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The Scripture says that all have
sinned and come short of the glory of God (Romans 3:23),
therefore all men are slaves of sin because he who commits sin is a slave of
it (John 8:34). And since “the
wages of sin is death” (Romans 6:23), men are dead in
their trespasses and sins, I mean spiritually dead. Men walk according to the
course of this evil world, according to the prince of the power of the air
(Satan), they gratify the cravings of their sinful
nature following its desires and thoughts (Ephesians 2:1-3). They walk after
the flesh, they are carnally minded, and for this reason they cannot please
God, who is holy (Romans 8:5-8). They are called children of disobedience for
they refuse to obey to God; and also children of wrath because the fierce
anger of God is upon them for God hates all workers of iniquity (Psalm 5:5).
Being slaves of sin, men are totally depraved, in their flesh there is no
good, they are unable to do good works. God is disgusted with their conduct,
as He was disgusted with men’s conduct in the days of Noah, as it is written:
“God looked upon the earth,
and, behold, it was corrupt; for all flesh had corrupted his way upon the
earth” (Genesis 6:12). His fury has come up in His face, and at the appointed time He will
pour forth His fury upon this wicked world. On that day He will have no mercy
on the wicked, He will break their teeth, upon the wicked He will rain
snares, fire and brimstone, and an horrible tempest:
this will be the portion of their cup (Psalms 11:6). Their iniquity in this
moment is flattering their hearts, but in that day God will punish them for
all their sins.
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An afterlife full of torments is
awaiting sinners, because this is God’s immediate punishment on them after
death. In other words, after death sinners will be cast into hell (Hades), as
it is written: “The wicked shall be
turned into hell, and all the nations that forget
God” (Psalm 9:17). Hell is an awful place of torment located in the heart of the
earth, without any order, a place of darkness where there is a fire not
blown, and where – as Jesus said – there is weeping and gnashing of teeth.
The story about the rich man and Lazarus, told by Jesus Christ, teaches us
clearly that sinners go immediately to hell when they die and that in this
place they are tormented with fire. Here is this important story: “There was
a certain rich man, which was clothed in purple and fine linen, and fared
sumptuously every day: And there was a certain beggar named Lazarus, which
was laid at his gate, full of sores, And desiring to be fed with the crumbs
which fell from the rich man's table: moreover the dogs came and licked his
sores. And it came to pass, that the beggar died, and was carried by the
angels into Abraham's bosom: the rich man also died, and was buried; And in
hell [Hades] he lift up his eyes, being in torments, and seeth Abraham afar
off, and Lazarus in his bosom. And he cried and said, Father Abraham, have mercy
on me, and send Lazarus, that he may dip the tip of
his finger in water, and cool my tongue; for I am tormented in this flame.
But Abraham said, Son, remember that thou in thy lifetime receivedst thy good
things, and likewise Lazarus evil things: but now he is comforted, and thou
art tormented. And beside all this, between us and you there is a great gulf
fixed: so that they which would pass from hence to you cannot; neither can
they pass to us, that would come from thence. Then
he said, I pray thee therefore, father, that thou wouldest send him to my
father's house: For I have five brethren; that he may testify unto them, lest
they also come into this place of torment. Abraham saith unto him, They have
Moses and the prophets; let them hear them. And he said, Nay, father Abraham:
but if one went unto them from the dead, they will repent. And he said unto
him, If they hear not Moses and the prophets, neither will they be persuaded,
though one rose from the dead” (Luke 16:19-31).
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Then on the day of judgement, all
sinners will rise again and stand before God to be judged according to their works
and condemned to an endless shame and torment into the lake which burneth
with fire and brimstone, which is the second death. This is what we read in
the book of Revelation: “And I saw
a great white throne, and him that sat on it, from whose face the earth and
the heaven fled away; and there was found no place for them. And I saw the
dead, small and great, stand before God; and the books were opened: and
another book was opened, which is the book of life: and the dead were judged
out of those things which were written in the books, according to their
works. And the sea gave up the dead which were in
it; and death and hell [Hades] delivered up the dead which were in them: and
they were judged every man according to their works. And death and hell
[Hades] were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death. And
whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of
fire” (Revelation 20:11-15), “But the fearful, and unbelieving, and the
abominable, and murderers, and whoremongers, and sorcerers, and idolaters,
and all liars, shall have their part in the lake which burneth with fire and
brimstone: which is the second death” (Revelation 21:8), “and shall be
tormented day and night for ever and ever” (Revelation 20:10).
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