LIFE’S WAGES
ROMANS 6:23a
THERE ARE SEVEN WORDS IN THIS PHRASE. I THINK THAT THIS IS IMPORTANT TO NOTE, AS THE NUMBER SEVEN REPRESENTS COMPLETENESS IN SCRIPTURE.
THEREFORE THIS PROCLAMATION OF THE WAGE OF SIN IS COMPLETE. NOTHING MORE CAN BE SAID. WHEN IT COMES TO THE PUNISHMENT OF THOSE WHO DIE WITHOUT JESUS CHRIST. IT IS DEATH. THIS IS THE ONLY PUNISHMENT.
THIS DEATH IS HOWEVER VERY DIFFERENT THAN WHAT WE KNOW AS DEATH ON EARTH.
THE LORD JESUS CHRIST DESCRIBED THIS PUNISHMENT OR WAGE AS A PLACE WHERE THE WORM DIETH NOT AND THE FIRE IS NEVER QUENCHED. JESUS QUOTED THE PROPHET ISAIAH WHEN HE WAS TEACHING THE DISCIPLES CONCERNING THE PLACE OF PUNISHMENT.
IN II THESS. 1:8-9 THE APOSTLE PAUL DESCRIBES THE WAGES OF SIN.
II THESS. 1:8-9—“IN FLAMING FIRE TAKING VENGEANCE ON THEM THAT KNOW NOT GOD, AND THAT OBEY NOT THE GOSPEL OF OUR LORD JESUS CHRIST: WHO SHALL BE PUNISHED WITH EVERLASTING DESTRUCTION FROM THE PRESENCE OF THE LORD, AND FROM THE GLORY OF HIS POWER.”
NOTICE HERE THAT THIS WAGE OR PUNISHMENT IS DESCRIBED AS EVERLASTING DESTRUCTION.
JESUS DESCRIBED THE WAGE AS AN EVERLASTING FIRE IN MATTHEW 25:41—“DEPART FROM ME, YE CURSED, INTO EVERLASTING FIRE, PREPARED FOR THE DEVIL AND HIS ANGELS.”
ALSO IN V 46—“AND THESE SHALL GO AWAY INTO EVERLASTING PUNISHMENT”.
JUST WHAT DOES EVERLASTING MEAN? WEBSTER DEFINES EVERLASTING AS LASTING FOREVER; NEVER ENDING; ETERNAL. AND HIS SECOND DEFINITION I REALLY LIKE:
“GOING ON TOO LONG; SEEMING AS THOUGH IT WILL NEVER END.”
HAVE YOU EVER BEEN IN A SITUATION THAT YOU THOUGHT WOULD NEVER END? BUT IT DID END DIDN’T IT?
YOU KNOW EVERYTHING HERE ON EARTH IS GOING TO END. IF YOU ARE LOST, AND HAVE EVER BEEN IN THIS SITUATION, WHERE YOU THOUGHT IT WOULD NEVER END.
MULTIPLY THOSE FEELINGS BY ABOUT A BILLION TIMES OVER. CAN YOU TRULY IMAGINE, BURNING IN AN EVERLASTING FIRE, WHICH WILL NEVER BURN OUT?
CAN YOU IMAGINE THE PAIN AND ANGUISH OF FEELING THOSE WORMS GOING IN AND OUT OF YOUR BODY? CONSUMING YOU PIECE BY PIECE, BUT NEVER ACTUALLY DESTROYING YOUR BODY.
YOU WILL FEEL THIS PAIN, AND TORMENT FOREVER. THERE IS NO REPRIEVE. THERE IS NOTHING THAT WILL NUMB YOU FROM YOUR FEELINGS AND EMOTIONS OF ANGUISH AND TORTURE.
THOSE THAT ARE SAVED ARE GOING TO HAVE A GLORIFIED BODY. WE ARE TOLD THAT WE ARE GOING TO BE LIKE CHRIST.
THOSE THAT ARE LOST, WHEN THEY DIE, OR WHEN THE FINAL JUDGEMENT DAY COMES, ARE GOING TO GO THROUGH A SECOND DEATH.
THOSE THAT ARE LOST, AND THIS IS MY BELIEF, I HAVE NO SCRIPTURE TO BACK THIS UP, BUT IT MAKES SENSE TO ME.
I BELIEVE THAT THEIR SPIRIT WILL BE REUNITED WITH THEIR EARTHLY BODY. THE BODY THAT HAS ALL THE PAIN AND SUFFERING.
THE BODY THAT CAN FEEL THE HEAT OF THE FLAMES OF HELL. THE BODY THAT WILL BE ABLE TO FEEL THE WORM FEEDING UPON ITS FLESH.
THERE WILL BE ONE MAJOR DIFFERENCE. THEIR EARTHLY BODY WILL NO LONGER BE ABLE TO DIE. THE EARTHLY BODY WILL NO LONGER BE ABLE TO BE CONSUMED BY ANYTHING.
THE PAIN AND SUFFERING OF ETERNITY IN FIRE WILL BE THE ONLY THING THAT THEY CAN FEEL. THE PAIN AND SUFFERING OF THE BODY BEING CONSUMED BY THE WORM WILL BE UNBEARABLE.
I BELIEVE THAT THIS EARTHLY BODY, NOT ONLY WILL IT NEVER DIE, BUT WILL FOREVER BE REGENERATED WHERE THE WORM AND FIRE CONSUME THE FLESH.
FOREVER REGENERATED TO BE FOREVER PUNISHED. WHAT IS WORSE IS THAT THE ETERNAL SOUL WILL BE TRAPPED IN THIS BODY AND I BELIEVE THAT THE SOUL WILL FEEL THE HEAT AND PAIN OF THE FLAMES.
JESUS DESCRIBED WHAT WILL HAPPEN WHEN THE FINAL PAYCHECK IS GIVEN OUT. IN MATTHEW 13:49-50.
MATT. 13:49-50—“SO IT SHALL BE AT THE END OF THE WORLD: THE ANGELS SHALL COME FORTH, AND SEVER THE WICKED FROM AMONG THE JUST. AND SHALL CAST THEM INTO THE FURNACE OF FIRE; THEIR SHALL BE WAILING AND GNASHING OF TEETH.”
WAILING IS DEFINED AS SHOWING THAT ONE IS SAD AND HURT BY MAKING LONG, LOUD CRIES.
I FEEL THAT THIS IS PART OF THE PUNISHMENT AS WELL. TO NEVER BE ABLE TO GO TO SLEEP, TO NEVER BE ABLE TO FORGET ABOUT THE PAIN, AND TO NEVER BE ABLE TO ESCAPE FROM THE TERRIBLE WAILS OF ALL THOSE AROUND YOU WHO ARE SUFFERING FROM TORMENT.
THERE WILL NEVER BE A QUIET RESPITE OF SILENCE IN HELL. YOU CAN’T GET AWAY TO BE BY YOURSELF. THERE IS NO ESCAPE.
IF YOU ARE LOST, ARE YOU WILLING TO LIVE ONE MORE DAY, AND POSSIBLY WAKE UP TOMORROW IN A PLACE OF TORMENT WITH NO POSSIBILITY OF ESCAPE?
JESUS SAID THE ANGELS WILL COME FORTH AND SEVER. IF YOU DIE WITHOUT JESUS CHRIST YOU WILL BE SEVERED FROM THE JUST.
THIS INCLUDES GOD HIMSELF. WHAT DOES SEVERED MEAN? IT MEANS TO BE SEPARATED. YOU WILL BE ETERNALLY SEPARATED FROM GOD.
THAT IN ITSELF IS A FORM OF DEATH. LET ME EXPLAIN. JESUS SAID I AM THE WAY, THE TRUTH, and THE LIFE. WHO IS JESUS?
ISN’T HE GOD? SO IF GOD IS LIFE AND YOU ARE SEPARATED FROM HIM, THEN DOESN’T IT MAKE SENSE TO SAY THAT BEING SEPARATED IS DEATH?
SOMEONE MAY ASK, HOW DO THOSE IN HELL KNOW THAT THEY ARE SEPARATED?
THE SCRIPTURE GIVES US TWO EXPLANATIONS OF HOW THOSE IN ETERNAL DAMNATION WILL KNOW THAT THEY ARE SEPARATED.
FIRST LETS READ LUKE 13:27-28—“BUT HE SHALL SAY, I TELL YOU, I KNOW YOU NOT WHENCE YE ARE, DEPART FROM ME, ALL YE WORKERS OF INIQUITY. THERE SHALL BE WEEPING AND GNASHING OF TEETH, WHEN YE SHALL SEE ABRAHAM, AND ISAAC, AND JACOB, AND ALL THE PROPHETS, IN THE KINGDOM OF GOD, AND YOU YOURSELVES THRUST OUT.”
WE SEE HERE THAT THOSE BEING PUNISHED WILL SEE THE SAVED IN THE KINGDOM OF GOD, WHILE THEY ARE BEING THRUST OUT—ETERNALLY SEPARATED.
ANOTHER VIVID EXAMPLE IS IN LUKE 16:19-26. LETS TURN AND READ THIS TOGETHER.
VERSE 26 TELLS US THAT THE LOST IN HELL WILL BE ABLE TO SEE THAT THEY ARE SEPARATED FROM GOD AND HIS SAINTS IN HEAVEN.
DO YOU WANT TO BE ETERNALLY SEPARATED FROM GOD?
YOU SEE, THIS HELL IS A REAL PLACE. TOO MANY PEOPLE TODAY SAY THAT HELL IS JUST A MYTHICAL PLACE.
THAT THERE IS NO WAY THAT GOD WILL SEND ANYONE TO AN ETERNAL PLACE OF TORMENT.
I TELL YOU TODAY, THAT HELL IS VERY REAL. AND OUR GOD WILL SEND THOSE THAT REJECT JESUS CHRIST TO HELL FOR ALL ETERNITY.
ONE OF THE GREAT PREACHERS OF THE PAST TELLS OF HIS VIEW OF WHAT HELL WILL BE LIKE…CHARLES SPURGEON SAYS:
BODY AND SOUL SHALL BE TOGETHER, WITH EACH BRIMFUL OF PAIN, YOUR SOUL WILL BE SWEATING IN ITS INMOST PORE DROPS OF BLOOD, AND YOUR BODY FROM HEAD TO FOOT SUFFUSED WITH AGONY;
CONSCIENCE, JUDGMENT, MEMORY, ALL TORTURED, BUT MORE- YOUR HEAD TORMENTED WITH RACKING PAINS, YOUR EYES BULGING FROM THEIR SOCKETS WITH SIGHTS OF BLOOD AND WOE;
YOUR EARS TORMENTED WITH SHRIEKS; YOUR HEART BEATING HIGH WITH FEVER; YOUR PULSE RATTLING AT AN ENORMOUS RATE IN AGONY; YOUR LIMBS CRACKLING LIKE THE MARTYRS IN THE FIRE, AND YET NOT BURNED UP;
YOURSELF, PUT IN A VESSEL OF HOT OIL, PAINED, YET COMING OUT UNDESTROYED; ALL YOUR VEINS BECOMING A ROAD FOR THE HOT FEET OF PAIN TO TRAVEL ON;
EVERY NERVE A STRING ON WHICH THE DEVIL SHALL EVER PLAY HIS DIABOLICAL TUNE OF HELL’S UNUTTERABLE LAMENT; YOUR SOUL FOR EVER AND EVER ACHING, AND YOUR BODY PALPITATING IN UNISON WITH YOUR SOUL.
HELL IS A VERY REAL PLACE.
THERE IS BUT ONE WAY TO ESCAPE HELL AND DAMNATION. THERE IS BUT ONE WAY TO AVOID THE GREAT WHITE THRONE JUDGEMENT.
THERE IS BUT ONE WAY TO AVOID HEARING THE WORDS, DEPART FROM ME, I NEVER KNEW YOU.
THERE IS BUT ONE WAY TO AVOID BEING FOREVER SEVERED FROM THE PRESENCE OF THE ALMIGHTY GOD.
JESUS CHRIST SAID, I AM THE WAY, THE TRUTH, THE LIFE, NO MAN COME UNTO THE FATHER BUT BY ME.
JESUS IS THE ONLY WAY. DO YOU KNOW JESUS TODAY? FRIEND IF YOU ARE LOST TODAY, DON’T PUT OFF A SAVING KNOWLEDGE OF JESUS CHRIST.
DON’T WAIT UNTIL IT IS TOO LATE. JESUS CHRIST TOLD NICODEMUS, YOU MUST BE BORN AGAIN.
IF YOU FEEL SOMETHING TUGGING AT YOUR HEART THIS MORNING, LISTEN TO IT. DON’T PUT IT OFF. THE HOLY SPIRIT MAY NOT COME CALLING AGAIN. TOMORROW MAY BE TOO LATE.
MY FRIEND, DON’T TAKE A CHANCE ON SPENDING ALL OF ETERNITY IN HELL. A LITERAL PLACE, WITH LITERAL TORMENT.
YOU KNOW, GOD NEVER CREATES ANYTHING SECOND RATE. WHAT I MEAN IS, THE TORMENT AND PUNISHMENT IN HELL IS GOING TO BE JUST AS UNIMAGINABLE AS THE BEAUTY OF HEAVEN.
WHEN GOD TAKES VENGEANCE UPON THE UNGODLY, HE WILL SMITE IN SUCH A MANNER AS TO MAKE THEM FEEL HIS ALMIGHTINESS IN EVERY STROKE. ALL HIS POWER SHALL BE EXERCISED IN PUNISHING, AND NONE IN PITYING.
CAN YOU JUST IMAGINE THE PUNISHMENT IN HELL?
I WANT EVERYONE TO CLOSE THERE BIBLES, AND GIVE ME YOUR UNDIVIDED ATTENTION. I WANT YOU TO USE YOUR IMAGINATION AND IMAGINE WHAT I AM ABOUT TO DESCRIBE TO YOU.
IMAGINE IF YOU WILL FOR A MOMENT, THAT YOU ARE STANDING IN A PALACE SO MAGNIFICENT, THAT YOU FEEL HUMAN HANDS COULD NOT HAVE MADE IT. LARGER AND MORE BEAUTIFUL THAN ANY MAN MADE CATHEDRAL OR CASTLES.
EVERYTHING AROUND YOU IS OF SUCH BEAUTY AND MAGNIFICENCE THAT IT TAKES YOUR VERY BREATH. IMAGINE A PLACE WHERE YOUR EMOTIONS AND SENSES ARE AT THE VERY PEAK OF OVERWHELMING YOU WITH A SENSE OF PEACE.
YOU ARE OVERWHELMED WITH THE FEELINGS OF EVERYTHING BEING SO GOOD. YOU ARE GETTING A TASTE OF WHAT YOU HEARD ABOUT IN CHURCH THE FEW TIMES YOU WENT. YOU ARE GETTING A TASTE OF THE PLACE YOUR GRANDMOTHER TOLD YOU ABOUT.
JUST IMAGINE THAT YOU ARE STANDING IN FRONT OF A MAGNIFICENT THRONE, OF SUCH STATURE AND BEAUTY THAT IT IS BREATHTAKING.
THIS THRONE AND EVERYTHING SURROUNDING IT IS WHITER THAN ANY SNOW THAT YOU HAVE EVER SEEN.
IT IS SO WHITE THAT IT ALMOST BLINDS YOU. YOU ARE SURROUNDED BY COUNTLESS OTHERS. EVERYONE IN JUST AS MUCH AWE AS YOU ARE.
THEN A GREAT TRUMPET SOUNDS. YOU SEE ANGELS THRONG THROUGH THE CENTER OF THE ROOM.
A ROOM SO BIG THAT THERE MUST BE BILLIONS OF PEOPLE AROUND YOU. YET EVERYONE HAS A CLEAR VIEW OF THE THRONE.
ALL OF THESE ANGELIC BEINGS COMING THROUGH WITH GREAT REVERENCE AND A SENSE OF WORSHIP. THEY STAND BEFORE THE THRONE AND BOW.
THEN, A HUSH FALLS OVER THE ENTIRE PLACE. IT IS AS IF IN ONE GREAT MOMENT, EVERYONE’S BREATH HAS BEEN TAKEN AWAY.
THEN SUDDENLY YOU FIND YOURSELF IN THE PRESENCE OF GOD THE FATHER.
THE LIGHT FROM HIS BEING ALMOST BLINDING, AND WHITER THAN THE WHITE THAT YOU WERE ALREADY SURROUNDED WITH.
YOU HAVE FEELINGS OF AWE AND WONDER THAT YOU HAVE NEVER FELT BEFORE. WONDERING JUST HOW YOU MISSED THIS FEELING ON EARTH. YOU BATHE YOUR FACE IN THE LIGHT OF HIS BEING.
AND SUDDENLY, APPEARING AT HIS RIGHT HAND, JESUS CHRIST. WITH A LIGHT COMING FROM HIM JUST AS WHITE AS THE LIGHT FROM GOD THE FATHER. YOU CAN STILL SEE THE SCARS IN HIS HANDS AND FEET.
GOD THE FATHER SPEAKS, AND SAYS, “THIS IS MY BELOVED SON, IN WHOM I AM WELL PLEASED!” HIS NAME IS JESUS!
AND UPON HEARING HIS NAME PRONOUNCED BY GOD, THE ENTIRE ROOM AS IF THEY ARE ALL ONE; FALLS TO THERE KNEES AND SHOUTS THAT JESUS CHRIST IS KING OF KINGS AND LORD OF LORDS. EVERYONE WORSHIPS HIM CRYING HOLY, HOLY, HOLY.
A TIME OF PRAISE AND WORSHIP IS BUT FOR A MOMENT. YOU SEEM SO HAPPY. YOU SAY TO YOURSELF, I KNEW GOD WOULD NOT PUNISH ME. I KNEW THAT HE LOVED ME TOO MUCH TO DO THAT.
THEN, EVERYTHING THAT YOU HAVE EVER DONE IN YOUR LIFE IS SUDDENLY REVEALED. EVERYTHING. INCLUDING THE DARKEST SECRETS. ALL THOSE THINGS THAT YOU THOUGHT NO ONE EVER KNEW.
EVERY THOUGHT YOU EVER THOUGHT COMES RACING BACK THROUGH YOUR MIND.
AND STILL KNEELING, YOU RAISE YOUR HEAD AND YOUR EYES LOCK WITH THOSE OF JESUS CHRIST.
NEVER HAVE YOU SEEN ANYONE WITH A COUNTENANCE OF PURE ANGER, AND AT THE SAME TIME, PURE SORROW.
HE LOOKS AT YOU AND SPEAKS, DEPART FROM ME, I NEVER KNEW YOU. YOUR NAME IS NOT WRITTEN IN THE LAMBS BOOK OF LIFE.
AT THAT MOMENT, THE ANGELS THAT WERE NEAR YOU SEIZE YOU AND CAST YOU FOREVER INTO THE LAKE OF FIRE.
IMMEDIATELY THE FLAME AND THE WORM ATTACK YOUR BODY. EXCRUCIATING PAIN SEIZES EVERY NERVE ENDING.
YOU HAVE NEVER FELT SUCH PAIN AND AGONY BEFORE.
YOU KNOW WHAT THE SAD PART IS? EVERYONE HAS A CHOICE. IT IS YOUR CHOICE.
YOU CAN CHOOSE CHRIST AND AVOID THE GREAT WHITE THRONE JUDGEMENT, WHICH I JUST ATTEMPTED TO DESCRIBE.
OR YOU CAN REJECT CHRIST COMPLETELY AND WIND UP IN AN ETERNITY OF AGONY AND NEVER ENDING FLAMES.
OR YOU CAN DO NOTHING, AND NOT MAKING A CHOICE, IS JUST AS BAD, AND IN REALITY IS THE SAME THING AS REJECTING CHRIST.
TO RECEIVE HIM IS LIFE.
TO REJECT OR IGNORE HIM IS DEATH.
CHOOSE TODAY, AN ETERNITY IN HEAVEN WITH JESUS. OR AN ETERNITY SEPARATED FROM JESUS.
SALVATION IS FREE TO YOU, BUT IT COST JESUS HIS LIFE.
ACCEPT HIM TODAY, FOR HE DIED FOR YOU.
