Eternal Punishment
Theological Book Reviews
Do you believe in hell? What
happens to the wicked after they die? Shedd does a marvelous job in
explaining the eternal torments of hell - a subject that is not very fun
to study, but necessary if we are to understand God's justice.
The
Doctrine of Endless Punishment
by W. G. T. Shedd
The Banner of Truth Trust, Carlisle, PA: 1990.
201 Pages, Hardback.
What will men and
women do without Jesus Christ? If
they do not turn, they will burn. Though
the doctrine of eternal punishment is not popular, it is nonetheless
true. Jesus Christ taught
extensively on the subject, and it comprised 13% of his teaching overall
(only 3% was on heaven!). Judgment and
justice and punishment are weight and important matters. Shedd’s book covers the doctrine from one end of the
biblical record to the philosophical aspects of the debate; from
observing the words used for hell grammatically, to expounding and
applying the doctrine practically.
He expounds the teaching on divine judgment and sets it in the
context of Christian history as well as the Biblical.
Shedd believed the strongest and most persuasive arguments for
the doctrine were the teachings of Christ, which he covers extensively.
He also deals cogently with the objections to the doctrine, those
who may disbelieve hell or believe in some type of annihilationism
escaping the torments of hell, or in a universalism which does away with
hell all together.
He
divides the book into three sections: Chapter 1 – The History of the
Doctrine; Chapter 2 – The Biblical Argument; and Chapter 3 – The
Rational Argument. He
demonstrates through citing historians and the early fathers of the
church that the doctrines was prominent.
Then he moves through the teaching of the bible, Old Testament
and New Testament with an emphasis on the Redeemer who knew of the
doctrine so well. Then he
covers the rational arguments against the doctrine, showing that the
objections are speculative rather than biblical.
Overall,
this is an excellent treatment of the doctrine and well worth the
reader’s time to excite the need to witness to a lost and dying world.
The friends, neighbors, work associates and the like are in a
perilous situation – they are on their way to hell treasuring up more
and more wrath for the day of judgment.
How will this book affect us?
If it is merely an exercise in doctrine, then it will be of
little use. If it is an
exercise in doctrine then a meditation of that doctrine to warm the
heart with a zeal to witness, then it will have done its work.
Some
Quotes:
“There
is not a passage in the Old testament that asserts, or in any way
suggests, that the light of the Divine countenance, and the blessedness
of communion with God, are enjoyed in Sheol.”
“The
denial of endless punishment is usually associated with the denial of
those tenants which are logically and closely connected with it – such
as original sin, vicarious atonement, and regeneration..”
“The
common opinion in the Ancient church was, that the future punishment of
the impenitent wicked is endless.”
“The
dogmatic bearings of Universalism are not to be overlooked.
The rejection of the doctrine of Endless Punishment cuts the
ground from under the gospel. Salvation supposes a prior damnation. He who denies that he deserves eternal death cannot be saved
from it so long as he persists in his denial.” |
