IMMORTALITY—ETERNAL PUNISHMENT.
By M. C. W.
A LITTLE tract has been sent to this office entitled, "On the Immortality of the Soul, and Eternal Punishment," in which the writer claims that man cannot be otherwise than immortal, because Jesus said that we should not fear them that kill the body but cannot kill the soul. Matt. 10:28. But we read that we are to fear Him who is able to destroy both soul and body in hell. This does not mean to preserve eternally alive. "The wages of sin is death;" and this death is eternal; therefore, as death is the punishment of sin, it is everlasting or eternal punishment, not eternal punishing. It is a completed punishment which will never be repeated; a death from which there is no resurrection. Jesus says that it is everlasting punishment (Matt. 25:46); Paul by inspiration declares that the everlasting punishment is "everlasting destruction" (2 Thess. 1:9; Phil. 3:19), and death (Rom. 6:23); Peter says perdition, which means utter destruction. 2 Peter 3:7. The writer argues that the breathing into man's nostrils the breath of life, distinguishes him from the brutes. But the beasts have the same breath of life, and are termed living souls. Gen. 7:15, 22; Eccl. 3:19; Rev. 16:3; Gen. 1:30, margin. If because man was given the breath of life, he was immortal, the beast having the same breath of life would also be immortal. The way in which it was given to man might indicate added dignity and superiority, but not length of existence. Man was made capable of a higher existence, but this he forfeited through sin, became subject to death, from which he can only be released through Christ. The writer of the tract refutes his own position. He says in the beginning that all men are immortal; but, later on, he declares that believers have eternal life and unbelievers have not. He makes a distinction between immortality and eternal life, applying immortality to the immaterial soul of all, while the Bible applies it to the substance of those who will be raised at the coming of Christ. Then shall this mortal put on immortality. 1 Cor. 15:51-55. God alone possesses inherent immortality. 1 Tim. 6:16. He will impart it to those who are his at his coming, who by well-doing seek for it. Rom. 2:6. It is at that time also that eternal life will be given. Col. 3:3, 4; John 6:54. The terms "forever," "eternal," and "everlasting," all coming from the Greek word aiōn, do not always mean unending duration, but are applied to life, lifetime, or as long as anything in its nature would exist. The eternal fire of Sodom (Jude 7) burned up the cities of the plain (2 Pet. 2:6), and then went out, and the Dead Sea now slumbers where those once proud cities stood. Sometimes these terms denote a completed process. "Eternal judgment" (Heb. 6:2) does not denote a judgment forever in session, but one whose decrees are never reversed. "Eternal salvation" (Heb. 5:9) and "eternal redemption" (Heb. 9:12)233do not mean an eternal saving or eternal redeeming, but a salvation, a redemption which will never be repeated; for those who have a part in it will never again be in a lost condition. So "eternal punishment" means eternal in effects, not in infliction, eternal punishment, not eternal punishing. Simply because "forever and ever" is applied to God, it does not follow that the term indicates always duration without end. "Everlasting" is applied to God (Isa. 40:28), and to the Levitical priesthood (Ex. 40:15); but the priesthood has passed away, while God will forever exist. Unending existence is an essential element of his nature. He is the I AM, the Self-existent One. Everlasting applied to him denotes unending duration, because in his very nature he is without beginning or end. But the Levitical priesthood and the wicked are mortal, corruptible, and their punishment is eternal destruction, as is also that of Satan. Heb. 2:14; Mal. 4:1. Eternal death is a terrible doom, eternal life is a boon invaluable. God has set them both before us—life and death, "therefore choose life;" "for the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life, through Jesus Christ our Lord." M. C. W.