Does God love those He burns in Hell "Forever and Ever"?

[Scott Downey]

God Hates Wicked People

Over the past few weeks I have been exploring what God hates. I have done this by looking to the Bible to search for those things God flat-out says he hates or things that he describes as “despicab…

www.challies.com

Search me, O God, and know my heart;
Try me, and know my anxieties;

And see if there is any wicked way in me,
And lead me in the way everlasting.

Psalm 139, The perfect knowledge and loving care of God towards His people and perfect hatred of the wicked.

However, it is God's vengeance to execute wrath and not our' own. His to do according to His will as God is the righteous judge of all the earth. God always does what is right.

1 O Lord, You have searched me and known me.
2 You know my sitting down and my rising up;
You understand my thought afar off.
3 You [a]comprehend my path and my lying down,
And are acquainted with all my ways.
4 For there is not a word on my tongue,
But behold, O Lord, You know it altogether.
5 You have [b]hedged me behind and before,
And laid Your hand upon me.
6 Such knowledge is too wonderful for me;
It is high, I cannot attain it.
7 Where can I go from Your Spirit?
Or where can I flee from Your presence?
8 If I ascend into heaven, You are there;
If I make my bed in [c]hell, behold, You are there.
9 If I take the wings of the morning,
And dwell in the uttermost parts of the sea,
10 Even there Your hand shall lead me,
And Your right hand shall hold me.
11 If I say, “Surely the darkness shall [d]fall on me,”
Even the night shall be light about me;
12 Indeed, the darkness [e]shall not hide from You,
But the night shines as the day;
The darkness and the light are both alike to You.
13 For You formed my inward parts;
You [f]covered me in my mother’s womb.
14 I will praise You, for [g]I am fearfully and wonderfully made;
Marvelous are Your works,
And that my soul knows very well.
15 My [h]frame was not hidden from You,
When I was made in secret,
And skillfully wrought in the lowest parts of the earth.
16 Your eyes saw my substance, being yet unformed.
And in Your book they all were written,
The days fashioned for me,
When as yet there were none of them.
17 How precious also are Your thoughts to me, O God!
How great is the sum of them!
18 If I should count them, they would be more in number than the sand;
When I awake, I am still with You.


19 Oh, that You would slay the wicked, O God!
Depart from me, therefore, you [i]bloodthirsty men.

20 For they speak against You wickedly;
[j]Your enemies take Your name in vain.

21 Do I not hate them, O Lord, who hate You?
And do I not loathe those who rise up against You?

22 I hate them with [k]perfect hatred;
I count them my enemies.

23 Search me, O God, and know my heart;
Try me, and know my anxieties;

24 And see if there is any wicked way in me,
And lead me in the way everlasting.

 

[Dan Clarkston]

God Hates Wicked People

And yet.... Christians are called to reach out to these people with the Love of God. Weird!

 

[Scott Downey]

And yet.... Christians are called to reach out to these people with the Love of God. Weird!

Hear is the love of God in action we are to show those who do not believe, God sends in His people to do the work of the harvest, to be His witnesses to the truth of God for them.

This is what Christ says. We can do nothing more as salvation is of the LORD, we can only testify to the truth, neither add to the scripture or take away.

And then the recompense if they refuse what you say in v10-12


Luke 10

1 After these things the Lord appointed [a]seventy others also, and sent them two by two before His face into every city and place where He Himself was about to go.

2 Then He said to them, “The harvest truly is great, but the laborers are few; therefore pray the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into His harvest.

3 Go your way; behold, I send you out as lambs among wolves.

4 Carry neither money bag, knapsack, nor sandals; and greet no one along the road. 5 But whatever house you enter, first say, ‘Peace to this house.’ 6 And if a son of peace is there, your peace will rest on it; if not, it will return to you. 7 And remain in the same house, eating and drinking such things as they give, for the laborer is worthy of his wages. Do not go from house to house. 8 Whatever city you enter, and they receive you, eat such things as are set before you. 9 And heal the sick there, and say to them, ‘The kingdom of God has come near to you.’

10 But whatever city you enter, and they do not receive you, go out into its streets and say,

11 ‘The very dust of your city which clings to [b]us we wipe off against you. Nevertheless know this, that the kingdom of God has come near you.’

12 [c]But I say to you that it will be more tolerable in that Day for Sodom than for that city.

 

[Jack]

Jude 1:22-23 And on some have compassion, making a distinction;
23 but others save with fear, pulling them out of the fire,

 

[Scott Downey]

Psalm 78, God chooses whom He will love, the others are His enemies whom He destroys.
Hebrews 7:14

For it is evident that our Lord arose from Judah, of which tribe Moses spoke nothing concerning priesthood.


65 Then the Lord awoke as from sleep,
Like a mighty man who shouts because of wine.
66 And He beat back His enemies;
He put them to a perpetual reproach.
67 Moreover He rejected the tent of Joseph,
And did not choose the tribe of Ephraim,


68 But chose the tribe of Judah,
Mount Zion which He loved.
69 And He built His sanctuary like the heights,
Like the earth which He has established forever.
70 He also chose David His servant,
And took him from the sheepfolds;
71 From following the ewes that had young He brought him,
To shepherd Jacob His people,
And Israel His inheritance.
72 So he shepherded them according to the integrity of his heart,
And guided them by the skillfulness of his hands.

 

[Scott Downey]

Romans 9
14 What shall we say then? Is there unrighteousness with God? Certainly not!

15 For He says to Moses, “I will have mercy on whomever I will have mercy, and I will have compassion on whomever I will have compassion.”

16 So then it is not of him who wills, nor of him who runs, but of God who shows mercy.

17 For the Scripture says to the Pharaoh, “For this very purpose I have raised you up, that I may show My power in you, and that My name may be declared in all the earth.”

18 Therefore He has mercy on whom He wills, and whom He wills He hardens.

***********************************************************************
Exodus 33

14 And He said, “My Presence will go with you, and I will give you rest.”

15 Then he said to Him, “If Your Presence does not go with us, do not bring us up from here. 16 For how then will it be known that Your people and I have found grace in Your sight, except You go with us? So we shall be separate, Your people and I, from all the people who are upon the face of the earth.”

17 So the Lord said to Moses, “I will also do this thing that you have spoken; for you have found grace in My sight, and I know you by name.”

18 And he said, “Please, show me Your glory.”

19 Then He said, “I will make all My goodness pass before you, and I will proclaim the name of the Lord before you. I will be gracious to whom I will be gracious, and I will have compassion on whom I will have compassion.”

20 But He said, “You cannot see My face; for no man shall see Me, and live.”

 

[Dan Clarkston]

Jude 1:22-23 And on some have compassion, making a distinction;
23 but others save with fear, pulling them out of the fire,

Lots of folks need to hear some good old fashioned hell fire and brimstone preachin!

 

[Jack]

Lots of folks need to hear some good old fashioned hell fire and brimstone preachin! View attachment 59404

Amen!

 

[soberxp]

"Brothers, I deeply desire to share my answer with you, but I fear my perspective may differ from what either side expects.

God’s power is not about violently resolving issues—if it was, this world would likely hold no survivors.

I also recognize how the Old Testament may portray God as less than merciful. But doesn’t Scripture ask: ‘Can the potter not smash the clay to remake it? Who dares question what the Maker’s hands have formed?’ (Isaiah 45:9; Romans 9:20–21). Here lies a critical misunderstanding among Jews, Christians, and others: God is the God of the living (Matthew 22:32).
I am the God of Abraham, and the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob? God is not the God of the dead, but of the living.

Key Notes:
Divine Power vs. Violence

God’s restraint reflects His longsuffering nature (2 Peter 3:9), not weakness. Judgment is His "strange work" (Isaiah 28:21), reserved until grace is exhausted.
Isaiah 28:29
This also cometh forth from the LORD of hosts, which is wonderful in counsel, and excellent in working.

Old Testament Context

Warnings like Sodom’s destruction (Genesis 18:16–33) reveal God’s reluctance to judge. Abraham’s bargaining highlights divine patience.

Potter-Clay Metaphor

The analogy (Jeremiah 18:1–6) emphasizes God’s sovereign right to reshape nations—not arbitrary cruelty, but redemptive purpose.

"God of the Living"

Jesus’ rebuke (Matthew 22:32) reorients theology: God’s ultimate concern is restoration, not annihilation. Mercy triumphs over judgment (James 2:13).

This response challenges dualistic views of God, urging humility before His inscrutable wisdom (Romans 11:33–34)
11:33 O the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God! how unsearchable are his judgments, and his ways past finding out!
11:34 For who hath known the mind of the Lord? or who hath been his counsellor?

Romans
9:21 Hath not the potter power over the clay, of the same lump to make one vessel unto honour, and another unto dishonour?
9:22 What if God, willing to shew his wrath, and to make his power known, endured with much longsuffering the vessels of wrath fitted to destruction:

 

[Scott Downey]

Well God's people are not destroyed, but all the others are unless they are born again of God
A hardened pot is smashed into pieces never to be used profitably again, but until fire hardened the potter can simply turn soft clay into another vessel appropriate for his better uses.

All come from the same lump. God has made from one flesh all nations over the whole face of the earth.

From one lump, see there is nothing special or good about our flesh one from another. We were all destined for hell, except God had mercy on some to make a difference because of His great love for them. And why God loved some and not others is of His own will and purposes. We are not of His mind to know why. Who are we to reply back at God? God made a choice even before we were born, before time began, what God would do.

Romans 9
18 Therefore He has mercy on whom He wills, and whom He wills He hardens.

19 You will say to me then, “Why does He still find fault? For who has resisted His will?”

20 But indeed, O man, who are you to reply against God? Will the thing formed say to him who formed it, “Why have you made me like this?”

21 Does not the potter have power over the clay, from the same lump to make one vessel for honor and another for dishonor?

22 What if God, wanting to show His wrath and to make His power known, endured with much longsuffering the vessels of wrath prepared for destruction,

23 and that He might make known the riches of His glory on the vessels of mercy, which He had prepared beforehand for glory,

24 even us whom He called, not of the Jews only, but also of the Gentiles?

 

[Scott Downey]

2 Timothy 1

8 Therefore do not be ashamed of the testimony of our Lord, nor of me His prisoner, but share with me in the sufferings for the gospel according to the power of God,

9 who has saved us and called us with a holy calling, not according to our works, but according to His own purpose and grace which was given to us in Christ Jesus before time began,

10 but has now been revealed by the appearing of our Savior Jesus Christ, who has abolished death and brought life and immortality to light through the gospel, 11 to which I was appointed a preacher, an apostle, and a teacher [c]of the Gentiles.

12 For this reason I also suffer these things; nevertheless I am not ashamed, for I know whom I have believed and am persuaded that He is able to keep what I have committed to Him until that Day.

 

[Scott Downey]

For all saints faithful in Christ, the apostles wrote to the churches telling of God's favor and love for them alone from all the other people of the world.

Ephesians 1
Paul, an apostle of Jesus Christ by the will of God,

To the saints who are in Ephesus, and faithful in Christ Jesus:

2 Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.

Redemption in Christ​

3 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ,

4 just as He chose us in Him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before Him in love, 5 having predestined us to adoption as sons by Jesus Christ to Himself, according to the good pleasure of His will,

6 to the praise of the glory of His grace, by which He [a]made us accepted in the Beloved.

7 In Him we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of His grace 8 which He made to abound toward us in all wisdom and [b]prudence, 9 having made known to us the mystery of His will, according to His good pleasure which He purposed in Himself,

 

[Scott Downey]

We all know the kingdom of God continues to grow over time, until the end on the Last Day.
Christ continues to add to the church those who are being saved.
When the Last Day finally comes, which occurs at His appearing, the dead will be raised, and the judgement will occur.

And we will be in our final eternal state.

John 11:24
Martha said to Him, “I know that he will rise again in the resurrection at the last day.”

John 12:48
He who rejects Me, and does not receive My words, has that which judges him— the word that I have spoken will judge him in the last day.

John 6:39
This is the will of the Father who sent Me, that of all He has given Me I should lose nothing, but should raise it up at the last day.

John 6:40
And this is the will of Him who sent Me, that everyone who sees the Son and believes in Him may have everlasting life; and I will raise him up at the last day.”

John 6:44
No one can come to Me unless the Father who sent Me draws him; and I will raise him up at the last day.

****************************************************

47 Most assuredly, I say to you, he who believes [j]in Me has everlasting life. 48 I am the bread of life. 49 Your fathers ate the manna in the wilderness, and are dead. 50 This is the bread which comes down from heaven, that one may eat of it and not die. 51 I am the living bread which came down from heaven. If anyone eats of this bread, he will live forever; and the bread that I shall give is My flesh, which I shall give for the life of the world.”

52 The Jews therefore quarreled among themselves, saying, “How can this Man give us His flesh to eat?”

53 Then Jesus said to them, “Most assuredly, I say to you, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink His blood, you have no life in you. 54 Whoever eats My flesh and drinks My blood has eternal life, and I will raise him up at the last day. 55 For My flesh is [k]food indeed, and My blood is [l]drink indeed. 56 He who eats My flesh and drinks My blood abides in Me, and I in him. 57 As the living Father sent Me, and I live because of the Father, so he who feeds on Me will live because of Me. 58 This is the bread which came down from heaven—not as your fathers ate the manna, and are dead. He who eats this bread will live forever.”

Well, the Jews being naturally minded and nor spiritually minded have no life and peace!
And could not understand the things Christ said.

****************************************************************************************************
3 For what the law could not do in that it was weak through the flesh, God did by sending His own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh, on account of sin: He condemned sin in the flesh, 4 that the righteous requirement of the law might be fulfilled in us who do not walk according to the flesh but according to the Spirit. 5 For those who live according to the flesh set their minds on the things of the flesh, but those who live according to the Spirit, the things of the Spirit.

6 For to be [b]carnally minded is death, but to be spiritually minded is life and peace. 7 Because the [c]carnal mind is enmity against God; for it is not subject to the law of God, nor indeed can be. 8 So then, those who are in the flesh cannot please God.

9 But you are not in the flesh but in the Spirit, if indeed the Spirit of God dwells in you. Now if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, he is not His. 10 And if Christ is in you, the body is dead because of sin, but the Spirit is life because of righteousness. 11 But if the Spirit of Him who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you, He who raised Christ from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies [d]through His Spirit who dwells in you.

 

[One 2 question]

You're playing word games! Jesus clearly warned us of "Hell fire", "the everlasting fire", "the furnace of fire", "the lake of fire".

How is a spirit, demon, angel set alight with physical fire? What of them is physical that can be burnt?

 

[Jack]

How is a spirit, demon, angel set alight with physical fire? What of them is physical that can be burnt?

So you're attacking the perfectly clear Bible doctrine of eternity in fire? Belief in Hell is not required for eternal residency therein.

 

[One 2 question]

So you're attacking the perfectly clear Bible doctrine of eternity in fire? Belief in Hell is not required for eternal residency therein.

I'm not intentionally attacking anything. This came to me a couple of years ago. I thought I'd share it as it was relevant to the discussion.

 

[Jack]

I'm not intentionally attacking anything. This came to me a couple of years ago. I thought I'd share it as it was relevant to the discussion.

So, you do or you don't believe in humans burning in fire FOREVER?

 

[One 2 question]

Revelation 20:10 The devil, who deceived them, was cast into the lake of fire and brimstone where the beast and the false prophet are. And they will be tormented day and night forever and ever.

I can say that, the context of this statement of truth is fantastic, highlighting the love of God like nothing else I've come to see to date.

 

[Jack]

I can say that, the context of this statement of truth is fantastic, highlighting the love of God like nothing else I've come to see to date.

So God loves those He burns in fire FOREVER?

 

[One 2 question]

So, you do or you don't believe in humans burning in fire FOREVER?

I can't speak for anyone else, but I deserve to experience my Creators judgement. He has prepared a type of holding place for offenders, whether it's the same holding place where Satan spends 1000 years or not, that's God's choice.

I definitely deserve to spend eternity in the 'lake of fire'. And there I will be for eternity.