Retributive
Punishment
Stephen
Terry
Commentary
for the November 12, 2016 Sabbath School Lesson
“Just as people are destined to die
once, and after that to face judgment, so Christ was sacrificed once to take
away the sins of many; and he will appear a second time, not to bear sin, but
to bring salvation to those who are waiting for him.” Hebrews 9:27-28, NIV
Many of us have lived much of our lives with the
understanding that evil will one day be punished. However, how that would play
out is much debated. Some religions, like Hinduism, believe that the punishment
is reincarnation as a lower life form. With endless cycles of reincarnation the
potential is to go very low, or if the behavior is meritable, to go very high
as one reincarnates to ever higher castes of humanity. Adjunct to this is a
respect for lower life forms as they may be simply reincarnations of others who
are trying to find their way back up the ladder of life. Since one’s level of
reincarnation is dependent on good or bad Karma, how one treats others, even
bugs, can have an impact on one’s own progress.
Christians, on the other hand, mostly feel that each of
us gets one chance at life and what we do in life will either redound to
eternal bliss or condemn to eternal damnation. This idea of consequences for
our actions through judgment is repeated frequently throughout the Bible. But
perspectives vary on interpretation. Most agree on the meaning of eternal bliss
– living in a paradise, having eternal life, and no longer suffering. But condemnation
seems to inspire a number of varying viewpoints. Some feel that God will keep
those who were evil in life alive enough to feel torment for all eternity in
order to watch their suffering in ever-burning flames.[i] Others feel that although
God will burn the wicked, the fire will not be eternal, but will only burn long
enough to turn them to ash.[ii] Still others feel that God will not actively
punish them, but rather they will be slain by their own wickedness. This might
be through their choice to disconnect themselves from the source of all life,
thus extinguishing their existence. It might also be that they are simply consumed
by the brightness of God’s presence.[iii] Whichever perspective is
chosen, sin comes to an end, except in the scenario where it is preserved in an
ever burning hell. Perhaps its end is the strongest argument against that hellfire
perspective, for immortalizing sin, even in a place called Hell, is something
inimical to the character of God. For when Adam and Eve succumbed to temptation
in the Garden of Eden, God’s strong concern was that they should be driven from
the Garden and denied access to the Tree of Life, lest sin become immortalized.[iv]
This idea that sin carries with it a consequence permeates
the way we look at the world. But we often go beyond that idea and reason in
reverse that if sin carries a consequence then if we see suffering in someone’s
experience, either our own or someone else’s, we infer that there must be sin
in their lives. We believe like Job’s friends that suffering does not occur
without some basis in sinful behavior. Bildad the Shuhite as much as said that
Job’s children died because of their sinful lives.[v] He also implies that Job,
himself, is wanting in righteousness.[vi] Some might be troubled by
Bildad’s hard heartedness, but lest we get too hard on the poor man, we might
examine our own behavior toward others. For instance, how often do we cluck our
tongues knowingly about others when we hear they have some health issue,
assuming in our wisdom that they are suffering because they ate or used
something that we are convinced that either the Bible or Ellen White
prohibited? This attitude can create great anguish in the lives of others. For
instance, when I was pastoring as a young man, the wife of a recently deceased
elder in the church confided in me that she was afraid to come church because
her husband had died of lung cancer. Apparently some church ladies had started
the rumor that he had been a closet smoker all these years, and it had finally
caught up to him. However, the elder had never smoked in his life. These ladies
had assumed that this man and his family were hiding known sin and therefore
had paid the price.
This happens often with those who have chronic illness as well, especially if
they have been anointed by the elders without result.[vii] Imagine the distress of
the person who believes that disease is caused by personal sin and does not
find healing? Imagine their horror if they are also told they were not healed
because they did not have enough faith to be saved. Even if these words are not
said openly, it is possible to read them in the eyes of the saints who come to
visit. But is it true? Does God really punish us in this life for our bad
choices? Are we doomed to suffer because of our sins, and then to die and face
the judgment and damnation to come? How many have come to the church, hoping to
be spared such a fate only to find those who are eager and willing to reinforce
such a hopeless vision. But this vision is not true. How do we know? We know it
because suffering and disease happen to good people, too. John the Baptist
suffered imprisonment in Herod’s dungeon and was ultimately beheaded, though he
had done no wrong.[viii]
Paul, the Apostle, also suffered a similar fate in Rome. Surely we cannot say
that these men suffered because of their sinful lives. Therefore their example
reveals that suffering is not necessarily linked to personal sin.
Jesus also said as much when he pointed out that those Galileans who were
killed by soldiers while offering sacrifice and those others, in Siloam, who were
killed when a tower fell on them were no greater sinners than anyone else.[ix] It is important to
understand this point, for those who are eager to point out the failings of
others as the reason for their suffering are implying that they are not guilty
of such sins as would bring similar suffering upon themselves. For instance the
person who says to another, “If you would only eat this way, you would be free
of your disease,” is implying that they are free of the disease because they
are eating that way. Why is that problematic? Perhaps first and most
importantly, salvation does not come by diet, but through Jesus.[x] Second, it implies that
the person saying this has absolute knowledge of the disease that they could
not possibly have – its source. In the previously mentioned example of the
elder who had died of lung cancer and it was assumed that he was a closet
smoker, they had failed to account for other possible causes for that cancer
such as a genetic predisposition to cancer or exposure to other carcinogens
such as asbestos through work. But those possibilities can change everything.
While we might want to believe in a God that punishes people for smoking, do we
want to believe in one who punishes people for being born with the wrong DNA or
having unwittingly worked in an environment with a carcinogen?
We should perhaps, when faced with the suffering of Job in others or even in our
own lives, admit that suffering is a mystery in many cases. Rather than condemn
one another or ourselves, we should extend compassion to the suffering. Even
God does not distinguish between good and evil when He shows mercy and
compassion to us. He sends His blessings on both the good and the bad, and we
should do the same.[xi] Suffering seems to come
to us all, at one time or another. It may be intermittent or continuous as we struggle
with chronic illness or unremitting persecution. But we are promised that in
that dark valley of suffering, Jesus is right there with us.[xii] The universality of
suffering is perhaps one reason why the 23rd
Psalm is so beloved by the saints. It is like water for the parched soul
and a healing balm for the hurting. When we are struggling it comforts us and
gives us hope.
When we are faced with the suffering of others, we can be like Jesus and be shepherds
to the sheep. If we love them as Jesus did, they will delight to hear our voice
as they did His.[xiii]
It is not chiding that brings the sheep safely home, but a gentle, loving
voice. If we are willing to give ourselves for the sheep, that love will be seen
in our looks, our actions, and even the sound of our voice. Ours will not be
the grating words of Bildad the Shuhite, but the gentle, healing words of
Jesus. Compassion, rather than judgment will be our guiding light.
