The Berean Expositor
Volume 4 & 5 - Page 160 of 161
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Mark 5: 7
\
To try,
8 - torment
12
Basanizo
4: 11,
Matt. 18: 34
\
and then test,
tormentor
1
Basanistes
12
Luke 16: 23
/
by torture
3 ­ torment
3
Basanos
Rev. 14: 11
/
5 - torment
5
Basanismos
The primary question before us throughout this series was, What does Scripture teach
regarding the wages of sin? and as a secondary consideration, How does the doctrine of
eternal conscious suffering appear in the light of Holy Scripture? The investigations,
summarized in this article, provide a complete answer to that question. Surely we need
never fear, nor apologize for holding a doctrine as truth, if we have examined every word
used by God Himself upon the subject. We call our readers to witness that we have not
frittered away valuable time nor space with mere negations, nor with profitless
controversy over other men's opinions; we have gone to the fountain head, and by the
evidence adduced we abide.
Eternal conscious suffering is not the wages of sin. Scripture declares that death,
destruction, and perishing, preceded by more or less suffering, is the wages of sin. it
must be kept in mind, however, that while we have negatived the idea of eternal
conscious suffering, there lies before us much that requires patient and prayerful
investigation. We have to consider who are involved, how far it applies to all whom we
call "unsaved," and whether it obtains for the ages, or for eternity. The passages which
deal with the reconciliation of all*, the ransom for all, the mercy that endureth, and the
wrath for a little while, demand our most earnest attention. Our only safe course is to
continue searching into what God has said, searching out the very words of inspiration,
and trusting that He will abundantly fulfil the promise of the words, "the entrance of Thy
Word giveth light," or as one has suggested as an alternative rendering, Thy words enter,
light is given.
"For later findings see booklet "The reconciliation of all things."