'He warns us because he loves us'

This morning I am again looking at the new Christianity Explored course, preparing for doing it with our church in the new year.  I have been looking at the third session, on 'sin'.  I thought that Rico Tice's words were appropriate to post because I have been thinking about the topic of judgement in recent weeks.

When we hear Jesus' words about Hell we have to ask ourselves, 'Why would he talk like this?'  'Is he trying to manipulate us - trying to scare us, just so that he can gain control over us?'  'Or is he giving us a loving warning?'

For me, as I look at Jesus' life and the way he treated people, I see the most loving man who ever lived.  Even people who were rejected by the rest of the world were deeply loved by him.  The reason that Jesus warns us about Hell is surely that he loves us and does not want us to go there.  He knows that if we reject God throughout our lives then ultimately God will be right to reject us.  He knows that our sin, if left undealt with, will take us to a place of unimaginable and unending suffering.  He warns us, because he loves us.