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Chosen no: R-926 b, from: 1887 Year. |
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EVERLASTING TORMENT
Nowhere in Scripture is everlasting torment
set forth as the wages of sin. The
nearest approach to such a declaration is
in Matt. 25:46. "These shall go away into
everlasting punishment." What the punishment
is, is not shown in this connection,
except in the symbol "fire" (verse 41).
The fire is as much a symbol as the
other features of the parable, sheep, goats,
etc. Fire is always a symbol of destruction, never a symbol of preservation. The
nature of the punishment for willful sin,
which is to last forever, is elsewhere stated
plainly and explicitly to be death--destruction.
"Who shall be punished with
[or by] everlasting destruction [i.e. a
destruction from which there shall be no
recovery--no resurrection] from the presence
of the Lord and from the glory of his
power." (2 Thes. 1:9.) "The wages of
sin is death" everlasting,--not life in torment
everlasting.
Consider well the fact, that our Lord
Jesus took the place of sinners under the
first condemnation for sin (Adam's). Had
the penalty for sin been "everlasting torment,"
he, in paying our penalty, would
have been compelled to suffer whatever
the sinners were condemned to suffer as
sin's penalty. It is written, Jehovah hath
laid upon him the iniquity of us all. He
bore our sins in his own body on the tree.
He died the just one for the unjust. He
gave himself a ransom--a corresponding price for all.
"He died for our sins," but he did not
suffer everlasting torment for our sins.
Hence if there was no other evidence on
the subject, this alone would prove that
"The wages of sin is death" and not everlasting
torment.
We have heretofore examined in these
columns various figurative passages of the
Bible, which from the prejudiced standpoint
of early education, seem at first
glance to favor everlasting torment. We
refer new readers to the following articles
in the October, 1886, issue: viz., "Undying
Worms and Quenchless Fires," "Turned
into Hell," and "The Lake of Fire and
Brimstone." See also March, 1886, issue,
"As the Serpent Beguiled Eve."
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