Democratic messenger. [volume] (Snow Hill, Md.) 1869-1973, 1913-08-09
TEXT Rom. asa

Nke1xze1N Mt}nl science tells them
that unless they
repent and turn to God this awful
doom awaits them. Others believe
that it is because the thought Of fu-
turo punishment strikes terror to PEG
pies hearts and therefore this doc
trlnc is repusiyc to them. To others.
the thought OF future anguish seems
utterly incompatible with the father.
~ love OF God Yet It is acknowledged
TO be a remarkable fact that both
Jesus and John. who more than any
one else IN the New Testament rep
resent the element OF love in their
llvos and teaching. speak most OF the
future anguish OF the wicked.
The wicked are said to die in
their sins"
John s;2i-"Then said Jesus again
unto them. | go my way and ye shall
seek me. and shall die IN your sins.
The death spoken OF here does not
mean cessation OF existence any more
than eternal life means the beginning
OF existence Eternal life does not
mean merely TO live forever. but to
live in state OF blessedness forever
Eternal life deals not so much with
quantity as with quality OF existence
Even in this life death can co-exisi
with life: but she that liveth in
pleasure is dead while she liveth' Il
Tim. $50. Eph. 81. What men call
life God calls death. Rev 2l:S de
scribes what death means: But
the fearful. and the unbelieving
shall have their part in the lake which
burneth with fire and birthstone:
which is the second death
. The wicked are not annihilated
The texts most strongly urged as
teaching the humiliation theory. Il
I rightly interpreted. will be seen TO re
\ fer to removal from off the earth. anc
not TO future retribution Here are
the principal passages:
Psa. 81 2O-"But the wicked shall
perish. and the enemies of the LORD
shall be as the fat of lambs: they
shall consume; into smoke they shall!
consuns away" This psalm is writ
ten for the encouragement OF Israel
and against her enemies and theii
power on the earth. This earthly
power shall be utterly broken. and be
OF no more account than the smoke
OF n burnt sacrifice The great truth
taught here is that the earth is the
inheritance OF the saints. and that the
wicked shall have no part in II.
In speaking OF the everlasting pun
!shment" with which the wicked will
be visited. as recorded In rhess -,
the annihilationist would say that ref
crence Is made to the results or con
sequences" OF that punishment anc
not to the punishment itself But the
Scriptures state that II is the punish
ment" itself. and not the conse
quences. that is everlasting.
What need Is there OF a resurrec
ton II the wicked are TO be annihi
lated al death. or why should they be
raised from the dead II only to be al
once extinguished forever? Again
there is no such thing as "uncon
scious" punishment. You cannot pun
ish anything that is unconscious Can
YOU punish a stone or n house? Pun
ishment can take place only where
there Is consciousness on the part OF
the one suffering.
3. The wicked are TO be punished
This punishment is eternal. We reac
OF eternal or Everlasting" punish
ment. everlasting" fire. 1t is object
ed that the word eternal or ever
lasting" does not mean forever
This may be true. But we are all
willing to admit that when this WORD
qualities the condition OF the righteous
II means forever. without end. e. &.
the righteous shall 20 into life eter
nal" The same word however, quail
nes the punishment OF the wicked, g
&. these shall so away into everlast
ing punishment" Fairness demands
that We make the joy of the righteous
and the punishment OF the wicked
both qualified as they are by the same
word OF the same duration. II there
is any end TO the reward OF the
righteous, there is also to the penalty
OF the wicked The one lasts as long
as the other II destruction" means
annihilation. then there is no need OF
the word eternal" TO qualify It. Fur.
Their the Scriptures present the pun
ishment OF the wicked not only as
eternal" Tor aRe-longl, but as en-
during FOR ever and ever" or unto
the ages of the ages" (Rev 1898:
20 10. li:ll, II. W. Here is pic
turo OF ages tumbling upon ages in
, eternal succession
?. Fire"
This is one OF the most constant
! Images under which the torment and
misery OF the wicked Is represented.
Fire is symbol of the divine iudg.
,,.nt Of wrnfh Matt h.o9l