BY THE REV. D. BEATON, WICK.
(Continued from page 344.)
WE promised in a former article to discuss at some length the texts brought forward by the opponents of the doctrine of never-ending punishment in defence of their own position. The attempt to rob aiōnios of the idea of everlasting has been dealt with in the preceding article. It has been confidently asserted by some that the Scripture clearly teaches the doctrine of the Larger Hope, or at least of an opportunity beyond the grave for sinners to repent.
I.—The favourite text quoted is that in 1 Peter iii. 18-20:
“Christ also hath once suffered for sins, the just for the unjust, that he might bring us to God, being put to death in the flesh, but quickened by the Spirit: by which also he went and preached unto the spirits in prison, which sometimes were disobedient, when once the long-suffering of God waited in the days of Noah, while the ark was a-preparing, wherein few, that is, eight souls, were saved by water.” Before making an attempt to give an explanation of this difficult passage it may be remarked (1) that the whole teaching of experience goes to emphasise this awful fact, that the longer a man continues in sin the harder he becomes; (2) seeing that such a doctrine as the larger hope would be of incalculable interest to the human race, does it not appear surpassing strange that the one or two texts which our opponents say teach it are so hard to be understood? Then, would there not likely be other texts holding out a hope which would be of such supreme interest to the human race if it were true? But we must now come to an explanation of the Apostle’s words, which is simply this:—Noah preached to the antediluvian world whilst he was building the ark. It was the Spirit of Christ in him that gave power and meaning to his preaching. Eight souls were saved. The others rejected Noah’s testimony, that is, the preaching of the Spirit of Christ in him. They perished in the flood, and for some two thousand years they have been spirits in prison.
The Universalist explanation that Christ went to Hades and preached to the lost there in order that they might enjoy a second opportunity of accepting the gospel is beset with many difficulties. (1) The passage is strictly limited to those who lived in the time of Noah, while he was preparing the ark. Prior to this, roughly speaking, some two thousand years had run their course, and, from the Flood until the days of the Messiah, another two thousand years, roughly speaking, had passed away. The only people during these four thousand years—for we must confine it to the people of Noah’s day—to whom Christ went and offered the gospel in Hades—that is, according to the Universalists—were those who had rejected Noah’s preaching. Surely the Universalist, in professing to offer some far-reaching and tangible blessing, is only offering men a delusion. For what good is a second chance, if on a clear interpretation of the text, we find it limited to the men of Noah’s time? Scripture, however, gives no countenance to such theories. (2) It is also to be noted that the Scripture is entirely silent as to the effect produced. Now, if the Universalist interpretation is to be of any use, there must have been many saved, but there is not a word of this, and surely, of all things, if there is hope at all, this would be mentioned. The “spirits in prison” are still “spirits in prison” as far as anything the text says. The very silence of the writer shows that the Universalists have entirely misunderstood him, and read into his words a hope that he nowhere expresses. It may be asked what could have been the Apostle’s purpose in choosing this particular period, and the answer seems to be that he made use of the narrative as an illustration of baptism—”The like figure whereunto even baptism doth also now save us (not the putting away of the filth of the flesh, but the answer of a good conscience toward God) by the resurrection of Jesus Christ” (verse 21).
II.—Another passage of Scripture made use of by the Universalists is 1 Peter iv. 6—
“For this cause was the gospel preached also to them that are dead, that they might be judged according to men in the flesh, but live according to God in the spirit.” The explanation seems quite clear. The gospel was preached to those who are now dead; in other words, these had their day of opportunity when the gospel was preached to them. In order that the text might be of any use to the Universalist, it must read “is preached,” instead of “was preached.”
If such a doctrine as “the second chance” were true we should find it running throughout Scripture, but such is not the case. “Behold, now is the accepted time; behold, now is the day of salvation” says the Apostle Paul, and there is not the faintest hint in his words that men should reckon that they have another opportunity in the world to come if they die Christless. Then there is the solemn and awful words of the Lord: “Beside all this, between us and you there is a great gulf fixed” (Luke xvi. 26). Eternity holds out no hope that anything it has will soften the hearts of those who were the slaves of sin here. We know for a fact that the demons prayed to Christ not to torment them before the time, but no cry for mercy from them ever reached His ears.
III.—We come now to deal with the Annihilationists who maintain that the Scripture word “destroy” means “annihilation.”
Destroy (Greek, apollumi), however, does not mean annihilate, but simply to render a thing or person useless. Take the following examples:—
(1) “The chief priests and elders persuaded the multitude that they should ask Barabbas and destroy (apollumi) Jesus” (Matt. xxvii. 20).
“Destroy” here surely does not mean “annihilate.”
(2) “No man putteth new wine into old bottles: else the new wine doth burst the bottles, and the wine is spilled, and the bottles will be marred (apollumi)” (Mark ii. 22).
This does not mean that the bottles were “annihilated,” but that they were rendered useless.
(3) “Rejoice with me; for I have found my sheep which was lost (apollumi)” (Luke xv. 6).
The Good Shepherd did not seek a sheep that was “annihilated,” but one that was rendered useless for the great end of its creation, and He brought it back that it might through Him fulfil the end of its creation, viz., to glorify God and enjoy Him forever.
(4) “If our gospel is hid, it is hid to them that are lost (apollumi)” (2 Cor. iv. 3).
The lost here are not non-existent as the Annihilationist interpretation of apollumi would make us believe, but sinners in this world. It would be useless talking of the gospel being hid from those who did not exist. It is evident, therefore, that to destroy does not mean to annihilate.
In bringing before our readers the solemn matters dealt with in these articles, we cannot get away from the fact that as far as the evidence of Scripture is concerned we are brought face to face with a doctrine which teaches that the punishment of the wicked is never-ending. All speculation in divine things is dangerous, and here particularly so. To ask how can an offence committed, it may be in a moment, merit never-ending punishment? is to fail to realise the meaning of sin. Even among men a crime committed in a few minutes may bring a sentence of penal servitude for life, but when we come to deal with sin against an Infinite Being we can use no measure but that which He has given. And in the light of the offering for sin on Calvary’s Cross, and all that it entailed, we are at once brought face to face with facts before which all the standards used by men are of no avail. No mortal hand ever held the plummet that sounded the deep ocean of misery caused by sin, and what shall we say of the sufferings of the Man of sorrows? These are facts that we must face, and in facing them the possibility, nay the certainty, of never-ending punishment for impenitent sinners, becomes one of the most certain of all truths. We have been warned in God’s word to flee from the wrath to come, and we are distinctly told by the Apostle Paul, in writing to the Thessalonians, that Jesus delivers from the wrath that is coming. The warning given is unheeded by multitudes, and rather than pay attention to it foolish men will believe the teaching of Satan’s emissaries sent forth to deceive the simple. How gladly will men listen to these deceivers who never warn them to flee from the wrath to come, but turn a deaf ear unto Him who said: “Fear not them which kill the body, but are not able to kill the soul; but rather fear Him which is able to destroy both soul and body in hell” (Matthew x. 28). Life and death are set before us in the preaching of the gospel, and as truly as the life is no ordinary kind of life, so truly is it the case that the death is no ordinary kind of death. We leave the discussion of these solemn truths with the prayer that God would keep us from trifling with the gospel of His dear Son, and the warnings He has addressed to us in His own Word.