The Nature and Object of Future Punishment.
By J. W. Marsh
It has been very difficult in many cases for men of good judgment to love the Lord with all the heart, when they could not see propriety in his manner of punishing the wicked. It is with the hope of helping such that these few thoughts are offered. Why are the wicked punished? Is it to destroy sin and sinners, and thus protect society? This could be accomplished by giving them no resurrection, and some have been led to take this view. But there are serious objections to this doctrine, as it throws away much scripture relating to the resurrection and future punishment of the wicked. See John 5:28, 29; Dan. 12:2; Matt. 25:31–46; Mark 9:42–50. These texts contain plain statements, and no reason can be offered for understanding them in a figurative sense. There is a better way. All chastisement is designed in the first place to humble or subdue the will, and thus remove hardness of heart. This principle holds good in all the experience of this life. Some have seemed to think there was virtue in the rod to remove sin. If this were true, we all might suffer till our sins were removed and universal salvation followed. No; there is only one way to remove sin, and that is through the blood of Christ. Future punishment is only designed to remove hardness of heart. Rom. 2:5: “But after [Greek, kata, literally, in accordance to, rendered according to in New Testament over 100 times] thy hardness and impenitent heart treasurest up unto thyself wrath against the day of wrath and revelation of the righteous judgment of God.” Please read this carefully, and you will see meaning in the expression, “In accordance to thy hardness ... treasurest up unto thyself wrath.” We consider this proof of the first point. A very important question arises here: How does the heart become hard? It is by disobedience to known principles of right.83Children become hard, first in proportion as they resist good home discipline; they next break over good rules at school, and become harder until they will openly violate the law of the land by theft, burglary, or murder. It is the confession of all criminals that the first crime cost them the greatest struggle with conscience. I think it is an acknowledged fact that in proportion as we sin the heart becomes hard, so we pass this point. We will now notice the case of Pharaoh which is used as an objection; for it is said the Lord hardened his heart, and if so, how could the Lord be just and punish him? As there is a general principle involved in this question, and many suppose that God does control the will, and so virtually compels some to be bad men, we will try to examine this case carefully. That there are circumstances in which the Lord does harden the heart of men cannot be denied. As Paul uses the strongest expressions in reference to this matter, let us notice Rom. 9:18: “Therefore hath he mercy on whom he will have mercy, and whom he will he hardeneth.” Now let Paul explain whom he will harden. Rom. 1:21, 22: “Because that, when they knew God, they glorified him not as God, neither were thankful; but became vain in their imaginations, and their foolish heart was darkened. Professing themselves to be wise, they became fools.” Verse 28: “And even as they did not like to retain God in their knowledge, God gave them over to a reprobate mind, to do those things which are not convenient.” Paul introduces this same fact in 2 Tim. 3:1–8, and says of them, verse 8, “Now as Jannes and Jambres withstood Moses, so do these also resist the truth; men of corrupt minds, reprobate concerning the faith.” There are many cases of a similar nature. Read 2 Chron. 18; also 2 Tim. 4:3, 4. Now that Pharaoh was one of the class described above, the circumstances clearly show. We can now say with Job, “Yea, surely God will not do wickedly, neither will the Almighty pervert judgment.” Job 34:12. The argument now stands thus:—
a. Punishment is designed to remove hardness of heart.
b. Hardness of heart is occasioned by disobedience to known law.
c. The hardness of heart is exactly in proportion to the light rejected. To make the last point clear, we refer again to Rom. 2:5: “But in accordance to thy hardness and impenitent heart treasurest up unto thyself wrath against the day of wrath.” This is a justifiable reason for punishment, and exalts the character of God. “For the work of a man shall he render unto him, and cause every man to find according to his ways.” Job 34:11. “All his works shall praise him.” Ps. 145:10. But how can the suffering of the wicked praise him? I answer, Just as the sufferings and afflictions of the righteous praise him; because it does a work for them that no other means could do—it humbles them. The righteous are those who can be reached by the gospel, and yet their hearts are so hard that they need chastening all the way through life. This is to bring them to see the terrible nature of sin, so that they may put it away from them. God does “not afflict willingly nor grieve the children of men.” Lam. 3:33. It is the only means known on earth or in Heaven by which to accomplish this work; and if the righteous are afflicted to humble them because it is the only means that will do this, there is good reason why the Lord has to punish the wicked; for they, too, must be humbled. But the question will arise here, If punishment will humble the heart, why not apply it to all in this life, and so save the whole human race? I answer, Because the hearts of some are so hard that they could not endure enough with their present vital powers; they would die before the work could be accomplished; and others never come to Christ that they may have life. I understand that we must come into covenant relation with him before he undertakes our cause, then he will undertake to save us. This is the reason that those who profess Christ often suffer affliction more than those who do not. But “these light afflictions” “work out for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory,” because they bring humility. But why does the Lord wish to humble the wicked? I answer, He has determined to convince every intelligent creature of the justice of his Father's government. “And Enoch also, the seventh from Adam, prophesied of these, saying, Behold, the Lord cometh with ten thousand of his saints, to execute judgment upon all, and to convince all that are ungodly among them of all their ungodly deeds which they have ungodly committed, and of all their hard speeches which ungodly sinners have spoken against him.” Jude 14, 15. Paul says also that our Saviour will have all men to be saved and come to a knowledge of the truth. This is decisive proof that all will be saved from the death of Adam. This is not necessarily an everlasting salvation. But after having their hardness of heart removed so they can reason (for I understand they cannot reason clearly till this is done), they will then be convinced of their ungodly course; and then he will convince those wicked sorcerers, Pharaoh, and fallen angels, yes, and Satan too, of the terrible delusion of sinning against God. Then will be fulfilled the prophecy contained in Isa. 45:23, 24. “I have sworn by myself, the word has gone out of my mouth in righteousness, and shall not return, That unto me every knee shall bow, and every tongue shall swear. Surely he shall say of me, In the Lord is all righteousness and strength; even to him shall men come; and all that are incensed against him shall be ashamed.” I have quoted the margin as it is so quoted by Paul in Rom. 14:11, 12: “For it is written, As I live, saith the Lord, every knee shall bow to me, and every tongue shall confess to God.” So, then, every one of us shall give an account of himself to God. But Paul has explained the matter more fully in Phil. 2:9, 10. “Wherefore God also hath highly exalted him [Christ], and given him a name which is above every name; that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of things in Heaven [the angels and redeemed saints], and things in the earth [the wicked], and things under the earth.” This last must mean Satan and the fallen angels “that were cast down to hell and delivered” “into chains of darkness to be reserved unto judgment.” 2 Pet. 2:4. Now, let us see what they all shall confess. Phil. 2:11: “And that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord to the glory of God the Father.” This reaches the climax of perfection, when Satan himself shall be brought to confess that Jesus Christ is Lord. But how can this glorify the father? Evidently this was the cause of the fall of Satan and his angels from their first estate. Thus every tongue shall confess that Jesus Christ is Lord. a. The righteous will gladly acknowledge him.
b. The wicked will be humbled by punishment and then they will acknowledge him to be Lord and consequently their sin in refusing to accept him as their Saviour, or in their neglect of the plan of salvation showing they did not appreciate it.
c. None will confess that of which they are not guilty.
d. When Satan shall confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, it reveals the fact that at some time he refused to acknowledge him as Lord. This takes the mind back before the fall of Adam, to the fall of Satan, and proves that it was pride of heart that caused his fall, by refusing to acknowledge Christ as Lord; probably about the time of the creation of the world. With this view of the subject I can heartily join the redeemed saints in ascribing praise “to Him that sitteth upon the throne,” saying, “Great and marvelous are thy works, Lord God Almighty; just and true are thy ways, thou King of saints.” And let all say, Amen. J. W. MARSH.