PROPHECIES CONCERNING THE EVERLASTING SENTENCE OF THE WICKED

To say that there is no future retribution of the wicked, is to turn down the Bible in its entirety. If God had provided no place of punishment for sinners, sin itself would. build one and crowd it full and reason, conscience and memory would furnish the flames.

The idea of abolishing hell has its roots in defective modern views of sin and in weak conceptions of God. Without the Bible conception of a personal, holy God, one will not see sin as high-handed rebellion against the Almighty, a thing that separates men eternally from His presence.

“God is love.” Let this not be underestimated. Also “Our God is a consuming fire.” Why should man think that he is capable of deciding what measures of punishment would be inconsistent with infinite love and the eternal good of the universe?

One of the most foolish arguments is that all the hell there is finds its expression in this life. On every side we see the prosperity of the wicked and the affliction of the godly. Read Psa. 73: 1-28 and you will see that no justice prevails in the universe unless there is to be an adjustment of things beyond this life.

THE THEORY OF ANNIHILATION

Running through several modern cults are various interpretations of Scripture prophecies concerning hell. It will be necessary to examine some of these before we can proceed.

Some teach annihilation of the wicked, either at death or immediately after a future resurrection. In the first place, a doctrine of immediate extermination offers no deterrent to sin in this world. To cease to exist at death cannot be considered punishment according to the degree of sin in a person's life.

Certain words used in our English translation are used to support the idea of annihilation. Not one of these, in the original has any such meaning, and this may even be seen from the use of the words in other connections in Scripture.

The word “perish” in Jn. 3:16 is used in Mt. 9:17 of bottles that were broken. The prodigal son “perished” with hunger. (Lk. 15:17). It is translated “lost” in such passages as Mt. 18: l l ; 15:24). The word means “rendered unfit for its intended use.” To “perish”, in the sense of Jn. 3:16, is not the opposite of existence but of eternal blessedness.

Much is made of the word “destruction”. The anti-christ is to be destroyed by the brightness of Christ's appearing. (2 Thess. 2:8). The same word is used in Heb. 2:14 where we are told that the death of Christ upon the cross destroyed him who had the power of death, that is, the devil. The devil still exists. In Rom. 3:3, this same word is rendered “make without effect.” In Rom. 3:21, it is translated “make void.” In every case it means “to render powerless or inoperative”. It never means annihilation.

The word “consume” in 2 Thess. 2:8 is taken by some to mean annihilation. Yet in Gal. 5:15 we are told that believers who criticize each other are consuming one another. It does not mean annihilation.

By no possible twisting of Scripture can it be made honestly to appear that future punishment is immediate annihilation, either at death or at the resurrection.

THE THEORY OF UNIVERSAL SALVATION

Next, we meet the idea of universalism with various shades of interpretation. Some admit very brief punishment of the wicked to be followed by their acceptance in heaven.

Some make use of Acts 3:21 concerning “the restitution of all things”, as support for this notion. This passage has nothing to do with the final state, but deals with the Kingdom age.

Col. 1:20 is used—“reconcile all things unto himself—things in heaven—things in earth.” What evidence is there in the passage that this is a hope to be realized by the lost in eternity to come? Reconciliation is an accomplished fact in Christ. Those who refuse His reconcilation work are said to be lost.

Some use Phil. 2:10—"every knee shall bow—every tongue shall confess that Jesus Christ is Lord”. But how can it be shown that the acknowledgement of this by the lost is due to their finally being born from above? Suppose that those who have scoffed at Christ in this life come upon a day when they are COMPELLED to acknowledge that Christ is Lord after all. (Isa. 45:2324).

1 Jn. 2:2 is quoted by some—“propitiation for the sins of the whole world”. The teaching of Scripture is that because Christ has provided propitiation for all, God can have mercy upon all who accept Christ. It does not mean that Christ's death renders punishment for sin impossible. Only in those who believe does salvation become actual.

Eph. 1:10 is made use of “dispensation of the fullness of times—gather together in one all things in Christ.” The Greek for “gather together” means “head up or sum up”. The verse teaches that in the coming Kingdom age, all things will be headed up under Christ. Note that the lost are not said to be raised from the dead until after the Kingdom age, and then to judgment. How can they then be gathered in Christ prior to their resurrection?

The fact is, there is not a single plain text declaring that all will eventually be brought to heaven. Many texts plainly declare that the sentence of the lost is final.

Sir Robert Anderson says: “The dogma of universalism depends solely on the assumption that the love of God is incompatible with the eternal loss of souls, an assumption which may rest entirely on our ignorance and which, when worked out to its legitimate results, undermines Christianity altogether.”

TO BE LOST-AN EVERLASTING SENTENCE

Whatever interpretation be placed upon passages referring to future retribution, to be lost is an EVERLASTING SENTENCE. The Greek word “aionos” does not mean “age long” or “for a time”. The New Testament uses it 71 times and in all but four places it is translated “everlasting” or “eternal”. It is used of the life of the saved, of the existence of God and His Kingdom, of the Gospel. It is used in the same sentence, of the life of the saved and the punishment of the lost. (Mt. 25:46). What it means in one place, it must mean in the other.

As proof that it does not mean “temporary”, read 2 Cor. 4:18. Here we read of some things that are “temporal” and some that are “eternal”. The word “aionos” occurs here in contrast with the thought of that which is only for a period. Answer enough to those who say that “aionos” means “for a time!”