Biblical Universalism - Northland Books

Those Who Will Be Lost

Biblical Fact # 2

All persons, except Jesus Christ, are liable for and
polluted by the imputed sin of Adam (inherited sin).
However, the Scriptures do not teach or imply that
anyone is consigned to eternal damnation solely on

the basis of their sin in Adam APART FROM actual,

willful and persistent sin on the part of the person

so consigned.

All of mankind is dead in sin through the first Adam, all whom he represented are like him. All, who the second Adam represents, are likewise given the inheritance of his actions. There can be no doubt about this.

Those represented by the first Adam are “all of mankind.” The full context of the Scriptures reveals that there is an exception, the Son of Man, Jesus Christ. He is "of mankind," "the seed of the woman," a descendant of David and Abraham. His human genealogy is recorded for us (Matthew 1:1-16). Nevertheless, he “had no sin” (2 Cor. 5:21). He is “the lamb without blemish or defect” (1 Peter 1:19). The corruption spread from the first Adam to all his descendants – except for Christ alone.

The result of the first Adam’s sin is described as “condemnation for all men,” even though there is an exception, the Son of Man, as revealed in the broader context of the Scriptures. Completely parallel to this the result of the second Adam’s righteousness is described in the Scriptures as “justification that brings life for all men” (Rom. 5:18) even though there are exceptions as revealed in the broader context of the Scriptures. There are those who “will be punished with everlasting destruction and shut out from the presence of the Lord and from the majesty of his power on the day he comes" (2 Thess. 1:9).

The Scriptures reveal that there are some persons who will be finally lost. In this Posting we consider the question:

WHO WILL BE FINALLY LOST?

It is very important to notice that the question is not "Who deserves to be finally lost?" The answer to this question is crystal-clear, "all men." Due to the fall and disobedience of our first parents all persons, except Jesus Christ, are conceived and born in sin. Consequently every one of them deserves eternal death and God placed them under the sentence of death. "The result of one trespass was condemnation for all men" (Rom. 5:18a).

Romans 1:18 through 3:20 and parallel passages reveal the corruption and blameworthiness of all persons that result from their sin in Adam (inherited sin). These passages are a description of every person who is not born again and a picture of every child of God before he or she was born again. They reveal the fact that "All have turned away, they have together become worthless; there is no one who does good, not even one" (Rom. 3:12). We can use the technical terms of theology and say that this inherited sin of all mankind is both sufficient and efficient to bring all persons into eternal condemnation.

However, the teaching of original (inherited) sin does not distinguish those who will be saved from those who will be finally lost. The disobedience of the first Adam resulted in the fact that every person born into this world, except Jesus Christ, was born sinful by nature and was justly sentenced to eternal death. The doctrine of original sin does not tell us whether many or few, all or none, of those involved in it will be finally lost.

A VAST DIFFERENCE

We must keep in mind that there is a vast difference between being sentenced to death because one is worthy of such a judgment and actually experiencing eternal death. The first Adam’s sin placed all persons on death row waiting for the final moment of judgment except one person, the man Jesus. Jesus, the second Adam, voluntarily entered death row and “set his face steadfastly” to enter the execution chamber. There he was crucified in the place of all those who were on death row — except those who personally, willfully and finally continue in their sin and unbelief, as revealed throughout the Scriptures (Posting # 2).

God would be perfectly just in consigning all persons to hell solely on the basis of their sin in Adam. However, in his grace, God has chosen not to so consign anyone apart from individualized indifference to or rejection of the revelation he has given to them, either in nature/conscience (Rom. 1:19-21) or in gospel presentation (John 3:18). Nowhere in all of Scripture do we read, neither is it implied nor is it to be inferred, that anyone ever suffers eternal death by reason of their sin in Adam, apart from individual, willful, and final unbelief and sin on the part of the person so rejected.

NO ONE IS CONSIGNED TO HELL BEFORE THEY ARE BORN

[For the Christian Reformed Church's Statement, see Posting # 11.]

In 1977 an official complaint was registered against the Reformed creeds charging that these creeds teach that some persons are consigned to hell solely on the basis of original (inherited) sin. This allowed the possibility that some persons are consigned to hell before they are born. Historically it had been argued that Calvinism taught that infants "a span long" were cast into eternal flames. Therefore, it is a good thing that a committee was appointed to study this time-worn allegation. After three years of study their report (Study Report 30) was adopted by the 1980 Synod of the Christian Reformed Church and was confirmed by the 1981 Synod (See Posting #11).

This report was sent to all the churches of the CRC to shed light on the biblical and creedal teaching regarding those who will be finally lost (the Reprobate). All page references are to the 1980 Acts of Synod:

According to Report 30 the basis or cause of condemnation (consignment to hell, eternal death) is: man's "sin" (PP.516, 517); "sin and unbelief" (seven times, PP.516, 517, 522, 548 [twice], 553, and 554)." "God consigns to destruction only on the basis of what that person does and whatever evil actions that person performs" (P.521). "So can we say that God rejects only those who reject him? Most emphatically we can" (P.521). "Damnation is a response to the evil the 'reprobates' do" (P.522). "They themselves are the agents of unbelief" (P.530). An agent is one who acts for himself or for another person.

This official elucidation continues -- "God condemns to destruction only those who do, in fact, sin and exhibit unbelief" (P.530). "Human beings are condemned only on the basis of what they actually do in history" (P.530). "Those not selected have disqualified themselves through their sins" (P.537). "The condition of the nonelect results from their unbelief" (P.538). "Condemnation, however, is to be found solely in the persistent unbelief and sin of those so condemned" (P.553).

NO ONE WILL BE FINALLY LOST APART FROM . . .

For 17 years before this report appeared I had searched, and asked others to search, the Scriptures to determine who will be finally lost. My book, Unconditional Good News (Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Co.) appeared in June of 1980 within one week of Synod adopting Report 30. In that book I come to the same conclusion as Report 30. No one will be finally lost apart from individual, willful, persistent sin on the part one consigned to eternal death.

All who are finally lost will be lost for one reason only. That is because they persistently, knowingly and willfully rejected or remained indifferent to God's truth, kindness and company, however it was revealed to them during their lives on earth (John 3:19). They will have consciously said "No" to God and insisted on living apart from him.

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Contact the Author, Neal Punt, at: whenindoubt3@charter.net