God does not send people to hell in spite of His love; judgment is the result of rejecting the love He demonstrated at the cross.
The Bible says God showed His love by sending Christ to die while we were still sinners (Romans 5:8). Les Feldick teaches that God has already done everything possible to keep people from condemnation, and every person has been given a pardon through the cross. Those who refuse to believe that pardon are the ones who end up under judgment.
Romans 5:8 — This verse shows God's love was demonstrated in Christ's death while we were still sinners, proving He is not unloving when judgment falls on those who reject His gift.
The Bible presents God's love as an active, demonstrated reality. Romans 5:8 says, "But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us." Before anyone had become good or worthy, God acted in love toward the whole human race. After a person believes the gospel, God seals them with the Holy Spirit as His guarantee of their inheritance (Ephesians 1:13-14). Scripture also declares that "Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love him" (1 Corinthians 2:9). Thus, the Bible shows both God's loving provision for salvation and His promise of blessing for those who respond in love.
Les Feldick tackles the question head-on: God is a God of love, but He is also a God of wrath. When Christ went to the cross, God was acting in love, and He has continued to pour grace on humanity. Yet the human race has walked that grace underfoot. Once this age of grace ends, God becomes a God of judgment. Les explains that God has already done everything possible so no one has to be lost. He has given His Word and preachers and teachers; all anyone has to do is believe. The most vile sinner already has his pardon done; the problem is that he must appropriate it by faith. God made people for love—creatures who could respond to His love of their own free will. Those who reject it are exercising the same freedom. At the Great White Throne, the issue is unbelief, and God is never unjust.
Les says God created humanity to be the objects of His love. An object of love is meant to return love. Angels could not respond in that way, so God made the human race with a free will that could either respond to His love or reject it. This is why Satan had to appear on the scene: without an alternative, there could be no real exercise of the will.
Les teaches that millions will stand at the Great White Throne who were good people, but their sin is unbelief. They could not or would not believe what God said about the work of the cross. Their pardon is already accomplished; they simply will not appropriate it by faith. Good conduct is not the issue—faith in Christ's finished work is.
Les acknowledges this is one of the most challenging questions. The only answer, he says, is that God is never unjust and never unfair. However our human sense of fairness may protest, God's character guarantees that whatever He does in judgment is right.
According to Les, God was a God of love when He sent Christ to the cross and has loved the human race since. But Scripture also says the day comes when His grace ends and He becomes a God of judgment and wrath. The Psalms reveal that the God of love also has a day of wrath; humanity's rejection of His grace brings that judgment.
Les points to 1 Corinthians 2:9—eye has not seen, nor ear heard, what God has prepared for those who love Him. Those who respond positively to God's love have an eternity of incredible blessing waiting for them, far beyond the best this earth can offer.
Salvation by Believing, Not Works
Les stresses that salvation comes through belief alone, and God seals the believer with the Holy Spirit—showing that God's provision, not human effort, is what saves.
Grace Ends and Judgment Begins
God has been a God of love and grace since the cross, but the day comes when He becomes a God of wrath. Humanity's rejection of His grace is what leads to judgment.
God Loves Even the Worst Sinner
No one is so far gone that God cannot love them; their salvation has already been purchased. They simply must believe to appropriate the pardon.
God Has Done Everything Possible
God has given His Word and faithful teachers to make salvation easy. Because He has done all that can be done, it will be easy for Him to consign to the lake of fire those who still refuse to believe.
Created to Respond to Love
God created the human race so people could fellowship with Him and return His love of their own free will. For those who love Him, He has prepared things beyond comprehension.
The Free Will to Reject Love
God made humans with a will that can respond to His love or reject it. Satan is used so the human will can genuinely be exercised; without that option, there would be no true response of love.
Unbelief Is the Condemning Sin
At the Great White Throne, millions of good people will be condemned because of unbelief. Their pardon has been accomplished, but they will not receive it unless they appropriate it by faith.
God Is Never Unjust
Human reasoning says it is unfair to judge people who never heard the gospel, but Les answers that God is never unjust or unfair. Whatever God does is righteous.
Romans 5:8: But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.
This verse shows that God acted in love before we were cleansed, answering the charge that a loving God could not send anyone to judgment.
Ephesians 1:13-14: In whom ye also trusted, after that ye heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation: in whom also after that ye believed, ye were sealed with that holy Spirit of promise, Which is the earnest of our inheritance until the redemption of the purchased possession, unto the praise of his glory.
After a person believes, God seals them with His Spirit as the guarantee of their inheritance—evidence of His loving provision.
1 Corinthians 2:9: But as it is written, Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love him.
God has prepared wonderful things for those who respond to His love, revealing His heart even in contrast to judgment.
Both. Les teaches that God was a God of love when He sent Christ to the cross, and He has poured grace on humanity ever since. But the day will come when His grace ends and He becomes a God of judgment and wrath for those who have rejected that love.
Les says every human being has already been pardoned by the work of the cross. Their pardon is accomplished, but they must believe it to appropriate it and receive salvation.
Unbelief. Les explains that millions of good people will come before the Great White Throne, but they could not believe what God said about the work of the cross, and that unbelief excludes them from the salvation God provided.
Watch the Teaching: How Can You Know You're Saved? The Plan of Salvation in Scripture