In this section of our site, we do our best to try to answer some basic questions about God's Fatherhood of the human race and God's Fatherheart for every person in the world. Please keep in mind though, we are not theologians but just God's kids trying to grapple with the bigness of God's love ourselves.
We are in no way saying that our answers are the correct ones, but it is our hope that they can be conversation starters and hopefully they will fan into flame your own desire to search these things out in the Bible yourself. All we are trying to do is to create a biblical framework for this amazing reality!
We are in no way saying that our answers are the correct ones, but it is our hope that they can be conversation starters and hopefully they will fan into flame your own desire to search these things out in the Bible yourself. All we are trying to do is to create a biblical framework for this amazing reality!
Did God father the human race?
The simple answer is a resounding... YES! In the first book of the Bible, we read the creation story in Genesis 1-2 where on the sixth day, God created man and woman in His own image (Genesis 1:26-28) with the intention that the human race would be an extension of His family. Luke 3:38 says that Adam was God's son, so Eve would have been God's daughter too.
Though ultimately Adam and Eve's heart changed towards God, the Bible says that God never changes (Malachi 3:6) so God's Fatherheart towards them would have continued even after they left the garden. Throughout the Old Testament, we see golden threads of God's Fatherheart for humanity in the way He continually pursued a relationship with us.
In Psalm 139, King David writes about God's intimate involvement in our creation process of every human being and Isaiah declares God's continual fathering of the human race when he writes in Isaiah 64:8... Yet you, Lord, are our Father. We are the clay, you are the potter; we are all the work of your hand. NIV
Not only did God partner with our parents in our creation, but He has always hoped that one day, we would call Him 'Father'. We read this longing in God's heart towards Israel in Jeremiah 3:19... “I myself said, “‘How gladly would I treat you like my children and give you a pleasant land, the most beautiful inheritance of any nation.’ I thought you would call me ‘Father’ and not turn away from following me. NIV
And of course the New Testament name of God that Jesus revealed was the name 'Father' which He taught us to call God... even before the New Covenant began! And if there was still any doubt to God's fathering involvement in all creation, the Apostle Paul clearly declares it in 1 Corinthians 8:6... yet for us there is but one God, the Father, from whom all things came and for whom we live; and there is but one Lord, Jesus Christ, through whom all things came and through whom we live. NIV
To read more about this topic, read our reflection called... God's Fatherheart For The World.
Though ultimately Adam and Eve's heart changed towards God, the Bible says that God never changes (Malachi 3:6) so God's Fatherheart towards them would have continued even after they left the garden. Throughout the Old Testament, we see golden threads of God's Fatherheart for humanity in the way He continually pursued a relationship with us.
In Psalm 139, King David writes about God's intimate involvement in our creation process of every human being and Isaiah declares God's continual fathering of the human race when he writes in Isaiah 64:8... Yet you, Lord, are our Father. We are the clay, you are the potter; we are all the work of your hand. NIV
Not only did God partner with our parents in our creation, but He has always hoped that one day, we would call Him 'Father'. We read this longing in God's heart towards Israel in Jeremiah 3:19... “I myself said, “‘How gladly would I treat you like my children and give you a pleasant land, the most beautiful inheritance of any nation.’ I thought you would call me ‘Father’ and not turn away from following me. NIV
And of course the New Testament name of God that Jesus revealed was the name 'Father' which He taught us to call God... even before the New Covenant began! And if there was still any doubt to God's fathering involvement in all creation, the Apostle Paul clearly declares it in 1 Corinthians 8:6... yet for us there is but one God, the Father, from whom all things came and for whom we live; and there is but one Lord, Jesus Christ, through whom all things came and through whom we live. NIV
To read more about this topic, read our reflection called... God's Fatherheart For The World.
What's the difference between being God's offspring and His heirs?
One of the biggest misunderstandings of God's Fatherhood of the human race comes from not discerning the difference between being God's offspring through creation and His children and heirs through redemption.
In Acts 17:22-34, we read of an account when the Apostle Paul preaches to a group of pagan philosophers on Mars Hill and affirms God's fathering connection to the human race when he quotes one of their own poets that says... 'We are his offspring'. Of course Paul goes on to call these same people to repent of their pagan ways but it is the idea that all of humanity is God's offspring that can cause confusion in how we see God relates to us as Father.
The Greek word for offspring is 'genos' which means born, country(-man), diversity, generation, kind(-red), nation, offspring, stock. It is a word that can describe things that have a similarity (kind) and it can describe someone who is generationally linked to another person. It is more of a technical description of a relationship rather than a family father/child heart connection.
But it is interesting that there is a different word used to describe those who have been born again. John 1:11-13 says... 11 He came to that which was his own, but his own did not receive him. 12 Yet to all who did receive him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children (teknon) of God-- 13 children (teknon) born not of natural descent, nor of human decision or a husband’s will, but born of God. NIV
The Greek word that John describes here for the word 'children' is the word 'teknon' which means a child (as produced): — child, daughter, son. It also describes an intimate and reciprocal relationship formed by the bonds of love. This word is used most often, especially in the writings of the Apostle John to describe our familial relationship to God as His children.
The reality is that God has always been Father because that is who He is. And in His fathering love, He created all things (1 Corinthians 8:6) including every person in the human race. And in that sense, we all came from God, we were all fathered by God and He loves each and every one of us equally with His Fatherheart.
But the gospel that Jesus came to bring us into is one where we can be transformed in our relationship with God through the simple act of faith. By believing and receiving God's free gift of salvation in Christ, we go from being an offspring (genos) of God, to being born anew to be a child of God (teknon, huios) by the power of the Holy Spirit as described in Romans 8:15-17.
If you would like to read more about this answer, read our reflection titled... From Offspring To Heir.
In Acts 17:22-34, we read of an account when the Apostle Paul preaches to a group of pagan philosophers on Mars Hill and affirms God's fathering connection to the human race when he quotes one of their own poets that says... 'We are his offspring'. Of course Paul goes on to call these same people to repent of their pagan ways but it is the idea that all of humanity is God's offspring that can cause confusion in how we see God relates to us as Father.
The Greek word for offspring is 'genos' which means born, country(-man), diversity, generation, kind(-red), nation, offspring, stock. It is a word that can describe things that have a similarity (kind) and it can describe someone who is generationally linked to another person. It is more of a technical description of a relationship rather than a family father/child heart connection.
But it is interesting that there is a different word used to describe those who have been born again. John 1:11-13 says... 11 He came to that which was his own, but his own did not receive him. 12 Yet to all who did receive him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children (teknon) of God-- 13 children (teknon) born not of natural descent, nor of human decision or a husband’s will, but born of God. NIV
The Greek word that John describes here for the word 'children' is the word 'teknon' which means a child (as produced): — child, daughter, son. It also describes an intimate and reciprocal relationship formed by the bonds of love. This word is used most often, especially in the writings of the Apostle John to describe our familial relationship to God as His children.
The reality is that God has always been Father because that is who He is. And in His fathering love, He created all things (1 Corinthians 8:6) including every person in the human race. And in that sense, we all came from God, we were all fathered by God and He loves each and every one of us equally with His Fatherheart.
But the gospel that Jesus came to bring us into is one where we can be transformed in our relationship with God through the simple act of faith. By believing and receiving God's free gift of salvation in Christ, we go from being an offspring (genos) of God, to being born anew to be a child of God (teknon, huios) by the power of the Holy Spirit as described in Romans 8:15-17.
If you would like to read more about this answer, read our reflection titled... From Offspring To Heir.
What is The Trinity?
If we understand the character and nature of who God is, we will see there are three manifestations of God's Person in the Bible... Father, Son and Holy Spirit (Genesis 1:26; Matthew 3:16-17; Matthew 28:19; Ephesians 2:18). This is a mystery that is beyond our ability to adequately explain, but there is such unity in the community of love which we call 'The Trinity', that though each Person in the Godhead is fully unique in their expression, they are at the same time, completely one in heart.
Yet the Father is not the Son, and neither is the Son the Father, and the Holy Spirit is neither Father nor Son, but at the same time, The Spirit reveals the character and nature of both Father (Matthew 10:20) and Son (Galatians 4:6-7).
Think of it this way. The Father draws us to Jesus (John 6:44-45) by the outpouring of the Holy Spirit (Acts 2) and then Jesus brings us back to the Father (John 14:6) by the indwelling Holy Spirit (Romans 8:15-17). It is in the very center of this community of eternal love that we find ourselves in our union with Jesus Christ (John 17:20-23).
To find out more about this topic, read our reflection entitled... The Triune Heart of God.
Yet the Father is not the Son, and neither is the Son the Father, and the Holy Spirit is neither Father nor Son, but at the same time, The Spirit reveals the character and nature of both Father (Matthew 10:20) and Son (Galatians 4:6-7).
Think of it this way. The Father draws us to Jesus (John 6:44-45) by the outpouring of the Holy Spirit (Acts 2) and then Jesus brings us back to the Father (John 14:6) by the indwelling Holy Spirit (Romans 8:15-17). It is in the very center of this community of eternal love that we find ourselves in our union with Jesus Christ (John 17:20-23).
To find out more about this topic, read our reflection entitled... The Triune Heart of God.
Why are some people called 'the children of the devil'?
There are a few passages in the New Testament that refer to those who are disobedient as being 'children of the devil' (1 John 3:10) or 'children of disobedience (Ephesians 2:1-2). Jesus Himself, told the Pharisees that because they wanted to kill Him, that the devil was their father (John 8:41-44). These Scriptures have led to some confusion in the past because they seem to be saying that God has fathered the obedient ones, and the devil has fathered those who are disobedient.
But is this what they passages are saying? ...Absolutely NOT! The devil is a created being and he couldn't father anything. When Jesus called him the 'father of lies' in John 8:44, He was referring to the devil's ability to lie and deceive people. In essence, he is a counterfeit father. This idea of whose children we are refers more to whose fathering influence we submit to. It definitely does NOT change the Father of our origin (Isaiah 64:8) which is God Himself (Genesis 1:26-27).
To find our more about this topic, read our reflection entitled... Nature vs Nurture.
But is this what they passages are saying? ...Absolutely NOT! The devil is a created being and he couldn't father anything. When Jesus called him the 'father of lies' in John 8:44, He was referring to the devil's ability to lie and deceive people. In essence, he is a counterfeit father. This idea of whose children we are refers more to whose fathering influence we submit to. It definitely does NOT change the Father of our origin (Isaiah 64:8) which is God Himself (Genesis 1:26-27).
To find our more about this topic, read our reflection entitled... Nature vs Nurture.
How do I reconcile the God of the Old Testament versus the New?
One of the biggest struggles that many people have trying to understand God is wrestling with how God is portrayed in the Old Testament versus how He is revealed in the New Testament. Before I even attempt to answer this, I will first off say that there are things that happened in the Old Testament that I simply can't reconcile with the loving Father of the New Covenant.
So if you are looking for a concrete explanation of the differences, I am sorry but you won't find it here. My encouragement though is to not let the Old Testament stories that seem incongruent with the Father that Jesus revealed be a stumbling block to getting to know God more intimately.
The one thing we do know for sure is Jesus is the perfect revealing of the Father. Hebrews 1:1-2 explains the progressive revelation of God from the Old to the New that was culminated in the incarnation of Jesus... In the past God spoke to our ancestors through the prophets at many times and in various ways, 2 but in these last days he has spoken to us by his Son, whom he appointed heir of all things, and through whom also he made the universe. NIV
We see this progressive revelation of God revealed every time Jesus made statements like this... “You have heard that it was said, ‘Eye for eye, and tooth for tooth.’ But I tell you, do not resist an evil person (Matthew 5:38-39)
So the good news is that we have been in the New Covenant for over two thousand years now and we know Jesus is the perfect revelation of His Father's heart so that is where we need to keep our focus. For everything Jesus did was an exact representation of His Father (Hebrews 1:3, John 14:9-11; Colossians 1:15).
When Jesus played with the children, He was only doing what He saw His Father doing. When He healed the sick, cast out devils and even when He washed His disciples' feet, He was showing us what His Father was really like. So if you find yourself being distracted from the beautiful Father demonstrated by Jesus by the seemingly conflicted Old Testament portrayal of God, simply stay in the New Covenant!
I know some people in their effort to try to reconcile the Old with the New, seek to discredit the Old Testament as carrying Scriptural authority but I wouldn't do that. I would rather be authentic in my approach to simply acknowledge that there are some things I simply don't understand in the Old Testament and leave it at that.
However, what I like to do, is search out the many nuggets of gold found throughout the Old Testament that reveal and foretell of the God and Father of the New Testament that Jesus came to bring us home to.
So if you are looking for a concrete explanation of the differences, I am sorry but you won't find it here. My encouragement though is to not let the Old Testament stories that seem incongruent with the Father that Jesus revealed be a stumbling block to getting to know God more intimately.
The one thing we do know for sure is Jesus is the perfect revealing of the Father. Hebrews 1:1-2 explains the progressive revelation of God from the Old to the New that was culminated in the incarnation of Jesus... In the past God spoke to our ancestors through the prophets at many times and in various ways, 2 but in these last days he has spoken to us by his Son, whom he appointed heir of all things, and through whom also he made the universe. NIV
We see this progressive revelation of God revealed every time Jesus made statements like this... “You have heard that it was said, ‘Eye for eye, and tooth for tooth.’ But I tell you, do not resist an evil person (Matthew 5:38-39)
So the good news is that we have been in the New Covenant for over two thousand years now and we know Jesus is the perfect revelation of His Father's heart so that is where we need to keep our focus. For everything Jesus did was an exact representation of His Father (Hebrews 1:3, John 14:9-11; Colossians 1:15).
When Jesus played with the children, He was only doing what He saw His Father doing. When He healed the sick, cast out devils and even when He washed His disciples' feet, He was showing us what His Father was really like. So if you find yourself being distracted from the beautiful Father demonstrated by Jesus by the seemingly conflicted Old Testament portrayal of God, simply stay in the New Covenant!
I know some people in their effort to try to reconcile the Old with the New, seek to discredit the Old Testament as carrying Scriptural authority but I wouldn't do that. I would rather be authentic in my approach to simply acknowledge that there are some things I simply don't understand in the Old Testament and leave it at that.
However, what I like to do, is search out the many nuggets of gold found throughout the Old Testament that reveal and foretell of the God and Father of the New Testament that Jesus came to bring us home to.
Why is it so important for people to believe?
Everything in our daily lives is determined in one way or another about our willingness to believe. It is simply just how life works. If I don't have faith that a chair will hold my weight, I won't sit on it. If I am not confident that a particular food won't poison me, I won't eat it. If I don't think my employer will pay me at the end of the week, I certainly wouldn't work for them.
If I am not very hopeful that the oncoming car will stay in its lane, there is no way that I would even consider driving. Whether conscious or not, life is all about making faith choices. If I didn't believe my wife would love me, I wouldn't have opened up my heart to consider marriage. Life is simply all about making faith choices every moment of the day.
In the same way, if I don't believe that God loves me, I won't be able to walk in all of the tangible benefits of living loved, simply because I am not able to open up my heart to receive all that He has for me. That is why faith is so important in our relationship with God. And it is not a complicated faith that God is looking for us to have. It is just the simple faith that little children intuitively have (Luke 18:17).
Think of it this way. If I transferred one million dollars into a bank account and gave you the bank card so you could access it, but you refused to believe it to be true, what would be the result? You wouldn't enjoy all the benefits of the million dollars!
The life-changing truth of the good news is that God emptied the bank to secure our love when He sent His only Son to bring us all home. When Jesus cried out on the cross... 'It is finished!', the once and for all sacrifice for the entire world was complete. All we need to do is simply believe it to be true and receive all it's benefits! That is what John 1:10-13 says...
10 He was in the world, and the world was made through Him, and the world did not know Him. 11 He came to His own, and His own did not receive Him. 12 But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, to those who believe in His name: 13 who were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God. NKJV
To read more about this, read our article 'Faith Simplified'.
If I am not very hopeful that the oncoming car will stay in its lane, there is no way that I would even consider driving. Whether conscious or not, life is all about making faith choices. If I didn't believe my wife would love me, I wouldn't have opened up my heart to consider marriage. Life is simply all about making faith choices every moment of the day.
In the same way, if I don't believe that God loves me, I won't be able to walk in all of the tangible benefits of living loved, simply because I am not able to open up my heart to receive all that He has for me. That is why faith is so important in our relationship with God. And it is not a complicated faith that God is looking for us to have. It is just the simple faith that little children intuitively have (Luke 18:17).
Think of it this way. If I transferred one million dollars into a bank account and gave you the bank card so you could access it, but you refused to believe it to be true, what would be the result? You wouldn't enjoy all the benefits of the million dollars!
The life-changing truth of the good news is that God emptied the bank to secure our love when He sent His only Son to bring us all home. When Jesus cried out on the cross... 'It is finished!', the once and for all sacrifice for the entire world was complete. All we need to do is simply believe it to be true and receive all it's benefits! That is what John 1:10-13 says...
10 He was in the world, and the world was made through Him, and the world did not know Him. 11 He came to His own, and His own did not receive Him. 12 But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, to those who believe in His name: 13 who were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God. NKJV
To read more about this, read our article 'Faith Simplified'.
Why is there a need for salvation?
To understand our need for salvation, we need to go back to our origin when humanity's first couple, (Adam and Eve) walked in unhindered fellowship with God in the Garden of Eden. When they chose separation from God (Genesis 3), they made an unholy alliance with the enemy of their soul which caused their ability to spiritually commune with God to shut down.
From that moment onward, God looked to the day when He would rescue us and place His own Spirit within us (Ezekiel 36:26-27) so that our broken fellowship with God could be restored. Before Jesus went to the cross, He told His disciples that the Holy Spirit who was with them, would soon be able to indwell them (John 14:15-17).
We see the fulfillment of this promise after Jesus' resurrection when He imparts God's own Spirit to His disciples by breathing on them (John 20:22). It was in this very moment, when the Holy Spirit took up residence within them, that they were born of the Spirit and saved (Galatians 4:6-7; Titus 3:5; Ephesians 1:13-14).
A little while later, just before Jesus ascended to heaven, He told them that the same Spirit that was now in them, would soon be poured out on all flesh (Acts 1:4; Acts 2) which happened on the Day of Pentecost. It was in this divine moment, when the possibility of God indwelling a human heart on a global scale was realized.
In Peter's first sermon on this great and glorious day, He made this declaration in Acts 2:38-39... “Repent and be baptized, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins. And you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. The promise is for you and your children and for all who are far off—for all whom the Lord our God will call.” NIV
Salvation is simply the culmination of God's eternal desire to be re-connected with each one of us at a heart level where Father, Son & Spirit make their home in us (John 14:23). It is a free gift that we receive that requires no human effort, but just the simplicity of faith to believe that Jesus died for us and rose again to given us eternal life (Romans 10:9; Ephesians 2:8-9).
And in this mysterious, miraculous moment, God places His own Spirit in our hearts and we become born from above (John 3:3-6; 1 Corinthians 6:19) where the Holy Spirit can now bear witness with our spirit that we are indeed children of God and co-heirs with Christ (Romans 8:15-17).
To find our more about the work of the Holy Spirit, read our reflection entitled... The Spirit of Sonship
From that moment onward, God looked to the day when He would rescue us and place His own Spirit within us (Ezekiel 36:26-27) so that our broken fellowship with God could be restored. Before Jesus went to the cross, He told His disciples that the Holy Spirit who was with them, would soon be able to indwell them (John 14:15-17).
We see the fulfillment of this promise after Jesus' resurrection when He imparts God's own Spirit to His disciples by breathing on them (John 20:22). It was in this very moment, when the Holy Spirit took up residence within them, that they were born of the Spirit and saved (Galatians 4:6-7; Titus 3:5; Ephesians 1:13-14).
A little while later, just before Jesus ascended to heaven, He told them that the same Spirit that was now in them, would soon be poured out on all flesh (Acts 1:4; Acts 2) which happened on the Day of Pentecost. It was in this divine moment, when the possibility of God indwelling a human heart on a global scale was realized.
In Peter's first sermon on this great and glorious day, He made this declaration in Acts 2:38-39... “Repent and be baptized, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins. And you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. The promise is for you and your children and for all who are far off—for all whom the Lord our God will call.” NIV
Salvation is simply the culmination of God's eternal desire to be re-connected with each one of us at a heart level where Father, Son & Spirit make their home in us (John 14:23). It is a free gift that we receive that requires no human effort, but just the simplicity of faith to believe that Jesus died for us and rose again to given us eternal life (Romans 10:9; Ephesians 2:8-9).
And in this mysterious, miraculous moment, God places His own Spirit in our hearts and we become born from above (John 3:3-6; 1 Corinthians 6:19) where the Holy Spirit can now bear witness with our spirit that we are indeed children of God and co-heirs with Christ (Romans 8:15-17).
To find our more about the work of the Holy Spirit, read our reflection entitled... The Spirit of Sonship
What do you think about future judgment?
There are lots of debates these days about what happens after we die. For believers in Christ, we have the assurance of salvation (Romans 10:13), the promise of eternal life (1 John 2:25) and the knowledge that we won't be condemned (Romans 8:1). But what about those who have not yet been transformed by the love of God in Christ? What about them?
This is a topic that is being increasingly debated these days within the Christian community. There are those who definitively declare who gets judged and how, and then there are those who say there is no judgment at all.
We do know Scripture clearly teaches that there are definitely consequences for how we live this side of heaven (Matthew 12:36-37). But the reality is, other than God Himself, no one really knows how these eternal implications will be measured out and to whom.
The way I see the pathway to eternal life is the way Jesus defined it in John 17:3... Now this is eternal life: that they know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom you have sent. NIV So that is what we proclaim over and over again (John 10:10) with a sobering realization that whoever does not have the Son, does not have life (1 John 5:12). But at the end of the day, only God knows how this will unfold in eternity.
Personally, I feel like we spend way too much time trying to define things that are undefinable by human standards, especially when our opinions can cause so much hurt and division. And that is why I believe we should invest all our time telling people how much they are loved by God NOW because in reality, what we do in this present life has the potential to impact a person's life forever!
Though I refuse to speculate on things way above my own pay grade, I still believe we need to be mindful that the Bible teaches there is a judgment after this life (Hebrews 9:27). But what does that judgment will look like for each person individually? I don't know. All I know is it can be pretty sobering to think of the possible eternal consequences of reaping what we have sown (Galatians 6:7-9).
If we are to deny that some form of judgment awaits each person, whether the Judgment Seat of Christ (2 Corinthians 5:10-11) or the Great White Throne Judgment (Revelation 20:11-5), we will need to ignore many passages of Scripture that say otherwise. Even Jesus Himself said when we believe in Him, we pass from death to life and are not judged (John 5:21-24).
Yet there is something else to consider... When we think of judgment, we usually think of it in a negative context. For example... If someone gets judged, they get punished. But the reality is there is a righteous judgment as well that we don't seem to consider when thinking of eternity.
Especially when you think of the definition of the word 'judgment' that defines it as.. 'To set things right'. After all, a good judge will rule in favor of the oppressed. A kind judge will protect the vulnerable and a righteous judge will side on behalf of those abused.
So when I think of eternal judgment, first and foremost I remember the words spoken by Jesus in John 3:16-17... For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him. NIV
It is with this in mind, that I choose to place my hope in my loving Father, who is both just and merciful. And I have no theological problem entrusting the fate of every person on this planet to His loving yet righteous care... including me! And whatever that judgment ends up being, it will be right and true because we know the heart of the One who is judging.
For I am confident on that great and glorious day when we all stand before Him, I believe He will right every wrong and show Himself to be far kinder and loving and just than we all could have possibly imagined.
It is for this reason we proclaim the good news for all who have ears to hear it, doing all we can to convince people that Jesus Christ is the Savior of the world (1 John 4:14-15) and His Father wants everyone to be saved (2 Peter 3:9). And through simply believing and receiving the free gift that has already been provided for each one of us, all fear of judgment will be driven out of our hearts by the perfect love of God.
1 John 4:18-19
18 There is no fear in love. But perfect love drives out fear, because fear has to do with punishment. The one who fears is not made perfect in love. 19 We love because he first loved us. NIV
This is a topic that is being increasingly debated these days within the Christian community. There are those who definitively declare who gets judged and how, and then there are those who say there is no judgment at all.
We do know Scripture clearly teaches that there are definitely consequences for how we live this side of heaven (Matthew 12:36-37). But the reality is, other than God Himself, no one really knows how these eternal implications will be measured out and to whom.
The way I see the pathway to eternal life is the way Jesus defined it in John 17:3... Now this is eternal life: that they know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom you have sent. NIV So that is what we proclaim over and over again (John 10:10) with a sobering realization that whoever does not have the Son, does not have life (1 John 5:12). But at the end of the day, only God knows how this will unfold in eternity.
Personally, I feel like we spend way too much time trying to define things that are undefinable by human standards, especially when our opinions can cause so much hurt and division. And that is why I believe we should invest all our time telling people how much they are loved by God NOW because in reality, what we do in this present life has the potential to impact a person's life forever!
Though I refuse to speculate on things way above my own pay grade, I still believe we need to be mindful that the Bible teaches there is a judgment after this life (Hebrews 9:27). But what does that judgment will look like for each person individually? I don't know. All I know is it can be pretty sobering to think of the possible eternal consequences of reaping what we have sown (Galatians 6:7-9).
If we are to deny that some form of judgment awaits each person, whether the Judgment Seat of Christ (2 Corinthians 5:10-11) or the Great White Throne Judgment (Revelation 20:11-5), we will need to ignore many passages of Scripture that say otherwise. Even Jesus Himself said when we believe in Him, we pass from death to life and are not judged (John 5:21-24).
Yet there is something else to consider... When we think of judgment, we usually think of it in a negative context. For example... If someone gets judged, they get punished. But the reality is there is a righteous judgment as well that we don't seem to consider when thinking of eternity.
Especially when you think of the definition of the word 'judgment' that defines it as.. 'To set things right'. After all, a good judge will rule in favor of the oppressed. A kind judge will protect the vulnerable and a righteous judge will side on behalf of those abused.
So when I think of eternal judgment, first and foremost I remember the words spoken by Jesus in John 3:16-17... For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him. NIV
It is with this in mind, that I choose to place my hope in my loving Father, who is both just and merciful. And I have no theological problem entrusting the fate of every person on this planet to His loving yet righteous care... including me! And whatever that judgment ends up being, it will be right and true because we know the heart of the One who is judging.
For I am confident on that great and glorious day when we all stand before Him, I believe He will right every wrong and show Himself to be far kinder and loving and just than we all could have possibly imagined.
It is for this reason we proclaim the good news for all who have ears to hear it, doing all we can to convince people that Jesus Christ is the Savior of the world (1 John 4:14-15) and His Father wants everyone to be saved (2 Peter 3:9). And through simply believing and receiving the free gift that has already been provided for each one of us, all fear of judgment will be driven out of our hearts by the perfect love of God.
1 John 4:18-19
18 There is no fear in love. But perfect love drives out fear, because fear has to do with punishment. The one who fears is not made perfect in love. 19 We love because he first loved us. NIV