Look at it from God's perspective. He has already determined to give all human beings every possible opportunity to choose life. What would you do with a person who—whether willfully or through continual neglect—rejects God's gracious offer of eternal life and deliberately chooses the devil's way? Would you give such a person eternal life in your kingdom, where he could continue to harm others indefinitely? What option would you choose?

Certainly some people picture God as a monster who punishes failed human beings in hellfire for eternity. Yet when we carefully and prayerfully examine the relevant scriptural passages—coupled with an understanding of God's true purpose for mankind—that is not the punishment of the wicked.

When will God reward those who love and obey Him?

"But love your enemies, do good, and lend, hoping for nothing in return; and your reward will be great, and you will be sons of the Most High. For He is kind to the unthankful and evil" (Luke 6:35 Luke 6:35But love you your enemies, and do good, and lend, hoping for nothing again; and your reward shall be great, and you shall be the children of the Highest: for he is kind to the unthankful and to the evil.
American King James Version×).

"But when you give a feast, invite the poor, the maimed, the lame, the blind. And you will be blessed, because they cannot repay you; for you shall be repaid [rewarded] at the resurrection of the just" (Luke 14:13-14 Luke 14:13-14 [13] But when you make a feast, call the poor, the maimed, the lame, the blind: [14] And you shall be blessed; for they cannot recompense you: for you shall be recompensed at the resurrection of the just.
American King James Version×).

Is God also a God of justice in the sense that He will punish those who deliberately refuse to repent of their wickedness and wrongdoing?

"Then He will say to those on his left hand, 'Depart from Me, you cursed, into the everlasting fire prepared for the devil and his angels'" (Matthew 25:41 Matthew 25:41Then shall he say also to them on the left hand, Depart from me, you cursed, into everlasting fire, prepared for the devil and his angels:
American King James Version×).

"And these will go away into everlasting punishment, but the righteous into eternal life" (Matthew 25:46 Matthew 25:46And these shall go away into everlasting punishment: but the righteous into life eternal.
American King James Version×).

The wicked suffer everlasting punishment in the sense that they are forever cut off from God and life itself, but He does not inflict them with eternal torment. Never forget that the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life (Romans 6:23 Romans 6:23For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.
American King James Version×). Life and death are opposites, not two ways of saying the same thing. Death means the absence of life, not eternal life in another place.

The final book of the Bible prophesies of evil human beings being cast into the lake of fire. "Then the beast was captured, and with him the false prophet who worked signs in his presence...These two were cast alive in the lake of fire burning with brimstone" (Revelation 19:20 Revelation 19:20And the beast was taken, and with him the false prophet that worked miracles before him, with which he deceived them that had received the mark of the beast, and them that worshipped his image. These both were cast alive into a lake of fire burning with brimstone.
American King James Version×). What happens to physical human beings who are thrown alive into a massive cauldron of fire? They burn up and are completely consumed.

The Bible shows that a consuming fire is the ultimate fate of the wicked (Malachi 4:3 Malachi 4:3And you shall tread down the wicked; for they shall be ashes under the soles of your feet in the day that I shall do this, said the LORD of hosts.
American King James Version×). In fact, God has used just such a conflagration as an eternal example of the fate of those who refuse to repent of their wickedness. Jude explains: "...Sodom and Gomorrah,...having given themselves over to sexual immorality and gone after strange flesh, are set forth as an example, suffering the vengeance of eternal fire" (Jude 1:7 Jude 1:7Even as Sodom and Gomorrha, and the cities about them in like manner, giving themselves over to fornication, and going after strange flesh, are set forth for an example, suffering the vengeance of eternal fire.
American King James Version×).

Although they are figuratively described as suffering "the vengeance of eternal fire," the inhabitants of Sodom and Gomorrah are not still burning. On the contrary, they are promised an opportunity to yet obtain eternal life (Matthew 10:14-15 Matthew 10:14-15 [14] And whoever shall not receive you, nor hear your words, when you depart out of that house or city, shake off the dust of your feet. [15] Truly I say to you, It shall be more tolerable for the land of Sodom and Gomorrha in the day of judgment, than for that city.
American King James Version×; Matthew 11:23-24 Matthew 11:23-24 [23] And you, Capernaum, which are exalted to heaven, shall be brought down to hell: for if the mighty works, which have been done in you, had been done in Sodom, it would have remained until this day. [24] But I say to you, That it shall be more tolerable for the land of Sodom in the day of judgment, than for you.
American King James Version×) in the resurrection to judgment described in Revelation 20 and Ezekiel 37. (For more information about these little-understood biblical truths, please request your free copies of the booklets Heaven and Hell: What Does the Bible Really Teach? and God's Holy Day Plan: The Promise of Hope for All Mankind.)

Above all, God is a God of mercy. Read Psalm 136. He takes no pleasure in the death of the wicked and often delays His judgments in the hope of repentance. As the apostle Peter explains: "The Lord is not slack concerning His promise, as some count slackness, but is longsuffering towards us, not willing that any should perish but all should come to repentance" (2 Peter 3:9 2 Peter 3:9The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is long-suffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance.
American King James Version×).

In principle, the apostle Paul expresses the same godly hope. "For this is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Savior, who desires all men [all people] to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth" (1 Timothy 2:3-4 1 Timothy 2:3-4 [3] For this is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Savior; [4] Who will have all men to be saved, and to come to the knowledge of the truth.
American King James Version×).

It is the eternal purpose of the living God to bring us into His family!