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 Shawn St. Clair

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 Wrongly Dividing the Word of Truth

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Jesus Tomb

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Ann Wielenga

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Gais Goeff

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Does Genesis 6:1-5" TARGET="_blank">Genesis 6:1-5 refer to the marriage of angels with human beings? If not, please give reasons for rejecting this theory.

I believe it is a purely fanciful speculation, without any real base of probability or Scripture. What is in question is rather the intermarriage : of men of the Seth line—the godly seed, with women of the Cain line— the worldly seed. Hitherto these had kept apart, as they always should. It is affirmed that the expression, “Sons of God,” always refers in Scripture to angels. It certainly does, I judge, in Job 1:6;" TARGET="_blank">Job 1:6; Job 2:1" TARGET="_blank">Job 2:1 and Job 38:7." TARGET="_blank">Job 38:7. But these are holy angels; Satan with the brazen audacity, which characteriSes him and his followers, presents himself among them, but there is no reason to suppose he or other fallen beings could thus be described. Or are we asked to believe that holy angels were tempted by lust toward women? The whole idea is grotesque. Angels are of a entirely different order of creation to human beings. But analogous xpressions such as, “Sons of the Most High,” and “Sons of the living God” (Psalm 82:6;" TARGET="_blank">Psalm 82:6; Hosea 1:10)," TARGET="_blank">Hosea 1:10), seem to refer to men, and in the New Testament the exact expression is applied to Godfearing men and women (see Matthew 5:9;" TARGET="_blank">Matthew 5:9; Romans 8:14, 19)." TARGET="_blank">Romans 8:14, 19). And I judge it is the same here. Then it is stated, but quite incorrectly, that the result of this “unholy union” was nephilim, which is the Hebrew word for “giants” anglicised, so as to convey to our minds something mysterious and monstrous. But a careful reading of the passage shows that these “giants” were already in the earth at the time, before these marriages took place, and then we get the words, “And also after that (giving the facts of verse 2), when the Sons of God came in unto the daughters of men,” the result was “men of renown,” not half-angels_haf but true human beings, so that the union seemed to succeed, but God only saw increased depravity in the earth.

The only other place where this word, (nephilim occurs is Numbers 13:33" TARGET="_blank">Numbers 13:33: “And there we saw the giants, the sons of Anak (which come) of the giants.” There is not a hint that these were not real men, like the rest of the Anakins, e.g., Goliath and his four brethren, etc. ft is asserted that “nephilim is connected with a verb, “to fall,” and that these mysterious beings were “fallen”_”apostates” etc., but Gesenius denies this meaning, and says the true meaning is, “fallers on,” or “attackers,” i.e., violent men. There must, it is supposed, have been a further “angelic intermarriage” after the flood to account for the appearance of these “giants” in the land of Canaan; for all the first company would have been drowned We may suppose what we like, but there is no hint of such a thing in Scripture. As a matter of fact the whole speculation seems directly opposed to our Lord’s own words, when Speaking of the resurrection state :—“In the resurrection they neither marry, nor are given in marriage, but are as the angels of God in heaven” (Matthew 22:30)," TARGET="_blank">Matthew 22:30), ergo.—the thing is impossible. This surely ought to suffice to show that “the angels that kept not their first estate,” of Jude 6," TARGET="_blank">Jude 6, have nothing to do, as has been affirmed, with the “sons of God” in Genesis 6." TARGET="_blank">Genesis 6. Such speculations have no real scriptural ground, and we should avoid them carefully.

W.H.

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Is belief in eternal punishment an archaic remnant of an outdated theology or is it both a doctrine of Scripture and a consequence of the character of God?

The Bible teaches eternal punishment.

1. The Test of Truth
A subject may be believed or disbelieved depending on factors which actually have no bearing on its truth or falsehood. If I say that the test of truth is the measure in which I feel comfortable in believing it, I am not really using logic, but subjective emotions. There is so very much in our tragic world about which we are most uncomfortable, so much that does "not seem right," and yet, we dare not reject reality because it pains us. Cancer, heart disease, child abuse, drug addiction, Aids, rape, hunger and murder have never produced a comfortable thought in our minds, yet they exist. Eternal punishment is not grasped by feeble sense and can never be comfortably believed. We must always make a difference between what is against reason and what is beyond it. Hell is as real as Heaven, because the Lord Jesus taught its reality as clearly as He taught that Heaven was the place from which He came to earth (John 3:13;" TARGET="_blank">John 3:13; John 16:26)." TARGET="_blank">John 16:26).

2. The Warnings Prove God's Tender Mercy
One of the greatest proofs of the love and mercy of God is His faithful warnings of coming judgment. There is a voice that comes down the corridor of time, warning of those who will "be cast into everlasting fire" (Matthew 18:8)" TARGET="_blank">Matthew 18:8) and giving testimony to a place where "the fire is not quenched" (Mark 9:48)." TARGET="_blank">Mark 9:48). It is the voice of the tender Savior who asked the Pharisees and scribes, "How can ye escape the damnation of hell (geenna)?" (Matthew 23:33)," TARGET="_blank">Matthew 23:33), and then wept over them (v.37). His warnings are not only "true and faithful" (Revelation 3:14)," TARGET="_blank">Revelation 3:14), but are tender and timely, for we all are travelers to eternity, and we dare not trifle with it. Obscure teaching on this subject, or half-hearted warnings are not kindness, but cruelty. It is the same kind of cruelty that would allow a child to drink deadly poison when it was in my power to stop it, or see a blind man stepping off a precipice to his death when I could have warned him. What if those who soften this teaching are wrong? The consequences are eternal loss, an irreversible mistake, a shock from which no victim will recover.

It is a great error to suppose that if a thing is true, I must be able to fully comprehend it, for our minds are not the court of final appeal. There are many things in the physical universe beyond the range of our personal experience, and therefore beyond our full comprehension. In the spiritual realm, the holy character of God transcends our highest thought, nor do we comprehend the infinite sufferings of our Savior upon the cross. We will never find in ourselves an untroubled acceptance of the horrors of eternal punishment, but its reality is not based on our feelings, but on the words of the One who was "declared to be the Son of God ... by the resurrection from the dead" (Romans 1:4)." TARGET="_blank">Romans 1:4). We acknowledge His authority as our Lord; He said, "Heaven and earth shall pass away, but my words shall not pass away" (Matthew 24:35)," TARGET="_blank">Matthew 24:35), and we believe Him.

3. God is Good
Many times Christians have heard an unbeliever ask, "How can a God who is good send people to hell?" or "Would a good man put any of his children into a place of eternal fire?" Human goodness and "the goodness of God" are scarcely comparable. Even God's goodness is holy and just, but the best of human goodness is "as filthy rags" (Isaiah 64:6)." TARGET="_blank">Isaiah 64:6). However, it is not "the goodness of God" that puts anyone in hell, and most certainly God will never put any of His children in eternal fire. Those who perish forever have rejected "the good news" of the gospel. The "goodness" of God was fully displayed in the giving of His Son and in the infinite sufferings of Golgotha's darkness. Even at the cross, it can be said, "Behold therefore the goodness and severity of God" (Romans 11:22)." TARGET="_blank">Romans 11:22). For those who crucified Him the Savior prayed, "Father forgive them..." (Luke 23:34)." TARGET="_blank">Luke 23:34). Surely this was "the goodness of God", but upon the holy Sufferer fell unmitigated judgment. For those who reject God's goodness and His mercy which flow through one channel - the cross, there can only remain "His severity."

4. The Meaning of Everlasting
In the Greek New Testament, "for ever and ever" is a translation of five words that literally mean "unto the ages of the ages". Some have claimed that this is a finite length of time, therefore the fire is not eternal. If a student of Greek wished to translate "for ever and ever" into Greek, he would have to use the same words that are used in the NT, because the language has no other choices. But, there is a far stronger argument against making "for ever and ever" a limited period. This exact phrase is used 21 times in the NT. Eighteen times it refers to God's eternal throne, His everlasting praise and His "glory for ever and ever." Three times the same phrase is used to describe eternal punishment. It must mean the same thing in the second case as it does in the first unless there is contextual evidence for believing otherwise, and there is not. The third major point in this debate hat the Lord Jesus said on at least's three occasions that "the fire never shall be quenched" and we know of no way to circumvent "never".
Two other words in the NT are translated "eternal" (aionios) and "everlasting" (aidios). W.E. Vine quotes Cremer, "While aionios negatives the end either of a space of time or of unmeasured time, and is used chiefly where something future is spoken of; aidios excludes interruption and lays stress upon permanence and unchangeableness". Aionios is used in such verses as "shall inherit eternal life" (Matt 19:29)" TARGET="_blank">Matt 19:29) and "Depart from Me ye cursed into everlasting fire" (Matthew 25:41)." TARGET="_blank">Matthew 25:41). In Romans 1:20," TARGET="_blank">Romans 1:20, aidios is used of God's "eternal power". It is impossible to make a difference in the meaning of these words whether they refer to the Eternal God or the eternally lost.

In Jude 1:7," TARGET="_blank">Jude 1:7, aionios is used of "eternal fire", but this verse does not say, "They suffered," but they are "suffering the vengeance of eternal fire." In Revelation 20:10," TARGET="_blank">Revelation 20:10, two men that have been in "the lake of fire" are still there after 1000 years.

5. Universalism
The doctrine of universalism, that all men will eventually be saved, has a great appeal. It takes various forms. Some believe that after a period of purgation, what the blood of Christ could not accomplish will be done by the purging fire. Purification by fire is Paganism. The Scripture appealed to as proof is, "By which (the Spirit) also He (Christ) went and preached unto the spirits in prison" (1 Peter 3:19)." TARGET="_blank">1 Peter 3:19). This preaching was not in hell, but was "when the longsuffering of God waited in the days of Noah, while the ark was a preparing." It was by the Spirit of Christ that Noah preached (Genesis 6:3)." TARGET="_blank">Genesis 6:3). We must never interpret a difficult verse in contradiction of plain verses. When the door is shut the Lord will say, "Depart from Me ye cursed into everlasting fire" (Matthew 25:41)." TARGET="_blank">Matthew 25:41).

6. Annihilation
This theory has several forms. Some believe that in the day of judgment the wicked will be annihilated, and others believe that after a period of conscious punishment, they will be annihilated. The Scriptures appealed to are those which speak of the wicked being "destroyed" and "perishing", and both qeber and sheol in the OT, as well as hades in the NT are said to be only the grave, which is impossible in the light of the Lord's teaching in Luke 16:19-31." TARGET="_blank">Luke 16:19-31. If Luke 16" TARGET="_blank">Luke 16 is a parable, what is its meaning? The words "destroy" and "perish" are found about 92 times in NT and 80 of these times it is the translation of apolummi (to utterly destroy). We must ask, "Does apolummi mean the end of being or the end of well-being?" The Lord Jesus used it of the end of well-being in Luke 5:37;" TARGET="_blank">Luke 5:37; Luke 15:46;" TARGET="_blank">Luke 15:46; Luke 15:24." TARGET="_blank">Luke 15:24. In His teaching, it is synonymous with the eternal, conscious suffering of the lost.
There is no repentance after death, so those upon whom God's wrath will fall will blame God forever for their pains (Revelation 16:11)." TARGET="_blank">Revelation 16:11).
To all of this, the humble believer responds, "The Savior who suffered for my sins on the cross and in triumph arose from the dead is my Lord. He said that the fire never shall be quenched and I believe Him."

Norman Crawford

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THE SEALING
Is the sealing of the Holy Spirit in this dispensation, a sealing on the forehead, seen outwardly, or is it experienced inwardly?

Does not John Bunyan refer to an outward sealing in the Pilgrim's Progress?

The sign of the old covenant was circumcision, an outward mark in the flesh. It is said in the case of Abraham to have been the “seal of the righteousness of the faith, which he had yet being uncircumcised” (Romans 4:9)," TARGET="_blank">Romans 4:9), which was of course exceptional, as infants of eight days old have no righteousness. The Lord seals His people as His own by giving them His Holy Spirit. “In whom having believed ye were sealed with that Holy Spirit of promise” (Ephesians 1:13" TARGET="_blank">Ephesians 1:13 R.V.; see also Ephesians 4:30;" TARGET="_blank">Ephesians 4:30; and 2 Corinthians 1:22)." TARGET="_blank">2 Corinthians 1:22). This is not an experience subsequent to conversion, but at conversion; nor is it an outward mark on the flesh, but a spiritual reality, which no doubt will come out in life. John Bunyan’s “Pilgrim’s Progress” is an allegory: that is, a spiritual truth conveyed under the form of a literal story. We should get into no end of difficulties, if we interpreted the figures literally.

Are all sinners, for example, to wade through a literal “Slough of Despond” on their way to the wicket gate? Besides, even Bunyan must be checked by the Word of God, and no less, “experiences” that pious persons claim to have passed through. There is no such thing taught in the Bible, as a Christian “being sealed on the forehead,” and for anyone to claim such a thing is a mistaken pretension, which he should seek grace from God to abandon.

W.H.

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Does there seem sufficient scriptural warrant for the teaching that “Hades is in the heart of the earth”? (Matthew 12:40" TARGET="_blank">Matthew 12:40 being cited). In the Old Testament the passage of souls to it is frequently spoken of as a descent.

The word Hades (from two words, “a,” not and, “idein,” to see) means the Unseen world. It never represents “the grave” in the sense of a tomb, but “grave-land,” the place of departed spirits. This was the Greek classical use and there is no proof but that exactly the same sense was carried on into New Testament Greek. Certainly a burial place is not unseen. It is the equivalent of the Hebrew, Sheol. There are rare places, e.g., Psalm 49:14-15" TARGET="_blank">Psalm 49:14-15 where this may seem to be equal to a mere tomb, but with the large majority of cases before us, we may say that even in such, the tomb is viewed as the gate for the particular soul into the underworld. David’s words in Psalm 16" TARGET="_blank">Psalm 16 bear out the ordinary meaning:
“Thou wilt not leave my soul in Sheol, neither wilt thou suffer thy Holy One to see corruption.” Sheol then was the place where the Spiritual part went; the grave, where alone corruption is seen, where the body was interred. The Annihilationists try to confuse the two; and deny any existence between death and resurrection; but this is Plainly contrary to many Scriptures. “The wicked shall be turned into Sheol” (Psalm 9:17)," TARGET="_blank">Psalm 9:17), surely means more than mere burial. “Shall burn unto the lowest sheol” (Deuteronomy 32:22)" TARGET="_blank">Deuteronomy 32:22)—graves don’t burn. “Speak to him out of the midst of Sheol” (Ezekiel 32:22)" TARGET="_blank">Ezekiel 32:22)— so it is not then a place of silence as a grave certainly is. Jacob in Genesis 35," TARGET="_blank">Genesis 35, knew his son Joseph was devoured by some beast and so had not been buried at all, and yet speaks of going down (yaradh) to his son to sheol. This word, yaradh (always to go down or descend), certainly favours the thought that we are intended to conceive of Hades as in the heart of the earth. It is the word used of Korah, Dathan and Abiram “going down alive into the pit (sheol),” (Numbers 16:33)." TARGET="_blank">Numbers 16:33).

The Spirit of Samuel was also seen to ascend, when the witch of Endor, for the first time in her miserable career, was permitted, to her own horror, actually to call up one of the departed, instead of the lying familiar spirit, who usually impersonated them—”An old man cometh up” (1 Samuel 28:14)." TARGET="_blank">1 Samuel 28:14). Also in Psalm 55:15," TARGET="_blank">Psalm 55:15, we read, “Let them go down quick into Sheol.” But the passage which may well settle the matter for us is Ephessians 4:9 “Now that Christ ascended, what is it but that he also descended first into the lower parts of the earth?” There does not seem to be any real difficulty to those who believe in God’s Word. Naturally those who deny there is such a place as Hades, are unwilling to allow anyone to assign It a location. What they want is that someone should prove it does not exist at all.

W.H.

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It is believed by some that Eternal Punishment is only for a certain period.

Is the doctrine of Eternal Punishment a tradition and not fundamental?

How should this be answered, and how should those in our assemblies who hold these views be treated?

The doctrine of eternal punishment is fundamental to the understanding of salvation. The test of a doctrine is not what the world thinks of it, or even the professing church, but what the Word of God declares. Judged by that test, I have not the slightest doubt that a condition of never-ending punishment awaits those who reject the grace of God in whatever form presented, and die in their sins and self-righteousness; and this has been the general belief of the church down the ages. That a committee of determined criminals or weak sentimentalists should decree the impossibility or injustice of life-sentences might be comprehensible, but would not affect the course of the law in any degree. Nor will the divine administration be affected in the slightest way by man’s opinions of His decrees.

When the opponents of never-ending punishment are asked, “What then will become of the wicked?” they cannot agree among themselves: one party say all will eventually be saved—they are the Universalists; another that all who refuse the grace of God will eventually cease to be—they are the teachers of what is known as “Conditional Immortality.” I believe both these theories are in conflict with the Scriptural teaching throughout, e.g., “He that believeth on the Son hath everlasting life (i.e. life in harmony with God, more than mere existence); and he that believeth not the Son shall not see life (which refutes universalism); but the wrath of God abideth on him” (John 3:36)." TARGET="_blank">John 3:36).

The wrath of God cannot abide on a nonentity, which refutes annihilationism. Space will not allow here any lengthy consideration of this tremendous theme. One or two points may, however, be raised. If we believe in the never-ending bliss of the redeemed, we must believe in the never-ending punishment of the wicked. The Lord’s own words make this plain, for He uses the same word in the same context of each: “These shall go away into everlasting punishment, but the righteous into life everlasting” (Matthew 25:46)." TARGET="_blank">Matthew 25:46). Some again say that the devil and his angels will suffer eternally, but not human beings; but in this same chapter our Lord classes them together: “Depart ye cursed (He will say to wicked men) into everlasting fire prepared for the devil and his angels” (v. 41). That fearful punishment, here so plainly revealed by Him who was the embodiment of holy love, was not prepared for men, but for the devil and his angels, but those who deliberately choose to follow him will find themselves with him for ever. A great effort has been made to show that the word translated here “everlasting” or “eternal” only means “age-lasting.” That may be perfectly true by derivation, as is true indeed of our word “everlasting,” but what matters is the usage of the word. It is used of “God” (Romans 16:26);" TARGET="_blank">Romans 16:26); His “honour and power” (1 Timothy 6:16);" TARGET="_blank">1 Timothy 6:16); “covenant” (Hebrews 13:20);" TARGET="_blank">Hebrews 13:20); “kingdom” (2 Peter 1:11);" TARGET="_blank">2 Peter 1:11); “gospel” (Revelation 14:6);" TARGET="_blank">Revelation 14:6); the “weight of glory” of the redeemed (2 Corinthians 4:17);" TARGET="_blank">2 Corinthians 4:17); the unseen world (2 Corinthians 4:18);" TARGET="_blank">2 Corinthians 4:18); the glorified body (2 Corinthians 5:1);" TARGET="_blank">2 Corinthians 5:1); “glory” (2 Timothy 2:10);" TARGET="_blank">2 Timothy 2:10); “salvation” (Hebrews 5:9);" TARGET="_blank">Hebrews 5:9); “Spirit” (Hebrews 9:14)," TARGET="_blank">Hebrews 9:14), etc., etc., on the one hand, and on the other, of future punishment, as above (Matthew 25:46);" TARGET="_blank">Matthew 25:46); “fire” (Matthew 18:8);" TARGET="_blank">Matthew 18:8); “damnation” (Mark 3:29);" TARGET="_blank">Mark 3:29); “destruction from the presence of the Lord” (2 Thessalonians 1:9)." TARGET="_blank">2 Thessalonians 1:9).

‘What honest believer, subject to the Word, but must admit that the never-endingness of God, His Spirit, salvation, redemption, and the consolation and the inheritance of the redeemed, stands or falls, with the never-endingness of the future punishment of the finally impenitent! Is it not strange that men, instead of repenting of their sins and believing on the Lord Jesus Christ as their Saviour, should rather spend their time in trying to disprove what the Saviour so clearly taught (none more clearly than He)—the fearful future of those who refuse Him, whom God has provided in His infinite love as a Saviour from “the wrath to come!” As for the second part of the question, we must “make a difference” between those who may be for the moment perplexed over a doctrine and those who doubt it as part of their fixed belief. It is noticeable that among “the principles of the doctrine of Christ,” in Hebrews 6:1-2," TARGET="_blank">Hebrews 6:1-2, which are clearly considered as fundamental (“not laying again the foundation,” etc.), the doctrine of “eternal judgment” closes the list.

This, therefore, is a fundamental question, and those who deny it have so far departed from the faith, and deny the clear and unmistakable words of Christ. How can such then claim a place among the people of God? Their denial of God’s truth raises the solemn question whether they have ever truly known His grace. May God in His infinite mercy preserve the feet, both of writer and readers, from straying from His Word, on this or any other truth!

W.H.

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