Tim Crosby

Conditionalism:
a cornerstone of
Adventist doctrine
Salvation,
ome of the most immortality, and (John 5:28), in the tomb (Job 21:32).
important doctrines
in Seventh-day
prophecy are all The righteous dead are not in heaven
praising God (Ps. 115:17; 6:5; 30:9; Isa.
Adventist theology
are summarized in
conditional for 38:18). Even David is in the grave, and
not in heaven (Acts 2:29, 34).
what I call the five Christians. What are The righteous do not become
C's: Christ, the inherently immortal until the resurrec
cross, the Second Coming, the com these conditions? tion at the second coming of Christ
mandments," and conditionalism. The (1 Cor. 15:53, 54). The wicked are not
first four C's need little explanation; this now and never will be immortal. After
article focuses on the meaning of the they are destroyed at the end of the
fifth. millennium (Rev. 20:7-9), the wicked
will cease to exist. They will be destroyed
Conditional immortality root and branch, and turned into ashes
It is commonly believed among evan (Mal. 4:1, 3). God will destroy both the
gelical Christians that man is different body and the soul in hell (Matt. 10:28).
from the animals in that he possesses an Even the devil will be destroyed (Eze.
immortal soul. But in the Creation 28:14-19), In fact, death itself will be
account, both animals and men are destroyed (Rev. 20:14). Thus the Bible
called souls. The Hebrew word for soul, teaches that immortality is in the future
nephesh, used of Adam in Genesis 2:7, is and is bestowed on condition of faithful
used of animals in Genesis 1:21, 24; ness. Note that inherent immortality is
2:19; 9:10, 12, 15, 16, etcetera, where it not to be confused with eternal life,
is translated "living creature." Sea crea which the righteous possess by faith now,
tures are called souls in Revelation 16:3. in Christ, not in themselves (1 John
Basically, a soul is a living creature— 5:11).
whether man or animal.
Nowhere in Scripture is the soul ever Conditional prophecy
called eternal or immortal. On the The Scriptures teach that all of the
contrary, souls are said to die (Eze. 18:4; prophecies, covenants, promises, and
Lev. 23:29, 30; Matt. 10:28; Rev. 16:3). threats found in the Scriptures are
God alone has immortality conditional whether or not a condition is
(1 Tim. 6:14-16). Immortality is said to stated; their fulfillment is contingent
be something for which the righteous upon man's response to God's com
seek (Rom. 2:7). Why should we seek for mands. Promises of blessing cannot be
that which we already have? Tim Crosby, a pastor in the Georgia-Cum fulfilled to a disobedient nation or
At present the dead are in the dust berland Conference of Seventh-day Advent- individual, and prophecies of punish
(Job 7:21; Dan. 12:2), in the graves ists, writes from Ellijay, Georgia. ment will not be fulfilled against the

16 MINISTRY/AUOUST/1986
repentant. This principle is clearly stated 22-28; 28:1-68; 29:22-30:10; 30:15-20;
in Jeremiah 18:740.
There are a number of examples of
31:16-29; Jeremiah 7; 17:24-27).
Though they were God's chosen people,
We are not puppets in
conditional prophecy in the Scriptures,
as the following list illustrates. First we
God threatened them with destruction
for unfaithfulness (Deut. 8:19, 20).
a play, God has at
note instances in which promised doom The New Testament teaches that infinite cost
was averted by repentance, then literal Israel, as a nation, has been
instances in which promised blessing was rejected by God. The nation finally purchased our
averted by wickedness. sealed its fate when it crucified its
• Jonah's prediction that Nineveh promised King. Because the Jews freedom.
would be destroyed was not fulfilled rejected the Promiser, they lost the
(Jonah 3:4, 10), even though his proph promises; because they rejected the Him to change His tactics when His
ecy of doom was not qualified by any King, they lost the kingdom. This is people change their attitude toward
stated conditions. clearly stated in the allegorical parable of Him. Water's unchanging property of
• God's prophecies of Jerusalem's Israel's history in Matthew 21:33-43. always seeking the lowest level makes it
destruction in the days of Hezekiah were According to verse 43, the kingdom of constantly change its position, some
not fulfilled when the people repented God was to be taken from the Jews and times sitting placidly, other times raging
(Jer. 26:18, 19). given to another "nation"—namely, the and cutting. God does not change, but
• Isaiah's prophecy that Hezekiah Christian church (1 Peter 2:9; Rev. 1:6). His children's changing relationship to
would soon die of his present sickness Christ also foretold in two other parables Him sometimes makes it impossible for
was not fulfilled (2 Kings 20:1-6). the rejection of the Jewish nation as His Him to fulfill His promises to them.
• God promised through Elijah to people (Matt. 8:11, 12; 22:1-14). "Your
punish Ahab, then relented when Ahab house," Christ said, "is left unto you Conditional salvation
repented (1 Kings 21:17-29). desolate" (chap. 23:38), and Paul said There are two different sorts of organi
• Because of Eli's disobedience, God that God's wrath had finally come upon zations in the world: those that allow
retracted His promise that his descen them (1 Thess. 2:16). Thus the promises their members to leave whenever they
dants would serve the Lord forever to the Jews were nullified by their own wish, and those that compel members to
(1 Sam. 2:30). apostasy. remain against their will. Which of these
• God's promise to bring the Israelites The New Testament teaches that groups is more like the kingdom of
who came out of Egypt into the Promised physical descent from Abraham is heaven? Many evangelical Christians
Land (Ex. 6:8) was not fulfilled (Num. meaningless (Luke 3:8; John 8:39-44); it believe that Christ's kingdom is more
14:30-34). is Abraham's spiritual descendants— like the second group in that once you
• Though God through Moses prom those who accept Christ as the Mes are in, it is impossible to get out. This
ised the Israelites they would never see siah—who are now God's special people viewpoint is popularly labeled "once
the Egyptians again (Ex. 14:13), He and who inherit all the Old Testament saved, always saved."
threatened to break that promise if they kingdom promises (Gal. 3:7, 28, 29). While the Bible asserts that men are
were disobedient (Deut. 28:58, 68). There is now no difference between Jew saved by faith apart from the works of the
• Ezekiel 5 contains God's promise to and Gentile in regard to salvation or law, and that salvation is a free gift of
destroy Jerusalem, which was fulfilled a God's favor (chap. 3:28; Eph. 2:11-15; God's grace (Rom. 11:6; Gal. 2:16; Titus
few years later (586 B.C.). Here God Rom. 10:12, 13). In fact, the term Jew 3:5; Eph. 2:8), it also clearly asserts that
promised never to repeat this terrible itself is redefined in the New Testament the believer retains his salvation only on
punishment (verses 9, 10), but the same to mean the true followers of Christ condition of obedience: "Not every one
sort of destruction happened in A.D. 70. (Rom. 2:28, 29; Phil. 3:3). Not only did who says to me, 'Lord, Lord,' shall enter
• God promised Aaron and his sons a the Christian church appropriate the the kingdom of heaven, but he who does
perpetual priesthood that would last title "Jews"; the members also called the will of my Father" (Matt. 7:21,
throughout their generations (Ex. 40:15; themselves "Israel" (Gal. 6:14-16; Rom. RSV). Only those who keep Christ's
Num. 25:13). Yet the Levitical priest 9:6). Therefore James could address his word (John 8:51), who keep His com
hood was replaced with the Melchizede- Epistle "to the twelve tribes" (James mandments (chap. 15:10, 14), who
kian (Hebrews 7). 1:1), even though he was writing to persevere in doing good (Rom. 2:7), will
Conditionalism helps us to under Christians. Many of the promises made be saved. We maintain our salvation
stand why many of the prophecies of the to Israel in the Old Testament are only
Old Testament, such as the description appropriated by the Christian church in if we abide in Christ's word (John
of the new Temple in the last nine the New and will be fulfilled only in the 8:31).
chapters of Ezekiel, were never literally age to come. if we suffer with Christ (Rom. 8:17).
fulfilled. Some prophecies will never be if we continue in God's kindness
literally fulfilled on earth because their Does God change? (chap. 11:22).
fulfillment was conditional upon the Properly understood, the concept of if we hold firmly to the apostles' word
Jews' remaining faithful in their cove conditional prophecy does not imply (1 Cor. 15:2).
nant relationship with God. The prom that God is changeable or wishy-washy if we do not grow weary and lose heart
ise that Israel would inherit the land of in relation to man. God's very (Gal. 6:9).
Canaan was clearly conditional on their unchangeableness in His essential if we continue in the faith (Col. 1:22,
obedience (Deut. 4:25-31; 11:13-17, nature and attitude toward sin requires 23).
MINISTRY/AUGUST/1986 17
 if we continue in right doctrine once-saved person. The same symbolism of assurance of the loyalty of one's
(1 Tim. 4:16). is used in Romans 11:17-24, which spouse. John, who is so insistent that a
if we endure and do not deny Him pictures God's people as a tree, with man's salvation is shown by his actions
(2 Tim. 2:12; Matt. 10:32, 33). individual Gentile Christians repre (1 John 1:6, 7; 2:3-6; 3:6-10, 24), is also
if we hold fast our confidence firmly sented by grafted-in branches that will be insistent that we may have certainty
unto the end (Heb. 3:6, 1244). cut off again if they are unfaithful (verse about our salvation (chaps. 4:13, 17, 18;
if we have endurance and do not 22). 5:13). Our confidence is in Christ, "who
shrink back (chap. 10:35-39). Individuals who have once been saved is able to keep you from falling and to
if what we have heard abides in us but who fall away cannot be restored present you without blemish before the
(1 John 2:24). while they continue to crucify the Son of presence of his glory" (Jude 24, RSV).
God afresh (Heb. 6:4-8). We can be sure that as long as we practice
Perseverance and salvation; in the A person who has been sanctified by these things, we will never stumble
foregoing statements, all are conditions the blood of the convenant but con (2 Peter 1:10).
to our salvation. Thus it is correct to say tinues in willful sin will have no atone
that our salvation is conditional upon ment for his sins and will be consumed Conclusions
our perseverance (Mark 13:13; Rom. with fire when the Lord judges His What, then, does Bible conditional-
2:7; James 1:12; 2 Peter 1:5-11; Rev. people (chap. 10:26-30). ism tell us about the God we serve? It
2:10, 11, 26). This is really only a special This does not mean that every sinful tells us that He is responsive to us and is
case of the general rule of conditional mistake causes us to lose our salvation. even willing to temporarily set aside His
prophecy discussed earlier that states There are degrees of sin; note how Psalm own plan in order to let us have our way,
that promises of good are fulfilled only on 19:12, 13 discriminates between hidden so that in the end all of creation may see
condition of obedience. faults and presumptuous sins. It is that God's way is best. It tells us that we
Salvation is represented by the wed continued, willful sin (Heb. 10:26), not are not puppets in a play, but that God
ding garment (Isa. 61:10; Matt. 22:1- a momentary lapse, that causes the loss has at infinite cost to Himself purchased
14). The garment signifies primarily the of salvation. our freedom. We are truly and terribly
imparted righteousness of Christ (cf. The possibility of falling from grace free to determine our own destiny. Only
Col. 3:9-14; Rev. 3:18; 19:8) and is a does not deprive the faithful Christian of total love can bestow such total freedom
free gift. But it must be worn to obtain assurance of salvation any more than the upon the beloved. Such love commands

LEROY
admission to the feast. It must not be legal possibility of divorce deprives one our total allegiance and trust.
taken off (Rev. 16:15). If soiled (chap.
3:4), it must be washed (chaps. 7:14;
22:14). Otherwise, salvation is lost
(chaps. 3:11; 22:19).
According to Ezekiel 33:13 (cf. chap.
18:24), when a righteous man turns

E.FROOM
wicked he will die and all his righteous
ness will be forgotten.
The ungrateful debtor had his sins
forgiven, and then had that forgiveness
revoked when he acted unmercifully
toward his own servant (Matt. 18:21-
35).
The faithful steward of Luke 12:42 is
in a state of salvation (verse 44), but if he

The Conditionalist
becomes disobedient (verse 45), he is
assigned a place with the unbelievers
(verse 46).
According to 2 Peter 2:20-22, those
who have "escaped the defilements of
the world" (RSV; cf. chap. 1:4) through
the knowledge (Greek epignosis, used
Faith of Our Fathers
only of saved individuals; cf.
The most comprehensive debate. It is fully docu
1 Tim. 2:4; Heb. 10:26-29) of Christ and history of conditionalism mented and illustrated with
who then turn back to the world are
worse off than if they had never been ever written. This two-vol charts. An excellent source-
saved. ume set contains a distillation book, it has been acclaimed
Names once written in the book of life of every noteworthy contri as "a landmark in condition-
can be blotted out again (Rev. 3:5; bution to the conditionalist alist literature."
22:19).
Every unfruitful branch in Christ is cut Available at Adventist Book Centers for US$54.95.
off and burned (John 15:1-6). The
expression in Christ can refer only to a

18 MINISTRY/AUGUST/1986