Several years ago, a non Christian told me that the belief that God can’t be in the presence of sin is unbiblical. At the time I wasn’t sure how to respond to that. What about God’s holiness? His purity? I let questions like these simmer in the back of my mind for years. Maybe God knew I needed time.
I now cling tightly to the belief that God can be in the presence of evil. I need a God whose purity is stronger than my sin.
The idea that God is in hell came as a natural domino affect of this. It has become an unexpected comfort to me. Maybe this is because it brazenly illustrates some of God’s character traits that I’ve severely misunderstood.
When lies about God slither into my mind, the “God is in hell” statement wakes me up to combat them.
Rather than explaining or defending God being in hell, I’d much rather share why it has become so foundational and reassuring to me. For those who do want an explanation, Got Questions’ article on the topic is a good place to start.
What God being in hell reminds me of is that God’s holiness is greater than all sin, I can never run outside of God’s reign, and God’s wrath is measured and just.
I think there’s lots of reasons why we may believe that God can’t be in the presence of evil. From the Old Testament laws about cleanliness to Jesus’ call to complete purity in mind and heart, God seems to really want us to be without sin.
But why then did Jesus go and turn the Jews’ idea of holiness and cleanliness upside down? He touched lepers and rather than becoming infected and unclean, Jesus made them clean. He entered the houses of sinners and tax collectors and rather than becoming defiled Jesus forgave their sins. When Jesus was touched by the woman who had a bleeding disorder for years, she was instantly healed.
Habakkuk is one of my favorite passages in Scripture on God’s interactions with sin. During a time of evil and suffering, Habakkuk cries out to God with a gut wrenchingly honest question:
"You who are of purer eyes than to see evil and cannot look at wrong, why do you idly look at traitors and remain silent when the wicked swallows up the man more righteous than he?“
Habakkuk 1:13 ESV
God answered saying how He not only sees the evil, but is actually doing a great work through it.
Contrast this verse with chapter 3, after Habakkuk hears back from God. It’s beautiful prayer of a man who realized God is not overwhelmed by evil like people are. Instead God works in and through it for His good end.
"O Lord, I have heard the report of you, and your work, O Lord, do I fear ... God, the Lord, is my strength; he makes my feet like the deer’s; he makes me tread on my high places."
Habakkuk 3:2, 19 ESV
I find comfort knowing that my sin or the sin I see in the world is not a threat to God. His holiness is greater than me sin. As His child, I will not be overcome by my sin. I will be overcome by His holiness.
But the comfort runs deeper. I do believe sin separates us from God in the sense that when humans sin they are not walking in step with God, but turned against Him (Lk 11:23, Rom 5:10). A key result of Jesus’ atoning sacrifice is peace in a person’s relationship with God (Rom 5:1) meaning there was not peace before. Instead there was just wrath.
But note: God is still very much present when His wrath is toward us. The relationship has simply changed. God can feel far off when we’ve turned away from Him.
When Jesus cries out “my God, my God, why have you forsaken me?” He is quoting Psalm 22 – a Psalm that describes Jesus’ crucifixion. Ironically, later in the Psalm it’s written:
“For he has not despised or abhorred the affliction of the afflicted, and he has not hidden his face from him, but has heard, when he cried to him.”
Psalm 22:24 ESV (emphasis mine)
I think God was actively present pouring His wrath on Him (I give more of an explanation of why I believe God did not forsake Jesus in another post).
If God never left His Son who was carrying the sins of the world. He’s not going to leave me either. I can run, but I can’t out run God. The comfort of knowing that even when I’m sinning I’m not outside of God’s watchful eye and powerful reign comforts me and keeps me resting close to Him.
However, “comforting” would not be on my top 10 list to describe God’s wrath. Then again, I’ve never seen holy, just wrath. I have very little reference for it. The wrath that’s on display in the world is anger boiling over, out of control.
In contrast God is in complete control of His righteous wrath. We’re told in Scripture how God mercifully and patiently restrained His wrath in Old Testament times until He fully poured it upon Jesus Christ His Son. God’s wrath is perfect and flawless. This does comfort me
As someone cleansed by Jesus blood I don’t need to fear that God’s wrath will boil over out of control. I’m not going to find out on one of my bad weeks that He can’t take it anymore. He’s not going to take His righteous anger out on me.
God’s never going to leave me and I am safe from His wrath.
For me, God being in hell is not just a controversial topic or a Biblical truth. It’s become stand against the fear that God, like me, is baffled and overwhelmed by my sin. It’s a reminder that I can run as far and as fast as I can in defiance to God and He would still be there. It’s a reminder that God’s wrath is measured and perfect, and completely in His control.
”Where can I go to escape your Spirit? Where can I flee from your presence? If I go up to heaven, you are there; if I make my bed in Sheol, you are there. If I fly on the wings of the dawn and settle down on the western horizon, even there your hand will lead me; your right hand will hold on to me. If I say, “Surely the darkness will hide me, and the light around me will be night” — even the darkness is not dark to you. The night shines like the day; darkness and light are alike to you.“
Psalms 139:7-12 CSB
The Worth Of Knowing 
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