DEATH, NOT TORTURE, IS THE PUNISHMENT OF SIN
Such is death, and the Scriptures declare repeatedly that it is death that is the great penalty for sin. Right from the beginning, death is the sentence, and the wording of that sentence as originally given shows clearly what is meant. God said to Adam as a consequence of his disobedience (Gen. 2:17) -"Thou shalt surely DIE."
There was no threatened eternal torment, but on the contrary Adam was told (Gen. 3:19) -
"In the sweat of thy face shalt thou eat bread, till thou RETURN UNTO THE GROUND: for out of it wast thou taken: for DUST THOU ART AND UNTO DUST SHALT THOU RETURN."
Paul says, commenting upon the Adamic sentence (Rom. 6:23) --
THE WICKED DESTROYED, NOT TORTURED
Death, we have seen, is oblivion and destruction, and death is the wages of sin. The term "DESTROY" is often used of the fate of the wicked. After the "few or many stripes" of chastisement, the end of all is destruction.
The popular conception leaves no room for few or many stripes, for it sweepingly gives all the full maximum penalty possible, eternal agony in hell, millions and millions and millions and millions of years for the sins of so brief a lifetime, and this for the overwhelming majority of mankind, for Jesus says (Matt. 7:13) --
"Broad is the way that leadeth to destruction, and MANY there be which go in thereat.
"And narrow is the way that leadeth unto life, and FEW there be that find it."
But here again we note that in the Bible it is not eternal torment that is threatened but destruction, which is something very different.
In Matt. 25:46, Jesus says the wicked "go into everlasting punishment," and what this everlasting punishment consists of is explained by Paul (2 Thess. 1:7-9) where he says that when Jesus shall be revealed from heaven, the wicked shall be "punished with everlasting destruction." Again (Heb. 10:27) --
"Judgment and fiery indignation shall devour the adversary."
Jesus says (Matt. 10:28) that God is able to --
THE PUNISHMENT OF THE WICKED IS FUTURE
It will have been noted from many of the foregoing quotations that the judgment and punishment of the wicked is connected with a special day IN THE FUTURE, when Christ will return from heaven.
This is important, for it clearly demonstrates the error of the conception of immediate reward or punishment at death. In Matt. 16:27, Jesus says --"For the Son of man shall come in the glory of his Father, with his angels, THEN shall he reward every man according to his works."
He says in John 5:27-29 --
One of the biggest inconsistencies of the popular belief is that fact that resurrection and judgment at the last day must be either flatly denied, or else it comes after centuries of bliss in heaven or torture in hell.
Where is the necessity or reason for either resurrection or judgment at the return of Christ if the dead go to their reward at death? It would not only be unnecessary -- it would be plain absurdity!
RESURRECTION
Scriptures say there will be a resurrection, and that it is necessary. We find the day of judgment always associated with resurrection of the dead, and we find resurrection from the grave held out as the only hope of life after death.
Paul devoted 1st Cor. 15 to refuting the contention that there will be no resurrection. He says (vs. 16-18) --
http://www.bereanchristadelphian.com/FirstPrn/hell.htm
Such is death, and the Scriptures declare repeatedly that it is death that is the great penalty for sin. Right from the beginning, death is the sentence, and the wording of that sentence as originally given shows clearly what is meant. God said to Adam as a consequence of his disobedience (Gen. 2:17) -"Thou shalt surely DIE."
There was no threatened eternal torment, but on the contrary Adam was told (Gen. 3:19) -
"In the sweat of thy face shalt thou eat bread, till thou RETURN UNTO THE GROUND: for out of it wast thou taken: for DUST THOU ART AND UNTO DUST SHALT THOU RETURN."
Paul says, commenting upon the Adamic sentence (Rom. 6:23) --
- "The wages of sin is death."
"By one man’s offence death reigned" (Rom 5:17).
- "The end of those things (the works of the flesh) is death."
- "Sin, when it is finished, bringeth forth DEATH" (James 1:15).
THE WICKED DESTROYED, NOT TORTURED
Death, we have seen, is oblivion and destruction, and death is the wages of sin. The term "DESTROY" is often used of the fate of the wicked. After the "few or many stripes" of chastisement, the end of all is destruction.
The popular conception leaves no room for few or many stripes, for it sweepingly gives all the full maximum penalty possible, eternal agony in hell, millions and millions and millions and millions of years for the sins of so brief a lifetime, and this for the overwhelming majority of mankind, for Jesus says (Matt. 7:13) --
"Broad is the way that leadeth to destruction, and MANY there be which go in thereat.
"And narrow is the way that leadeth unto life, and FEW there be that find it."
But here again we note that in the Bible it is not eternal torment that is threatened but destruction, which is something very different.
In Matt. 25:46, Jesus says the wicked "go into everlasting punishment," and what this everlasting punishment consists of is explained by Paul (2 Thess. 1:7-9) where he says that when Jesus shall be revealed from heaven, the wicked shall be "punished with everlasting destruction." Again (Heb. 10:27) --
"Judgment and fiery indignation shall devour the adversary."
Jesus says (Matt. 10:28) that God is able to --
- "DESTROY both soul and body in Gehenna."
- "Their end is destruction."
- "These, as natural brute beasts . . . shall utterly perish in their own corruption."
- "The wicked shall perish, and the enemies of the Lord shall be as the fat of lambs: they shall consume; into smoke shall they consume away."
- "For, 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."
- "The Lord preserveth all them that love Him, but all the wicked will He destroy."
THE PUNISHMENT OF THE WICKED IS FUTURE
It will have been noted from many of the foregoing quotations that the judgment and punishment of the wicked is connected with a special day IN THE FUTURE, when Christ will return from heaven.
This is important, for it clearly demonstrates the error of the conception of immediate reward or punishment at death. In Matt. 16:27, Jesus says --"For the Son of man shall come in the glory of his Father, with his angels, THEN shall he reward every man according to his works."
He says in John 5:27-29 --
- "The Father hath given him (Jesus) authority to execute judgment . . . 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 condemnation."
- "He SHALL judge the quick and the dead AT HIS APPEARING and his kingdom."
- "Judge nothing before the time, UNTIL THE LORD COME, who both will bring to light the hidden things of darkness, and will make manifest the counsels of the hearts: and THEN shall every man have praise of God."
- "Day of judgment and perdition of ungodly men."
- "God hath appointed a day in the which he will judge the world in righteousness by that man whom he hath ordained."
- "For, 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, that it shall leave them neither root nor branch.
The wicked . . . shall be ashes under the soles of the feet of the righteous IN THE DAY that I shall do this, saith the Lord."
One of the biggest inconsistencies of the popular belief is that fact that resurrection and judgment at the last day must be either flatly denied, or else it comes after centuries of bliss in heaven or torture in hell.
Where is the necessity or reason for either resurrection or judgment at the return of Christ if the dead go to their reward at death? It would not only be unnecessary -- it would be plain absurdity!
RESURRECTION
Scriptures say there will be a resurrection, and that it is necessary. We find the day of judgment always associated with resurrection of the dead, and we find resurrection from the grave held out as the only hope of life after death.
Paul devoted 1st Cor. 15 to refuting the contention that there will be no resurrection. He says (vs. 16-18) --
- "If the dead rise not . . . then they also which are fallen asleep in Christ are perished."
- "What advantageth it me, if the dead rise not?"
- "I count all things but loss . . . I have suffered the loss of all things . . . if by any means I might attain unto the RESURRECTION OF THE DEAD."
- "Raise up at the last day."
- "Shall be recompensed AT THE RESURRECTION OF THE JUST."
http://www.bereanchristadelphian.com/FirstPrn/hell.htm