In this excerpt, R.C. Sproul considers God's glory in judgment from a message in which he addressed the question, "Can We Enjoy Heaven Knowing of Loved Ones in Hell?"
Transcript
You know, I hate the doctrine of hell in many ways. I can't stand the thought of anybody being in hell, even Hitler. Because I am so Hitler-esque. Monstrous sinners I can relate to. The holy One of Israel is the alien. That's why we're brought up short when God plunges the world into a flood, institutes the ban at Jericho, swallows up Korah and his co-rebellions, strikes Uzzah down when he touches the ark of the covenant, consumes the sons of Aaron because they play around in worship, or immediately lets his judgment fall upon Ananias and Sapphira. And we look at these people who are like us and we say, "Oh, poor Ananias, poor Sapphira, poor Uzzah, poor Nadab and Abihu." Because if the holiness of God is compromised, if it's desecrated, it's no skin off our nose.
But God said through Moses to Aaron . . . do you remember what the Lord said? "I will be regarded as holy by anyone who comes near to me, and I must be honored among the whole congregation." And if it means that my friends, if it means my family must be sacrificed for the righteousness of God, for the manifestation of His holiness, for the glory of His righteousness, though I can't stomach the thought of it now, this Word tells me that the day will come where I will be so concerned about the glory of God and of Jesus that I will be able to rejoice in His judgment. We're not there yet, folks, but that is our destiny.
