There are hard questions my sister asks I realize I still do not know how to answer. I did the best I can. I've heard them before.
1) Why does God send "good" people to Hell? She doesn't believe He does.
First let me say that these are two very reasonable questions one might ask; let us take a look at your first query.
First in order to properly address this question it is important to make a distinction between the “
hell” of the bible and the “
hell” as taught by the creeds, one is truth the other merely the vain babblings of men.
The word “
hell” is an English word sometimes selected by translators of the English Bible to express the sense of the Hebrew word “
sheol” and the Greek words “
hades”, “
tartaroo”, and “
Gehenna”, sometimes rendered “
grave” and/or “
pit”.
The meaning of "
sheol"
is "
the hidden state," as applied to man's condition in death, in and beyond which all is hidden, except to the eye of faith; hence, by proper and close association, the word was often used in the sense of
grave e.g.
the tomb,
the hidden place, or place beyond which only those who have the enlightened eye of the understanding can see resurrection, restitution of being.
The word “
hell” (sheol)
DOES NOT in any sense of the word imply a place of eternal torment as taught through the creeds of men.
It does not mean a lake of fire and brimstone nor anything at all resembling that thought not in the slightest degree. Quite the reverse, instead of a place of blazing fire it is described in the context as a state of “
darkness” (
Job 10:21) instead of a place where shrieks and groans are heard it is described in the context as a place of “
silence” (
Psa 115:17); instead of representing in any sense pain and suffering, or remorse, the context describes it as a place or condition of "
forgetfulness" (
Psa 88:11, 12).
“
There is no work, nor device, nor knowledge (consciousness), in the grave "[sheol]" whither thou goes.” (
Eccl. 9:10)
This
Satanic doctrine, which was borrowed from heathen religions has caused more fear in the hearts of man, than any other of the “
doctrines of demons” used by the clergy. It purposes was to keep the people in absolute subjection. And so it has, to those who do not know the true nature and character of their God. As it is written,
“
Those who guide these people mislead them and those who are guided are led astray”.
Isa 9:16
No such place as a hell of eternal torment is mentioned in the scriptures, if it were would not the Apostle Paul have mentioned it, did he not declare to us that he, “…
shunned not to declare the whole counsel of God?”
Acts 20:27
If there were indeed such a punishment held out for all evil doers and non-believers why would he fell to mention such an important fact? Why? Because there was no such thing to declare, “
the wages of sin is death” even as he so stated in
Rom 6:23.
Now as for the “
hell” which is taught in the bible, the true hell, the scriptures imply that
both the good and the bad go there upon death. Note for example the case of Job, if hell were the place which the creeds teach why then would he pray to the Lord:
“
Oh, that you would hide me in the grave (Sheol), That You would conceal me until your wrath is past, That You would appoint me a set time, and remember me!”
Job 14:13
Since it was the divine intention that there should be a resurrection of both the good and the bad, death at present is merely referred to as a state of “
sleep”. Thus all mankind are said to be “
asleep in Jesus” (
1 Thess 4:14) the exception of this of course being those begotten of the Lord’s spirit who are said to be “
asleep in Christ” (
1 Cor 15:18).
The great majority of this latter class, the Church has been in this death sleep for over two thousand years awaiting the Lord’s Second Advent and the First Resurrection. Following this event (the Second Advent of Christ) it will no longer be necessary for those who make their calling and election sure who are found faithful until death to sleep in death, but at the very moment of their deaths (in the “
twinkling of an eye”) they will experience the resurrection change instantly.
I said that also in a court, if someone murders your mom and that person lists all the good things they did, would it be just for there to be no consequence?
There are always consequences for wrongs even for the just, those justified through faith in Christ. Although it is true that God will forgive us our trespasses if we confess them, this does not imply that we are completely without any responsibility for our sins. We are held accountable to what degree we understood right from wrong. If we had sufficient light enough to inform us that our course was wrong and we still persisted in the sin we would have need that
these sins (
unpardonable sins) be
expedited. This the Lord accomplishes through the administration of “
stripes” (chastisements, corrections).
All are sinners and condemned --guilty--on account of
Adam's sin, but the full ransom from
that sin has been paid, and so though condemned before the court of heaven, it is announced that all of our imperfections traceable to
that cause are freely and fully forgiven.
But neither more nor less is pardonable.
All sins against light and ability are unpardonable, cannot be forgiven at any time, and hence must be expiated (atoned for) by punishment--"
stripes". The world will have many such sins to be punished in the age to come, and even now in the present life, they receive in some instances much of that
chastisement. As for the Church, their judgment is now and thus all their sins, which include any unpardonable sins, must be atoned for in this life time as they will not come into judgement with the world in the next age.
Thus no amount of good deeds in one’s life could amend for the
willful murder of another; nevertheless even this sin is covered under the ransom sacrifice of Christ even as it was with King David who likewise committed murder willfully. In consequences of this deed (
an unpardonable sin) even though he received the Lord’s forgiveness in answer to his prayers he nevertheless received of the Lord many justly due chastisements for this sin.
I will address your other question as soon as I am able, Lord bless