"Original Sin" And Eternal Punishment

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< > CHAPTER SIX NO CHANCE AFTER DEATH? At the back of this slogan of "no second chance" lies the idea that a person cannot hear the Gospel after death. Whatever the motive behind this doctrine, it is quite untrue. Peter tells us plainly in his first Epistle, that Our Lord Himself went down to the spirits in prison and preached the Gospel to them.1 These particular spirits were peculiarly wicked, for they had left their proper heavenly dwelling place and assumed human bodies, in order that they might live as men on earth and beget giants: yet even to these monsters, who had been plunged into darkness by God and encountered the judgement due to men, since they had chosen to live like men; even to these dangerous sinners, long since dead, was the Gospel preached by our Lord Himself, that they might once more "live to God". We do not know whether they accepted this salvation, but we know that for the first time "the Gospel was preached also to them that are dead" in order that they might live.1 The mere use of the word "chance" in connection with Eternal Punishment betrays a complete misapprehension of the character of God. He who knows the sparrows and numbers our hairs is not the one to leave to chance the eternal fate of those He died to save! Neither has He allowed the eternal destiny of human beings to be taken out of His Divine Power and put into the hands of fallible men. We have seen already that, to those who men could not reach, He Himself carried the Gospel. Yet it is erroneously imagined that at the Last Judgement, when all stand before The Saviour of the World, He will be unable to make known to those who have never heard of Him His undying love for them upon the Cross; or else will be obliged to explain to them that, since owing to one circumstance or another the Gospel did — end of page 46 — not reach them upon earth, it is now too late for Him to help them in any way! What a fantastic nightmare of the human brain! God is not willing that any should perish, and that Great White Throne, before which men stand, will be radiant with His Love and tender Mercies which are over all His works. God leaves nothing to "chance", least of all the eternity of His creatures. It is only after His righteous Judgement that any will be cast into the Lake of Fire. And the Judge Himself tells us that at that day He will take into account, not only what men have actually done, but what they would have done under better circumstances! (Matt. 11,20-24). In other words, not only is God not trying to condemn men, but He is doing everything He can to save them, and putting down to their account everything that can be said on their behalf. The passage just referred to exactly corresponds to the other passage in John 15,22-25. It is only refusal to accept the mercy of God after a perfect opportunity has been offered that seals the doom of any man. It is only those who trample under foot the dead body of The Son of God who are beyond hope.2 Christ died for every sin except the unpardonable sin of refusing salvation.
1 1 Pet. 3,18 - 4,6.	2 cf. Heb. 6,4-6; 10,26-29.
— end of page 47 — < >
The Disastrous Effects Of The Doctrine Of Original Sin \| By His Stripes We Are Healed \| The Book Of Revelation \| The Second Coming Of Of Christ \| The Baptism And Gifts Of The Holy Spirit \| The Comforter Is Come

CHAPTER SIX

NO CHANCE AFTER DEATH?

At the back of this slogan of "no second chance" lies the idea that a person cannot hear the Gospel after death. Whatever the motive behind this doctrine, it is quite untrue. Peter tells us plainly in his first Epistle, that Our Lord Himself went down to the spirits in prison and preached the Gospel to them.1 These particular spirits were peculiarly wicked, for they had left their proper heavenly dwelling place and assumed human bodies, in order that they might live as men on earth and beget giants: yet even to these monsters, who had been plunged into darkness by God and encountered the judgement due to men, since they had chosen to live like men; even to these dangerous sinners, long since dead, was the Gospel preached by our Lord Himself, that they might once more "live to God". We do not know whether they accepted this salvation, but we know that for the first time "the Gospel was preached also to them that are dead" in order that they might live.1

The mere use of the word "chance" in connection with Eternal Punishment betrays a complete misapprehension of the character of God. He who knows the sparrows and numbers our hairs is not the one to leave to chance the eternal fate of those He died to save! Neither has He allowed the eternal destiny of human beings to be taken out of His Divine Power and put into the hands of fallible men. We have seen already that, to those who men could not reach, He Himself carried the Gospel. Yet it is erroneously imagined that at the Last Judgement, when all stand before The Saviour of the World, He will be unable to make known to those who have never heard of Him His undying love for them upon the Cross; or else will be obliged to explain to them that, since owing to one circumstance or another the Gospel did

— end of page 46 —

not reach them upon earth, it is now too late for Him to help them in any way! What a fantastic nightmare of the human brain! God is not willing that any should perish, and that Great White Throne, before which men stand, will be radiant with His Love and tender Mercies which are over all His works.

God leaves nothing to "chance", least of all the eternity of His creatures. It is only after His righteous Judgement that any will be cast into the Lake of Fire. And the Judge Himself tells us that at that day He will take into account, not only what men have actually done, but what they would have done under better circumstances! (Matt. 11,20-24). In other words, not only is God not trying to condemn men, but He is doing everything He can to save them, and putting down to their account everything that can be said on their behalf. The passage just referred to exactly corresponds to the other passage in John 15,22-25.

It is only refusal to accept the mercy of God after a perfect opportunity has been offered that seals the doom of any man. It is only those who trample under foot the dead body of The Son of God who are beyond hope.2 Christ died for every sin except the unpardonable sin of refusing salvation.

1 1 Pet. 3,18 - 4,6.

2 cf. Heb. 6,4-6; 10,26-29.

— end of page 47 —

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