“Mourning Without Hope”

Thursday, January 28, 2016

I lost a friend who is not a Christian.  I know they weren't saved and they won’t be in heaven, but is there anything the Bible says that can bring any comfort?

Sincerely,
Grieving The Lost

Dear Grieving The Lost,

The sorrow we feel when we lose a loved one is, at times, almost unbearable.  That pain can be amplified when we do not have hope of someday seeing that person in heaven.

God says that He finds no pleasure in the death of the wicked (Ezek 33:11).  That tells you that God will not send anyone to hell by accident, spite, or malicious intent.  Anyone who ends up in hell really, truly belongs there.  When your friend faces God on the Day of Judgment, God will make the right decision concerning their fate.  There is some comfort in knowing that God will not make any mistakes.

God has a deeper, more complete understanding of eternity than you or I do.  He is completely loving (1 Jn 4:8).  If your friend goes to hell, it will be because the most loving and wise God of all creation knew that was where they chose to be.

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