Stephen Jones — Hamartology
b2 — The Restoration of All Things
Sin and Law: The Law Destroys the Sin, Not the Sinner
Jones formulates in chapter 1 the foundational hamartological thesis of the entire book:
“The law destroys the sin, not the sinner, and the law’s judgments destroy the sin from the earth, rather than destroying the earth itself.” — Jones, The Restoration of All Things, Ch.1
“To judge means to rightly divide the word of truth. Once a judge has heard from the witnesses and has discerned who is lying and who is telling the truth, he is able to render a proper judgment in the case to restore the lawful order.” — Jones, The Restoration of All Things, Ch.1
“love pursues the truth, and where there is offense (sin), love corrects the sinner through the judgment of the law. The sinner’s heart may be self-centered and hardened, of course, and thus from his viewpoint, the law is evil, but this perception is an illusion. The purpose of the law is to correct the sinner and restore the lawful order.” — Jones, The Restoration of All Things, Ch.1
“the divine judgments that are coming upon the earth are meant to restore all things, not to destroy all things.” — Jones, The Restoration of All Things, Ch.1
Interpretation: Jones argues that judgment and condemnation are not synonymous. Divine judgment aims at restoring the lawful order, not at destroying the sinner. This has direct hamartological implications: sin is not removed by abolishing the law, but by paying its full penalty.
Sin Defined by Law: Universalism vs. Restorationism
Jones distinguishes two theological models for dealing with sin, centered on whether the law is upheld or abolished:
“‘sin is lawlessness’ (1 John 3:4). The putting away of the law essentially had the effect of legalizing sin so that men could then commit whatever sin they chose with immunity from divine prosecution.” — Jones, The Restoration of All Things, Ch.2
“Paul says, ‘where there is no law, neither is there violation’ (Rom. 4:15). In order for something to be a sin there must be a law that makes that act a sin. Putting away the law is man’s way of legalizing or decriminalizing sin. God’s way is to recognize the law and then pay its full penalty, as Jesus did on the cross.” — Jones, The Restoration of All Things, Ch.2
“The primary distinction between Universalism and Restorationism is in this matter of divine judgment. The one makes no provision for any judgment, no accountability for past actions, and makes spiritual growth unnecessary and irrelevant in the end. The other view recognizes the reality and seriousness of sin, pays its full penalty as the law demands for the ultimate reconciliation of creation, and yet saves believers by faith and unbelievers through judgments, discipline, and spiritual growth.” — Jones, The Restoration of All Things, Ch.2
“Universalism seeks to save all mankind by destroying the law, which would then make its violation impossible, regardless of what a man might do to his neighbor.” — Jones, The Restoration of All Things, Ch.2
Interpretation: Jones’ Restorationism acknowledges the reality and seriousness of sin (contra Universalism) while still aiming at universal restoration. The key is that the penalty is fully paid, not that the law is abolished.
Sin as Debt: Corrective Judgment with a Built-In Limit
Jones argues that the divine legal system treats sin as debt with an inherent limitation:
“The judgments of God are established in the law itself. In the law, there is no sin worthy of torture in a literal fire. The fire is the ‘fiery law’ itself (Deut. 33:2). His Word is like a fire (Jer. 23:29), for its purpose is to cleanse, purify, and burn out the dross in order to bring forth a perfect, finished product.” — Jones, The Restoration of All Things, Ch.2
“There was a limit on the number of lashes that a sinner could receive for misdemeanors, even as there was a limit on the number of years that felons would have to be enslaved. The Jubilee law limited the time of enslavement and disinheritance to a maximum of 49 years (Lev. 25:10). Such is the grace in the law of Jubilee and in the law of beatings. The justice of God does not include endless punishment. Neither does the grace of God come without justice.” — Jones, The Restoration of All Things, Ch.2
“Isaiah 26:9 says, ‘For when the earth experiences Thy judgments, the inhabitants of the world will learn righteousness.‘” — Jones, The Restoration of All Things, Ch.2
“The main point to understand, though, is that the law mandates mercy along with justice. Built into the law is a limitation on judgment for sin.” — Jones, The Restoration of All Things, Ch.2
Adam’s Sin: Imputation and the Two Deaths (Ch.5)
Jones develops in chapter 5 his central interpretation of Rom. 5:12:
“Paul explains in Romans 5 that Adam’s sin was imputed to all of us. This means that we were all held accountable for Adam’s sin, as if we had done it. We were legally guilty, and so all men received the penalty for Adam’s sin. That penalty was death, or mortality. In becoming mortal, or death-ridden, we became morally weak or sick, and this, in turn, has caused us to sin. We received death—on which all sin.” — Jones, The Restoration of All Things, Ch.5
“Most translations, beginning with Jerome’s Latin Vulgate, say ‘for that all sin’ (KJV) or ‘because all sinned’ (NASB), as if to say that we became mortal because we sinned. This is incorrect. We sin because we are mortal, not the other way around. We are born mortal before we had opportunity to sin for ourselves.” — Jones, The Restoration of All Things, Ch.5
“The translators misunderstood Paul because they thought Paul had made a mistake. They thought he was contradicting his statement in Rom. 6:23, ‘the wages of sin is death.’ They did not understand that the wages of Adam’s sin was the first death (mortality) which was passed down to all men; and that the wages of our own personal sins is the second death—the judgment of law at the Great White Throne.” — Jones, The Restoration of All Things, Ch.5
“Both acts were done outside of ourselves, not by our will. Likewise, even as we all shared in the consequences of Adam’s sin before our wills had been formed, so also do we all share in the salvation brought about by Christ’s righteous act, which was done apart from our wills. Just as Adam’s sin resulted in every man’s death, so also Christ’s righteous act resulted in every man being given life in the end.” — Jones, The Restoration of All Things, Ch.5
“When Adam sinned, he and his wife and children were sold to pay the debt that he could not pay. In fact, his entire estate was sold to pay his debt, and it was still insufficient to pay the debt.” — Jones, The Restoration of All Things, Ch.5 (referencing Matt. 18:25)
[NOTE: Jones develops the Adam–Christ parallel more extensively in b2/Ch.5 than in b1/Ch.9, but the theological position is consistent: mortality as consequence of imputed guilt, not infusion of a sinful nature.]
Sin as Debt and the Kinsman-Redeemer Principle (Ch.7)
Jones establishes in chapter 7 the legal basis for restoration through the kinsman-redeemer concept:
“You can purchase anything, but you can redeem only that which you once owned.” — Jones, The Restoration of All Things, Ch.7
“If a man cannot repay the debt for sin, ‘he shall be sold for his theft’ (Ex. 22:3).” — Jones, The Restoration of All Things, Ch.7
“a kinsman was given the right of redemption (Lev. 25:47-49), as long as he had sufficient money to pay the debt. […] The kinsman’s redemption right takes precedence over the slave-master’s desire to keep the slave in his possession.” — Jones, The Restoration of All Things, Ch.7
“This is why Jesus had to come as a man of flesh and blood. Hebrews 2:11 says, ‘He is not ashamed to call them brethren.’ Verses 14 and 15 say, ‘Since then the children share in flesh and blood, He Himself likewise also partook of the same, that through death He might render powerless him who had the power of death, that is, the devil.‘” — Jones, The Restoration of All Things, Ch.7
“Jesus therefore had the MEANS to redeem all of creation, and as a near Kinsman, he also had the lawful RIGHT of redemption.” — Jones, The Restoration of All Things, Ch.7
“The time of bondage is the time of potential redemption. But these years of redemption end when the redemption laws are swallowed up by the law of Jubilee. […] ‘Even if he is not redeemed by those means, he shall still go out in the year of Jubilee, both he and his sons with him.’ (Lev. 25:54)” — Jones, The Restoration of All Things, Ch.7
“God will not force this redemption upon them, in spite of His love. But He knows that in the end, after the time of redemption has run its course, and after all sin has been judged during that time, He will invoke eminent domain over all creation by the law of Jubilee.” — Jones, The Restoration of All Things, Ch.7
Interpretation: Sin is consistently defined by Jones as legal debt. Christ’s work is primarily the payment of that debt as a near kinsman (go’el), not merely a moral or mystical act. The Jubilee principle guarantees ultimate cancellation of all debt.