In our previous post we had suggested several questions which we believe that when rightfully understood will shed further light upon our subject, that subject of course being the thought purposed by the Society, that those who perish in the final climatic end of the great time of trouble, Armageddon suffer the final demise of the wicked, Second Death.

However as of yet not one shred of Scriptural evidence has been produced to support this Witness doctrine, we therefore must conclude that it is the invention and/or fabrication of a dismal organization intent on using “fear” as a prime motivator in keeping its members in line even as this same motivational “tool” has been used throughout the Gospel age by the rest of the nominal church over its deluded servants, even as it is written, “The fear of man brings a snare” (Prov 29:25).

But let us dear brethren not become susceptible to such despicable tactics falling prey to the delusive sophistries of the Adversary in which he preys upon them lacking in proper judgment, “For God has not given us the spirit of fear; but of power (truth), and of love, and of a sound mind” (2 Tim 1:7) that we should not be so easily swayed from our steadfastness, “To the law and to the testimony if they speak not according to this word there is no truth in them” (Isa 8:20).

Let us now ponder our questions:

Who do the Scriptures imply shall perish during Armageddon? Only the wicked, or is this simply what the Organization teaches? Is this what the Scriptures state? Shall the good (according to this world) escape?

Who are the good, the just, the righteous and according to whose estimation?

Who are the wicked?

The Elect?

The non-elect?

First and foremost from a thorough examination of the Scriptures it should by now have become quite obvious to all earnest bible students that with God there are no gray areas, no variableness, neither shadow of turning, he does not employ any type of scale (i.e., a scale of one to ten for example) to judge the worthiness of an item or individual, there is only that which is “good”, acceptable (i.e., perfect) as is alluded to in the Genesis account and that which is “bad” unacceptable (i.e., imperfect), that which is declared righteous or just and that which is declared unrighteous or unjust.

There is no third option as some would suggest viz. the just, the unjust and the wicked. The bad, the wicked and the unjust are all one in the same the unjustified. (See the scriptural definitions below.)

This is why in the Millennial Age until mankind (the unjustified) has been brought back completely to the original perfection, which was lost by father Adam, mankind will require a mediator to stand between them and God (1 Tim 2:5), for God cannot look upon imperfection with any degree of tolerance (Compare Heb 10:31 with Deut 4:24), this is why presently he deals only with us (the Church) those who have been justified through Christ.

The Scriptural declaration is clear “There is none righteous, no not one” (Rom 3:10) therefore the question is then asked,

Who then is just (good, acceptable in the sight of God)?

Heb 7:26 states that there is one who is truly just, holy and undefiled separate from sinners Christ Jesus our Lord the High Priest of our profession who alone “has suffered for sins, the just for the unjust.” (1 Pet 3:18)

But what then shall we make of the Scriptural testimony that there shall be a resurrection of both just and the unjust, the good and the evil (Acts 24:15; John 5:28, 29)?

Who then are these who are declared just, good? How did they become just in the eyes of God, good when it was declared that there are none righteous?

Perhaps before answering these questions, we should examine a little more closely the Scriptural definition of the word “just” and the word “unjust” to better clarify what they emphasize.

“Just” Strong’s # 3477 Hebrew yashar yä·shär’ right, upright, righteous, straight, convenient, Jasher, equity, just, meet, meetest, upright ones, uprightly, uprightness, well

In Hebrew the word is likewise defined as follows,

Strong’s # 6662 tsaddiyq tsad·dēk’ righteous, just, righteous man, lawful

Strong’s # 6663 tsadaq tsä·dak’ justify, righteous, just, justice, cleansed, clear ourselves, righteousness

Strong’s # 6664 tsedeq tseh’·dek righteousness, just, justice, righteous, righteously, right, righteous cause, unrighteousness, misc

Strong’s # 8003 shalem shä·lām’ perfect, whole, full, just, peaceable, misc

In the Greek the word is defined as,

Strong’s # 1342 dikaios dē’-kī-os righteous, just, right, meet

Strong’s # 1738 endikos e’n-dē-kos just

In contrast the word “unjust” in Hebrew is defined as such,

Strong’s # 205 ‘aven ä·ven’ iniquity, wicked (ness), vanity, affliction, mischief, unrighteous, evil, false, idol, mourners, mourning, nought, sorrow, unjust, vain

Strong’s # 5766 `evel eh’·vel iniquity, wickedness, unrighteousness, unjust, perverseness, unjustly, unrighteously, wicked, wickedly, variant

Strong’s # 5767 `avval av·väl’ wicked, unjust, unrighteous

Strong’s # 8636 tarbiyth tar·bēth’ increase, unjust gain

And in the Greek,

Strong’s # 91 adikeō ä-dē-ke’-ō hurt, do wrong, wrong, suffer wrong, be unjust, take wrong, injure, be an offender, vr hope

Strong’s # 93 adikia ä-dē-kē’-ä unrighteousness, iniquity, unjust, wrong

Strong’s # 94 adikos ad’-ee-kos unjust; by extension wicked; by implication, treacherous; specially, heathen: —unjust, unrighteous.

We will continue with this point in our next post.