The Death Incurred by Sin.
By Henry E. Carver
Bro. White: With your permission I will give expression to some queries and thoughts suggested to my mind by reading the article in No. 1, present volume of Review, headed, "The Death Incurred by Sin." I do not find fault with one word or idea contained in the article, but believe it to be a clear and concise exposition of the penalty pronounced upon Adam and his posterity. There is, however, another doctrine intimately connected with this, that I should like to see clearly elucidated, and that is the resurrection. In that article, speaking of the return of man to the dust from whence he was taken, it is said: "This would have been the final and everlasting condition of man had not a Saviour, who is the resurrection and the life, . . . been provided." Now it follows that if this would have been the final and everlasting condition of man had not a plan of redemption been devised, then the resurrection of all men from the dead is secured by the plan of redemption. Now it is easy to understand how the resurrection of God's people is secured by the above plan; but to many minds it is not so clear how that of the wicked is effected by it without also bestowing on them eternal life. This is a point I should like to see clearly brought out by one of the Lord's stewards, not that I doubt the resurrection of both good and bad, but that the subject may be clearly before the mind when questioned by those who deny the resurrection of the wicked. A few words now to those who deny the resurrection of the wicked. The Scriptures assure us that "the wages of sin is death." By denying the resurrection of the wicked, you assert that the death here threatened is natural death. Let us examine this idea a moment. If natural death is the penalty for individual or personal sins, then it follows that none but sinners should suffer the penalty, or die. Sin is defined to be the transgression of the law, hence none but those who are transgressors of God's holy law should die. Instead of this we see that infants who have never transgressed the law, die. We also see that Christians, whose sins have been forgiven, and who consequently are not esteemed sinners, die also. This proves, I think, that natural death is not the penalty of personal sins. Natural death has been entailed upon our race by the transgression of our father Adam, hence we see that all classes, old and young, good and bad of all ages, with two exceptions, have died. The Scriptures tell us that "all have sinned," and that the wages of sin is death." Now if natural death is the penalty, or wages, of personal sins, then those sinners who have died, having paid the penalty, are no longer under the condemnation of the law of God, against which they had sinned. The law of God having been satisfied by their death, if they are ever raised from the dead at all, they must be raised in a state free from sin, and that without the atonement of Christ; but as this cannot be, it follows that natural death is not the penalty of personal sins. The declaration still stands good, however, that the "wages of sin is death," and as this death cannot (for the reasons given) be natural death, then it follows that the wicked will be raised from the dead to endure the punishment of the second death, or else the term, death, must be spiritualized to mean something else. The Scriptures tell us that the Lord knoweth how to reserve the unjust unto the day of judgment to be punished. Is this day of judgment every time a sinner dies? or will there really be a day of judgment at the last day, when all that are in their graves will come forth, they that have done good, to the resurrection of life, and they that have done evil, to the resurrection of damnation? I believe there will; do you? I remain, as ever, yours in hope of eternal life when Jesus comes.