God who has elected to create a reality in which everlasting torture is a possible final destiny for any of his creatures.
Here is where free will enters into the equation. God is good and any injustice committed has to be known by an all knowing God. If God knows of an injustice that injustice must be dealt with in order for God to remain good. Before God created His creation the only thing missing that would require hell is for someone to commit an injustice. This could not occur with in the confines of the trinity; that eternal relationship between the three persons of the God Head. Satan, among the first free actors, committed the first injustice when he sought to steal the sovereignty of God from God. Satan had to be free to choose an injustice over justice. That is what is meant when Jesus says that hell was intended for Satan and his followers. That hell was never intended for mankind is further proven in that God’s salvation from justice is offered only to mankind and not to Satan and his followers. However, man is also free to choose injustice over justice and in doing so God must deal with that injustice. Should he merely overlook it? Not if He is to remain good. Should he confine the punishment to a finite time? Not if the offense warrants an eternal punishment. Any offense committed against an eternal entity warrants an eternal punishment. This is difficult only in that we lack an eternal farm of reference. We don’t know what that is. However, ask yourself, how much eternity can you cut off of an eternal justice in order for that justice to still be sufficient for an injustice committed against the eternal?
