The ground and continuity of human being is first God’s election to be human being for us in Jesus Christ. It is upon this solid rock that the wick of humanity can never be extinguished. There are some out there who affirm what they call ‘conditional immortality,’ or what of old was called ‘annihilationism,’ which affirms the idea that the human being can be thrown into the ‘outer darkness’ of non-existence. That is to say, this position holds that people who reject Christ will indeed suffer ‘eternal judgment’ by being snuffed out of existence. They contend that human being only has the possibility for immortality, as this is contingent upon the person’s response to God’s gift of salvation for them in Jesus Christ. The annihilationist contends that as humans are born in their sins, that in this state they are simply born into a status of vanishment. That is to say, that their beings as human do not have an inherent vouchsafe that keeps them “existing” from conception into eternity. And yet, as already noted: since the anchor of what it means to be human is universally and archetypally grounded in the vicarious humanity of Jesus Christ, it is my contention that it is impossible for human being, whether on the left or right side, to be vanquished into non-existence at any point.
Karl Barth writes:
On this living and trustworthy basis in God Himself, it is decided, and continually decided, that the creature may have permanence and continuity. Without this living and trustworthy basis in God Himself, without the continuity in which God abides by His election, by His free but overflowing goodness, and finally, without the election of His grace which is the basis of His goodness, the creature could not and would not continue. But the living and trustworthy basis in God continues, and therefore the creature continues. Because of God it cannot not continue; it cannot perish.[1]
You see God’s humanity stands against non-human being. He has so freely tied Himself to us by His free election to be God with us in Jesus Christ, that it would require that that choice be undone in order for humanity to perish into a final non-existence.
[1] Karl Barth, Church Dogmatics III/3 §49 [071] The Doctrine of Creation: Study Edition (London: T&T Clark, 2010), 31.
“…God’s humanity stands against non-human being. He has so freely tied Himself to us by His free election to be God with us in Jesus Christ, that it would require that that choice be undone in order for humanity to perish into a final non-existence.” Emet… amen
Yet there is a sort of conditionality to the continuance of humanity into the future that I will put forth rather colloquially here…
God’s beneficent intentions for all creation— mankind in particular— are found grounded on a foundational history of identity of mankind with God. That is to say, they are found by being grounded on the foundation of one’s own personal identification with God’s testimonies/ʿēdewōtê… God’s instructions, intentions, and appointments… which all accompany and carry one into the ʿôlām. Moreover, it is the assigned and intended task/work of mankind to bring into existence a reality that is more in line with God’s direction for the future than is our present course.
Setting a course for reality is the assigned work of humankind. And that is only navigated for good by one’s personal identification with Jesus Christ as the full and complete manifestation of God’s ʿēdewōtê… in one’s keeping of His instructions, His intentions, and His appointments.
What, then, is the reality that lies in mankind’s future? The answer is ever found as “to be determined”— determined by the foundation of identity each person chooses.
To be clear, what is required is union with Christ Jesus such that the extent that one’s identity with the vicarious humanity of Christ is made the very ground and only hope of glory by faith in this particular Son of God, who always and forever is the reality of mankind’s sustained identity given for the very hope of mankind.
Richard, but my thesis is that humanity simpliciter cannot be extinguished, because all of humanity is objectively bound to Christ’s humanity. So, whether they are on the “right or left side” a person in objective union with Christ—even if they haven’t made the final subjective turn in the Yes of Christ for them—they remain human even if within a subhumanity in an eternal judgment (hell). And of course this is somewhat of a mystery, but is required by Scripture (the alternative on my view, without the qualification I just made, would be universalism; which I reject).
Yes, Bobby… human in kind; “because all of humanity is objectively bound to Christ’s humanity”. Yet also as you say, “within a subhumanity in an eternal judgement (hell).” And yes, “this is of course somewhat of a mystery, but it is required by Scripture”. Moreover, universalism cannot be found in Scripture.
Rather, eternal life, which is also objectively bound to Christ’s humanity is also objectively bound to Christ’s manifest humanity as God’s own work of redemption… yet actualized only by one’s faith objectively bound to Christ’s humanity as Savior and Lord— the “subjective turn in the Yes of Christ for them— thereby delivering that person from within a subhumanity as God’s saving act of grace.
@Richard,
TFT’s passage, I have in my sidebar, encapsulates my post and our subsequent discussion here
“God loves you so utterly and completely that he has given himself for you in Jesus Christ his beloved Son, and has thereby pledged his very being as God for your salvation. In Jesus Christ God has actualised his unconditional love for you in your human nature in such a once for all way, that he cannot go back upon it without undoing the Incarnation and the Cross and thereby denying himself. Jesus Christ died for you precisely because you are sinful and utterly unworthy of him, and has thereby already made you his own before and apart from your ever believing in him. He has bound you to himself by his love in a way that he will never let you go, for even if you refuse him and damn yourself in hell his love will never cease. Therefore, repent and believe in Jesus Christ as your Lord and Saviour.” -T. F. Torrance, The Mediation of Christ, 94.
Emet!… and amen. Thank you for posting such a cogent statement of the “theological mystery” of God’s express love toward and for every person altogether through Christ Jesus. Thanks be to God for his indescribable gift!