Expert: Dr. Ronald E. Shultz - 5/24/2008

Question
Hey, Im 17 years old and I've been a Christian for four years. I have many many questions about the bible, ones that i feel even my pastors don't give full responses to. I ask God for the answers, and i have not yet gotten a full response. As I grow and mature I realize that I have been ignoring these questions, because they make me feel uncomfortable when I think about them. The questions I have are by no means trying to disprove the Christian faith, but they are my attempt to know why I believe what I believe. I hope to gain wisdom and I am open to the fact that my logic may be flawed. But anyway, ill just choose one question to start out with.

When a human is born, they are born into a sinful nature. Sinning is what comes natural to us, we cant help it. The bible says that there is punishment for sin, hell. My question is how can we deserve punishment in hell for doing what comes natural to us. We deserve punishment in hell for being born into a sinful being, something that we did not decide to do.

Answer
Hi, Michael!  I don't know all the questions you have been asking but there are some that a full response can't be given because God has not given us all the information.  Heaven is going to be great but because of our infirmity of the flesh He can't describe it for us and some parts He wants us to wait to get there. John in Revelation was told not to write certain things. Therefore there may be some questions you just have to trust God for the complete answer.  That is called faith.

Hell is one of those questions.  I know that God is righteous and there may be some things we just can't see or figure out until we get there.  We are born with a sin nature which gives us the ability to sin but we are also given a free will to say no to sin.

Way back when you were small and Mom told you not to get into the cookies and you did anyway you sinned.  The first time you understood right from wrong and chose to do wrong you became accountable and thus deserving of Hell.  What the particular sin it was did not matter.  One sin lost Paradise and brought death into the world.

In their innocence did Adam and Eve do some things that would have been called sin?  No, because God only gave them one command.  Once they disobeyed Him in that one thing they were sinners and banned from Eden and condemned to die. Prior to a person understanding the commands of God or parents they are innocent and if they were to die they would go to Heaven though they had a sin nature.  

What we see is that God hates sin.  That is why as Christians we should hate it as well and through His power seek to obey in all things.  

If God were to ask me what one doctrine would I like Him to change it would be Hell. I rather prefer the burn up like a piece of paper concept that some groups teach or we are never awakened out of death as others teach.  However, I don't see the whole picture and God always does the right thing so there is a reason why Hell is eternal for humans as well as fallen angels.  

Some say that it is because God can't vaporize us or otherwise totally destroy us.  I can't buy that.  God is omnipotent.  There is a reason and it is just and when we get there we will be awed by the wisdom and justice in His decision.  Until then, we trust Him or have faith in Him as a faithful Creator.    

Keep asking questions and studying but don't despair if you can't get some information.  Trust God for it.  Hey, if you can trust Him for your salvation the rest should be easy.

Blessings to you as you seek His will in His Word!