First Great Deception
447
themselves, in order to justify their own malignity and rebellion. The
great deceiver endeavors to shift his own horrible cruelty of character
upon our heavenly Father, that he may cause himself to appear as
one greatly wronged by his expulsion from heaven because he would
not submit to so unjust a governor. He presents before the world the
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liberty which they may enjoy under his mild sway, in contrast with the
bondage imposed by the stern decrees of Jehovah. Thus he succeeds
in luring souls away from their allegiance to God.
How repugnant to every emotion of love and mercy, and even to
our sense of justice, is the doctrine that the wicked dead are tormented
with fire and brimstone in an eternally burning hell; that for the sins of
a brief earthly life they are to suffer torture as long as God shall live.
Yet this doctrine has been widely taught and is still embodied in many
of the creeds of Christendom. Said a learned doctor of divinity: “The
sight of hell torments will exalt the happiness of the saints forever.
When they see others who are of the same nature and born under the
same circumstances, plunged in such misery, and they so distinguished,
it will make them sensible of how happy they are.” Another used these
words: “While the decree of reprobation is eternally executing on the
vessels of wrath, the smoke of their torment will be eternally ascending
in view of the vessels of mercy, who, instead of taking the part of these
miserable objects, will say, Amen, Alleluia! praise ye the Lord!”
Where, in the pages of God’s word, is such teaching to be found?
Will the redeemed in heaven be lost to all emotions of pity and com-
passion, and even to feelings of common humanity? Are these to
be exchanged for the indifference of the stoic or the cruelty of the
savage? No, no; such is not the teaching of the Book of God. Those
who present the views expressed in the quotations given above may be
learned and even honest men, but they are deluded by the sophistry of
Satan. He leads them to misconstrue strong expressions of Scripture,
giving to the language the coloring of bitterness and malignity which
pertains to himself, but not to our Creator. “As I live, saith the Lord
God, I have no pleasure in the death of the wicked; but that the wicked
turn from his way and live: turn ye, turn ye from your evil ways; for
why will ye die?”
Ezekiel 33:11
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What would be gained to God should we admit that He delights in
witnessing unceasing tortures; that He is regaled with the groans and
shrieks and imprecations of the suffering creatures whom He holds