Revelation 20:11-15 And I saw a great white throne, and him that sat on it, from whose face the earth and the heaven fled away… I. There exists A NATURAL SENSE OF EQUITY IN THE MIND, which dictates, that recompense in futurity will be apportioned according to our knowledge or ignorance of our duty, to our exemption from temptations, or the magnitude of our dangers; — that flagrant offences ought to be more severely punished than smaller errors; great excellences more honoured than inferior good qualities; and, in short, that the number of good or bad deeds, as well as their nature, will be estimated in our great account. And these notions respecting the Divine administration appear to be sanctioned by striking facts. In the economy of the present world, it is most clearly perceived to be a general law of the Divine Providence, that different degrees of iniquity shall produce, as their natural consequences, nearly proportionate measures of suffering. Does not the dissipated character, even after his reformation, experience the result of the waste he has made, in fortune, in health, in reputation, or in time? Is he not often deeply stung by self-reproach on account of the past, though he feels humbly assured that, through Christ, it is forgiven? II. To these surmises of reason, let us annex the surer information of SCRIPTURE. It is enjoined (Deuteronomy 25:2.) that, "if the wicked man be worthy to be beaten, the judge shall cause him to be beaten according to his fault by a certain number," namely, of stripes: — in allusion to which passage our Saviour declares (Luke 12:47, 48). Again, when our Lord declared to the cities of Galilee, "It shall be more tolerable for Tyre and Sidon," etc., it is obvious that in this very phrase more tolerable, the same diversity of future allotment is implied — the same balance of disobedience and suffering (James 3:1). III. An assent to this article of belief is beset with several DANGERS, against which it is of the utmost moment that a serious caution should be offered. 1. Beware, in admitting this delicate doctrine, of considering works as in themselves worth anything — as in the smallest degree establishing a right to remuneration in the sight of a pure God. What hast thou that thou didst not receive? and, after ye have done all, say, we are unprofitable servants. 2. Another danger is that of our resting satisfied with inferior degrees of obedience. "'Tis well: — we are secure of obtaining some place in heaven; — we may with safety, therefore, now leave something undone, or not trouble ourselves about higher attainments." But chiefly be it remembered, as the most serious truth, that though the gospel of Christ offers happiness to the penitent, no portion of that happiness can be expected by the presumptuous transgressor, let him offend but even in one point. 3. A mercenary service, in opposition to that holiness which results from the love of God, is likewise to be apprehended as a perversion of the doctrine before us. (J. Grant, M. A.) Parallel Verses KJV: 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. |
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