-20’s, what he believes about life after death and found out that he believed everyone goes to heaven.

Now I don’t enjoy talking about or arguing for the existence of hell and would rather talk about easier topics such as God’s goodness, so that’s what I did.

“God is good, so He loving and kind.  But because He is good He also loves justice” I said to Conner. 

I went on to explain God’s perfect justice requires a just punishment for sin, while His perfect mercy requires forgiveness.  How does God perfectly express both these attributes that seemingly contradict each other? 

At the cross.

Romans 3 tells us “God presented Christ as a sacrifice of atonement, through the shedding of his blood—to be received by faith…so as to be just and the one who justifies those who have faith in Jesus.”

Jesus spoke of the reality of hell and the punishment for sin more often and in greater detail than He talked about heaven, yet His kindness and compassion stands out as His most memorable attribute.  Why?  Well, maybe because we have “selective memory” when it comes to reading the Bible – we remember what appeals to us – but also because at the cross He makes the greatest sacrifice to ensure we don’t have to go there.

Most people I talk to who believe in the reality of heaven also seem to instinctively know there must also be a hell as well – after all, where would Satan be punished along with all who continue in his path of rebellion and evil?  But for those like Conner who only believe in Heaven, I emphasize that it is God’s goodness and love for justice that has led to the existence of hell, and it is His same goodness and love for both justice and mercy that led Jesus to the cross and the possibility of salvation for all who receive Him by faith.

As I explained this Conner could see that if there is no hell then God would not be just and there would be no need for the great love and forgiveness shown at the cross of Christ.  He was reminded that this is what his grandmother believes and his soft heart toward these truths makes me believe she has been praying for him.  I believe He received it at an intellectual level, but let’s pray it leads Him to repentance and faith in Jesus for salvation. 

Thanks Conner, for allowing me to record our conversation.  It gives me the hope that others might also hear the Gospel and be inspired to share it!  It can be seen HERE