Does God Really Send People to Hell?
George Kommattam - July 2025
The question of hell often leaves us puzzled. If God is love, why would He allow anyone to go to hell? This question challenges how we understand God’s justice and mercy. In the Catholic faith, hell is not a punishment from God, but the result of our own choices.
Hell, according to the Church, is not something God imposes. It is a state we create with our actions and attitudes in life. As St. John Paul II said, "It’s not a punishment imposed externally by God, but the condition resulting from attitudes and actions which people adopt in this life." Hell is a separation from God, the source of life and joy. Though God wants everyone to be saved, we have the free will to accept or reject His love.
C.S. Lewis offers a helpful thought: "The doors to hell are locked from the inside." This means hell is a place where people, by their own choices, separate themselves from God. It is not a place God sends anyone, but a result of turning away from His grace.
The Parable of the Prodigal Son (Luke 15:11-32) shows us God’s mercy. The father in the story welcomes the son back with open arms, but the son must choose to return. God is always ready to forgive, but we must choose to accept His love.
As St. John Paul II said, "Eternal damnation is not God's work, but it’s actually our own doing." Hell is not God's punishment; it is the result of rejecting Him. God’s love is always there, but we are free to accept or turn away from it.
In the end, God’s love is constant. He offers mercy to all, but He respects our freedom. Our choices, shaped by our actions, determine our eternal destiny.
God’s arms are always open to those who seek His forgiveness. His love never fails, no matter the choices we make.
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