Doing a bit of light background reading for a seminar I'll be giving shortly I came across this quote from the great 19th century Baptist preacher, Charles Spurgeon:
Thou wilt look up there on the throne of God, and it shall be written, 'For ever!' When the damned jingle the burning irons of their torment, they shall say, 'For ever!' When they howl, Echo cries, 'For ever!' 'For ever!' is written on their racks, 'For ever!' on their chains, 'For ever!' burneth in the fire, 'For ever!' ever reigns.
What a contrast with today's Palm Sunday reading, Psalm 118, which begins:
Give thanks to the LORD, for he is good; His steadfast love endures for ever!
Let Israel say, 'His steadfast love endures for ever.'
Let the house of Aaron say, 'His steadfast love endures for ever.'
Let those who fear the LORD say, 'His steadfast love endures for ever.'
Psalm 103 makes a similar point:
The LORD is merciful and gracious, slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love. He will not always accuse, nor will he keep his anger for ever. He does not deal with us according to our sins, nor repay us according to our iniquities. For as the heavens are high above the earth, so great is his steadfast love towards those who fear him; as far as the east is from the west, so far he removes our transgressions from us. As a father has compassion for his children, so the LORD has compassion for those who fear him. (Ps 103.8-13)
Spurgeon was a great preacher, but for all his rhetoric I reckon he got that one wrong ;) It is not God's wrath, or his punishment of sinners which endures for ever: it is God's steadfast, unfailing, inescapable love!
Showing posts with label punishment. Show all posts
Showing posts with label punishment. Show all posts
Sunday, April 1, 2012
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