Vengeance Of Eternal Fire.
“Even as Sodom and Gomorrah, and the cities about them, in like manner giving themselves over to fornication, and going after strange flesh, are set forth for an example, suffering the vengeance of eternal fire.”—Jude 1:7.
“And turning the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah into ashes, condemned them with an overthrow, making them an ensample unto those that after should live ungodly.”—1 Peter 2:6.
The object of these writers is to exhort the brethren to be constant in their profession of Christianity, and faithful in all their trials and persecutions. False teachers had crept in to pervert the ways of the Lord, and turn the brethren away from the truth; and Jude exhorts them to contend earnestly for the faith once delivered to the saints. To show that these false teachers would be punished, this apostle referred to several cases where it was conceded that the sinful and disobedient had met with an adequate retribution. Among them, Sodom and Gomorrah are mentioned, together with the cities which were destroyed by fire. No reference is made here to the immortal world, to the destruction of the soul in eternity.
Not unfrequently the destruction which came upon Sodom and Gomorrah, is referred to for the purpose of indicating temporal ruin and overwhelming calamity. (See Isaiah 13:19; Jeremiah 49:18.) When it is said they suffered the vengeance of eternal destruction, it means simply complete destruction. Those cities were swept away forever by the fire, the judgment was complete and the destruction perpetual. Hence, they were spoken of as suffering the vengeance of eternal fire. No vestige of those cities remained, hence the fire that consumed them was called eternal. Dr. Whitby comments as follows on this passage:
“That this is spoken not of the cities themselves, but of the inhabitants which dwell in them — i.e., of them who had given themselves over to fornication, and gone after strange flesh — is evident; but yet I conceive they are said to suffer the vengeance of eternal fire, not because their souls are at present punished in hell fire, but because they and their cities perished from that fire from heaven which brought a perpetual and irreparable destruction on them and their cities.”
And the eminent Dr. Barnes says:
“The passage cannot be used to prove that the particular dwellers in Sodom will be punished forever, whatever may be the truth on that point.”
Gilpin.— “Suffering the vengeance of eternal fire: that is, those cities were forever destroyed. The apostle cannot well mean future punishments, because he mentions it as a dhíghma [δεῖγμα]— something that was to be a visible example to all. That word (deriving from dhiknímia [δεικνύμια], to show, or exhibit,) properly signifies to give a sample of something to be sold.”—Expos. in loc.
Benson.— “By their suffering the punishment of eternal fire, St. Jude did not mean that those wicked persons were then, and would be always, burning in hell fire. For he intimates that what they suffered was set forth to public view, and appeared to all, as an example (or specimen,) of God’s displeasure against vice. That fire which consumed Sodom, etc., might be called eternal, as it burned until it had utterly consumed them, or beyond the possibility of their ever being inhabited, or rebuilt. St. Peter has well expressed it, in saying, God reduced them to ashes. But the word will have a yet more emphatical meaning, (if as several authors affirm,) that fire continued to burn a long while; nay even to the time of the writing of this epistle, and afterwards small flames, did sometimes break out.”—Note in loc.
Hammond.”—Everlasting destruction signifies an utter destruction, as of Sodom it is said, Jude 7, that it endured the vengeance of eternal fire and brimstone, which in all reason belonging to the fire and brimstone that destroyed Sodom, must signify, not the eternal burning of that fire, but the utter consumption of the city by that fire, or the fire’s never ceasing to burn till it had utterly consumed the city.”—Annot. in 2 Thess. i. 9.
Doddridge.— “And the earth has produced many awful scenes, in which the divine vengeance has its triumph over sinful mortals, as particularly Sodom and Gomorrah, and the cities about them in like manner with them committing fornication, and yet by grosser and more unnatural licentiousness, going after strange and detestable gratifications of their pampered and indulged flesh, are set forth for an example to other presumptuous sinners; suffering that which really appears a most lively emblem of the vengeance of eternal fire, having their lovely and fruitful country turned into a kind of hell upon earth.”—Par. in loc.
The opinion of these learned and distinguished commentators, we think, are correct. Dr. Barnes, the eminent Presbyterian divine, here says, that that the passage cannot be used to prove the doctrine of endless punishment? Not the slightest allusion is made to suffering in the immortal world.
The fire which destroyed Sodom and Gomorrah, is called eternal because it brought, as Whitby says, a perpetual and irreparable destruction. Those cities were swept away forever. It was everlasting destruction. They were completely overthrown and destroyed. The fire was called eternal, not because it was to burn forever, but because of the complete annihilation of the place, the utter consumption of the cities by the fire. Moses frequently makes allusion to the destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah, but never in a single instance does he represent the inhabitants of those ill-fated cities as suffering after death. How can we account for this on the supposition that he believed they were to suffer endless torments? Peter also makes allusion to the same subject, (2 Peter 2:48,) but says nothing concerning endless punishment. It is said that these cities are set forth as an example. The meaning is, that their destruction was an example to future ages, to show that God will punish the sinful, that divine judgments will overtake the workers of iniquity. Their overthrow is set forth as an example to other nations. As they were punished, so God would punish other sinful people, hence those false teachers, referred to by Jude, who rose up to pervert the ways of the Lord, could not reasonably expect to escape. As an example of divine judgment coming upon the guilty, Sodom and Gomorrah are spoken of, so would those false teachers be overwhelmed and destroyed. The destruction of those cities is referred to as an example of temporal calamities, and not of endless punishment. They were an example of temporal ruin; or, as Peter has it, “an example unto those that after should live ungodly.” As God punished the wicked people of those cities so he would punish those false teachers who turned the grace of God into lasciviousness. The destruction of the Sodomites was a case in point, furnishing a vivid example of the fate to which they should be doomed. Such are our views upon this controverted passage.
We give the following from a valuable writer:
“By the phrase eternal fire, according to Rosenmuller, we may understand a destructive fire, such as lay waste and annihilated the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah, or we may understand by it a fire perpetually smoking. Philo, the Jew, who wrote in the time of our Savior, says de vita Mosis, Lib. II. p. 662 A., that even then there were memorials to be seen in Syria of the overthrow of Sodom and Gomorrah; ruins, ashes, brimstone, smoke and lurid flames which was still emitted, indicative of abiding fire. With this agrees the Book of Wisdom 10:7, which says: ‘Of whose wickedness even in this day the waste land that smoketh is a testimony.’
To the existence of some of those phenomena even to the present day, Dr. Shaw (see Clarke’s Com. on Genesis 19:24.), bears witness. The appearance of smoke and fire of which he speaks, and to which Philo and the author of Wisdom allude, is undoubtedly to be explained by the well known existence of bituminous matter in the bed of the lake Asphaltites, which now occupies the site of those cities. These considerations are sufficient to justify the language of Jude, without resorting to the groundless supposition that he had reference to the future world.”
Whitby has the following on eónios:
“Nor is there any thing more common and familiar in Scripture, than to represent a thorough and irreparable vastation, whose effects and signs should be still remaining, by the word eónios, which we here render eternal. I will set thee, is érimon eónion, in places desolate of old. (Ezek. 26:20.) I will destroy thee, and thou shalt be no more, eis ton eóna, forever. (Verse 21.) I will make thee, erimían eónion, a perpetual desolation, and thy cities shall be built no more. (Chap. 35:9; see also Ezek. 36:2; Isa. 58:12.) They have caused them to stumble in their ways, to make their land desolate, and sirighmón eónion, a perpetual hissing. (Jer. 18:15, 16.) I will bring upon you onidhismón eónion, an everlasting reproach, and a perpetual shame, which shall not be forgotten. (Jer. 23:40, and 21:9.) I will make the land of the Chaldeans a perpetual desolation, thísome aftús is afanismón eónion, they shall sleep, ípnon eónion, a perpetual sleep. (Jer. 51:39.) {{p. 289}}
Who Shall Rise First?
“For this we say unto you by the word of the Lord, that we which are alive and remain unto the coming of the Lord shall not prevent them which are asleep. For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first: Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord.”—1 Thessalonians 4:15–17.
As the meaning of this passage is not apparent to the English reader, different classes of religionists have urged it in support of conflicting theories. Much of its obscurity is doubtless attributable to the common translation which does not fully express the meaning of the original. Dr. Adam Clarke thinks that a better rendering of fthináo [φθινάω], here translated prevent, would be, “go before,” or “anticipated,” or “be before,” though he adds, “we use it now in the sense of to hinder or obstruct.” Macknight agrees in the main with this learned divine.
The context shows clearly that the author of these words referred to the time when Christ’s kingdom should be established in the earth, and the world judged by the principles of his religion. When Christ was upon the earth, he spoke of his coming again with power and great glory. He declared that some who listened to his instructions, should not taste of death till they saw the Son of Man coming in his kingdom. (Matt. 16:27, 28.) The meaning of this is, that he should come during the lifetime of some whom he addressed. In the preceding context, Paul refers to the persecutions which the early Christians were to suffer in behalf of the truth, and urges them to great fidelity, and expresses a desire to see them that he might perfect that which was lacking in their faith, and prayed that they might be established unblamable in holiness before God, even our Father, at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, with all his saints. This evidently is the same coming as is spoken of in the passage under consideration, and the same that Christ spoke of and confined to the lifetime of some who heard him. After stating that Christ should descend from heaven, the apostle adds: “But of the times and seasons, brethren, ye have no need that I write unto you, for yourselves know perfectly that the day of the Lord so cometh as a thief in the night. For when they shall say, Peace and Safety, then sudden destruction cometh upon them….and they shall not escape.”
This passage, which speaks of Christ’s coming as a thief in the night, so clearly resembles that recorded in Matt. 24:43, 44, that it is quite probable that the apostle had his eye upon these words of the Master: “If the good man of the house had known in what watch the thief would come, he would have watched….Therefore be ye also ready, for in such an hour as ye think not, the Son of Man cometh.” In 2 Peter 3:10, we are informed that the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night. That is, Christ would come unexpectedly as a thief. It appears that those to whom Paul wrote were so thoroughly instructed in regard to the coming of Christ, that he deemed it unnecessary to be specific in his statements. “But of the times and seasons, ye have no need that I write unto you, for yourselves know perfectly that the day of the Lord so cometh as a thief in the night.” But how did they know that so perfectly? Who had enlightened them upon this subject? Jesus, himself, had imparted instruction upon this point, as we learn from the 24th chapter of Matthew, where he had clearly pointed out the signs which should precede his coming. Hence, it was not necessary for Paul to dwell at length upon a subject, upon which the people were sufficiently well instructed.
We understand the apostle to have special reference to those who had died exercising faith in Christ, and to those believers who were upon the earth when he came to establish his kingdom among men. By the “dead in Christ” who should rise first, we understand the apostle to refer to those who believed in him as a divine Teacher, but who died before Christ came in his kingdom. Before the full and complete establishment of the Savior’s kingdom in the earth, many believed on him, and died in his cause, in the faith of Christ. These were the dead in Christ who were to rise first, or have part in the first resurrection. This view is sustained by learned critics who admit that the Greek preposition en rendered in would be properly rendered “on account of.” The meaning of the apostle would then be apparent to the English reader; “the dead, on account of Christ,” shall rise first; that is, those who had been put to death on account of Christ, or, because of their faith in his teachings, and fidelity to his cause. Wakefield renders it thus: “They who have died in the cause of Christ.” Those who had thus suffered and died on account of the truth were to rise first. No reference is here made to the immortal resurrection, but those who had been put to death for believing in Christ, were to be first enthroned in the hearts of believers — none would be before them — they should be first exalted and raised in the affections of the people, something as Washington and his compatriots are enthroned and elevated, before all others, in the hearts of the American people. So those who had died in the cause of Christ, were to be first in the hearts and affections of all Christian believers.
They were to be honored and exalted first of all; none should go before them. Those who remained and suffered for the truth should not be before them who had died on account of Christ. Our fathers who fought the battles of the Revolution, and shed their blood in defence of human rights and American liberties, are first exalted and elevated and raised in the affections of Americans, they rise above all others for their self-sacrificing spirit and lofty patriotism. Those who have died on battle fields since, are not before those who first poured out their blood for their country’s freedom. In a similar sense are those who first died in the cause of Christ, elevated and raised in the affections of all Christians. Paul says that he spake this by the word of the Lord: that is, Christ had told his followers that they should sit on thrones of judgment. They were to reign with him, and be regarded as authoritative teachers. In this regard, they should be honored before all, and rise above all. Those living at the coming of Christ in his kingdom, should not be before them in this respect.
This language is not to be understood literally; Christ did not come literally in the clouds, and, of course, there was no literal throne on which the saints were to sit in judgment, but the language, so highly figurative, indicates simply the authority of their instructions. Christ is said to come with a shout, with the voice of the archangel and the trump of God, which means, that he would come with power and authority and great glory, to establish his kingdom. He should be recognized as a divine Teacher sent from God, and his truth arouse a slumbering world, like the voice of the archangel. When Christ is represented as coming with power and great glory, (Matt. 24) reference is made to the wonderful success which should be given to his cause.
In the figurative language before us, Paul designed to express a similar idea. And when he speaks of some who should be caught up to meet the Lord in the air, he refers to the triumph of the truth, the eminent success which should attend the Savior’s kingdom, and the rest and deliverance from persecution which should be enjoyed by those who remain faithful and endure unto the end. The gospel should be successfully proclaimed, the word of God would run and have free course, and be glorified, and converts multiplied to the faith of the Lord Jesus. This thought was designed to impart peace and comfort, hence the apostle adds: “Therefore comfort one another with these words.” Paul designed, therefore, by these words to teach a comforting sentiment, which presupposes that he had no reference to the terrible retributions of eternity which are taught in human creeds, when Christ shall come to reward the righteous and punish the wicked. Had he entertained any such sentiment, there would be no comfort in the words. The views to which we have given expression, are both rational and comforting.
Wresting The Scriptures.
“As also in all his epistles, speaking in them of these things; in which are some things hard to be understood, which they that are unlearned and unstable wrest, as they do also the other scriptures, unto their own destruction.”—2 Peter 3:16.
A careful perusal of the context will aid us essentially in reaching the primary meaning of this portion of Scripture. Peter was exhorting the brethren to perseverance, so that they should not swerve from the truth and return to the beggarly elements of Judaism and perish in the approaching desolation about to come upon the house of Israel. This epistle was written a short time previous to the second destruction of the Jewish nation. And at the time the apostle penned these words, there was great commotion in the land, wars and rumors of wars, which were among the signs that should precede the downfall of that nation. And in foretelling the severe national calamities to come upon that sinful race, Jesus instructed his disciples, among whom was the author of the text, as follows: “And when ye shall see Jerusalem compassed with armies, then know that the desolation thereof is nigh.” Luke 21:20. In this connection, we should bear in mind the reason which Peter assigns for writing his epistle, namely, to stir up the minds of the brethren by way of remembrance, that they might not forget the words of the prophets and apostles of our Lord. (2 Peter 3:2.) Peter speaks of a class of scoffers who would sneeringly and deridingly say of Christ, “Where is the promise of his coming?” (See verse 4.) Such would be suddenly swept away as were the antediluvians by the judgment of God. The Savior, speaking of the overthrow of the Jewish nation, makes use of the same illustration — (Matt. 24:38,) — and adds, (verse 42,) “Watch, therefore, for ye know not what hour your Lord doth come.” He also speaks of his coming as a thief in the night, that is, unexpectedly as a thief. Peter, having learned this of the Master, naturally employs the same similitude, and predicts those national judgments under the highly figurative language of “the heavens passing away with a great noise and the elements melting with fervent heat.” Jesus referred to the same fearful events by saying that the “stars shall fall from heaven and the powers of the heavens shall be shaken.” Matt. 24:29; 2 Peter 3:10.
After Peter had predicted the passing away of the old heavens and old earth, by which he designed to represent the passing away of the old Jewish economy, with its forms and ceremonies; he speaks of the new heavens and new earth wherein dwelleth righteousness, that is, the new and better covenant, or gospel dispensation. He exhorts the brethren to fidelity in the following language: “Seeing ye know these things before, beware lest ye also being led away with the error of the wicked, fall from your own steadfastness.” And Jesus exhorted the disciples to take heed to themselves, lest that day come upon them unawares. So similar is the language employed by Peter and Christ, that we are convinced that both refer to the same event.
In the passage before us, reference is made to the epistles of Paul, in which are some things hard to be understood; that is, the meaning of which was not readily perceived, which the unlearned and unstable wrest as they do the other scriptures, to their own destruction. The unstable were those not fully established in the truth. They were those to whom Jesus referred, who heard the word with joy, yet had no depth of root in them, hence would endure only for a time; they were not rooted and grounded in the faith, and soon their love waxed cold. Such perverted Paul’s epistles, and misapplied other scriptures, which contained warnings of those severe national calamities, which had special application to themselves.
The particular scriptures here referred to, which the unstable wrested to their own destruction, undoubtedly were the discourses of Jesus concerning the second destruction of the Jewish nation, as reported in the gospels by the evangelists, in connection with those ancient prophecies of the Old Testament, which foretold the coming of Christ, and the second national death of the Jews. Those gospels were written about thirty years previous to the epistle containing the passage before us. Those scriptures contained a record of those predictions of the Savior concerning the fate of the Jewish nation. The unstable disbelieved and sneeringly said, “Where is the promise of his coming?” They misapplied the predictions contained in those scriptures, which had special application to themselves, and hence wrested them to their own destruction; they discredited the testimony, and consequently made no effort to escape the fearful judgments of God, till they found themselves overwhelmed in national wars and calamities, when they cried, “Lord, Lord, open unto us.” Then there was no escape; the door was shut, the “great gulf” was fixed and could not be passed. Jesus had foretold those calamities, and spoken of the signs which should precede his coming, but they heeded them not; and thus wrested the scriptures to their own destruction — a national destruction greater than ever had been, or ever should be again. Those who disbelieved the Savior’s predictions, became involved in the general ruin.
By “the other scriptures,” alluded to in this text, which the unlearned and unstable wrested to their own destruction, undoubtedly were the prophecies of the Old Testament which referred to Christ. Jesus claimed to be the Messiah of the prophets, whose character and mission had been spoken of by ancient seers; and yet, the people rejected him. “He came to his own, and his own received him not.” He told the Jews to search the “scriptures,” for they are they which testify of me. John 5:33. They looked upon Christ as an impostor, misapplied all those prophecies which related to him, and wrested those scriptures to their own destruction. Had they received Christ, as the Messiah of the prophets as he claimed to be, they would not have brought upon themselves swift destruction. But they persecuted the Son of God, put him to an open shame, and were nationally destroyed, suffered everlasting, or age-lasting punishment. This we regard as the primary meaning of the passage before us. No reference is here made to the immortal world.
Crown Of Righteousness.
“For I am now ready to be offered, and the time of my departure is at hand. I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course. I have kept the faith: Henceforth there is laid up for me a crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, shall give me at that day: and not to me only, but unto all them also that love his appearing.”—2 Timothy 4:6-8.
It may be proper to remark at the outset, that there is a difference of opinion among learned men in regard to the time when this epistle was written; some suppose it to have been written in the year 61, while others think it must have been written in the year 66. Some have argued that it was the first letter Paul addressed to Timothy, while others contend that it was the second, as it purports to be. The weight of the evidence seems to be in favor of the latter conclusion, and that this epistle was penned about the year 66. It is supposed that the apostle suffered martyrdom about this time, but the evidence is by no means conclusive upon this point.
The context shows that there were perilous times in the last days, an expression which refers more particularly to the closing period and scenes connected with the Jewish dispensation. In Paul’s epistle to the Hebrews, he says that God, in time past, had spoken unto the fathers by the prophets; but now in these last days, had spoken by his Son, the appointed Heir of all things. (Heb. 1:1, 2.) And among the signs which were to precede the appearing of the Son of man, false Christs were to arise, and some would abandon the truth, and by their instability, bring a reproach upon the cause of Christ. Reference is made to such in the context. The time would come, as the apostle indicates, when people would not endure sound doctrine, but would heap to themselves teachers, having itching ears, and depart from the truth of the gospel and simplicity of Christ.
But Paul charges Timothy (his son in the faith) before him who is to appear in his kingdom, to be faithful, to watch and do the work of an evangelist, and make full proof of his ministry. He urges Timothy with earnestness to serve his Master with christian fidelity. Paul was speaking of the faithful and unfaithful servants of Christ. Many had apostatized and swerved from the truth as the Savior had foretold. (See Matt. 24:12.) Demas, as the context informs us, had forsaken Paul, having loved this present world, and the apostle urges Timothy to be true to his profession, and faithful to the cause of Christ, so that at last he might have the reflection of having fought a good fight, for the Right, for Truth, for God and Humanity.
Paul, we think, designed to express his willingness to die rather than the settled conviction that his work on earth was about to close. Whatever might be the divine arrangement, he bowed submissively to it, believing that, if necessary, God would deliver him out of the hands of his enemies. If God were about to call him from earth, he was ready to depart and be with Christ, which was far better. He had fought a good fight and kept the faith. In all circumstances, he had acknowledged his allegiance to his Lord and Master, and never shrank from duty because of persecution. He had been in perils by land and sea, scourged and imprisoned, and now if called to die, he had the sweet consciousness of having been faithful; and in due time his fidelity to Christ would be acknowledged; he would have a crown of righteousness at the appearing of Christ in his kingdom.
The day spoken of in the text, refers to the period of time so frequently alluded to in the gospels, when Christ should come in his kingdom, when the principles of his religion should be fully established in the earth, and the Jewish power humbled by the Roman conqueror. Then persecution measurably ceased, Christianity become more firmly established, and the word of God ran and had free course and was glorified. This was the day in which the Son of man was revealed, the gospel day which Abraham rejoiced to see and was glad. It was in this day, or period of time, that Paul was to have a crown of righteousness; or, in other words, was to be honored for his fidelity to the cause of Christ, and not Paul only, but all who should endure faithful unto the end.
This language, of course, is highly figurative. The crown in ancient times was awarded to victors in the Olympic games, as a token of honor. Used here in a figurative sense, the language expresses the honor which should be awarded those who ran the Christian race. The language was penned to encourage Timothy to remain firm and steadfast in the truth, and faithful even unto death; and though persecuted and ill-treated, yet the time would come when they all should be honored for their fidelity to Christ’s cause, and through their instrumentality, converts should be multiplied to the faith of the Lord Jesus, who would ever be a crown of honor to them. But if unfaithful, no such crown should be awarded them. They would not be honored or respected. Though Paul was persecuted when he addressed Timothy, yet the day or time was coming when he would be honored for his fidelity to the truth. In different places, Paul calls believers a crown. He and his co-workers in the ministry labored with much success in establishing the gospel of the grace of God in the earth. Through their instrumentality, converts were multiplied to the truth. Bands of Christians were gathered together, who were ready to acknowledge the fidelity of the apostles, and honor them in their affections. Believers, as seals of their ministry, would rise up and call them blessed, and defend them against the attacks of the enemy.
Paul, in writing to the Philippians, employs the following language: “Therefore, my brethren, dearly beloved and longed for, my joy and crown, so stand fast in the Lord, my dearly beloved.” Phil. 4:1. And to the Thessalonians he writes thus: “For what is our hope, our joy, or crown of rejoicing. Are not even ye in the presence of the Lord Jesus Christ at his coming?” 1 Thess. 2:19. Here believers are called a crown of the apostles, because they were an ornament, an honor to their ministry. As a crown was regarded as an ornament and honor to the victor, so believers were an ornament and an honor to the apostles of truth. This language is highly figurative. As though Paul had said: “If my labors are now to be terminated, and my course on earth to be finished, I have the consciousness of having labored faithfully in the cause of the Master; the gospel I have proclaimed will gain adherents, and believers will be multiplied to the faith of the Lord Jesus. I have sowed seed which will bear fruit even to a hundred fold; bands of believers will rise up on every hand to defend the same glorious truth, and do honor to the memory of the apostles.” And so it was. Converts were multiplied to the truth, churches were established through their instrumentality, and the word of God grew mightily and prevailed. Those self-sacrificing and faithful apostles were crowned in the affections of the people, and have even now an exalted and honorable place in the affections of every Christian heart. Though Paul might die by the hand of the persecutor, yet the day was approaching when persecution would cease and divine truth would triumph, and faithful and devoted bands of Christians would testify to the fidelity of the apostles, who, figuratively speaking, would constitute a crown of righteousness; that is, they would be an ornament and honor to the apostles. They would be living witnesses to the truth as it is in Jesus, and would bear testimony to the faithfulness of the apostles, whom they would respect and honor, and whose teachings would be authoritative, and whose virtues would be worthy of emulation. These would remember the work of the apostles, and would constitute their joy and crown of righteousness.
Attain Unto The Resurrection.
“If by any means I might attain unto the resurrection of the dead.”—Philippians 3:11.
Many confused and erroneous ideas have been entertained in regard to the meaning of these words of the apostle. They have frequently been urged in support of the theory, that human effort is essential to the resurrection of man to a life of immortal blessedness. But there is neither sound sense, correct philosophy, nor Scripture evidence to warrant such a conclusion. We are nowhere informed by the inspired penman, that the resurrection state could be attained, or reached by human effort; and the apostle teaches this, if he has any reference to the immortal resurrection of man from the dead.
The Scriptures nowhere teach that the resurrection from the dead can be attained by human agency. Man can do nothing by which he can merit a future state of conscious existence. The present life is the free gift of God, and a future life will also be the unpurchased gift of our heavenly Father; and not of works, lest any man should boast. Paul never designed to teach that he could attain unto the resurrection of the dead by his own effort! But he did distinctly teach this, if his language applies to the literal resurrection of man from the dead, than which nothing can be more absurd!
What resurrection, then, is here referred to by the apostle? Evidently, a moral resurrection—a spiritual resuscitation and quickening through the power of the truth, and individual application of christian principles to the heart and life. The context shows this. Paul is speaking words of encouragement to his brethren, and refers to the sacrifices he had made to become a follower of Christ, and urges them to renewed fidelity and consecration to the cause of Christ. He speaks of the superior excellency of the gospel of Christ, and of his readiness to abandon everything else for him; he counted all things as refuse that he might win Christ; “and be found in him not having mine own righteousness, which is of the law, but that which is through the faith of Christ, the righteousness which is of God by faith: That I may know him, and the power of his resurrection, and the fellowship of his sufferings, being made conformable unto his death; If by any means I might attain unto the resurrection of the dead.”
We do not understand the apostle to express a wish here to suffer on the cross as did Jesus, and literally to be made “conformable unto his death.” All he meant was, to express a desire to be governed by the same self-sacrificing spirit that Christ manifested in the execution of his heavenly mission, and to “attain” a high state of moral perfection and purity, and to live above the world, as though he was already in the resurrection state. He expressed a desire to be uplifted above the power of appetite, and the temptations of the flesh, and to be dead to sin, and constantly alive unto God.
The same sentiment is expressed in the 6th chapter of Romans, 6th verse as follows: “Knowing this that the old man is crucified with him, that the body of sin might be destroyed, and henceforth we should not serve sin.” When the “old man” was crucified, and the apostle put on the “new man,” he knew Christ and the power of his resurrection; he was elevated to a high plane of christian attainment, and he desired to be animated by the self-sacrificing spirit of Christ, and made conformable unto his death, that he might attain unto the resurrection of the dead; or, in other words, that he might reach such a high plane of moral purity and christian excellence, that he would be transformed into the image of Christ, and even into the likeness of Christ’s resurrection. He expressed a desire to be dead unto sin, and alive unto God, and to live as though he were already in the resurrection state. Paul had not then attained that exalted position; for he adds: “Not as though I had already attained, neither were already perfect, but I follow after, if that I may apprehend that for which also I am apprehended of Christ Jesus.” Paul, of course, did not intend by this language to disclaim the fact that he had not already attained the literal resurrection from the dead, for all know that; but he designed to say that he had not yet attained that high and exalted state of moral perfection and purity which might be reached. While, however, he spoke in no boastful spirit, and had not attained the desirable point, and was not perfect, yet he was pressing on to the goal before him, to the mark of the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus. The apostle here expressed an ardent desire for increased spiritual exaltation, a freedom from sin, and a state of moral purity resembling the resurrection state. The same sentiment is expressed in other language, when he says: “How shall we that are dead to sin, live any longer therein?” Again he says, that we should “walk in newness of life. For if we have been planted together, in the likeness of his death, we shall be also in the likeness of his resurrection.” We understand the apostle to express a desire to reach a high state of christian perfection, a moral and spiritual exaltation and resurrection. For that he earnestly labored, and suffered the loss of all things, and for that should we all diligently strive.