The Conditionalist Faith of Our Fathers, vol. 2

I. Richards-Worldwide Broadcasts Witness to Conditionalism

Heretofore individual clergymen, and university, college, and seminary professors, principals, and presidents, archdeacons and deans, bishops and archbishops, physicians, scientists, and librarians-and various other categories-have been covered. A radio broadcaster, with millions of listeners in his unseen audience, who teaches and has taught Conditionalism over the air for thirty years, has not been presented previously. A case in point is now brought forward. CFF2 972.3

HAROLD M. S. RICHARDS (1894-), originator and speaker of the Voice of Prophecy broadcast, of Glendale, California, with its international coverage, is one of the unique radio personalities of our time. Richards comes of a preaching ancestry, one of his forebears being an associate of John Wesley. He is known the world around for his distinctive broadcasts. Graduating in theology from Washington Missionary College (now Columbia Union College) in 1919, he later received a Divinity doctorate from Andrews University. After a period of successful early evangelistic experience, with preliminary local radio broadcasting tryouts beginning in 1929, Richards increased his coverage to a small network of eight California stations in 1937. CFF2 973.1

Then came the great expansion. Despite heavy handicaps, by 1942 a network of 225 Mutual stations was carrying his weekly gospel broadcasts. And by 1945 there were 570 station outlets, utilizing thirteen languages by that time, with a staff of 120 to care for its unique Bible correspondence courses, ¹ which even included Braille. CFF2 973.2

By 1947 the total had increased to 608 stations, including some of the strategic outlets in Europe. In 1949 the American Broadcasting Company network was added. And in 1956, 91 stations of the National Broadcasting Company were added, with a potential listening audience of more than a million. This now required a budget of a million and a half dollars annually. CFF2 974.1

1962 marked thirty years of continuous radio ministry for Richards-then utilizing three coast-to-coast networks, and with Bible correspondence schools in more than seventy languages. The Voice of Prophecy coverage at the close of 1962 was 506 stations in North America and 499 stations overseas, broadcasting in some twenty languages. CFF2 974.2

The significant point for us in it all is that Dr. Richards preaches the Bible with a fidelity and a simplicity that has captivated the hearts of millions. And this includes full salvation through Christ as the Way, the Truth, and the Life. He undeviatingly teaches that immortality is a gift, bestowed by Christ upon the believer at His second coming, with its attendant resurrection of the righteous dead and concurrent translation of the righteous living. CFF2 974.3

From his very first broadcast Richards has consistently set forth Life Only in Christ as God’s wondrous provision, whenever the nature and destiny of man comes into his recurring series of broadcasts, which cover the full-rounded gospel for his hearers annually. CFF2 974.4

1. DIVINE REVELATION INSTEAD OF HUMAN SPECULATION

Out of scores of sermons on life, death, and destiny, one will exemplify Richards’ simplified approach in presenting this Biblical evidence on the perennial question of immortality that agitates so many minds: CFF2 974.5

“Sooner or later, into every mind there will come three great questions: Where did I come from? Who am I? and Where am I going? To put this into one sentence, At some time in our lives we all think deeply about the origin, nature, and destiny of man.” ² CFF2 975.1

After thousands of years human wisdom is still baffled by the “unanswerable riddle, Where did I come from? and What is the origin of man?” Despite the advances of science and philosophy the question remains unanswered. CFF2 975.2

“And when we ask the third question, Where am I going? What is the destiny of man? the wisest men on earth give us only guesses as they stand before the locked door of the tomb, behind which mysterious silence reigns.” CFF2 975.3

Declaring that “there is only one dependable source of information on these questions,” and that is “divine revelation,” Richards affirms that Holy Scripture alone “reveals the truth about the origin of man, his nature and destiny,” which we “cannot discover... by any amount of speculation.” So, he says, we “turn to the Book of God for light and find it in the Bible’s greatest text”— John 3:16 — God’s provision that we “should not perish, but have everlasting life” through believing faith in Jesus Christ. Thus: “According to this scripture, everlasting life is not natural with man. It is received as a gift by those who believe in Christ.” CFF2 975.4

2. THREE VIEWS CONCERNING “IMMORTALITY.”

Turning to the terms immortal and immortality, Richards first lays a broad Biblical groundwork. After stating that “immortal means not subject to death,” he notes one view concerning immortality for man: CFF2 975.5

“Some have taught that all people, good and bad, have immortality; that everlasting life is inherent in man’s nature. They believe that man has something about him that God Himself cannot kill, and that when a man dies, the ‘real man’—the soul or spirit—goes on living endlessly. If the man is a good man, they believe he goes to be with the Lord at death; but if he is bad, he goes to a bad place, but continues to live.” CFF2 975.6

Richards then presents the second concept: CFF2 975.7

“There is a second belief very similar to the first. Those who hold it believe that man naturally possesses immortality, but they differ from the so-called orthodox view in that they believe that even the worst of men will ultimately be saved and that, even though we do not understand how this can take place, they will eventually be restored to divine favor. Those who hold this view are termed Universalists.” CFF2 976.1

He next presents the third view, which he develops:
“The third view is that man is not naturally immortal but mortal, and therefore subject to death. Those who hold this view deny that immortality is the natural inheritance of all men, but declare that it is a free gift from God; that it comes only through Jesus Christ and is revealed in His gospel. (2 Timothy 1:10.) They teach that the good alone will live forever.” CFF2 976.2

That gets the three views, or schools of thought, before the listener. CFF2 976.3

3. IF MAN IS IMMORTAL, WARNING CONCERNING DEATH IS INVALID

Turning now to the Biblical portrayal, Richards continues:
“Before man sinned, God warned him about death as something to be feared and avoided. He told him that disobedience would bring death. If man is naturally immortal and cannot die, why warn him about death? That death referred to was spiritual, moral, and physical death of the complete man. Adam did not have immortality then, because death was threatened. The word immortal means ‘not subject to death.’ Adam was not immortal because he was subject to death, and God warned him that he would ‘surely die’ if he disobeyed.” CFF2 976.4

There is, he adds, only one logical conclusion:
“Therefore, since man was subject to death before sin entered the world, he was not immortal; and those who do not accept the gospel never can have immortality. Since Adam was not immortal, he could not transmit to his posterity that which he himself did not have. But Adam was a candidate for immortality, and so are we.” CFF2 976.5

4. IMMORTAL SINNERS AND MORAL APOSTASY

Reverting to the Genesis recital of how man was driven out of Eden with its tree of life, to “prevent man from being a sinner and living forever,” Richards reiterates how, after man was driven from the Garden, a guard was placed at the gate to “keep the way of the tree of life.” Then he states: CFF2 976.6

“God has declared that no man can live in sin and live forever. An immortal sinner is an anomaly in God’s moral universe, and as soon as man sinned God excluded him from the tree of life. The Creator thus made it impossible for man to partake of that life-giving tree and thus live forever in sin. The only way in which man can live forever is to break away from sin and be washed in the ‘fountain opened to the house of David... for sin and for uncleanness.’ (Zechariah 13:1.) The only way for man to live forever is to receive the gift of life through Jesus Christ, the great antitypical Tree of Life.” CFF2 977.1

Commenting on Romans 5:12, and how all men have “inherited the tendency to sin,” with death as a consequence, Richards repeats the truism: CFF2 977.2

“Not having immortality himself, Adam could of course not bring forth immortal sons and daughters. So, friends, death passed upon all men, for all have sinned.” CFF2 977.3

5. GOD, NOT MAN, INHERENTLY IMMORTAL

Turning to the terms immortal and immortality, the contention of some that all men possess deathlessness, or Innate Immortality, Richards says:
“The Bible states that ‘death passed upon all men,’ and if it has, then all men, being subject to death, are not immortal. If they are not immortal, they are mortal and subject to death. You cannot evade that. Job says, ‘Shall mortal man be more just than God?’ (Job 4:17.)” CFF2 977.4

Pointing out that the word immortal occurs only once in all of Scripture (1 Timothy 1:17), and is there restricted to God, he presses the point: “So you see, friends, the only text in the entire Bible in which the word immortal is found attributes it to God and not to man.” CFF2 977.5

6. IMMORTALITY OBTAINED SOLELY As GIFT TO BE SOUGHT

Similarly with the word immortality, it is likewise restricted to God (1 Timothy 6:15, 16). Richards then adds: CFF2 977.6

“Here we find no reference to the immortality of man, but on the contrary are told that God ‘only hath immortality.’ The only way in which we mortals who do not possess immortality can ever have it is by a gift from God who alone possesses immortality.” CFF2 977.7

But that is not all: CFF2 977.8

“Not only do the Scriptures say that God alone has immortality, but we are told that it is to be sought for by men. ‘To them who by patient continuance in well doing seek for glory and honour and immortality, eternal life.’ (Romans 2:7.) God will reward with eternal life all those who by patient continuance in well doing seek His immortality. If man already possesses immortality, why should he seek for it? Jesus said, ‘Seek, and ye shall find’ (Matthew 7:7), but where shall we seek to find immortality? We must seek it in the gospel.... (2 Timothy 1:10.)” CFF2 977.9

7. GOSPEL IS GOOD NEWS OF IMMORTALITY THROUGH CHRIST

Richards explains the gospel as CFF2 978.1

“the good news that Jesus Christ came from heaven to die for men and thus give them the right to have eternal life. Immortality, promised to man on condition of obedience, had been forfeited by disobedience. Adam could not give to his descendants that which he himself did not possess. There would have been no hope for the fallen race had not God, by the sacrifice of His Son, brought immortality within their reach.” CFF2 978.2

The witness, then, of the gospel is this:
“Through the gospel, the good news of salvation, Christ has brought to light the fact, not that all men are by nature in possession of immortality, but that a way has been opened whereby they may obtain possession of this attribute of God.” CFF2 978.3

8. IMMORTALITY BESTOWED BY CHRIST AT SECOND ADVENT

Continuing the Biblical coverage with an examination of 1 Corinthians 15:53, 54, Richards asserts that when “this mortal (subject to death) will put on immortality (undying existence),” then “release from the bondage of mortality” will be brought about, through Christ, for those who accept the power of His victory. Thus: CFF2 978.4

“Death is the last enemy to be destroyed and then God’s people will receive immortality. (1 Corinthians 15:26.) We need have no fear for those who are asleep in Jesus. Their life ‘is hid with Christ in God.’ (Colossians 3:3).” CFF2 978.5

Immortality as a “gift of God” is then stressed:
“Immortality is the gift of God. It is given to His faithful followers at the second coming of Jesus, and not before. At that time He confers immortality upon His people and calls them to inherit the kingdom to which hitherto they have been only heirs.” CFF2 978.6

9. SOLE HOPE THROUGH THE RESURRECTION

Only in Christ’s resurrection have we “hope of final resurrection and thus of immortality.” And then comes the glorious “change.” This will occur simultaneously, as we shall “all be changed” together:
“This occurs at the return of our Lord, as we read in 1 Thessalonians 4:16, 17: ‘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.’ This is called the ‘blessed hope’ in Titus 2:13: ‘Looking for that blessed hope, and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ.’” CFF2 978.7

10. DIVINE REVELATION ANSWERS UNIVERSAL QUESTION

Richards closes by quickly summarizing the evidence in this simple statement:
“Divine revelation thus brings clear answers to the universal question covering the origin, nature, and destiny of man. CFF2 979.1

“Where did I come from?—God created me. CFF2 979.2

“Who am I?—A candidate for immortality.“Where am I going?—To be forever with the Lord!” CFF2 979.3

Such is Richards’ simple, unadorned, Bible-based exposition of man’s life, death, and destiny, given over the ether waves. It has a heart-to-heart appeal that brings conviction. And after thirty years on the air, Richards is reaching more millions than ever in his unique ministry. CFF2 979.4