EVERLASTING PUNISHMENT by C. A. Wyman

Pacific Press Publishing Company · Oakland, California · Nov 26, 1896

FromSigns of the Times, Vol. 22, No. 47.

EVERLASTING PUNISHMENT.

By C. A. Wyman

BY C. A. WYMAN.

"AND these shall go away in everlasting punishment; but the righteous into life eternal." Matt. 25:46.

By those who believe in the doctrine of "eternal torment," the above text is taken as conclusive proof that the wicked will live always, suffering the most excruciating tortures that can be invented.

Because it is seen that God will punish for sin, and that only in this life is there an escape offered to those who believe, therefore from the premise that "the soul is immortal and can never die," the wicked are represented as living forever in the torments of the damned.

Were the doctrine true, that "man has inherent immortality," then the logic of the torment theory would be quite invincible. But as a wrong premise always leads to a wrong conclusion logically, it is often safe to test the truth of the premise by the logic of the conclusion.

Who Have Eternal Life.

To live eternally in torment, it will be necessary to have eternal life; but as by the text, the righteous only go into life eternal, it follows that the wicked can not have a life to endure an endless suffering.

But the Saviour says again, "He that believeth on the Son hath everlasting life; and he that believeth not the Son shall not see life; but the wrath of God abideth on him." John 3:36. As the wicked do not see eternal life, it follows, scripturally and logically, that they can not have a punishing eternal in duration. And since "the wages of sin is death" (Rom. 6:23), it follows that sinners can not live, but must die; for "the soul that sinneth it shall die." Eze. 18:20. But as "the wages" "is death," it follows that the punishment will sever the life of the wicked. "For, behold, 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." Mal. 4:1. With the root and branch obliterated, what can there be for the fire to feed upon?

So strongly is the doctrine of "eternal torment" intrenched in the creeds of Christendom, that the most unscriptural, absurd, and contradictory positions are taken to uphold it. It is represented that the wicked have endless life, and that as soon as they die, they go into a burning hell, there to receive endless suffering. Thus man, whom Satan has led into sin, is plunged into torment, while the arch-rebel, with all the fallen angels, yet go about as roaring lions, seeking whom they may devour.

The Devils Not in Torment.

To those who will see it, it is clearly revealed that the devils themselves are not come into torment, for we read that "when he [Jesus] was come to the other side into the country of the Gergesenes, there met him two possessed with devils, . . . and, behold, they cried out, saying, What have we to do with thee, Jesus, thou Son of God? art thou come hither to torment us before the time?" Matt. 8:28, 29. Thus the instigators of sin are not as yet receiving the reward of their deeds. Yet the popular belief consigns their victims to endless misery as soon as they close their eyes in death.

By these creeds man is made to suffer longer than Satan, for the first victim has nearly six thousand years the start of his cruel oppressor, and Satan is not bound till the Lord comes. Rev. 20:1-3. What wonder is it that men are made infidels when they hear from thousands of lips and pens, that the wicked are writhing in the pains of hell, and Satan and all his hosts of angels are free to gather in their harvest of victims! Such teachings are too appalling for the common feelings of humanity, and that Being whom we call God, whose very principles are love and justice, is degraded and clothed with Satanic attributes.