Is hell God's work or our own doing?

Following discussion is extracted from John Piper's sermon on Romans 4:1-5 entitled "God Credits Faith as Righteousness" - posted 10 years ago (August 1, 1999) but still helpful in prompting reflection on the biblical teaching on justification.

Responding to the following quote by Pope John Paul II,

"Hell us not a punishment imposed externally by God, but the condition resulting from attitudes and actions which people adopt in this life ... Eternal damnation is not God's work but is actually our own doing",

Piper comments:

The two negative statements in that quote are not Biblical. It is not true to say, "Hell is not a punishment imposed externally by God". And it is not true to say, "Eternal damnation is not God's work." ... because if hell is merely a self-imposed condition of sinning and separation from God, and not a God-imposed judicial sentence and punishment for breaking God's law, then justification by faith ... simply isn't necessary.

Because what makes justification by faith so necessary, and so wonderful as the heart of the gospel, is that God is a just and holy judge who does indeed impose the punishment of hell on us externally.

You can either do away justification altogether, or you can change the meaning of it so that it no longer refers to God's acquitting us in court and reckoning us righteous, but instead refers to God's transforming our character and making us righteous ... And thus since hell is not the consequence of the damnation of God, heaven is not the consequence of justification of God. Instead since damnation is seen as the deterioration of character, justification is redefined as the improvement of character.

But ... that you can get right with God through improved character is not the gospel.

What then is the gospel? Piper concludes his exposition on Romans 4:1-5 in the following manner:

So here we are this morning as sinners on the brink of hell - not a mere self-imposed condition of alienation, but a God-imposed sentence of condemnation. How shall we escape? How shall we get right with God, be forgiven, acquitted, counted as righteous in his presence rather than guilty and ungodly? Answer: By trusting in the One who justifies the ungodly.

Christ died to pay our debt. Christ lived to provide our righteousness. When we despair of ourselves and trust the God who justifies the ungodly, God reckons our sin as punished on the cross, and God reckons Christ's righteousness as imputed to us.

Do you want to be right with God? Do you want to have under you a firm unshakable foundation for life and eternity? Do you want peace that passes all understanding? Trust in the One who justifies the ungodly.