Synopsis

This chapter examines the doctrine of eternal punishment through the very words of its strongest proponents. Drawing from respected theologians and preachers, both past and present, the author reveals how language and tone surrounding the subject of hell have remained remarkably consistent throughout the centuries. By highlighting these quotations, the chapter invites readers to consider whether such portrayals of God’s judgment align with His revealed character of love, mercy, and justice. It calls believers to examine not only what is taught about hell, but how those teachings reflect the nature of the God they claim to serve.

Throughout Christian history, few doctrines have inspired as much fear, passion, and debate as that of eternal punishment. Advocates of the traditional view have often spoken with vivid imagery and uncompromising conviction, believing they were defending the holiness and justice of God. In 1879, Dr. Thomas J. Sawyer compiled *Endless Punishment: In the Very Words of Its Advocates*, a work that exposes the doctrine of eternal conscious torment through quotations from its own defenders. By presenting their arguments unaltered, Sawyer sought to show how such depictions of divine wrath stood in stark contrast to the God of Scripture—whose essence is love.

The voices quoted by Dr. Sawyer were not obscure. They included renowned theologians, ministers, and scholars whose influence shaped the faith of generations. Among them were Jonathan Edwards, Charles Spurgeon, and others whose sermons on hell became standards of evangelical preaching. Sawyer’s approach was simple: let their own words speak for themselves.

Jonathan Edwards, one of America’s most revered theologians, once preached:
“The view of the misery of the damned will double the ardor of the love and gratitude of the saints of heaven. When they shall see how miserable others of their fellow-creatures are, who were of the same nature and born under the same circumstances, it will make them more sensible of the greatness of God’s grace to them.” Such words depict heaven’s joy as dependent upon the torment of the lost. But could the redeemed truly rejoice in eternity while witnessing endless suffering? Would the love perfected in Christ permit delight in another’s agony?

Dr. Sawyer did not alter, exaggerate, or mock these statements. He presented them plainly, inviting readers to discern whether such images align with the God revealed in Christ Jesus.
What emerges is not a picture of divine justice but of human reasoning—reasoning shaped by fear, tradition, and an incomplete understanding of Scripture’s message of reconciliation.

Modern theologians such as Dr. John MacArthur and Dr. R. C. Sproul have carried forward similar themes, describing hell as conscious, unending torment in which God’s wrath is eternally displayed. Dr. MacArthur once declared, “Hell is not the absence of God—it is the presence of God in His wrath and justice.” Dr. Sproul taught that the sinner experiences the “full fury of divine vengeance” without relief forever. These men are respected scholars, faithful teachers, and earnest preachers. Yet, as Dr. Sawyer observed of the advocates of his own day, their words mirror those of Edwards and Spurgeon.

The doctrine has not changed in form or tone—it remains a message of fear cloaked as justice.The language of eternal punishment continues to present God as both Savior and tormentor—merciful to the few, wrathful toward the many. This dual portrayal has confused countless believers and driven some away from faith altogether.

If God’s mercy truly endures forever (Psalm 136:1), then how can His anger endure eternally against His creation? If Christ came to seek and to save the lost (Luke 19:10), how can His mission be declared a failure for most of humanity?

Sawyer’s compilation reminds us that even the most devout advocates of eternal punishment were sincere in their convictions. They believed they were defending truth.
But sincerity does not make a doctrine true. Every generation inherits its theology from those who came before, and without the guidance of the Holy Spirit, traditions harden into idols. Jesus warned of such blindness, saying, “You make void the word of God by your tradition.” (Mark 7:13)

The doctrine of eternal punishment is often defended as necessary to uphold moral accountability. But Scripture teaches that it is *the goodness of God* that leads to repentance (Romans 2:4). Terror may restrain behavior for a time, but only love transforms the heart. Fear-based preaching may fill churches, but it empties souls of peace.
When the message of salvation becomes a threat rather than a promise, it ceases to be the gospel.

Dr. Sawyer’s work exposes a painful truth: the words used to describe hell often reveal more about human fear than divine justice. They portray a God whose forgiveness has limits and whose mercy can expire—yet Scripture proclaims that His mercy “endures forever.” (Psalm 100:5) The very idea of endless torment denies the fullness of Christ’s victory and the final reconciliation promised in His Word. To claim that love itself consigns souls to eternal misery is to misunderstand both love and justice.

The enduring language of the doctrine—words like “fire,” “wrath,” “despair,” and “hopelessness”—has shaped centuries of faith. Yet, such words stand in opposition to the gospel’s message of restoration. When rightly understood, the “fire” of God purifies; it does not destroy. The “wrath” of God is His opposition to sin, not His hatred for the sinner.
The “judgment” of God is His act of setting things right, not casting them away.

Through Scripture we learn that “God was in Christ reconciling the world to Himself, not counting their trespasses against them.” (2 Corinthians 5:19) This is *The Blessed Hope*—that love will have the final word. Every passage that speaks of judgment must be read in the light of Christ’s redemptive work, for judgment without mercy contradicts the heart of the gospel.

Dr. Sawyer’s book, published in 1879, remains a testimony to a time when truth was wrestled with through fear. But our time calls for love to perfect what fear could never accomplish. The words of the advocates reveal not only the nature of their doctrine, but the need for the Church to rediscover the gospel of reconciliation. We must remember that God is not glorified by endless punishment but by endless mercy. His justice is restoration, His wrath is healing, and His love is forever.

Conclusion

The testimony of history shows that the doctrine of eternal punishment has endured not because it reveals the heart of God, but because it has been repeated by those who feared to question it. Through the very words of its advocates, we see a theology that magnifies wrath and minimizes mercy. Yet, in Scripture, judgment always serves redemption, and love is always the final purpose. God’s glory is not found in the endless suffering of His creation, but in its restoration through Christ. The voices that once thundered of torment will one day fall silent before the truth that ‘mercy triumphs over judgment.’ This is the hope that endures—the everlasting victory of love over fear, and of reconciliation over punishment.

Endnotes

1. Thomas J. Sawyer, *Endless Punishment: In the Very Words of Its Advocates.* (Boston: Universalist Publishing House, 1879). Public Domain text available at Tentmaker.org. Scripture quotations are from the World English Bible (WEB), which is in the public domain.

The full condensed version of “God’s Gift to Humanity” is available here.