INFIDELITY A RESULT OF PERVERTED TRUTH.
EXTREME representations of Christianity and extreme assumptions on the part of its professed devotees always result in reaction toward infidelity. This is why the great deceiver invents and encourages such things. It was the false doctrines and extravagant assumptions of the Roman Church that gave rise to the infidelity in France, which culminated in the great Revolution, with all its terrible results. Christianity had been so grossly misrepresented that men rebelled against the power that called itself by that name; and, in their ignorance, not knowing anything of the genuine principle, they rushed to the farthest extreme for a substitute. Another Roman dogma, adopted extensively by Protestants, has worked mightily for infidelity, and this is the monstrous incubus of eternal torment. It is a terrible misrepresentation of the character of God to portray Him as a tyrant who takes pleasure in the torture of his enemies. This is the idea the heathen have of a god; therefore their idols are represented as vindictive creatures, and their worship is but a series of efforts to appease the wrath of some being possessing only traits of cruelty and revenge. There are men, however, whose instincts (unconsciously influenced by the Spirit of Christianity in the world) revolt at such things. And when they are led to believe that the Christian's God is one who will take pleasure in the eternal torment of His enemies, they instinctively shrink from allegiance to Him. Hence we have infidelity and human endeavor in the line of self-preservation and self-elevation. If such men would study the Word of God in its own light, from its own standpoint, they would see the God of the Bible portrayed as a God of love. "God so loved the world" (John 3:16), "while we were yet sinners" (Rom. 5:8), "that He gave His only-begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life" (John 3:16); "the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life" (Rom. 6:23). Sin and death came upon the race through man's own disobedience, and the Son of God gave His own life as a ransom for all who would believe and accept pardon and eternal life. Then men who suffer the penalty of eternal death (not torture) will do so because they will not accept the life provided for them. See John 5:39, 40. "God is love" (1 John 4:8), and is "not willing that any should perish" (2 Peter 3:9). "As I live, saith the Lord God, I have no pleasure in the death of the wicked; but that the wicked turn from his way and live." Eze. 33:11. But He can not in justice save men who choose sin and its consequences. It would do them no good, and they would continue to mar the peace of the world. "Let favor be showed to the wicked, yet will he not learn righteousness; in the land of uprightness will he deal unjustly, and will not behold the majesty of the Lord." Isa. 26:10. So the Lord continually makes this appeal: "I have set before you life and death, blessing and cursing; therefore choose life, that both thou and thy seed may live." Deut. 30:19. To teach that such a God of love could find pleasure in torturing forever any of His creatures is a travesty on His character, and a sheer perversion of His holy Word. It is no wonder that such a dogma should make infidels of those who do not study the Word of truth for themselves.