ETERNAL LIFE FOR THE RIGHTEOUS-
ETERNAL PUNISHMENT FOR THE WICKED
Eternity!
We creatures of time cannot comprehend it! “Eternal” is defined: Without
beginning or end; everlasting; timeless. Time is measurable; eternity is not.
Believers in God, who have accepted His Son as the Saviour, tend to think of
eternity in the context of everlasting life and its untold glories. But
everlasting punishment is just as eternal as everlasting life. While we cherish
the hope of eternal life for ourselves, we must remember our commission to tell
the whole world, “...the wages of sin is [eternal] death,’ but the gift of God
is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord” (Rom. 6:23).
The
Bible teaches the doctrines of “eternal life for the righteous and eternal
punishment for the wicked.” Eternal punishment is not a pleasant thought, but
we must not become so “heavenly minded” that we forget or neglect our duty to
warn the lost. The Apostle Paul said, “Wherefore I take you to record this day,
that I am pure from the blood of all men. For I have not shunned to declare
unto you all the counsel of God” (Acts 20:26,27).
Many
years ago, following the evangelistic message, it was common to hear the old
song:
There’s
a great day coming, A great day coming,
There’s
a great day coming by and by,
When
the saints and the sinners shall be parted right and left;
Are
you ready for that day to come?
There’s
a bright day coming...by and by,
But
its brightness shall only come to them that love the Lord;
Are
you ready for that day to come?
There’s
a sad day coming...by and by,
When
the sinner shall hear his doom, “Depart I know ye not”:
Are
you ready for that day to come?
In
view of “Eternal Life” and “Eternal Punishment,” none can afford to become
either apathetic or boastfully self-confident, lest we miss the “great day”-the
“bright day”-only to reap the “sad day” throughout eternity!
“And
these [the wicked] shall go away into everlasting punishment: but the righteous
into life eternal” (Matt. 25:46).
I.
ETERNAL LIFE
A.
Eligibility for Eternal Life: Jesus says that they who hear Him and believe in
God the Father “hath [present tense] eternal life.” In other words, “life”
begins when we are saved, not after we die, or after the resurrection. As long
as we maintain salvation, we are not under condemnation. We have passed from
the state of being “dead in trespasses and sins” (Eph. 2:1, 5; Col. 2:13), to a
state of being “alive from the dead” (Rom. 6:11, 13). He gives eternal life to
the sheep who hear and follow Him, and that life is imperishable. This does not
mean the doctrine of “once-saved--always-saved”-falsely called “eternal
security.” If one returned to a practice of sin, he is again a sinner, “dead in
trespasses and sins.” One cannot have both life and death.
B.
Endurance Required: We see, then, that we are responsible to abide in a state
of grace. Jesus warns, “And because iniquity shall abound, the love [for God]
of many shall wax [grow] cold. But he that shall endure unto the end, the same
shall be [eternally] saved” (Matt. 24:12,13). We have eternal life because we
have been made “free from sin” and bear fruit unto holiness. Eternal life is
“the gift of God through Jesus Christ our Lord.” It is not received by one’s
good works, and it must be maintained and retained by justifying faith (Rom.
5:1, 2).
Riches,
or worldly possessions, can become a part of the abounding iniquity about which
Jesus warned. Even our closest loved ones can cause our love for God to grow
cold. Some self-denial and sacrifice is necessary. He said, “...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...and in the world to come eternal life” (Mark
10:29, 30). The things mentioned may need to be “left” only if it comes to the
point where a choice must be made. Jesus promised an hundredfold return on
anything He asks us to give up for His sake and the gospel’s sake.
II.
ETERNAL PUNISHMENT
(Luke
16:22-25; Matt. 25:41; Rev. 20:10, 14; 1 Cor. 6:9, 10; Heb. 10:26, 27)
A.
A Graphic Incident! A careful scrutiny of the story of the rich man in hell
(Luke 16:19-31) answers many of the questions commonly asked about eternal
punishment. First, it appears that the sins which sent the man to hell were
sins of omission. Being rich is not necessarily sinful, but wealth often begets
a love for the world and neglect of God and His salvation (See James 4:17,
Matthew 25:41-46, and Mark 10:17-27).
The
condition of the lost soul in hell is vividly described: (1) He was “in
torments,” not only by the flames, but also from being able to look across the
“great gulf fixed” and suffering the remorse in seeing what he had so
needlessly missed; (2) There was not so much as one drop of water to quench his
thirst and cool his parched tongue even momentarily; (3) He had all the
physical and mental faculties he had on earth. He could see Lazarus in
Abraham’s bosom; he could talk to Abraham; he could hear the replies; he could
think and reason, belatedly concerned for his five brothers lest they should
also come into “this place of torment”; he could feel the flames and the
thirst; (4) He apparently realized that there was “no liberation; no annihilation;” he would be there eternally, and
the torments would never cease; but, O if Lazarus could only be permitted to
bring him a few drops of water!; and (5) Father Abraham could grant him no
relief. Lazarus was now enjoying the comforts of Paradise while he must suffer
eternal punishment and separation from God!
The
message to us who are yet “alive and remain” is: Let nothing stand between us
and God. Even the highest of morals will not keep us out of hell if we do not
believe, accept, and embrace His great salvation, then walk in love and service
to Him and one another.
B.
Who Will Be Lost Forever? David answers, “The Lord is known by the [righteous]
judgment which he executeth, the wicked is snared in the work of his own
hands...The wicked shall be turned into hell, and all the nations that forget
God” (Psa. 9:16, 17). God is indeed righteous in all His judgments. Hell was
not prepared for men and women, but “for
the devil and his angels.” God’s church and kingdom will eventually be made up
only of willing servants. From Eden until now, every individual has been free
to “choose ye this day whom ye will serve” (Josh. 24:15). Our holy God will not
allow any of this world’s contaminations and abominations to enter His holy
heaven; neither to dwell in his “new heavens and a new earth wherein dwelleth
(only) righteousness” (2 Pet. 3:13; Rev. 21:1).
The
devil, the beast, and the false prophet will suffer eternal torment (please read Rev.
19:20, Rev. 20:10), along with “...whosoever was not found written in the book of life”
(Rev. 20:15). Some of these are enumerated: Those who have received the mark of
the beast (Rev. 19:20; 20:4); “...the fearful, and unbelieving, and the
abominable, and murderers, and whoremongers, and sorcerers, and idolaters...”
(Rev. 21:8). “...nor effeminate [homosexuals]; nor abusers of themselves with
mankind [lesbians, incest, and other sexual perversions], nor thieves, nor
covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners” (1 Cor. 6:9, 10).
“...for if we sin willfully after receiving the knowledge of the truth...”
(Heb. 10:26). It is important to notice one important truth is that the Beast
and the False Prophet were thrown directly into the lake of fire at the beginning
of the Millennial reign of Christ and they are still there a thousand years
later (Rev. 20:10)!
If you have never accepted or if you have fallen away from Jesus Christ here are three steps you need to take to be saved:
You must admit you are a sinner, confess your sin to Jesus, repent (turn from all you know is wrong), ask Jesus to come in your heart, and begin to follow Jesus by reading and obeying his word and go to a bible believing church that teaches his word. And tell someone what Christ Jesus Has Done For You (Rev 12:10)
May God through Christ bless you!
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