Does God Predestine People to Hell?

Does God predestine certain people to go to hell? Were certain people created just so that they can be punished by God in hell?
There are some people who believe that God creates various people whose purpose and fate is to be sent to hell.
However, what does the Bible really teach about God’s nature and the issue of predestination?

2 Peter 3:9 says the following: “The Lord is not slow to fulfill His promise as some count slowness, but is patient toward you, not wishing that any should perish, but that all should reach repentance”

We therefore learn from 2 Peter 3:9 that God does not wish for anybody to perish. We also learn that God desires for all people to repent.
Therefore based on this scripture alone, it is clear that God does not predestine people to go to hell. Therefore, God has not created anybody with the specific intention or purpose of ensuring that such a person goes to hell.

The reason people go to hell is based upon their own freewill or personal choice to reject God and to reject Jesus Christ as Lord and Saviour.
Romans 1:21 says “For although they knew God, they did not honor Him as God or give thanks to Him, but they became futile in their thinking, and their foolish hearts were darkened”

Freewill relates to mankind’s ability to make his own choice and decisions. God created man with a mind and therefore man has the ability to choose between right and wrong or between good and evil.
Therefore every person has the freewill to both choose God and follow Him – or to reject Him.
God does not force anyone to become a Christian but He allows us to make a choice.

In the Garden of Eden, Adam and Eve were given a choice to obey God by not eating the forbidden fruit but instead they made the choice to listen to the devil (Genesis 3:1-24).
Therefore one of the unique aspects of mankind which differentiates us from animals, is our ability to have freewill. It’s also important to note that God does not violate our freewill. He does not force us to love Him; He does not force us to follow Him; God does not force us to do anything.
Deuteronomy 30:19 God says that he sets before us life and death, blessing and cursing but He urges us to use our freewill and choose life.

However, the fact that God does not force us or violate our freewill – this does not release us from the consequences of making bad decisions or evil choices.
For example, when a person is presented with the gospel of Jesus Christ but yet refuses to become a born again Christian, then that particular person will go to hell because he/she has rejected Christ.
1 John 5:12 says “Whoever has the Son has life; whoever does not have the Son of God does not have life”

Every cause has an effect. It is a natural and spiritual part of life that there are consequences or effects that coincide with the choices or decisions we make.
The consequence of Adam and Eve’s decision to disobey God was that sin affected all of mankind.
Romans 5:12 says “Therefore, just as sin came into the world through one man, and death through sin, and so death spread to all men because all sinned”

Man is therefore accountable for the choices he makes. Man cannot hold anybody else accountable for his own mistakes or choices done by his own freewill. Even in Genesis 3:1-24, God held Adam, Eve and the serpent accountable for their own freewill actions in the Garden of Eden.

John 3:9 says “And this is the judgment: the light has come into the world, and people loved the darkness rather than the light because their works were evil”.

Therefore, when people go to hell – it is not because God predestined that they should go to hell, but it is because people made freewill choices that sent them to hell.
Therefore hell is a choice because there are people who love darkness instead of the light; there are people who love the pleasures of sin rather than good; there are people who follow wickedness rather than righteousness.

God knows in advance who will go to hell and who will go to heaven because God is by nature omniscient or all-knowing. However this does not mean that He predestines anyone to go to hell.
In fact, just as we read in 2 Peter 3:9, God desires that all people should repent. Unfortunately this is not possible because there are people who exercise their freewill to reject God and the gospel of Christ.

We were created to have fellowship with God. We were created for the purpose of glorifying God. God never intended for anyone to go to hell.
In fact, hell was originally created for the devil and the fallen angels (Matthew 25:41).
However, due to sin and also the purposeful and freewill rejection of Jesus Christ, those who do not become born again will also encounter the same fate as the devil and the fallen angels.

DO YOU WANT TO BE A CHRISTIAN or A FOLLOWER OF JESUS CHRIST???

1. ACKNOWLEDGE: “For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God” (Romans 3:23).
This means that we have all broken God’s laws and God’s 10 Commandments like those mentioned in Exodus 20:1-17. For example, if you have told a lie; if you have stolen something; if you have lusted after somebody or if you have coveted. This means you are guilty of breaking at least one or more of God’s 10 Commandments. Breaking God’s commandments makes us sinners. The fact that we are sinners who have broken God’s law means that we are accountable to God who is the Lawgiver. Romans 6:23 says that “the wages of sin is death BUT the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord”
You must acknowledge that you are a sinner who has broken God’s commandments and that you therefore need Jesus in your life.

2. REPENT: “Unless you repent you will all likewise perish” (Luke 13:3), “Repent therefore and be converted that your sins may be blotted out” (Acts 3:19)
Repenting means: to change your mind; a sincere turning away, in heart, mind and action;
Therefore God wants you to repent of sinful values and of sinful living. God wants you to decide to
follow Him and to make Jesus the Lord of your life.

3. CONFESSION: “If we confess our sins. He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness” (1 John 1:9). “That if you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved” (Romans 10:9)
God is a forgiving God. God will forgive any sin that you have done because Jesus died for ALL your sins and to set you free from the bondage of all types of sin in your life.

4. BELIEVE: “For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life” (John 3:16).
You must believe that ONLY Jesus can save you and restore your relationship with God. You must believe that Jesus is the ONLY way by which you can have everlasting life and escape from eternal separation from God. You must believe that Jesus died on the cross for you and resurrected from the grave.
“He came to His own, and His own did not receive him, But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, even to those who believe in His name” (John 1:11-12)
By faith, You must receive Jesus as Your Lord & Savior and therefore; you become a child of God; you become born again; you become a Christian; you restore your broken relationship with God

Why Not Make Your Eternal Decision NOW?

We become born again Christians by GRACE through FAITH or TOTAL TRUST in Jesus Christ as our Lord & Savior (Galatians 3:26) & (Ephesians 2:8,9). Salvation is a FREE gift received through FAITH in Christ.

PLEASE NOTE: You can choose to pray in your own words. This prayer is a sample prayer and it is only an EXPRESSION of your faith, belief & trust in Jesus. Salvation is by GRACE through FAITH or BELIEVING in Christ Jesus as your Lord & Saviour.

“Lord Jesus, I thank You for Your love. I thank You that You died on the cross for me and resurrected so that I may have life through You.
I confess Lord that I have sinned against You and today I ask You to forgive me of all of my sins, past present and future.
Today I repent and have decided to follow you. Thank you for forgiving all my sins.
From this moment, come into my life Lord Jesus & take full control of my life. I want to follow You Jesus and I want to follow Your ways. Save me and from today, make me the person You want me to be.
I receive You Lord Jesus right now by faith. I trust You as my Lord and Savior – Amen”

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