This, in perfect plainness, explains itself to mean, that there is a class of sins that can be forgiven in this world, and a class that cannot; also that there is a class of sins that can be forgiven in the world to come, and a class that cannot.
Peter, speaking of the patriarch David, says, "For David is not ascended into the heavens." (Acts 2:34.) But David himself, knowing full well that the mercy of the Lord endureth forever, says, "For thou will not leave my soul in hell." (Psalm 16:10.) He knew that after he had paid the penalty of the deeds done in the body, there would be a way whereby he might gain a place in the midst of the righteous in the presence of God.
If the present generation desire to know what will be the result of their disobedience to the proclamation of the principles of the gospel, and their contending against the servants of God who proclaim them, let them read what Isaiah says: "The earth shall reel to and fro like a drunkard, and shall be removed like a cottage. * * * And it shall come to pass in that day, that the Lord shall punish the hosts of the high ones that are on high, and the kings of the earth upon the earth. And they shall be gathered together, as prisoners are gathered in the pit, and shall be shut up in the prison, and after many days shall they be visited." (Isaiah 24:20-22.)
After having waited, perhaps, as long as they did who rejected the word of God in the days of Noah--after having passed through, perchance, thousands of years of punishment, until they have "paid the uttermost farthing," then the gospel will again be presented to them, and "they will be visited." Another opportunity will be given them to hearken unto the truth, but in the meantime, the saints of former and latter days will have advanced in the scale of progression and passed beyond the reach of those who, to-day, reject "the counsel of God against themselves, being not baptized." A separation will have taken place, in which there shall be "weeping and wailing," sorrow and mourning, over the neglect to obey the gospel when there was opportunity.
In accordance with divine law, "they were judged every man according to their works" (Rev. 20:13), not indiscriminately consigning all grades and classes of sinners to the same punishment, and that to continue forever, but meting out judgment according to their works, some with many stripes and some with but few.
Would it not be a libel upon justice, if a judge, presiding over one of our ordinary courts, should award to every criminal brought before him, the same punishment? "If ye then, being evil, know how to give good gifts unto your children, how much more shall your Father which is in heaven give good things to them that ask Him?" Certainly the law of poor, weak, mortal man is not superior to that of the Judge of all.
Paul beautifully and aptly expresses the principle in writing to the Corinthians: "If in this life only we have hope in Christ, we are of all men most miserable" (I. Cor. 15:19); but knowing that the gospel would be preached to the spirits in prison, and that untold millions of those who failed to accept the gospel here would do so there, he felt to rejoice in his heart instead of being the most miserable of men. He was fully aware that there was but one way to be saved, "One Lord, one faith, one baptism" (Eph. 4:5); that it was positively necessary for man to pass through the door to enter into the sheepfold; that the many devices whereby men sought to save themselves must of necessity fail, for "God's house is a house of order." He knew there was only one name under heaven whereby men might be saved; that obedience to this law was a prime necessity to salvation, for "in vain do ye say, Lord, Lord, and do not the things I command you."
Knowing these facts, the life of every good and true man, as was Paul, would be rendered miserable at the thought that so many millions of the human family must irretrievably perish, and be subject to torture throughout all the eternities to come; but understanding the great principle of the mission of our Savior to the prison world, they can rejoice in the fact that the plan of salvation is a complete one. They have hope that, not only in this life, but in the life to come, the gospel will be preached and men be taught its precepts.
We here introduce the evidence of some learned men, who have a reputation for scholarly ability, far and wide.
Professor Taylor Lewis, a prominent English writer, states: "We are taught that there was a work of Christ in Hades, He descended into Hades; He made proclamation in Hades to those who are there, in ward."