full blog: https://www.bendchurch.org/post/a-theology-of-the-end

The uncomfortable topic of hell is a subject that Jesus, surprisingly, spoke about more than anyone else in the Bible. There is a common disbelief in hell's existence. The central question emerges: How can a loving God condemn individuals to eternal suffering? God's love is inseparable from His justice, pointing to the cross as the embodiment of both. Without the reality of hell, God's justice, our freedom to choose, Jesus' truthfulness, the necessity of salvation, and the true nature of heaven would lose their significance. God doesn't abruptly switch from love to wrath. God's patience and provision of escape reassure us. Knowing and fearing God ultimately eliminate other fears.