Topical Bible: The Punishment of the Wicked is the Reward of Their Sins

Bible > Topical > The Punishment of the Wicked is the Reward of Their Sins

◄ The Punishment of the Wicked is the Reward of Their Sins ►

Jump to: Torrey's • Library • Subtopics • Terms

Topical Encyclopedia

The concept that the punishment of the wicked is the reward of their sins is a recurring theme throughout the Bible, emphasizing the justice and righteousness of God. This principle underscores the moral order established by God, where actions have consequences, and wickedness ultimately leads to divine retribution.

Biblical Foundation

The Bible consistently affirms that sin leads to punishment, and this is seen as a natural consequence of turning away from God's commandments. In the Old Testament, the book of Proverbs succinctly states, "The wicked man earns an empty wage, but he who sows righteousness reaps a true reward" (Proverbs 11:18). This highlights the futility of wickedness and the inevitable justice that follows.

In the New Testament, the Apostle Paul reiterates this principle in his letter to the Galatians: "Do not be deceived: God is not to be mocked. Whatever a man sows, he will reap in return" (Galatians 6:7). This passage underscores the certainty of divine justice and the inescapable nature of the consequences of sin.

Divine Justice and Retribution

The punishment of the wicked is portrayed as a manifestation of God's justice. In the Psalms, the psalmist declares, "The LORD is known by the justice He brings; the wicked are ensnared by the work of their hands" (Psalm 9:16). This verse illustrates that God's justice is evident in the way the wicked are caught in their own schemes, receiving the due penalty for their actions.

The prophet Isaiah also speaks to this theme, warning of the impending judgment on those who persist in sin: "Woe to the wicked; disaster is upon them! For they will be repaid with what their hands have done" (Isaiah 3:11). Here, the prophet emphasizes that the wicked will face calamity as a direct result of their sinful deeds.

Eternal Consequences

The Bible not only addresses temporal consequences but also eternal ones. Jesus Himself speaks of the final judgment, where the wicked will face everlasting punishment. In the Gospel of Matthew, He describes the separation of the righteous from the wicked, stating, "Then they will go away to eternal punishment, but the righteous to eternal life" (Matthew 25:46). This passage highlights the ultimate consequence of sin, which is eternal separation from God.

The book of Revelation further elaborates on the fate of the wicked, depicting a final judgment where those who have rejected God face eternal damnation: "But the cowardly, the unbelieving, the vile, the murderers, the sexually immoral, those who practice magic arts, the idolaters and all liars—they will be consigned to the fiery lake of burning sulfur. This is the second death" (Revelation 21:8). This imagery serves as a stark warning of the severe and lasting consequences of sin.

Moral and Spiritual Implications

The principle that the punishment of the wicked is the reward of their sins serves as a moral and spiritual warning to all believers. It calls for self-examination and repentance, urging individuals to turn away from sin and seek righteousness. The Bible encourages believers to live in accordance with God's will, knowing that His justice is sure and His rewards are true.

In the book of Ezekiel, God expresses His desire for repentance rather than punishment: "For I take no pleasure in the death of anyone, declares the Lord GOD. So repent and live!" (Ezekiel 18:32). This verse reveals God's heart for redemption and His willingness to forgive those who turn from their wicked ways.

Conclusion

The biblical teaching that the punishment of the wicked is the reward of their sins is a profound reminder of God's justice and the moral order He has established. It serves as both a warning and an invitation to seek righteousness and live in accordance with His divine will.

Torrey's Topical Textbook

Psalm 91:8
Only with your eyes shall you behold and see the reward of the wicked.
Torrey's Topical Textbook

Isaiah 3:11
Woe to the wicked! it shall be ill with him: for the reward of his hands shall be given him.
Torrey's Topical Textbook

Jeremiah 16:18
And first I will recompense their iniquity and their sin double; because they have defiled my land, they have filled my inheritance with the carcasses of their detestable and abominable things.
Torrey's Topical Textbook

Romans 6:23
For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.
Torrey's Topical Textbook

Hebrews 2:2
For if the word spoken by angels was steadfast, and every transgression and disobedience received a just recompense of reward;
Torrey's Topical Textbook

Library

Whether by Divine Justice an Eternal Punishment is Inflicted on ...
... It is written (Mat.25:46): "These," namely the wicked, "shall go into everlasting
punishment.". Further, as reward is to merit, so is punishment to guilt. ...
/.../aquinas/summa theologica/whether by divine justice an.htm

"The Eternity of Hell-Torments"
... eternally to punish the wicked, as to reward the good ... That the torments reserved
for the wicked hereafter are eternal, Because the devil's punishment is to ...
/.../selected sermons of george whitefield/the eternity of hell-torments.htm

The First Book
... delights of their faith, and are to attain as well the reward of eternal ... in time
to come Gehenna will be in flames for the punishment of the wicked, just as ...
//christianbookshelf.org/salvian/on the government of god/the first book.htm

Psalm CIX.
... out, so the imitation of the wicked causeth men ... for himself, that is, everlasting
punishment; for blessing ... He said not, "their reward," but, "their work:" for ...
/.../christianbookshelf.org/augustine/exposition on the book of psalms/psalm cix.htm

Of the First and Last Times of the World.
... that the time of this judgment draws near, that the due reward may be given to the
righteous, and the deserved punishment may be inflicted on the wicked. ...
/.../lactantius/the divine institutes/chap xiv of the first and.htm

On the Last Judgment and the Resurrection, Hell, Purgatory, and ...
... Sometimes the wicked do good actions here on earth ... For all their good deeds they
get their reward in this world, and for the evil their punishment in the ...
/.../kinkead/baltimore catechism no 4/lesson 37 on the last.htm

The Doctrine of the Last Things.
... This is a judgment, not for destiny, but for adjustment, for reward or loss ... IV. THE
WICKED ARE RAISED FROM THE DEAD FOR JUDGMENT. V. THE PUNISHMENT DESCRIBED. ...
/.../evans/the great doctrines of the bible/the doctrine of the last.htm

Sanctions of Moral Law, Natural and Governmental.
... into a state of total and perpetual rebellion, as the reward of his ... Bible, in a great
many ways, represents the future punishment of the wicked as eternal ...
/.../finney/systematic theology/lecture xix sanctions of moral.htm

Of the Torments and Punishments of Souls.
... shall have been approved of will receive the reward of immortality ... hidden in the
same darkness with the wicked, being destined to certain punishment. ...
/.../lactantius/the divine institutes/chap xxi of the torments and.htm

Its Meaning
... the guilt of sin and its deserved punishment; and as ... belonging to him that entitles
to the reward of life ... 17:15 we read, "He that justifieth the wicked, and he ...
//christianbookshelf.org/pink/the doctrine of justification/2 its meaning.htm