The Conditionalist Faith of Our Fathers, vol. 2

II. Cumulative Argument on Unconscious State of Dead

The heart of Stegmann’s contribution, coming from the Continent, is found in his chapter eight, “Whether the Dead properly live,” from which liberal quotations are here made because of its Continental origin, again indicating that Conditionalism was spread over various countries. First, Stegmann asserts that those who hold the papal fallacies retained in Protestantism “cannot solidly refute the Papists.” In illustrating this point, Stegmann selected one point on which most Protestants retained one of the great errors “that are amongst the Papists”—the “opinion wherein they hold that the dead live.” CFF2 178.1

1. THE IMMORTAL-SOULIST POSITION

Stegmann first declares this to be “very absurd, yet they believe it.” Then he continues:
“For they suppose that the Souls of Man, in that very moment wherein they are parted from their Bodies by Death, are carry’d either to Heaven, and do there feel heavenly joy, and possess all kinds of Happiness, which God hath promis’d to his People; or to Hell, and are there tormented, and excruciated with unquenchable Fire. And this, as was said before, they attribute to the mere Souls separated from the Bodies, even before the Resurrection of the Men themselves, that is to say, while they are yet dead.” ⁸ CFF2 178.2

2. CONSCIOUSNESS IN DEATH FOUNDATION OF PURGATORY

This argument Stegmann immediately counters, logically, in these cogent words: “But those things cannot happen to any thing which is not alive; for that which doth not live doth not feel, and consequently neither enjoyeth Pleasure, nor endureth Pain. Wherefore they believe in effect, that the Dead live: namely, in the same manner that they affirm Peter, Paul, and other dead Men to live in Heaven. Now this is the Foundation not only of Purgatory, but also of that horrible Idolatry practis’d amongst the Papists, whilst they invocate the Saints that are dead. Take this away, and there will be no place left for the others. To what purpose is the Fire of Purgatory, if Souls separated from the Bodies feel nothing? to what purpose are Prayers to the Virgin Mary, to Peter, and Paul, and other dead Men, if they can neither hear Prayers, nor intercede for you? On the contrary, if you admit this, you cannot easily overthrow the Invocation of Saints.” ⁹ CFF2 178.3

3. RECALLED TO LIFE AT RESURRECTION

Stegmann then declares that the contrary thereof is set down in Scripture, and is in conflict with the widespread popular concept. Thus:
“The Argument of Christ, wherein he proveth the future Resurrection of the Dead from thence, That God is the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, but is not the God of the Dead, but of the Living: whence he concludeth, that they live to God, that is, shall be recall’d to Life by God, that he may manifest himself to be their God, or Benefactor. This Argument would be altogether fallacious, if before the Resurrection they felt heavenly joy. For then God would be their God, or Benefactor, namely, according to their Souls, altho their Bodies should never rise again.” ¹⁰ CFF2 179.1

4. WAS THE APOSTLE PAUL IN ERROR?

Next Stegmann turns to St. Paul in 1 Corinthians 15, offering this observation:
“In like manner, the Reasoning of the Apostle would be fallacious, 1 Corinthians 15:30, 31, 32. wherein he proveth the Resurrection by that Argument: Because otherwise those that believe in Christ would in vain run hazards every hour; in vain suffer so many Calamities for Christ; which he teacheth by his own Example. Again, because otherwise it would be better to sing the Song of the Epicureans, Let us eat and drink, for to morrow we shall die. In short, of all men Christians would be most miserable. Certainly this would be false, if the Godly presently after death did in their Souls enjoy celestial Happiness, and the Wicked feel Torment. For they would not in vain suffer Calamities, nor these follow the Pleasures of the Flesh scot-free; and the Godly would be far happier than the Wicked.” ¹¹ CFF2 179.2

5. ABSURD TO HOLD CHRIST AND APOSTLES IN ERROR

On the basis of these two inerrant authorities, to which he also adds St. Peter, Stegmann says: CFF2 179.3

“Since therefore it is the absurdest thing in the world, to say that Christ and the Apostle Paul did not argue rightly; is it not clear that the Doctrine is false, which being granted, so great an Absurdity would be charg’d on Christ and the Apostle Paul? Furthermore, why should Peter defer the Salvation of Souls to the last day1 1 Peter 1:5. Who are kept by the Power of God thro Faith unto Salvation, ready to be reveal’d in the last time: And Paul the Crown of Righteousness to the Day of Judgment; 2 Timothy 4:8. Henceforth there is laid up for me a Crown of Righteousness, which the Lord the righteous Judg[e] shall give to me at that day, etc. To what purpose should the judgment be appointed? How could it be said of the Godly under the old Covenant, that they receiv’d not the Promise, God providing some better things for us, that they might not without us be made perfect, Hebrews 11:40. if the Soul of every one presently after death, even without the Body, felt celestial Happiness?” ¹² CFF2 180.1

6. DISEMBODIED SOULS HAVE NO CONSCIOUSNESS

Stegmann then makes his fundamental deduction—that souls apart from the body do not live in death, and have no feeling. And he declares concerning the nature of man:
“But the very Nature of the thing it self refuteth it. Is not Living, Dying, Feeling, Hearing, Acting, proper to the whole Man, or the Compound of Soul and Body? Is not the Body the Instrument of the Soul, without which it cannot perform her Functions? as an Artist knoweth indeed the Art of working, but unless he have Instruments at hand, he cannot produce any Effect. Let the Eye be shut, the Soul will not see, tho the Power of Seeing be not taken away from it. For as soon as you shall restore the Instrument, a man will presently see. Wherefore Souls separated from Bodies are neither dead nor live, and consequently enjoy no Pleasure, and feel no Pain; for those things are proper to the whole Compound.” ¹³ CFF2 180.2

7. BODY AND SPIRIT REJOINED AT RESURRECTION

Then follows Stegmann’s conclusion that “the Dead are not” until the resurrection:
“But the Scripture saith, that the Dead are not, that the Spirit returneth to him that gave it; and of the Spirits of the Godly, that they are in the hand of God, but at the Resurrection they shall be join’d with the Bodies. And then having gotten Instruments, they will put forth their Operations.” ¹⁴ CFF2 180.3

Such is the close reasoning of the Conditionalist Stegmann of Germany. Such men had a clear Biblical reason for their faith, and expressed it succinctly wherever they lived. CFF2 181.1