I WILL next investigate the very strongest proof text in favor of endless misery, and show that it proves the opposite, when taken in connection with other texts referring to the same thing. Matt. xxv, 46. That our Saviour here refers to the final doom of the righteous and wicked is admitted by all who believe in future rewards and punishments. He says: "And these shall go away into everlasting punishment: but the righteous into life eternal." Here the destiny of the two classes is placed in contrast; and the same original term is used to denote the duration of both.
ETERNAL. Having no beginning nor end; endless; ceaseless. Webster. This is the primary signification of the word eternal; and I can show no necessity for giving it a secondary meaning, in its application to the future destiny of the wicked, any more than the righteous; for the Bible sets no limitation to the duration of either, but frequently places them in antithesis to each other: thus by contrast giving them equal duration. But to admit that the penalty for personal sin will be everlasting punishment, and to admit that it will be endless misery, are two very different things. Before you can read pain, torment, or misery, out of this text you must first read them in. Every person must see, at a glance, that the whole issue turns upon the definition we give the term punishment. To say that the ungodly will be punished endlessly, and to define the nature of that punishment, are two things.
PUNISHMENT. Infliction imposed in vengeance of crime. Cobb. Whatever a judge awards to an offender for his offense, is punishment, no matter what; whether stripes, imprisonment, deprivation, or death. Now, let the issue be fairly stated, and let us meet it. Both parties believe the punishment to be eternal: both admit that whatever the Judge of all the earth, awards to the finally impenitent, as the penalty of his law, will be punishment. Now, as we freely confess, that if the Judge of quick and dead should pronounce everlasting misery, to be the penalty of his law, then everlasting misery would be everlasting punishment: we ask you to admit, with the same candor, that if the same Judge should denounce everlasting destruction, as the penalty of the same law, then everlasting destruction would be everlasting punishment. The same that would make one everlasting, would make the other; the same that would make one punishment, would the other. What saith the Scriptures? Let them decide this matter. I have abundantly proved, by plain Bible testimony, that the nature of this punishment is destruction; cessation of being; consumption, &c. I will investigate one more text on this point. Paul covers the whole ground. Speaking of the punishment of the wicked, when the Lord Jesus shall be revealed from heaven, in flaming fire, taking vengeance on them that know not God, and that obey not the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ, he says: "Who shall be punished with everlasting destruction from the presence of the Lord, and from the glory of his power." 2 Thess. i, 9.
Here the Apostle declares the penalty of God's law, in reference to its import, to be punishment; in reference to its duration, to be everlasting; in reference to its nature, to be destruction: and then, as if to make it still more emphatic, he declares, They shall be destroyed from the presence of the Lord. God's presence fills immensity; hence, when destroyed from his presence, they must cease to be; or according to the definition of destruction, they must be killed, annihilated, demolished, laid waste; or according to the Bible definition, they will be as though they had not been, be burnt up root and branch, consume into smoke, and be no more.
2. That class of scriptures which represent the punishment of the wicked as being the antithesis of eternal life. A few passages on this point must suffice.
In Matt. xxv, 46, everlasting punishment is placed in opposition to everlasting life. The antithesis of everlasting life is everlasting death, (i. e., destruction,) not everlasting life. Christ in his discourse with Nicodemus says, "And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of man be lifted up: that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. For God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life." John iii, 14-16. The term perish in each of these verses is placed in opposition to everlasting life. Paul says, "For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life, through Jesus Christ." Rom. iv, 23. Here the reward and penalty of the law of God, are fairly and fully contrasted, each having its proper name; and in order to present them in the clearest possible light, I will give the definition of each term.
LIFE. A state of being animated, or living; (i. e., animate existence.)
DEATH. The extinction of life; mortality. Webster.
The contrast then, stands thus: Eternal life—eternal animated existence. Eternal death—eternal extinction of animated existence; or eternal deprivation of life. This view will harmonize all the plain teachings of the Bible in reference to the future destiny of man. With what propriety, modern theologians, make everlasting life the antithesis of everlasting life, I cannot conceive.
3. That class which makes eternal life conditional. Those texts, above quoted, represent everlasting life as the reward of faith. "That whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life." John iii, 14-16. The converse of this is, whosoever believeth not in him, shall not have everlasting life, but shall perish. Where a reward is rendered conditional, no reasonable person can expect to obtain it, without compliance with the conditions prescribed. "He that believeth on the Son hath everlasting life; and he that believeth not the Son shall not see life," &c. Verse 36. To see life, must mean to be conscious of it; because life is not susceptible of natural vision. Then just as certainly as believers will have everlasting conscious being, so certainly unbelievers will not have it. Again, our Saviour predicates eternal life in the world to come, upon leaving all and following him: thereby teaching that none will have it in that world, except they comply with those conditions. See Mark x, 28-31. Paul says, "To them who by patient continuance in well-doing, seek for glory, and honor, and immortality, eternal life." Here immortality and eternal life are represented as blessings to be sought for; to be conferred as the reward of well-doing; hence, none only those who seek for these blessings, in God's appointed way, will ever have them.
There is not one promise of immortality or eternal life, between the lids of the Bible, for a sinner. How they can prevent corruption without immortality, and how live forever without eternal life, I cannot conceive. They will be raised to corruption and a second death. They that sow to the flesh shall reap corruption. Gal. vi, 7, 8; Rev. xxi, 8. They will be devoured. Rev. xx, 9.
DEVOUR. (L. devoro.) To destroy; consume. Webster.
4. Those texts which emphatically declare the penalty of God's law to be death; such as, The wages of sin is death; For the end of those things is death; Sin when finished bringeth forth death; The last enemy that shall be destroyed is death. Dying is the transition from life to death. A man is not dead until he ceases dying; hence if the sinner never dies, the penalty, which is death, will never be inflicted; nay, it will be as far from being inflicted, when untold millions of years shall have rolled away, as when the first moment had elapsed. To say that the sinner never dies, is to contradict the whole tenor of scripture: it is to make God a liar: he says the penalty of his law is death.
Again, if the sinner never dies, the last enemy which is death, will never be destroyed; but the Bible declares that death shall be destroyed; therefore74its last victim will first be destroyed, and then death itself shall die. The Bible leaves all the wicked under the dominion of the second death, from which it offers no hope of a resurrection.
a. The view that I have taken of the penalty of God's law which we all suffer as a consequence of Adam's sin, will be objected to by many:
1st. Moses died and was buried; Moses was seen alive on the Mount, a thousand years after: therefore there must have been something about Moses which survived death. Read Matt. xvii, 9, and you will learn that that was a vision.
2d. Christ promised the thief he would be with him in Paradise that very day; the thief's body was not in Paradise that day; it must, therefore, have been his soul. Luke xxii, 42, 43. This objection all turns upon the punctuation. Place the comma after the adverb, to-day, and let it qualify the first verb, say, and there is no objection in it.
It would then read, verily I say unto thee to-day, shalt thou &c. The thief did not pray to be remembered when Christ went into his kingdom, but when he comes into his kingdom; which will not be until his second appearing. Read Luke xix, 12; Matt. xxv, 31-35; 2 Tim. iv, 1. Paradise is synonymous with kingdom. Compare 2 Cor. xii, 4; Rev. ii, 7, with Rev. xxi, 2; xxii, 2. Christ had not ascended three days after his death. John xx, 17.
3d. Paul was willing rather to be absent from the body, and to be present with the Lord; [2 Cor. v, 8;] there must, therefore, have been a soul or spirit in Paul, which could leave the body and go to God. Let Paul explain himself: "For we that are in this tabernacle do groan, being burdened: not for that we would be unclothed, but clothed upon, that mortality might be swallowed up of life." Verse 4. What was Paul's hope? Ans. That mortality might be swallowed up of life. When did he expect to be present with the Lord? Ans. When he realized the fruition of his hope; of which he then only had the earnest. Verse 5. When will mortality be swallowed up of life. Ans. When the dead shall be raised incorruptible. 1 Cor. xv, 53.
4th. Paul desired to depart (i. e., to die) and be with Christ. Phil. i, 23. Paul's body could not depart and be with Christ at death; hence it must have been his intelligent soul to which he referred. Paul, in reference to his doom, did not know what awaited him, whether life or death; but in reference to his personal choice, or desire, he was perfectly decided he would prefer death to a life of persecution, and uncertainty, expecting the next event with him, to be with Christ. None of the Bible writers associated time with death. They expected to wake up just where they went to sleep. This was the case with Paul. Here he expresses his desire to depart, and as the next event in his history to be with Christ. Hear what he says about his hope just before his departure. He there tells us plainly when he expected to be with Christ. "For I am ready to be offered, and the time of my departure is at hand. I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course, I have kept the faith: henceforth there is laid up for me a crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, shall give me at that day: and not to me only, but unto all them also that love his appearing." 2 Tim. iv, 6-9.
5th. The souls of the slain were heard crying, under the altar for vengeance. Rev. vi, 9, 10. The correct rendering of the original term, here rendered soul, is person; and they were, evidently seen under the altar where their heads had been cut off; and they cried just as the blood of Abel cried. Gen. iv, 10.
6th. The spirit of one of the Prophets, ministered to John a long time after his body had died. Rev. xxii, 8, 9. Read these verses over: it does not read anything like your construction. First, he is denominated an angel. Verse 8. Second, this angel declares that he was John's fellow-servant; and also the fellow-servant of his brethren the prophets. Verse 9. The same angel ministered to John, who ministered to his brethren the prophets. But if it was really one of the prophets, it must have been Elijah; for he was the only one who was then living. Dead men cannot communicate to living without a resurrection.
b. Objections will be urged against the view I have taken of the nature of the penalty of the law of God.
1st. The nature of future punishment is represented by a fire that shall never be quenched. Mark ix, 45, 46. "And if thy foot offend thee, cut it off: it is better for thee to enter halt into life, than having two feet to be cast into hell, into the fire that never shall be quenched: where their worm dieth not, and the fire is not quenched." Jesus Christ was a Jew, and in his discourses with the Jews, he used the well-known phraseology of the Jewish prophets. This imagery is borrowed from Isa. lxvi, 24. "And they shall go forth, and look upon the carcasses of the men that have transgressed against me: for their worm shall not die, neither shall their fire be quenched; and they shall be an abhorring unto all flesh." All this is predicated of the carcasses of men. Carcass, a dead body. What kind of a worm would prey upon a dead carcass? Evidently the literal worm which preys upon corruption. See Job xvii, 13, 14. What kind of fire would prey upon dead carcasses? Evidently literal fire; and if the worm does not die, and the fire is not quenched, they must be utterly consumed. An unquenchable fire is invariably used in the Bible to denote a fire which cannot be arrested or put out, until it utterly consumes that upon which it preys. See Eze. xx, 45-48; Jer. xvii, 27; Isa. xxxiv, 8-10; Matt. iii, 12.
As to the term hell, here used, it is translated from the Greek word Gehenna, and represents a fire which was kept constantly burning in the valley of Hinnom, for the purpose of consuming the carcasses of malefactors and of beasts, for the preservation of the health of the city. It was located near Jerusalem to the southeast. Now, what idea would a Jew naturally associate with the fires of Hinnom? Evidently that of entire destruction; for everything they had seen cast into that fire had been consumed. The term Gehenna, occurs just twelve times in the New Testament, and is always addressed to the Jews. It is analogous to Tophet of the Old Testament. Isa. xxx, 27-33.
2d. Everlasting fire. Matt. xxv, 41. When the word everlasting, or eternal, is used as an adjective, its duration is always determined by the person or thing to which it relates; as "everlasting hills;" it denotes a period which will continue as long as the hills continue. When applied to God, it denotes endless duration; because God is immortal; but when applied to that which will come to an end, it must be understood in a limited sense: hence when it refers to the future reward of the righteous, it must be understood in an unlimited sense; because the Scriptures teach that they will be immortal; but when applied to the future punishment of the wicked, it must be understood in a limited sense; because the Bible plainly teaches that they will come to an end, die, be no more. In the following texts those terms must necessarily be understood, from their connection, in a limited sense. Gen. xiii, 15; xlix, 26; Ex. xii, 14; x, 8; Deut. iv, 40; xiii, 16; Joshua iv, 7; 2 Kings v, 27; 1 Chron. xxiii, 13; Isa. xxxiii, 20; Jer. xvii, 25; vii, 7; Hab. iii, 6; Jude 7.
3d. Eternal damnation, (i. e., condemnation,) is a sentence of condemnation never to be revoked. Should it ever be reversed, it would not be eternal.
4th. The vengeance of eternal fire. Jude 7. It is the vengeance of fire, the inhabitants of Sodom and Gomorrah are represented as suffering. The vengeance of fire is to consume that upon which it preys. It is the office of fire to destroy whatever is susceptible of being affected by it. Read what this fire did for Sodom and Gomorrah. Gen. xix, 24, 25; Deut. xxix, 23; 2 Pet. ii, 6.
5th. "And the smoke of their torment ascendeth up forever and ever." Rev. xiv, 11. This has no reference whatever to a future state. First. It is during the existence and worship of the great beasts, and the image, brought to view in the previous chapter. Rev. xiii; xiv, 11. Second. It is during the faith and patience of the saints. Verse 12. Third. It is during day and night. Verse 11. Fourth. They are tormented in the presence of the Lord. Verse 10. In the final sentence which shall be passed against the wicked, they will be destroyed from the presence of the Lord. 2 Thess. i, 9. Fifth. This is a proclamation of wrath, which is to be subsequently poured out in seven successive vials.
Compare Rev. xiv, 9, 10, 17, with chapters xv, 1, 8; xvi. Under the sixth plague Christ has not come. Verse 15. Sixth. The same phrase (i. e., the smoke of their torment ascending up forever) occurs in Isaiah, in reference to the land of Idumea. Isa. xxiv, 10. Read the context.
The foregoing quotations are the very strongest proof texts of the popular, and almost universally believed doctrine of endless misery; and I submit to the candid reader, that so far from proving any such view, they form no valid objections to the view taken in this work, which makes the penalty of God's law for personal disobedience, literal death.
Having considered first, the nature of the atonement, second, the difficulties in the way of man's salvation, which make an atonement necessary, and third the nature of those difficulties, I propose investigating.
IV. The means by which these difficulties shall be removed. The immediate means by which these difficulties shall be removed will be, 1st. By a resurrection from the dead.' 1 Cor. xv, 22. 2d. By remission. Acts ii, 38. But back of these, as the grand producing cause, is the sacrificial offering of Jesus Christ for the sins of the world. Still back of this, the great impulsive cause, was the amazing love of the Father in the gift of his only begotten Son: "For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him, should not perish, but have everlasting life." But for this, Adam and Eve would have been executed, upon conviction of guilt, without being permitted to fill the world with their degenerate and sinful offspring. Then these difficulties, apart from our first parents, would never have existed. The first and second lives, the resurrection of the dead, remission of sins—in fact, all the blessings of the gospel, may be traced to the death of Christ, as the stream to its own fountain. Hence this grand fundamental doctrine will claim our first attention.
The first thing which strikes the most cursory reader of the Bible, must be, that the pardon of our sins, and our entire salvation, is ascribed to the death of Christ. We will not now inquire in what sense his death availed to these great results; but we, at present, only state that, in some sense, our salvation is expressly and emphatically connected with that event. Such passages as the following are too plain and explicit to be misunderstood. "I lay down my life for the sheep." "He gave himself for us." He died, "the just for the unjust, that he might bring us to God." "Christ was once offered to bear the sins of many." "While we were yet sinners Christ died for us." "In whom we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins." "He gave his life a ransom for many." "We who were afar off are made nigh by the blood of Christ." "Unto him that loved us, and washed us from our sins in his own blood." He made "his soul an offering for sin." "He hath poured out his soul unto death."75
Numerous passages might be adduced, in which, with equal emphasis, the salvation of man is connected with the death of Christ. But what necessity for his death? Could no other means be devised for man's salvation, and yet God spare his well-beloved, and only Son? No; Christ must die, "unless some one able, and as willing undertake the rigid task—death for death, and die the dead to save."
1st. From reason. The law of God was a perfect law, and required perfect obedience. It required all man's time and energies to render perfect obedience; hence when once transgressed, the transgressor could never make amends for such transgression, from the fact that it was all they could possibly do in the first place to satisfy the demands of the law. Future obedience could not expiate the guilt of past disobedience. It would remain against him to all eternity, unless an innocent person, who had never transgressed the law, should suffer its penalty in his stead. I can conceive of but two principles upon which pardon can be granted, one by remitting the penalty, the other by accepting a substitute. The former would be, to all intents and purposes, a license to the disobedient, to continue their rebellion, and repeat their old transgressions. Such an act would make God the author of rebellion, and his only begotten Son the minister of sin. Such an act would destroy all confidence in the rectitude of the Supreme Ruler, and encircle the Throne of the Great Jehovah, with other clouds than those of justice and mercy. But on the other hand, to extend pardon to the repentant sinner through the medium of an accepted substitute, would maintain the rectitude of his moral Government, and the honor of his Throne. If, in one word, guilty man could render an adequate atonement for his transgression of the Divine Law, by anything he could suffer or do, then, verily, Christ died in vain. But that he could not, is evident.
2d. From the whole scope of Bible teachings. This matter is put beyond a reasonable doubt by the testimony of scripture. "Thus it is written and thus it behooved Christ to suffer, and to rise from the dead." Luke xxiv, 46. In this passage, a necessity for the death of Christ is plainly and emphatically stated. If it be urged, that this necessity grows out of what "had been written," concerning his sufferings and death, by the prophets, it should still be remembered, that what the prophets predicted on this subject, was the result of what had been before determined in the council of heaven. Christ did not suffer and die because it was written; but it was written because he would suffer and die. Holy men of old wrote in this matter, as they were moved by the Holy Ghost, what God had before determined should come to pass.
The verse which follows abundantly proves this. "And that repentance and remission of sins should be preached in his name." Verse 47. His death was not only necessary for the fulfillment of prophecy, but for the publication of "repentance and remission of sins in his name;" thereby teaching that there were no other conditions through which those blessings could be conferred upon man. It was God's purpose to offer "repentance and remission of sins" to man, before the prophets issued their predictions: it was his purpose to do this in the name of Christ, and by virtue of his death in their stead. This was predicted; but the necessity of the prediction may be traced to an agreement between the Father and the Son, in which the Son, on his part, was to take upon him the nature of man, (sin only excepted,) and suffer and die in his stead; and the Father, on his part, was to "freely" give up his Son to die; and then accept that death as an equivalent for the deaths of all who will comply with the conditions of eternal life. And the necessity of such an unprecedented sacrifice, on the part of the Father and the Son, can only be accounted for upon the principle, of the utter hopelessness of man's condition; because, could any other means have been devised, God, most assuredly, would have spared his own Son.
By virtue of this agreement the Patriarchs and Prophets were commissioned to predict the incarnation, suffering, and death of Jesus Christ, and through them, to proclaim "repentance and remission of sins."
The same sentiment is expressed in Matt. xvi, 21. "From that time forth began Jesus to shew unto his disciples, how that he must go unto Jerusalem, and suffer many things of the elders, and chief priests, and scribes, and be killed, and be raised again the third day." The answer of our Lord to Peter, who upon hearing this, replied, "Be it far from thee, Lord; this shall not be unto thee," breathes the same sentiment. "But he turned and said unto Peter, "Get thee behind me, Satan; thou art an offense unto me; for thou savourest not the things that be of God, but those that be of men." Verses 22, 23. This language plainly implies, that for Christ to suffer and die, in the manner he had just predicted, and not according to the carnal views of Peter, was "of God;" i. e., according to the appointment, or purpose of God. This is not language to be used in reference to a martyr's dying to prove his sincerity; for in such cases death is not of divine appointment, but of wicked human enactment. The death of Christ, therefore, was necessary because the Father purposed and appointed it as the only means of human redemption.
The same sentiment is expressed by our Saviour in his prayer to the Father in the garden of Gethsemane. "And he went a little farther and fell on his face, and prayed, saying, O my Father, if it be possible, let this cup pass from me." Matt. xxvi, 39. But it was not possible, and man be redeemed. Had it been possible, could any other means have been devised, the Father would have spared his Son that bitter cup; but no, that must not, cannot be, else the entire human family must drink it in their own persons, and die without mercy, hope, or future life.
Again our Saviour represents the same idea by a beautiful and pointed figure. "And Jesus answered them, saying, The hour is come, that the Son of man should be glorified. Verily, verily, I say unto you, Except a corn of wheat fall into the ground and die, it abideth alone: but if it die, it bringeth forth much fruit." John xii, 23, 24. From this we are to understand that the death of Christ was just as necessary to the salvation of man, as the vegetable death of the seed of corn to the production of the harvest; it was necessary, therefore, in this sense, that one could not take place without the other. But for this, Christ would have remained "alone" and have brought "forth" no "fruit," i. e., have had no resurrection as the "first fruits of them that slept;" then there could be no harvest of the resurrection; "then they also which are fallen asleep in Christ are perished." It would have been just as necessary for Christ to have suffered and died, had not the Jews with wicked hands put him to death; nay, a great portion of his suffering was in the garden, before he had been condemned to die; it was there, and then, his "soul was exceeding sorrowful even unto death." The necessity of Judas' betraying him, of Pilate's condemning him, of the Jews' crucifying him, did not grow out of the fact that all these things had been previously predicted; but they had been foretold because God had revealed to the Prophets what malicious and wicked men, actuated by the vilest motives, would voluntarily do to his beloved Son; not what he had before decreed they should do. The latter would make the Father guilty of murdering his own Son; but the former would make the actors themselves guilty of the enormous crime of putting their own Saviour and promised deliverer to death. They acknowledged their guilt, in reply to Pilate who pleaded the innocence of our Blessed Redeemer. "Then answered all the people and said, His blood be on us, and on our children." Matt. xxvii, 25. And how fully and literally this prayer has been verified, let their whole history testify. Paul and Peter bear united testimony to the same fact. 1 Cor. iv, 11; Acts iv, 11, 12. "For other foundation can no man lay than that is laid, which is Jesus Christ. This is the stone which was set at nought by you builders, which is become the head of the corner. Neither is there salvation by any other; for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved." This is too explicit for comment. John wept much when he saw that "no man in heaven, nor in earth, neither under the earth was able to" rase the seal of death from the Book of Life. But one of the elders said unto him, "Weep not: behold, the Lion of the tribe of Juda, the Root of David, hath prevailed to open the book, and to loose the seven seals thereof." Rev. v, 1-5. The great book of eternal life was sealed against Adam, and all his posterity, in consequence of his disobedience; and none was found able in heaven, on earth, nor under the earth, except the Lion of the tribe of Juda, the Son of God, to open it; he alone, of all the host of heaven and earth, was worthy or able to bring salvation; to "abolish death" and bring "life and immortality to light through the gospel;" to turn back the "flaming sword" which guarded "the tree of life," that those who do the commandments of his Father, may have right thereat, and may enter through the gates into the City. Rev. xxii, 14. Hence Christ is "the way, (the only way,) the truth and the life." Hence, "this is the record, that God hath given to us eternal life; and this life is in his Son." 1 John v, 11.
Having investigated the relation the death of Christ sustains to the removal of these difficulties, as the great original and efficient cause, and having seen the necessity of his death, as the only means to the attainment of these ends, we are now fully prepared to investigate the secondary means or the immediate instrumentalities employed in removing those difficulties.
1. The first difficulty is removed through the medium of a resurrection from the dead. "For since by man came death, by man came also the resurrection of the dead. For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ shall all be made alive. But every man in his own order; Christ the first fruits, afterward they that are Christ's at his coming." 1 Cor. xv, 21-23.76
First. Some of the Corinthian brethren had denied the doctrine of the resurrection of the dead; but all admitted the literal resurrection of Christ. The Apostle, in this chapter, endeavors to prove to them (having plainly delineated the consequences of the non-resurrection of Christ, verse 18) by this admission, that all the dead must be raised, showing them that Christ was raised as "the first fruits of them that slept," [verse 20,] which could not be the case, unless there should be a harvest of the resurrection. There cannot be first fruits without a harvest.
Second. The harvest is always of the same kind as the first fruits or sample. If, therefore, Christ had a literal resurrection as the first fruits of them that slept, then all that are asleep, i. e., dead, must have a literal resurrection. See verses 42-45, 50-54.
Third. "As in Adam all die, even so in Christ shall all be made alive." Here it is plainly and emphatically stated, that the same all which died in Adam, shall be made alive in Christ. In this case the remedy is as large as the thrall; the plaster as large as the wound; the first death fully and forever removed out of the way. The previous verse inculcates the same sentiment. "For since by man came death, by man came also the resurrection of the dead." The two men here spoken of are denominated Adam and Christ in the verse following. "The first man Adam was made a living soul, the last Adam was made a quickening," or life-giving, "spirit." Verse 45.
Fourth. All died unconditionally in Adam and all will be made unconditionally alive in, by or through, Christ; so that the first difficulty will be entirely removed out of the way, and leave the whole world without excuse, as far as the result of Adam's transgression is concerned; but,
Fifth. "Every man in his own order." Verse 23. Although the passages quoted, prove that all mankind will be raised, irrespective of moral character, age, or condition, to a second life, by the second Adam, yet they do not prove that they will all be raised with the same moral characters; but as the reverse of this, they positively affirm, that every man will be raised "in his own order." Simple life does not involve moral character. The wicked have the present life as well as the righteous. Moral character is not an attribute of life, but the result of man's action, as a moral agent, toward moral law.
The present life being a state of trial, man forms his character during this time for a future life; and the interim between death and the resurrection being a state of entire unconsciousness, they all will be, as a matter of course, raised from the dead with the same characters they had when they died. Hence every man will be raised with the same identical moral character he formed during the present life. If he died a righteous man, he will be raised such; if an unrighteous man, he will be raised such. In the language of Scripture, "Every man in his own order."
The Bible brings to view two distinct orders in the resurrection, having distinctive natures and destinies. Our Divine Master bears testimony to these statements, saying, "Marvel not at this: for the hour is coming, in the which all that are in their graves shall hear his voice, and shall come forth; they that have done good, unto the resurrection of life; and they that have done evil, unto the resurrection of damnation." Our Saviour here covers the whole ground. First. The unconditional resurrection of all mankind: "The hour is coming, in the which all that are in their graves shall hear his voice, and shall come forth."
The two orders, the good and the evil: "They that have done good, . . . and they that have done evil," &c. Third. Their respective destinies: The "good to the resurrection of life," the "evil to the resurrection of condemnation." It has been abundantly proved that the sentence of condemnation, which will be passed against evil doers, will be literal death, destruction, &c., hence the propriety of placing condemnation, in opposition to life.
Paul makes use of the same unlimited language to represent the resurrection of all the dead; and he then divides them into two distinct classes, saying "that there shall be a resurrection of the dead, both of the just and unjust." Acts xxiv, 15.
Christ uses similar language in reference to the first class spoken of in this passage: "But when thou makest a feast, call the poor, the maimed, the lame, the blind, and thou shalt be blest: for they cannot recompense thee: for thou shalt be recompensed at the resurrection of the just." Luke xiv, 13, 14. The idea of a resurrection of the just, supposes a resurrection also of the unjust. The idea of the former class being rewarded at that peculiar resurrection, supposes first, that the latter class will have no part or lot in the resurrection offered as the peculiar privilege of the just; second, that they will have no part in the recompense offered to the other class.
Paul declares the hope of all the ancient worthies to be, "that they might obtain a better resurrection." Heb. xi, 35. A better resurrection supposes a worse; and the fact that holy men of old sacrificed all worldly considerations, and thousands even their lives, to obtain this glorious privilege, proves that they, at least, did not suppose the wicked would ever enjoy it. Why strive to obtain a privilege all will enjoy, whether they strive or not? Is there no difference between the hope of the obedient and the disobedient? Will the most profligate and abandoned of earth realize the fruition of that blessed hope, which swelled the bosoms of Patriarchs, Prophets, Apostles, and Martyrs, and inspired them to deeds of daring, and achievements of noble renown? No! no! These will "obtain a better resurrection." They will have "part in the first resurrection," be priests with God and Christ, and reign with him a thousand years.
Hear what the voice of Inspiration says in reference to the privilege of the first order, hand, or company: "Blessed and holy is he that hath part in the first resurrection: on such the second death hath no power, but they shall be priests of God and of Christ, and shall reign with him a thousand years." Rev. xx, 6. The converse of which is cursed and unholy is he that hath part in the second resurrection: on such the second death will have power; and they shall not be priests of God and of Christ, and shall not reign with him, &c. Here the order and destiny of these two classes is plainly brought to view.
Of the same import is the language of Christ to the Sadducees. He says, "But they which shall be accounted worthy to obtain that world, and the resurrection (the first resurrection) from the dead, neither marry, nor are given in marriage; neither can they die any more; i. e., they cannot die again—a second death. The converse of this is, they that are not accounted worthy to obtain that resurrection and that world to come [see Mark x, 30] shall die again; the second death will have power over them: they will be hurt of the second death; [Rev. ii, 11;] they will be cast into the lake of fire and brimstone [Rev. xxi, 8] which will produce the second death. 1 Cor. xv, 42-44, 53-57, is a description of the first order: "Christ the first fruits; afterward they that are Christ's at his coming." Verse 23. The first sheaf in the type, was a part of the harvest just as much as any of the subsequent sheaves. It belonged to the same order. Hence Christ the first fruits, and they that are Christ's at his coming, (in the antitype,) belong to the same order, or antitypical harvest. This brings me to notice.
Sixth. The time which will elapse between the two resurrections. The idea of a first and second, supposes a transition, however short, from one to the other. But had God given us no measuring line with which to determine the precise time, we would naturally suppose, from the uniform language of Scripture on this subject, that the second resurrection would follow the first in immediate succession; but the only safe rule in interpreting the Bible is, to explain all the indefinite portions by the definite ones in reference to the same subject. To illustrate: there are scores of indefinite prophecies in reference to the first advent of Christ, and only one or two definite ones, in reference to the time. Now, we explain all those indefinite prophecies in harmony with these definite ones. Just so, in reference to the resurrection of the dead: there are many indefinite portions of scripture pointing out this event; and yet, God has given us but one definite measuring line by which to ascertain the time which will elapse between the two resurrections. He emphatically declares the time to be a thousand years. "And I saw thrones, and they sat upon them, and judgment was given unto them: and I saw the souls of them that were beheaded for the witness of Jesus, and for the word of God, and (all those) which had not worshiped the beast, neither his image, neither had received his mark upon their foreheads, or in their hands; and they lived and reigned with Christ a thousand years. But the rest of the dead lived not again until the thousand years were finished. This is the first resurrection." Rev. xx, 4, 5. 1. That the demonstrative adjective, this, in the last clause of the fifth verse, points out the first class spoken of in the previous verse, is evident from the blessing pronounced upon such, in the sixth verse. 2. That all the righteous dead are raised at the commencement of the thousand years, is evident from the fearful doom, which awaits all those who will have part in the second resurrection, at the expiration of the thousand years. See the converse of the blessing pronounced upon the former class in verse 6. Cursed and unholy &c.—on such the second death will have power.
With this view, we may learn how long a period will be occupied by Jesus Christ in removing all the obstacles out of the way of man's Salvation, and bringing back this revolted province in allegiance to the throne of his Father. Read 1 Cor. xv, 23-25. "But every man in his own order: Christ the first fruits; afterward they that are Christ's at his coming. Then cometh the end, when he shall have delivered up the kingdom to God, even the Father; when he shall have put down all rule, and all authority, and power; for he must reign, till he hath put all enemies under his feet. The last enemy that shall be destroyed is death."
Here his reign commences with "his coming," and the resurrection of "them that are his," and terminates, as independent king, with the destruction of "the last enemy"—death. By Rev. xx, 5, 6, we learn that the "rest of the dead lived not again until the thousand years were finished;" that then "the second death" is to have "power" over them; and they will be "devoured." Verse 9. Then the Son, having reigned until he has put all enemies under his feet, "delivers up the kingdom to God, even the Father," and becomes subject himself, that the Father "may be all in all;" that is, that the Father may be supreme, and the Son subordinate king under him. These are "the times of restitution of all things, which God hath spoken by the mouth of all the holy prophets since the world began." Acts iii, 20, 21. This glorious work of restoration begins with the Advent of the Great Restorer, to change the living saints, to raise the righteous dead to immortality and eternal life, and will be consummated by the complete and eternal extirpation of all the effects of sin, and of the sinners in the vast empire of God, and the creation of "new heavens and new earth wherein dwelleth righteousness." 2 Pet. iii, 13. Then, and not till then, will all interposing obstacles be removed out of the way, and the grand, and ultimate design of the atonement be fully accomplished.
2. The second difficulty, or penalty for personal transgression, will be removed out of the way of man's salvation by remission. Remission, according to Webster signifies pardon, and pardon signifies the remission of the penalty. This is a common sense definition; because if the penalty of God's law be death, and that death be remitted, what is that but the remission of the penalty?
In presenting this part of the subject, I propose two important considerations in connection with the same proof texts, viz., first, the fact of the penalty for personal sins being remitted; second, the fact of this remission being conditional; so that none may expect deliverance, except those who comply with the divinely appointed conditions.
John came preaching the gospel of the kingdom, "and saying, Repent, ye; for the kingdom of heaven is at hand." Matt. iii, 2. Here repentance is presented as an indispensable condition of admission into the kingdom of heaven. Again, Mark says, "John did baptize in the wilderness, and preach the baptism of repentance, for the remission of sins." Mark i, 4. Luke says, "And he came into all the country about Jordan, preaching the baptism of repentance, for the remission of sins." Luke iii, 3. In both these passages baptism and repentance, are represented as necessary conditions of remission of sins. The Great Teacher conditionates the remission of sins, first, upon his own suffering and resurrection; and second, upon repentance. "And [he] said unto them, Thus it is written, and thus it behooved Christ to suffer, and to rise from the dead the third day; and that repentance and remission of sins should be preached in his name among all nations, beginning at Jerusalem." Luke xxiv, 46, 47.
The first condition has reference to Christ: the second, to the sinner. Christ complied with his condition, and the sinner must comply with his, or suffer the penalty in his own person.
Just before our Saviour left the world, he commissioned his apostles to "Go into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature. He that believeth and is baptized, shall be saved; but he that believeth not, shall be damned;" [Mark xvi, 15, 16;] "but tarry at Jerusalem till ye are endued with power from on high." Luke xxiv, 43. Power to do what? Ans. To preach the gospel and proclaim its conditions. They obeyed the divine injunction; and while engaged in prayer, and with one accord in one place, the Holy Ghost came as a rushing mighty wind, and it filled all the house where they were sitting. Acts ii, 1, 2. Peter, being anointed with the unction from on high, and re-commissioned to engage in the glorious work of the ministry, stood up [verses 14-36] and preached the gospel to a promiscuous multitude of thousands, most of whom had doubtless never heard a gospel sermon. They believed, "were pricked in their hearts, and said unto Peter and to the rest of the apostles, Men and brethren, what shall we do? Then Peter said unto them, Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for (or in order to) the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost." Verses 37, 38. By comparing Christ's commission to his apostles with Peter's exposition of it on the day of Pentecost, we learn that there are three essential conditions in order to the remission of sin, and salvation, or deliverance, which is consequent upon the remission of sin as the procuring cause; and according to God's prescribed mode of saving men, we might just as well dispense with one of these conditions as another. Mark well the import of the language in which these conditions are couched. "He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved." Here, salvation is predicated of baptism just as much as of faith. They are coupled together as conditions of equal importance; and as well might we expect salvation in the neglect of the one as the other. The one is faith, the other works; and faith without "works is dead, being alone." James ii, 17, 26. A dead faith cannot save a man. Mark Peter's language: "Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ, for the remission of sins," &c. Here repentance and baptism are both equally commanded; both coupled together as conditions of salvation; and remission of sins predicated of the one just as much as the other. Hence I am safe in saying, that faith, repentance, and baptism, are God's prescribed conditions of the remission of the penalty of his law for personal transgression.
That faith and repentance are essential conditions of forgiveness will be readily admitted by all; but that baptism is essential also, will be denied by many. To such, I would refer, in addition to the foregoing testimony, the following plain and explicit texts of Scripture. Acts xxii, 10-16; 1 Pet. iii, 20, 21; Rom. vi, 3-6; 1 Cor. xii, 13; Gal. iii, 26, 27. To be "baptized into Christ, to put on Christ," I apprehend is to become a Christian.
Again, that the penalty of the law, for personal sin, is remitted; and that this remission is conditional, is evident from the united testimony of the apostles. "Then Peter and the other apostles answered and said, We ought to obey God rather than men. The God of our fathers raised up Jesus, whom ye slew and hanged on a tree: Him hath God exalted with his right hand to be a Prince and a Saviour, for to give repentance to Israel, and forgiveness of sins." Acts v, 29, 30, 31. Read also Chap. xiii, 38; Rom. iii, 25; Col. i, 14. These texts establish the position that it is God's plan to forgive the sins of all those who believe, repent and obey the gospel.