For sheer audacity, putting a meaning on eternal in one part of the verse to suit his theories, and denying that same meaning in the other part of the verse, the following extract is unsurpassed: "We are explicitly informed by other testimonies, that while aionian punishment ends in death, the life to be conferred in that same aion is inextinguishable " (page 68). That is to say that aionian, the Greek adjective for eternal, means eternal in one part of the verse and not in the other part of the verse. What confidence can the reader have in any reasoning of Mr. Roberts, or indeed in his honesty, when he can make words suit his fancy, and call white black and black white?
But says the objector, "Eternal punishment does not mean eternal punishing " If language means anything eternal punishment does mean eternal punishing. If a judge sentences a man to twelve months' imprisonment it means twelve months' imprisoning. That is very evident. If we make no mistake about man's phraseology, why should we make a mistake about God's? Surely the inspired word of God plainly tells us that one class go into eternal punishment and the other into eternal life, and eternal in both cases has one meaning. Does this not teach as clearly as possible the immortality of the soul? If eternal punishment is the portion of the wicked, it shows that they will exist forever. Even Mr. Roberts has no doubt about the eternal existence of the believer.
Again Mr. Roberts in his effort to explain away Scripture that does not suit his purpose betrays what a sophistical reasoner he is, and stultifies his own assertions. He says, commenting on the verse, thrice repeated, " Where their worm dieth not, and the fire is not quenched " (Mark 49: 44, 46, 48), and the twice repeated phrase, " The fire that never shall be quenched " (verses 43 and 45), warning words that fell from the lips of the Savior Himself:- "The worm that preys upon the wicked will disappear when the last enemy, death, is destroyed, and the fire that consumes their corrupt remains will die with the fuel that it feeds on; but in relation to the wicked themselves, the worm dieth not, and the fire is not quenched " (pages 52, 53).
The Lord distinctly says, in a three-fold solemn asseveration, that "their worm dieth not." He as solemnly avers that, "the fire is not quenched." Indeed this is reiterated no less than five times. In these solemn symbols of judgment does the Lord give warning as to the eternal punishment that awaits a certain class. Yet Mr. Roberts has the effrontery to contradict the solemn assertions of the Lord on the point. If the worm never dies, and the fire is never quenched, it proves that the wicked, which the worm and the fire will feed upon, are never consumed. What is that but the assertion again of the immortality of the soul?
Nay, further, the Lord proceeds to say, "For every one shall be salted with fire, and every sacrifice shall be salted with salt " (verse 49). Now salt is a preservative. Fire in its material sense is a destructive agency, and the very reverse of preservative. Yet, in the other world, the Lord Himself speaks of the action of the fire as preservative. Keble, the Christian poet, wrote:-
"Salted with fire they seem to show
How spirit lost in endless woe
May undecaying live…"
We are told that the word Aionios does not mean eternal. It is true that a primitive meaning of the word meant "age-lasting," but in time it clearly bore the meaning of eternal, as we understand the word. Very often divine ideas are conveyed in words of human origin, bounded by human experience. Finally they are stamped by the divine usage with a new and spiritual meaning. The word, Aion or aionios, is a case in point.
Apart from the Bible usage of the word, secular writers give the full meaning of eternity to aionios. In a passage in Philo we read, " In eternity nothing is either past or to come but only subsists." Philo's use of the word, and definition, leaves nothing to be desired as to clearness. No past, no future, a continuous present. Could anything be more striking as a definition of eternity? Moreover Philo has special weight as a witness. He was a Hellenistic Jew and contemporary with the apostles. When it is a question of Greek words used in the New Testament we could not adduce weightier authority.
Aristotle declares that its force is "always existing," whilst Mosheim, whose learning none can dispute, says aion properly signifies indefinite or eternal duration, as opposite to what is finite and temporal.
Arrian, the Greek philosopher, says, "I am not an Aion, but a man, part of all things, as an hour of a day. I must subsist as an hour, and pass away as an hour." Arrian here contrasts the ephemeral existence of himself as a man, with eternal existence, and for this he employs the word, aion.
2. God.
2. Christ.
1. The Holy Spirit.
42. Eternal Life.
14. Eternal bliss.
7. Eternal punishment.
Even Mr. Roberts would admit that in the case of God, of Christ, of the Holy Spirit, of the life and bliss of the believer, aionios means eternal. Why then not in the case of eternal punishment, especially when the adjective occurs almost side by side in the verse, " And these shall go away into everlasting punishment: but the righteous into life eternal"? (Matt. 25:4646And these shall go away into everlasting punishment: but the righteous into life eternal. (Matthew 25:46)).
Professor Salmond says truly in " Christian Doctrine of Immortality," " To say that the adjective aionios has one meaning in the first half of the sentence, and another in the second, is the counsel of despair."
Nor are we left to one form of expression in this deeply important and serious subject. Within the compass of a few verses we read, " God, who liveth forever and ever [literally to the ages of ages, an eternal generation of unending ages]" (Rev. 15:77And 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. (Revelation 15:7)); and " The smoke of their torment ascendeth up forever and ever [literally to the ages of the ages, an eternal generation of unending ages]: and they have no rest day nor night, who worship the beast and his image " (Revelation 14:1111And 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 14:11)).
How forcible this is! The same writer affirming the eternal existence of God, and that the torment of the lost shall continue as long as God exists, even for eternity. What is annihilated cannot be tormented. That which has no existence cannot be so spoken about. Therefore if the torment of the lost is to continue forever and ever, to the ages of the ages, it is necessary that there should be conscious existence, in other words an immortal existence.
We could furnish the reader with further proof of the immortality of the soul, but space forbids.
Mr. Roberts, writing of the soul, says:- "It is never said to be immortal, but always the reverse. It is, not only capable of death, but as naturally liable to it. We find the Psalmist declaring in Psa. 22:29,29All they that be fat upon earth shall eat and worship: all they that go down to the dust shall bow before him: and none can keep alive his own soul. (Psalm 22:29) 'None can keep alive his own soul '; and again in Psa. 89:48,48What man is he that liveth, and shall not see death? shall he deliver his soul from the hand of the grave? Selah. (Psalm 89:48) What man is he that liveth and shall not see death? Shall he deliver HIS SOUL from the hand or the grave?' And in making an historical reference, he further says, He spared not THEIR SOUL from DEATH, but gave their life over to the pestilence ' (Psa. 78:5050He made a way to his anger; he spared not their soul from death, but gave their life over to the pestilence; (Psalm 78:50)). Finally Ezekiel declares (Chapter 18:4), ' The soul that sinneth IT SHALL DIE'" (page 25).
We take this as a sample of the habitual way that Mr. Roberts distorts Scripture. Where in these Scriptures does it teach that the soul is mortal, and does not survive death, as Mr. Roberts avers? If the reader will examine the context of the first Scripture quoted, he will find that it simply teaches that man is dependent on God and cannot afford to ignore Him. Keeping alive his own soul simply means that as far AS THIS WORLD is concerned no man can stay in it indefinitely, that it is a matter quite beyond his own control, " none can keep alive his own soul."
As to Psa. 89:48,48What man is he that liveth, and shall not see death? shall he deliver his soul from the hand of the grave? Selah. (Psalm 89:48) the word for grave is sheol, translated in the Septuagint by the Greek word Hades. Now sheol or hades is wrongly translated grave, as can be seen by consulting a good concordance that gives the words used in the original. Sheol stands for the disembodied state, and is not a place, but a condition, just as death is a condition and not a place. This can be easily proved, and the text in question instead of strengthening Mr. Roberts' contention in reality is the proof of just the reverse.
One verse will prove our contention as to the meaning of sheol or hacks. Psa. 16:1010For thou wilt not leave my soul in hell; neither wilt thou suffer thine Holy One to see corruption. (Psalm 16:10) says: " Thou wilt not leave my soul in hell [sheol]; neither wilt Thou suffer Thine Holy One to see corruption." The Apostle Peter, on the great day of Pentecost, quotes this verse as referring to our Lord, and as prophetic of His resurrection. His blessed body, given in death, lay in the grave; His spirit was absent from the earth in the CONDITION of being without a body, and this condition of the body without the spirit and the correlative condition of the spirit without the body was ended on the third day after His death by His being raised from the dead by the glory of the Father. We also read of the rich man in Luke 16, who died and was buried, and in hell [hacks] lifted up his eyes being in torments. The body was in the grave, the spirit entered the unseen world. The parabolic way that the truth is presented is simple and graphic. Of course the rich man's eyes had gone to corruption in the grave, but this language is employed to convey the truth of consciousness after death. Mr. Roberts alas! argues away the whole truth of this remarkable discourse of our Lord, but surely we do well to believe the Lord. If the incident is a parable it is a parable to set forth the truth.
Mr. Roberts has the audacity to say, "It may be asked, Why did Christ parabolically employ a belief that was fictitious, and thus give it His apparent sanction?" (page 37).
Surely no right-minded Christian would consent to follow a teacher who puts a doubt on the honesty of our Lord. The matter is serious beyond words.
Finally Mr. Roberts quotes in support of his theory, "The soul that sinneth IT SHALL DIE." The word soul in that passage evidently is put for the person, as we say a steamer foundered at sea and fifty souls perished. Mr. Roberts admits it is sometimes put for persons on the very page where he quotes the verse.