Shall Not See Life.
“He that believeth on the Son hath everlasting life; and he that believeth not the Son, shall not see life; but the wrath of God abideth on him.”—John 3:36.
In this passage, a statement is made of the consequences of belief and unbelief in the present life, without any reference to the immortal state of existence. It indicates no permanent condition of the moral status of the believer or unbeliever. It does not say that he who believeth not on the Son now, shall never see life; for the Scriptures teach that the unbeliever may “see life” when he believes, and professed Christians of all names accept this sentiment. They urge unbelievers to accept Christ, believe on him and find life. The passage simply points out the effects of belief and unbelief. The believer hath everlasting life only as long as he is a believer; if he shall abandon his faith and again become an unbeliever, he no longer has life; but whenever he believes again on the Son, he finds life. And though it is said that he who believeth not on the Son, shall not see life, which is true as long as a man remains in unbelief, yet when he believes on Christ, he sees life, he enjoys everlasting life.
Peter was in the enjoyment of everlasting life as long as he believed on the Son; but when he denied his Master, and began to curse and swear, he did not see life — did not enjoy everlasting life; but when he repented, he again found life. Saul, breathing out threatening and slaughter against the Christians, did not see life; but when he believed on the Son, he was in possession of everlasting life. The text does not imply that the unbeliever cannot become a believer and find life, because Paul and all the disciples and apostles were once unbelievers, and had not life; but they believed, and then had everlasting life. So with all professed Christians; they were once unbelievers, and had not life, but through belief of the truth they came into possession of everlasting life.
But, says the objector, the passage means that he who believes not on Christ in this world, shall never see life in the future world! This is plainly adding to the text; and we deny that it has any such meaning. As the passage contains no such language, the presumption is, that it was not designed to teach any such sentiment. Had this been its meaning, it undoubtedly would have been distinctly stated! It simply says that he that believeth not on the Son, shall not see life, but the wrath of God abideth on him — not shall abide on him in eternity, but abideth on him while in unbelief. So when a man becomes a believer, no wrath abideth on him. The wrath ceases when unbelief ceases.
Belief and unbelief, with their natural and legitimate consequences, are placed in opposition to each other. He that believeth on the Son hath everlasting life. Belief brings him in possession of it now. The enjoyment of everlasting life is the present reward of belief. The condition of the unbeliever is exactly opposite that of the believed. While in unbelief, he is without this life. It comes through faith, and cannot be enjoyed in unbelief. As a legitimate punishment, the wrath of God abideth on him, but only while an unbeliever. When he believes on the Son, he is delivered from the consequences of unbelief. The life which the unbeliever cannot see, is the everlasting life which the believer enjoys. Their conditions are opposite. But no intimation is given that they will remain opposite through eternity. The unbeliever of to-day may be a believer to-morrow, and then the expression, “shall not see life,” has no farther application to him. But becoming a believer, he has everlasting life, and the wrath of God no longer abides on him.
In the Bible, the terms “life” and “death” frequently refer to the moral and spiritual condition of mankind. A state of moral darkness, blindness, unbelief, and sin, is spoken of as a state of death. So on the other hand, a state of mental and spiritual illumination, christian faith and obedience, is spoken of as a state of life and peace. “You hath he quickened who were dead in trespasses and in sins.” Eph. 2:1. The believer on earth is represented as having “passed from death unto life.’ John 5:24. Again: “We know that we have passed from death unto life, because we love the brethren.” 1 John 3:13. “To be carnally minded is death, but to be spiritually minded is life and peace.” Rom. 8:6. Death represents a state of unbelief and sin, and life represents a state of belief and spiritual culture. And both of these conditions are experienced in this world. Passing from death unto life, in Scripture phraseology, is passing from a state of moral darkness and sin, into the light of truth and the paths of obedience.
He that believeth on the Son, hath life — he has moral and spiritual life, the peace of God that passeth knowledge, joy unspeakable and full of glory. While he that believeth not the Son, has no such sweet peace, no rest, for he has not the light of life. While in unbelief, he is destitute of life. As long as a man continues in unbelief he shall not see life. But the wrath of God abideth on him.
This term “wrath,” when applied to God, is not to be understood as indicating any revengeful emotion, or unholy passion on the part of our heavenly Father. The sacred writers not unfrequently speak of the anger of God, and the wrath of God, and vengeance of the Lord. We certainly should give to such expressions an interpretation which will not oppose the sublime truth that “God is love.” If He is a God of infinite love, then He is not moved by passion, and anger, and hate, and wrath. “Anger,” we read, “resteth in the bosoms of fools,” it can find no lodgment therefore in the bosom of our heavenly Father. If God were angry as men are angry, why should He condemn anger in man? Man in that case would be like his God. We totally misapprehend God, when we attribute to Him such bad passions.
All such language is employed in a metaphorical sense, to indicate God’s disapprobation of sin and the punishment inflicted on the transgressor. God could reveal Himself to man only through language adapted to human comprehension. To exhibit the personality of God, He is spoken of sometimes as a man, with the physical organism of man, with eyes, ears, hands and feet. He is also represented as walking, and riding, and resting. All such expressions are metaphorical and cannot be understood literally. So when God is spoken of as having the passions of man, and as being moved by anger and wrath, the language is metaphorically used, or as Professor Stuart says, anthropapathic, that is, after the manner of men. It is used to represent God’s disapproval of iniquity and the punishment He inflicts for transgression. Hence we have such language as this: “O Assyrian, the rod of mine anger, and the staff in mine hand is mine indignation.” Isa. 10:5. The Assyrian army is represented as the rod of his anger, and the staff in their hand is God’s indignation. Such language being brought down to human comprehension, is not to be interpreted literally. But speaking after the manner of men, God is said to beangry, and as having the passions of man, the same as He is represented as having human organization, eyes, feet, and arms.
In Professor Stuart’s Commentary on the Epistle to the Romans, we find the following valuable reflections on this subject:
“It is impossible to unite, with the idea of complete perfection, the idea of anger in the sense in which we cherish that passion; for with us it is a source of misery as well as sin. To neither of these effects of anger, can we properly suppose the Divine Being to be exposed. His anger then can be only that feeling or affection in Him, which moves Him to look on sin with disapprobation, and to punish it when connected with impenitence. We must not, even in imagination, connect this in the remotest manner with revenge; which is only and always a malignant passion. But vengeance even among men, is seldom sought for against those whom we know to be perfectly impotent, in respect to thwarting any of our designs and purposes. Now, as all men, and all creation, can never endanger any one interest (if I may so speak,) of the Divine Being, or defeat a single purpose; so we cannot even imagine a motive for revenge on ordinary grounds. Still less can we suppose the case to be of this nature, when we reflect that God is infinite in wisdom, power and goodness. This constrains us to understand the anger and indignation of God as anthropapathic, i.e., speaking of God after the manner of men. It would be quite as well (nay, much better) to say that when the Bible attributes hands, eyes, arm, etc., to God, the words which it employs should be literally understood, as to say that when it attributes anger and vengeance to Him, it is to be literally understood. But if we so construe the Scriptures in this latter case, we represent God as a malignant Being, and class Him among the demons; whereas by attributing to Him hands, eyes, etc., we only represent Him to be like men.”
When it is therefore said that the “wrath” of God abideth on the unbeliever, we must not give to this language an interpretation which will lead us to suppose that our heavenly Father gives way to angry passions, or is influenced by wrathful emotions. Dr. Adam Clarke, the Methodist commentator, thinks that the original word, (oryí [ὀργή]) here rendered wrath, would be better expressed by the word punishment. He says:
“Taken in this sense, we may consider the phrase as a Hebraism: punishment of God, i.e., the most heavy and awful of all punishments; such as sin deserves, and such as it becomes divine justice to inflict. And this abideth on him, (the unbeliever) endures as long as his unbelief and disobedience remain.”
The divine punishment, according to this eminent divine, would remain on the unbeliever, “as long as his unbelief and disobedience remain.” This, certainly, does not teach endless punishment, for, as already remarked, the unbeliever of to-day may be a believer to-morrow. All who now believe on Christ were once unbelievers. If it could be shown that any portion of the human race would remain in endless unbelief, then endless punishment would follow! But this cannot be shown. To say that all will be endlessly punished who do not believe on Christ in this world, is to condemn millions of poor heathen for not believing on one whom they have never heard! Will God sweep all those myriads of human souls down to perdition for not believing on Christ, when they never heard his name? Are they to be endlessly punished for not believing on the Savior, when they never had an opportunity to accept him? God, our heavenly Father, never can deal so cruelly with his offspring.
The Scriptures teach an entirely different sentiment. “God hath concluded them all [Jews and Gentiles] in unbelief, that He might have MERCY UPON ALL.” Rom. 11:32. “What if some did not believe? Shall their unbelief make the faith [faithfulness] of God without effect?” God forbid.” Rom. 3:3, 4. In view of these teachings, the objector has no right to assume that a portion of mankind will remain eternally in unbelief; for God will have all men to be saved and come to the knowledge of the truth.” 1 Tim. 2:4. Said Christ, “And I, if I be lifted up from the earth, will draw all men unto me.” John 12:32. When all men are drawn to Christ, and brought to the knowledge of the truth, there will be no unbelievers. Every knee shall bow and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father. (Phil. 2:10, 11.) And it shall not be said, “know the Lord; for all shall know me, from the least to the greatest.” Heb. 8:11.
Wheat And Chaff.
“And now also the axe is laid unto the root of the trees: therefore every tree which bringeth not forth good fruit is hewn down, and cast into the fire…..Whose fan is in his hand, and He will thoroughly purge his floor, and gather his wheat into his garner; but He will burn up the chaff with unquenchable fire.”—Matthew 3:10–12.
“Every tree that bringeth not forth good fruit is hewn down, and cast into the fire.”—Matthew 7:19.
“And also the axe is laid unto the root of the trees: every tree therefore which bringeth not forth good fruit, is hewn down, and cast into the fire…..Whose fan is in his hand, and He will thoroughly purge his floor, and will gather the wheat into the garner; but the chaff He will burn with fire unquenchable.”—Luke 3:9–17.
These passages, so closely connected, having reference to the same subject, may appropriately be examined together. We hardly need say, that they have been frequently urged in support of the doctrine of endless punishment. But there is no evidence to believe that John made any allusion to the condition of man in the immortal state of existence. He had reference entirely to events about to transpire about the time he wrote. He had noticed the presence of the Pharisees and Saducees who had attended his ministrations on the banks of the Jordan, and desired to know who had warned them to flee from the wrath about to come, or from impending judgments. He knew well that a fearful calamity was about to overtake the Jewish nation, that the people were again to be punished for their iniquity, and suffer a second destruction — which was their second death — and that they were to be driven again from the presence of the Lord, or from Jerusalem, and the temple, where they supposed the presence of the Lord dwelt in some peculiar sense. They had been a highly favored people, the depositories of God’s truth, and had enjoyed many exalted favors; but they became proud and sinful, and forgot the God who blessed them, disregarded his commands and misimproved their opportunities, and plunged into iniquity. They filled up the measure of their iniquity by persecuting the prophets, and crucifying the Son of God, and putting him to an open shame.
At the time John made his appearance, God was about to deal with them for their sin, and inflict upon them an adequate punishment, which might warn the nations of the earth, that they could not sin with impunity. The axe was laid at the root of the tree, and those who bore not good fruit, were to be hewn down and cast into the fire; the threshing floor was to be thoroughly purged, and while the wheat was to be gathered into the garner, the chaff was to be burned with unquenchable fire. This language, which was highly figurative, referred to the severe national judgments about to come upon this ungodly nation.
John employed this bold, figurative, oriental style of speech, because it was familiar to the Jewish people, and they, knowing how such language was used in their sacred Scriptures, could not fail to understand him. The “trees” represent the Jewish people, and the “axe” was the Roman power, or instrument of their destruction. And by the axe being laid unto the root of the trees, we understand him to mean, that the national judgments were nigh at hand, and punishment was soon to be visited upon the sinful house of Israel. It was quite common among the Jews, to represent the destruction of cities and nations, by the cutting down of trees. Hence, we read in Isaiah 40:34, 34, as follows:
“Behold the Lord, the Lord of hosts shall lop the bough with terror; and the high ones of stature shall be hewn down, and the haughty shall be humbled. And he shall cut down the thickest of the forest with iron, and Lebanon shall fall by a mighty one.”
The prophet Jeremiah speaks of the conquest of Egypt thus:
“The voice thereof shall go like a serpent; for they shall march with an army, and come against her with axes, as hewers of wood. They shall cut down her forest, saith the Lord, though it cannot be searched; because they are more than the grasshoppers, and are innumerable.” Jer. 10:22, 23.
Fire, too, was a very common emblem to represent national destruction.
“For thus saith the Lord unto the king’s house of Judah: Thou art Gilead unto me, and the head of Lebanon: yet surely I will make thee a wilderness, and cities which are not inhabited. And I will prepare destroyers against thee, every one with his weapons: and they shall cut down thy choice cedars, and cast them into the fire. And many nations shall pass by the city, and they shall say every man to his neighbor, Wherefore hath the Lord done thus unto this great city?” Jer. 22:6, 7, 8.
See also Numbers 21:28; Psalms 97:3.
This explanation is so evident, that it is supported by some very learned orthodox commentators, even against their religious prejudices and early education.
“We risk little in referring this to the Roman power and armies, which, as an axe, most vehemently cut away the very existence of the Jewish polity and state.”— Calmet.
“By the axe being now laid to the root of the tree, may fitly be understood; first, the certainty of their desolation; and second, the nearness, in that the instrument of their destruction was already prepared, and brought close to them; the Romans that should ruin their city and nation, being already masters and rulers over them.”— Lightfoot.
“It was customary with the prophets to represent the kingdoms, nations and individuals whose ruin they predicted, under the notion of forests and trees, doomed to be cut down. See Jer. 46:22, 23; Ezek. 31:3–11, 12. The Baptist follows the same metaphor. The Jewish nation is the tree, and the Romans the axe, which, by the just judgment of God, was speedily to cut it down.” — Dr. Adam Clarke.
In the 12th verse, reference is made to the ancient mode of threshing grain, and separating the “wheat” from the “chaff.” By the “wheat” allusion is made to the disciples of Christ who were preserved from the calamities which came upon that ungodly nation.
“In this whole verse (the 12th,) the destruction of the Jewish state is expressed in the terms of husbandmen; and by the wheat being gathered into the garner, seems meant, that the believers in Jesus should not be involved in that calamity.”— Bishop Pearce.
“The Romans are here termed God’s fan, as in verse 10, they are called his axe, and in chapter xxii. 7, they are termed his troops or armies. His floor — does not this mean the land of Judea, which had been long, as it were, the threshing floor of the Lord? God says, he will now, by the winnowing fan, (viz., the Romans,) thoroughly cleanse his floor — the wheat — those who believe in the Lord Jesus, he will gather into his garner — either take to heaven from the evil to come, or put in a place of safety, as he did the Christians, by sending them to Pelia, in Corlosyria, previously to the destruction of Jerusalem. But He will burn up the chaff — the disobedient and rebellious Jews, who would not come unto Christ that they might have life.”— Dr. Adam Clarke.
The phrase “unquenchable fire,” does not signify a fire that shall burn to all eternity; but signifies utter destruction; when applied to nations, it means complete overthrow, ruin.
“‘Unquenchable fire’ — that cannot be extinguished by man.” — Dr. Adam Clarke.
“They put fire to the chaff at the wind side, and that keeps on, and never gives over, till it has consumed all the chaff, and so it is a kind of ásveston pír, an unquenchable fire — a fire never quenchable till it hath done it work. * * * * It was fulfilled on the Jews even in this life, (as it was oft foretold,) the godly, true penitents that received Christ, through these tribulations, were preserved, when the rest that could not bear or hold out the trial, all that the wind of temptation, false doctrine, etc., carried away, were generally destroyed — the corn laid up in the garner, and the chaff devoured with fire.” — Dr. Hammond.
“‘Unquenchable fire’— i.e., evidently until it had consumed the whole chaff, for after dry and combustible materials are set on fire, it does not go out until it has destroyed the whole. By these words is signified the utter destruction of the Jews, which commenced under Vespasian, and was completed at last under Adrian. Although there were some intervals without war, yet it was not finished until it had broken up and destroyed all the Jews of Palestine.” — Le Clerc.
Christ Judging The World.
“Because he hath appointed a day, in the which he will judge the world in righteousness by that man whom he hath ordained; whereof he hath given assurance unto all men, in that he hath raised him from the dead.” — Acts 17:31.
Many professed religionists have erroneously supposed that this passage refers to the future, immortal world, and to a day, fixed in the counsels of the Almighty, when the whole intelligent universe will be assembled before the bar of God, after the resurrection, and judged according to their deserts; some acquitted and pronounced worthy of everlasting life, while others will be condemned, and consigned to the regions of hopeless despair. This judgment day, it is believed, was appointed from the foundation of the world. But this view of the subject is entirely assumed, there being not the least proof to substantiate such an opinion.
True, a day has been appointed, in which God, by his Son, Jesus Christ, was to judge the world in righteousness, but we are not informed that this work was to be done in the immortal state of existence. This mistaken opinion arises from a misapprehension of the biblical doctrine of judgment.
If the exposition which orthodoxy has given to this passage be correct, what significance would there be to the language: “But now commandeth men everywhere to repent, because he has appointed a day in which He will judge the world in righteousness?” The sacrificial church teaches that this day was appointed from the foundation of the world, and if so, the motive to repentance from this consideration was equally strong, centuries before the apostle uttered this language; but he speaks as though God, in some special sense, was about to judge the world in righteousness, and because of this, men were urged then to repent. But now commandeth men to repent, because He hath appointed a day in which mankind were to be judged.
He spoke as though a new administration was about to commence, and men were to be tried by different principles, and governed by a different law, hence the expression: “But now commandeth,” etc., as though some new motive were presented to the world, to lead men to repentance.
We find upon examination that it was so. A brief reference to the context will essentially aid us in our present investigations. It appears that while Paul was at Athens, on a certain occasion, his spirit was stirred within him when he saw the whole city given to idolatry. Having himself been made acquainted with the way of life and salvation, he ardently desired that others should be brought to the knowledge of the truth, and rejoice in hope of the glory of God. He saw the world lying in wickedness, and those about him lost in sin and error, groping in the darkness of heathenism, bowing to their idols, and worshiping — they knew not what!
When the world was thus wrapped in heathenish darkness, man was not held accountable to the law of Christ. That time of moral darkness and heathenism was to be winked at. That time of ignorance was permitted by God for some wise purpose, and during that period, the heathen were not to be judged by the light of Christianity. Hence it is said that that time of ignorance was to be winked at. But now that the gospel, designed for Jew and Gentile, was preached, and a new dispensation had commenced, and christian truths were proclaimed, all nations were to be judged by the higher principles of Christianity, and held accountable to the teachings of the gospel, and therefore all men were exhorted to repent; hence the language of the apostle: “But now commandeth men everywhere to repent.” A different administration had commenced; a new era had begun; another day had dawned upon the moral universe; the day of Christian truth and love had commenced; the sun of righteousness had risen with healing in his wings! He had appeared, who was appointed by God, to judge the world in righteousness. Divine light had burst upon the moral universe; the moral darkness which had settled down upon the world was receding, and now all were to be held amenable to the teachings of Christ. Hence all were commanded to listen to the heavenly Instructor, to turn from their idolatry, and receive Jesus as the Sent of God and the Savior of the world.
As God had appointed a day in which He was about to judge the world, or introduced a dispensation of grace through Jesus Christ, messengers of truth were now sent forth to instruct the Gentile nations of the earth concerning the principles of this new economy, as all people were now to be judged or governed by the divine teachings of the gospel. Hence a new motive was presented to the Gentiles, or the heathen nations, whose sins had before been winked at. God had permitted those nations to remain in ignorance without any special and divine illumination. The Jews had long been the depositories of heaven’s truth, but now the Gentiles were to be favored with a divine revelation, and were to be fellow-heirs of the same promise, and receive the heavenly benediction.
God had never before so revealed himself to the world, hence, He is said to have “winked” at that time of ignorance. For a time, He permitted the people to remain in ignorance, and made no miraculous communications to the Gentile world. But now the revelation made to the world was designed for all the nations of the earth, hence God commanded all men now to repent, to abandon their idolatrous worship, for He had appointed a day, or dispensation of grace and truth, through Jesus Christ, and the world henceforth was to be judged by his righteous principles. Now a new dispensation had commenced; Christ’s spiritual kingdom was established, and he was to reign and rule and govern by righteous principles. All were embraced in his heavenly mission, and all were to be blessed in his covenant of grace and truth. The former period of ignorance was permitted and passed, but now that God had made a revelation of Himself through Jesus Christ, all were required to give heed to his divine instruction and walk in obedience to his heavenly commands.
The passage before us then, has particular reference to the reign of Christ upon the earth, and has not the least allusion to the immortal world. To judge, in this scriptural sense, is to reign, to govern, to rule. Jesus came to establish a kingdom in the earth, to reign and govern by his divine principles, and we are now held amenable to his laws, judged by his teachings and condemned or acquitted, just as our conduct is in harmony with its requisitions. We stand before his teachings, which are the laws of his moral administration. Hence the significant language of Jesus, when he made his appearance on earth: “For judgment I am come into this world.” John 9:39. Again we read, “The Father judgeth no man, but hath committed all judgment unto the Son.” John 5:22. “And hath given him authority to execute judgment also.” Verse 27. “Now is the judgment of this world.” John 12:31.
This day which God appointed to judge the world in righteousness refers to the gospel day, or to the whole period of Christ’s reign. This gospel day, or dispensation of grace and love, is referred by the apostle as follows: “Now is the day of salvation.” 2 Cor. 6:2.
The word day in the Scriptures often means an indefinite period of time. “The day is at hand.” Rom. 13:12. The night of heathenish darkness was far spent, and a brighter period was approaching — a better season was nigh at hand. Jesus referred to his reign upon earth by calling it a “day.” “Abraham rejoiced to see my day, and he saw it, and was glad.” John 8:56.
That period of time had been spoken of as a day, by Zechariah the prophet, thus: “In that day there shall be a fountain opened to the house of David, and to the inhabitants of Jerusalem for sin and for uncleanness.” Zech. 13:1. “In that day there shall be one Lord, and his name one.” Zech. 14:9. Again: “Behold the days come, saith the Lord, that I will raise unto David a righteous branch, and a king shall reign and prosper, and shall execute judgment and justice in the earth.” Jer. 23:5.
Christ was the righteous Branch referred to by the prophet who was to execute judgment in the earth, hence he came to judge the world in righteousness. The world was to be judged by his principles and truth. Now that Christ had come to reign and rule and govern by the divine principles of his religion, the former ignorance which had been permitted, was winked at, or overlooked. The nations of the earth had been allowed to walk in their own way. But now a new era had commenced, a better dispensation began, a brighter day had dawned upon the world. God appointed a day, or dispensation of grace, to communicate divine truth to those sitting in darkness and in the region and shadow of death. Christ the heavenly messenger had made his appearance, hence the apostle says: “But now commandeth all men everywhere to repent.” A new dispensation had commenced; the people were no longer to be justified by the law, but were to be judged by the principles of the gospel, therefore all were commanded to give heed to the teachings of Christ. And to show that he was divinely commissioned and sent of God, assurance had been given unto all men, in that, God had raised him from the dead.
Learned divines and commentators agree in saying that “judge” is often used in the Scriptures in the sense of “ruling,” or “reigning.” Macknight says: “In the Hebrew language, to judge, signifies to rule, or govern.” In this sense, Christ came to judge men in the earth; to rule and govern by the all conquering power of his truth and love. For judgment he came into this world, to establish a spiritual kingdom and rule, or government. And he shall judge, or reign, till he hath put all enemies under his feet, and God shall be all in all.” 1 Cor. 15:24.
Eternal Judgment.
“Therefore leaving the principles of the doctrine of Christ, let us go on unto perfection: not laying again the foundation of repentance from dead works, and of faith towards God, Of the doctrine of baptisms, and of laying on of hands, and of resurrection of the dead, and of eternal judgment.”— Hebrews 6:1, 2.
This language, as it stands in our English version of the Scriptures, does not fully and clearly express the apostle’s meaning. As the words now stand, the passage teaches that believers were to abandon or leave the principles of the doctrine of Christ, to go on unto perfection. It is absurd to suppose that Paul designed to affirm that the Hebrew Christians ought to forsake or leave the fundamental principles of Christianity and the doctrines of Christ, in order to go on to perfection, for in the immediate context the apostle speaks of their deficiency in those principles, and need of instruction in the oracles of truth. He says: “For when for the time, ye ought to be teachers, ye have need that one teach you again, which be the first principles of the oracles of God; and are become such as have need of milk, and not of strong meat.” He would have them rightly instructed in the word of God. They were not to hold the great principles of the gospel in light esteem. He desired to have them progressive Christians; to make advancement in the virtues and graces of the gospel. Instead of recommending indifference to the doctrines of Christ, he urged them to growth in wisdom and knowledge, and not remain babes in the truth, but go forward unto perfection, not be satisfied with the mere rudiments of Christianity; having learned these, they should go on unto perfection; they should not turn back to the old dispensation — not turn again to the law, which had been a school-master to bring them to Christ. There was a disposition on the part of the Hebrew Christians to return to the ceremonies of the law, and to incorporate some of those ceremonies into their worship, having been strongly wedded to Judaism, it was difficult to draw them away from it. They had been instructed in the first principles of the gospel, but still they were strongly attached to the religion of their fathers, and continued to look back to the law dispensation, instead of pressing forward towards the higher truths of the gospel. Paul was afraid that they would return again to the beggarly elements of Judaism, or ceremonials of the law, and introduce the old form of repentance, the doctrine of baptisms or divers washings, laying on of hands, etc., as recognized by that old Jewish religion to which they were so strongly attached.
Not laying again the foundation of repentance from dead works. Under the old dispensation, a man who came in contact with a dead body was regarded as unclean seven days. He was to purify himself by the sprinkling of the ashes of an heifer. (See Numbers 19:11–19.) The apostle denominates this ceremonial of the law, “dead works.” Now that the gospel had come, whose author had blotted out the hand writing of ordinances, there was no further need for such ceremony, and it was only dead works. He says:
“For if the blood of bulls and of goats, and the ashes of a heifer sprinkling the unclean, sanctifieth to the purifying of the flesh: How much more shall the blood of Christ, who, through the eternal Spirit, offered himself without spot to God, purge your conscience from dead works to serve the living God.” Heb. 9:13, 14.
All such forms and ceremonies under the gospel dispensation were useless, hence, he calls them dead works. If the Jew could be purified by the ashes of an heifer, how much greater the purification by the offering of Christ. Now, all were to look to Christ, and under this new economy, there was no necessity of returning to the law or laying again the foundation of repentance from dead works as formerly. These things had passed, and the Jew, instead of looking back to these, should look to Christ, as the author and finisher of our faith. It was not enough to exercise faith towards God, under the new dispensation, but the believer was to recognize Christ as the true Teacher sent from God. The ancient Hebrews had a faith in a coming Messiah; but Paul instructed the Hebrew Christians, now that Christ had made his appearance, that they should not return to the old dispensation, and believe that God would send a Savior, and lay again any such foundation of faith in God. They were to receive Christ as the promised Messiah and Savior of the world.
Doctrine of Baptisms. This form of expression was peculiarly Jewish, and shows that reference was made to the ceremonies of the law. Under the gospel era, there was “one Lord, one faith, one baptism,” but under the Jewish economy, there were baptisms, or washings. Paul calls them “divers baptisms,” or “washings.” These ordinances were all abrogated by the introduction of Christianity, and constituted no part of the first principles of the doctrine of Christ. Now that Christ had come, the Hebrew Christians should hear him, and no longer adhere to the old doctrine of baptisms, and Jewish washings, and of the laying on of hands. This refers to the ceremony of the priest, who placed his hands upon the head of the goat, and confessed the sins of the people, and then the goat escaped into the wilderness, or land of forgetfulness. (Lev. 16:21.) In this way the people were ceremonially purified. But now that Christ had come, the people were to be purified by the application of his grace and truth and love to the heart.
Resurrection of the Dead. We do not understand that any allusion is here made to the immortal resurrection of all mankind; but rather to a resuscitation of animal life, as referred to in chapter xi. 35, “Women received their dead raised to life again; and others were tortured, not accepting deliverance, that they might attain a better resurrection.” A few instances are mentioned in the Old Testament, where the dead were restored to life again. Elijah raised the son of a widow, and Elisha raised the Shumanite’s son. These were looked upon by the Jews as remarkable exhibitions of the divine presence and favor. But even such wonderful events should not turn them away from the higher display of God’s favor, as revealed through Jesus Christ, who had demonstrated the doctrine of immortality, and brought life and immortality to light.
And of eternal judgment, or ancient judgment, or temporal calamities, or judgment of old. It is probable that allusion is here made to the calamities, or judgments which came upon the Egyptians, for oppressing the ancient Hebrews. It was a judgment that was eternal, or forever, as it is called. “For the Egyptians whom ye have seen to-day, ye shall see them again no more forever.” Exod. 14:13. Bishop Pearce, an eminent orthodox divine, has the following remarks upon this passage:
“I think, therefore, that the words are to be understood in a very different manner, and kríma here seems to me to be put for temporal judgments. Thus the word is used: 1 Peter 4:17, ‘the time is come that judgment must begin at the house of God,’ where the context will not suffer us to take it in any other sense; compare verses 16, 18, 19. So again, 1 Cor. 11:29, ‘He that eateth and drinketh unworthily, eateth and drinketh judgment to himself, not discerning the Lord’s body.’ What this judgment was, appears by the next verse: ‘For this cause many are weak and sickly among you, and many sleep.’ The word eónios, which we have rendered eternal, I take to respect not the time to come, but the time past, and to signify ancient, or past long ago. That the word is thus used without any respect to eternity, we may see, Rom. 16:25; 2 Tim. 1:9; Titus 1:2. See also these places in the LXX., Psalms 77:5; Prov. 22:28; Jer. 18:15; Ezek. 36:2. According to this account of the words, we may consider the Jewish religion as established by the ancient and tremendous judgments, of the execution of which, the books of Moses give an account; such as the deluge, the destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah, and more especially the drowning of Pharaoh and his host in the Red Sea, and perhaps the judgments of God upon the Israelites in the wilderness for their impenitence and unbelief. Of this last, he had, indeed, treated before, but not as a foundation of the Jewish religion, but as an example by which Christians might be warned.” Paul labored to convince the Hebrew Christians, who exhibited some proclivities still for the law, that now Christ had come, they should not turn to the weak and beggarly elements of Judaism; but leave these and go on unto perfection, make advancement in christian truth and the christian life.