07. A DEFECTIVE VIEW OF THE WORK OF CHRIST ON THE CROSS
It implies that the "Death of Christ" was not sufficient, for if it was sufficient then those who die in the faith have no need to spend any time in a "Purgatory," but should go at once to "Paradise." The fact that "MASSES" are offered for the dead shows a misconception of the purpose of the "Lord's Supper." The "Lord's Supper" is not a "Sacrament." There is nothing saving in it. It is simply a "MEMORIAL" that looks back to the "Cross," and forward to the "Coming." 1 Cor. 11: 26. Between the "Fall in Eden" and "Calvary" there is the "ALTAR," between "Calvary" and the "Second Coming" there is the "TABLE," and between the "Second Coming" and the "New Heaven and Earth" there is the "THRONE." See the Chart on "The Two Comings." What right then has any one to set up between "Calvary" and the "Second Coming" an "ALTAR," where Christ has placed a "TABLE." To call the "Table" an "ALTAR" is to make that which is offered upon it a "SACRIFICE," and if the "Bread" and "Wine" represent the REAL BODY AND BLOOD of Christ, as those who teach the Doctrine of "TRANSUBSTANTIATION" claim, then every time a "MASS" is offered Christ is "SACRIFICED," and the partaker of the "Mass" is a "GOD-EATER," and also a "CANNIBAL" for feasting on the FLESH AND BLOOD of the Man Christ Jesus.
We must not forget the circumstances under which the "Lord's Supper" was instituted. It was after the "Passover Supper." Jesus was about to shed His blood on the Cross as the "Lamb of God," which the Passover typified, and as the Disciples had just eaten of the "Passover Lamb," whose blood had been previously shed, Jesus wished to show them that they must feed upon Him by faith as the "Lamb of God." So He took the "Bread" and said—"This is (represents) my Body which was broken for you, this do in remembrance of me." 1 Cor. 11: 24. "After the same manner also He took the 'Cup,' when He had supped, saying, This 'Cup' (the
"CREATIVE AGES"
Fruit of the Vine in it) is the New Testament (Covenant) in My Blood: this do ye, as oft as ye drink it, in remembrance of me. " 1 Cor. 11:25. When Jesus offered His Disciples the "Cup" saying of its contents this is "MY BLOOD," did He open a vein and let His life blood flow into the Cup? Did the Disciples that night actually eat the FLESH and drink the BLOOD of Jesus? To ask the question is to answer it. What Jesus meant was that the "Bread" symbolized His Body about to be broken on the Cross, and the "Cup" symbolized His Blood about to be shed. What He desired to set before His Disciples was the fact that His death on the Cross would fulfil what the "Passover Lamb" typified, and that they would be reminded every time they partook of the Lord's Supper that all animal sacrifices had been done away with, and that the offering of Himself was "once for all," and that there is to be "no more offering for sin." Heb. 10:12-18.
Annihilationism is the Doctrine that the wicked are to be destroyed at death, or later after Judgment. The Doctrine is based on a false view of Death, and a wrong interpretation of the word "Destruction." If the wicked are destroyed at death then there is no such thing as the resurrection of the wicked dead and their judgment after resurrection, both of which the Scriptures clearly teach. John 5:28-29. Rev. 20:12-15. We know from Luke 16: 19-31, that the wicked "Rich Man" was alive in Hell, though as to his body he had died, and it had been buried on the earth. Judas died as to his body, but his soul went to its own place. Acts 1:25. Again we are told that "endless punishment" awaits the wicked, but "Annihilation" would not be "endless punishment" or any punishment at all. The "Fallen Angels" were not annihilated, they are now in "Tartarus," and are yet to be judged. Jude 6. There is no such thing as "Annihilation" in nature. Things pass into another form or condition, but are not destroyed. The word "Destruction" as used in the Bible never means annihilation or the blotting out of existence. It simply denotes "loss" or
THE UNDERWORLD
"ruin," and that the thing "destroyed" is no longer fit for the purpose for which it was made or intended, and that the "form of its existence" is changed. To illustrate, the servants of Pharaoh said to him—"Knowest thou not yet that Egypt is destroyed"? Ex. 10:7. But Egypt exists today. And Jesus said—"Destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it up." John 2:18-22. He meant the "Temple of His Body," and though they destroyed it by "Crucifixion," He raised it up on the third day.
FUTURE PUNISHMENT ETERNAL
In Matt. 25:46 we read—"And these (the Wicked) shall go away into 'EVERLASTING PUNISHMENT,' but the Righteous into LIFE ETERNAL." Primarily these words are spoken of "The Nations" (Matt. 25:31-32), but they apply to individuals. The words in this passage "Everlasting," and "Eternal," are both the same Greek word "AIONIOS," and should both be translated "ETERNAL." The word "Aionios" comes from the Greek word "aion," which is the same as the English word "aeon," or AGE. It has been said that the word means "Age-long," that is, a "definite period" with a beginning and an ending, and not necessarily eternal in duration. The word "Eternal" is from the Latin word "aetas," or "Age." Now a year is a definite time. It has a beginning and ending. If we know its beginning we know that in exactly 365 days it will end. But an "Age" is an indefinite time. Of past "Ages" we know of their beginning and ending, though we may not be able to tell how long they were, for instance the "Creative Age." But of Future Ages we do not know when they will begin or end. So the word "Age" is the only word we have to express "indefinite time," and the phrase "Ages of the Ages" is the only way we have of expressing "Endless Duration," or "ETERNITY."
The lifetime of the "Lord God Almighty" is said to be "For Ever and Ever." Rev. 4:9-10, 5:14, 10:6, 15:7. And means for the "Ages of the Ages." And that is the time given for the punishment of the "Satanic Trinity" (Rev. 20:10), and the reign of the "Righteous." Rev
22:5. And as the "Wicked" are to exist as long as the "Righteous" they are to exist for the "Ages of the Ages" or for all "ETERNITY." So we see if "Hell" is to be blotted out, "Heaven" will be blotted out, the Universe will become extinct, Eternity will end, and God be no more, a thought which is inconceivable.
It is a noteworthy fact that the "Doctrine of Hell" was mainly taught by Jesus Himself. It was He who said that the wicked shall be cast into the "Lake of Fire," and that there should be wailing and gnashing of teeth. Matt. 13:49-50. Matt. 25:41. He also taught that the fire was quenchless, and their worm would never die. Mark 9:43-48. And as the Book of Revelation is the "Revelation of JESUS CHRIST," Rev. 1:1, then whatever it teaches of the final doom of the Wicked, is the teaching of Jesus Christ.
The Ethical value of the "Doctrine of Hell" and of "Endless Punishment" is beyond computation. Preach the doctrine of a "Second Probation" after death, that men and women after a life of sin here can get out of Hell and into Heaven by repentance and accepting the Gospel Plan of Salvation, and they will throw the reins of self-control on the neck of passion and ride at breakneck speed to perdition. It is the spread of such pernicious teaching that is the cause of the increase of lawlessness in the world. If there were more preaching of Hell in the pulpit there would be less of hell in the world. But why do men want to go to Heaven via Hell when they can go to Heaven direct? God is love, but God is JUST. He must preserve the Righteous from the Wicked. This demands that they be separated for all eternity. Therefore, O reader! if you are not a child of God, I beseech you to fly from the Wrath to come by accepting God's overtures of mercy ere it be too late.
VII