From Death to Life Issue 49

8/6/2019 From Death to Life Issue 49

1/28


2/28

In This Issue:Welcome to Issue 49.

Rob Bell has ignited the debate on hell on the blogosphere with his book

Love Wins. You will find Jefferson Vanns review of Love Wins on page

seven. I would like to recommend to you, Jefferson Vanns article Hell isPermanenton page eleven. It addresses one of the most significant argu-

ments against annihilationism with fresh insight. We also introduce a se-

ries from Armand Newrick on What happens when we die?The full au-

dio version and text is available on the website. Also included in this issue

is a review of The Tree of Life by Paul Sellman and an excerpt from The Bi-

ble Standard that addresses the issue of Everlasting Punishment.

Tarnya Burge co-editor

{Note: In the online version of this publication the underlined text links to

the associated webpage}
https://www.robbell.com/lovewins/http://www.afterlife.co.nz/category/theology/conditional-immortality/conditional-immorality-discussion/http://www.afterlife.co.nz/2011/testimonies-reviews-tributes/book-review/bell%E2%80%99s-base-cards/http://www.afterlife.co.nz/2011/other/audio/what-happens-when-we-die-surveying-the-old-testament-part-1/http://www.afterlife.co.nz/2011/other/audio/what-happens-when-we-die-surveying-the-old-testament-part-1/http://www.afterlife.co.nz/2011/other/audio/what-happens-when-we-die-surveying-the-old-testament-part-1/http://www.afterlife.co.nz/2011/testimonies-reviews-tributes/book-review/bell%E2%80%99s-base-cards/http://www.afterlife.co.nz/category/theology/conditional-immortality/conditional-immorality-discussion/https://www.robbell.com/lovewins/http://www.acmissionz.org.nz/


3/28

In This Issue:1 From Off the Shelf: Review ofThe Tree of Life by Paul Sellman

Rev. Jefferson Vann

4 Why So Important?

Edward Fudge

5 From the Past: Everlasting Punishment

Rev. H Constable

7 Bells Base Cards: Review ofLove Wins by Rob BellRev. Jefferson Vann

11 Hell is Permanent

Rev. Jefferson Vann

21 What Happens when we die: Part One

Armand Newrick

ProductionFrom Death to Life is a quarterly publication produced by:

Resurrection Publishing for The Conditional Immortality Association of

New Zealand.

Editors: Jeff Vann & Tarnya Burge

Design & Layout: Tarnya Burge & Garry Schche

Print & Distribution: Tarnya Burge

SubscriptionPrint subscriptions may be sent in the amount of NZ$15 for four issues to:

Resurrection Publishing

PO Box 202-162

Southgate

Takanini 2246

New Zealand


4/28

Pastor Paul Sellman has

produced a significant study inbiblical theology for the modern

context. Much like John Stott and

Edward Fudge, Sellman came to

his study of the issues of life,

death and destiny convinced that

people go to their rewards at

death. His study of the scriptures

has revealed a different outlook.He now sees that death is not the

answer to humanitys problem, it

is part of that problem. The

solution to humanitys problem is

Jesus Christ, whose return will

mean the end of evil, and an

eternal new beginning for the

saved.

The genius of Sellmans

approach to this controversial

subject is his way of simplifying

these very complex issues. He

asks his readers to put aside their

preconceived notions and to

imagine all history as being

represented by two ages: this

age, and the age to come.

This age is the age of mortality

because humanity rebelledagainst God in Eden, thus lost the

From Off the Shelf

Book Review of The Tree of Life:A Biblical Study of Immortality & New Creation by Paul Sellman2010, Outskirts Press, Inc.

Reviewed by Jefferson Vann


5/28

opportunity to take of the tree of

life and live forever. The age to

come is an age of restoration

where God renews heaven and

earth with life eternal as it was

meant to be. The crucial event

which will put an end to this age of

mortality and usher in the age of

eternal life is what the Bible calls

the Day of the Lord.

Sellman shows from scripturethat this Day of the Lord is anevent taught in both Testaments.It is the Day of Jesus Christ and theDay of his return, and ResurrectionDay, and Judgment Day. It is theessential event in all history, sinceit divides the two ages. It corrects

the problems of this age, andexplains the destiny of those whowill by Gods grace make it into the

next.Sellman attacks some of the

theological traditions withinpopular Christianity that tend to

obscure this way of looking atthings. Chief among thesetraditions is the concept borrowed

from Greek philosophy that allhuman souls are already

immortal. Sellman argues thatthis is an unbibl icalpresupposition (152) which has

led Christians who read the Bibleto see something that isnt

there (172). He calls this view

the great heresy of all

existence (195). Immortality was

lost in Eden, and will not be

gained back until the rebellion

that lost it is ended (197).To Sellman, good theology is

based upon what is clearly taught,and then filled in by the lesscertain elements (91). What is

clearly taught in scripture is

humanitys need for eternal life inthis age; Gods plan to fill that


6/28

need in the age to come; and theDay of the Lord which will makeGods plan reality.

So, until that great event of theDay of the Lord arrives, those whodie wait unconscious in their gravesfor resurrection either to eternallife or to the second death. That iswhy the Bible calls Christians whohave died asleep in Christ.

It is impossible for a reviewer to

like everything about a book -- sothere are a few changes that mightimprove this work in its nextedition. Here is a short list ofsuggestions:

1. The frequent use of the firstperson is a style matter, butit seems to detract from the

scholarly nature of the study.2. Quotes from the Bible are

everywhere in this work, butthe font, italics, andjustification combined inquotations tend to makesome of the text run

together.3. Sellman steers away from a

number of technical and

complicated issues and

avoids getting carried away

in discussing particularly

problematic texts. This is a

good thing, but might be

seen by opponents of his

position as chickening out.

A few well-placed reference

notes to popular works (like

that of Stott and Edwards)

which do get into those textsmight help.

4. The Tree of Life is not yet

available in electronic book

format. If it were, this review

would have been written

sooner!

The Tree of Life is a skilful and

contemporary approach to

questions that Gods people have

been asking since the time of the

patriarchs. It is the kind of book

that pastors can pass on to new

church members, who are just

getting to know about the issues of

life, death, and destiny. It helps to

explain the way things are, and

whet our appetites for the way

things will be.

Jefferson Vann andhis wife Penny

have beenmissionaries withAdvent ChristianGeneral

Conference since 1996. They haveserved 13 years as professors atOro Bible College in the

Philippines.


7/28

sees the Father also. Further, be-lievers are said to possess moralintuition, and they are expectedby practice to heighten its sensi-

tivity and usefulness.We read in John 3:16 that God

loved the world so much that hegave his one and only Son, so be-lievers will not perish but haveeternal life. In that light, it is fair toask if that same God now intendsto toss billions of those same peo-ple into something resembling alake of volcanic lava, then activelyintervene to prevent their demiseso they will suffer unspeakablepain forever. If God intends noth-ing of the kind, could one possiblyinvent a more scandalous lie with

which to besmirch his holy, right-eous, loving and just character?

Every day devout, God-fearing

believers are studying their Bibles

afresh and rejecting the tradi-

tional theory of conscious unend-

ing torment--including some of

the most highly-respected schol-

ars (Richard Bauckham, N. T.

Wright), commentators (F. F.

A gracEmail subscriber asks:"Are you fixated on hell?" [No.]"Do you derive pleasure fromcontemplating the sub-

ject?" [None.] "Do you considerthis a 'salvation' is-sue?" [Absolutely not!] "Is agree-ment on this topic necessary forfellowship? [No.] "Why devote somuch attention to thetopic?" [There are at least twovery important reasons.]

* * *First, whoever claims to speak

for God is obligated to do so ac-curately. Scripture is filled withwarnings to anyone who abusesthis trust or takes it lightly. Thesubject of final punishment isparticularly hazardous because itis inextricably tied to God's ownreputation and character. Unde-niably, our natural instincts areunable to discern God's charac-ter and are unfit to judge it. Butin this situation, God himself de-

clares his character and chal-lenges us to imitate him. Jesusadds that whoever looks at him

WHY SO IMPORTANT?

Republished from gracEmailby Edward Fudge


8/28

Bruce), and preachers (John Stott)

in the world.

For an idea why, Edward Fudge in-vites you to read the first 32 pages of

The Fire That Consumes. To download

this valuable excerpt, go to

www.EdwardFudge.com/

excerptTFTC3.pdf

FROM THE PAST

Bible Standard May 1879Everlasting Punishment a quotefrom Rev. H Constable

The following remarks, pennedby the Rev. H. Constable, are wor-thy of attention:

There are some who tell us

that the eternal deprivation of ablessed life is not an eternal pun-ishment. They think the punish-ment is over the moment that thepains of the second death haveceased to be felt. What do suchreasoners mean? Is the punish-

ment of death inflicted here byhuman laws upon criminals overwhen the criminal is dead? No; ithas then only begun. It lasts in allits force far every year, every day,every moment of that life ofwhich it has deprived the criminal.Else that death which all legisla-

ture has esteemed the greatestpunishment, and which same menthink too great to be inflicted evenfar the greatest crimes, is of allpunishments the shortest andleast. But such is not mans judg-

ment of death. He esteems it, and

justly, the greatest, the sorest, themost lasting punishment he canpossibly inflict. He thinks so, ut-
http://www.edwardfudge.com/excerptTFTC3.pdfhttp://www.edwardfudge.com/excerptTFTC3.pdfhttp://www.edwardfudge.com/excerptTFTC3.pdfhttp://www.edwardfudge.com/excerptTFTC3.pdfhttp://www.edwardfudge.com/excerptTFTC3.pdf


9/28

terly irrespective of anything hemay believe, with or without rea-son, will happen after death. Deathis thus esteemed whether it is in-flicted upon the good man or theevil. Death is thus esteemed bythose who believe that rewardsand punishments commence withthe separate soul, or who believethat Hades is a silent land of sleep

and unconsciousness for all, goodand bad alike.And thus we are to judge of that

second death in Gehenna which isto all the last, whenever it comes,an everlasting sleep. It has de-prived the sinner, not of a few briefchequered years of mingled joy

and sorrow, but of an eternal life,across whose brightness comes noshade, no sadness, no change;which ever stretches an into thelimitless future, and finds its peaceand joy growing and deepening. Isnot the deprivation of this life forsin an eternal punishment? Yes; itis a punishment which the lapse ofcountless ages shall not reverse: itis a destruction from which eter-nity itself will not restore. No mes-sage of mercy will again be sent tothose lost ones. They die in thesecond death to rise and live no

more. No powerful voice will eversound in those deaf ears. Nobreath from God, the Life-Giver,

ever enters into those dry bones,lays sinews upon them, brings onthem flesh, covers them with skin,puts breath into them, and causesthem to live once more.

The angel of death has spread

his wings upon the blast of judg-ment, and breathed upon that ex-ceeding great army which has fol-lowed here the banners of the

prince of darkness. When theywho have here followed the Princeof Life shall have arisen in themorning of their endless being,one after another, and loud shallrise their note of praise to God,who has thus, in a just judgment,blotted out evil from His world,

and made all things once morevery good.


10/28

Bells Base CardsBook Review ofLove Wins by Rob Bell

Reviewed by Jefferson Vann

Rob Bell does a masterful job ofshaking the foundations of themodern theology of human destinyin his new book entitled LoveWins.1 He exposes the fact thatmuch of what people say about sal-vation and human destiny is notbased on the Bible, therefore doesnot hold up to the scrutiny of directquestioning. He dares to ask directquestions many of them.

His tactic is similar to that ofknocking down base cards in some-ones house of cards. A house of

cards can be an enormous thing,

but it is only as strong as the firstfew cards one lays out. Those basecards serve as the foundation. If

they are stable, one can buildfortresses out of flimsy cardsupon them. But topple thosebase cards and the entire thingfalls apart. Bells identified

some flimsy base cards in mod-ern theology: the idea that onlyprofessing believers will go toheaven and its corollary that allothers will suffer in hell forever.

He attacked those familiar

base cards by appealing toscripture after scripture toshow that the Bible addressesvery different issues. He wantedto show that the whole of mod-ern theology about human des-tiny was built upon assump-tions that do not come from the

Bible. He accomplished thatmission. Each chapter in thebook identifies a presupposi-tion, and then proceeds to top-ple it by going to the text ofscripture and comparing thepresupposition to what scrip-

ture actually says. In short, Belldoes theology and he does itwell.


11/28

Nevertheless, Bells book is des-

tined to be much maligned. He hastaken on subjects which are practi-cally taboo for evangelical Chris-tians. Heaven when you die and

conscious eternal suffering for the

lost are concepts that are too holy

for most good church people to in-vestigate. Expect Bell to bebranded a hopeless Universalist.Expect retaliation. Expect The DaVinci Code all over again.

And rightfully so. Any good

theologian worth his or her salt

makes a difference. Bell has swunga pendulum, and one should ex-pect the thing to swing back in the

other direction. Paul told the Co-rinthians that there must be fac-

tions among you in order thatthose who are genuine amongyou may be recognized.

2Bad

theology can mobilize good the-ology.

With that in mind, let me tellyou where I think Bell has itwrong. He spends numerous

pages showing that the gospelmessage is not about going toheaven when you die then heputs the saved in heaven whenthey die. He can do no other, be-cause for Bell (and most of hisopponents) the human soul hasto live eternally somewhere. Bell

sweeps away all of the scripturalevidence that he has amassedagainst the concept that heavenis a destination. In the end, hesays what he has been arguingagainst.

He agrees with his opponentsthat all human beings are immor-tal, except that, unlike them, heargues that their immortalitygives human beings hope for res-toration to God even after theirbodies die. He argues from scrip-ture that God is love and there-fore never gives up on his own.

So, as long as there is life, there ishope. He argues for the conceptof future probation on the basis


12/28

of two premises: God never stopsloving, and human beings never

stop living.Herein is the problem: none of

Bells opponents want to deny ei-

ther of those premises. They be-lieve that God is both loving andjust. They want to agree with whatthe Bible says about his love, butnot forget that it gives equal timeto his wrath. When they talk aboutJudgment Day, they envision that itwill be just that a day in whichGod will judge humanity, and de-termine the eternal fate of every-one. They cannot envision a Judg-ment Day that extends to however

many years and centuries neededto purge humanity of all sin andrescue all. Hence, they must be-

lieve that death seals the fate of all.The all important doctrine that

Bell and most of his opponentsagree upon is the concept of innateimmortality: that all humans areborn immortal. That doctrine willlead Bells opponents to insist on

eternal conscious suffering in hellfor the lost. It leads Bell to insistthat a loving God would never con-demn people to such a fate for alimited life of sin; therefore hemust give opportunity for restora-tion.

Allow me then in Rob Bell fash-ion to suggest that it is that pre-supposition that keeps both Bell

and his opponents from seeingwhat the Bible says about the des-tiny of the lost. The Bible says that


13/28

only God is immortal.3

Immortalityis a promise from God that Christwill give to the saved it is not an

innate characteristic of every hu-man.

4For anybody to live any-

where forever, they must haveeternal life. Eternal life is promisedto the saved only.

5

What, then, is the destiny of thelost? The God of justice who gaveus his truth in his word has decreed

that the lost will be de-stroyed.

6Since the wages of sin is

death, they will die.7

They will beappropriately punished accordingto the decree of a God who is bothloving and just, and then they willbe no more.

8They have been

granted one life to live. That onelife is a gift of grace from God. No-body deserves to live forever. Godis under no obligation to give unbe-lievers an eternal life, either to suf-fer, or to repent. He is sovereign,and if he has decided that thewages of sin is death, no theologian

has the right to convert the sen-tence.

Bell wrote a book about a victory.He envisions an eternity in whichall sin is forgiven, all wrongs arerighted, and love wins. He is abso-lutely right. Love will win becauseGod will win. God will win because

he is God, not because he is love.His love and justice work togetherto produce a heaven and earth

without evil. Our participation inthat victory is not a given. Somewill not make it. That is what it ulti-

mately means to be lost. In theend, God wins. Reader, where doyou stand before God? Dont take

his patience for granted.

References1Rob Bell, LOVE WINS: A Book About

Heaven, Hell, and the Fate of Every Person

Who Ever Lived. (Robert H. Bell, Jr. Trust,2011).

21 Corinthians 11:19.

3Romans 1:23; 1 Timothy 1:17; 6:16.

4Romans 2:7; 1 Corinthians 15:53-54; 1 Timo-

thy 1:10.

5

Matthew 25:46; John 3:15-16, 36; 4:14;6:27, 40, 47, 54, 68, 10:28; 12:25; Acts 13:46,

48; Romans 2:7; 5:21; 6:22; 1 Timothy 6:12; 1

John 5:11; Jude 1:21.

6Matt. 10:28; 22:7; Luke 17: 27, 29; 20:16; 1

Cor. 3:17; 6:13; 15:24, 26; Heb. 10:39; 2 Peter

2:12; Rev. 11:18.

7Matt. 21:41; John 5:24; 8:51; Romans 6:16,

23; 1 Cor. 15:26, 54; James 5:20; 1 John 3:14;

Rev. 21:8.

8Psalm 104:35; Ezekiel 26:21; 27:36; 28:19.


14/28

Travis Allen, director of Internet Min-

istry for Grace to You, recently posted

an article entitled Is Hell Really End-

less? Allens article defends the con-

cept that final punishment by God is a

process that will never end. Allen re-jects the view he calls Annihilation-

ism, which is a denial of the endless-

ness of hell.1

Allen asserts that annihilationismseems to be making a strong resur-

gence today among evangelicals.

That may be an overstatement, butit is a helpful correction to the as-sumption many have that the viewonly exists among the cults andtheological liberals. Most of us whoare labelled annihilationist

2argue

from the same belief in an inerrant,infallible, authoritative scripture as

Allen and John MacArthur do. Weare solidly in the evangelical camp,and reject the concept of an endlesshell on scriptural grounds. We ap-preciate it when that is admitted.

Allen accurately portrays our viewwhen he says we dont allow

(Gods wrath) to extend beyond the

lake of fire. As we read the book of

Revelation, the lake of fire is pre-cisely described as the place of final

punishment, and that the lake it-self will commence the seconddeath, from which there is nopossible resurrection. It is the ul-timate end of the old age, and itsconsummation will make room

for the new heavens and newearth.

The Bible teaches that every sinnot atoned for by the blood ofChrist will be punished thor-oughly in that lake of fire, thendeath and hell itself will bethrown into it. These words de-

scribe an end a solution to aproblem that had a beginning. Itis fitting that Revelation shouldgive us the story of how Gods

grace will eventually correct theresult of the rebellion which is re-corded in Genesis.

This second death will be a hor-rible, agonizing, event in whichevery transgression against Gods

holiness will receive its appropri-ate punishment. Not until thathappens and God is thoroughlyvindicated will he snuff everyunbeliever out of existence. He

will do so because he has deter-mined what the ultimate wagesof sin are. He did not decree that

Hell is PermanentJefferson Vann
http://www.gty.org/Blog/B110506http://www.gty.org/Blog/B110506http://www.gty.org/Blog/B110506http://www.gty.org/Blog/B110506http://www.gty.org/Blog/B110506


15/28

sinners will have the luxury of aneternal life anywhere not evenhell. The wages of sin is death.

Eternal life is a gift he has reservedfor those he has saved by grace.

Allen makes four specific asser-tions about how we argue our caseagainst an endless hell. Each ofthese assertions speak to the heartof the issue, so each is worthy ofanalysis and a reply.

1) Allen asserts that we redefinethe word eternal.

Allen quotes John MacArthur,who asserts that annihilationistswould like to redefine the word

aionios and say, well, it doesnt

really mean forever. He refers spe-

cifically to Matthew 25:46, whereJesus describes two final destinies.Jesus says that the sheep (thosewho treated the least of his broth-ers with compassion) will go awayinto eternal life. The goats (thosewho do not treat the least of hisbrothers kindly) will go away into

eternal punishment.The word aionios is an adjective.

Its purpose is to explain and further

define another word in this case a

noun. Like any other adjective

(indeed, practically any other word)

aionios has more than one possible

meaning. For example, the adjec-tive hot may describe the days

temperature, or it may explain that

certain jewels have been

stolen. The meaning of the ad-

jective depends a great deal

upon the noun it modifies. Anyone adjective can have a num-

ber of possible meanings in its

semantic range. The term itself

has no set meaning. Its mean-

ing is determined by the con-

text in this case, the noun it

modifies.Annihilationists are not guilty

of redefining the term eternal.In Matthew 25:46 the termeternal is used twice. In bothcases the term modifies anevent in such a way as to drawattention to its finality, and so

aionios should thus be trans-lated permanent. In one caseeternal life -- the noun lifeclearly depicts the event whenbelievers will inherit immortal-ity: permanent life.

3In the

other case, the term punish-

ment also describes an event:destruction in hell. Both thenoun kolasis and its corre-sponding verb kolaz refer toan anticipated event.

4The Bi-

ble elsewhere describes thisevent as the day of the LORD

5

or the day of judgment.6

When the noun that aionios de-fines refers to an event in time,then the meaning implied by


16/28

aionios is not perpetual. A moreaccurate definition in that case ispermanent. The English word eter-nal can mean either.

Other biblical examples of thisuse ofaionios include:

the permanent sin which cannever be forgiven (Mark3:29).

the permanent weight of

glory compared with ourslight momentary affliction (2Corinthians 4:17; 1 Peter5:10).

the permanent things thatare unseen compared to thetransient things that are seen(2 Corinthians 4:18).

the permanent house (body)in the heavens compared toour temporary tent (body) onearth (2 Corinthians 5:1).

the permanent destructionthe lost will face at Christs

return (2 Thessalonians 1:9). the permanent comfort and

good hope we have throughGods grace (2 Thessalonians

2:16). the permanent glory that ac-

companies salvation in Christ(2 Timothy 2:10).

Philemons permanent return

to Colossae, after beingparted from them for a while(Philemon 1:15).

The permanent salvationmade possible by Jesus,our great high priest(Hebrews 5:9).

The permanent judgmentthat will take place afterthe resurrection of thedead (Hebrews 6:2).

The permanent redemp-tion secured by Christs

sacrifice in the heavenlysanctuary (Hebrews 9:12). the permanent covenant

made possible by the shed-ding of the blood of Christ(Hebrews 13:20).

entrance into the perma-nent kingdom provided for

all those who make theircalling and election sure (2Peter 1:10-11).

Most other uses of aionios inthe New Testament are when theterm describes God,

7or some-

thing that comes from God: hisgospel,

8or the fire he uses to de-

stroy the wicked on judgmentday.

9In neither of these cases is

the emphasis on duration. Theemphasis is on God as thesource. That is why Jude tells usthat Sodom and Gomorrah serveas examples of undergoing a pun-

ishment of aionios fire. Sodomand Gomorrah were completelydestroyed. The destruction was


17/28

not a perpetual process, but anevent in which they were punishedby God, the eternal one.

Greek adjectives can appear inplural form, and when that is doneto aionios in the New Testament, itis so that the term can modify aplural noun,

10or it refers to an

event predicted or promised longago, which has now been fulfilledor revealed. The three examples ofthis are:

Now to him who is able to

strengthen you according tomy gospel and the preachingof Jesus Christ, according tothe revelation of the mysterythat was kept secret for long

ages.11

Who saved us and called us

to a holy calling, not becauseof our works but because ofhis own purpose and grace,which he gave us in Christ Je-sus before the ages be-gan.12

The final example actuallyuses aionios twice, once inthe sense ofpermanent, andonce in the sense of some-thing promised long ago in

hope of eternal life, whichGod, who never lies, prom-

ised before the ages be-gan.13In summary, annihilationists are

not redefining aionios. This arti-cle has surveyed every use ofaionios in the New Testament

and has not found a single refer-ence where it has to describe aperpetual process. Once re-leased from the shackles of thepresuppositions of pagan phi-losophy, we are simply free todescribe how the Bible consis-tently uses the term.

2) Allen asserts that we object

to an endless hell on moral

grounds.

Allen claims that annihilation-ists cannot fathom a holy andmerciful God perpetually tortur-ing billions of people in hell be-

cause we see it as a form ofcruel and unusual punishment.

We do often make argumentslike this, but not as a means of judging God on our standards.We simply point out that the pic-ture of God that the Bible uni-formly presents is of One whose

justice is always tempered bymercy. He destroyed the earthwith a flood, but in his mercysaved Noahs family and the ani-

mals with the ark. He destroyedSodom and Gomorrah for theirsins, but saved Lot and his

daughters by his mercy. Thepsalmist declares, his anger isbut for a moment, and his favour


18/28

problems with it when they con-template its severity. He insists,

however, that those contempla-tions are there because of howlittle we understand the sinful-ness of sin on the one hand, andthe holiness of God on theother. He argues that since

Gods thoughts are higher than

our thoughts (Isaiah 55:8-9),

then we should ignore thosecontemplations and accept aperpetual hell on faith.

But we annihilationists aretheologians too. We know howdangerous it can be when Gods

people are told to accept a lineof reasoning on faith, and toavoid questioning. From theGospels, it is clear that Jesusspent a great deal of his time onearth questioning and arguingagainst the contemporary theo-logians and accepted doctrinesof his day.

It is true that Gods thoughtsare not our own. It does not fol-low that the doctrine of an end-less hell clearly represents Gods

thoughts. We argue that thedoctrine of an endless hell is theresult of the syncretistic combi-nation of what the Bible says

about final punishment with thepagan philosophy of innate im-mortality. The idea of a perpet-

is for a lifetime.14

Our real objection to a perpetual

hell on moral grounds is that wesee it as inconsistent with Gods

character as revealed in his word.Perhaps there are those who gotoo far with this line of reasoningand say if God were a God who

tortured people forever, then Iwould not believe in him. The

only logical response to such an ar-gument is then you would be tor-

tured forever. We try not to cross

that line in our arguments against aperpetual hell. We honestly be-lieve that when all the biblical evi-dence is presented, God is not re-vealed to be a sadistic monster

who will keep people alive foreversimply to torment them.

3) Allen asserts that we fail to

understand the theology of jus-

tice.

Allen spends four out of 13 para-graphs in his post arguing that an-nihilationists reject an endless hellbecause we do not get how sinfulsin is, and how holy God is. Hesays our view fails to account for a

lawgiver who is infinite and eternalby nature. He implies that if we

really understood God, then wewould see how a never-ending hell

fits into his plan. To be fair, he ad-mits that even those who believein a place of perpetual torture have


19/28

ual hell was created out of this syn-cretism. It reasoned not from the

nature of sin or the nature of Godbut from Platos doctrine of the na-ture of man.

Since Augustine (whom Allenquotes as an authority) acceptedPlatos idea of innate immortality of

the soul, he reasoned that hellmust be perpetual because the

soul of man cannot die. It was forthat reason that he rejected theidea of a hell of limited duration asthe height of absurdity. But if

one accepts the clear statements ofscripture that God alone has im-mortality,

15and God will punish

sinners by destroying them,16

sothat they exist no more,17 it be-comes clear that Platos innate im-

mortality theory cannot be ac-cepted on the same basis as scrip-ture. They contradict each other.

Perhaps that is why Allen doesnot argue for human immortality,

but chooses rather to defend per-petual hell on the basis of the sin-fulness of sin and the holiness ofGod. But, even there, the argu-mentation fails. Allen argues thatbecause God is infinite, then sinsagainst him require infinite punish-ment. If that were so, then how

could Jesus atone for the sins of allhumanity by merely dying on thecross and remaining dead for a few

days? Surely if the punishmentfor any sin against God requires

perpetual suffering, then Christshould still be on the cross!

The Bible clearly states whatGod requires to pay for sins.The wages of sin is death

18

not perpetual suffering. Notsatisfied with this clear descrip-tion of just punishment for sin,

proponents of the concept ofperpetual hell simply redefinedeath as eternal separationfrom God. This can only be thecase if the person who dies can-not really die. Again, we seethat the theology behind the

perpetual hell idea is not reallybased on the nature of God, butis derived from Greek dualismand its understanding of the na-ture of humanity.

Neither does the concept of aholy God require a perpetualhell. In fact, Gods holiness re-

quires that sin and unrighteous-ness be destroyed not keptalive and tormented eternally.There was a point in time ineternity past, when there wasno sin no rebellion. Everythingwas good in Gods universe.

Then sin entered heaventhrough the rebellion of Satanand eventually came to human-ity and earth by Adam and Eves


20/28

transgression.Ever since sin entered Gods

realm, he has been at work todestroy it. There is nothingwithin his character that requiresthat he tolerate it. He has a planthat includes the undoing of thecurse of sin, and the undoing ofthe consequences includingdeath. Gods holiness demands

that the plan be carried out. The

sin which has infected his uni-verse will be eradicated, and allthat is under him will again behis. The doctrine of an endlesshell requires God to capitulate.It robs God of his sovereignty insisting that sin is just as eternalas he is, and there is finally noth-

ing that he can do about it.Those who accept this notion

are imprisoned by a pagan theol-ogy that finds no place in the Bi-ble. Until they come to rejectthe concept of the immortal soulthey will always have to place

the immortal souls of dead sin-ners somewhere. A perpetualhell seems the logical place.

4) Allen asserts that we refuse

to embrace the hard doctrines

of the Bible.

Allen implies that those whoaccept the concept of a perpet-

ual hell have embraced the harddoctrines of the Bible and that

is evidence that their faith is

true and God-given. The as-sumption, of course, is that theBible teaches this hard doctrine.If the Bible actually teaches thathell will be perpetual, then allbelievers should accept it astruth, no matter how hard oreasy it is.

Annihilationists argue that thedoctrine of endless torture is notclearly taught in the Bible. We ar-

gue that those passages whichappear to teach it are being mis-read. Many of our writings ex-amine those texts because ourconcern is that this hard doctrineis hard because it really does notfit the evidence.

It is true that some of the doc-

trines the Bible clearly teachesare difficult to get a handle on.Anyone who has struggled withthe implications of Gods sover-

eignty and how it affects mans

will can attest to this fact. God iscomplicated and we should not

expect his word to be alwayseasy to understand.It is also true that accepting

the things we learn in scripture isevidence that our faith is genu-ine. The Holy Spirit works in thehearts and minds of believers,giving them insight into what

God means by what he said inscripture. We call this the illumi-nation of the Holy Spirit. With-


21/28

out His guidance, believerswould be prone to all kinds ofdeceptions and false theologies.

History has shown, however,that the illumination of the HolySpirit does not guarantee that allBible-believing Christians willagree with each other, or that adoctrine that is popular is alsobiblical. In fact, many doctrines

over the ages which were ex-tremely well-received by theChurch have been proven to beunbiblical and discarded.

The doctrine of perpetual hell,which grants eternal life to sin-ners and requires that theyspend eternity alive outside of

the mercy of God should bediscarded. While it is obviously ahard doctrine and an abso-lutely horrible, terrifying doc-trine it has always had its dis-senters who are convinced that itis not a biblical doctrine. Thereis no advantage to holding to anunbiblical doctrine. Holding toan unbiblical doctrine cannot beevidence of the veracity of ones

faith.An AlternativeAnnihilationists believe in a lit-

eral hell which will appear at the

end of the age. It is the lake offire of Revelation, and it will burnas hot as it needs to burn. It will

be a place of weeping and gnash-ing of teeth.

19It will include all

those who regret their not com-ing to faith, and all those whodefy Gods right to judge them to

the very end. It is the place offinal justice. All wrongs will bedealt with. In the end, God willbe vindicated. Everyone in hellwill understand that it is their

own sins and rebellion that putthem there. It will last as long asit needs to last for every de-served punishment to be metedout. It is the final historical eventof the present age.

20In it, God

will destroy the lost completely,soul and body.

21

Then, a new age will begin, af-ter Christ destroys all Gods ene-

mies even the last enemy death itself.

Then comes the end, when hedelivers the kingdom to God theFather after destroying everyrule and every authority and

power. For he must reign untilhe has put all his enemies underhis feet. The last enemy to bedestroyed is death. For "God hasput all things in subjection underhis feet." But when it says, "allthings are put in subjection," it isplain that he is excepted whoput all things in subjection underhim. When all things are sub-

jected to him, then the Son him-self will also be subjected to him


22/28

Really Endless. The word end-

less only appears once in the Bi-

ble, and refers to teachingswhich promote speculationsrather than the stewardship fromGod that is by faith. The Bible

never uses the term endless todescribe hell. Instead, the Biblesays:

Neither their silver nor

their gold shall be able todeliver them on the day ofthe wrath of the LORD. Inthe fire of his jealousy, allthe earth shall be con-sumed; for a full and sud-den end he will make of allthe inhabitants of theearth.25

And if Satan has risen up

against himself and is di-vided, he cannot stand, butis coming to an end.26

But what fruit were you

getting at that time from

the things of which you arenow ashamed? The end ofthose things is death.27

Then comes the end,when he delivers the king-dom to God the Father af-ter destroying every ruleand every authority and

power.28 So it is no surprise if his

who put all things in subjection un-der him, that God may be all in all.

22

After hell ends, then there will bea new heaven and a new earth be-cause the old order of things willhave passed away.

23Hell is aionios

in both major senses in which theterm is used in the Bible. It is fromGod, the perpetual one, who hadno beginning and will have no end.Hell is also permanent, an eventhaving a beginning, and a definitiveend, and from which there will beno deliverance.

God is perpetual. He never had abeginning, and will never have anend. Human beings have a begin-

ning. We are not infinite. God in hisgrace offers eternal life to thosewho believe in his Son. We have theopportunity to become perpetual.By trusting in Christ as our Saviourand Lord, we take hold of his prom-ise of eternal life. He intends tokeep that promise by granting us

immortality at his return.He has not promised immortality

to unbelievers. Their fate is to bedestroyed permanently in hell. Tomake hell an endless process re-quires that unbelievers as well haveimmortality. That is not honouring

to God nor is it taught in the scrip-tures.The title of Allens post is Is Hell


23/28

servants, also, disguise them-selves as servants of right-

eousness. Their end will cor-respond to their deeds.29 Their end is destruction,

their god is their belly, andthey glory in their shame,with minds set on earthlythings.

30

The end of all things is at

hand; therefore be self-controlled and sober-mindedfor the sake of yourprayers.

31

The only permanent things in thisuniverse are events that happen inhistory, God himself and the beingshe has decided to rescue from thisage into the next. Hell will not beperpetual, like Gods life. It will be a

permanent event in history, but nota perpetual process.

References1All quotes not otherwise references are

from Allens post.2This is not a term we often use or appre-

ciate. The term most of us use is condition-

alist, because we argue that human immor-

tality is conditional. Since the unsaved will

not be made immortal, they cannot exist

forever in a burning hell.3

Matthew 19:29; Mark 10:17, 30; Luke

10:25; 18:18, 30; John 3:15, 16, 36; 4:14,

36; 6:27, 40, 47, 54, 68; 10:28; 12:25, 50;

17:2, 3; Acts 13:46, 48; Romans 2:7; 5:21;6:22, 23; Galatians 6:8; 1 Timothy 1:16; 6:2;

Titus 1:2; 3:7; Hebrews 9:15; 1 John 2:25;

5:11; Jude 21.

42 Peter 2:9 NET: the Lord knows

how to rescue the godly from their tri-

als, and to reserve the unrighteous forpunishment at the day of judgment.

5Isa. 13:6, 9; Jer. 46:10; Ezek. 13:5;

30:3; Joel 1:15; 2:1, 11, 31; 3:14; Amos

5:18, 20; Obad. 1:15; Zeph. 1:7, 14;

Mal. 4:5; Acts 2:20; 1 Cor. 5:5; 1 Thess.

5:2; 2 Thess. 2:2; 2 Pet. 3:10.6Matt. 10:15; 11:22, 24; 12:36; 2

Pet. 2:9; 3:7; 1 John 4:17.7

Romans 16:26; 1 Timothy 6:16; He-brews 9:14;

8Revelation 14:6.

9Matthew 18:8; 25:41; Jude 7.

102 Corinthians 4:18 the things that

are unseen are eternal.11

Romans 16:25.12

2 Timothy 1:9.13

Titus 1:2.14

Psalm 30:5.151 Timothy 6:16.16

Matt. 10:28; 22:7; Luke 17: 27, 29;

20:16; 1 Cor. 3:17; 6:13; 15:24, 26;

Heb. 10:39; 2 Peter 2:12;

Rev. 11:18.17

Psalm 104:35; Ezekiel 26:21;

27:36; 28:19.18

Romans 6:23.19

Matthew 8:12; 13:42, 50; 22:13;

24:51; 25:30; Luke 13:28.20

Revelation 21:8.21

Matthew 10:28.22

1 Corinthians 15:24-28.23

Revelation 21:1-4.24

1 Timothy 1:4.25

Zephaniah 1:18.


24/28

(This is the first part of a message that

was preached at Hamilton Church of Christ,

New Zealand, on the 3rd April 2011. The

full audio version and text is available on

the website. We will be publishing more in

the series.)

Introduction

With all the excitement of Eastercoming some may wonder why Ihave to bring up such a morbid subject as death over these next 3

weeks. Well somebody had sug-gested last year that perhaps a se-ries on this subject might be a goodidea. Its nice to have someone else

suggest this because if I say any-thing that might upset someone Ican simply blame it on that personwho first suggested it.

I certainly do not expect that eve-ryone will agree with me on my par-ticular view of death which holdsthat the dead enter into an uncon-

scious state of non-existence untilJesus Christ returns to resurrectthem. You are welcome to disagreewith me. In fact I know two families,who had prematurely lost a son,who became quite angry with mefor challenging (quite unaware) the

comfort they had found in the beliefthat their son continued, immedi-ately following death, in a consciousand present state with Jesus Christ

in heaven. To suggest that theirson was actually dead in the gravewas offensive I can understandthis; Im not unsympathetic to hu-

man grief due to doctrinal correct-ness overpowering love and com-passion. However, I do ask that

you might give me some grace topresent this view that, in thewords of Dr. Brian Smith, the for-mer principle Emeritus of the NZBaptist College said, is the viewthat makes the most senseof all the Biblical data.

Is this Subject really that Impor-tant that it has to be talked

about?

Is this subject really an impor-tant one to talk about as peoplecan become quite offended andpolarized over it do people dieand go straight to heaven or are

they in state of non-existence(apart from being retained in thememory of God) awaiting a resur-rection back to life?

I believe the subject is importantotherwise I would not have agreedto speak on it and I will try to ex-plain why. On a number of occa-sions Christians who have not heldmy view on death have justifiedour differences by saying; whether

What Happens when we die: Part One

By Armand Newrick


25/28

asleep until Jesus Christ returns, orimmediately conscious and pre-sent with Christ after death, ones

first thought following death willbe of being in Christs presence

with no awareness of the passageof time; so what does it matter?This is a valid point only betweenthe saved; well all be with Christ

sooner or later!However, and this is somewhat

remiss of evangelical Christianswho reason this way. The implica-tions of either view have an enor-mous impact on somebody whohas not and will not receive JesusChrist as Lord and Saviour! Are theunsaved asleep in the grave withno awareness of the passage oftime prior to the resurrection orare they in a traditional place ofhell in fiery relentless tormentswhere every minute matters onthe pain scale while Christians say,between you and I, as the saved,this issue doesnt really matter.

Weighing up all the EvidenceThe question of what happens

when we die is fundamentally aquestion of how God has made usas creatures. It is not good enoughto draw on a select handful of NTpassages that appears to match upwith what may be more an inher-

ited tradition than a well re-searched anthropology from thepages of the whole Bible and ar-

gue that these few verses settle it.You know; 1, 2, 3 that settles it

for me.

To be content to allow such aserious topic to rest on simplyfinding select verses, that saywhat we might have already beenconditioned to believe, might belike opening the Edmonds CookBook determined to prove that itis about teaspoons by finding a se-

lect number of references toprove it we need to test our be-liefs on this subject more thor-oughly than this!

Starting with the OT

Interestingly, although the NTspans only the period of the firstcentury AD, the OT, which spans

from creation to the beginning ofthe 4th century BC; with a pro-phetic outlook to the New Heav-ens and Earth, is seldom consultedby those who argue that death re-sults in an immediate consciousafterlife. In arguing for my view,the OT is fundamental for laying

down a foundational understand-ing for how God created humanbeings, and in so doing, determin-


26/28

ing whether we do actually havesome sort of intrinsic capacity forconscious immortality beyond natu-

ral death, before examining the1st century AD NT documents.

The Creation of the First Human

Being

We read in Genesis 1:24-31 thaton the sixth day God created man-kind in His own image. That image

is defined in 1:26 as being createdas vice-regents to fulfil the specialtask of taking dominion over theearth. There is no indication thatsuch a rule would ever be subject todeath until God introduced thecommand to not eat from the treeof life in Gen 2:17; or they would

surely die!Are we to assume that to surely

die would be understood by Adam

and Eve to mean that their bodiesof dust would return to the groundyet their souls or spirits would

leave their bodies unscathed to goto an even better place, heaven, to

be with God? Some punishmentthat would be! Is this what theword death might most logically

mean in 2:17? If anyone is preparedto look at the 174 OT references tothe word dead; 227 references to

death; 266 references to die, as

totalled up in my Strongs concor-dance, and you find one single ref-erence to suggest that death meansthat a person leaves their body as a

spirit or soul be sure to let meknow.

If we do believe that being

created in Gods image meansthat we humans have some sortof immortal soul or spirit

that leaves the body at deathwhy then would God wantAdam and Eve in heaven withHim eternally in Sin? Are thewages of sin heaven?

If this is not the case thenmaybe God has sent Adam andEve and every sinner, prior toChrist (which they all wouldhave been), immediately into atraditional place of hell to betortured. I guess that they

might still be there now?Or maybe when God said

they would surely die (as in2:17) he meant that the wholeperson ceased to exist as a re-sult of sin. In other words Sin isthat serious before a Holy God,who alone has immortality (1

Tim 6:16), that he would un-create the human being who hehad originally created to be hisvice-regents over the earth.

The Bible does tell us in Eccle-siastes 9:5-6 The dead nonothing; they have no further

reward, and even the memoryof them is forgotten. Their love,their hate and their jealousyhave long since vanished; never


27/28

again will they have a part in any-thing that happens under thesun.

Sure, you may say, but isntthere something in us; a soul or

spirit, that survives death and

therefore perhaps Ecclesiastes isonly talking about a mortal body?

God Breathed into the Body of

Dust the Breath of Life

In Genesis 2:7 many Christians

have traditionally assumed thatman is comprised of 3 or 2 parts; abody, spirit and soul and one ofthese must be immortal after allthe Presbyterian/Reformed tradi-tion states unequivocally in theWestminster Confession CF XXXIV,1 (34.1) that souls have an immor-tal subsistence apart from thebody. This is simply not so!

God formed the first man Adamfrom the dust and breathed intohis nostrils the breath of life. Thisterm breath of life is a transla-

tion from the Hebrew word ruach

which is variously translated asbreath, wind or spirit. The word isused some 389 times throughoutthe OT; 224 times in the AV asspirit and elsewhere as wind or

breath as in Gen 2:7.It is generally used to speak of

the animating principle of all crea-

turely life. We read in Job 34:14-15 If it were his*Gods+ intentionand he withdrew his spirit and

breath, all mankind would perishtogether and man would return tothe dust.

Similarly in Ecclesiastes 3:19-21 Mans fate is like that of theanimals; the same fate awaitsthem both: As one dies, so dies theother. All have the same breath[spirit]; man has no advantage overthe animal. Everything is meaning-less. All go to the same place; all

come from dust, and to dust all re-turn. Who knows if the spirit ofman rises upward and if the spiritof the animal goes down into theearth?

Perhaps both Solomon and Jobdo not reflect the consensus of all

the 389 OT references tospirit ruach; well they do! Nowherein any of these references tospirit is it a word that is used to

suggest some form of spiritual sub-sistence to the body that lives onas a conscious entity beyonddeath! ( continued in Iss 50)

Armand Newrick has

had a keen interest in

theology since his

teenage conversion

(See Issue 30) and

came to the condi-

tionalist position about eight years

into his walk with the Lord. He is

married to Suzanne and they have

two children Daniel and Emma


28/28

New/Renew

Membership( Annual Renewal is March)

I agree with the CIANZ

Statement of Faith and wish

to apply for annual

membership.

Name:______________________

Address:

_______________________

_______________________

_______________________

Country_______Zip_______

Email:

_______________________

Denomination (if any):

_______________________

I enclose/donate online my

annual membership fee of

US/NZ/Other $___________

(NZ$15 earners or NZ$10

non-earners, students andsuperannuitants)

CIANZ

PO Box 202-162

Southgate

Takanini 2246

New Zealand

[email protected]

Statement of Faith1. We believe in God and His one and only Son, Jesus the

Christ. Heb. 11:6; John 14:1; 3:16; 20:31; Mat. 16:16.

2. We believe in the Holy Spirit. 2Pet. 1:21; 1Cor. 6:19;

Jude 20; Eph. 3:5.

3. We believe that Jesus died for us and gave himself a

ransom for all. Rom. 5:8; 1Cor. 15:3; 1Tim. 2:6.

4. We believe that God raised Jesus from the dead; that

by resurrection He became Lord of both the dead and

the living, and the first fruits of those who have fallen

asleep; and that whoever believes in Him shall not

perish but have eternal life. Rom. 10:9; 14:9; 1Cor.

15:20; John 3:16.

5. We believe that baptism is commanded by Christ, was

practiced by His Apostles, and is taught in the New

Testament. Mat. 28:18,19; Acts 8:12,38.

6. We believe that all Scripture is God-breathed and is

useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training

in righteousness, so that the people of God may be

thoroughly equipped for every good work. 2Tim.

3:16,17.

7. We believe that human beings are by nature mortal.

Gen. 2:7; 3:19; 1Tim. 6:16; 2Tim. 1:10; Rom. 2:6-7.

8. We believe that human beings in death are

unconscious. Psa. 6:5; 115:17; Ecc. 9:5,10. This is

likened to "sleep". Job 14:12; Psa. 13:3; Jer. 51:39;

Dan. 12:2; John 11:11-14; 1Cor. 15:51.

9. We believe that immortality is obtained only through

faith in the Lord Jesus Christ. 1Cor. 15:21-23; 2Tim.

4:7-8; 1John 5:9-12.

10. We believe that there will be a resurrection of both

the righteous and the wicked, to be followed by the

Judgment. Acts 24:15; John 5:25,28,29; Rev. 20:12,13.

11. We believe that evil and evil-doers shall be finally

destroyed. Psa. 145:20; Mat. 10:28 Rom. 6:21; Phil.

3:19; Heb. 2:14; 1John 3:8; Rev. 22:3.

12. We believe in the Second Coming of Jesus Christ. Acts1:11; John 14:3; 1Thes. 4:16.
mailto:[email protected]:[email protected]://www.afterlife.co.nz/http://www.afterlife.co.nz/http://www.afterlife.co.nz/mailto:[email protected]

From Death to Life Issue 49

Documents

Transcript of From Death to Life Issue 49