One Point not Noticed by R. F. Cottrell

The Seventh-day Adventist Publishing Association · Battle Creek, Mich. · Nov 10, 1863

One Point not Noticed.

By R. F. Cottrell

I HEARD a Universalist preach on the subject of punishment. His text was, "Who will render to every man according to his deeds." Rom. ii, 6. He noticed three points in the text. 1. The certainty of rewards and punishments: God "will render." 2. The universality: "To every man." 3. The proportionality: "According to his deeds."

He tried to make it appear that men receive the punishment of their sins, as they pass along through this life; confounding the consequences of the violation of the natural laws of our being with the retributions of Jehovah for sin. He seemed to forget that men often suffer these consequences, not from their own deeds, but from those of their forefathers; as in the case of hereditary diseases. He did not think of those texts that represent the wicked as receiving their good things in this life, and the righteous as receiving evil things. "Son remember that thou in thy lifetime receivedst thy good things, and Lazarus evil things; but now he is comforted, and thou art tormented." Luke xvi, 25. "For I was envious at the foolish, when I saw the prosperity of the wicked. For there are no bands in their death; but their strength is firm. They are not in trouble as other men; neither are they plagued like other men. Therefore pride compasseth them about as a chain; violence covereth them as a garment. Their eyes stand out with fatness; they have more than heart could wish.... Behold, these are the ungodly who prosper in the world; they increase in riches." Ps. lxxiii, 3–7, 12.

To see the wicked prosper in this life, and not receive their punishment as they go along, was "too painful for the Psalmist, 'Until,' said he, 'I went into the sanctuary of God; then understood I their end.'" He learned in God's sanctuary that though they prospered in life, an awful end awaited them. That end is set forth in the language following: "Surely thou didst set them in slippery places; thou castedst them down into destruction. How are they brought into desolation, as in a moment! they are utterly consumed with terrors." This view of the future awful destruction of the wicked cured the Psalmist of his foolish envy on account of their prosperity. And had there been any such thing as Universalism in his day it would have cured him of that. But he was not in danger of falling into that error, on the presumption that men are rewarded and punished in this life. He knew this was not so. His only danger was, that as he saw the wicked fare as well as, and even better than, the righteous, at present, he might conclude they always would; and that consequently there was no retribution for them; and therefore it was useless and in vain to try to serve the Lord.

Job must have been a very wicked man, if the theory under examination be true. And his "miserable comforters" must have been Universalists. Their argument was that he was receiving the punishment of his sins; and that he must have been a great sinner, because his punishment was great. But he looked forward to the resurrection as the day of recompences, and settlement of the inequalities of the present life. He knew that his Redeemer lived, and that in the latter day he would come to earth; and though worms might literally devour him, yet he would live again and see God.

But let us return to our friend's text, and notice the point which he did not—the fourth head. It is this: Rewards and punishment are to be rendered in the future. The text does not affirm that God does render to every man according to his deeds, as he passes through life; but he will render thus. When? is the question. The following verse, read in connection with the text, affirms that God will render eternal life to those "who by patient continuance in well doing seek for glory and honor and immortality." Now, unless it can be shown that some have received the reward of eternal life while living in the world, it is certain that the rendering to every man according to his deeds refers to the future, and not to the present. Patient continuance in well doing, refers to the afflictions of the people of God in this life; for "tribulation worketh patience." But when these afflictions have been patiently endured, and the course of well-doing has been persevered in to the end, eternal life is the reward. Since no one in the world has received this reward, God has not yet rendered to every man according to his deeds.

It is reasonable, as well as scriptural, that men should first be judged, and then rewarded or punished. God hath appointed a day in which he will judge the world in righteousness, by Jesus Christ. Acts xvii, 31. "The Lord knoweth how to deliver the godly out of temptation, and to reserve the unjust unto the day of judgment to be punished." 2 Pet. ii, 9. This does not look much like punishing them as they pass along through this life. "The wicked are reserved to the day of destruction; they shall be brought forth to the day of wrath." Job xxi, 30. How shall they be brought forth to the day of wrath? By a resurrection from the dead. "Marvel not at this; for the hour is coming, in the which all that are in the graves shall hear his voice, and shall come forth; they that have done good, unto the resurrection of life; and they that have done evil, unto the resurrection of damnation." Jno. v, 28, 29. This is the "eternal damnation" of which Christ spake. Not eternal misery; but a condemnation to death which will never be revoked. There is no hope beyond eternal damnation.

Thus it appears that the point not noticed was the point intended to be disproved. R. F. Cottrell.