The Doctrine of Eternal Torment.
By J. O. Corliss
THE Bible assures us that "the wages of sin is death." Rom. 6:23. The question to settle in the understanding of this text is, How does the word "death" which it employs differ from the same word used everywhere else than in the Scriptures? We know that, as generally understood, death is the exact opposite of life. It does not seem plain therefore how some can believe death, as used in the Bible, to be continued life in a modified form. Were this true, why, then, is it not also true that there is no real death, only a transition from one state of life to another? But, if this were true, where shall the responsibility rest if the Bible does not clearly state the proposition in terms exact enough so that those desirous of being in perfect harmony with the Bible are not to be led astray? To say it makes little difference how one looks at the matter, does not help to settle the question. The Sinner's Destiny Should Be Understood.
Let us consider the last proposition for a brief moment. The destiny of the sinner is one which all ought to understand, for the reason that the settlement of that question on the proper basis has much to do with establishing faith in God and in His word. For instance: To regard Jehovah, whose attributes are said to be love, mercy, and grace, as one who could assign men to eternal torment for the sins of a few short years, destroys faith in Him as a loving and merciful Father, and consigns the Bible to the realm of fables. This doctrine, therefore, must plunge one into a state of hopeless wo the moment he ceases to breathe, since that but marks a transitory period between two states of existence. But let us see how such a view destroys another prominent doctrine of the Bible. When at Athens, the apostle Paul said that God had appointed a day in which He would judge the world. Acts 17:31. But if every man goes to his reward the day he ceases to breathe, why have a day of judgment in the future, to decide whether he ought to be punished or not? Was a mistake made in sending some to terrible torment, and others to exquisite bliss when they left this state of existence? If so, how imperfect the plan upon which such work is done, and how unworthy the wisdom of an infinite One! How unjust such treatment would be, even to the worst of sinners, or to the best of saints. How plainly and positively the Bible sets forth that every one shall be judged according to the deeds done in the body. Rom. 2:6; Gal. 6:7; 2 Cor. 5:10. Take for instance the sin of murder. One commits such sin two thousand years before another. If each goes into eternal torment at death, how would the punishment in these cases be made equal when one has been made to suffer two thousand years more than the8other without any possible way of having the last one receive the same length of term as the first? Such a view of man's punishment is not, and can not be made to appear, in harmony with the character of God and the teachings of His word. "The Lord knoweth how to deliver the godly out of temptations, and to reserve the unjust unto the day of judgment to be punished." 2 Peter 2:9. The Lord, then, does not place men under punishment before the day of judgment. He reserves, or holds, them until that day when their guilt has been established to their own satisfaction, and their sentence pronounced. Compared to Combustible Material.
As God knows how to hold the sinner until sentence is passed on him, before letting him be punished, so He knows how to adapt that punishment to meet the deserts of the individual sinner. One thing is certain: none thus sentenced will live forever in torment, else they are not properly classed in the Bible. That word represents the wicked by every sort of combustible material, such as the fat of lambs, thorns, chaff, and stubble, while the righteous are compared to gold, silver, and precious stones. Thus we read of the two classes by way of contrast: "As the whirlwind passeth, so is the wicked no more; but the righteous is an everlasting foundation." Prov. 10:25. Another inspired writer, beholding the contrast of the future, confidently exclaimed: "For yet a little while, and the wicked shall not be; yea, thou shalt diligently consider his place, and it shall not be." Ps. 37:10. Not only will the wicked cease to be, but no place will even exist for him. This language seems quite thoroly to dispose of the point under consideration, but we may be permitted to indulge one more reference to the question from the Old Testament. The closing chapter has this to say: "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. This tells the entire story. The wicked finally shall be "burned up." Nothing of them will remain, neither of "root nor branch." Coming to the New Testament we find the same sentiment expressed. Speaking of the work of Christ, John the Baptist said He would "gather His wheat into the garner; but He will burn up the chaff with unquenchable fire." Matt. 3:12. Two expressions here are worthy of notice. The "chaff" is said not only to burn, but to burn up, with "unquenchable fire." Fire that is quenchable might be stifled and its prey rescued. But here is an unquenchable fire—one that can not be put out, but must be permitted to burn up whatever is in its embrace. The fire which is to burn the wicked in the last day is called "everlasting" because it lasts as long as there is anything to consume, and, also, because its results are everlasting. This thought is clearly brought out by reference to the "cities of the plain," cited by the apostle. Of these he says, "Sodom and Gomorrah, and the cities about them in like manner, . . . are set forth for an example, suffering the vengeance of eternal fire." Jude 7. We know that those cities do not now exist, since the waters of the Dead Sea roll over the very spot where they stood. Yet the "text" says that they are suffering the vengeance of "eternal fire," even tho the fire ceased burning when the cities were entirely consumed. Referring to this case another writer says that God, in "turning the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah into ashes, condemned them with an overthrow, making them an ensample unto those that after should live ungodly." 2 Peter 2:6. This, then, is the way God will deal with the finally incorrigible. They will be "burned up," "into smoke shall they consume away." Ps. 37:20. By this method, they will "be punished with everlasting destruction from the presence of the Lord, and from the glory of His power." 2 Thess. 1:9. Thus the destruction of the wicked will be everlasting removal from the Lord's presence and power. To be placed thus, one must certainly be banished from existence. One may well ask of God: "Whither shall I flee from Thy presence? If I ascend up into heaven, Thou art there; if I make my bed in hell, behold, Thou art there. If I take the wings of the morning, and dwell in the uttermost parts of the sea; even there shall Thy hand lead me, and Thy right hand shall hold me." Ps. 139:7-10. Surely, according to this, no place will be found for the wicked, after suffering the vengeance of eternal fire. Everlasting punishment, as already shown, does not necessarily mean everlasting punishing. The punishment for sins will last forever; that is, when one has passed the dividing line between probation and eternity, his fate is an eternal one, because there is no recovery then from sin. It is a terrible punishment for one to know that there will come a time for him when he must close his eyes forever to every privilege and blessing promised to repentant believers in Christ. That which makes it so hard to bear is the thought that it need not have been so, had not time been squandered in self-seeking and gross transgression. How thankful we ought all to feel that there is still opportunity to change relation to the eternal future, and to receive the gift of God thru Jesus Christ, which is eternal life.