The Conditionalist Faith of Our Fathers, vol. 1

IV. Coming Destruction of Satan, Sinners, and All Evil

1. BASIC CONTRAST BETWEEN LIFE AND DEATH

In chapter one mention is made of “hope for the life which He has promised.” ¹⁶ In chapter two the admonition appears, “We ought therefore, brethren, carefully to inquire concerning our salvation, lest the wicked one, having made his entrance by deceit, should hurl us forth (note 6: “literally, ‘sling us out’”) from our [true] life.” ¹⁷ CFF1 779.2

Chapter five tells of the sufferings and death of Christ, and how God has “not left us without understanding in regard to things which are to come.” And Barnabas adds that “the man perishes justly, who, having a knowledge of the way of righteousness, rushes off into the way of darkness.” ¹⁸ Then he portrays the part that Christ played in the conflict: CFF1 780.1

“And He (since it behoved Him to appear in flesh), that He might abolish death, and reveal the resurrection from the dead, endured [what and as He did], in order that He might fulfill the promise made unto the fathers, and by preparing a new people for Himself, might show, while He dwelt on earth, that He, when He has raised mankind, will also judge them.” ¹⁹ CFF1 780.2

But the wicked, he affirms, who “contend” with God and “oppose” Him, “‘shall all wax old, like a garment, and the moth shall eat you up.’” ²⁰ CFF1 780.3

2. LIFE THROUGH CHRIST; DEATH THROUGH SIN

Chapter seven (on “Types of Christ”) says that Christ, who is also our judge, was stricken that He might give us life: CFF1 780.4

“If therefore the Son of God, who is Lord [of all things], and who will judge the living and the dead, suffered, that His stroke might give us life, let us believe that the Son of God could not have suffered except for our sake.” ²¹ CFF1 780.5

Chapter eight (“The Red Heifer a Type of Christ”) states “that [through the cross] those believing on Him shall live for ever.” ²² And he adds, in chapter nine, “Who is he that wishes to live for ever? By hearing let him hear the voice of my servant.” ²³ That is man’s part. Then in chapter ten, passing to the various precepts and prohibitions of Moses, Barnabas says, “He means, ‘Thou shalt not join thyself or be like to such men as are ungodly to the end, and are condemned (note 11: “condemned already”) to death.’” ²⁴ Next, in chapter eleven, Barnabas speaks of the water of life, the river, and the trees whose leaves never fade, and comments, “‘And whosoever shall eat of these shall live for ever.’ This meaneth: Whosoever, He declares, shall hear thee [Jesus] speaking, and believe, shall live for ever.” “Whosoever” is unconditional, but assures immortality for all such as hear and heed. In contrast the ungodly are like the “chaff, which the wind sweeps away from the face of the earth.” ²⁵ That is the tenor of his paralleling series of contentions. CFF1 780.6

3. DEATH FROM SIN INVOLVES DESTRUCTION

In chapter twelve Barnabas states that it was because of Israel’s sins that “they were delivered to death.” He then tells how, when Moses stretched forth his hands, victory for Israel resulted, but “when again he let down his hands, they were again destroyed.” And why? “That they might know that they could not be saved unless they put their trust in Him.” ²⁶ That was the condition of their salvation—trust in Him, or conditional salvation. Then Barnabas makes this application: “Moses makes a type of Jesus, [signifying] that it was necessary for Him to suffer, [and also] that He would be the author of life [to others].” ²⁷ CFF1 781.1

That is, Jesus died to save men consigned to death. CFF1 781.2

4. TWO WAYS: OF “DARKNESS” AND OF “LIGHT. “

Coming now to “The Second Part of the Epistle,” dealing specifically with “The Two Ways,” Barnabas says, in chapter eighteen, that good and evil angels guard the two ways: CFF1 781.3

“There are two ways of doctrine and authority, the one of light, and the other of darkness. But there is a great difference between these two ways. For over one are stationed the light-bearing angels of God, but over the other the angels of Satan. And He indeed (i.e., God) is Lord for ever and ever, but he (i.e., Satan) is prince of the time of iniquity.” ²⁸ CFF1 781.4

Here time and eternity are placed in antithesis—the eternal God, in contrast with Satan, who is limited to “the time of iniquity” that will end. CFF1 781.5

Next, in chapter nineteen (“The Way of Light”) Barnabas warns, “Thou shalt not join thyself to those who walk in the way of death,” ²⁹ or darkness. And in chapter twenty (“The Way of Darkness”) he declares such a path to be the “way of eternal death.” Note the exact phrasing: CFF1 781.6

“But the way of darkness is crooked, and full of cursing; ³⁰ for it is the way of eternal death with punishment, in which way are the things that destroy the soul.” ³¹ CFF1 782.1

He proceeds to enumerate these “things.” CFF1 782.2

Dr. Petavel well comments: CFF1 782.3

“It should be observed that when the word eternal qualifies an act, the eternity is the attribute not of the act itself, but of the result of the act. It then denotes the perpetuity of the effect produced by the act or by the agent.” ³² CFF1 782.4

5. “ETERNAL DEATH“: SYNONYM FOR SECOND DEATH

The phrase “eternal death” appears in chapter twenty for the first time as a synonym for the second and definitive death. It is “eternal death with punishment.” Here distinction is to be made between punishment by deprivation of life and mere punishment by pain through the senses. “Eternal death with punishment” (meta timorias) obviously involves an infliction of suffering preceding death, and the end of being. And this statement by Barnabas is immediately followed by the conclusion, in chapter twenty-one, which opens with: CFF1 782.5

“It is well, therefore, that he who has learned the judgments of the Lord, as many as have been written, should walk in them. For he who keepeth these shall be glorified in the kingdom of God; but he who chooseth other things [condemned in the previous chapter] shall be destroyed [apoleitai] with his works. On this account there will be a resurrection, on this account a retribution.” ³³ CFF1 782.6

To perish with his works is clearly to exist no more. The works are destroyed by coming to an end. Thus also with the worker of iniquity. ³⁴ CFF1 782.7

6. TO “PERISH” IS TO EXIST NO MORE

Following this declaration of destruction Barnabas immediately declares: “For the day is at hand on which all things shall perish with the evil [one]. The Lord is near, and His reward.” ³⁵ CFF1 783.1

Satan, sinners, and all things will then be destroyed together. So Barnabas appropriately admonishes: “And be ye taught of God, inquiring diligently what the Lord asks from you; and do it that ye may be safe in the day of judgment.” ³⁶ CFF1 783.2