He's In a Better Place...Not So Fast

“Hate the sin, but love the sinner.” We’ve heard this in church and on the streets as a good strategy for dealing with anyone who sins against God. But how do we handle someone who openly and freely embraces sin?

Earlier this week reports started rolling in that a millionaire American icon had passed. First reports focused on the natural cause of death at a ripe old age of 91 with follow-on reports either skeptical of his net worth and life choices or gently praising of his impact on society. Some spoke of how he changed the world with his magazine or how his influence changed their lives. Some even included the oft-used phrase, “he’s in a better place now.”

His magazine is acclaimed the world over for serious, cutting-edge journalism that featured the likes of Malcolm X and Fidel Castro. Built in 1952 on an $8,000 investment and a $500 anchor photo, the now acclaimed magazine that is recognized around the world by its iconic bunny head raises both admiration from its loyal readers as well as admonition from those vehemently opposed to everything the magazine represents.

But in the case of Playboy founder Hugh Hefner, who died this week surrounded by loved ones including his 3rd wife who was 31, how do we Christians handle the notion that Hefner is in a better place? In the case of someone who dedicated his life to causing others to sin, and is quoted as saying, “The major civilizing force in the world is not religion, it is sex,” and “In my wildest dreams, I could not have imagined a sweeter life,” how does the Christian respond when someone says Hefner is better off now, free from the frailty of a 91 year-old’s body and ailments?

Honestly. That’s how.

Psalm 97:10 says “Let those who love the LORD hate evil, for he guards the lives of his faithful ones and delivers them from the hand of the wicked.” And let’s not kid ourselves; Hugh Hefner reveled in a lifestyle that was pure evil.

But God doesn’t judge arbitrarily, because God’s judgement is final. He desires for everyone to be saved and to come to know Him (1 Tim 2:4), but if you so choose not to accept Him by all means His judgement is final. In 2 Peter 3:9, we find that God, in his infinite patience, gives us every chance to make the right decision.

“The Lord is not slow in keeping his promise, as some understand slowness. Instead he is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance.” (1 Tim 2:4, NIV)

And even though I was not there with Hefner when he died and I cannot truly know his heart, his 91 years of dedication to sin lead me to believe his condemnation in death is complete. In fact, Jesus himself cited willful rejection of Christ as the only unforgivable sin in Matthew 12:31-32 and highlighted the lifestyle created by an ongoing attitude of rebellion as, in effect, an eternal sin in Mark 3:29.

So then, how do we respond as Christians?

Take advantage of Hefner’s example. A lifetime of sin, a rebel’s heart, a vehement opposition to Christ may endow years of pleasurable living here on Earth, but there won’t be 70 virgins or a wavering God on the other side. Hefner enjoyed 91 years of “pleasure” in trade for an eternity of hell. That’s a losing proposition in my book.

“And I saw a great white throne and the one sitting on it. The earth and sky fled from his presence, but they found no place to hide. I saw the dead, both great and small, standing before God’s throne. And the books were opened, including the Book of Life. And the dead were judged according to what they had done, as recorded in the books. The sea gave up its dead, and death and the grave[a] gave up their dead. And all were judged according to their deeds. Then death and the grave were thrown into the lake of fire. This lake of fire is the second death. And anyone whose name was not found recorded in the Book of Life was thrown into the lake of fire.” (Rev 20:11-15, NLT)