Is there Hope for Reprobates?

by George Sidney Hurd
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Is there hope for those whom the Scriptures refer to as reprobates? What does the word “reprobate” even mean?
 
The word “reprobate” is an old English word derived from the Latin root, probare, meaning “to prove or test.” The Latin reprobatus, means “disapproved, rejected, or condemned” in apposition with approbatus (commended, approved).
 
While, as we shall see, the term “reprobate” carries a lot of traditional baggage which needs to be shed, reprobate is nonetheless an accurate definition of the Greek word adókimos (ἀδόκιμος) which fundamentally means “disapproved, disqualified or rejected.” In Scripture it is used to refer to anything from a precious metal which fails the purity test (Isa 1:22; Jer 6:30 LXX), to an athlete who becomes disqualified (1Cor 9:27), to those who are disqualified due to the absence of good works which are the fruit of saving faith (2Cor 13:5-6; 2Tim 3:8; Titus 1:16; Heb 6:7-9).
 
The difficulty with the old English term reprobate isn’t related to its actual definition, but to its acquired meaning in the minds of many as a result of the doctrines of men. The same thing happened to the word reprobate as happened to our word hell. The Greek word hades (ᾅδης) literally means “unseen,” and refers to the invisible realm of the souls of the dead. In similar manner, the old English word hel or helle simply meant “that which is covered or concealed,” i.e. the invisible realm of the dead. [1] Therefore, the problem with the English word hell is not with its actual meaning, but with its acquired meaning through the traditions of men.
 
The word reprobate suffered the same fate as the word hell. The traditional doctrines of men have attached a meaning beyond the actual definition of disapproval, disqualification or rejection, misrepresenting the nature of God by portraying His reprobation of the unrepentant as though it were eternal and non-remedial. One popular website defines reprobation in the following manner:
 
“Reprobation is the term used to describe those who by default are left in their fallen human nature to sin and to be eternally damned.” [2]
 
This is a milder definition than that given by the Reformed Calvinists. According to this definition, God doesn’t actively predestine the reprobate to eternal damnation: He simply abandons them in their lost state without extending grace to them. They are said to be reprobates by default. On the other hand, the Reformed Calvinists teach that God has actually predestined the reprobate to eternal torment, as it has pleased Him, in order to magnify His justice. They define reprobation in the following manner:
 
“Reprobation is God’s eternal decree whereby he foreordained that certain persons would be excluded from the number of those saved by grace, and that those same persons would instead experience his just wrath… God decrees that certain individuals will be justly punished for the purpose of magnifying God’s justice and grace and that this punishment is…according to his good pleasure.” [3]
 
Arminians seek to soften the traditional doctrine of eternal reprobation by saying that God did not foreordain them as reprobates, but simply foreknew that they would resist His grace, thereby becoming reprobates of their own free will. However, whether it be by preordination or by foreknowledge, any theodicy which seeks to present a truly benevolent omnipotent Creator as creating man in His own image and likeness, knowing beforehand that He would have to sustain them in a state of endless conscious fiery torment is problematic, to say the least!
 
What Scriptures do they present in support of their belief that God’s reprobation is His eternal irreversible rejection? The only passage I have seen presented in support of it being irreversible is Hebrews 12:17 where it says that Esau found no place for repentance, though he sought it diligently with tears. [4] However, looking at the context, it becomes evident that what Esau wasn’t able to recover, although he sought it with tears, was his father Isaac’s blessing, not God’s forgiveness and salvation from an eternal hell (Gen 27:37-38). In fact, an eternal hell is not even hinted at in the entire Old Testament.
 
The Cause of Reprobation
 
We do see in Scripture that, while God does not actively reprobate anyone, there can come a point where God gives the unrepentant over to a reprobate mind if they persist in obstinate rebellion, continually suppressing the truth in order to continue in their unrighteousness (Rom 1:18-28). It is possible for one to reach a point where God’s Spirit will no longer strive with them and they become set apart for judgment (Gen 6:3; Rom 9:22). God gave the antediluvians 120 years to repent while Noah built the ark, but as soon as the doors of the ark were shut, there was no more opportunity for them to avert His judgment.
 
In Romans 1, Paul shows how again God later gave the postdiluvians over to a reprobate or disapproved mind (a thought-life unacceptable to God), seeing that they were unwilling to retain the knowledge of Him. He said:
 
“For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who suppress the truth in unrighteousness… 21 because, although they knew God, they did not glorify Him as God, nor were thankful, but became futile in their thoughts, and their foolish hearts were darkened… 24 Therefore God also gave them up to uncleanness, in the lusts of their hearts, to dishonor their bodies among themselves, 25 who exchanged the truth of God for the lie, and worshiped and served the creature rather than the Creator, who is blessed forever. Amen. 26 For this reason God gave them up to vile passions. For even their women exchanged the natural use for what is against nature. 27 Likewise also the men, leaving the natural use of the woman, burned in their lust for one another, men with men committing what is shameful, and receiving in themselves the penalty of their error which was due. 28 And even as they did not like (dokimazo “approve”) to retain God in their knowledge, God gave them over to a debased (adókimos “disapproved”) mind, to do those things which are not fitting.” (Rom 1:18,21,24-28)
 
Here we see that it is not by God’s foreordination that one is reprobate as the Calvinists would claim. Rather, when God sees that they will not accept, or approve of, retaining the knowledge of Him, there comes a point when He grants them their wish, turning them over to their own reprobate or disapproved mind. Three times in these few verses we see repeated the phrase “God gave them up.” In response to man’s relentless insistence upon doing his own will, there comes a point where God finally says to them, “thy will be done.” His Spirit no longer strives with them.
 
We see a scenario similar to that of Romans 1 taking place just prior to the return of Christ, with some notable differences. In Romans 1 it says that the unjust “did not approve of retaining the knowledge of God.” In 2Thessalonians 2 it says essentially the same thing of those given over to a reprobate mind, saying, “they did not receive the love of the truth, that they might be saved” (2 Thess 2:10). However, this time we see that, in judgment, God not only ceases to strive with them, but He actively gives them over to believe the lie. In the following verses it says:
 
“And for this reason God will send them strong delusion, that they should believe the lie, that they all may be condemned who did not believe the truth but had pleasure in unrighteousness.” (2Thess 2:11-12)
 
This speaks of the great apostacy or falling away just prior to the return of Christ which prepares the way for the Antichrist or the man of sin (2Thess 2:3-4). Daniel spoke of this falling away under the Antichrist saying:
 
“Those who do wickedly against the covenant he shall corrupt with flattery; but the people who know their God shall be strong and carry out great exploits.” (Dan 11:32)
 
It is actually a good sign when one feels conviction of sin in their lives. It is an indication that the Holy Spirit is still striving with them, convicting them of their sin. It deeply grieves me to hear so many today who are living a sinful lifestyle say that they once felt bad for what they were doing, but once they came to accept that their particular sin defined them, they felt peace.
 
The “peace” one feels when they no longer feel conviction of sin in their lives is a false peace and should be great cause for alarm. Paul speaks of those who, having given themselves over to lewdness, come to the point of being past feeling (Eph 4:19). This is a sure sign of a reprobate mind. If you feel you are becoming indifferent to sin in your life, pray and ask the Lord to grant you repentance that you might come to your senses and escape the snare of the devil where you have been held captive to do his will (2Tim 2:25-26).
 
The Temporal, Remedial Nature of Reprobation
 
The traditional Calvinist and Arminian doctrines of men have led many to believe that once one has been given over to a reprobate mind they are eternally lost, and after judgment they will either be incinerated (Annihilationism), or else subjected to unending fiery torment (Eternal Infernalism).
 
However, while it is true that one who persistently rejects God may be given over to their own will and set aside until judgment day, all of God’s judgments are corrective and eventually end in restoration, not eternal reprobation or rejection. Jeremiah the prophet revealed something about the nature of God that all too many overlook. He first prophesied saying the following concerning God’s people who had been given over to judgment because of their wickedness and idolatries:
 
“Reprobate (ἀποδοκιμάζω, apodokimazo) silver shall men call them, because the LORD hath rejected them (ἀποδοκιμάζω).” (Jer 6:30)
 
Here in the Greek LXX we see a cognate of the same word for reprobate used to refer to God’s own chosen people who had been rejected by God and set aside for judgment. However, after Jerusalem had been destroyed by the Babylonians in 586 BC, Jeremiah comforted them with this revelation concerning God’s faithfulness towards them and all of the wayward children of men, saying:
 
“For the Lord will not cast off forever. Though He causes grief, yet He will show compassion according to the multitude of His mercies. For He does not afflict willingly, nor grieve the children of men.” (Lam 3:31-33)
 
Although they were called reprobate or rejected silver because of their moral impurity and they were unable to escape judgment, he makes it clear that God will not forever abandon any of the reprobate children of men permanently, but will show compassion according to the multitude of His mercies.  The expression “children of men” is inclusive of all mankind and not just God’s chosen people.
 
The prophet Isaiah also said of Israel that they had become reprobate, just as impure silver. He said: “Your silver has become dross (ἀδόκιμος, adókimos)…” (Isa 1:22). Through God’s dealings with Israel, we can see what He does with the reprobate (adókimos) whom He has set aside for judgment. Through the prophet Ezekiel we can see what God, the Master Refiner and the Consuming Fire, does to the reprobate:   
 
“The word of the Lord came to me, saying, 18 "Son of man, the house of Israel has become dross to Me; they are all bronze, tin, iron, and lead, in the midst of a furnace; they have become dross from silver. 19 Therefore thus says the Lord God: 'Because you have all become dross, therefore behold, I will gather you into the midst of Jerusalem. 20 As men gather silver, bronze, iron, lead, and tin into the midst of a furnace, to blow fire on it, to melt it; so I will gather you in My anger and in My fury, and I will leave you there and melt you. 21 Yes, I will gather you and blow on you with the fire of My wrath, and you shall be melted in its midst. 22 As silver is melted in the midst of a furnace, so shall you be melted in its midst; then you shall know that I, the Lord, have poured out My fury on you.'" (Ezek 22:17-22)
 
What does God do to the reprobate? Does He cast them away forever? No, God does not cast away any of the children of men forever. Rather, He sets them aside to later be cast into the furnace of affliction, as a refiner of precious metals would do to a precious metal contaminated with impurities until their dross is consumed and they are cleansed and pure. I elaborate more on the biblical metaphor of God as the Master Refiner and the Consuming Fire in my blog, Sulfur, Salt and the Refiner's Fire.
 
The end result of God’s furnace of fire for reprobate Israel is that they come forth from the furnace pure and separate from sin. Just as is the case with a loving father disciplining his son, His fire is actually His love acting against the sin in their lives. Ultimately His judgments against Israel result in the peaceable fruit of righteousness, as we can see further along in Ezekiel 36:
 
“For I will take you from among the nations, gather you out of all countries, and bring you into your own land. 25 Then I will sprinkle clean water on you, and you shall be clean; I will cleanse you from all your filthiness and from all your idols. 26 I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit within you; I will take the heart of stone out of your flesh and give you a heart of flesh.” (Ezek 36:24-26, cf., Rom 11:26-27).
 
The end result of God’s furnace of affliction for Israel is that they come forth cleansed of all their filthiness and are given a new heart. This is not only true of God’s chosen people Israel. The same could be said concerning His affliction of any of the children of men whom He has created. We see that even reprobate Sodom and Samaria will someday be restored (Ezek 16:53-55). God is love and therefore He does not willingly afflict nor grieve any of the children of men whom He has created. What He does, He does only for their own benefit. Therefore, we can see that God’s reprobation of the children of men, just as with apostate Israel, is not an eternal rejection but temporal and remedial.
 


[1] https://www.etymonline.com/word/Hell
 

[2] https://www.gotquestions.org/reprobation.html
 

[3] https://www.thegospelcoalition.org/essay/doctrine-of-reprobation/
 

[4] While I have never seen 1Chronicles 28:9 presented in support of eternal reprobation, for years as an Arminian I thought that David was warning Soloman of eternal reprobation when he said to him: “if you forsake Him, He will cast you off forever." However, after more careful study of the passage I realized that David didn’t have Solomon’s eternal salvation in mind at all. He remembered how before he himself became king of Israel, Saul had been permanently rejected as king by God for his disobedience. Samuel said to king Saul:“Because you have rejected the word of the Lord, He also has rejected you from being king” (1 Samuel 15:23).
The only manner in which God is said to have rejected Saul was “from being king.” Likewise, I believe that the irrevocable rejection David warned Solomon of had to do with his rejection as king of Israel, not eternal perdition.
In the Greek LXX, the translators, being familiar as they were with all the nuances of the Hebrew language, rendered it as, rejecting “to the end” (εἰς τέλος), instead of “forever.” In other words, God would permanently remove him from the throne. That is the way the NET Bible translators understood it. They rendered it as, “if you abandon him, he will reject you permanently.”
I know that here in Colombia if someone in public office is convicted of a crime, he can never hold a public office again for the rest of his life. I believe that is what David was saying to his son Solomon.

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