Q:Why would a loving God "set up" a means of salvation where He knew some people would fail? Why give us free-will when it would cost some eternal life? Why not make sure everyone was saved?

A:Thanks for sharing your heart, it's great to see that your desire is that all are saved and none lost to eternal destruction. You share God's heart, who also desires all to be saved. Ezekiel 33:11a says, "Say to them, 'As surely as I live, declares the Sovereign LORD, I take no pleasure in the death of the wicked, but rather that they turn from their ways and live.'"

Regarding God's plan for salvation, just because people fail to know Jesus Christ as Savior, that does not mean God's plan of salvation is poorly conceived. The fact that some are condemned to hell is not that God desires this (Ezekiel 33:11), but because of sin that is not forgiven through a relationship with Jesus Christ.

The Bible says that before faith in Jesus Christ, we are "dead in our transgressions and sins" (Ephesians 2:2). This means that before conversion, our sin allowed us no spiritual ability to secure our eternity in heaven. Remaining in that sin would mean only one thing, God's just judgment of our sinful life that would in turn lead to eternal separation from Him.

Enter God's plan of salvation. Not because He had to, (He could have remained a just true God by judging us and condemning us to hell) God showed us mercy through the sending of His Son Jesus Christ (Ephesians 2:4-5; John 3:16-18).

God wants everyone to be saved. In addition to sending His Son Jesus Christ, God has also given us the Bible, with the Holy Spirit now working through this Word to bring more people to faith (Romans 10:17). God has also commissioned us as followers of Jesus Christ to further shrink hell's future population by "making disciples of all nations" (Matthew 28:18-20; 2 Corinthians 5:17-21).