Yes, everlasting punishment is indeed “an awful affair,” and many are trying to disbelieve it. But does that alter the fact? When Noah preached the coming flood of universal destruction, someone might have said, “What an awful affair,” but who believed him? But did that alter the fact? And when God announced the destruction of Sodom, that was an awful affair. Lot himself scarcely believed it. But it came.
A guilty murderer is taken: he is guilty; he is condemned to death. He may think of the last hour, the ghastly preparations, the last walk to the scaffold and.... stop, he may say that is an awful affair. Oh, he may say, “I won’t believe it. Her Majesty the Queen is too kind to allow me to come to that.” But every moment brings him nearer to that dread reality.
But you may say, “Think how many learned men are denying eternal punishment, and maintain that the soul is not immortal.” Were there not many mighty men, men of renown, all of whom rejected the preaching of Noah, or the warning of God? (Gen. 6:44There were giants in the earth in those days; and also after that, when the sons of God came in unto the daughters of men, and they bare children to them, the same became mighty men which were of old, men of renown. (Genesis 6:4).) Have you weighed the alternative? If you say that the soul of man is not immortal; that is, that man ceases to exist at death; then you must give up the whole word of God as false, and thus be left in outer darkness even now. You must take your place with the Know Nothings and Darwinians. You say, “Surely this cannot be true! Let us see. If man was not created with an immortal soul, that is, to exist forever, what was he? Simply a slightly superior beast. Here a little while, and then off the scene. Now there is no sin in a beast; there is no conscience of sin in a mere animal. There is no responsibility toward God in an animal. There would be no need for, or sense in, an atonement. An animal has no nature, no capacity to know God or the things of God.
But in contrast with the formation of all mere cattle, beasts, birds, or fishes, we read, “God created man in his own image; in the image of God created he him; male and female created he them.” “And the Lord God formed man of the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living soul.” Here was a totally different creature from the beasts and cattle of the field. Here was a living soul, capable of conversing with God, and was placed both as head of creation, and under responsibility. And mark, whilst a beast could not be so placed, man was so placed as a living soul, and one sin has involved the whole race in ruin and misery. And what we read in the word of God we find around us today. There is the same distinction between man and the animals around, as there was when he came out of the hands of God. Not another creature is there on earth to which you can communicate the idea of God, or a future existence. Take away man’s immortality, reduce him to a mere beast, though a superior beast, and then we must allow you overthrow everything revealed in the word of God.
That man as to his bodily existence is mortal, liable to death, like the beasts, is clearly revealed, but that is not our question. And that the Old Testament is chiefly occupied with the body and the things of the body, we do not dispute for a moment. That the word soul is used to denote man in the body, or persons, as we say, is frequently the case,—as “The soul that sinneth shall die.” The person under the government of God would be put to death. The context will make this plain.
But now we have the complete revelation of God in the New Testament. What is the certain teaching of the complete word of God? Is there such a thought as that at death man, like the beast, ceases to exist? Far from it. Is there then distinct teaching that as to the wicked, rejecters of the gospel, they do not cease to exist at death? Could anything be more certain than the following? “And as it is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment.” (Heb. 9:2727And as it is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment: (Hebrews 9:27).) Can there be judgment after ceasing to exist? If man ceases to exist, there is nothing to judge. You may say, They will be raised again to be judged. True, they will, the word says so. (Rev. 20:11-1511And I saw a great white throne, and him that sat on it, from whose face the earth and the heaven fled away; and there was found no place for them. 12And I saw the dead, small and great, stand before God; and the books were opened: and another book was opened, which is the book of life: and the dead were judged out of those things which were written in the books, according to their works. 13And the sea gave up the dead which were in it; and death and hell delivered up the dead which were in them: and they were judged every man according to their works. 14And death and hell were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death. 15And whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire. (Revelation 20:11‑15).) And they are cast into the lake of fire; and they shall have their part in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone: which is the second death. Now that torment is declared to be forever and ever: and they have no rest day nor night. (See Rev. 14:10, 1110The 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: 11And the smoke of their torment ascendeth 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. (Revelation 14:10‑11).) Now honestly, is this ceasing to exist at death? Infidels may teach so, but not the word of God. And that word never contradicts itself.
Does the Lord Jesus teach that going into hell fire is ceasing to exist? No, over and over again He declares it is fire that never shall be quenched. (Read Mark 9:43-4843And if thy hand offend thee, cut it off: it is better for thee to enter into life maimed, than having two hands to go into hell, into the fire that never shall be quenched: 44Where their worm dieth not, and the fire is not quenched. 45And if thy foot offend thee, cut it off: it is better for thee to enter halt into life, than having two feet to be cast into hell, into the fire that never shall be quenched: 46Where their worm dieth not, and the fire is not quenched. 47And if thine eye offend thee, pluck it out: it is better for thee to enter into the kingdom of God with one eye, than having two eyes to be cast into hell fire: 48Where their worm dieth not, and the fire is not quenched. (Mark 9:43‑48).)
Did He teach that Abraham, Isaac and Jacob ceased to exist? No. “For he is not a God of the dead, but of the living: for all live unto him.” (Luke 20:3838For he is not a God of the dead, but of the living: for all live unto him. (Luke 20:38).) It may be objected that they were saved men, and therefore existed after death. Now as to this the Lord makes no difference whatever: He teaches that both the saved and lost live after death as to the soul; and that they are equally conscious as if they were alive in the body.
The rich man died; and in hell did he cease to exist? Not a bit more than Abraham. He lifted up his eyes, being in torments. Did he cease to exist? Oh hear his dreadful cry for a drop of water to cool his tongue. Oh reader, will this ever be your case? You say, That is only a figure. But a figure of what? If death is ceasing to exist, then it was a figure for the very purpose of deception. Yes, if you embrace this doctrine of demons, that death is ceasing to exist, you make the Holy Son of God a deceiver. The rich man no more ceased to exist at death than Lazarus the saved beggar. The one was comforted and the other tormented. Say that you deny the scripture, then we understand you. But do not pretend to be a Christian, and all the while teach doctrines that would make Christ a deceiver.
He is the truth, and could teach only the truth. In the plainest possible language He tells us, “And these shall go away into everlasting punishment [or torment]: but the righteous into life everlasting.” (Matt. 25:4646And these shall go away into everlasting punishment: but the righteous into life eternal. (Matthew 25:46).) He uses the same word to denote the everlasting existence of both. Many may not be aware how Satan is leading them on into this debasing error that man is not an immortal soul and will not exist forever and ever. But it is a direct attack on Christ, as a deceiver, and an attempt to overthrow all scripture. Prove it false in one part, and all true faith is destroyed in every other part. It must lead practically to infidelity on every subject. Already its dire effects are seen.
The progress of darkness and lawlessness has set in and advances with rapid strides.
No one can deny that, wherever this doctrine of non-eternity of torment has got a footing, reasoning and doubt on all scripture truths is following. Let us pause. Abundance of scripture might be brought to show that death is not ceasing to exist. How could the soul of the dead child have returned into it, if it had ceased to exist? yet it was dead and was restored to life. (2 Kings 4:32-3632And when Elisha was come into the house, behold, the child was dead, and laid upon his bed. 33He went in therefore, and shut the door upon them twain, and prayed unto the Lord. 34And he went up, and lay upon the child, and put his mouth upon his mouth, and his eyes upon his eyes, and his hands upon his hands: and he stretched himself upon the child; and the flesh of the child waxed warm. 35Then he returned, and walked in the house to and fro; and went up, and stretched himself upon him: and the child sneezed seven times, and the child opened his eyes. 36And he called Gehazi, and said, Call this Shunammite. So he called her. And when she was come in unto him, he said, Take up thy son. (2 Kings 4:32‑36).) And so of the son of the widow of Nain. (Luke 7) There was a dead man. Yet at the word of Jesus the dead arose, sat up, and began to speak. No, beloved reader, if we give up the immortality of the soul we give up everything, and reduce man to a mere beast. There is no real sin, and no need of true expiation, if man, before the new birth, is a mere intelligent beast, has the soul of a beast or mere animal, and when he dies he ceases to exist. Is it not astonishing that man can shut his eyes to the scriptures as the revelation of God and become so dark?
Oh, young men, shun these, damning doctrines with horror. Crafty men will pervert the scriptures to deceive you. You may secretly wish it to be so, that you may indulge in sin, and see no judgment before you. But remember these solemn words, “It is appointed to men once to die, but after this the judgment.” “Know thou, that for all these things God will bring thee into judgment.” “So then every one of us shall give an account of himself to God.” “For we must all appear (or be made manifest) before the judgment seat of Christ; that every one may receive the things done in his body according to that he hath done, whether it be good or bad. Knowing therefore the terror of the Lord we persuade men.” “And I saw the dead small and great stand before God: and the books were opened.... and they were judged every man according to their works.” “But the fearful, and unbelieving, and the abominable, and murderers, and whoremongers, and sorcerers [called now Spiritualists], and idolaters, and all liars, shall have their part in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone: which is the second death.”
All this would be utterly false if the wicked ceased to exist at death. We cease to exist here in this state as to the body; but if the soul ceases to exist what is there to be judged? How can there be a second death of that which does not exist? Be warned in time. Let God be true, though every man be a liar. We repeat, if you give up the immortality of the soul, you give up the whole Bible. If we own the mortality of the body and the immortality of the soul, and the future resurrection, and judgment of all rejecters of the glad tidings of God, then all is clear. You and I must be manifested before the judgment-seat of Christ, either justified from all things through the death and resurrection of the very One before whom we are manifested: or we must be judged for our sins. And if thus judged, be cast into the lake of fire—into torment that never ends.
Oh think of the terror of that day. Think of the wrath of God: forever and ever. And think of God now, with arms of mercy ready to receive and pardon the vilest that comes to Him, that believes Him. Surely God has shown His estimate of sin by the death of Christ, His only begotten Son. Yes, God so loved., Will you reject His love? Will you reject His pardon freely proclaimed through Jesus? C. S.