chan brings up a question that was asked of him by a university student when discussing 'the contrast between our unresponsiveness and God's great desire for us.' the question asked was:
"Why would a loving God force me to love Him?... [He] threatens me with hell and punishment if I don't begin a relationship with Him."
chan admits that the easy answer to this inquiry is that we're not forced into anything.. it's our choice and that in the moment, he wasn't exactly sure of how to give a satisfying answer to the deeper inclinations that student's thoughts. then, in the next paragraph, he explains what he would have to say to the student today, after having had some time to think. he breaks it down to simply the goodness of God and explains that if God is perfect and 'truly the greatest good on the earth, would He be loving us if He didn't draw us toward what is best for us (even if that happens to be Himself)?... [and] if He didn't do...that, wouldn't we accuse Him of being unloving in the end, when all things are revealed?'
after reading these things, i began to take it apart for myself. it makes me return to the part of the student's question which mentions 'hell'. yes, as humans, when we think of this place of 'fire and brimstone' we see it as a punishment, and in order to avoid punishment, we have to obey. this method of reinforcement is something we are familiar with and respond to. but hell is way more than just a place of eternal physical agony. it is eternal SEPARATION FROM GOD which I'm convinced, when compared with eternal UNION with God [what we call 'heaven'], is worse than a thousand eternities of physical pain and suffering. and though in this life we don't understand exactly what hell will be like, i can only believe that if eternal life is a place where we will live a life unbroken by sadness, frustration, questions, heartbreak, anger and pain, then eternal death will be an eternity unbroken by happiness, relief, answers, joy, wellness and love. it's this death of all that is good that is chosen when a person denies a relationship with God. sin is separation from God and when we make the choice to live in sin, as opposed to accepting the grace that we have through Jesus Christ which removes it, we are making an eternal choice.
coming to this realization has meant [a feeble attempt at] understanding the full implications God's holiness and his whole and perfect love for us, all of my thoughts on which are not developed enough to be able to articulate. nevertheless, i know that a relationship with God should be something we desire because of it's residence in truth, honor, justice, purity, loveliness, excellence, praiseworthiness, beauty, patience, kindness, joy, peace, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, humility, steadfastness, hope and love [phil 4:8; 1 cor 13; gal 5:22-23]; it all comes from HIM! for me, when realizing that every single thing that is good in this world is rooted in God, i can't justify choosing anything other than a relationship with Him. what sense does it make to love the gifts but reject the one who gives them?
it's in understanding the perfect and loving nature of God and all the gifts that are rooted in that nature that we are compelled to be an embodiment of His spirit and to share these gifts with others. realizing we are blessed by all that is good in life and where it all comes from convinces us that there is no other way to live than to live a life for Him. and we have made a choice. a choice to have life and to love.
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