Willful Ignorance and Divine Judgment
By Editor
THE Golden Gate takes exceptions to the Scripture statement quoted in these columns recently, that when "Christ comes it will be in flaming fire, taking vengeance on them that know not God." Our neighbor expresses a belief that "Christ will not do any such a cruel thing," and seems to be astonished that vengeance should be taken on people for their ignorance. But it must be remembered that this ignorance is willful; they not only believe a lie, but have "pleasure in unrighteousness." The apostle Paul fully answers this objection in the first chapters of his epistle to the Romans. He says: "For when the Gentiles, which have not the law, do by nature the things contained in the law, these, having not the law, are a law unto themselves; which show the works of the law written in their hearts, their conscience also bearing witness, and their thoughts the meanwhile accusing or else excusing one another." Rom. 2: 14, 15. This is simply saying that even the most ignorant have sufficient light to condemn them, for the reason that they do not live up to the light which they have. And this is not to be wondered at, since "the carnal mind is enmity against God, for it is not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can be." The Scriptures do indeed speak of taking vengeance on the wicked, and yet it is not vengeance in the sense in which we use and understand the term. God will destroy the wicked simply because it is impossible in harmony with his nature that he should perpetuate their existence. It is not that he feels revenge as we feel it, or that he has malice, but because, being holy, he can bestow eternal life only upon those beings who are holy.