I recently finished reading Early Christian Writings (a Penguin Classics book) which contains a number of letters and other writings from figures from the early centuries of Church history. The book is a real gem – notable for its vivid accounts of martyrdom and the humbling words of encouragement offered to Christians in the early church by Christians in positions of authority.

The book contains several references to eternal punishment, including the idea that the damned will suffer in the fires of hell forever, which is a subject that causes me a great deal of worry and which I would like to reflect upon in this article.

Revelation 20:10 reads as follows:

10 and the devil who had deceived them was thrown into the lake of fire and sulfur where the beast and the false prophet were, and they will be tormented day and night forever and ever.

I cannot imagine how anyone could read these words and feel anything other than dread. Is it possible that any human being could rejoice at the thought of another sentient being suffering perpetual torment forever?

The question which is often asked in relation to eternal hell is how it could be characteristic of a loving and merciful God, and I think this is an excellent question that we should all consider deeply.

I have heard it said by Christians that God’s character, and His justice, somehow demand the everlasting suffering for the damned. Perhaps they feel that it wouldn’t be right to have everlasting paradise without everlasting torment to balance the scales. But why would this be necessarily so?

Would it not perhaps seem more just for a person who has inflicted a certain amount of suffering to receive an amount of suffering equivalent to the harm they had done, and then be reprieved? How can suffering forever and ever be a just punishment for someone who is not guilty of inflicting suffering forever and ever?

I will be the first to admit that I don’t have the knowledge and wisdom of God, and these suggestions of mine are in no way intended to convey the idea that I think I know better than God. He has infinite wisdom and I do not. But I think it’s reasonable to discuss these matters, especially as they are undoubtedly part of the beliefs and teachings of many Christians.

It’s worth noting that not all Christians believe in the idea of the eternal conscious torment of the damned. Other ideas discussed by Christians in relation to judgment include annihilationism (the idea that the damned will be destroyed) and universal reconciliation (the idea that one day all humans will be reconciled to God through Jesus Christ). But the words of Revelation 20:10, as well as other passages from the New Testament that seemingly refer to eternal hell, are taken literally by many Christians.

An important consideration when it comes to questions of judgment and punishment is the free will debate. As an author of philosophical theology myself, I am convinced that we don’t have free will. In the same way as God beats my heart, circulates my blood, causes my body to grow, blinks my eyes, digests my food, etc, He is similarly in control of every thought, word and deed that I experience in my living state. This stands in contrast to a materialistic view of human beings which sees humans as somehow powered by their brains, which I believe is a fallacy. I believe that in a literal and real way, God is the animator of all human beings. In this context, we can be seen to have no free will at all, and I’m convinced that this is the reality.

If we have no free will, then when God judges, there is a sense in which He is judging actions that He Himself has caused. This makes sense from a perspective that views life as a kind of play under God’s control (see my book God’s Grand Game for a full discussion) where the illusion of free will is all part of the divine plan, but it doesn’t make sense from the perspective that we truly are free creatures.

Let’s assume I’m right and that God is in control of all human action. Wouldn’t it be especially cruel for God to punish with everlasting torment sins which He has caused human beings to commit?

I would like to plead that God has a much more gracious and loving character than this, which is evident in the great mercies He shows us every day throughout our lives. This is the God I know and love – the one who shows me kindness and mercy relentlessly, even though I may sin and suffer at times.

Undoubtedly, God understands what it’s like for us to suffer torment. Closer is He to us than our breathing, and nearer to us than our hands and feet. If God truly understands torment, surely He will not choose to inflict it gratuitously, for torment is terrible by its very nature.

As you consider these matters, I pray that God will grant you wisdom and discernment, and reveal the depths of His goodness to you in this life and forevermore. Amen.