By Donald Fitzgerald
Last update: 10/20/2015
Chapter Two:The Dualism of Eternal life:
Chapter Three:Trial By Fire and the Second Death
Chapter Four: Parable of the Sower and other passages on Conditional Security:
Chapter Five: Suffer Loss in the Outer Darkness or Gehenna
Chapter Six: A closer look at Hell and temporary punishment of unfaithful Christians:
Chapter Seven: Our High Priest and how to live the Christian life:
All scripture quotations are from the King James Version: E-Sword Bible Software.
Chapter One: The Distinction between Grace and Rewards
Romans 1:1-4 Paul, a servant of Jesus Christ, called to be an apostle, separated unto the gospel of God, (2) (Which he had promised afore by his prophets in the holy scriptures,) (3) Concerning his Son Jesus Christ our Lord, which was made of the seed of David according to the flesh; (4) And declared to be the Son of God with power, according to the spirit of holiness, by the resurrection from the dead:
John 8:24 I said therefore unto you, that ye shall die in your sins: for if ye believe not that I am he, ye shall die in your sins.
1Corinthians 15:1 Moreover, brethren, I declare unto you the gospel which I preached unto you, which also ye have received, and wherein ye stand; vs. 3-4 For I delivered unto you first of all that which I also received, how that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures; (4) And that he was buried, and that he rose again the third day according to the scriptures:
In Christian churches there is a division as to how one is saved in eternity. The first viewpoint is Lordship Salvation and the second is known as the Free Grace Gospel. Both of these viewpoints claim to teach that one is saved by placing his/her faith in the Lord Jesus Christ; except both sides disagree on what should be included in the definition of faith. Then there are some who believe in a Free Grace Gospel that teach that someone does not have to believe in either the death, burial or resurrection of Jesus Christ in order to be saved.
Carefully read the verses given above again until you understand the content. The deity, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ are an essential part of the Gospel. Anyone who makes the claim to believe in “Jesus” and does not believe in the deity, death, and resurrection of the Lord Jesus Christ does not believe in the “Jesus” of the bible. Jesus Christ is who He claimed to be throughout the entirety of the four Gospels. The term “Lordship Salvation” is confusing because it gives the idea that those who do not believe in “Lordship Salvation” do not believe in the Lordship of Jesus Christ. This is not really the case at all because as far as this author knows there are many people who believe in a Free Grace Gospel who acknowledge that Jesus Christ is “Lord” of all:
Acts 10:36 The word which God sent unto the children of Israel, preaching peace by Jesus Christ: (he is Lord of all:)
One cannot possibly make Jesus Christ Lord because He already is Lord of all. When someone believes in the Lordship of Christ (His Deity) and places his faith in Christ’s finished work (his death, burial, and resurrection) he has submitted himself to the Lordship of Jesus Christ in regard to the Gospel. The kind of life he lives after that is a different issue and is called sanctification.
This is a far cry from the so called Lordship Salvation viewpoint popularized in many churches today. In the modern Lordship Salvation movement one must make a commitment to obey Jesus Christ in regard to his or her performance in order to be saved. This perspective can be subdivided into two different groups.
First, there are those who believe that an initial commitment to obedience is necessary to be saved. For them the commitment to obedience does not necessarily have to be active or ongoing. This is a soft perspective on Lordship Salvation. Second, there are those who believe an active and ongoing commitment to obedience is necessary for salvation. Of these two groups the second perspective definitely believes that works and one’s performance are involved in saving faith. Some of those who take this perspective would be R.C. Sproul, J.I. Packer, Paul Washer, and John Mac Arthur. Paul Washer has a number of you-tubes from this perspective. John Mac Arthur has written a popular book called the “Gospel According to Jesus” which explains this perspective in some detail:
“Faith obeys. Unbelief rebels. The fruit of one’s life reveals whether that person is a believer or an unbeliever.” (The Gospel According to Jesus; Pg. 178).
It should be noted that throughout Mac Arthur’s book he defines saving faith as a “commitment to obey.” This same definition can also be seen in his book “Faith Works.” He has also published a third book called “Hard to Believe: The High Cost and Infinite Value of following Jesus.” Therefore it should be no surprise that in Lordship Salvation one is told to look at the fruit of his or her life in order to acquire assurance. It should be no surprise that John Mac Arthur teaches that faith “guarantees it’s endurance until the end.” (The Gospel According to Jesus; Pg. 173.)
John Mac Arthur actually takes it one step further by making discipleship a part of the Gospel: “The gospel Jesus proclaimed was a call to discipleship, a call to follow Him in submissive obedience.” (The Gospel According to Jesus; Pg. 21).
I have read John MacArthur’s book two times and this theme of “obedience” as a part of saving faith permeates his whole viewpoint. There is not a misunderstanding as some have suggested in regard to the debate on the Gospel. In today’s modern Lordship Salvation viewpoint the “definition of faith” is a clear call to follow the Lord in submissive obedience and so one’s arrival into heaven is definitely conditioned upon one’s performance (or lack thereof) in the Christian life.
According to the Calvinist the elect will persevere on the pathway of discipleship till the end of life. They teach that if one does not persevere till the end of life than he was never saved in the first place. According to them a Christian may have temporary periods where he may fall into sin or temporarily backslide but he or she will always repent in time and come back to the pathway of discipleship. Does someone with faith always endure until the end? The bible seems to indicate otherwise:
Luke 8:13 They on the rock are they, which, when they hear, receive the word with joy; and these have no root, which for a while believe, and in time of temptation fall away.
If you compare Matthew 13:20-21 and Mark 4:16-17 it teaches that there are some believers who fall away during tribulation and persecution. In response to this Lordship teaches us that those people in this verse had a false faith? Really, the verse never indicated that one way or the other. It should be noted that the Greek word for believe in Luke 8:13 is the same word for believe in John 3:16. There is no one that suggests that word believe in John 3:16 is a false faith. The only reason they do so in Luke 8:13 is so it fits into the theological system of Calvinism. The text in question simply said these people “believed for a while and in time of temptation fell away.” This represents true Christians who fall away during temptation. Consider another passage where real Christians are warned about being led away into the error of the wicked:
2 Peter 3:17 Ye therefore, beloved, seeing ye know these things before, beware lest ye also, being led away with the error of the wicked, fall from your own steadfastness.
The beloved in this passage naturally refers to true believers otherwise why would Peter bother to use the term beloved? They are warned about being led away into the error of the wicked. If this was not a possibility for real Christians why would Peter bother to give the warning? If a true Christian could never lose their faith then why did the apostle Paul give us a strong warning about those who have their faith overthrown:
2 Timothy 2:18 Who concerning the truth have erred, saying that the resurrection is past already; and overthrow the faith of some.
In Paul’s day there were some Christians who had their faith overthrown. From the perspective of Lordship Salvation these warnings are of no value because they teach that all believers will endure until the end. Lordship Salvation comes from Calvinism and often reflects the teachings of reformed theology. According to the teachings of “Calvinism” Christ only died for the elect. All true Christians will preserver in faith and will remain on the pathway of the Christian walk until the end of life. According to Calvinistic theology a true Christian cannot fall into prolonged periods of sin or can never permanently backslide; if he does so that proves he or she was never saved in the first place.
As popular as Calvinistic theology is today it has its share of unanswered problems. For example, what does it mean to fall into prolonged sin? How much sin is needed before I prove I did not have true faith? Who is the Judge? Can I sin for a month or even 6 months before I was never saved? Where do you draw the line before you know that you were never saved? This is all very subjective and without any guidelines at all! According to Calvinists if one does not persevere till the end this proves he or she was never one of the elect. According to them assurance of Salvation comes by looking at the fruit of your life and thus it normally causes a person to look away from what Jesus Christ did on the cross and often leads to unhealthy fear.
On the other end of the spectrum you have Armenians. They have a different perspective on election from Calvinists but they have the same viewpoint on perseverance. According to them one becomes elect only after he/she perseveres in the Christian walk till the end of his life. According to the Armenians a person can lose his salvation if he does not persevere in faith and remain in the Christian walk till the end of life. The Armenians believe that if a Christian falls into prolonged sin or if he/she backslides for a long time than he/she loses salvation. Armenians can be further subdivided into two groups: First, there are those who believe you can lose your salvation by prolonged un-confessed sin without repentance. Second, there are others who believe a Christian can lose salvation if he/she commits apostasy without remediation.
There is a third viewpoint which takes a mediating position between Calvinism on the one hand and Arminianism on the other hand. In his book Final Destiny Joseph Dillow uses the term “Partaker” in order to describe the third viewpoint. This term comes from the book of Hebrews:
Hebrews 3:13-14 But exhort one another daily, while it is called To day; lest any of you be hardened through the deceitfulness of sin. (14) For we are made partakers of Christ, if we hold the beginning of our confidence stedfast unto the end;
They would make a distinction between the gift of salvation (Eph. 2:8-9) and the reward of the Inheritance (Col. 3:24). According to them a person is saved in eternity by placing his faith on what Jesus Christ has done for him on the cross. According to the “Partaker” viewpoint a Christian who does not persevere in faith and or maintain his Christian walk for Jesus Christ till the end of life will not lose his salvation but he will lose the reward of reigning with Jesus Christ during the millennial kingdom:
2 Timothy 2:12 If we suffer, we shall also reign with him: if we deny him, he also will deny us:
1Corinthians 3:15 If any man’s work shall be burned, he shall suffer loss: but he himself shall be saved; yet so as by fire.
According to the “Partaker” a Christian who does not persevere in faith and backslides into carnality or worldliness without correction will be denied the opportunity to reign with Jesus Christ during the kingdom; even though he will be saved in eternity. According to the “Partaker” viewpoint unfaithful Christians will be cast into outer darkness (Mathew 25:30) at the pre-millennial Judgment Seat of Christ (2 Cor. 5:10-11) where they will weep for their wasted life. At the end of a thousand years they will have their tears wiped away (Rev. 21:4). Within this viewpoint there is a difference of opinion on whether the “outer darkness” refers to a lesser degree of reward or it actually refers to a physical location. There are many who believe it refers to a physical location inside or outside the millennial kingdom.
In review there are believers in New Testament who fall away during tribulation or persecution (Matthew 13:20-21). Second there are believers who have their fruit choked by the cares of this world and the deceitfulness of riches (Matthew 13:22; Luke 8:14). Third there are believers who have their faith overthrown (2 Timothy 2:18). Fourth, there are believers who lose faith and good conscience and have their faith shipwrecked (1 Timothy 1:19-20). Fifth, there are believers who “sin willfully” after they were sanctified by the blood of the covenant. Sixth, there are believers who after they have escaped the pollutions of this world through the knowledge of Lord Jesus Christ are entangled by they again (2 Peter 2:20).
Calvinist use the passages mentioned above to teach that one was never saved in the first or one of the elect. The Armenians use the passages mentioned above to teach that a true Christian can lose his salvation even though he exercised genuine faith at first. The partaker viewpoint does affirm the eternal security of the believer but they teach that one can lose his opportunity to reign with Jesus Christ in the millennial kingdom. He loses everything but is saved in eternity. These are basically the only three ways one can interpret the warning passages in the New Testament.
Some of the authors (both past and present) who affirm a Partaker approach to the understanding the warning passages cited above and others like it would be Joseph Dillow, Zane Hodges, Chuck Missler, Mary Cauley, Gary Whipple, Joey Faust, Watchman Nee, G.H. Lang, G.H. Pember, and Robert Govett. Some of these authors who take this viewpoint differ as to what happens to the unfaithful Christians at the pre-millennial Judgment Seat of Christ. Some of them believe that the unfaithful Christian makes it into the kingdom but he does not rule with Jesus Christ. Others believe the unfaithful Christian comes under the penalty of the second death for 1000 years and then is granted entrance into the new Heaven and Earth and so will be saved in eternity but not during the 1000 year millennial kingdom.
How is a man/woman saved in Eternity?
There is a natural tendency in the heart of man to justify himself. I see it with my children; whenever they do something wrong they do not want to admit their guilt or sin. I just saw it in a Divorce from a man and a woman I know quite well. Both sides want to blame each other but neither side will admit wrong doing? Pride is the one tendency in all of us that keeps us from admitting our sinful condition before God. Yet, a lost man/woman is incapable of coming to Jesus Christ until he/she first admits he is a sinner and stands guilty before almighty God:
Romans 3:12 They are all gone out of the way, they are together become unprofitable; there is none that doeth good, no, not one.
Romans 3:19 Now we know that what things soever the law saith, it saith to them who are under the law: that every mouth may be stopped, and all the world may become guilty before God.
I am guilty before almighty God! You are guilty before almighty God. In fact a lost man/woman is incapable of coming to Jesus Christ for salvation unless he admits his/her sinful condition:
Luke 18:10-14 Two men went up into the temple to pray; the one a Pharisee, and the other a publican. (11) The Pharisee stood and prayed thus with himself, God, I thank thee, that I am not as other men are, extortioners, unjust, adulterers, or even as this publican. (12) I fast twice in the week, I give tithes of all that I possess. (13) And the publican, standing afar off, would not lift up so much as his eyes unto heaven, but smote upon his breast, saying, God be merciful to me a sinner. (14) I tell you, this man went down to his house justified rather than the other: for every one that exalteth himself shall be abased; and he that humbleth himself shall be exalted.
What a parable! If a person cannot admit his sinful condition before God than he is incapable of being justified before God! It is only when a lost person can admit his sinful condition before God is he/she able to see his need for a Savior. Whenever a person is sick he is willing to go to a Physician. If he is not sick he does not go to a Physician. Likewise, it is only when a lost person views himself as a guilty sinner is he willing to come to the Great Physician the Lord Jesus Christ. It is only the Holy Spirit that can bring a man/woman to that point where they see their need for a savior:
John 6:44 No man can come to me, except the Father which hath sent me draw him: and I will raise him up at the last day.
Once a person reaches that point where he truly understands his sinful condition before God and that he is totally incapable of saving himself than he is able to realize the magnitude of who Jesus Christ is and what he did on the cross:
1 Timithy 2:5-6 For there is one God, and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus; (6) Who gave himself a ransom for all, to be testified in due time.
The word “ransom” according to the Webster’s International Dictionary under the first definition is the “redemption of a prisoner” and the second definition is the “sum or price paid or demanded” with the third definition being “rescued from punishment.”
No Angel could have paid the ransom for our tremendous sinful condition. It certainly could not have been any ordinary man! God himself became a man and died for our sins; was buried and descended to the lower parts of the earth (Eph 4:9) and was resurrected after three days. He then ascended back to Heaven. We can see this truth in John’s Gospel in chapter three in our Lord’s discourse with Nicodemus:
John 3:13-16 And no man hath ascended up to heaven, but he that came down from heaven, even the Son of man which is in heaven. (14) And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of man be lifted up: (15) That whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have eternal life. (16) For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.
First, it should be noticed in this discourse that Jesus Christ came from Heaven and is going back to Heaven. Whenever Jesus Christ presents himself as the savior he always claimed his own deity; that He was in fact nothing less than the “Son of the living God.” Second, he clearly told about his work on the cross in vs. 14 of this biblical text and that he would be going back to Heaven. This shows us He had prior knowledge of His death, burial and resurrection. Obviously He was nothing less than God manifested in the flesh (1 Timothy 3:16).
I am stressing the essential content of the person and work of our Lord Jesus Christ because there is dangerous teaching in some parts of the “Free Grace” movement which teaches that a lost person can believe in the “name” of Jesus” for eternal life without believing in either is His deity, His death, or resurrection. As was stated above if anyone has believed in the “name of Jesus” for eternal life and he does not believe that Jesus Christ is the “Son of God” or that Jesus died for our sins and rose again after three days than he in fact has not trusted in the Jesus Christ of the bible:
2 Corinthians 11:4 For if he that cometh preacheth another Jesus, whom we have not preached, or if ye receive another spirit, which ye have not received, or another gospel, which ye have not accepted, ye might well bear with him.
Whenever we come to Jesus Christ as our Savior; we are coming to Him as a guilty sinner in need of a Savior. Second, we are coming to Him as nothing less than the Son of the living God who died for our sin’s, was buried and rose again after three days. Whenever someone places their “personal trust” in Jesus Christ and his death and resurrection (apart from any work) than they receive eternal life as gift because they are not trusting in any work or commitment they made. The nature of “saving faith” is illustrated in life of Abraham:
Genesis 15:3-6 And Abram said, Behold, to me thou hast given no seed: and, lo, one born in my house is mine heir. (4) And, behold, the word of the LORD came unto him, saying, This shall not be thine heir; but he that shall come forth out of thine own bowels shall be thine heir. (5) And he brought him forth abroad, and said, Look now toward heaven, and tell the stars, if thou be able to number them: and he said unto him, So shall thy seed be. (6) And he believed in the LORD; and he counted it to him for righteousness.
This is the first place in the bible that faith is defined in regard to imputed righteousness. There is nothing in vs. 6 that shows us that Abraham had to generate some kind of commitment to obey God in order to acquire this righteousness. He simply had to believe in a promise God gave him in regard to his own seed. Genesis 15:6 is also quoted in the New Testament and the book of Romans uses this passage in the Old Testament in order to give further explanation of Abraham’s faith:
Romans 4:21-25 And being fully persuaded that, what he had promised, he was able also to perform. (22) And therefore it was imputed to him for righteousness. (23) Now it was not written for his sake alone, that it was imputed to him; (24) But for us also, to whom it shall be imputed, if we believe on him that raised up Jesus our Lord from the dead; (25) Who was delivered for our offences, and was raised again for our justification.
In biblical saving faith a person has a persuasion (assurance) that Jesus Christ has done everything that God requires (His death and resurrection) in regard to his/her own salvation. In saving faith a man/woman comes to a point where he/she has a full persuasion that Jesus Christ as the Son of God has done everything God requires in His death and resurrection in order to save him/her from their sins. Notice how God the Father himself views the death of his own Son:
Isaiah 53:11 He shall see of the travail of his soul, and shall be satisfied: by his knowledge shall my righteous servant justify many; for he shall bear their iniquities.
John 19:30 When Jesus therefore had received the vinegar, he said, It is finished: and he bowed his head, and gave up the ghost.
God Himself is satisfied with the death of His own Son. This is validated because he was raised again for our Justification (Romans 4:25). Therefore, once a person has trusted in the finished work of Jesus Christ (without trusting in anything else) he has exercised biblical saving faith. He should have assurance that his is saved because he is not trusting in any work he did or commitment he made because he trusts the finished work of the Son of God:
Ephesians 2:8-9 For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves (commitment): it is the gift of God: (9) Not of works, lest any man should boast.
If you walked up to the average person on the street he probably has some knowledge about the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus Christ. Even if he or she does believe in the death, burial, and resurrection of our Lord it does not imply that he is actually trusting in Jesus Christ as his OWN PERSONAL SAVIOR. There are two elements to the volitional aspect of faith in Jesus Christ. First, there is agreement to the historical facts of the Gospel of Jesus Christ. Second, there is personal trust in Jesus Christ and in his death and resurrection. I know quite a few people who are sitting in churches who have an agreement with the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ who are lost and on their way to the Lake of Fire because they are still trusting in their own works to save them.
Ephesians 2:8-9 For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: (9) Not of works, lest any man should boast.
Whenever I have been involved in personal evangelism I have found that pride runs very deep in the heart of man. This is true of both saved people and lost people. Most lost people view themselves as pretty good in God’s site and they somehow believe they can generate something from themselves where they can merit God’s favor. A good example of this can be found in a story about a friend I had in college. His name is Chris Mocek.
He grew up as a staunch Roman Catholic and normally attended the mass services quite regularly. He had an understanding of all the historical facts regarding Jesus Christ. He even believed in the death, burial, and resurrection of our Lord. But I can tell you he was not saved because he was still trusting in his own works to save him. Over time we became friends and started having discussions on matters pertaining to the bible. One day he was reading in Revelation 20 about the final Judgment and the book of life. He noticed that those who were not found written in this book of life were cast in the Lake of Fire. He asked me what he had to do in order to get in that book.
I gave him the Gospel. I told him he was a sinner and in need of a Savior. I told him that Jesus Christ was God and is the only one that could save him. I told him that Jesus Christ died on the Cross for his sins and was buried and rose again after three days. Chris agreed with all of this but he then said to me “what do I have to do?” I told him, “You do not have to do anything.” He said, “No, there has to be something I must do.” The problem that Chris had is that he had not come to the end of himself. He was still trusting in something from himself.
I told him to go read Romans chapter three and four and concentrate on the last part of the third chapter. I think it was about three weeks later and a group of 15 of us were having a bible study on Romans chapter three. Normally Chris was very talkative and outgoing during these bible studies. On that evening when we were discussing the finished work of Jesus Christ in Romans 3:23-25 he became very quiet:
Romans 3:23-25 For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God; (24) Being justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus: (25) Whom God hath set forth to be a propitiation through faith in his blood, to declare his righteousness for the remission of sins that are past, through the forbearance of God;
After Chris saw these verses he starred at his bible for about 30 minutes and did not even bother to say a word. When we arrived at home that evening he looked me in eyes and started crying and repeated these words to me. “I am nothing and Jesus Christ is everything” and then he told me “I believe that Jesus Christ paid it all and there is nothing left for me to do.” This is the good news of the Gospel message. Chris finally came to the end of him-self and stopped trusting in his own works and rested his faith in the finished work of Jesus Christ. This is so powerful; yet so simple that many people stumble over it because of their own deceptive pride. In review in order to be saved in eternity a person must come to the point where he admits he is a guilty sinner before God and is in need of a savior. Second, he must believe in Jesus Christ as the “Son of God” who died and rose again. Third, they must place their personal trust in Jesus Christ and what he did on the cross:
Romans 4:21-25 And being fully persuaded that, what he had promised, he was able also to perform. (22) And therefore it was imputed to him for righteousness. (23) Now it was not written for his sake alone, that it was imputed to him; (24) But for us also, to whom it shall be imputed, if we believe on him that raised up Jesus our Lord from the dead; (25) Who was delivered for our offences, and was raised again for our justification.
The message given above should not be confused with “easy believism.” There are many people who at one time or another have attended one of those large evangelism crusades where they were invited forward to “ask Jesus into their heart.” I question this terminology because it can be confusing. The terminology of “asking Jesus into your heart” is not used one time in the bible. There are many people who have been coerced into making these decisions with “emotionalism” without any reasoning or conviction of their own need for a savior or any conviction of who Jesus Christ is and what he did on the cross. That being said, I do not see anything wrong with a person praying to receive Jesus Christ as long as he has reasoning and conviction of who Jesus is and what he did on the cross. This must be done with caution because it is possible to do this without any conviction Jesus Christ is and what He did on the cross:
John 16:8-9 And when he is come, he will reprove the world of sin, and of righteousness, and of judgment: (9) Of sin, because they believe not on me;
Once a person places his personal trust in Jesus Christ than he begins a race that will last him till the end of his life; Paul speaks of this race in 1 Corinthians:
1 Corinthians 9:24 Know ye not that they which run in a race run all, but one receiveth the prize? So run, that ye may obtain.
This race is like a marathon because we must patiently endure the temptations and trials that are in our path till the end of our life; whenever we fall we must confess our sin to God (1 John 1:9) and get back on our feet and start running again. If we are faithful in completing this race than we will receive the reward of the Inheritance:
Colossians 3:23-24 And whatsoever ye do, do it heartily, as to the Lord, and not unto men; (24) Knowing that of the Lord ye shall receive the reward of the inheritance: for ye serve the Lord Christ.
2 Timothy 2:12 If we suffer, we shall also reign with him: if we deny him, he also will deny us:
According to the bible verses mentioned above “reigning with Jesus Christ” and the Inheritance is a reward we are able to receive and should be kept distinct from the gift of eternal life when we trust in Jesus Christ as our savior. When you compare the verses given above with Ephesians 2:8-9; John 3:16; and Romans 3:23-26 the distinction should become very apparent. Therefore according to the bible one can have salvation in eternity (after the millennium-1000 years) and forfeit his opportunity to reign during the millennium. The millennium is a period of a thousand years in which Jesus Christ will reign on this earth (Revelation 20:1-15). In the bible there is a clear distinction between this period (future for us) and the eternal ages that follow in Revelation 21. This is also known as pre-millennialism.
Pre-millennialism teaches that Jesus Christ will return before the millennium and establish his reign on earth for a thousand years (Revelation 20:1-6). After 1000 years the present Heaven and Earth will pass away and a new Heaven and Earth will be created (Rev. 21:1-2). According to those who accept the “partaker” approach to interpreting scriptures all Christians will be raised to stand trial at the pre-millennial Judgment Seat. At this time those Christians who were faithful during temptations and trials will receive a reward and will reign with Jesus Christ for 1000 years and also in the New Heaven and Earth afterwards (2 Timothy 2:12; Rev. 2:26-27; Rev. 21:7). Those Christians who were unfaithful during temptations and trials without repentance or remediation will suffer loss and experience negative chastisement as a disobedient son:
. Marty Cauley in his exhaustive study on Grace in Rewards lists four different viewpoints in regard to how “Partakers” understand chastisement at the Judgment Seat of Christ and its relationship to the outer darkness:
Conservatives:
Of the various misthological views, conservatives are most closely aligned with the traditional dispensational view. Conservative misthologists believe that the (1) that the outer Darkness is a misthological concept, though some of them seem to limit at least certain aspects of it to 1000 years. The outer darkness is inside the kingdom and is experiential rather than spatial. (2) The rapture is full. (3) The Bride is composed of all believers. There is a difference between inheriting and entering the kingdom. Although not all conservative misthological interpreters concur at this point, it is the general consensus. (5) Abundant entrance through the gates of the city is a reward, but entrance into the city itself is available to all believers, including subcomers. (6) Gehenna is a place of torment for all unbelievers. It is not a misthological concept. And (7) the church is composed of all NT believers. Since conservative FG misthologists believe that the Bride is composed of all church age believers, they are consistent in affirming that the church is composed of both overcomers and subcomers.
Progressive Moderates
When the broader misthological perspective is taken into consideration, conservative moderates, (i.e., progressive moderates) may be regarded as true moderates. Progressive moderates believe that (1) the outer darkness is a misthological concept, is inside the kingdom, and is spatial. (2) The rapture is full. (3) The Bride will be composed of only faithful believers. (4) There is a difference between inheriting and entering the kingdom. (5) Although all believers will enter the kingdom, entrance into the land and city are rewards limited to overcomers. (6) Gehenna is a place of eternal torment for unbelievers. And (7) the church will be composed of faithful NT believers.
More precisely, PM asserts that the outer darkness is a metaphorical depiction of a spatial restriction. Thus, as the outer darkness itself is metaphorical, the truth it pictures has spacial implications.
Some within PM (Progressive moderation), such as Chitwood, would assert that the typical entrance texts are dealing with inheriting the kingdom. Thus they would not make a differentiation between inheriting and entering the kingdom in those passages. Nevertheless, since they acknowledge that even those believers who fail to enter the kingdom in that misthological sense are still within the kingdom, logically it must be that they inferred that they allow a distinction between soteriologically entering the kingdom and misthologically inheriting the kingdom. After all, the only way to be soteriologically within the kingdom is to enter it soteriologically. PM does not deny that Gehenna may be applied metaphorically or correctively to unfaithful believers. However, PM rejects the view that unfaithful believers will be cast literally into metaphysical Gehenna. The metaphysical applicability of Gehenna and/ or the Lake of Fire is reserved for the lost.
Classical Moderates
Classical Moderates believe that (1) the outer darkness is a misthological millennial concept, is outside the kingdom and is spatial. (2) The rapture is full. (3) The Bride is composed of only faithful believers. (4) There is a difference between inheriting and entering the kingdom. (5) Gehenna is a place of eternal torment for unbelievers. And (6) The church will be composed only of faithful NT believers. When misthology is narrowly focused on kingdom exclusion, this classical moderation may be regarded as a moderate view.
Ultruist:
Ultruist believe that the outer darkness is a misthological concept, is outside the kingdom, and is spatial. (2) Older writers of this point of view believed in a partial rapture, but more recent advocates may tend to acknowledge a full rapture. (3) The Bride is composed of only faithful NT believers. (4) There is no difference between inheriting and and entering the kingdom. (5) Gehenna is a place of millennial torment for believers. In ascribing the literal fires of Gehenna a misthological value, these interpreters take misthology to a rather extreme position and for this reason are designated ultruist. And (6) the church will be composed only of faithful NT believers. (The Outer Darkness: Marty Cauley; Pgs. 568-569).
1Co 3:12-15 Now if any man build upon this foundation gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, stubble; (13) Every man’s work shall be made manifest: for the day shall declare it, because it shall be revealed by fire; and the fire shall try every man’s work of what sort it is. (14) If any man’s work abide which he hath built thereupon, he shall receive a reward. (15) If any man’s work shall be burned, he shall suffer loss: but he himself shall be saved; yet so as by fire.
All four viewpoints agree that reigning with Jesus Christ is a reward. Three of the four viewpoints believe that bride is composed of only faithful Saints and that only faithful Christians will have access to the New Jerusalem. All four viewpoints agree that unfaithful Christians will spend the millennium in the outer darkness. The one thing the four viewpoints disagree on is whether the “outer darkness” is spatial with location and where the location is at. The last three of the four viewpoints (Progressive Moderates, Classical Moderates, and Ultruist’s believe the outer darkness is spatial and has location.
According to many who accept the “partaker” viewpoint to “suffer loss” at the Judgment Seat would include exclusion from the wedding banquet at the beginning of the millennium and exclusion from reigning with Jesus Christ during the millennium. According to this viewpoint those who suffer loss will spend part or all of the millennium in the outer darkness (Matt. 8:12; 22:13; 25:30) where they will experience remorse for their wasted life.
Progressive moderates believe the “outer darkness” refers to a physical location inside the kingdom on the dark side of the globe and away from the light of the New Jerusalem. According to this viewpoint Christians who suffer loss at the Judgment Seat of Christ will not be able to enter the New Jerusalem. Classic moderates believe the “outer darkness” is outside the kingdom away from the light of the New Jerusalem. Ultruist believe the “outer darkness” is inside of Hell where rebellious Christians will be chastised for a thousand years.Some Ultruist’s would make a distinction between “outer darkness” and Hell so according to them unfaithful Christians will spend the millennium in outer darkness and apostate Christians would spend the millennium in Hell. At the end of 1000 years they would be resurrected out of these respective places and enjoy eternal life in the New Heaven and Earth.
There are many expositors such as Zane Hodges in his book “Grace in Eclipse”, Joseph Dillow in his book “Final Destiny, Charles Stanley in his book Eternal Security, and Nancy Missler in her book in her book “the Kingdom, Power and Glory” take the viewpoint where the outer darkness is inside the kingdom and outside the wedding banquet. According to them those who suffer loss will not be permitted entrance into the Kingdom but they will not reign with Jesus Christ. There are some from this viewpoint who believe the “outer darkness” is only a metaphor used for those who are excluded from reigning with Christ’s servant kings. Others from this perspective believe the “outer darkness” is spatial and has a location somewhere on the millennial earth away from the light of the city in which no unfaithful Christian will have entrance. This group would be classified as either Conservatives or Progressive Moderates.
Both Classical Moderates and Ultruits believe the First Resurrection is a reward. In this viewpoint unfaithful and backslidden Christians who “suffer loss” at the Judgment Seat will come under the power of the second death for 1000 years and will not enter the millennial kingdom at all. Some of the old authors in the past (18th and 19th centuries) such as Robert Govett in his book “Entrance into the Kingdom”, S.S. Craig in his book the “Dualism of Eternal life”, G.H. Pember in his book Great Prophecies of the Centuries Concerning the Church”, and D.M. Panton in his book the Judgment Seat of Christ take the viewpoint where the “outer darkness” is outside the Kingdom.These authors would be considered Classical Moderates or Ultruists.Some of them believe the “outer darkness” is inside of Hell (Gehenna) where unfaithful Christians will undergo temporary chastisement until the end of the millennium.
Others believe the outer darkness is a separate place from Gehenna (Hell) taking the viewpoint that unfaithful Christians would spend the millennium in the outer darkness while some others (worst apostate Christians) would spend the millennium in Hell.Gary Whipple in his book “Shock and Surprise Beyond the Rapture” makes a distinction between the “outer darkness” and Gehenna (Hell) where only apostate Christians go to Gehenna and the rest of the unfaithful Christians who suffer loss at the Judgment Seat spend the millennium in the outer darkness. Another author who held to a similar viewpoint to Whipple is Watchman Nee.
These two authors and many of the others mentioned above believe the Great White Throne Judgment was a general resurrection in which unfaithful believers (those who suffer loss) and unbelievers would be raised at the post-millennial Great White Throne Judgment. At this time all unbelievers would be dismissed to the Lake of Fire and unfaithful Christians who suffer loss would be raised up into glorified bodies and go into the New Heaven and Earth. At this time they would have their tears wiped away. They believe that all Saints would be raised to stand trial at the pre-millennial Judgment Seat. At this time faithful believers who earn the reward of the Inheritance (Col. 3:24) would be translated into glorified bodies (Romans 8:17). All unfaithful and backslidden believers would temporarily return to death (Revelation 2:11) where they would temporarily be “blotted out” of the pre-millennial book of life (Rev. 3:5) by spending the millennium in either the outer darkness or Gehenna and raised to glorification at the post-millennial Great White Throne Judgment where they will be found written in the post-millennial book of life (Rev. 20:15). At this time their tears would be wiped away (Rev. 21:4). For bible students who hold this view eternal security is only a guarantee after the millennium; not during the millennium.
Of the three viewpoints which believe the “outer darkness” is special and has a physical location I believe that all three of them could be correct to some extent. The reason for this is that every Christian will receive a just recompense of reward (Hebrews 2:3). Some believers will receive a very great reward while others will receive a small reward. On the other end for those who suffer loss some believer’s chastisement will be fairly light while others could receive a heavy chastisement. The difference between living on the New Earth (away from the New Jerusalem) in the outer darkness and spending the millennium in Hell; clearly indicate degrees of suffering loss.
I had a conversation with a man out in Black Forest in the fall of 1994 which really stirred up my thinking regarding these different issues. At the time we both were reading Joseph Dillow’s book Reign of the Servant Kings and were sharing thought from time to time. On that afternoon we were discussing 1 Corinthians 3:15-17:
If any man’s work shall be burned, he shall suffer loss: but he himself shall be saved; yet so as by fire. (16) Know ye not that ye are the temple of God, and that the Spirit of God dwelleth in you? (17) If any man defile the temple of God, him shall God destroy; for the temple of God is holy, which temple ye are.
He asked me what the meaning of vs. 17 is when a man is destroyed for “defiling” the temple of God. I asked him whether he asked the Elders of the church we were both attending at the time. He told me he did not because he did not think they had a understanding of all the issues involved. Then he said something that really stirred my thinking” “Don, could you find me an answer.” I responded by saying “It’s used in the context of the Judgment Seat of Christ.” He told me, “I know and that is what I am afraid of.” I responded by saying, “Yes, I can find you an answer.”
Shortly after this conversation I came across a book by Gary Whipple. The name of the book is “Shock and Surprise Beyond the Rapture.” First, it definitely appears from the context that vs. 17: “If any man defile the temple of God, him shall God destroy” is an amplification of what it means to suffer loss at the Judgment Seat of Christ. The language in this passage is not in parabolic for so the term “destroy” should naturally be taken literal rather than figurative. Every unfaithful and backslidden Christian who suffers loss at the Judgment Seat of Christ will be ultimately being saved in the future (after the millennium) but he must first under temporary loss of his soul for a thousand years in outer darkness and for some they would lose both soul and body in Gehenna. Gary Whipple has this to say concerning this passage:
All believers have the same foundation of Jesus Christ, which is salvation of the spirit. This guarantees us eternal life (verse 11). But after salvation, we need to build upon this foundation with the spiritual work of Jesus Christ through us. If we allow this to happen by yielding our lives to Him, we will be producing gold, silver, and precious stones, i.e. materials that cannot be burned up (verse 12). For this, we will receive a reward (verse 14). The reward of the first resurrection, i.e. out-resurrection, will be to rule and reign with Christ.
However, if we decide to live our own lives, and not yield our lives to Christ, we will produce wood, hay and stubble, i.e. materials that will be burned up and consumed. For this we will suffer loss (verse 15). That is, suffer separation or the second death in outer darkness or Gehenna, and suffer the loss of the kingdom for one-thousand years.
In this passage of scripture, the very fires that will test our rewards, could be the second death, since every believer will be baptized into it (Matt. 3:11,12). Those, whose works do not burn up, will not be hurt of the second death, and will gain reward. However, those who have their works burned will apparently lose their souls, while others lose their souls and their bodies, and will not be raised up for one thousand years.
This really stimulated me to do a lot of research in this area of the scriptures. After spending two years looking at many different aspects of Grace and rewards I could not disprove what Whipple was saying.I have adopted a viewpoint similar to his because it seems to have the most scriptural support. Therefore I believe the first resurrection is a reward given to those Christians who faithfully serve Jesus Christ until the end:
Revelation 2:10 Fear none of those things which thou shalt suffer: behold, the devil shall cast some of you into prison, that ye may be tried; and ye shall have tribulation ten days: be thou faithful unto death, and I will give thee a crown of life.
They will live and reign with Jesus Christ for a thousand years (Rev. 20:4-6) On the other hand all unfaithful Christians who fall away from being faithful or backslide into prolonged sin and carnality without repentance will be raised at the pre-millennial Judgment Seat. They will be judged with various degrees of chastisement and temporarily return to death (Rev. 20:5) and dismissed to the outer darkness. They will temporarily be blotted out of the premillennial book of life:
Revelation 3:4-5 Thou hast a few names even in Sardis which have not defiled their garments; and they shall walk with me in white: for they are worthy. (5) He that overcometh, the same shall be clothed in white raiment; and I will not blot out his name out of the book of life, but I will confess his name before my Father, and before his angels.
Only a few do not have their garments defiled. We must be cautious and repent while we have opportunity and we must be careful to stay connected to our vine; the Lord Jesus Christ. We need to abide in Him. Without Him we can do nothing. (John 15:1-6). All unfaithful Christians will be blotted out of the pre-millennial book of life and will suffer loss for 1000 years. They will be raised to immortality 1000 years later and their names will be found written in the post-millennial book of life:
Revelation 20:15 And whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire.
The word whosoever is in contrast with the every man who is judged in vs. 13 of the same passage; therefore there will be others present who are found written in the book of life 1000 years after the first resurrection. They will have their tears wiped away at this time:
Revelation 21:4 And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes; and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain: for the former things are passed away.
Carefully note, God wipes away their tears 1000 years after the first resurrection. Our Lord is trying to tell us something! These Christians missed the kingdom but they will enter into the new Heaven and Earth (Rev. 21:1-4). The rest of this book will document in some detail what I summarized above.