Morning Thoughts - by Elder Philip Conley

Morning Thoughts Back

Daniel 12:2, "And many of them that sleep in the dust of the earth shall awake, some to everlasting life, and some to shame and everlasting contempt."

This morning, there are many strange and wild theories going about as to what is going to happen at the end of time. Daniel lays it out pretty plainly, and our Lord re-states the matter in John 5. There are going to be two classes of people and their final state is shown here in clear language.

Many try to explain away verses like this one by claiming that there is either not a hell or that it is not as bad as everybody claims. Daniel uses some specific language here. He says that the righteous are going to everlasting life, and the wicked to everlasting shame and contempt. In mathematics, there is an expression for these adjectives. They are called "diametrically opposite." This means that they are equal to each other in opposite directions.

So, as wonderful and unimaginably beautiful and awesome as eternal glory is while in heaven singing praises to the Lamb that was slain, that will be just how terrible and in anguish those in hell and the lake of fire are going to be. Some will then use this logic to try to scare the Lord's people with a fire and brimstone sermon. But, Paul told Timothy that we have not been given the spirit of fear. What we do have is the spirit of power, and love, and a sound mind. (II Timothy 1:7)

Therefore, someone does not have the spirit of God guiding them when they use scare tactics. Yes, hell and eternal punishment are real, but the Lord's people will not EVER have to imagine or suffer such. Such would be making the death of Christ vain (in our minds), but Paul says that He perfected us forever by that one sacrifice. (Hebrews 10:14)

In Hope,

Bro Philip