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HOUSMAIL HM090 27
April 2002 THE PENALTY OF
SIN A QUESTION
FOR THOSE WHO BELIEVE IN CONSCIOUS ETERNAL TORMENT OF THE WICKED: According
to popular theology, the "wages of sin" is: ETERNAL TORMENT IN HELL! Well,
the Bible certainly does say that, on the Day of Judgement, unrepentant and unforgiven
SINNERS will be punished! And it says just as certainly that it will not be a
pleasant experience! THE PROSPECT IS MEANT TO GENERATE FEAR -- enough fear to
make us seek a way of escape! *
"It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God." (Hebrews 10:26-31) *
"The FEAR OF THE LORD is the beginning of wisdom". (Psalm 111:10) *
"What shall we do?" (Acts 2:37) If WE
want to escape Judgement and Punishment for our sins, we MUST find a Biblical
answer to that last question! AND WE MUST ALSO DISCOVER HOW TO TURN FEAR INTO LOVE! THE
BIBLE SAYS that sinners are: "storing up wrath for yourself on the day of
wrath when God's righteous judgment will be revealed. For he will render to every
man according to his works .... for those who are factious and do not obey the
truth, but obey wickedness, there will be wrath and fury. There will be tribulation
and distress for every human being who does evil, ..... For God shows no partiality. (Romans 2:5-11) and: "The wages of sin is death". (Romans 6:23) But
does that REALLY mean "Eternal Torment"? Jesus
has certainly "died for our sins in accordance with the Scriptures". (1 Corinthians 15:3) But
it is equally certain that the Scriptures say that Jesus is now at the "Right
Hand of God", and that He is NOT suffering ETERNAL TORMENT! That
leads to a VERY important question: If "death
for sin" means ETERNAL CONSCIOUS TORMENT in "hellfire" ..... and
if Jesus has been to "Hell" to suffer our penalty to the full ..... Then
why isn't Jesus still there in "hell" suffering ETERNAL TORMENT? Clearly
if Eternal Torment is the Biblical penalty of sin, then Jesus has NOT paid the
appropriate penalty in our place ..... and we could no longer be certain that
we are pardoned! On the
other hand -- if the Ransom HAS been paid IN FULL, then the REAL penalty due for
our sins is death. BUT NOT ETERNAL TORMENT! i.e.
The penalty for sin is the suffering that causes the sinner's death, and the death
itself. At the moment of death, the penalty is completely paid and there is NO
FURTHER suffering to be imposed or required. Which is why Jesus can be said to
have paid the price in full when He Cried aloud as He died: "IT IS FINISHED!" Which
is why Jesus did not have to stay dead! Which
is why WE can BELIEVE that, if we make an adequate repentance, we are pardoned
in full, and that our sins will NEVER be remembered against us again. (Ezekiel 33:15-16) and
that: "As far as the EAST IS FROM THE WEST, so far
does He remove our sins from us". (Psalm 103:12) All
of that requires that we must review our concept of what Biblical death REALLY
means. When we do that prayerfully, and carefully, we shall discover that the
Bible teaches that: Death is a state of unconsciousness, in which "the dead know
nothing". (Ecclesiastes 9:5) And that there is no mention anywhere in the Bible, of any such thing
as an "immortal soul". Rather,
Immortality is a CONDITIONAL GIFT, reserved ONLY for the righteous, on the day
of Resurrection. (John 5:28-29, Romans 2:6-11,
Romans 6:23) The
GOSPEL promises a CONDITIONAL place in the Kingdom of God (the SIN FREE world
of the "Age to Come") after Jesus returns to earth. And
it is REALLY GOOD NEWS, because it tells us how to escape the penalty of our sins
and qualify for that gift! WHEN WE HAVE A PROPER VISION OF ALL THAT It is all in the Bible! - Start praying and reading if you want to
know more! Allon |