Immortality or Resurrection.pdf - Truth According to Scripture

307 Pages·2001·0.92 MB·English

by  Samuele Bacchiocchi

13
iblical
erspectives
Immortality
or
Resurrection?
A Biblical Study
on
Human Nature and Destiny
Samuele Bacchiocchi
Foreword
by
Clark Pinnock
iblical
erspectives
4990 Appian Way
Berrien Springs
Michigan 49103, USA
BOOKS BY THE SAME AUTHOR
THE CHRISTIAN AND ROCK MUSIC is a timely symposium that defines
the biblical principles to make good musical choices.
THE SABBATH UNDER CROSSFIRE refutes the common arguments used to
negate the continuity and validity of the Sabbath.
IMMORTALITY OR RESURRECTION? unmasks with compelling Biblical reason-
ing the oldest and the greatest deception of all time, that human beings possess
immortal souls that live on forever.
THE MARRIAGE COVENANT is designed to strengthen your Christian home
through a recovery of those biblical principles established by God to ensure
happy, lasting, marital relationships.
THE ADVENT HOPE FOR HUMAN HOPELESSNESS offers a scholarly, and
comprehensive analysis of the biblical teachings regarding the certainty and
imminence of Christ’s Return.
FROM SABBATH TO SUNDAY presents the results of a painstaking research
done at a Vatican University in Rome on how the change came about from
Saturday to Sunday in early Christianity.
THE SABBATH IN THE NEW TESTAMENT summarizes Bacchiocchi’s exten-
sive research on the history and theology of the Lord’s Day and answers the
most frequently asked questions on this subject.
WINE IN THE BIBLE shows convincingly that the Bible condemns the use of
alcoholic beverages, irrespective of the quantity used.
CHRISTIAN DRESS AND ADORNMENT examines the Biblical teachings
regarding dress, cosmetics, and jewelry. An important book designed to help
Christians dress modestly, decently, and reverently.
DIVINE REST FOR HUMAN RESTLESSNESS offers a rich and stirring theo-
logical interpretation of the relevance of Sabbathkeeping for our tension-filled
and restless society. Translated in 15 languages.
HAL LINDSEY’S PROPHETIC JIGSAW PUZZLE refutes with compelling
logic the senselessness of the predictions made by writers like Hal Lindsey. It
received the 1987 Associated Church Press Award.
WOMEN IN THE CHURCH shows why Scripture supports the participation of
women in various church ministries but precludes their ordination to the
representative role of elder or pastor.
THE TIME OF THE CRUCIFIXION AND THE RESURRECTION examines
the time element of the Crucifixion/Resurrection as well as the meaning of
Christ’s death.
GOD’S FESTIVALS IN SCRIPTURE AND HISTORY. Vol. 1: The Spring
Festivals; Vol. 2: The Fall Festivals examine the historicaldevelopment
and theological meaning of the ancient Feasts of Israel.
Each of the above books costs $20.00, mailing expenses included. To
order them, call [phone] or mail your prepaid order to:
BIBLICAL PERSPECTIVES
4990 Appian Way. Berrien Springs, MI 49103, USA
Web Page: http://www.biblicalperspectives.com
E-mail: [email protected] or [email protected]
Cover layout
by
Gilbert Gurubatham
Resurrection picture
by
Lou Skidmore
Séance picture
by
John Steele
©Copyright 2001
by
Samuele Bacchiocchi
To purchase a copy of this book
call [phone] or
mail your prepaid order
($20.00, postpaid)
to
BIBLICAL PERSPECTIVES
4990 Appian Way
Berrien Springs
Michigan 49103
Phone [phone]
Fax [phone]
E-mail: [email protected]
or [email protected]
Web site: http://www.biblicalperspectives.com
DEDICATED
to my caring wife, Anna,
whose loving support
motivates me to
greater service
for the Lord
TABLE
OF
CONTENTS
Foreword ............................................................................................ 8
Introduction ............................................................................................ 9
1. The Debate over Human Nature and Destiny ................................. 15
Two Basic Views of Human Nature and Destiny ................................ 17
Classical Dualism ............................................................................ 17
Biblical Wholism ............................................................................. 18
Implications of Dualism ...................................................................... 23
Doctrinal Implications ..................................................................... 23
Practical Implications ...................................................................... 25
Implications of Biblical Wholism ........................................................ 28
Positive View of Physical and Spiritual .......................................... 28
Concerned for the Whole Person ..................................................... 28
Conclusion ........................................................................................... 30
Notes to Chapter 1 ............................................................................... 31
2. The Old Testament View of Human Nature .................................... 33
Human Nature at Creation .................................................................. 35
Creation, Fall, and Redemption ....................................................... 35
The Meaning of “Living Soul” ........................................................ 39
Human Nature as Soul ......................................................................... 45
Human Nature as Body and Flesh ....................................................... 53
Human Nature as Heart ....................................................................... 57
Human Nature as Spirit ....................................................................... 60
Conclusion ........................................................................................... 70
Notes to Chapter 2 ............................................................................... 72
3. The New Testament View of Human Nature ................................... 76
Human Nature as Soul ......................................................................... 79
Human Nature as Spirit ....................................................................... 93
Human Nature as Body ....................................................................... 103
Human Nature as Heart ....................................................................... 108
Scholarly Support for Wholistic View ............................................... 110
Conclusion ........................................................................................... 116
Notes to Chapter 3 ............................................................................... 117
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Table of Contents
6
4. The Biblical View of Death ................................................................ 122
A Historical Glimpse of the Belief in the Survival of the Soul ........... 123
The Nature of Death ............................................................................ 133
Old Testament Descriptions of Death .............................................. 138
New Testament References to Death ............................................... 140
Death as Sleep in the Old Testament ............................................... 140
Death as Sleep in the New Testament .............................................. 142
Lazarus Had No Afterlife Experience .............................................. 143
Paul and the Sleeping Saints ............................................................ 143
The Significance of the “Sleep” Metaphor .......................................... 145
Conclusion ........................................................................................... 148
Notes on Chapter 4 ............................................................................... 150
5. The State of the Dead ........................................................................ 155
The State of the Dead in the Old Testament ........................................ 157
Translations and Interpretations of Sheol ........................................ 157
The Condition of the Dead in Sheol ................................................. 161
The Medium of Endor ...................................................................... 167
The State of the Dead in the New Testament ....................................... 170
The Meaning and Nature of Hades .................................................. 170
Jesus and Hades ............................................................................... 171
The Rich Man and Lazarus .............................................................. 173
Jesus’ Use of Current Beliefs ........................................................... 176
Jesus and the Thief on the Cross ...................................................... 177
Resurrection Body at the Parousia ................................................... 184
Conclusion ........................................................................................... 189
Notes to Chapter 5 ................................................................................ 190
6. Hell: Eternal Torment or Annihilation? .......................................... 195
The Traditional View of Hell ............................................................... 197
The Witness of the Old Testament ....................................................... 199
The Witness of the Intertestamental Literature .................................... 201
The Witness of Jesus ............................................................................ 204
The Witness of Paul ............................................................................. 211
The Witness of Revelation ................................................................... 212
The Metaphorical View of Hell ........................................................... 220
The Universalist View of Hell ............................................................. 222
The Annihilation View of Hell ............................................................. 225
The Language of Destruction in the Bible ........................................... 229
The Moral Implications of Eternal Torment ........................................ 237
The Judicial Implications of Eternal Torment ..................................... 240
The Cosmological Implications of Eternal Torment ............................ 243
Conclusion ........................................................................................... 244
Notes to Chapter 6 ............................................................................... 246
Table of Contents
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7. The Consummation of Redemption ................................................. 252
The Second Advent .............................................................................. 253
Dualism and the Neglect of the Advent Hope ................................. 253
The Manner of Christ’s Coming .......................................................... 255
The Purpose of Christ’s Coming .......................................................... 259
The Resurrection .................................................................................. 260
The Resurrection of Believers .......................................................... 260
The Resurrection of Unbelievers ...................................................... 261
The Resurrection of the Body .............................................................. 263
Characteristics of the Resurrection Body ............................................. 265
The Meaning of the Resurrection of the Body ..................................... 271
The Final Judgment ............................................................................. 276
The Necessity of the Final Judgment ............................................... 277
The Scope of the Final Judgment ..................................................... 278
The Standard of the Final Judgment ................................................ 279
The Seventh-Day Adventist View of the Final Judgment .................... 283
Evaluative and Executive Phases ..................................................... 284
A Glimpse at the Pre-Advent Phase of the Final Judgment ............. 284
A Glimpse at the Post-Advent Phase of the Final Judgment ........... 286
The Scope of the Post-Advent Judgment ......................................... 287
The World to Come .............................................................................. 289
New Earth Fulfills Old Testament Promises ................................... 289
Annihilation or Renewal of Present Earth? ..................................... 290
The Biblical View of the New Earth ............................................... 291
A Preview of Life in the New Earth .................................................... 294
Conclusion ............................................................................................ 301
Notes to Chapter 7 ................................................................................ 305
FOREWORD
by
Clark H. Pinnock
Let me welcome another splendid book from Dr. Samuele
Bacchiocchi. In the tradition of Oscar Cullmann, Dr. Bacchiocchi has dem-
onstrated in a much fuller way the contrast between the primitive Christian
hope for the resurrection of the dead and the Hellenistic expectation of the
survival of the immortal soul. In this fine new book, he offers a thorough
biblical study of human nature as an indivisible unity and draws out implica-
tions for our destiny and many other matters.
Anthropological dualism has done such a serious harm in weakening
our blessed hope of Christ’s appearing and in distorting our understanding
of the world to come. It has also fostered many false dichotomies including
a negative view of the body in contrast to the soul and a concept of salvation
as interior experience rather than total transformation. Worst of all, it has
given rise to the sadistic teaching that God makes the wicked suffer unend-
ing conscious torment in hell, which has been such a burden to the Christian
conscience and such unnecessary offense to many seekers.
A large number of scholars agree with the author as regards human
nature but no one has so courageously drawn out many of the necessary
implications. This book is much needed in order to combat the persistent but
mistaken opinion among Christians that the soul is an immortal substance, a
belief which is both unbiblical and harmful. I congratulate Dr. Bacchiocchi
and thank him for this decisive volume.
Clark H. Pinnock, Ph. D.,
Professor of Theology
McMaster Divinity College
Hamilton, Ontario, Canada
INTRODUCTION
Why write a book on the Biblical view of human nature and destiny?
Isn’t this a dead issue that theologians have settled long time ago? What is the
point of investigating this question again? Do people really care about
what the Bible teaches about the make-up of their nature and God’s plan
for their destiny?
The truth of the matter is that the question of human nature and destiny
is far from being a dead issue. In recent years, numerous Bible scholars,
philosophers, and scientists have reexamined the traditional dualistic view of
human nature, consisting of a material, mortal body, and a spiritual,
immortal soul. They have found such a view to be contrary to Scripture,
reason and science.
A close reexamination of the basic Biblical terms for man (body, soul,
spirit, flesh, mind, heart) has led many scholars to conclude that in the Bible
there is no dichotomy between a mortal body and an immortal soul that
“comes apart” at death. Both body and soul, flesh and spirit are an indivisible
unity, part of the same person who ceases to exist at death until the
resurrection. Reading these scholarly studies, one almost gets the impression
that Christianity is coming out of a stupor and is suddenly discovering that for
too long it has held to a view of human nature derived from Platonic dualism
rather than from Biblical wholism.
The massive scholarly assault on the traditional dualistic view of
human nature eventually will filter through the rank and file of Christian
denominations. When this happens, it will cause intellectual and personal
crisis to Christians accustomed to believing that at death their souls break
loose from their bodies and continue to exist either in the beatitude of paradise
or in the torment of hell. Many Christians will be sorely disappointed to
discover that their beliefs in the after life are a delusion.
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Introduction 10
There is no question that Biblical scholarship is bound to cause a great
deal of existential anxiety to millions of Christians who believe in going to
heaven at death with their disembodied souls. Any challenge to traditionally
held beliefs can be devastating. The purpose of this study is not to intensify
such anxiety, but to encourage all Christians committed to the normative
authority of the Scripture to reexamine their traditional beliefs and reject them
if proven to be unbiblical. The Christian hope for a better tomorrow must be
grounded on the unmistakable teachings of God’s Word, not on ecclesi-
astical traditions.
Reasons for Writing this Book. Two major reasons have motivated
me to undertake this research. The first is the awareness that in spite of the
massive attacks by Bible scholars against traditional dualism, the belief in
conscious existence after death is gaining greater popular acceptance. Ac-
cording to a recent Gallup Poll, 71 percent of Americans believe in some form
of conscious life after death.1 The increase in this belief can be attributed to
such factors as the polished image of mediums and psychics, the sophisticated
“scientific” research into near-death experiences, and the popular New Age
channeling with the alleged spirits of the past. Methods such as these are very
successful in making people believe Satan’s lie that no matter what they do,
they “shall not die” (Gen 3:4) but become like gods by living for ever.
The second reason for undertaking this study is that most scholarly
studies on this area are technical in nature and limited in scope. They are
written in a technical language, making use of original Hebrew or Greek
words that most lay readers do not understand. Their scope is also limited,
often dealing exclusively either with the question of human nature (Biblical
anthropology) or that of human destiny (Biblical eschatology). Biblical
scholars seldom have attempted to show the correlation between the Biblical
teaching on the make-up of human nature and its teaching on the nature of
human destiny.
The awareness of the growing popular acceptance of the belief in
conscious existence after death and the scarcity of popularly written books
addressing this issue from a Biblical perspective convinced me of the need to
write this book. My goal is twofold. On the one hand, I attempt to unmask with
Biblical reasoning the oldest and possibly the greatest deception of all time,
namely, that human beings possess immortal souls that live on forever. This
deceptive teaching has fostered a whole spectrum of erroneous beliefs that
have adversely affected Christian thought and practice. On the other hand, I
endeavor to show how the Biblical wholistic view of human nature enhances
our appreciation of our physical life, this present world, redemption, and our
ultimate destiny.