One final piece of evidence must be submitted in order to prove beyond a shadow of doubt that the devils have a conscience. There is coming a day when all creatures will stand before God as he is seated on his magnificent, awe-inspiring, dread-producing throne. Man and angelic beings will both be present. The books will be opened and justice will prevail. One enormous detail ought not be overlooked. This will take place after the resurrection. Every person who has ever lived will be reunited to a new body. This glorified body will be fit for eternity in either heaven or hell. The lost and redeemed alike will have perfected bodies which will be imperishable and accommodated for eternal life or everlasting death. Those who inherit everlasting death will be punished physically and tormented mentally experiencing an anguished conscience.
Satan and demons, however, are not physical beings. They are immaterial, spiritual entities. The resurrection does not affect or impact them in the least. So, when they are hurtled into hell, the punishment and suffering that they are to endure will not be physical in nature. Instead, they will be subjected to agony and distress in conscience. It is admitted that there is some sense of mystery involved. The fires of hell cannot be comparable to anything on earth. God is able to administer flames that could consume and incinerate both physical and spiritual beings. When all is said and done, the devils will know only misery and wretchedness. This will be their plight for as long as the Lord of Life lives.
As creatures fashioned by the Creator, Satan and demons appear to have had a conscience. It is lifeless now, but will be awakened in eternity. When they are finally and permanently committed to their everlasting place of anguish, their consciences will be aroused and will forever convict them of their sins. The enormity of their fall and rebellion will be divulged; it will be at the forefront of their minds forevermore. They will understand more completely how holy God is and far they degenerated from their position and privileged state. These were once in the presence of God in heaven. They saw and heard things that we long for; they saw the glory of God, heard him thunder, saw the Lord of Light explode into action and create. They knew God and his many attributes. His law was made known and they praised God because he is worthy. But they fell. Oh how great was their apostasy.
When they fell, their love was turned to hate, but their memory would not have been affected. They would have retained all of their knowledge and experiences. The demonic forces would still know right and wrong, good and evil, but their consciences would have been made inoperable. Having become completely and totally depraved, they became a law unto themselves thereby serving their lusts and desires; only doing evil continually. They are devoid of any common grace or vestiges of holiness or righteousness.
This is the reason why the devil and demons can sin so callously, they are without any feeling or remorse. They are not grief stricken when they sin, they can sin unabatedly. Demons are not slowed or prevented from performing any act of iniquity except if God sees fit to constrain or limit their intended malignant conduct. Neither are they bound nor restrained by anything in themselves. Demons will never feel sorry for a victim or have a change of heart. They are all but conscienceless until eternity except when God intercedes and pricks or convicts them sending a lightening bolt of perspicacity into their very being.
Lost men, those who have never been born from above, will have a share in the lake of fire. Both man and demons will have a supersensitive conscience. It will convict and convince of sin endlessly. It will be an undying worm chewing and gnashing at the minds of the damned. Grace and hope are nonexistent; just timeless and undiluted aggravation and exasperation. The devil and demons have been convicted and exhibited some mixture of fear and uncommitted submission. If this is discovered in a sinner on earth, because it is found in the devils and the damned in hell, it does not signify salvation or a work of grace by God on the heart. Conviction of sin is essential to salvation but must go beyond this and has to contain something more. If left alone, mere conviction makes one no better than a demon.
It matters. It matters because we live in a day of easy believism. It matters because the gospel has been watered down. Conviction of sin and a troubled conscience does not mean that a person is saved. Salvation cannot rest solely on this; remember that demons and the condemned in hell experience these. Conviction is essential to conversion, but it must result in repentance and faith in Christ alone. Conviction is the beginning of the Spirit’s work in drawing a sinner. Remember, we are saved by grace through faith in Christ (Eph. 2:8). These are the gifts of God. When the gospel is proclaimed and heard, the Spirit may convict of sin. Then, the Spirit generally burdens the soul and it cries out to Christ in repentance and trusts in him alone to deliver from God's wrath toward sin. To God be the glory!
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