Justice Served

“Do not be afraid of those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. Rather, be afraid of the One who can destroy both soul and body in hell.”

Matthew 10:28 

Hell’s stock has fallen off lately from lack of both public and Christian confidence. For most people, believing in a hellish afterlife is roughly equivalent to believing in a devilish elf with horns and pitchfork. Would a merciful God draw such a horrible place on the map? If so, it’s…well, hellish to think about. But think about it we must. 

For if hell does not exist, there is no justice in the world. Take, for example, Hitler. He was never brought to justice—according to what most believe, he committed suicide. Why should this butcherous tyrant responsible for the death of six million Jews get off with sipping some poison in a glass of wine in the comforting presence of his mistress? In no way was he punished in proportion to the pain he caused. If there is no hell, he and millions like him—murderers and other wicked people—are sleeping peacefully this moment after causing untold others excruciating pain. Only the existence of hell brings some semblance of sense to the misery of wars, rapes, and robberies. 

Hell ensures that all will be repaid in full. Hell guarantees that there is such a thing as restitution and recompense. Hell confirms that justice will be served. 

The reality of hell is sobering. Especially when you consider that “all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God” (Rom. 3:23). Not just the Hitlers of this world but all fall short. This is why suffering in this life is a hidden mercy. By tasting hell through our trials, we are driven to ponder what may face us in the next life. Trials become God’s roadblocks in our headlong rush toward hell’s grasp, forcing us to examine where we will spend eternity. 

As a result, the depressed young homemaker reaches for an answer. The cancer-ridden patient makes peace with his Creator. The ladder-climbing executive slips and falls into the arms of God. Can you say the same?

Thank you that my sufferings on earth are hell’s splash-over, warning me of its sobering reality. Thank you for waking me up out of my spiritual slumber, Lord. Use me to wake someone else up today!