Eternal Damnation

The safest road to hell is the gradual one - the gentle slope, soft underfoot, without sudden turnings, without milestones, without signposts.
- C. S. Lewis

Eternal Damnation

The "Prince of Preachers" Charles Spurgeon was asked how he managed to defend Scripture so well. In response he suggested that the Bible needed no more protection than a lion in a cage, "Just let it out."

As with so many topics, like that of Heavenly rewards, when it comes to the subject of eternal punishment the Scriptures do speak for themselves. One of the best studies of this vital question was written prior to personal computers and search engines by the well known teacher and author R.A. Torrey as a chapter in his book, "What The Bible Teaches" as seen below. See GB's Satan and Resistance, Atonement's Price and What Must I Do To Be Saved?

And throw that worthless servant outside into the darkness where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.

- Matthew 25:30 NIV

The Future Destiny Of Those Who Reject Redemption By Jesus Christ By R. A. Torrey

Topic 10: The Future Destiny of those who do not believe that Jesus is the Son of God.

POINT 10: Those who do not believe that Jesus is the Messiah and Son of God shall die in their sins; where He goes they cannot come.

John 8:24 I told you that you would die in your sins; if you do not believe that I am the one I claim to be, you will indeed die in your sins. Note -- The faith here spoken of is not a mere opinion, but a faith that governs the life. Compare John's use of faith everywhere, e.g.:

1 John 5:1, 4-5 [1] Everyone who believes that Jesus is the Christ is born of God, and everyone who loves the father loves his child as well. [4] for everyone born of God overcomes the world. This is the victory that has overcome the world, even our faith. [5] Who is it that overcomes the world? Only he who believes that Jesus is the Son of God.

Topic 20:   The Future Destiny of those who have done ill.

POINT 10:   All men shall be raised again from the dead, those who reject Christ as well as those who accept Him, but to the one it will be a resurrection to life, to the other a resurrection to judgment.

John 5:28-29 [28] "Do not be amazed at this, for a time is coming when all who are in their graves will hear his voice [29] and come out -- those who have done good will rise to live, and those who have done evil will rise to be condemned.

1 Corinthians 15:22 For as in Adam all die, so in Christ all will be made alive.

Topic 30:   The Future Destiny of the factious, the disobedient.

POINT 10:   To those who are factious and do not obey the truth, but obey unrighteous- ness, there shall be wrath and indignation, tribulation and anguish, upon every soul of man that works evil.

Romans 2:5-6, 8-9 [5] But because of your stubbornness and your unrepentant heart, you are storing up wrath against yourself for the day of God's wrath, when his righteous judgment will be revealed. [6] God "will give to each person according to what he has done." [8] But for those who are self-seeking and who reject the truth and follow evil, there will be wrath and anger. [9] There will be trouble and distress for every human being who does evil: first for the Jew, then for the Gentile;

Compare John 14:6 Jesus answered, "I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.

Compare John 3:18-19 [18] Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe stands condemned already because he has not believed in the name of God's one and only Son.

Topic 40:   The Future Destiny of those who do not know God and do not obey the Gospel.

POINT 10:   Those who do not know God and do not obey the gospel of our Lord Jesus, shall suffer punishment, even eternal destruction from the face of the Lord and from the glory of His might, when He shall come to be glorified in His saints.

2 Thessalonians 1:8-9 [8] He will punish those who do not know God and do not obey the gospel of our Lord Jesus. [9] They will be punished with everlasting destruction and shut out from the presence of the Lord and from the majesty of his power. Note -- We shall see later the meaning of the term "destruction."

OBJECTION: How could any being that claims to be a 'loving' God condemn hundreds of millions of people to everlasting punishment for not knowing Him and not obeying His Son's gospel if they never heard of Him or His Son? What about people who died before Jesus was born? What about people in India, Asia, Australia, the Pacific Rim and the Western Hemisphere, where Christianity did not arrive until centuries after Christ's death?

ANSWER: In this excerpt the term "do not know God" is misleading; do not confuse it with "do not know of God." Every man knows of the existence God because God has written such knowledge into the hearts of men. Romans 2:12-16. A person who does not know God chooses to ignore this inborn attraction. Also see the discussion below.

Topic 50:   The Future Destiny of those whose names are not found written in the book of life.

POINT 10:   At the judgment before the great white throne anyone whose name is not found written in the book of life shall be cast into the lake of fire.

Revelation 20:15 If anyone's name was not found written in the book of life, he was thrown into the lake of fire.

Topic 60:   The Future Destiny of those who neglect Christ by neglecting His brethren.

POINT 10:   When Christ comes to judge the nations He shall say to those on His left hand, i.e., those who have neglected Him by neglecting their duty to His needy brethren, "Depart from me, you cursed, into the eternal fire which is prepared for the Devil and his angels," and these shall go away into eternal punishment.


Matthew 25:41, 46 [41] Then he will say to those on his left, "Depart from me, you who are cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels." [46] Then they will go away to eternal punishment, but the righteous to eternal life.

Topic 70:   The Future Destiny of the fearful, unbelieving, etc.

POINT 10:   The fearful, and unbelieving, and the abominable, and murderers, and whoremongers (pimps and madams), and sorcerers, and idolaters, and all liars, shall have their part in the lake which burns with fire and brimstone.

This section is particularly significant, and various translations can lead to different, sometimes troubling, interpretations; hence, the 'laundry list' is included from several translations. One must particularly keep in mind that many words had different connotations in King James' time.

Revelation 21:8, New International Version But the cowardly, the unbelieving, the vile, the murderers, the sexually immoral, those who practice magic arts, the idolaters and all liars -- their place will be in the fiery lake of burning sulfur. This is the second death.

Revelation 21:8, Revised Standard Version But as for the cowardly, the faithless, the polluted [by sin], as for murderers, fornicators, sorcerers, idolaters, and all liars ... (The New English Bible essentially combines these two.)

Revelation 21:8, King James Version But the fearful, and unbelieving, and the abominable, and murderers, and whoremongers, and sorcerers, and idolaters, and all liars, shall have their part in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone, which is the second death.

Revelation 21:8, New American Bible As for the cowards and traitors to the faith, the depraved and murderers, the fornicators and sorcerers, the idol-worshipers and deceivers of every sort -- their lot is the fiery pool of burning sulphur, the second death!

=== DISCUSSION ===

It is important to have a proper perspective on this section. Taken literally, it excludes pretty much every person. Taken literally, it means you will burn in Hell forever because your aunt asked if you like the necktie she gave you for Christmas and you said "It's nice," but you really didn't like the color. Taken literally, it means you will burn in Hell forever if you are afraid of snakes, mice, rats, or bees, or your child getting hurt by a street gang. Taken literally, it means that if your pastor says "I need someone to bring some food to the homeless shelter, would you mind helping out?" and you say "I'd be glad to," if you really would prefer to watch a football game you will be condemned to eternal punishment because you lied. Obviously, the correct interpretation of this section is important.

It should be specifically noted that by choice of words and punctuation the New American Bible puts the list in a somewhat different light. Each of the other translations separates each item in the list by commas, seemingly indicating they are equal and unrelated, e.g., "the fearful ... will ...", "the unbelieving ... will ...", etc. However, the New American version groups them, e.g., the footnote states "Cowards: their conviction is so weak that they deny Christ in time of trial and become traitors." [italics added ]. Deceivers seems to give a much clearer picture of the passage's meaning than "liars"; "deceit" connotes something sinister, something evil. Only the simplest of fools would consider "The necktie looks nice." or fear of snakes to be evil or deceitful.

POINT 12:   We must beware of relying on distinctions that do not exist. Few people are practicing witches or worship metal statues, yet many practices that are becoming commonplace fall under the biblical prohibitions against "sorcery" or "idolatry." Those who engage in them will be condemned.

It is important not to underestimate the significance Revelation 21:8. Most people would say "I don't practice sorcery, witchcraft or Satanism. I don't worship idols; yes, I have a statue of Buddha at work, but it's just a bookend."

Do you read horoscopes, astrological charts or Tarot cards? Do you seek advice from 'psychics' or fortune tellers? Do you practice 'visualization' or self-help techniques which teach that if you visualize yourself as having something you will obtain it, that you can actually control and affect the world around you simply with the power of your mind? Do you attempt to contact 'outside intelligences' or 'inner guides' or 'spirit guides' or 'angels' or even Jesus or the Holy Spirit by the use of altered states such as meditation, yoga, mantras, hypnotic regression to past lives, channeling, mediums, or Ouija boards?

Each of these practices comes under the term "sorcery" as it is used -- and condemned -- in the Bible. According to a number of researchers, contacting the spirit world is actually quite simple; it basically simply involves concentrating. Recent studies have shown that even people who don't believe in the existence of the spirit world have been able to make such contact.

God's angels, Jesus, and the Holy Spirit do not commune with people via altered mental states; they cannot be 'summoned up' by humans. They set the time, place, terms, manner, and purpose of the contact, in accordance with God's desire.

There are only two groups of spirits: those that are loyal to God and those that oppose him. Each group wants to attract humans to its side. Rebellious spirits have no qualms about using deceit and trickery to accomplish their goals; they will claim to be 'angels', 'flying saucer' aliens (see UFOs in the New Age by William Alnor, sponsored by the Christian Research Organization), Jesus, the Holy Spirit, or whatever else works to attract the unwary.

Topic 80:   Questions Answered.

FIRST QUESTION: Is the fire spoken of as the future penalty of sin literal fire.
ANSWER: Note the frequency with which the word fire and synonymous expressions are used:

Matthew 7:19 Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire.

John 15:6 If anyone does not remain in me, he is like a branch that is thrown away and withers; such branches are picked up, thrown into the fire and burned.

Isaiah 66:24 And they will go out and look upon the dead bodies of those who rebelled against me; their worm will not die, nor will their fire be quenched, and they will be loathsome to all mankind.

Hebrews 6:8 But land that produces thorns and thistles is worthless and is in danger of being cursed. In the end it will be burned.

Hebrews 10:26-27 [26] If we deliberately keep on sinning after we have received the knowledge of the truth, no sacrifice for sins is left, [27] but only a fearful expectation of judgment and of raging fire that will consume the enemies of God.

Revelation 20:15 If anyone's name was not found written in the book of life, he was thrown into the lake of fire.

Revelation 21:8 But the cowardly, the unbelieving, the vile, the murderers, the sexually immoral, those who practice magic arts, the idolaters and all liars -- their place will be in the fiery lake of burning sulfur. This is the second death.

Matthew 13:30, 41-42 Let both grow together until the harvest. At that time I will tell the harvesters: "First collect the weeds and tie them in bundles to be burned; then gather the wheat and bring it into my barn." [41] The Son of Man will send out his angels, and they will weed out of his kingdom everything that causes sin and all who do evil. [42] They will throw them into the fiery furnace, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.

In a parable we expect figures, but in the explanation of the parable we expect the figures to be explained by the literal facts which they are intended to represent. But in the parable of the tares every item of the parable is explained except the fire; that remains fire in the interpretation of the parable as well as in the parable itself.

Compare Matthew 13:47-50 [47] "Once again, the kingdom of heaven is like a net that was let down into the lake and caught all kinds of fish. [48] When it was full, the fisher- men pulled it up on the shore. Then they sat down and collected the good fish in baskets, but threw the bad away. [49] This is how it will be at the end of the age. The angels will come and separate the wicked from the righteous [50] and throw them into the fiery furnace, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.

Topic 81:   Death in the Lake of Fire.

SECOND QUESTION: Is the Lake of Fire: (a) a place of conscious torment, (b) a place of annihilation of being or (c) a place of non-conscious existence?
ANSWER: The punishment of the wicked is spoken of as "death" and "destruction." What do these words mean in Biblical usage?

POINT 10:   The word "death" is applied to sinners while still existing, but existing in a wrong way -- while they have life in the sense of existence, but not true life, real life, in the sense of right existence.

1 Timothy 5:6 But the widow who lives for pleasure is dead even while she lives.

Ephesians 2:1 [1] As for you, you were dead in your transgressions and sins,

*** CHECK THIS OUT ***       Compare the Authorized and Revised Versions of 1

Timothy 6:19 In this way they will lay up treasure for themselves as a firm foundation for the coming age, so that they may take hold of the life that is truly life.

POINT 20:   The death which is the final outcome of a life of sin and unbelief is defined in the Bible as a portion in the place of torment.

Revelation 21:8 But the cowardly, the unbelieving, the vile, the murderers, the sexually immoral, those who practice magic arts, the idolaters and all liars -- their place will be in the fiery lake of burning sulfur. This is the second death.

POINT 30:   Life is defined in the Bible not merely as existence but as right existence, knowing the true God, the life manifested in Jesus Christ. Death, then, is not mere non-existence, but wrong, wretched, debased devilish existence.

John 17:3 Now this is eternal life: that they may know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom you have sent.

1 John 1:2 The life appeared; we have seen it and testify to it, and we proclaim to you the eternal life, which was with the Father and has appeared to us.

Topic 82:   Destruction

POINT 10:   When anything is said "to perish" (the verb from which the noun commonly translated "destruction" and "perdition" is derived) it is not meant that it ceases to be, but that it is so ruined that it no longer subserves the use for which it was designed.

See Thayer's Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament.)

Matthew 9:17 Neither do men pour new wine into old wineskins. If they do, the skins will burst, the wine will run out and the wineskins will be ruined. No, they pour new wine into new wineskins, and both are preserved.

Compare Matthew 26:8 When the disciples saw this, they were indignant. "Why this waste?" they asked.

At various places the same word is translated "waste", "perdition", and "destruction."

POINT 20:   "Destruction " is clearly defined in the New Testament as the condition of beings in a place of conscious and unending torment.

Revelation 17:8 The beast, which you saw, once was, now is not, and will come up out of the Abyss and go to his destruction. The inhabitants of the earth whose names have not been written in the book of life from the creation of the world will be astonished when they see the beast, because he once was, now is not, and yet will come.

Revelation 17:11 The beast who once was, and now is not, is an eighth king. He belongs to the seven and is going to his destruction.

2 Peter 3:16 He writes the same way in all his letters, speaking in them of these matters. His letters contain some things that are hard to understand, which ignorant and unstable people distort, as they do the other Scriptures, to their own destruction.

Philippians 3:19 Their destiny is destruction, their god is their stomach, and their glory is in their shame. Their mind is on earthly things.

2 Peter 3:7 By the same word the present heavens and earth are reserved for fire, being kept for the day of judgment and destruction of ungodly men.

Now if we can find what the beast "goes" into, we shall know what "destruction" or "perdition" means. Turn to the following:

Revelation 19:20 But the beast was captured, and with him the false prophet who had performed the miraculous signs on his behalf. With these signs he had deluded those who had received the mark of the beast and worshiped his image. The two of them were thrown alive into the fiery lake of burning sulfur.

Revelation 20:7, 10 [7] When the thousand years are over, Satan will be released from his prison ... [10] And the devil, who deceived them, was thrown into the lake of burning sulfur, where the beast and the false prophet had been thrown. They will be tormented day and night for ever and ever.

Revelation 20:10, Revised Standard Version [10] [A]nd the devil who had deceived them was thrown into the lake of fire and sulfur where the beast and the false prophet were, and they will be tormented day and night for ever and ever.

Here we find the beast and the false prophet still in the lake of fire and being tormented after a thousand years have passed away.

That "destruction" does not mean annihilation is also evident from the following:

Luke 19:10 For the Son of Man came to seek and to save what was lost.

POINT 30:   The ultimate condition of those who receive the mark of the beast is described as a condition of unending, unresting, conscious torment.

Revelation 14:10-11 [10] he, too, will drink of the wine of God's fury, which has been poured full strength into the cup of his wrath. He will be tormented with burning sulfur in the presence of the holy angels and of the Lamb. [11] And the smoke of their torment rises for ever and ever. There is no rest day or night for those who worship the beast and his image, or for anyone who receives the mark of his name.

OBJECTION: "This passage does not refer to the eternal state -- it speaks of 'day and night.'"
ANSWER: Compare:

Revelation 4:8 Each of the four living creatures had six wings and was covered with eyes all around, even under his wings. Day and night they never stop saying: "Holy, holy, holy is the Lord God Almighty, who was, and is, and is to come."

Revelation 7:14-15 [14] I answered, "Sir, you know." And he said, "These are they who have come out of the great tribulation; they have washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb. [15] Therefore, "they are before the throne of God and serve him day and night in his temple; and he who sits on the throne will spread his tent over them.

Revelation 20:10 And the devil, who deceived them, was thrown into the lake of burning sulfur, where the beast and the false prophet had been thrown. They will be tormented day and night for ever and ever.


Revelation 19:20 But the beast was captured, and with him the false prophet who had performed the miraculous signs on his behalf. With these signs he had deluded those who had received the mark of the beast and worshiped his image. The two of them were thrown alive into the fiery lake of burning sulfur.

Topic 83:   The condition of torment is endless.

POINT 10:   They are tormented day and night for ever and ever, and they have no rest day nor night.

THIRD QUESTION: Is this condition of torment endless?
ANSWER:

Matthew 25:41 Then he will say to those on his left, `Depart from me, you who are cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels.

Compare Revelation 20:10 And the devil, who deceived them, was thrown into the lake of burning sulfur, where the beast and the false prophet had been thrown. They will be tormented day and night for ever and ever.

Revelation 14:11 And the smoke of their torment rises for ever and ever. There is no rest day or night for those who worship the beast and his image, or for anyone who receives the mark of his name.

2 Thessalonians 1:9-10 [9] They will be punished with everlasting destruction and shut out from the presence of the Lord and from the majesty of his power [10] on the day he comes to be glorified in his holy people and to be marveled at among all those who have believed. This includes you, because you believed our testimony to you.

What does "for ever and ever" mean?Literally, "unto the ages of the ages." The expression occurs twelve times in the Book of Revelation.

Revelation 1:6 [5] ... To him who loves us and has freed us from our sins by his blood, [6] and has made us to be a kingdom and priests to serve his God and Father -- to him be glory and power for ever and ever! Amen.

Revelation 4:9-10 [9] Whenever the living creatures give glory, honor and thanks to him who sits on the throne and who lives for ever and ever, [10] the twenty-four elders fall down before him who sits on the throne, and worship him who lives for ever and ever. They lay their crowns before the throne and say:

Revelation 5:13 Then I heard every creature in heaven and on earth and under the earth and on the sea, and all that is in them, singing: "To him who sits on the throne and to the Lamb be praise and honor and glory and power, for ever and ever!"

Revelation 7:12 [12] saying: "Amen! Praise and glory and wisdom and thanks and honor and power and strength be to our God for ever and ever. Amen!"

Revelation 10:6 And he swore by him who lives for ever and ever, who created the heavens and all that is in them, the earth and all that is in it, and the sea and all that is in it, and said, "There will be no more delay!

Revelation 11:15 The seventh angel sounded his trumpet, and there were loud voices in heaven, which said: "The kingdom of the world has become the kingdom of our Lord and of his Christ, and he will reign for ever and ever."

Revelation 14:11 And the smoke of their torment rises for ever and ever. There is no rest day or night for those who worship the beast and his image, or for anyone who receives the mark of his name."

Revelation 15:7 Then one of the four living creatures gave to the seven angels seven golden bowls filled with the wrath of God, who lives for ever and ever.

Revelation 19:2-3 [2] for true and just are his judgments. He has condemned the great prostitute who corrupted the earth by her adulteries. He has avenged on her the blood of his servants." [3] And again they shouted: "Hallelujah! The smoke from her goes up for ever and ever."

Revelation 20:10 And the devil, who deceived them, was thrown into the lake of burning sulfur, where the beast and the false prophet had been thrown. They will be tormented day and night for ever and ever.

Revelation 22:5 There will be no more night. They will not need the light of a lamp or the light of the sun, for the Lord God will give them light. And they will reign for ever and ever.

Eight times it refers to the duration of the existence or reign or glory of God and Christ. Once to the duration of the blessed reign of the righteous, and in the three remaining instances to the duration of the torment of the Devil, Beast, False Prophet, and the wicked.

The word frequently translated "eternal" or "everlasting" means "age-long", and may be used of a limited period; but the expression "for ever and ever" means "unto the age of the ages" (Revelation 19:3; 20:10; 14:11), i.e., not merely throughout an age, but throughout all ages. It is a picture not merely of years tumbling upon years, but of ages tumbling upon ages in endless succession. It is never in a single instance used of a limited period. Nothing could more plainly or graphically picture absolute endlessness.

Topic 84:   FOURTH QUESTION: When are the issues of eternity settled?

POINT 10:   Those who die in their sins cannot go where Jesus is.

John 8:21 Once more Jesus said to them, "I am going away, and you will look for me, and you will die in your sin. Where I go, you cannot come."

OBJECTION: Jesus is God; therefore, He is omnipresent, i.e., present everywhere. Also:

Revelation 14:10-11 [10] he, too, will drink of the wine of God's fury, which has been poured full strength into the cup of his wrath. He will be tormented with burning sulfur in the presence of the holy angels and of the Lamb. [11] And the smoke of their torment rises for ever and ever. There is no rest day or night for those who worship the beast and his image, or for anyone who receives the mark of his name.

ANSWER: As pointed out earlier, God is present everywhere, but He is not present everywhere in the same sense. John 8:21 literally means that sinners cannot go to Heaven.

POINT 20:   It is appointed unto men once to die, and after this judgment.

Hebrews 9:27-28 [27] Just as man is destined to die once, and after that to face judgment, [28] so Christ was sacrificed once to take away the sins of many people; and he will appear a second time, not to bear sin, but to bring salvation to those who are waiting for him.

POINT 30:   All who are in their graves who have done evil shall be raised unto a resurrection of judgment.

John 5:28-29 [28] "Do not be amazed at this, for a time is coming when all who are in their graves will hear his voice [29] and come out -- those who have done good will rise to live, and those who have done evil will rise to be condemned.

POINT 40:   A great gulf stands between those who pass out of this world lost and those who pass out accepted by God; there is no passing from one side to the other. The destinies of eternity are settled in the life that is now.

Luke 16:26 [26] And besides all this, between us and you a great chasm has been fixed, so that those who want to go from here to you cannot, nor can anyone cross over from there to us.

Topic 85:   FIFTH QUESTION: May those who have never heard of Christ in this world have another opportunity?

POINT 10:   God wrote His law into the hearts of men. Each man has sufficient light to achieve or lose salvation.

Jeremiah 31:33-34 [33] "This is the covenant I will make with the house of Israel after that time," declares the LORD. "I will put my law in their minds and write it on their hearts. I will be their God, and they will be my people. [34] No longer will a man teach his neighbor, or a man his brother, saying, 'Know the LORD,' because they will all know me, from the least of them to the greatest," declares the LORD. "For I will forgive their wickedness and will remember their sins no more."

Romans 2:12-16 [12] All who sin apart from the law will also perish apart from the law, and all who sin under the law will be judged by the law. [13] For it is not those who hear the law who are righteous in God's sight, but it is those who obey the law who will be declared righteous. [14] (Indeed, when Gentiles, who do not have the law, do by nature things required by the law, they are a law for themselves, even though they do not have the law, [15] since they show that the requirements of the law are written on their hearts, their consciences also bearing witness, and their thoughts now accusing, now even defending them.) [16] This will take place on the day when God will judge men's secrets through Jesus Christ, as my gospel declares.


Romans 3:19-22 [19] Now we know that whatever the law says, it says to those who are under the law, so that every mouth may be silenced and the whole world held accountable to God. [20] Therefore no one will be declared righteous in his sight by observing the law; rather, through the law we become conscious of sin. [21] But now a righteousness from God, apart from law, has been made known, to which the Law and the Prophets testify. [22] This righteousness from God comes through faith in Jesus Christ to all who believe. There is no difference,


GENERAL CONCLUSION: The future state of those who reject the redemption offered to them in Christ is plainly declared to be a state of conscious, unutterable, endless torment and anguish. This conception is an awful and appalling one. It is, however, the Scriptural conception and 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 toward sinners, and rejecting God's glorious Son, whom His love has provided as a Savior.

Shallow views of sin and of God's holiness, and of the glory of Jesus Christ and His claims upon us, 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 sanctify 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.

Topic 86:   What about our impenitent friends and loved ones?

POINT 10:

It is better to recognize facts, no matter how unwelcome, and try to save these friends from the doom to which they are certainly hurrying than to quarrel with facts and seek to remove them by shutting our eyes to them. You cannot avert a hurricane by merely refusing to believe it is coming.

If we love Christ supremely, as we should love Him, and realize His glory and His claims upon men, as we should realize them, we will say if the dearest friend we have on earth persists in trampling Christ under foot he ought to be tormented forever and ever.

Suppose one you greatly love should commit some hideous wrong against one you love more, and persist in it eternally, would you not consent to his eternal punishment?

If, after men have sinned and God still offers them mercy, and makes the tremendous sacrifice of His Son to save them -- if they despise that mercy and trample God's Son under foot, if then they are consigned to everlasting torment, I say: "Amen! Hallelujah! True and righteous are thy judgments, O Lord!"
   At all events the doctrine of conscious, eternal torment for impenitent 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 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 even the wisest of men are, to attempt to dogmatize how a God of infinite wisdom must act. All we know as to how God will 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 to His service, the more likely they are to believe this doctrine. Many men tell us they love their fellow man too much to believe this doctrine; but the men who show their love in more practical ways than sentimental protestations about it, the men who show their love for their fellow men as Jesus Christ showed His, by laying down their lives for them, they believe it, even as Jesus Christ Himself believed it.

As Christians become more 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.

1 Timothy 4:1 The Spirit clearly says that in later times some will abandon the faith and follow deceiving spirits and things taught by demons.

2 Timothy 3:1 But mark this: There will be terrible times in the last days.

2 Timothy 4:2-3 [2] Preach the Word; be prepared in season and out of season; correct, rebuke and encourage -- with great patience and careful instruction. [3] For the time will come when men will not put up with sound doctrine. Instead, to suit their own desires, they will gather around them a great number of teachers to say what their itching ears want to hear.

Increasing laxity of life and increasing laxity of doctrine go arm in arm. A church that lives in self- indulgence during the week, enjoys a doctrine on the Lord's Day that makes the punishment of the wicked not so awful after all.

Second, men who accept a loose doctrine regarding the ultimate penalty of sin (Restorantionism or Universalism or Annihilationism) lose their power for God. They may be very clever at argument and zealous in proselytizing, but they are poor at soul-saving. They are seldom found beseeching men to be reconciled to God. They are more likely to be found trying to upset the faith of those already won by the efforts of others, than winning men who have no faith at all. If you really believe the doctrine of the endless, conscious torment of the impenitent, and 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 way abate the doctrine, it will abate your zeal. Torrey stated that time and again he came up to this awful doctrine and tried to find some way of escape from it, but when he failed, as he always did, when he was honest with the Bible and with himself, he returned to his work with an increased burden for souls and an intensified determination to spend and be spent for their salvation.

Finally: Do not believe this doctrine in a cold, intellectual, merely argumentative way. If you do, and try to teach it, you will repel men from it. But meditate upon it in its practical, personal bearings, until your heart is burdened by the awful peril of the wicked and you rush out to spend the last dollar, if need be, and the last ounce of strength you have, in saving those imperiled men from the certain, awful hell of conscious agony and shame to which they are fast hurrying.

POINT 20:   The popular belief and teaching that God will forgive sinners an infinite number of times is totally unbiblical. Those who persist in their sin up to their physical death can not obtain forgiveness.

Luke 13:6 [6] Then he told this parable: "A man had a fig tree, planted in his vineyard, and he went to look for fruit on it, but did not find any. [7] So he said to the man who took care of the vineyard, `For three years now I've been coming to look for fruit on this fig tree and haven't found any. Cut it down! Why should it use up the soil?' [8] "`Sir,' the man replied, `leave it alone for one more year, and I'll dig around it and fertilize it. [9] If it bears fruit next year, fine! If not, then cut it down.'"

POINT 30:   God makes an extra effort to help those who are unrepentant, in an effort to save each of his children.

Luke 13:8 "Sir," the man replied, "leave it [an unfruitful tree] alone for one more year, and I'll dig around it and fertilize it."

POINT 40:   Even though God sincerely desires that each person be saved, He is only willing to go so far. He gives each person more than enough time to bear fruit but, ultimately, He leaves to each individual the choice of salvation or damnation.

Luke 13:9 If it bears fruit next year, fine! If not, then cut it down.'"s

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And throw that worthless servant outside into the darkness where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.