Thou Shalt Surely Die by A. Stone

The Seventh-day Adventist Publishing Association · Battle Creek, Mich. · Nov 10, 1863

“Thou Shalt Surely Die.”

By A. Stone

“In the day that thou eatest thereof, thou shalt surely die.” Gen. ii, 17. According to the generally-received opinion, the above passage is understood to threaten a threefold death; viz., death spiritual, death temporal, and death eternal. By eternal death is intended, endless, conscious, suffering in the world to come. This threatening is made against Adam and Eve, and stands good against all their descendants in case they (Adam and Eve) should disobey their Creator. Now let it be borne in mind, that in the gospel is found no atonement for original sin. The sin by which Adam forfeited the inheritance, and the life which God gave him, finds no expiation in the blood of Christ, nor in the gospel system. No substitute has been provided to screen man from death. The atonement for original sin, requires not the death of a substitute, but the death of every individual of the race. God has taken security for the honor of that law which said, “Thou shalt not eat of it,” in the lives of all men. Hence the righteous and the wicked die, the harmless infant and the aged sinner. The idea of an atonement at once frees man from the penalty. But the penalty is daily being executed; therefore there is no atonement for original sin.

Now if we admit that the above threatening includes eternal death, by the admission, the saving properties of the gospel plan are subverted, and the whole gospel plan is made of no effect. For how can the gospel save those who are already doomed to eternal conscious punishment, and no atonement provided to expiate the demands of the law that dooms them? And let no one say that the penalty of “eternal death” is removed by an atonement until he first proves that temporal death is removed by the same means.

There are two systems in the Scriptures by which immortality or eternal life has been made attainable by man. The first was through the first Adam. As Adam was the federal head and representative of his race, which appears from Rom. v, as well as from other scriptures, had he refrained from disobedience, and availed himself of the fruit of the tree of life, his race would have been confirmed in immortality. This system having failed by reason of sin, man is doomed to be as though he had not been. “Dust thou art and unto dust shalt thou return.” At this stage of man’s condition the second Adam takes his case in hand. He came as the life-giver. “My sheep hear my voice, and I give unto them eternal life.” Through him life and immortality are brought to light. The result of the first system above referred to, is termed temporal death, or in other words, the system by reason of sin, is a failure, so to speak, and returns man to dust, from whence he came; and hence arises the necessity of the new creation so often referred to in the Scriptures: Isa. lxv, 17–25; lxvi, 22–54; Rev. xxi, 5.

The first system knows no pardon, exercises no mercy, nor forgiveness; death, not eternal pain, is threatened, death is inflicted, and thus the debt is paid. But instead of leaving them there, the Life-giver comes to carry out the divine plan, to restore the ruin occasioned by man’s fall, and offer life to the world, and save all who will come unto him. A. STONE. Eden, Vt.