1. MAN'S ORIGINAL CONDITION

I. MAN CREATED IN THE IMAGE OF GOD. Genesis 1:26-27 — "And God said, Let us make man in our image after our likeness: and let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over the cattle, and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that creepeth upon the earth. So God created man in his own image, in the image of God created he him; male and female created he them." Genesis 9:6 — "Whoso sheddeth man's blood, by man shall his blood be shed: for in the image of God made he man."

First Proposition: God created man in His own image after His own likeness.

QUESTION: To what do this image and likeness refer? Ephesians 4:23-24 "And be renewed in the spirit of your mind; and that ye put on the new man, which after God is created in righteousness and true holiness." Colossians 3:10 — "And have put on the new man, which is renewed in knowledge after the image of him that created him. Romans 8:29 — "For whom he did foreknow, he also did predestinate to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brethren. 2 Corinthians 3:18 — "But we all, with open face beholding as in a glass the glory of the Lord, are changed into the same image from glory to glory, even as by the Spirit of the Lord." Colossians 1:15 — "Who is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of every creature."

The image and likeness plainly have reference to the intellectual and moral nature of man.

ANSWER: Psalm 17:15 RV — "As for me, I shall behold thy face in righteousness: I shall be satisfied, when I awake, with thy form." (The Hebrew word used in this passage clearly means a visible form. Compare to Numbers 12:8 RV — "With him will I speak mouth to mouth, even manifestly, and not in dark speeches; and the form of the LORD shall he behold: wherefore then were ye not afraid to speak against my servant, against Moses?") The image and likeness would seem also to have some reference to the visible likeness. It is true God is essentially spirit ( John 4:24) and invisible ( Colossians 1:15), but God has a form in which he manifests Himself to the eye ( Isaiah 6:1; Acts 7:56; Philippians 2:6), and man seems to have been created not only in the intellectual and moral, but also the visible likeness of God. (Compare to Genesis 5:1,3 — "This is the book of the generations of Adam. In the day that God created man, in the likeness of God made he him .... And Adam lived a hundred and thirty years, and begat a son in his own likeness, after his image; and called his name Seth.") It is perhaps impossible to say how much of this visible likeness was lost by the Fall, but in the regeneration man is not only recreated intellectually and morally in the likeness of God ( Ephesians 4:23-24; Colossians 3:10), but when the regeneration is complete in the outward, visible likeness as well. (Compare to Philippians 3:21 — "Who shall change our vile body, that it may be fashioned like unto his glorious body, according to the working whereby he is able even to subdue all things unto himself.") But from John 17:5 ("And now, O Father, glorify thou me with thine own self with the glory which I had with thee before the world was"), compared with Philippians 2:6 ("Who, being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God"), we see that "the form" of Christ was the form of God.

II. THE ORIGINAL INTELLECTUAL AND MORAL CONDITION OF MAN. Genesis 2:19 — "And out of the ground the LORD God formed every best of the field, and every fowl of the air; and brought them unto Adam to see what he would call them; and whatsoever Adam called every living creature, that was the name thereof." Genesis 1:28 — "And God blessed them, and God said unto them, Be fruitful, and multiply, and replenish the earth, and subdue it; and have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over every living thing that moveth upon the earth."

First Proposition: Man was created with sufficient intellectual capacity to give names to all living creatures and to have dominion over them.

Man was not created a savage, but a being with lofty intellectual powers.

Whatever truth there may be in the doctrine of evolution as applied within limits to the animal world, that truth breaks down when applied to man. It contradicts not only Scripture, but the known facts of history. The development of man from an originally low order of intellectual beings closely resembling the ape is a figment of unbridled imagination falsely dubbed science. There is absolutely not one fact to sustain it. The first view we get of man is of a being of splendid intellectual powers. Genesis 3:1-6 — "Now the serpent was more subtil than any beast of the field which the LORD God had made. And he said unto the woman, Yea, hath God said, Ye shall not eat of every tree of the garden? And the woman said unto the serpent, We may eat of the fruit of the trees of the garden: but of the fruit of the tree which is in the midst of the garden, God hath said, Ye shall not eat of it, neither shall ye touch it, lest ye die. And the serpent said unto the woman, Ye shall not surely die: For God doth know that in the day ye eat thereof, then your eyes shall be opened, and ye shall be as gods, knowing good and evil. And when the woman saw that the tree was good for food, and that it was pleasant to the eyes, and a tree to be desired to make one wise, she took of the fruit thereof, and did eat, and gave also unto her husband with her; and he did eat." Romans 5:12,14 — "Wherefore, as by one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin; and so death passed upon all men, for that all have sinned .... Nevertheless death reigned from Adam to Moses, even over them that had not sinned after the similitude of Adam's transgression, who is the figure of him that was to come." ( Ecclesiastes 7:29.)

Second Proposition: Man was not created a sinner, but sin entered into the world through man by his conscious and voluntary choice.

2. THE FALL I. THE FACT OF THE FALL OF HUMANITY. Genesis 3:1-6 — "Now the serpent was more subtil than any beast of the field which the Logo God had made. And he said unto the woman, Yea, hath God said, Ye shall not eat of every tree of the garden? And the woman said unto the serpent, We may eat of the fruit of the trees of the garden: but of the fruit of the tree which is in the midst of the garden, God hath said, Ye shall not eat of it, neither shall ye touch it, lest ye die. And the serpent said unto the woman, Ye shall not surely die: For God doth know that in the day ye eat thereof, then your eyes shall be opened, and ye shall be as gods, knowing good and evil. And when the woman saw that the tree was good for food, and that it was pleasant to the eyes, and a tree to be desired to make one wise, she took of the fruit thereof, and did eat, and gave also unto her husband with her; and he did eat."

Proposition: The first man fell.

The steps in the Fall were:

1. Listening to slanders against God.

2. Doubting God's word and His love.

3. Looking at what God had forbidden.

4. Lusting for what God had prohibited. (The lust of the flesh, the lust of the eye and the vainglory of life, v. 6. Compare 1 John 2:16.)

5. Disobeying God's commandments.

The woman was the first in this deception and transgression. (Compare to 1 Timothy 2:14 "And Adam was not deceived, but the woman being deceived was in the transgression.")

II. THE RESULT OF THE FALL. Romans 5:19 RV — "For as through the one man's disobedience the many were made sinners, even so through the obedience of the one shall many be made righteous."

Proposition: Through the one man's disobedience, the many were made (or constituted) sinners.

Adam stood as the representative of the race; indeed, he was the race, and all coming generations were in him. (Compare to Hebrews 7:9-10.) In Adam's fall the race fell. "All sinned," as in Romans 5:12 RV — "Therefore, as through one man sin entered into the world, and death through sin; and so death passed unto all men, for that all sinned."

Many say, "I would rather stand for myself." If you had stood for yourself, you would have fallen as Adam did. God's plan, when we see the whole of it, is far more gracious than this. As the first Adam fell for us, so we all would have done for ourselves; so the second Adam obeyed for us, as none of us would have done if left to stand for ourselves.

3. THE PRESENT STANDING BEFORE GOD OF MEN OUTSIDE REDEMPTION

I. THE PRESENT STANDING BEFORE GOD OF MEN OUTSIDE OF THE REDEMPTION THAT IS IN CHRIST JESUS. Romans 3:9-10,22,23 — "What then? are we better than they? No, in no wise: for we have before proved both Jews and Gentiles, that they are all under sin; As it is written, There is none righteous, no, not one .... for there is no difference: for all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God." Psalm 14:2-3 — "The Logo looked down from heaven upon the children of men, to see if there were any that did understand, and seek God. The), are all gone aside, they are all together become filthy: there is none that doeth good, no, not one. Isaiah 53:6 — "All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned every one to his own way; and the Logo hath laid on him the iniquity of us all." 1 John 1:8,10 — "If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us .... If we say that we have not sinned, we make him a liar, and his word is not in us."

First Proposition: Outside of the redemption in Christ Jesus there is no difference in the standing of men before God: for all have sinned and come short of the glory of God; there is none righteous. Romans 3:19 RV — "Now we know that what things soever the law saith, it speaketh to them that are under the law; that every mouth may be stopped, and all the world may be brought under the judgment of God."

Second Proposition: Every mouth is stopped and all the worm brought under the judgment of God. (Compare to <19D003> Psalm 130:3 — "If thou, LORD, shouldest mark iniquity, O LORD, who shall stand?" and to <19E302> Psalm 143:2 — "And enter not into judgment with thy servant: for in thy sight shall no man living be justified.") Galatians 3:10 — "For as many as are of the works of the law are under the curse: for it is written, Cursed is every one that continueth not in all things which are written in the book of the law to do them." (note the context, verses 13-14) Romans 2:12 — "For as many as have sinned without law shall also perish without law; and as many as have sinned in the law shall be judged by the law."

Third Proposition: All who are of the deeds of the law (i.e., outside of the grace of God in Jesus Christ) are under a curse. 1 John 3:8-10 — "He that committeth sin is of the devil; for the devil sinneth from the beginning. For this purpose the Son of God was manifested, that he might destroy the works of the devil. Whosoever is born of God doth not commit sin; for his seed remaineth in him; and he cannot sin, because he is born of God. In this the children of God are manifest, and the children of the devil; whosoever doeth not righteousness is not of God, neither he that loveth not his brother."

Fourth Proposition: All who have not been born of God (i.e., all outside of the redemption in Christ Jesus) are, in reality, children of the devil.

The doctrine of the universal Fatherhood of God is utterly unscriptural and untrue. It is true all men are his offspring, or stock, or race, or nation in the sense of being His creatures, having our being in Him, and made in His likeness (see the context, verses 28-29). But we become His sons or children by faith in Christ Jesus ( Galatians 3:26 RV; John 1:12 RV).

II. THE PRESENT CONDITION OF MEN OUTSIDE OF THE REDEMPTION THAT IS IN CHRIST JESUS Ephesians 4:18 RV — "Being darkened in their understanding, alienated from the life of God because of the ignorance that is in them, because of the hardening of their hearts."

First Proposition: They are darkened in their understanding, alienated from the life of God through the ignorance that is in them, hardened in heart. 1 Corinthians 2:14 "But the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God: for they are foolishness unto him: neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned."

Second Proposition: The natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God, neither can he know them. Jeremiah 17:9 RV — "The heart is deceitful above all things, and it is desperately sick: who can know it?"

Third Proposition: The natural heart is deceitful above all things and desperately sick. Genesis 6:5,12 — "And God saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every imagination of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually.... And God looked upon the earth, and behold it was corrupt; for all flesh had corrupted his way upon the earth." Genesis 8:21 — "And the LORD smelled a sweet savour; and the LORD said in his heart, I will not again curse the ground any more for man's sake; for the imagination of man's heart is evil from his youth: neither will I again smite any more every thing living, as I have done." Psalm 94:11 — "The LORD knoweth the thoughts of man, that the), are vanity."

Fourth Proposition: The entire moral and intellectual nature of unredeemed man is corrupted by sin. Titus 3:3 — "For we ourselves also were sometimes foolish, disobedient, deceived, serving divers lusts and pleasures; living in malice and envy, hateful, and hating one another." Ephesians 2:3 RV — "Among whom we also once lived in the lusts of our flesh, doing the desires of the flesh and of the mind." Colossians 3:5,7 — "Mortify therefore your members which are upon the earth; fornication, uncleanness, inordinate affection, evil concupiscence, and covetousness, which is idolatry.... In the which ye also walked sometime, when ye lived in them."

Fifth Proposition: The outward life of unredeemed men is vile and detestable. Romans 7:5,8, 14-15, 19, 23-24 "For when we were in the flesh, the motions of sin, which were by the law, did work in our members to bring forth fruit unto death .... But sin, taking occasion by the commandment, wrought in me all manner of concupiscence. For without the law sin is dead .... For we know that the law is spiritual: for I am carnal, sold under sin. For that which I do, I allow not: for what I would, that do I not; but what I hate, that do I .... For the good that I would, I do not: but the evil which I would not, that I do .... But I see another law in my members, warring against the law of my mind, and bringing me into captivity to the law of sin which is in my members. O wretched man that I am, who shall deliver me from the body of this death?" (Compare to Romans 8:2 — "For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus hath made me free from the law of sin and death," and Romans 6:17 RV — "Ye were servants [the Greek word means slaves] of sin.") Sixth Proposition: Men unsaved by Christ are the slaves of sin, in helpless and hopeless captivity to the law of sin and death. Ephesians 2:2 — "Wherein in time past ye walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that now worketh in the children of disobedience."

Seventh Proposition: Outside of redemption in Christ, men are under the control of Satan (the prince of the power of the air). Ephesians 2:3 — "And were by nature the children of wrath, even as others."

Eighth Proposition: They are by nature children of wrath. Romans 8:7-8 RV — "Because the mind of the flesh is enmity against God; for it is not subject to the law of God neither indeed can be; and they that are in the flesh cannot please God."

Ninth Proposition: The mind of the flesh is enmity against God: it is not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can be: and they that are in the flesh cannot please God. Ephesians 2:1 — "And you hath he quickened, who were dead in trespasses and sins."

Tenth Proposition: Men outside of Christ's saving power are dead through their trespasses and sins. 1 John 5:19 RV — " We know that we are of God, and the whole world lieth in the evil one."

Eleventh Proposition: The whole world, the whole mass of men who have not received Christ, "lieth in the evil one" — rest in his arms, in his power, in himself.

The present standing or condition of men outside of Christ as pictured in the Bible is dark and hopeless. One word will express it — lost, utterly lost. This is very different from the conception of man that is popular in novels, on the lecture-platform, and in many pulpits today· But it is accordant with the facts. The more one has to do with men and women, and the more one comes to know the depths of his own heart, the more convinced he becomes of the truthfulness and accuracy in every line of this hideous and repulsive picture· The nearer one gets to God, the more fully he sees the truth of this picture; the fact that one has an exalted opinion of human nature, and his own nature, does not show that he is living near God, but far from God. Compare Isaiah's, Job's and the psalmist's conception of self and man when they were brought face to face with God: Isaiah 6:1,5 — "In the year that King Uzziah died I saw also the LORD sitting upon a throne, high and lifted up, and his train filled the temple. · . . Then said I, Woe is me! for I am undone; because I am a man of unclean lips, and I dwell in the midst of a people of unclean lips: for mine eyes have seen the King, the LORD of Hosts." Job 42:5-6 — "I have heard of thee by the hearing of the ear; but now mine eye seeth thee: Wherefore I abhor myself, and repent in dust and ashes." Psalm 14:2-3 — "The fool hath said in his heart, There is no God. They are corrupt, they have done abominable works, there is none that doeth good. The LORD looked down from heaven upon the children of men, to see if there were any that did understand, and seek God. They are all gone aside, they are all together become filthy: there is none that doeth good, no, not one."

Evidently those who live nearest God and see things most nearly from His standpoint have the poorest opinion of self and human nature.

4. THE FUTURE DESTINY OF THOSE WHO REJECT REDEMPTION

I. THE FUTURE DESTINY OF THOSE WHO DO NOT BELIEVE JESUS IS THE SON OF GOD. John 8:24 — "I said therefore unto you, that ye shall die in your sins: for if ye believe not that I am he, ye shall die in your sins." (Note the context, verse 21.)

Proposition: Those who do not believe that Jesus is the Messiah and Son of God will die in their sins.

The faith here spoken of is not a mere opinion, but a faith that governs the life. (Compare to John's use of faith everywhere; e.g., 1 John 5:1, 4-5.)

II. THE FUTURE DESTINY OF THOSE WHO HAVE DONE ILL. John 5:28-29 RV — "Marvel not at this: for the hour cometh in which all that are in the tombs shall hear his voice, and shall come forth, they that have done good, unto the resurrection of life; and they that have done ill, unto the resurrection of judgment."

Proposition: All men shall be raised again from the dead, those who reject Christ as well as those who accept Him.

To the one it will be a resurrection unto life, to the other a resurrection unto judgment. (Compare to 1 Corinthians 15:22 — "For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ shall all be made alive.")

III. THE FUTURE DESTINY OF THE FACTIOUS AND DISOBEDIENT. Romans 2:5-6, 8-9 RV "But after thy hardness and impenitent heart treasurest up for thyself wrath in the day of wrath and revelation of the righteous judgment of God; who will render to every man according to his works: . . . but unto them that are factious, and obey not the truth, but obey unrighteousness, shall be wrath and indignation, tribulation and anguish upon every soul of man that worketh evil, of the Jew first, and also of the Greek."

Proposition: To those who are factious and do not obey the truth, but obey unrighteousness, will come wrath and indignation, tribulation and anguish. (Compare John 14:6; 3:18-19)

IV. THE FUTURE DESTINY OF THOSE WHO DO NOT KNOW GOD NOR OBEY THE GOSPEL. 2 Thessalonians 1:8-9 RV — "In flaming fire, rendering vengeance to them that know not God, and to them that obey not the gospel of our Lord Jesus: who shall suffer punishment, even eternal destruction from the face of the Lord and from the glory of his might, when he shall come to be glorified in his saints."

Proposition: Those who do not know God and that do not obey the gospel will suffer punishment and eternal destruction when He comes to be glorified in His saints.

We shall see later what "destruction" means.

V. THE FURORE DESTINY OF THOSE WHO ARE NOT FOUND WRITTEN IN THE BOOK OF LIFE. Revelation 20:15 RV — "And if any was not found written in the book of life, he was cast into the lake of fire."

Proposition: If anyone at the judgment of the great white throne is not found written in the book of life, he shall be cast into the lake of fire.

VI. THE FUTURE DESTINY OF THOSE WHO NEGLECT CHRIST BY NEGLECTING HIS BRETHREN. Matthew 25:41,46 RV — "Then shall he say unto them on the left hand, Depart from me, ye cursed, into the eternal fire which is prepared for the devil and his angels: . .. And these shall go away into eternal punishment: but the righteous into eternal life."

Proposition: When Christ comes to judge the nations, He will say to those on His left (i.e., those who have neglected Him, by neglecting their duty to His hungry, thirsty, lonely, naked, imprisoned brethren), "Depart from me, ye cursed, into the eternal fire which is prepared for the devil and his angels, and these shall go away into eternal punishment.'

VII. THE FUTURE DESTINY OF THE FEARFUL AND UNBELIEVING Revelation 21:8 — "But the fearful, and unbelieving, and the abonfinable, and murderers, and whoremongers, and sorcerers, and idolaters, and all liars, shall have their part in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone: which is the second death."

Proposition: The fearful, the unbelieving, the abominable, the murderers, the whoremongers, the sorcerers, the idolaters, and all liars, shall have their part in the lake which burns with fire and brimstone.

VIII. QUESTIONS CONCERNING THE FUTURE DESTINY OF THOSE WHO REJECT CHRIST QUESTION: IS the fire spoken of as the future penalty of sin literal fire?

ANSWER: The fire spoken of seems to be literal fire, yet if the term is only figurative, the Lord depicts eternal punishment using one of the most painful tragedies a person could imagine — to be burned with fire. Note how frequently the word "fire" and synonymous expressions appear: Matthew 7:19 — "Every tree that bringeth not forth good fruit is hewn down, and cast into the fire." John 15:6 — "If a man abide not in me, he is cast forth as a branch, and is withered; and men gather them, and cast them into the fire, and the), are burned." Isaiah 66:24 — -"And they shall go forth, and look upon the carcasses of the men that have transgressed against me: for their worm shall not die, neither shall their fire be quenched; and they shall be an abhorring unto all flesh." Hebrews 6:8 — "But that which beareth thorns and briers is rejected, and is nigh unto cursing; whose end is to be burned." Hebrews 10:26-27 RV — "For if we sin willfully after that we have received the knowledge of the truth, there remaineth no more sacrifice for sins, but a certain fearful expectation of judgment, and a fierceness of fire which shall devour the adversaries." Revelation 20:15 — "And whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire." Revelation 21:8 — "But the fearful, and unbelieving, and the abominable, and murderers, and whoremongers, and sorcerers, and idolaters, and all liars, shall have their part in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone: which is the second death." Matthew 13:30, 41-42 — "Let both grow together until the harvest: and in the time of harvest I will say to the reapers, Gather ye together first the tares, and bind them in bundles to burn them: but gather the wheat into my barn .... The Son of man shall send forth his angels, and they shall gather out of his kingdom all things that offend, and them which do iniquity; and shall cast them into a furnace of fire: there shall be wailing and gnashing of teeth."

In a parable we expect figures, but in the explanation of the parable we expect the figures to be explained by the literal facts they are intended to represent. But in the parable of the tares every item of the parable is explained except the fire; it remains fire in the interpretation of the parable as well as in the parable itself. (Compare also to Matthew 13:47-50.)

QUESTION: Is the Lake of Fire a place of continued conscious torment, or is it a place of annihilation of being, or is it a place of non-conscious existence?

ANSWER: The punishment of the wicked is spoken of as "death" and "destruction." Yet it seems that one can be referred to as dead while still alive. What do these words mean in Biblical usage? "DEATH" 1 Timothy 5:6 — -"But she that liveth in pleasure is dead while she liveth." Ephesians 2:1 — "And you hath he quickened, who were dead in trespasses and sins."

First Proposition: The word "death' is applied to sinners while still existing, but existing in a wrong way — they have life in the sense of existence, but not true life, real life, in the sense of right existence. (Compare to 1 Timothy 6:19, AV and RV.) Revelation 21:8 — "But the fearful, and unbelieving, and the abominable, and murderers, and whoremongers, and sorcerers, and idolaters, and all liars, shall have their part in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone: which is the second death."

Second Proposition: The death which is the final outcome of a life of sin and unbelief is defined in the Bible as a portion in the place of torment. John 17:3 — "And this is life eternal, that they might know thee the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom thou hast sent. 1 John 1:2 — "For the life was manifested, and we have seen it, and bear witness, and show unto you that eternal life, which was with the Father, and was manifested unto us."

Third Proposition: Life is defined in the Bible not merely as existence but as right existence, knowing the true God, the life manifested in Jesus Christ.

Death, then is not mere non-existence, but wrong, wretched, debased, devilish existence.

"DESTRUCTION": THE GENERAL USE OF THE WORD

Matthew 9:17 — "Neither do men put new wine into old bottles: else the bottles break, and the wine runneth out, and the bottles perish: but they put new wine into new bottles, and both are preserved.

Fourth Proposition: When anything is said "to perish" it is not meant that it ceases to be, but that it is so ruined that it no longer serves the use for which it was designed. "Perish" is the verb from which the noun commonly translated as "destruction" and "perdition" is derived. Compare also to Matthew 26:8 — "But when his disciples saw it, they had indignation, saying, to what purpose is this waste.>"

"DESTRUCTION": THE SPECIFIC USE OF THE WORD APPLIED TO THE DOOM OF THE WICKED

Revelation 17:8,11 — "The beast that thou sawest was, and is not; and shall ascend out of the bottomless pit, and go into perdition: and they that dwell on the earth shall wonder, whose names were not written in the book of life from the foundation of the world, when they behold the beast that was, and is not, and yet is .... And the beast that was, and is not, even he is the eighth, and is of the seven, and goeth into perdition."

The Greek word here translated "perdition" is the word translated "destruction'' in 2 Peter 3:16 AV and RV; Philippians 3:19, AV; 2 Peter 3:7 RV. Now if we can find what the beast "goeth" into, we shall know what "destruction" or "perdition" means. Turn to Revelation 19:20 — "And the beast was taken, and with him the false prophet that wrought miracles before him, with which he deceived them that had received the mark of the beast, and them that worshipped his image. These both were cast alive into a lake of fire burning with brimstone." Compare to Revelation 20:10 — "And the devil that deceived them was cast into the lake of fire and brimstone, where the beast and the false prophet are, and shall be tormented day and night forever and ever." Here we find the beast still in the lake of fire and being tormented after a thousand years have passed.

Fifth Proposition: "Destruction' is clearly defined in the New Testament as the condition of being in a place of conscious and unending torment. Revelation 14:10-11 — "The same shall drink of the wine of the wrath of God, which is poured out without mixture into the cup of his indignation; and he shall be tormented with fire and brimstone in the presence of the holy angels, and in the presence of the Lamb: And the smoke of their torment ascendeth up forever and ever; and they have no rest day nor night, who worship the beast and his image, and who soever receiveth the mark of his name.

Sixth Proposition: The ultimate condition of those who receive the mark of the beast is described as a condition of unending, unresting, conscious torment.

OBJECTION: "This passage does not refer to the eternal state as it speaks of 'day and night.'" ANSWER: Compare to Revelation 4:8 — "And the four beasts had each of them six wings about him; and they were full of eyes within; and they rested not day and night, saying, Holy, holy, holy, Lord God Almighty, which was, and is, and is to come." Revelation 7:14-15 — "And I said unto him, Sir, thou knoweth. And he said to me, These are they which came out of great tribulation, and have washed their robes, and made them white in the blood of' the Lamb.

Therefore are they before the throne of God, and serve him day and night in his temple; and he that sitteth on the throne shall dwell among them. Revelation 20:10 — "And the devil that deceived them was cast into the lake of fire and brimstone, where the beast and the false prophets are, and shall be tormented day and night forever and ever. Revelation 19:20 — "And the beast was taken, and with him the false prophet that wrought miracles before him, with which he deceived them that had received the mark of the beast, and them that worshipped his image. These both were cast alive into a lake of fire burning with brimstone." Compare with Revelation 20:10 — "And the devil that deceived them was cast into the lake of fire and brimstone, where the beast and the false prophet are, and shall be tormented day and night for ever and ever," shows us the beast and false prophet still in the lake of fire at the end of the thousand years, and still being tormented.

QUESTION: Is this condition of torment endless?

ANSWER: Refer to Matthew 25:41 — "Then shall he say unto them on the left hand, Depart from me, ye cursed, into everlasting fire, prepared for the devil and his angels." (Compare to Revelation 20:10 — "And the devil that deceived them was cast into the lake of fire and brimstone, where the beast and the false prophet are, and shall be tormented day and night for ever and ever.") Revelation 14:11 — "And the smoke of their torment ascended up for ever and ever: and they have no rest day nor night, who worship the beast and his image, and whosoever receiveth the mark of his name." 2 Thessalonians 1:9-10 — "Who shall be punished with everlasting destruction from the presence of the Lord, and from the glory of his power; when he shall come to be glorified in his saints, and to be admired in all them that believe (because our testimony among you was believed) in that day."

Seventh Proposition: They are tormented day and night for ever and ever, and they have no rest day nor night.

QUESTION: What does "for ever and ever" mean?

ANSWER: Literally, "Unto the ages of the ages." The expression occurs twelve times in the book of Revelation. Revelation 1:6 — "And hath made us kings and priests unto God and his Father; to him be glory and dominion for ever and ever. Amen." Revelation 4:9-10 — "And when those beasts give glory and honor and thanks to him that sat on the throne, who liveth for ever and ever, the four and twenty elders fall down before him that sat on the throne, and worship him that liveth for ever and ever, and cast their crowns before the throne, saying." Revelation 5:13 — "And every creature which is in heaven, and on the earth, and under the earth, and such as are in the sea, and all that are in them, heard I saying, Blessing, and honor, and glory, and power, be unto him that sitteth upon the throne, and unto the Lamb for ever and eve r." Revelation 7:12 — "Saying, Amen: Blessing, and glory, and wisdom, and thanksgiving, and honor, and power, and might, be unto God for ever and ever. Amen." Revelation 10:6 — "And sware by him that liveth for ever and ever, who created heaven, and the things that therein are, and the earth, and the things that therein are, and the sea, and the things which are therein, that there should be time no longer." Revelation 11:15 — "And the seventh angel sounded; and there were great voices in heaven, saying, the kingdoms of this world are become the kingdoms of our Lord, and of his Christ; and he shall reign for ever and ever." (See also Revelation 14:11.) Revelation 15:7 — "And one of the four beasts gave unto the seven angels seven golden vials full of the wrath of God, who liveth for ever and ever." (See also 19:2-3; 20:10.) Revelation 22:5 — "And there shall be no night there; and they need no candle, neither light of the sun; for the Lord God giveth them light: and they shall reign for ever and ever."

Eight times it refers to the duration of the existence or reign or glory of God and Christ, once to the duration of the blessed reign of the Father, and in the three remaining instances to the duration of the torment of the devil, beast, false prophet, and the wicked.

The word that is frequently translated "eternal" or "everlasting" means "age-long," and may be used of a limited period; but the expression "for ever and ever" means "unto the ages of the ages" ( Revelation 19:3; 20:10 — See RV Margin and Greek), or "unto ages of ages" ( Revelation 14:11 RV Margin and Greek); i.e., not merely throughout an age, but throughout all ages. It is a picture not merely of years tumbling upon years, but of ages tumbling upon ages in endless succession. It is never in a single instance used of a limited period. Nothing could more plainly or graphically picture absolute endlessness.

QUESTION: When are the issues of eternity settled? John 8:21 — "Then said Jesus again unto them, I go my way, and ye shall seek me, and shall die in your sins: whither I go, ye cannot come."

Eighth Proposition: Those who die in their sins cannot go where Jesus is going. Hebrews 9:27 RV — "And inasmuch as it is appointed unto men once to die, and after this cometh judgment."

Ninth Proposition: Individual people die once, and then are judged by God. John 5:28-29 — "Marvel not at this: for the hour is coming, in 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."

Tenth Proposition: All who are in their graves who have done evil will be raised to a resurrection of judgment. Luke 16:26 — -"And beside all this, between us and you there is a great gulf fixed: so that they which would pass from hence to you cannot; neither can they pass to us, that would come from thence."

Eleventh Proposition: Between those who pass out of this world lost and those who pass out accepted of God, there is a great gulf fixed and no passing from the one side to the other — thus, the destinies of eternity are settled in this life, now.

QUESTION: May not those who have never heard of Christ in this world have another opportunity?

ANSWER: There is not a line of Scripture upon which to build such a hope. All men have sufficient light to condemn them if they do not obey it. Romans 2:12,16 — "For as many as have sinned without law shall also perish without law; and as many as have sinned in the law shall be judged by the law; (For not the hearers of the law are just before God, but the doers of the law shall be justified. For when the Gentiles, which have not the law, do by nature the things contained in the law, these, having not the law, are a law unto themselves: Which show the work of the law written in their hearts, their conscience also bearing witness, and their thoughts the meanwhile accusing or else excusing one another;) In the day that God shall judge the secrets of men by Jesus Christ according to my gospel."

The passage here quoted was not given to show, as some strangely imagine, how men are saved by the light of nature, but how the Gentile is under condemnation by the law written in his heart, just as the Jew is under condemnation by the law of Moses. The conclusion of the whole matter is found in Romans 3:19-22 — "Now we know that what things soever the law saith, it saith to them who are under the law: that every mouth may be stopped, and all the world may become guilty before God. Therefore by the deeds of the law there shall not flesh be justified in his sight: for by the law is the knowledge of sin. But now the righteousness of God without the law is manifested, being witnessed by the law and the prophets; even the righteousness of God which is by faith of Jesus Christ unto all and upon also them that believe; for there is no difference."

Conclusion: The future state of those who reject the redemption offered to them in Christ is plainly declared to be a state of conscious, unutterable, endless torment and anguish.

This conception is an awful and appalling one. It is, however, the scriptural conception and also a reasonable one when we come to see the appalling nature of sin, and especially the appalling nature of the sin of tram-piing under foot God's mercy toward sinners, and rejecting God's glorious Son, who His love has provided as a Savior.

Shallow views of sin, of God's holiness, and of the glory of Jesus Christ and His claims upon us, lie at the bottom of weak theories of the doom of the impenitent. When we see sin in all its hideousness and enormity, the holiness of God in all its perfection, and the glory of Jesus Christ in all its infinity, nothing but a doctrine that those who persist in the choice of sin, who love darkness rather than light, and who persist in the rejection of the Son of God shall endure everlasting anguish will satisfy the demands of our own moral intuitions. Nothing but the fact that we dread suffering more than we loathe sin and more than we love the glory of Jesus Christ makes us repudiate the thought that beings who eternally choose sin should eternally suffer, or that men who despise God's mercy and spurn His Son should be given over to endless anguish.

QUESTION: What about our impenitent friends and loved ones?

ANSWER: It is better to recognize facts, no matter how unwelcome, and try to save these friends from the doom to which they are certainly hurrying than to quarrel with facts and seek to remove them by shutting our eyes to them. One cannot avert a hurricane by merely refusing to believe it is coming.

If we love Christ supremely, as we should love Him, and realize His glory and His claims upon men, as we should realize them, we will say if the dearest friend we have on earth persists in trampling Christ under foot he ought to be tormented forever and ever.

Suppose one you greatly love should commit some hideous wrong against one you love more and persist in it eternally. Would you not consent to his eternal punishment?

If, after men have sinned and God still offers them mercy and makes the tremendous sacrifice of His Son to save them — if they still despise that mercy and trample God's Son under foot, and if they are consigned to everlasting torment, I say: "Amen! Hallelujah! True and righteous are thy judgments, O Lord!"

At all events the doctrine of conscious, eternal torment for impenitent men is clearly revealed in the word of God, and whether we can defend it on philosophic grounds or not, it is our business to believe it and leave it to the clearer light of eternity to explain what we cannot now understand, realizing that God may have infinitely wise reasons for doing things for which we in our ignorance can see no sufficient reason at all. It is the most ludicrous conceit for beings so limited and foolish as even the wisest of men are, to attempt to dogmatize how a God of infinite wisdom must act.

All we know as to how God will act is what God has seen fit to tell us.

Two things are certain. First, the more closely men walk with God and the more devoted they become to His service, the more likely they are to believe this doctrine. Many men tell us they love their fellow men too much to believe this doctrine; but the men who show their love in more practical ways than sentimental protestations about it, the men who show their love for their fellow men as Jesus Christ showed His, by laying down their lives for them, they believe it, even as Jesus Christ Himself believed it.

As Christians become worldly and easygoing, they grow loose in their doctrine concerning the doom of the impenitent. The fact that loose doctrines are spreading so rapidly and widely in our day is against them, for worldliness is also spreading in the church ( 1 Timothy 4:1; <550301> Timothy 3:1; 4:2-3). Increasing laxity of life and increasing laxity of doctrine go arm in arm.

Second, men who accept a loose doctrine regarding the ultimate penalty of sin (restorationism or universalism or annihilationism) lose their power for God. They may be very clever at argument and zealous in proselytizing, but they are poor at soul-saving. They are seldom found beseeching men to be reconciled to God. They are more likely to be found upsetting the faith of those already won by the efforts of others, than winning men who have no faith at all. If you truly believe the doctrine of the endless, conscious torment of the impenitent, you will work as you never worked before for the salvation of the lost. If you in any way abate the doctrine, it will abate your zeal.

Finally, do not believe this doctrine in a cold, intellectual, merely argumentative way. If you do, and try to teach it, you will repel men. But meditate upon it in its practical, personal bearings until your heart is burdened by the awful peril of the wicked and you rush out to spend your last dollar, if need be, and the last ounce of strength you have, in saving the imperiled from the certain, awful hell of conscious agony and shame to which they are hurrying.

5. JUSTIFICATION

I. WHAT DOES "JUSTIFY" MEAN?

The way to decide this is by an examination of the biblical use of the word and the words derived from it. The question is not, "What is the etymological significance of the word?" for words are frequently used in a meaning widely different from their etymological significance. The question is, What is the significance of the word as determined by its usage in the Bible? The way to determine this is by taking a concordance and Bible and looking up every passage where the word is used. The following passages are sufficient to illustrate the biblical usage. In the passages taken from the Old Testament, the Septuagint uses the same Greek verb that is translated 'justify" in the New Testament. Deuteronomy 25:1 — "If there be a controversy between men, and they come unto judgment, that the judges may judge them; then they shall justify the righteous, and condemn the wicked." Exodus 23:7 — "Keep thee far from a false matter: and the innocent and righteous slay thou not: for I will not justify the wicked." Isaiah 5:23 — "Which justify the wicked for reward, and take away the righteousness of the righteous from him!" Luke 16:15 — "And he said unto them, Ye are they which justify yourselves before men; but God knoweth your hearts: for that which is highly esteemed among men is abomination in the sight of God." Romans 2:13 — "For not the hearers of the law are just before God, but the doer of the law shall be justified." Romans 3:23-24 "For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God; being justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus." Luke 18:14 "I tell you this man went down to his house justified rather than the other; for every one that exalteth himself shall be abased; and he that humbleth himself shall be exalted."

See also Romans 4:2-8 RV — "For if Abraham was justified by works, he hath whereof to glory; but not toward God. For what saith the scripture? And Abraham believed God, and it was reckoned unto him for righteousness. Now to him that worketh, the reward is not reckoned as of grace, but as of debt. But to him that worketh not, but believeth on him that justifieth the ungodly, his faith is reckoned for righteousness. Even as David also pronounceth blessing upon the man, unto whom God reckoned righteousness apart from works, saying: Blessed are they whose iniquities are forgiven, And whose sins are covered.

Blessed is the man to whom the Lord will not reckon sin." To justify, in Biblical usage, signifies not "to make righteous," but to "reckon," "declare," or "show to be righteous." A man is justified before God when God reckons him righteous.

Etymologically the word translated justify means to make righteous, but Thayer, in his Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament, says: "This meaning is extremely rare, if not altogether doubtful." It certainly is not the New Testament usage of the word.

II. HOW ARE PEOPLE JUSTIFIED? Romans 3:20 — "Therefore by the deeds of the law there shall no flesh be justified in his sight: for by the law is the knowledge of sin." Galatians 2:16 — "Knowing that a man is not justified by the works of the law, but by the faith of Jesus Christ, even we have believed in Jesus Christ, that we might be justified by the faith of Christ, and not by the works of the law; for by the works of the law shall no flesh be justified."

First Proposition: People are not justified by works of the law.

QUESTION: Why not?

ANSWER: Because in order to be justified by works of the law, we must continue to do all the things that are written in the law. No one has done this; however, all have sinned. The moment the law is broken at any point, justification by works of the law becomes impossible. So those who rely on works of the law are under the curse. God did not give us the law with the intention of justifying us by it, but to produce conviction of sin, to lead us to Christ. Galatians 3:10 — "For as many as are of the works of the law are under the curse: for it is written, Cursed is every one that continueth not in all things which are written in the book of the law to do them." Romans 3:23 — "For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God." Romans 3:19-20 — "Now we know that what things soever the law saith, it saith to them who are under the law: that every mouth may be stopped, and all the world may become guilty before God. Therefore by the deeds of the law there shall no flesh be justified in his sight: for by the law is the knowledge of sin." Galatians 3:24 "Wherefore the law was our schoolmaster to bring us unto Christ, that we might be justified by faith."

Yet strangely enough, there are many today preaching the law as the way of salvation. Romans 3:24 — "Being justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus."

Second Proposition: People are justified by God's grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus as a free gift.

Justification is not on the grounds of any deserving there is in us. It is a gift God bestows without pay. The channel through which it is bestowed is the redemption that is in Christ Jesus. Romans 5:9 — "Much more then, being now justified by (in) his blood, we shall be saved from wrath through him." (Note RV Margin.)

Third Proposition: People are justified or counted righteous in Christ's