Why Did God Make Hell?

When God made the earth and the entire universe, He had not yet prepared hell. Hell was prepared or “made ready” for Satan after he had sinned and was cast out of heaven. Hell was not “created,” it was “prepared” as Matt. 25:41 states. In the six days of Creation hell didn’t exist when all of Creation was completed (Gen. 2:1). God said it was “very good” (Gen.1:31). The reason hell is so terrible is because God’s attributes and His goodness are absent. James 1:17 states, “Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above.” There is no such thing as good apart from God. We get to enjoy God’s goodness here on the earth, even if we don’t acknowledge Him. Psalms 33:5 says, “the earth is full of the goodness of the Lord.” If we deny Him, we don’t get to enjoy His goodness after this life. We will go to a place apart from Him because He will not dwell with sin.

Heaven is a perfect place, and we are not perfect. Why should God allow us in to His perfect place? (Rev. 21:27). We would corrupt it just as we have the earth. He has to give us a new heart and a new spirit that are compatible with His. This doesn’t come through good works but through a relationship with Him (Eph. 2:8,9). Jesus said in John 14:6, “I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.” We must receive Him as our Lord and Savior (Romans 10:9-10) and then ask for forgiveness for our sins (Luke 13:3). He will forgive us because He loves us. He suffered and died a horrific death on the cross to keep us out of hell. He has come to give us a more abundant life and an opportunity to live with Him forever in heaven.

Jesus rose from the dead as He said He would. You can choose to believe Him or reject His words, but there are eternal consequences for your decision. Revelation 21:8 states, “all unbelievers shall have their part in the lake of fire.” If you say, “I just don’t believe that He is the only way,” then your own words will condemn you (Matt 12:37).

The decision to receive Him as your Lord and Savior is up to you. It’s not His decision. He made a way for us to stay out of hell and go to heaven. There is no middle ground. A non-decision is a decision to reject Him.

Will you believe His words or won’t you? What will you decide?