How would you answer: Yes, or no? Want to hear the answers from David Platt, Pastor John, international evangelist Mack Stiles, and pastors Thabiti Anyabwile and Kevin DeYoung? It’s 11 minutes you won’t regret. Then we hope you’ll click comment here, below this item on the web, and leave your take on the responses. If you’re willing we’ll be grateful!
www.desiringgod.org/interviews/should-hell-motivate-our-missionaries
Would you agree with them? … or disagree?
I was struck by the irony of John Piper promoting missions by appealing to a concern for the suffering that awaits those who are headed toward hell. It is not that I oppose Piper’s compassion, but it was his writings that taught me that such an appeal is inadequate and secondary to what should be our primary motivation, i.e., a love for God and a conviction that He deserves all glory and praise from every human who has walked this earth.
Yes, we should grieve when we think about people going to Hell. But what should trouble us more, what should shake us to our boots, is seeing God being denied the worship and praise that is befitting our glorious Creator who loved the people of this world so much that He gave His only begotten son for us. When we see vast masses, entire people groups, and the greater portions of whole continents refusing to acknowledge Him as Lord of lords and King of kings, we should cry out in anguish.
Only in this light, does a doctrine of hell makes any sense. If God were no more than the conclusion to some philosophical discussion or intellectual debate, it would be outrageous to think of people going to hell just because they are uninformed or unable follow our reasoned arguments. But if God is a personal creator, one who has clearly revealed Himself, a loving God who is not willing that any should perish, then, as Paul says in Romans, there is no excuse for rejecting Him and the appropriateness of Hell becomes apparent.
I believe that Piper himself warned us that our noble compassion will wear thin after we have worked with people long enough to see how sinful, stubborn, cruel, and hard-hearted they can be. In fact, we could even find ourselves wishing to send a great many of them to hell if that were our call. When those low times come, the one thing that will continue to motivate us and keep us true to our calling is the love of God and our desire to see Him glorified and worshipped around the globe.