016 - Is Future Punishment Everlasting

suffering of the impenitent to be endless? There are many who believe in future punishment of a very severe and awful character, and who indeed believe in a literal hell of awful conscious suffering. But they deny, or at least doubt, that this future hell will be a place of endless conscious suffering. Many of them admit and teach that the suffering may go on for a long time, and perhaps for thousands of years, but they hold that it will end at last, and that all men will alter come

to repentance except Jesus Christ and be saved. What is the exact truth about this matter? We cannot decide this by asking what the majority of supposedly reliable theologians believe, for majorities are often wrong and minorities are often right. Neither can we decide it by reasoning as to what

a being such as God is must do. It is impossible for finite and foolish men such as we are, and such as the wisest philosophers and theologians are, to judge what an infinitely wise and infinitely holy God must do. All reasonings by finite men as to what an infinitely wise God must do are utterly futile and an utter waste of time. All we know about the future is what God has been pleased to tell us in his word.

The Bible, as we have seen, is beyond a question the word of God, and therefore what it has to say on this subject, where any other subject is true and absolutely sure, And in a question of this character, one ounce of God's revelation is worth more than a thousand tons of man's speculation. The whole question, then, is what does the Bible teach in regard to this matter.

To find out exactly what the Bible teaches as to the endlessness of future punishment, let us turn first of all to the words of our Lord Jesus himself in Matthew chapter twenty five, verse forty six, revised version. And these shall go away into eternal punishment, but the righteous into eternal life. The first question that confronts us in studying this passage is what the word ionous ionoean, which is here translated eternal, means. The best Greek English dictionary

of the New Testament is Thairs. In this dictionary, after careful study of the word, its derivation, and its usage, gives these three definitions of the word, and these three only one without beginning or end, that which always has been and always will be, two without beginning, three without end, never to cease, everlasting. It is frequently said that the world word aonaeus, according to its derivation, means age lasting,

and therefore may refer to a limited period. Even admitting this to be true, we should bear in mind that the meaning of words is not determined by their derivations, but by their usage, And the most important question is not what the derivation of this word may be, but as to how it is used. In the New Testament. It is used seventy two times in the New Testament. Forty four of these seventy two times, it is used in the phrase eternal life, or as it is sometimes rendered,

everlasting life. Known questions that everlasting life is endless, and that in connection with the word life age lasting, if that be its proper definition of the word means lasting through all ages, never ending. Once it is used in connection with the word habitations, referring to the habitations which the blessed are to have in the world to come,

and of course these also are never ending. Once it is used of the weight of glory that in the world to come awaits the believer in Jesus Christ who endure affliction for Christ in the life that is now. In this case, again, of course, by universal consent, it means endless. Once it is used in the house not made with hands that believers in Christ are to receive at the coming of the Lord Jesus. Second Corinthians, Chapter five, verses one to eight. Of course, this house not made

with hands is everlasting. In fact, the very point that is being brought forward in this passage is the contrast between our present bodies, which are but for a brief time, and our resurrection bodies, which are to exist throughout all eternity. Once it is used of the future unseen things that never end, contrasted with the present seen things that are for a season Second Corinthians, chapter four, verse eighteen. Of course these are never ending. This is the very point

that is being brought out in the contrast. Once it is used of the everlasting comfort revised version or consolation author version that our Lord Jesus Christ himself and God our Father give us, and that is certainly never ending. Twice it is used of the glory that those in Christ obtain Seco Timothy chapter two, verse ten, that, of course, by universal consent, is endless. Once it is used of the salvation Christ brings, which is beyond question never ending.

Once Hebrews chapter nine, verse twelve, it is used of the redemption that Jesus Christ secures for us by his blood. This redemption is never ending. In fact, the chief point of contrast in the context in this case is between the temporary redemption secured by the constantly repeated sacrifices of the Mosaic Ritual and the never ending redemption secured by the perfect sacrifice of Christ made once for all. Once it is used of the inheritance that those who are

in Christ receive Hebrews chapter nine, verse fifteen. Here again, beyond a question, it is never ending once it is used of the everlasting covenant through Christ's blood, entrusted with the temporary covenant based on the blood of bulls and goats given through Moses. Here again it necessarily and emphatically means never ending. That is the very point at issue. Once it is used of the everlasting kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ tecod Peter, chapter one, verse eleven.

And we are told in Luke chapter one, verse thirty three of his kingdom there shall be no end once it is used of everlasting gospel or good news, and that of course also never ends. Once it is used of the everlasting God Romans chapter sixteen, verse twenty six. And he certainly endures, not merely through long ages, but without end. Once it is used of the Holy Spirit, who is called the eternal or everlasting Spirit, and he certainly endures not merely through long ages, but throughout an

absolute endless eternity. This covers fifty nine of the seventy two times it is used. And in these fifty nine instances the thought of endlessness is absolutely necessary to the sense, and not in a single one of the thirds team remaining times where it is used, is it used of

anything that is known to end? If usage can determine the meaning of any word, then certainly the New Testament usage of this word determines it to mean never ending, or as there defines it, without end, never to cease, everlasting. Nor is this all God himself determines it to mean never ending. He defines it to mean never ending by specifically using it in contrast with that which does end.

For example, in Sewo Corinthians, Chapter four, verse eighteen, we read, while we look not on the things which are seen, but the things which are unseen. For the things which are seen are temporal, literally for a season, but the things which are not seen are eternal. Here the whole point is that the unseen things, in distinction from the scene which are for a season, are for a never

ending duration. But even allowing that the word, according to its usage, could be used of that which, though it lasts throughout an age or ages, has an end, even if that were true, which it is not, then the meaning of the word in any given instance would have to be determined by the context in which it is found. Now, what is the context in the passage which we are studying. Let us read it again, and these shall go away

into eternal punishment, but the righteous into eternal life. The same Greek adjectives is used in connection with punishment and with life. In the authorized version it is differently rendered, But in the Greek and in the revised version, it is exactly the same. Certainly, this qualifying adjective must mean the same in one half of the sentence that it

means in the other half of the sentence. We must at least admit that Jesus Christ was an honest man, and he certainly was too honest to juggle with words. He would not use a word to mean one thing in one half of a sentence and something utterly different in the other half. He evidently sought to convey the impression that the punishment of the unsaved was of the same duration as the life of the saved. Know in questions that the life is endless. It would be the

destruction of all of our hopes if it were not endless. Therefore, if we are to deal honestly with our Lord's words words he taught that the punishment of the unsaved was to be endless, we have exactly the same reason in God's word for believing an endless punishment that we have for believing an endless life. If you give up the one, you must give up the other, or else deal dishonestly with the words of Jesus Christ. We might rest the

case here and call it proven. But let us turn to another passage, Revelation, chapter four, verses nine to eleven, and another angel a third followed them, saying with a great voice, if any man worshipeth the Beast and his image, and receiveth a mark on his forehead or upon his hand, he also shall drink of the wine of the wrath of God, which is prepared unmixed in the cup of his anger, and he shall be tormented with fire and brimstone in the presence of the Holy Angels, and in

the presence of the Lamb, and the smoke of their torment goeth up forever and ever, and they shall have no rest day and night, they that worship the Beast in his image, and whoso receiveth the mark of his name. Here we have another expression for the duration of the punishment and suffering of the impenitent, the expression rendered forever and ever. There are in the Greek two slightly differing

forms of expression that are so translated. The one form of expression, literally rendered is unto the ages of the ages. The other form is unto ages of ages. What thought do these expressions convey? It has been said by those who seek to escape the force of these words, as referring to absolute endlessness, that the expression is a Hebraism for the supreme one of its class, and as an illustration of the same alleged to Braism. The expression lord of lords and holy of Holies are cited. But this

is not so. In the first place, the form of neither of the two expressions is the same, and in the second place, that is not the meaning of the expression lord of lords or the meaning of the expression the holy of holies. The expression lord of lords does not mean merely the supreme Lord, but the one who

is himself lord of all other lords. And the expression unto the ages of the ages never means merely the ages which are the supreme ages in distinction from other ages, nor, as another puts it, the ages which come out of the other ages, i e. The closing ages before eternity. The expression, according to its form, means ages which are themselves composed of ages. It represents not years tumbling upon years, nor centuries tumbling upon centuries, but ages tumbling upon ages

in endless procession. It is the strongest possible form of expression for absolute endlessness. Furthermore, the way to determine conclusively what the expression means is by considering its usage. Usage is always the decisive thing in determining the meaning of for its and phrases. What is the usage of these expressions? In the book from which we have taken our passage?

These expressions are used twelve times in this book. In eight of the twelve times they refer to the duration of the existence or reign or glory of God in his son Jesus Christ, our Lord. Of course, in these instances it must stand not merely for the supreme ages or any individual ages. It must refer to absolute eternity and endlessness. Once it is used of the duration of the blessed reign of the Righteous, and of course here

again it refers to an endless eternity. And in the three remaining instances it is used of the duration of the torment of the devil, the beast, the false prophet, and the finally impenitent. It is urged by those who would deny that the expression means an absolute, endless eternity, that it is used in Revelation chapter ten, verse fifteen, where we are told that the kingdom of the world is become the kingdom of our Lord and of his Christ, and he shall reign forever and ever, unto the ages

of the ages. And we are told in First Corinthians chapter fifteen, verse twenty four that Christ shall deliver up the kingdom to God, even the Father, and that therefore his kingdom must come to an end, and consequently forever and ever in this passage cannot mean without end. There are two answers to this objection, either of which is sufficient.

The first is that the he in He shall reign forever and ever in Revelation chapter eleven, verse fifteen does not necessarily refer to the Christ, but rather to the Lord Jehovah, in which case the argument falls to the ground. The second answer is that while we are taught in First Corinthians chapter fifteen, verse twenty four, et cetera, that Jesus Christ will deliver up his mediatorial kingdom to the Father, nevertheless we are distinctly taught that he shall rule with

the Father. And we are told in so many words in Luke chapter one, verse thirty three, that of his kingdom there shall be no end, so that even if the he in Revelation chapter eleven, verse fifteen referred to Christ and not to the Lord Jehovah, still the statement would be exactly correct, that he the Christ, was to reign forever and ever, that is without end. There is not a single passage in the whole book in which this expression is used of anything but that which is

absolutely endless. So the question is answered again and answered decisively, that the conscious suffering of the persistently impenitent is absolutely endless. Now let us look at another passage, second Thessalonians, chapter

one one, verses seventy nine. The Lord Jesus shall be revealed from heaven with his mighty angels in flaming fire, taking vengeance on them that know not God and that obey not the Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ, who shall be punished with everlasting destruction from the presence of the Lord and from the glory of His power. Here we are told that the punishment of those that know not God and obey not. The Gospel is everlasting destruction.

What does everlasting destruction mean? In Revelation chapter seventeen, verses eight and eleven, we are told that the beast goeth into destruction. So if we can find out where the beast goes, or into what he goes, we shall know what destruction means in the Bible usage. In Revelation chapter nineteen, verse twenty, we are told that the beast was taken and with him the false prophet that wrought the signs

in his sight. Wherewith he deceived them that had received the mark of the beast, and them that worshiped his image. They too were cast alive into the lake of fire that burneth with brimstone. So we see that destruction is a portion of the lake of fire. And in the next chapter, Revelation chapter twenty, verse ten, we are told that the devil that deceived them was cast into the lake of fire and brimstone, where also are the beast and the false prophet, after having already been there for

one thousand years see context. And they shall be tormented day and night, forever and ever. So we see that destruction means a portion of the lake of fire, where its inhabitants are consciously suffering without cessation forever and ever. It is clear, then, from a comparison of Second Thessalonians chapter one, verses seven to nine, with these passages, that those who know not God and obey not the Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ shall be punished with never

ending conscious suffering. Let us look at one more passage Matthew chapter twenty five, verse forty one. These again are the words of the Lord Jesus himself. Then shall he say also unto them on the left hand, depart from me, ye cursed, into the eternal fire which is prepared for the devil and his angels. What I wish you to notice here is that the punishment into which the impenitent are sent is the eternal fire which is prepared for

the devil and his angels. We have an exact description of just what the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels is in the passage read a few moments ago, Revelation chapter twenty, verse ten. And the devil that deceived them was cast into the lake of fire and brimstone. Were also the beast and the false prophet, And they shall be tormented day and night forever endeavor.

By comparison of these two statements, we have another explicit declaration of our Lord that the punishment of the impenitent is to be a conscious agony, where they are punished without rest, day and night, forever endeavor. From any one of these passages, and especially from all of them taken together, it is clear that the scriptures make it as plain as language can make it, that the future punishment of

the persistently impenitent is absolutely endless. There are several passages of scripture which those who believe that all men will all t timately repent and be brought to accept Christ and thus saved, urge against what seems to be the plain teaching of the passages we have been studying. The first of these is one Peter chapter three, verses eighteen twenty.

Because Christ also suffered for sins, once the righteous for the unrighteous, that he might bring us to God, being put to death in the flesh, but made alive in the spirit, in which also he went and preached unto the spirits in prison that aforetime were disobedient. When the long suffering of God waited in the days of Noah, while the Ark was of preparing, wherein few, that is, eight souls were saved through water. It is urged that as Christ went and preached to the spirits in prison,

there will be another chance after men have died. But this the passage in question does not assert or imply in any way. First of all, there is no proof that the spirits in prison refers to the departed spirits of men who once lived here on earth. In the Bible, departed spirits of men are not spoken of in this way. These words are used of other spirits, but not of

human spirits disembodied. And there is every reason for supposing that these spirits in prison were not the sinful men that were on earth when the Ark was preparing, but the angels who sinned at that time, just as we are told in Genesis chapter six, verses one and two

that they did sin compared Jude verses six and seven. Furthermore, even if the spirits in prison here spoken of were the spirits of men who were disobedient in the time of Noah, there is not a hint in the passage that they were saved through the preaching of Christ to them, or that they had another chance there are two words commonly used in the New Testament for preaching. One is crusoe and the other is eugalizo. The first of these means to harald, as to herald a king, or to

herald the kingdom. It may, however, be used of preaching a message, the Gospel message, or some other message. The second word, ugalizo means to preach the gospel. In the passage that we are studying, it is the first word that is used, and there is not a hint that Christ preached the Gospel to these spirits in prison. He simply heralded the triumph of the kingdom. It was not

a saving message. So there is nothing in this passage to put up, even inferentially against the plain direct statements regarding the destiny of the wicked found in the passages we have been studying. The second passage that is appealed to by those who deny the endlessness of future punishment

is Philippians chapter two, verses nine to eleven. Wherefore also God highly exalted him and gave unto him the name which is above every name, that in the name of Jesus, every knee should bow of things in heaven and things on earth, and things under the earth, and that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of the Father. Here it is said, we are told that those under the earth, as well as in heaven and on earth, should bow the knee in the

name of Jesus and confess that Jesus is Lord. And that this implies that they are saved. But it does not imply that they are saved. Every need of lost men, and of the devil and his angels, too, will be forced some day to bow in the name of Jesus, and every tongue forced to confess that he is Lord. If any one does that in this present life, of his own free choice, he will be saved. But otherwise he will do it by compulsion in the age to come.

And every one has his choice between doing it now willingly and gladly and being saved, or doing it by compulsion hereafter and being lost. There is absolutely nothing in this passage to teach universal salvation or to militate even

inferentially against the plain statements we have been studying. The third passage that is appealed to is Acts, Chapter three, verses nineteen twenty one repent Ye therefore and turn again, that your sins may be blotted out, so that there may come seasons of refreshing from the presence of the Lord, and that he may send the Christ who hath been appointed for you, even Jesus, whom the heavens must receive.

Until the times of restoration of all things were of God spake by the mouth of His holy prophets that have been from of old. Here we are told of a coming restoration of all things. And those who contend for the doctrine of universal salvation hold that this means the restoration to righteousness of all persons. But that is not what it says, and that is not what it

refers to. We are taught in Old Testament prophecy, and also in the Book of Romans, that in connection with the return of our Lord Jesus, there is to be a restoration of all nature, of the whole physical universe from its fallen state. For example, in Romans Chapter eight, verses nineteen twenty one, we read, for the earnest expectation of the Creation waiteth for the revealing of the sons

of God. For the creation was subjected to vanity, not of its own will, but by reason of him who subjected it in hope that the creation itself also shall be delivered from the bondage of corruption into the liberty of the glory of the children of God. And in Isaiah chapter fifty five, verse thirteen, we read, instead of the thorn shall come up the fir tree, and instead of the briar shall come up the myrtle tree. And it shall be to Jehovah for a name, for an

everlasting sign that shall not be cut off. And in Isaiah chapter sixty five, verse twenty five, we are told the wolf and the lamb shall feed together, and the lion shall eat straw like the ox, and dust shall be the serpent's food. They shall not hurt nor destroy in all my holy mountains, saith Jehovah. And in Isaiah chapter thirty two, verse fifteen, we are told that until the spirit be poured upon us from on high, and the wilderness become a fruitful field, and the fruitful field

be esteemed as a forest. It is to this restoration of the physical universe here plainly predicted in Romans chapter eight, verses nineteen twenty one, and these Old Testament prophecies that the restoration of all things spoken of in Acts chapter three, verse twenty one reverse. There is not a hint, not

the slightest suggestion of a restoration of impenitent sinners. Still, another passage that is urged is Ephesian's chapter one, verses nine ten, where we read, having made known unto us the mystery of his will, according to his good pleasure, which he purposed in him, unto a dispensation of the fullness of the times, to sum up all things in Christ, the things in the heavens and the things upon the earth. Here it is urged that things in heaven and things

in earth are to be summed up in Christ. This is true, but it should be noticed that the Holy Spirit has specifically omitted here the phrase that is found in Philippians chapter two, verse ten, the things under the earth that is the abode of the lost. So this passage, so far from suggesting that the lost ones in hell will be restored, suggest exactly the opposite thing. There is then, certainly nothing in this passage to militate, even inferentially, against

the plain statements we have been studying. One more passage that is urged against the doctrine we have been studying remains to be considered that his First Corinthians, chapter fifteen, verse twenty two. Here we read, for as an atom all died, so also in Christ shall all be made alive. It is urged in connection with this passage that we are distinctly told here that all who die in Atom, that is, every human being, shall be made alive in Christ. And that made a live means obtain eternal life or

be saved. For years I thought that this was the true interpretation of this passage, and for that reason in part I held and preached at that time that all men, ultimately, some time, somewhere, somehow would be brought to accept Jesus Christ and be saved. When I came to study the passage more carefully, I saw that this was a misinterpretation of the passage. Every passage in the Bible, where in

any other book, must be interpreted in its context. The whole subject that Paul is talking about in this chapter is not eternal life, not the immortality of the soul, but the resurrection of the body. And all this passage declares is that as all lose physical life in Atom, so also all will obtain a resurrection of the body in Christ. Whether that resurrection of the body is a resurrection to everlasting life or a resurrection to shame and

everlasting contempt Daniel, Chapter twelve, vers. Two, depends entirely upon what men do with the Christ in whom they get it. There is absolutely nothing here to teach universal salvation. It only teaches a universal resurrection, resurrection of the wicked as well as of the righteous. To sum up the teachings of all these passages that are so often urged to prove universal salvation, there is nothing in any want of the passages, nor in all of them together, to teach

that all men will ultimately be saved. And there is nothing in them to in any way conflict with what we have seen to be honest meaning of the passages studied above, namely that the future punishment of sin is absolutely endless. There is not a passage to be found in the Bible that teaches universal salvation or that all men will ultimately come to repentance and be saved. I

wish that there were, but there is not. I have been searching diligently for such a passage for nearly forty years, and I have not found it, and it cannot be found There remains one other important question, and that is where are the issues of eternities settled? There are those who believe that the punishment of the persistently impenitent is everlasting,

that it has no end. But they also believe that the issues of eternity are not settled in the life that is now, but that with many they are settled after death, and that when men die impenitent, they will have another chance. Believing an endless punishment does not necessarily involve believing that there is no chance after death. There are many who believe that there will be a chance after death, and that many will accept it, who also believe that some will not accept it and will therefore

be punished forever and ever. Now, what is the teaching of the Word of God on this point? Let me call your attention to four passages, any one of which settles the question, and taken together, they leave no possible room for doubt for any candid man who is willing to take the Bible as meaning what it says, any man who is really trying to find out what the Bible teaches and not merely trying to support a theory. The first passage is in second Corinthians chapter five, verse ten.

For we must all be may manifest before the judgment seat of Christ, that each one may receive things done in the body according to what he hath done, whether it be good or bad. In this passage we are plainly told that the basis of judgment in the world to come is the things done in the body, that is, the things done this side of the grave, the things done before we shuffle off this mortal coil, the things

done before the spirit leaves the body. Of course, this particular passage has to do primarily with the judgment of the believer, but it shows what the basis of future judgment is, viz. The things done the side of the grave. The second passage is Hebrews chapter nine, verse twenty seven. It is appointed unto men once to die, and after

this cometh judgment. Here we are distinctly told that after death there is to be not an opportunity to prepare for judgment, but judgment, and that therefore our destiny is settled at death, and that there is no chance of salvation after death. The third passage is John chapter five, verses twenty eight and twenty nine. Marvel not at this for the hour cometh, in which all that are in the tombs shall hear his voice and shall come forth.

They they have done good unto the resurrection of life, and they that have done evil unto the resurrection of judgment. Here also it is clearly implied that the resurrection of good and bad is for the purpose of judgment regarding the things done before their bodies were laid in their graves. A fourth passage, if possible, more decisive than any of these, gives our Lord's words John chapter eight, verse twenty one.

He said, therefore again, unto them, I go away, and ye shall seek me, and shall die in your sin. Whither I go, ye cannot come. Here our Lord distinctly declares that the question whether men shall come to be with him or not depends on what they do before they die. That if they die impenitent, if they die in their sins, that whither he goes they cannot come.

To sum up the teaching of all these passages, the issues of eternity, the issues of eternal life or eternal destruction, the issues of eternal blessedness and glory or eternal agony and shame, are settled in the life that now is the future state of those who reject in the life that now is the redemption offered to them in Jesus. Christ is plainly declared in the Word of God to be a state of conscience, unutterable, endless torment and anguish. This conception is an appalling one, but it is the

scriptural conception. It is the unmistakable, inescapable teaching of God's own word. I wish that all men would repent and accept Christ. If any one could show me one single passage in the Bible that clearly taught that all men would ultimately repent except Christ and be saved, it would be the happiest day of my life. But it cannot be found. I once thought it could, and so I believed and taught these ideas so widely noised about to

day as something new. These theories of Pastor Russell formerly of Pittsburgh, mister Gelisov of this city, Doctor Maybe of Long Beach, mister Prijan of Pittsburgh, and many others are not at all new to me. I held and taught substantially the same views regarding ultimate universal salvation years before

these men were heard of. Indeed, nearly forty years ago, I was familiar with the arguments that they now urge, and other arguments which they do not seem to know, but which were to me more decisive than those that they urge. But the time came as I studied the Bible more carefully, when I could not reconcile my teaching with what I found to be the unmistakable teaching of God's Word, I had to do one of three things.

I had to either give up my belief that the Bible was the word of God, or else I must twist the words of Jesus and others in the New Testament to mean something else than what they clearly appeared to teach. Or else I must give up my doctrine of ultimate universal restoration and salvation. I could not give up my faith that the Bible was the word of God, for I had found absolutely overwhelming proof that it was

God's word. I could not twist the words of Jesus and of others to mean something else than what was clearly their intended meaning, for I was an honest man. There is only one thing left to do, and that was to give up my doctrine of universal restoration and salvation. I gave it up with great reluctance, but I was compelled to give it up or to be untrue to

my own reason and conscience. It is the inescapable teaching of the Word of God that all who go out of this world without having accepted Jesus Christ will spend eternity in hell, in a hell of unutterable conscious anguish. The Bible conception is also a reasonable one when we come to see the appalling nature of sin, and especially the appalling nature of the sin of trampling under foot God's mercy towards sinners and rejecting God's glorious son, whom

in his love he has provided as a savior. Shall the views of sin and of God's holiness and of the glory of Jesus Christ lie at the bottom of

weak theories of the doom of the impenitent. When we see sin in all its hideousness and enormity, the holiness of God in all its perfection, and the glory of Jesus Christ in all its infinity, nothing but a doctrine that those who persist in the choice of sin, who love darkness rather than light, and who persist in the rejection of the Son of God, shall endure everlasting anguish

will satisfy the demands of our own moral intuitions. Nothing but the fact that we dread suffering more than we loathe sin, and more than we love the glory of Jesus Christ makes us repudiate the thought that beings who eternally choose sin should eternally suffer, or that men who despise God's mercy and spurn his son should be given

over to endless anguish. If after men have sinned and God still offers them mercy and makes the tremendous sacrifice of his son to save them, if they still despise that mercy and trample God's Son under foot, if then they are consigned to everlasting torment, I cannot but say, Amen, Allelujah.

True and righteous are thy judgments, O Lord. At all events, the doctrine of conscious eternal torment for and penitent men is clearly revealed in the Word of God, and whether we can defend it on philosophical grounds or not, it is our business to believe it and leave it to the clearer light of eternity to explain what we cannot now understand. Realizing that God may have many infinitely wise reasons, for doing things for which we, in our ignorance, can

see no sufficient reason at all. It is the most ludicrous conceit for beings so limited and foolish as the wisest of men are, to attempt to dogmatize how a God of infinite wisdom must act. All we know as to how God is to act is what God has seen fit to tell us. In conclusion, two things are certain. First, the more closely men walk with God, and the more devoted they become in His service, the more likely they

are to believe this doctrine. Many there are who tell us they love their fellow men too much to believe this doctrine. But the men who show their love in more practical ways than by sentimental protestations about it, the men who show their love for their fafe while a man, as Jesus Christ showed his by laying down their lives for them, they believe this doctrine, even as Jesus Christ

himself believed it. As Christians become worldly and easy going, they grow loose in their doctrine concerning the doom of the impenitent. The fact that loose doctrines are spreading so rapidly and widely in our day is nothing for them but against them, for worldliness is also spreading in the church. First Timothy, Chapter four, verse one, Second Timothy, Chapter three, verse one, and Chapter four verses two and three. Increasing laxity of life and increasing laxity of doctrine go arm

in arm. Second, men who accept a loose doctrine regarding the ultimate penalty of sin, be it universalism, restorationism, annihilationism, or that fantastic combination or conglomeration of them all millennial dawnism, lose their power for God. I have seen this proven over and over again. These men may be and are very clever at argument, and very zealous in roslytizing, but they are seldom found beseeching men to be reconciled to God.

They are more likely to be found try to upset the faith of those already won by the efforts of those who do believe in everlasting punishment, than trying to win men who have no faith at all. If you really believe the doctrine of the endless torment of the impenitent, if the doctrine really gets hold of you, you will work as you never worked before for the salvation of the lost If you in any wise abate the doctrine,

it will abate your zeal. Time and time again. I have come to this awful doctrine and tried to find some way of escape from it. But when I have failed, as I always have failed. At last, when I have determined to be honest with the Bible and myself, I have returned to my work with an increased burden for souls and an intensified determination to spend and be spent

for their salvation. Eternal conscious suffering, suffering without the least ray of hope of relief awaits every one of you here tonight, who goes on persistently rejecting Jesus Christ, as you are rejecting him to night, and who shall pass out of this world having rejected him. In that world of never ending gloom, there will be no possibility of repentance. As you look out into the future, there will be

not one single way of hope. Forever and ever will be the unceasing wail of that restless sea of fire. After you have been there ten million years and look out to the future, you will see eternity still stretching on and on and on and on, with no hope, oh men and women, out of Christ. Why will you risk such a doom for a single year, or a month, or a week or a day. Hell is too awful to risk for five minutes the chance of going there. There is but one rational thing for you to do.

That is to accept Christ, and to accept him right now as your savior, surrender to him as your lord and master, Confess him as such before the world, and strive from this time on to please Him in everything, day by day. Any other course is utter madness. End of Chapter fifteen, An end of the Fundamental Doctrines of the Christian Faith by Our Atry, read by Miriannes Beegel in Chicago, Illinois, August two thousand, seventeen.