WILL SIN AND SATAN ALWAYS EXIST?
By Alice M. Harper
Some profess to believe that sin and sinners will always continue; “for,” say they, “the world was destroyed by a flood, and Sodom destroyed by fire, and still we see sin and sinners, and thus it will always be; sin will never be obliterated.” But such persons, I think, are not acquainted with the teachings of the Scriptures. Nor do such ever stop to consider that the originator of evil has not yet been destroyed. Most certainly, sin will continue as long as the first great cause exists, and while the inhabitants of our earth are fallen beings. But when Satan shall have been destroyed, and the earth is peopled by those who are made equal with the angels, and are fashioned like unto the blessed Saviour, then sin will cease to exist. Some take the position that there is no such being as Satan; but we find in Holy Writ abundant proof both of his existence and of his final destruction. The prophet Ezekiel says of the originator of sin (Satan), “I will bring forth a fire from the midst of thee; it shall devour thee, and I will bring thee to ashes upon the earth in the sight of all them that behold thee. . . . Thou shalt be a terror, and never shalt thou be any more.” Chap. 28:18, 19. The Revelator, speaking of the thousand years during which the earth will lie desolate, says, “When the thousand years are expired, Satan shall be loosed out of his prison [the desolate earth], and shall go out to deceive the nations . . . of the earth . . . to gather them together to battle; the number of whom is as the sand of the sea. And they [Satan and sinners] went up on the breadth of the earth, and compassed the camp of the saints about, and the beloved city; and fire came down from God out of Heaven, and devoured67them.” Rev. 20:7-9. Then there will be no more sin; for Satan himself, and all sinners, are consumed in the fire from God. We also hear the sweet singer of Israel exclaiming, “Thine enemies, O Lord, shall perish.” “A fire goeth before him, and burneth up his enemies round about.” “Surely thou wilt slay the wicked, O God.” Ps. 92:9; 97:3; 139:19. And in Mal. 4:1, we find the following testimony on this point: “The day cometh that shall burn as an oven; and all the proud, yea, and all that do wickedly, shall be stubble; and the day that cometh shall burn them up, saith the Lord of hosts, that it shall leave them neither root nor branch.” Let us read also what the prophet Isaiah says: “And the destruction of the transgressors and of the sinners shall be together, and they that forsake the Lord shall be consumed.” Isa. 1:28. We might quote many other scriptures to prove this point, but these are sufficient. We learn that after this the Lord will have a clean universe; the earth will be restored to all its Eden loveliness and beauty, and the righteous will inherit the land and dwell therein forever. Oh, blessed thought to those who are trying to be overcomers!