Crocodile sinners!
(You will find it helpful to Listen to the Audio, as youread the text below.)
The sinner never leaves his sin—until his sin first leaves him.Did not death put a stop to his sin, he would never cease from sin.
This may be illustrated thus:
A company of gamesters resolve to play all night; their candle, accidentally or unexpectedly, goes out, or is put out, or burns out. Their candle being out, they are forced to give up their game, and go to bed in the dark. But had the candle lasted all night, they would have played their games all night.
This is every sinner's case in regard of sin—did not death put out the candle of life, the sinner would sin still!
If the sinner could live forever, he would sin forever! Therefore, it is a righteous thing with God to punish him forever in hellish torments.
Every impenitent sinner would sin to the days of eternity, if he might live to the days of eternity.
I have read of the crocodile, that he knows no maximum size; he is always growing bigger and bigger, and never comes to a certain pitch of monstrosity, as long as he lives.
Likewise, every lost sinner would, if he were let alone—be a monster, perpetually growing worse and worse!
"They were seared by the intense heat and they cursed the name of God, who had control over these plagues, but they refused to repent and glorify him. . . Men gnawed their tongues in agony and cursed the God of heaven because of their pains and their sores, but they refused to repent of what they had done!" Revelation 16:9-11