The Conditionalist Faith of Our Fathers, vol. 1

II. Earlier Declarations Couched in Conditionalist Terms

1. IMMORTALITY A REWARD TO BE RECEIVED

Clement’s clearest and most direct earlier statements on the nature and destiny of man appear in the unique Who Is the Rich Man That Shall Be Saved?—a practical treatise, showing that “the disposition of the soul is the great essential.” It was one of his earlier works, and comprises forty-two sections. Its precise date is not known, but at the very outset Clement speaks of gaining “the prize of everlasting life,” ⁵ as Christ sets before the rich young ruler “the way to the life to come.” CFF1 982.1

Comparing the course of life to “the case with athletes,” to use common things to illustrate the “great and immortal,” he shows how the one deprived of attaining has failed to submit to the discipline and training required, and thus has “remained uncrowned.” So Christ counsels the wealthy, “Nor let him, on the other hand, expect to grasp the crowns of immortality without struggle and effort.” Rather, let him put himself “under the Word as his trainer.” Then, when the last trumpet shall sound, he may “present himself victorious before the judge who confers the rewards,” amid the “acclamations of angels.” ⁶ CFF1 982.2

2. “TRUE” AND “SURE” IMMORTALITY IS ‘GIFT OF ETERNAL LIFE.”

In section six, the ruler’s question propounded to Christ is rehearsed, pertaining to “the Truth respecting the true immortality,” the “Perfect respecting the perfect rest,” and the “Immortal respecting the sure immortality,” in obvious contrast with false and phantom immortality. The providing of the “true” necessitated Christ’s incarnation among men—the “essence of the gospel”—which is none other than the “gift of eternal life.” These are Clement’s exact words regarding this supreme question: CFF1 983.1

“The Life respecting life, the Saviour respecting salvation, the Teacher respecting the chief doctrines taught, the Truth respecting the true immortality, the Word respecting the word of the Father, the Perfect respecting the perfect rest, the Immortal respecting the sure immortality. He was asked respecting those things on account of which He descended, which He inculcates, which He teaches, which He offers, in order to show the essence of the Gospel, that it is the gift of eternal life.” ⁷ CFF1 983.2

To proffer life and immortality, then, was the supreme purpose of Christ’s coming. And Clement adds that God is the “first and only dispenser of eternal life,” which is given to us through the Son. ⁸ CFF1 983.3

3. GOD IS GIVER OF EVERYTHING ETERNAL; OTHERWISE DEATH

Clement’s declaration is unequivocal: God is the “giver of what is eternal,” for both “being” and “non-being” ⁹ are derived from Him. Without Him there is only “death,” while in and with Him is the “only life.” Here is his further statement: CFF1 983.4

“To know the eternal God, the giver of what is eternal, and by knowledge and comprehension to possess God, who is first, and highest, and one, and good. For this is the immutable and immoveable source and support of life, the knowledge of God, who really is, and who bestows the things which really are, that is those which are eternal, from whom both being and the continuance [or “non-being”] of it are derived to other beings. For ignorance of Him is death; but the knowledge and appropriation of Him, and love and likeness to Him, are the only life.” ¹⁰ CFF1 983.5

4. IMMORTALITY CAME NOT THROUGH LAW, BUT THROUGH CHRIST

Stressing that the law came through Moses, while grace and truth came through Christ, Clement declared that the law did not “confer” immortality, otherwise one would not need to seek from Christ for what would be “another immortality.” Thus: CFF1 983.6

“The gifts granted through a faithful servant [“Moses”] are not equal to those bestowed by the true Son. If then the law of Moses had been sufficient to confer eternal life, it were to no purpose for the Saviour Himself to come and suffer for us, accomplishing the course of human life from His birth to His cross; and to no purpose for him who had done all the commandments of the law from his youth to fall on his knees and beg from another immortality.” ¹¹ CFF1 984.1

Immortality is therefore not man’s innate possession. CFF1 984.2

5. TURNED AWAY FROM SOLE SOURCE OF LIFE

“Self-determination” is the privilege of the soul, states Clement, and “choice” depends on a man’s “being free.” But the “gift” remains in the hand of God. We must ask, then we will acquire. ¹² In the case of the rich young ruler Christ sets before His inquirer the “one thing which was especially required by the Saviour, so as to receive the eternal life which he desired.” But the young ruler turned away from the offer. He “did not truly wish life” and “the grace of Him who offered everlasting life.” ¹³ Only those who know “God and God’s righteousness” will be the “possessors of everlasting life.” ¹⁴ CFF1 984.3

6. DESTRUCTION IS PENALTY FOR DISOBEDIENCE

Clement then adds a warning concerning destruction: “But he who uses the body given to him chastely and according to God, shall live; and he that destroys the temple of God shall be destroyed.” ¹⁵ CFF1 984.4

He then turns from anything deemed “inherent in your soul” to those things which “minister everlasting life,” and gives this assurance to those who respond to the provisions of God: “There shall accrue to you endless reward and honour, and salvation, and everlasting immortality.” ¹⁶ CFF1 984.5

Thus he distinguishes between immortality and the virtues of which it is the crown and reward. CFF1 985.1

7. IMMORTALITY SET OVER AGAINST DESTRUCTION

Setting forth the adequacy of Christ as satisfying “bread,” and that He is able to supply “the drink of immortality,” Clement brings in the contrast with inexorable death: CFF1 985.2

“‘I am He who feeds thee, giving Myself as bread, of which he who has tasted experiences death no more, and supplying day by day the drink of immortality. I am teacher of supercelestial lessons. For thee I contended with Death, and paid thy death, which thou owedst for thy former sins and thy unbelief towards God.’” ¹⁷ CFF1 985.3

Then he admonishes: CFF1 985.4

“Better is the kingdom of God to a man with one eye, than the fire to one who is unmutilated. Whether hand, or foot, or soul, hate it. For if it is destroyed here for Christ’s sake, it will be restored to life yonder.” ¹⁸ CFF1 985.5

And he adds that wealth may become the “author and patron of death.” ¹⁹ CFF1 985.6

8. EVERLASTING HABITATIONS; IMMORTALITY; ETERNAL MANSIONS

Then, in section thirty-two, Clement exalts the superiority of the exchange—“everlasting habitations,” “immortality,” and an “eternal mansion in the heavens.” And finally he bursts into an apostrophe of praise to Him who has delight in giving: CFF1 985.7

“Then to appoint such a reward for liberality,—an everlasting habitation! O excellent trading! O divine merchandise! One purchases immortality for money; and, by giving the perishing things of the world, receives in exchange for these an eternal mansion in the heavens! Sail to this mart, if you are wise, O rich man! If need be, sail round the whole world. Spare not perils and toils, that you may purchase here the heavenly kingdom.” ²⁰ CFF1 985.8

But he warns: “It is possible for you to neglect some that are loved by God; the penalty for which is the punishment of eternal [aionion] fire.” ²¹ CFF1 985.9

He closes by assuring us that we may have the “King of eternity dwelling” in us, ²² and be “encircled as with a diadem.” ²³ CFF1 986.1

9. ANGELS CONDUCT REDEEMED TO ETERNAL LIFE

Clement closes by telling a traditional story of the triumphant course the apostle John followed in restoring a wanderer, who became— CFF1 986.2

“a great example of true repentance and a great token of regeneration, a trophy of the resurrection for which we hope; when at the end of the world, the angels, radiant with joy, hymning and opening the heavens, shall receive into the celestial abodes those who truly repent; and before all, the Saviour Himself goes to meet them, welcoming them; holding forth the shadowless, ceaseless light; conducting them to the Father’s bosom, to eternal life, to the kingdom of heaven.” ²⁴ CFF1 986.3

10. THE SOUL IS “NOT NATURALLY IMMORTAL.”

Nothing could be more explicit and unequivocal than Clement’s earlier conclusion on the mortality of men, which appears in one of his Fragments (No. 1, on “First Epistle of Peter”). Denying any transmigration of the soul—“The soul never returns a second time to the body in this life”—and referring to the necessity of “the salvation of your souls,” Clement expressly states: “Hence it appears that the soul is not naturally immortal; but is made immortal by the grace of God, through faith and righteousness, and by knowledge.” ²⁵ CFF1 986.4

Such is Clement’s remarkable early testimony. CFF1 986.5