VI. Immortality for Saints; Utter Destruction for Sinners

After Jesus Christ is presented as the Author of life and immortality, these questions and answers appear, limiting the bestowal of immortality to believers in the Son, and denying eternal Hell-torments for the wicked, who instead are to be ultimately and utterly destroyed:CFF2 146.5

1. ETERNAL LIFE LIMITED TO BELIEVING SAINTS

“QU. Shall not the wicked and unbelieving live for ever, (though in torments), as well as the godly and the faithful? or is eternal life peculiar to the faithful?CFF2 147.1

“A. He that believeth on the Son, hath everlasting life: and he that believeth not the Son, shall not see life: but the warth [sic] of God abideth on him. John 3:36.” ^{3333) Biddle, Catechism, pp. 134, 135.}CFF2 147.2

2. WICKED ARE DEVOURED, PASS AWAY, PERISH IN “SECOND DEATH.”

“Qu. Though this passage which you have cited seem clearly to prove that eternal life agreeth to no other men, but the faithful: yet since the contrary opinion is generally held amongst Christians, I would fain know further of you, whether you have any other places that directly affirm that the wicked dye, and that a second death; are destroyed, and punished with everlasting destruction; are corrupted, burnt-up, devoured, slain, pass away, and perish?CFF2 147.3

“A. The wages of sin is death: but the gift of God is eternal life, Romans 6:23: also [Romans 8:13; Revelation 21:6, 8; Revelation 2:10, 11; 1 Thessalonians 5:3; 2 Peter 3:7; 2 Thessalonians 1:7-9; Galatians 6:8; 2 Peter 2:12; 1 Corinthians 3:17 (Grk., corrupt); Hebrews 10:39; 2 Peter 3:16; Matthew 3:12; Hebrews 10:26, 27 (Grk., fervor or fire); Luke 19:27; 1 John 2:17; 2 Corinthians 2:15, 16].” ^{3434) Ibid., p 135-138. Note: In the original the texts are quoted in full.}CFF2 147.4

3. THE SOUL TO BE DESTROYED IN HELL

“Qu. What is the use that our Saviour himself would have us make of this doctrine touching the destruction of men in hell-fireCFF2 147.5

“A. Fear him which is able to destroy both soul and body in hell. Matthew 10:28.” ^{3535) Ibid., p. 138.}CFF2 147.6

4. FIRST RESURRECTION FOR SAINTS; SECOND DEATH FOR SINNERS,

“QU. In what manner shall Christ come and administer judgment at the last day?CFF2 147.7

“A. When the Son of man shall come in his glory .... And these shall go away into everlasting punishment: but the righteous into life eternal. Matthew 25:31, 32, etc.” ^{3636) Ibid.: pp. 138-140.}CFF2 147.8

“Qu. Is there not another resurrection and judgement that shall precede this last and general one, and peculiarly belongeth unto the saints that have been slain for the testimony of Jesus, and the word of God? what saith John the Divine concerning this matter?CFF2 147.9

“A. I saw thrones ... first resurrection ... second death hath no power .., priests of God and of Christ ... reign with him a thousand years.” Revelation 20:4, 5, 6.” ^{3737) Ibid. pp. 140, 141.}CFF2 147.10

Such views constituted the standard arguments for Conditionalism. But they were among the terms of incrimination in the case of John Biddle in 1655. The holding of Conditionalist concepts in those still—intolerant times meant persecution, sometimes unto death. This called for men of heroic mold, willing to suffer, and if need be to die, for their faith—even by a scholarly Baptist who became a Unitarian. Conditionalism was not confined to any one group.CFF2 147.11

MAJOR 16TH CENTURY WITNESSES TO CONDITIONALISM

No. Page Name Date Place Religion Position Nature of Man Intermediate State Punishment of Wicked Concept of Purgatory 1 65 Luther, Martin 16th cent. Germany Reformer Prof.—preacher Soul not immortal Asleep until resurrection 2 80 Numerous Anabaptists 16th cent. Continental — Britain Anabaptist Dissentients Eternal life after res. 3 86 Many Socinians 16th cent. Poland — Continental Socinian Immortality at res. Utter insensibility Destruction 4 88 Tyndale, William 16th cent. England Reformer Trans.— preacher Denies innatism Saints not in heaven Not in purgatory 5 96 Frith, John 16th cent. England Reformer Teacher— trans. Immortality at res. Resting in peace Papal invention 6 103 Certain Ethiopians 16th cent. Ethiopia Christian Unconscious till res. Not eternal torment Exist. of, denied 7 107 Malabar Christians 16th cent. India Rest until judgment Exist. of, denied 112 (Calvin and his Psychopannychia—foremost Protestant foe of “soul sleep”) 8 115 Servetus, Michael 16th cent. Spain Socinian Phys.—theol. Soul is mortal 9 125 Anglican Articles 16th cent. England Anglican “39 Articles” Omits articles on innatism and eternal suffering 10 131 Terwoort, Hendrik 1575 Holland Anabaptist Layman Awaiting resurrection Perish 11 131 Pieters, Jan 1575 Holland Anabaptist Layman Awaiting resurrection Perish

SUMMARY OF CONDITIONALISM DURING THE SIXTEENTH CENTURY. At the very outset of the great revolt, or Reformation, two notable declarations were made against the basic positions of Roman Catholic Immortal-Soulism—its purgatory stipulation and the conscious state of the soul in death. These came from Luther in Germany and Tyndale in England. Thus began the revival of the long-suppressed Conditionalism. Other witnesses followed though a majority of the Reformers did not join in the repudiation. However, numerous Anabaptists and Socinians, scattered over Poland, Switzerland, England, and Holland, espoused the same position, now derisively dubbed “soul sleeping.”

So in this century the religious, geographical, and international spread included Lutherans and Anglicans, Trinitarians and Anti-Trinitarians, and Calivinists and Arminians in many lands—and even certain skeptics. Ostracism and often bitter persecution were the lot of some in certain times and sections who espoused the Conditionalist view of the “sleep of the soul” during the interim of death.

But apart from the European phase there was the sixteenth-century discovery of the uninterrupted continuance of Conditionalism from Early Church times, on two other widely separated continents—African Ethiopia and Asian India. This belief had apparently been transmitted from generation to generation. These paralleling Reformation-century discoveries attest the unbroken continuity, in widely separated regions, of the teaching of unconscious sleep between death and the resurrection—likewise paralleling the European transmission among the Italian Waldenses in the fastnesses of the Piedmontese Alps. This was in contrast with the recovery of such beliefs by those Old World Reformers who freshly repudiated the traditional Romanist triple dogma Immortal-Soulism, consciousness in death, and the Eternal Torment of the wicked.

Another conspicuous element of the century was the violent antagonism of Calvin to the “sleep of the soul,” and the contrasting moderation of the Anglican Church, with its optional position as regards the nature of the soul and the fate of the wicked, which attitude has largely continued throughout Anglican history to the present. Nevertheless, the sixteenth century closes with persecution unto death for certain Anabaptist adherents to the Biblical principles of Conditionalism. By now the issue had become acute and volatile.

Such is a summary of Conditionalism throughout the sixteenth century.

(This, and subsequent periodic tables, brings the total testimony for any given period before the reader at a glance.)