Is Sin Eternal?

THERE is much inquiry at the present time on the above question, and many are repudiating the doctrine of eternal conscious misery to the ungodly. While a fair proportion of these are accepting the Scriptural doctrine of no eternal life out of Christ, others seek, some by one process of reasoning, and some by another, to prove that all mankind will at last be saved.

It is very evident that the major portion of thinking minds are appalled with the idea of an infinite period of conscious sufferings, either mental or otherwise, for a few months or years of finite sins. Many undoubtedly feel as did the learned Bishop Newton when he said, "Imagine a creature, nay, imagine numberless creatures produced out of nothing . . . . delivered over to torments of endless ages without the least hope or possibility of relaxation or redemption. Imagine it you may, but you can never seriously believe it, nor reconcile it to God and goodness." Dissertation No. 60.

The learned Bishop further says, "Nothing can be more contrary to the divine nature and attributes than for a God, all-wise, all-powerful, all-perfect, to bestow existence on any being whose destiny he foresees and foreknows must terminate in wretchedness and misery, without recovery or remedy, without respite or end. God is love, and he would rather have not given life than render that life a torment and curse to all eternity." Newton's Works, Vol. VI.

The agony of many minds who have not as yet discovered the true Scriptural solution of this question is well expressed in the words of the learned Dr. Dick, who said: "When I consider the boundless nature of eternity, when I consider the limited duration of man, I can scarcely bring myself to believe that the sins of a few brief years are to be punished through a duration that has no end."

The learned and pious Dr. Edward Beecher, speaking of this theory of eternal torment, said: "It involves God, his whole administration, and his eternal kingdom, in the deepest dishonor that the mind of man or angel can conceive."

"The human mind cannot be held back from abhorring such a theory, except by the most unnatural violence to its divinely inspired convictions of right." Conflict of Ages, pp. 225, 306.

We are happy to discern a solution of these difficulties without adopting either the extreme of eternal torment to the ungodly, or the final salvation of all as set forth in the theory of "Eternal Hope." No being can have either eternal suffering or eternal salvation unless he live eternally, and in the Scriptures such eternity of existence is only promised to the righteous, while, as we have shown in former articles, it is positively stated that the ungodly shall not have such an existence, but be "cut off" and "perish."

Rev. C.E. Steward, in his "Larger Hope," makes an admission, as follows: "We cannot conceive the immortality of man as belonging to him by any inherent power of his own nature, but as sustained by the continued will of God. There is but one of whom it is written that God hath given him to have life in himself. (St. John 5:26.) Of all others, we believe God to be the Creator and Preserver; his power is represented as upholding all things, supporting them as air supports combustion; withdraw the air, the flame goes out; withdraw God's will, man goes out, is extinct; if he but leave us alone we are not." p. 4.

God has not promised to sustain the wicked eternally in life, but he has told us plainly by the Psalmist, that, in "a little while and the wicked shall not be." Ps. 37:10, As Canon Wilberforce said in his second discourse, "Those who are found faithful are to be partakers of the endless life of God, who is everlasting." Yes, as St. Peter expresses it, those who escape the corruption that is in the world through lust are to be made "partakers of the divine nature." 2 Pet. 1:4.

It seems to me there is no proposition more plainly stated in the New Testament than that

those who believe in Christ are to obtain eternal life, while those who do not believe in him shall not have that life, but perish. If we interpret that life as meaning conscious existence, then the righteous alone shall have eternal conscious existence while the ungodly perish and become extinct,—"As though they had not been." Obad. 16.

It is true, as stated above, that God has given to but one (Christ) to have life in himself, but it is also true that God has "given him power over all flesh that he should give eternal life to as many as the Father hath given him." St. John 17:2. According to our Saviour's testimony this eternal life is to be given in the world to come. "There is no man that hath left house, or brethren, or sisters, or father, or mother, or wife, or children, or lands, for my sake, and the gospel's, But he shall receive an hundredfold now in this time, houses, and brethren, and sisters, and mothers, and children, and lands, with persecutions; and in the world to come ETERNAL LIFE." St. Mark 10:29, 30.

Eternal life in this text is not simply the state of love enjoyed by God's people here, but relates to the reward to be given in the world to come. The world to come, according to St Paul's testimony to the Hebrews, is that state when Christ shall have fully accomplished the work of overthrowing the devil, sinners, and death. (Heb. chap. 2.) In that resurrection state there will be a complete fulfillment to God's people, of the promises made them. St. John in his address to those who already have knowledge of both the Father and the Son, says: If that which ye have heard from the beginning shall remain in you, ye also shall continue in the Son and in the Father. And this is the promise that he hath promised us, even eternal life." 1 John 2:24, 25. He does not say to those who have already a knowledge of the Father and Son, that they have received the fulfillment of the promise, but they have eternal life promised to them. One of these promises we may find in St. Paul's letter to the Romans, where, referring to the day of judgment, he says: "And thinkest thou this . . . , that thou shalt escape the judgment of God? Or despisest thou the riches of his goodness and forbearance and long suffering; not knowing that the goodness of God leadeth thee to repentance? But after thy hardness and impenitent heart treasurest up unto thyself wrath against the day of wrath and revelation of the righteous judgment of God, who will render to every man according to his deeds, to them who by patient continuance in well doing seek for glory and honor and immortality, eternal life." Rom. 2:3-7.

This accords with our Saviour's promise of a reward in the resurrection, "Thou shalt be recompensed at the resurrection of the just." St. Luke 14:14. "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." St. John 5:28, 29. As examples of how the Scriptures contrast the giving of eternal life with the final punishment of the ungodly, we read: "And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of man be lifted up: That whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have eternal life. For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life." St. John 3:14-16. Of this same subject of giving eternal life at the resurrection, we read, "I am that bread of life. Your fathers did eat manna in the wilderness, and are dead. This is the bread which cometh down from heaven, that a man may eat thereof, and not die. I am the living bread which came down from heaven: if any man eat of this bread, he shall live for ever: and the bread that I will give is my flesh, which I will give for the life of the world. ... Whoso eateth my flesh, and drinketh my blood, hath eternal life; and I will raise him up at the last day." St. John 6:48-51, 54. Compare this with the following: "And this is the Father's will which hath sent me, that of all which he hath given me I should lose nothing, but should raise it up again at the last day. And this is the will of him that sent me, that every one which seeth the Son, and believeth on him, may have everlasting life: and I will raise him up at the last day." Verses 39, 40. Christ proposes to give his followers eternal life at the resurrection. If then they are not raised they will not get the eternal life which it is the Father's will that they should have. If they are not thus raised to get this eternal life they will be lost. This seems to be the plain statement of the case.

St. Paul, in his epistle to Timothy, speaks also of eternal life as the future reward, "Fight the good fight of faith, lay hold on eternal life, whereunto thou art also called, and hast professed a good profession before many witnesses. I give thee charge in the sight of God, who quickeneth all things, and before Christ Jesus, who before Pontius Pilate witnessed a good confession; That thou keep this commandment without spot, unrebukeable, until the appearing of our Lord Jesus Christ: Which in his times he shall shew, who is the blessed and only Potentate, the King of kings, and Lord of lords; Who only hath immortality, dwelling in the light which no man can approach unto; whom no man hath seen, nor can see: to whom be honour and power everlasting. Amen. Charge them that are rich in this world, that they be not highminded, nor trust in uncertain riches, but in the living God, who giveth us richly all things to enjoy; That they do good, that they be rich in good works, ready to distribute, willing to communicate; Laying up in store for themselves a good foundation against the time to come, that they may lay hold on eternal life." 1 Tim. 6:12-19.

How plain it is from these words that those who are faithful in the Lord's service here are thereby laying up in store for themselves the reward of eternal life which Christ will bestow upon them when he comes. To such the apostle says, "For ye are dead, and your life is hid with Christ in God. When Christ, who is our life, shall appear, then shall ye also appear with him in glory." Col. 3:3, 4.

With these statements let us compare that made by St. John in his epistle, "And this is the record, that God hath given to us eternal life, and this life is in his Son. He that hath the Son hath life; and he that hath not the Son of God hath not life. These things have I written unto you that believe on the name of the Son of God; that ye may know that ye have eternal life, and that ye may believe on the name of the Son of God." 1 John 5:11-13. This shows that believers have eternal life; have it by sure promise. It is in Christ, and when he appears, it will be bestowed upon them. Like a man who has a promissory note for a sum of money, who says I have so much money, whereas he only has the promise of the money, but when pay-day comes he will no longer have the money by promise, but in reality. So in this matter, God "only hath immortality " (1 Tim. 6:16), but he has given to his Son to have "life in himself" (St. John 5:26), and "given him power over all flesh, that he should give eternal life" (St. John 17:2) to whomsoever seeth the Son and believeth on him (St. John 6:40); and he will raise them up at his coming that they may have eternal life (St. John 6:39, 40).

Other terms are used in the Scriptures to denote endless existence, but these are never applied to the wicked. The terms are immortal, and immortality, but like the term eternal life, they are never applied to the existence or final doom of the ungodly.