A Resurrection to Immortality by William West - HTML preview

[29] F. LaGARD SMITH: Teacher at David Lipscomb University, ―If, as we are told at funerals, out loved ones are already in heaven with Jesus, what is the purpose of Christ‘s Coming and the Resurrection?‖ After Life, A Glimpse Of Eternity Beyond Death‘s Door, (church of Christ).

[30] ROBERTSON L. WHITESIDE: "If you serve sin, you need not doubt as to what your wages are to be, nor as to whether you will be paid in full. The final reward for your service to sin is eternal death" A New Commentary On Paul's Letter To The Saints At Rome, Page 142, 1945, (church of Christ).

427

[31] B. W. JOHNSON: ― For the wages of sin. Sin is a master of his servants and pays wages. The wages is death, one of the saddest, but profoundest truths of the world. But the gift of God. God gives to those who turn from sin, life eternal‖ The People‘s New Testament With Notes, Gospel Light Publishing Company, (church of Christ).

[32] E. M. ZERR: "It denotes, therefore, that a life devoted to the service of sin will earn or merit the wages of death, not physical death, for all have to go through that, but the second death, designated in Revelation 21:8." Bible Commentary, Volume 5, Page 360, Copyrighted 1952 by E. M Zerr, (church of Christ).

[33] LEROY GARRETT: ―Nowhere in Scripture will you find the idea that God bestows upon the wicked everlasting (unending) life or immortality so that he can then torment them forever in hell fire. The wicked die forever for two reasons: they do not have the gift of immortality, and they have to receive the wages earned for their life of sin, which is death.‖ Restoration Review, November 2990, ―Is Hell Fire Endless?‖ (Church of Christ)

[34] STEVEN CLARK GOAD: ―Our present traditional view of hell, borrowed from Catholicism and paganism, is no more biblical than their doctrine of limbo,‖ ―Thoughts on Punishment of the Wicked‖ church of Christ Christian Ekklesia

Podcast http://www.godsmessageontheweb.net/2010/07/25/thoughts-on-punishment-of-the-wicked/(church of Christ)

[35] JEREMY K. MORITZ: ―I grew up in the church. For many years, I believed in the traditional view of Heaven and Hell—that souls are taken from the body immediately following death and are placed in either Heaven or Hell where they will spend eternity in bliss or unending torture. This is what most of the Christian church right now believes. For the last six or seven years, however, I have found countless scriptures that have changed my thinking considerably in this area. It seems to me that nearly the entire Bible teaches that eternal life is only experienced in Heaven, that Hell is a place of complete destruction and annihilation.‖ ―HELL: Eternal Torment or Complete Annihilation?‖

http://www.jeremyandchristine.com/articles/eternal.php (church of Christ)

[36] ASHLEY S. JOHNSON: ―Does the doctrine of endless punishment harmonize with the fundamental principles underlying God‘s government that the hopelessly wicked, the incorrigibley wicked, shall be blotted out? Trace his dealings with the nations through the centuries. On this principle he destroyed the antediluvians (Gen. 5:1-7; 7:1-24).

Also Sodom and Gomorrah (Gen., 18:20,21). Also Korah and his rebels (Num., 16:31-33). Also he made provision for the utter destruction of idolaters (Deut., 12:13-18). Also the Egyptians (Ex., 14:1-31). Also Babylon (Isa., 13:19-220.Moses predicted the destruction of the incorrigible (Deut., 18:18, 19). So did Peter (Acts, 3:22,23). John had a vision of the day (Rev., 3:13-21). Why should this be God‘s method of getting rid of the wicked all through history if he is to suddenly change it at the judgment day, and consign all his sinful creatures to torment and punish that all alike and that without end? I cannot answer. Can you?‖ Founder and president of the Johnson Bible College, ―The Resurrection And The Future Life,‖ Page 432-433, 1913, Knoxville Lithographing Company, (church of Christ).

[37] DILLARD THURMAN, Brown Trail Church of Christ: "The hope and aspiration of many has been shifted from His coming again to receive His own, to an immediate immortality and heavenly bliss immediately at death! Jesus DID

NOT promise that!" Gospel Minutes, Volume 34, Number 5, February 1, 1985, (church of Christ).

[38] E. D. SLOUGH ―Punishment lasts so long as its results last, and where death has been administered for the satisfaction of crime, the punishment continues till life is restored, and if never restored, it is an everlasting punishment. Lost of property, loss of liberty, loss of life, may all be meted out to the transgressors under the label of punishment. And death as the capital punishment, legalized on the statutes of all civilized nations of the world, is the highest punishment man can inflict—or so recognized,--being the deprivation of life, the first source of all pleasures and enjoyments, and recognized as being forfeited for certain crimes.‖ ―The Indictment Of Eternal Torment—The Self-negation Of A Monstrous Doctrine,‖ Page 196-197, F. L. Rowe, Publisher, 1914, (evangelist, church of Christ).

[39] OREN ORAHOOD and many other in the restoration movement and after (church of Christ).

LIFE IS THE MOST IMPORTANT POSSESION WE

HAVE. WITHOUT IT THERE IS NOTHING. ONLY BY

THE RESURRECTION AT THE SECOND COMING OF

CHRIST WILL ANYONE HAVE LIFE AFTER DEATH. The

resurrection, which is made impossible by the doctrine of an

immortal soul from birth, is an absolute necessity to any life

after death.

BIBLLIOGRAPHY

428

Early in the Reformation there were many who did not believe, "You shall not surely die," but the Church of England opposed them. A few of the many books by well known ministers, teachers, professors, Doctors, mostly orthodox Protestants or church of Christ ministers teaching that mankind does not have a part that is immortal from birth. That life after death is dependent of the resurrection, not on an immortal soul.

1. Tertullian, "Treatise on the Soul" Chapter 55

2. Martin Luther, E. Petavel, "The Problem of Immortality" Page 255

3. John Wesley, "Wesley's sermon on Luke 16:23"

4. William Tundale, "Christian Moralism" Page 99

5. Ashey S. Johnson, "The Resurrection And The Future Life" 1913 (church of Christ) 6. Elias Smith, (Often referred to as "Elder" Elias Smith) "The Life, Conversion, Preaching, Travel and Sufferings of Elias Smith, 1886 (church of Christ)

7. Dr. Joseph Priestley, "Corruptions Christianity" in Works (1818), Volume 5, Page 229

8. Edward Fudge, "The Fire That Consumes" 1982 (church of Christ)

9. R. O. Overton, "Man's Mortality," 1643

10. Moses E. Lord, "Do The Holy Scriptures Teach The Endlessness Of Future Punishment?" (church of Christ) 11. John Milton, "Treatise of Christian Doctrine" Volume. 1, chapter 13

12. John Jackson, "A Dissertation on Matter and Spirit," 1735, "The Belief of a Future State" 1745, "A Clear Distinction Between True and False Religion" 1750

13. Dr. Joseph Priestley, "Disquisitions Relating to Matter and Spirit" in Works, Volume 3

14. Bishop Edmund Law, "The State of the Dead," 1765 (Appendix)

15. Curtis Dickinson, "What The Bible Teaches About Immortality And Future Punishment" (church of Christ) 16. Archdeacon Blackburne, "A Short Historical View of the Controversy Concerning the Intermediate State" 1765

17. Samuel Bourn, "Christian Doctrine of Future Punishment" 1759

18. Dr. William Whiston, "The Eternity of Hell– Torments Considered" 1740

19. Prof. Henry Dodwell, "The Natural Mortality of Human Souls" 1708

20. Dr. William Thomson, "The Thought of Death" in the Bampton Lecture, 1862

21. Archbishop J. Tillotson, Works, 1717, Volume 1, Page 749

22. Dr. William Coward, "A Survey of the Search After Souls" and "Further Thoughts Concerning the Human Soul" 1703

23. Roger E. Dickson, "Life, Death, and Beyond" 1998 (church of Christ)

24. Henry Layton, "A Search After Souls" 1706

25. Russell Boatman, "The End Time" 1980 (church of Christ)

26. Clark Pinnock, "Four Views On Hell" 1992

27. Dr. Edward White, "Life in Christ" 1846, "That Unknown Country" and "Immortality, a Clerical Symposium" "The Unspeakable Gift" (1884)

28. Dr. John Thomas, "Final extinction of wicked; immortality a gift through Christ"

29. John Scott, "Harding Graduate School Lectures" 1971 (church of Christ) 30. H. H. Dobney, "Notes of Lectures on Future Punishment" 1844

31. Archbishop R. Whately, "A View of the Scriptural Revelations Concerning a Future State"

32. Sidney Hatch, Th. M., "Daring to Differ: Adventures in Conditional Immortality" 1991

33. James Panton Ham, "Life and Death; or, The Theology of the Bible in Relation to Human Mortality" 1849

34. Charles F. Hudson, "Debt and Grace as Related to the Doctrine of a Future Life" 1857, "Christ Our Life, The Scriptural Argument for Immortality Through Christ Alone" 1860

35. Samuele Bacchiocchi, "Immortality or Resurrection?" 1997

36. Dean Frenerick W., "Farrar, Mercy and Judgment" 1881

37. Dr. Robert W. Dale, "Edward White, His Life and Work" 1902

38. J. W. Hanson D.D., "The Hell Bible"

39. Samuel G. Dawson, "Jesus' Teaching on Hell" 1996 (church of Christ)

40. Canon Henry Constable, "Hades: or the Intermediate State of Man Restitution of All Things" "The Duration and Nature of Future Punishment"

41.Bishop John J. S. Perowne, "Hulsean Lectures on Immortality" 1868

42. Sir George Stokes, "That Unknown Country (A Symposium)" 1889, "Immortality, a Clerical Symposium"

43. Dr. W. A. Brown, "The Christian Hope" 1912

44. Dr. R. F. Weymouth translated The New Testament in Modern Speech. Note on 1 Corinthians 15:18: "By 'perish' the Apostle here apparently means 'pass out of existence'"

45. Dr. William Temple, "Christian Faith and Life" 1931; Drew Lecture on Immortality, 1931, "Nature, Man and God" 1953

46. Dr. Aubrey R. Vine, "An Approach to Christology" 1948

47. Dr. Lyman Abbott, "That Unknown Country" 1889

48. Dr. Emmanuel Petavel-Ollieff, "The Struggle for Eternal Life" "The Extinction of Evil" 1889, "The Problem of Immortality"

49. H. Pettingell, "The Theological Trilemma (Endless Misery) Universal Salvation, or Conditional Immortality" 1878, "Platonism versus Christianity" 1881, "The Life Everlasting: What Is It? Whence Is It? Whose Is It?" 1882, "The Unspeakable Gift" 1884

50. Al Maxey, "The Maxey-Thrasher Debate" (church of Christ)

51. Eric Lewis, "Life and Immortality" 1949. "Christ, the First Fruits" 1949

52. Dr. Basiil F. C. Atkinson, In "The Pocket Commentary of the Bible" Part One: Book of Genesis, 1954 Comment on Genesis 2:7:, Part 1, Book of Genesis, Page 32

53. DR. T. A. Kantonen, "The Christian Hope" 1954

54. Robert Dozier, "Dozier-Johnson Debate" (church of Christ)

55. DR. D. R. G. Owen, "Body and Soul," 1956

56. William Enfield, "History of Philosophy"

57. John Locke, "Reasonableness Of Christianity"

429

58. John Millton, "State of the Dead"

59. Dr. Reinhold Niebuhr, "The Nature and Destiny of Man," 1955, Gifford Lectures at Edinburgh, 1939

60. Homer Hailey, "God's Judgments and Punishments," President of Bible at Florida College, 2003 (church of Christ) 61. F. LaGard Smith, "After Life, A Glimpse of Eternity Beyond Death's Door," 2003, Lipscomb University (church of Christ) 62. Jerry Cross, "Magnolia Bible College 1984 Lectures" Page 48 and 49 (church of Christ) 63. Ashley S. Johnson, ―Ages of ages, or ages upon ages,‖ Founder and president of the Johnson Bible College, (church of Christ) 64. Ashley S. Johnson, ―The Resurrection And The Future Life,‖ 1913, Founder and president of the Johnson Bible College, Knoxville Lithographing Company, (church of Christ)

65. E. D. Slough, "Indictment Of Eternal Torment—The Self-negation of a Monstrous Doctrine," 1914, (church of Christ) 66. Jimmy Allen, ―Fire In My Bones,‖ Professor Emeritus of Bible – Harding University, 2004, (church of Christ) 67. J. W. McGarvey, President of Sacred History in the College of the Bible, Standard Bible Commentary, 1916, Standard Publishing Company, (church of Christ)

68. Jeremy K. Moritz, ―HELL: Eternal Torment or complete Annihilation?‖ (church of Christ) 69. Steven Clark Goad, “Thoughts on Punishment of the Wicked,” church of Christ Christian Ekklesia Podcast, (church of Christ) 70. ―Only in Christ‖ (2002) Star Bible Publications (church of Christ)

71. William West, ―Immortality Or Resurrection,‖ 2006 and ―Unconditional Immortality Or Resurrection Of The Dead,‖ 2008, (church of Christ)

APPENDIX ONE

From the introduction to ―The Indictment Of Eternal Torment—The Self-negation Of A Monstrous Doctrine,‖ E. D. Slough, F. L.

Rowe, Publisher, Pages 9-18, 1914, evangelist, church of Christ.

―During the dark ages, when superstition and tyranny reigned over the better judgments of men, dominating every civil right of liberty, and subduing ever aspiration to advance intellectually, the gospel light was in chaotic blackness, handicapped by an intolerant mob of ungodly and profane rulers, whose highest ambition was to reduce humanity to a condition of absolute serfdom and ignorance, that they might eternally fleece them of their gold and their blood, that they themselves might revel in beastly sensuality and luxury. So that age is a historical reality, the blackest, the most inhuman, the most vile, and intolerant that ever disgraced the ledger of events. And a memorial to all coming ages of the fruits of ungodliness.

Under such a series of profligacy, licentiousness, idolatry, ignorance, and superstition, nothing could result but the very condition that did result. And the very horror of it all, it all occurred under the garb of religion. In that sacred name, which has been a thousand times desecrated, dungeons have been prepared, fires have been kindled for martyrs, and every device genius could contrive was made the tool of usurpation and diabolical power to suppress the liberty of thought, that the mind of men might be effectually bound in the fetters of espionage to serve the god of greed, and the Lucifer‘s called priests and rulers. And even a mind with a tendency to reason for itself was persecuted and intimidated from every source by the instruments of brute degenerates, and has accomplished just what these men anticipated—A PLANE WHERE THE FEW DO THE THINKING FOR THE MANY.

Eventually, this resulted in a revolution, costing the blood of countless hosts of men and women and children, and because of the confusion of main, it broke up into numerous factions and parties, each confined and circumscribed by the same principles which had dominated their rights under the galling yoke that had just thrown off. And with them also, a departure from set rules and fixed principles, was another denunciation, and so sensitive to those creeds where those parties that they would shrink back form one of their member who would have the audacity or courage to question their truths as they would from a leper or an infectious disease.

Sheltered thus under religious zeal, the hearts of men become congealed and settled into a condition of mimics, rejecting all ideas not in harmony with that of their own teacher.

An inquisition of chains and torches is not less preferable than the perpetual subjection to doctrines, which palsy the mind; and against which men dare not life a voice lest they decried as heretics, and a menace to the cause of Christ. This age of the world, prolific with the religious ―isms‖ of men, eager to separate themselves in the livery of sect, and follow a favorite crowd under which they were reared, IS THE TRUE MENACE TO THE CAUSE AND PROGRESS OF TRUTH.

Thus far I have spoken in a general way. But there is a particular way to which I wish to call your attention. For so long as men close their eyes to possible light, they cannot see. Out of this mass of Egyptian darkness light is slowly evolving. I can see the breaking of the dawn, and the reflected rays of light shooting over the hills! But with this twentieth century civilization, we (the Church of Christ) dare not say we have reached the summit of knowledge, the pinnacle of perfection. To do so would be an expression of egotism, for all who have scanned the word of God will be constrained to say with Paul, ―Oh, the depths of the riches both of wisdom and knowledge of God, how unsearchable his judgments and his ways past finding out.‖

Men of renown and scholarship have for ages sought for proof on the pages of nature‘s book, for the immortality of the souls of all men. My aim will be to show they have all alike failed. Truth is modest in the presence of great men. Speculation is the field of their exploration. No wonder these profound thinks are baffled to astonishment as they wrestle with the deep things of God, building as they do great structures upon the passing phantoms of the brain. The popular feeling that somehow by irrevocable fate, or unchangeable law, once in being always in being. The delusion which tells of in inborn principle in man both immortal in indestructible, that as we depart here instantaneously awake in a new world with new power and realizations, and upon which fabrication has been built eternal torment, purgatory, and a host of other doctrines, have been sounded out from out pulpits, periodicals, funeral sermons and fireside talks. It has permeated every village and hamlet; it is world wide in its scope, and its defense.

We charge our neighbors with crooked reasoning. They can justly retort, thou are the man. For we are no less bound up with early training than those whom we criticize. We dare not raise the voice against the tenets of faith more than they, without expecting in return a volley denunciation and contempt. Picturing the future of the unsaved with all the horror that words can employ, an eternity of woe and misery, and everlasting existence of torture. AND THE VERY ILLUSTRATIONS USED TO PROVE IT ARE A POSITIVE DENIAL OF IT. And yet I presume not one of them has noticed it, because they use the same proofs over and over.

430

Often have my friends exhorted me to be cautious in the agitation of convictions contrary to the established teaching of the Christ; that it would be in opposition to all the scholarship of the world. That I would be practically alone, and bring the scorn of the religious world upon me. Yet those same friends would give a world painting of eternal torment that would make Hopkins turn over in his grave and give a sigh of relief. Henceforth let the logically remove the serious objections against their peculiar tent, with the word of God, rather than by scholastic writers. Thought it be an error, they would not call a long nurtured theory in question in fear of combating scholarship. Verily, scholarship will not tear down its own building. Shall we muzzle out inherited right of free thinking and free speaking and bow to the mandates of theological speculations? Shall we decide that investigation of disputed points of the Bible ought to be suppressed to honor the scholarship back of them? There is no delusion in the name of religion preached among men, that has no scholarship back of it. Then why oppose error at all? Though I should get no hearing, I prefer to be alone in the truth, than with the multitude in error. But I am not along. Thousands are in sympathy with these arguments, many of them representing the highest channels of learning. But, on the other hand, thousand of great learned men have lived in error all their lives, and never able to come to the knowledge of the truth. While many of the weak and lowly have found the truth and laid hold of it. If all ages of the world many thing have been withheld form the wise and prudent, and revealed unto babes. Learning too often leads to speculation, rather than an earnest search for the truth.‖

…The Bible cannot agree with ―TOM and DICK‖ if ―TOM and DICK‖ do not agree with one another. But ―TOM and DICK‖S‖

faith should not have any intrinsic weight on the subject. We protest against their policies. They have confused the public mind by grinding out of their theological burrs, new meanings into common words. They have thrown false colors over the scriptures.

They have inherited in a large measure their faith, and in this way religious heredity has muzzled the powers of their reason. SO

WHY LET TOM AND DICK FOREVER CLOSE OUR EYES AND SEAL OUR MOUTHS, DICTATING TO US A RELIGIOUS

TEACHING? ON ITS VERY FACE IT IS AN OBVIOUS FARCE AND AN EXTRAVAGANT BURLESQUE ON THE GREAT

ARCHITECT OF THE UNIVERSE.

The issue before us in this work is that unfounded theory of ―natural immortality, or the deathless nature of the soul,‖ which if ever established must include the dog and the bear. Let that dogma be confirmed and the whole structure of eternal torment must stand forever unscathed. Fundamental to the entire doctrine is this theory. If it stand, the conclusion is inevitable. If it falls, the whole fabric built upon it crushes into atoms.

…Some one may ask, what does it matter if we do believe it? IT MATTERS MUCH. Let me point you to some of its mischief.

What caused Universalism to rise up and deny the future retribution? That very doctrine of natural immortality. How die it cause it? This way—they believed the spirit of man indestructible. They saw a furnace of fire in scripture opening its jaws to receive countless hosts. They know the fire could only torture such a spirit. They saw no release from it: they saw in the distant eternity the writhing millions of humanity no nearer the end of their suffering than when they entered. They thought ―HORROR!‖ Such would make God a tyrant, more terrible than a thousand inquisitions of the dark ages. They cried ―absurdity.‖ They cried right, too. So they devised a crude escape. They figured it al away, and agreed to take all men into heaven irrespective of moral qualification. All punishment became to them reformative, and, ultimately, the last man would depart for glory.

From whence came the soul-benumbing ingredients of Calvin‘s Eternal Election of much of the human race to everlasting misery in a lake of fire, regardless of moral attire, choice or conduct‖ Came it not from the gangrenes of putrescent mental sore?

Came it not from a scattering mind, incapacitated to gather, associate and concentrate evidence? With him, the deathless nature of the soul was a profound reality—it was unquestionable—to doubt was to exhibit weakness. He saw God revealed in scripture with powers sweeping all infinity. He saw some intimations of an election, a pre-election, a foreknowledge, and following this lead he unconsciously forced to the grossest absurdity the mind of man can entertain. Lay your premises in error, and draw your conclusions in harmony, and you have a falsehood masquerading in your brain in the guise of the angel of truth.

What caused induced the rise of ―spiritualism?‖ That dark, deceitful pretense of talking with the dead. Any one may talk to the dead, but the dead answers not. These people also were repulsed by the doctrine of endless misery, and immediately rejected the Bible, but held tenaciously to the eternal perpetuity of the spirit of man, and invented a diabolical fare for its chart of unseen activity. Notwithstanding the Divine denunciations against it as the work of devilish agencies.

Upon what is “Purgatory” and Saint Worship” founded? Are not its entire fortifications resting upon that one delicate thread? These delusive and pernicious evils of Catholicism, destined to drag man and women, boys and girls down to an irredeemable fate, under the “spell” that a failure hear means but a little longer term of purification in the fires of Purgatory.

Again, from that theory, legions of infidels and atheist have been created: besides, thousands more have wandered off into every form and bypath of delusion. Denying the conclusions and consequences to which the theory leads, man have given wings to scores of false notions withdrawing from it entirely, or making some sour of apology for God as did Thompson in the “Theism,” “that it belongs to the necessities of existence and can not therefore be otherwise.”

431

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