Evangelical Universalism - True or False Doctrine?

[Elhanan]

 

OneLight - perhaps you should do a little more background study before debunking the subject as the term "universalism" is a very broad term and not all "universalists" agree.  I am not a Unitarian as I do not believe that all roads lead to heaven.  I believe that all people are sinners, fall short of the glory of God, and the only propitiation for our sins is Christ's shed blood on the cross - nothing else.  That's why I prefaced my use of the term universalism with evangelical. I also do believe in a literal, physical place called the lake of fire and all unbelievers end up there after the 1,000 year rule of Christ upon the earth. The point of difference between you and I is whether the unsaved are punished forever in the lake of fire or chastised in the lake of fire for an unknown (not for eternity) remedial period of time so that consequently in the end, every knee shall bow and every tongue shall confess Jesus Christ as Lord. That should hopefully narrow the scope of discussion on what is already a broad subject to begin with.

 

I have adjusted the title to better reflect your faith.

Thanks for that courtesy.

 

The phrase you use in hopes that one will be given a second chance, much like the RCC's belief of purgatory, is "every knee shall bow and every tongue shall confess Jesus Christ as Lord", comes from Romans 14:11, which talks about having to give account for our lives.  Both ideas of having a second chance after death are false teachings.

Don't have time to get into it but have you heard of the doctrine/phrase "harrowing of hell" as it bears upon the subject.

 

Here is the scripture in its context.

 

Romans 14:1-13

"Receive one who is weak in the faith, but not to disputes over doubtful things. For one believes he may eat all things, but he who is weak eats only vegetables. Let not him who eats despise him who does not eat, and let not him who does not eat judge him who eats; for God has received him. Who are you to judge another’s servant? To his own master he stands or falls. Indeed, he will be made to stand, for God is able to make him stand.

One person esteems one day above another; another esteems every day alike. Let each be fully convinced in his own mind. He who observes the day, observes it to the Lord; and he who does not observe the day, to the Lord he does not observe it. He who eats, eats to the Lord, for he gives God thanks; and he who does not eat, to the Lord he does not eat, and gives God thanks. For none of us lives to himself, and no one dies to himself. For if we live, we live to the Lord; and if we die, we die to the Lord. Therefore, whether we live or die, we are the Lord’s. For to this end Christ died and rose and lived again, that He might be Lord of both the dead and the living. But why do you judge your brother? Or why do you show contempt for your brother? For we shall all stand before the judgment seat of Christ. For it is written:

 

“As I live, says the Lord,

Every knee shall bow to Me,

And every tongue shall confess to God.”

So then each of us shall give account of himself to God. Therefore let us not judge one another anymore, but rather resolve this, not to put a stumbling block or a cause to fall in our brother’s way."

Seems to me that when the Great White Throne Judgment happens, there will be no more people who can claim there is no God. They will bow to Him and confess He is God, something the lost rejected all their life. There is no mention of any second chance after entering the Lake of Fire anywhere in scripture. Your theory has no foundation beyond false doctrine and wishful thinking.

After the Great White Throne Judgment in Revelation 20, we read in Revelation 21 when Jesus tells us:

"And He said to me, “It is done! I am the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End. I will give of the fountain of the water of life freely to him who thirsts. He who overcomes shall inherit all things, and I will be his God and he shall be My son. But the cowardly, unbelieving, abominable, murderers, sexually immoral, sorcerers, idolaters, and all liars shall have their part in the lake which burns with fire and brimstone, which is the second death.”"

There is no second chance or purgatory.  Jesus said "It is done!"  He goes on to finalize who does not make it in the section I underlined.

 

Later, He repeats Himself in verse 27 "But there shall by no means enter it anything that defiles, or causes an abomination or a lie, but only those who are written in the Lamb’s Book of Life."  Either way you look at it, if their name is not written in the Book of Life while they live, they will be cast into the lake of Fire and Brimstone, which is said to last forever.

 

Revelation 20:10

 

"The devil, who deceived them, was cast into the lake of fire and brimstone where the beast and the false prophet are. And they will be tormented day and night forever and ever."

 

The problem with your view boils down to whether forever really means forever - I contend that forever in terms of eternal punishment is a false doctrine.

[Elhanan]

 

I also do believe in a literal, physical place called the lake of fire and all unbelievers end up there after the 1,000 year rule of Christ upon the earth. The point of difference between you and I is whether the unsaved are punished forever in the lake of fire or chastised in the lake of fire for an unknown (not for eternity) remedial period of time so that consequently in the end, every knee shall bow and every tongue shall confess Jesus Christ as Lord. That should hopefully narrow the scope of discussion on what is already a broad subject to begin with.

 

 

 

The problem with this is the view that the lake of fire will simply be a remedial period.  The Bible NEVER presents the lake of fire as anything but an eternal death.  Furthermore, salvation is ONLY by grace through faith in the finished work on the cross.  Salvation cannot be obtained by spending time in the lake of fire. 

 

I am not a Calvinist, but neither does the Bible teach that everyone will be saved.  God's will is that everyone be saved, but that doesn't mean that everyone will be saved.  God's will is that no one murder, but yet people murder.   People do a lot of things that are against God's will.  So to say that God's will to see everyone saved will result in 100% salvation for all people doesn't stand the litmus test of Scripture.

 

Jesus teaches in Sermon on the Mount that most people will choose the broad road to destruction and only a few will find the narrow road to life. 

 

The Bible teaches that man can either have eternal life or eternal damnation (Matt. 25).  "Eternal" means the same thing in both cases.  There is no case to be made for salvation via the lake of fire.  

 

The ONLY plan of salvation the Bible presents is grace through faith in the finished work on the cross.  The Bible never presents the lake of fire as time of purification or remedial learning where a person can be made fit to enter the Kingdom of God.  You are presenting another Gospel, another way salvation and all true followers of Jesus must reject such.

 

Salvation is a transformational relationship with Jesus.  That is the only way it can be found.  Eternal life is a person, not a length of time.  Jesus is eternal life, as He claimed to be eternal life in John 14:6.  Just as no one can be made right with God through keeping a set of rules, no one is going to be saved through the lake of fire.  You simiply cannot produce a biblical platform for your case.

 

I noted that you came to this concluson by studying the early church fathers. You did not come to your view from Scripture.  The Bible is the final arbiter on all matters of Christian faith and practices.  Unless you can make a biblical case, your view stands as the product of human reasoning.

 

I clearly wrote earlier that I not only looked at church history, but also examined the scriptures - I did my homework with due diligence. I suggest you do the same thing and tell me what you come up with.  I contend that all means all.  You must explain why it only means some.  I contend that aion means an age.  You must explain why it means eternity.  I contend that God is omnipotent and more than able to save all.  You must explain why God is impotent and His arm is too short to save everyone. Eternal life is not a person as you say - it is a relationship.  One has a relationship with God as long as he or she is abiding in Him.

[Elhanan]

If Universalism is correct, then there would be no reason for God to strive with man at all, since, ultimately, it does not matter what we do or how we live because eventually, we would end up in the right place no matter what.  There would have been absolutely no reason for Jesus to come and suffer, and die in our stead as a sacrifice for our sins.  No sacrifice for sins is needed or required if one is going to be ultimately saved no matter what.  And even if one comes at it from the perspective of, "well, once Jesus' sacrifice for sin was given, then, after that point, all are saved," then there would be no reason to preach the gospel, attempt to lead a life dedicated to Christ or seek to help others find Christ as well, because, again, same premise:  Doesn't matter because everyone ends up saved anyway, no matter what we do.  One would not need to repent of anything.

 

The problem goes beyond the logical ones, however.  Because if Universalism is true, there is no reason for the End Times at all.  No reason for the Tribulation, no reason for Great White Throne judgement, and no reason for the Lake of Fire, which is quite clearly said to be eternal. Universalism is nothing more than a man-made doctrine sold by con men.

You need to reread what I wrote. I stated that the lake of fire exists and the unsaved do end up there.  The question is whether they remain there for eternity. I find it interesting that people are so quick to form their opinions without even bothering to closely read what I wrote not to mention investigate further for themselves but then again that is your prerogative.

[Thaddaeus]

 

 

Although both camps do have measures of truth on their sides, ultimately they fail based on the following paradigm to which I propose a 3rd alternative.

 

Reason why I reject Calvinism:

(God is strong enough to save everyone) + (God does not want to save everyone) = Everyone is not saved

 

Reason why I reject Arminianism;

(God is not strong enough to save everyone) + (God does want to save everyone) = Everyone is not saved

 

Reason why I accept Evangelical Universalism:

(God Is strong enough to save everyone) + (God does want to save everyone) = Everyone is saved

 

I neither agree with one party 100%, but Universalism is not scriptural.  All through out the NT we are informed that not all will be saved.

 

Three years ago I too would have shared your opinion regarding universalism.  Since then my study of early church history as well as examining Scripture leads me to believe that all will eventually be saved.  Your claim that “All through out the NT we are informed that not all will be saved” can be contested.  I believe that most Christians have been so thoroughly indoctrinated to the view that God only saves the elect while the rest are consigned to eternal torment that they tend to read the scriptures through those lenses without giving due consideration to another view.  So in response to your assertion that all does not really mean “all" - What do the scriptures say?

 

Lk 2:10  And the angel said to them, “Fear not, for behold, I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people. 

Would the Good News still be the good news if in reality it is only for some of the people?

 

Jn 12:32  And I, when I am lifted up from the earth, will draw all people to myself.”  

Did Jesus lie when he said “all” knowing very well that only the elect are predestined to salvation?  The word “draw” in this verse also means “drag” as when fishermen drag their nets full of catch.  When Jesus stated that he will drag all men to himself can anyone deny that God’s will can be thwarted and cannot accomplish what he set out to do?

 

1Tim 4:10 For to this end we both labor and suffer reproach, because we trust in the living God, who is the Savior of all men, especially of those who believe. 

This verse states that God saves all; not just some who believe.  The word “especially” denotes priority and particularity; it does not mean only or exclusively.

 

 

Rom 11:32  For God has consigned all to disobedience, that he may have mercy on all. 

Notice the parallelism in this verse.  If we agree that the first clause means that all of humanity are disobedient sinners, then we would have to agree that God’s mercy to all in the second clause means all of humanity as well.

 

1 Jn 2:2  He is the propitiation for our sins, and not for ours only but also for the sins of the whole world.

 

Rom 5:15-19 

But the free gift is not like the transgression. For if by the transgression of the one the many died, much more did the grace of God and the gift by the grace of the one Man, Jesus Christ, abound to the many. The gift is not like that which came through the one who sinned; for on the one hand the judgment arose from one transgression resulting in condemnation, but on the other hand the free gift arose from many transgressions resulting in justification. For if by the transgression of the one, death reigned through the one, much more those who receive the abundance of grace and of the gift of righteousness will reign in life through the One, Jesus Christ.  So then as through one transgression there resulted condemnation to all men, even so through one act of righteousness there resulted justification of life to all men.  For as through the one man’s disobedience the many were made sinners, even so through the obedience of the One the many will be made righteous.

No one would disagree that Adam’s transgression resulted in condemnation to all men – every single one. Yet the verse also says Christ’s sacrifice resulted in justification for all men – every single one.  Paul’s use of parallelism here is unmistakable.  The gift is greater than the trespass.  To make the claim that “all” actually means “some” as it only applies to the elect is the same as saying Jesus’ power to save is less than Adam’s power to condemn. 

 

1Cor 15:22  For as in Adam all die, so also in Christ all will be made alive.

Another example of parallelism.  If all die in Adam, all live in Christ.

 

Col 1:18-20  He is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, so that He Himself will come to have first place in everything.  For it was the Father’s good pleasure for all the fullness to dwell in Him, and through Him to reconcile all things to Himself, having made peace through the blood of His cross;

If we acknowledge that Jesus is fully God, as all the Father’s fullness dwells in him; by the same token we have to acknowledge that Jesus will reconcile all to himself.

 

The plain reading of these verses indicates God will save all but we tend to limit all to “some” because that is what we have been taught.

 

There is not much of what you stated that is scriptural in any sense of the word.  The texts you quoted to show the meaning of all are all correct, but your summation is faulty on those texts.  This is so because you are conflating two different aspects of our salvation, making them all one, or the same.

 

First, Christ did indeed save not just mankind, every single human being, but the world as well.  However, Christ came to reverse the fall of man.  Christ came to get man out from the curse, the condemnation of  the fall, which was death. Physical death. Man became mortal, Adam became mortal, that is the condemnation of his sin. Gen 3:19, Rom 5:12. 

 

You then use the text that indicate that Christ saved all. He did, but from death and sin.  This is the great gift of salvation, of mercy, love and grace God gives to all men through the work of Christ.  The texts that support this (these are known as the Incarnational texts that support Christ's Incarnation which was necessary to reverse the fall) are, Rom 11:32, Rom 5:18, Rom 3:23-35, Rom 5:6,8, II Cor 5:18-19,. Col 1:20. I Cor 15:12-22, 53, Heb 2:14-17, John 4:42, I John 4:14,  Acts 25:15, Rev 20:11-13. 

 

 

Because Christ gave life to the world, and eternal existence to man, God can now be rejoined with man in an eternal union of communion which was precluded by the fall, death. This enables the Holy Spirit to call all men to repentance because God desires that all men come to know HIm.  But each man must choose for himself whether he will or desires to be joined with Christ now and for an eternity. 

 

Christ did not save anyone's soul from the Cross.  He saved all of us from death and sin, so that we could freely choose Him.  We are joined to Him by faith, and then we are required to live IN Him faithfully. 

 

We shall all be raised in the last day, Christ will not have lost one human being to death, John 6:39.  We are raised to life because Christ, bearing our fallen human nature raised it to life at His resurrection.  All men will be raised to immortality and incorruptibility. I Cor 15:53.

Those that do not choose Christ or those who did for a time but became unfaithful will be condemned to hell for an eternity.  God will met out the judgement according to what man chose and did with the Christ.

 

There is no such thing as Universalism in any shape or form.  It is actually declared a heresy at the Fifth Ecumenical Council in 553 AD.

[TsukinoRei]

 

 

 

Although both camps do have measures of truth on their sides, ultimately they fail based on the following paradigm to which I propose a 3rd alternative.

 

Reason why I reject Calvinism:

(God is strong enough to save everyone) + (God does not want to save everyone) = Everyone is not saved

 

Reason why I reject Arminianism;

(God is not strong enough to save everyone) + (God does want to save everyone) = Everyone is not saved

 

Reason why I accept Evangelical Universalism:

(God Is strong enough to save everyone) + (God does want to save everyone) = Everyone is saved

 

I neither agree with one party 100%, but Universalism is not scriptural.  All through out the NT we are informed that not all will be saved.

 

Three years ago I too would have shared your opinion regarding universalism.  Since then my study of early church history as well as examining Scripture leads me to believe that all will eventually be saved.  Your claim that “All through out the NT we are informed that not all will be saved” can be contested.  I believe that most Christians have been so thoroughly indoctrinated to the view that God only saves the elect while the rest are consigned to eternal torment that they tend to read the scriptures through those lenses without giving due consideration to another view.  So in response to your assertion that all does not really mean “all" - What do the scriptures say?

 

Lk 2:10  And the angel said to them, “Fear not, for behold, I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people. 

Would the Good News still be the good news if in reality it is only for some of the people?

 

Jn 12:32  And I, when I am lifted up from the earth, will draw all people to myself.”  

Did Jesus lie when he said “all” knowing very well that only the elect are predestined to salvation?  The word “draw” in this verse also means “drag” as when fishermen drag their nets full of catch.  When Jesus stated that he will drag all men to himself can anyone deny that God’s will can be thwarted and cannot accomplish what he set out to do?

 

1Tim 4:10 For to this end we both labor and suffer reproach, because we trust in the living God, who is the Savior of all men, especially of those who believe. 

This verse states that God saves all; not just some who believe.  The word “especially” denotes priority and particularity; it does not mean only or exclusively.

 

 

Rom 11:32  For God has consigned all to disobedience, that he may have mercy on all. 

Notice the parallelism in this verse.  If we agree that the first clause means that all of humanity are disobedient sinners, then we would have to agree that God’s mercy to all in the second clause means all of humanity as well.

 

1 Jn 2:2  He is the propitiation for our sins, and not for ours only but also for the sins of the whole world.

 

Rom 5:15-19 

But the free gift is not like the transgression. For if by the transgression of the one the many died, much more did the grace of God and the gift by the grace of the one Man, Jesus Christ, abound to the many. The gift is not like that which came through the one who sinned; for on the one hand the judgment arose from one transgression resulting in condemnation, but on the other hand the free gift arose from many transgressions resulting in justification. For if by the transgression of the one, death reigned through the one, much more those who receive the abundance of grace and of the gift of righteousness will reign in life through the One, Jesus Christ.  So then as through one transgression there resulted condemnation to all men, even so through one act of righteousness there resulted justification of life to all men.  For as through the one man’s disobedience the many were made sinners, even so through the obedience of the One the many will be made righteous.

No one would disagree that Adam’s transgression resulted in condemnation to all men – every single one. Yet the verse also says Christ’s sacrifice resulted in justification for all men – every single one.  Paul’s use of parallelism here is unmistakable.  The gift is greater than the trespass.  To make the claim that “all” actually means “some” as it only applies to the elect is the same as saying Jesus’ power to save is less than Adam’s power to condemn. 

 

1Cor 15:22  For as in Adam all die, so also in Christ all will be made alive.

Another example of parallelism.  If all die in Adam, all live in Christ.

 

Col 1:18-20  He is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, so that He Himself will come to have first place in everything.  For it was the Father’s good pleasure for all the fullness to dwell in Him, and through Him to reconcile all things to Himself, having made peace through the blood of His cross;

If we acknowledge that Jesus is fully God, as all the Father’s fullness dwells in him; by the same token we have to acknowledge that Jesus will reconcile all to himself.

 

The plain reading of these verses indicates God will save all but we tend to limit all to “some” because that is what we have been taught.

 

There is not much of what you stated that is scriptural in any sense of the word.  The texts you quoted to show the meaning of all are all correct, but your summation is faulty on those texts.  This is so because you are conflating two different aspects of our salvation, making them all one, or the same.

 

First, Christ did indeed save not just mankind, every single human being, but the world as well.  However, Christ came to reverse the fall of man.  Christ came to get man out from the curse, the condemnation of  the fall, which was death. Physical death. Man became mortal, Adam became mortal, that is the condemnation of his sin. Gen 3:19, Rom 5:12. 

 

You then use the text that indicate that Christ saved all. He did, but from death and sin.  This is the great gift of salvation, of mercy, love and grace God gives to all men through the work of Christ.  The texts that support this (these are known as the Incarnational texts that support Christ's Incarnation which was necessary to reverse the fall) are, Rom 11:32, Rom 5:18, Rom 3:23-35, Rom 5:6,8, II Cor 5:18-19,. Col 1:20. I Cor 15:12-22, 53, Heb 2:14-17, John 4:42, I John 4:14,  Acts 25:15, Rev 20:11-13. 

 

 

Because Christ gave life to the world, and eternal existence to man, God can now be rejoined with man in an eternal union of communion which was precluded by the fall, death. This enables the Holy Spirit to call all men to repentance because God desires that all men come to know HIm.  But each man must choose for himself whether he will or desires to be joined with Christ now and for an eternity. 

 

Christ did not save anyone's soul from the Cross.  He saved all of us from death and sin, so that we could freely choose Him.  We are joined to Him by faith, and then we are required to live IN Him faithfully. 

 

We shall all be raised in the last day, Christ will not have lost one human being to death, John 6:39.  We are raised to life because Christ, bearing our fallen human nature raised it to life at His resurrection.  All men will be raised to immortality and incorruptibility. I Cor 15:53.

Those that do not choose Christ or those who did for a time but became unfaithful will be condemned to hell for an eternity.  God will met out the judgement according to what man chose and did with the Christ.

 

There is no such thing as Universalism in any shape or form.  It is actually declared a heresy at the Fifth Ecumenical Council in 553 AD.

 

 

Why do we recognise authority in the Fifth Ecumenical Council of 553 AD?

[TsukinoRei]

 

 

OneLight - perhaps you should do a little more background study before debunking the subject as the term "universalism" is a very broad term and not all "universalists" agree.  I am not a Unitarian as I do not believe that all roads lead to heaven.  I believe that all people are sinners, fall short of the glory of God, and the only propitiation for our sins is Christ's shed blood on the cross - nothing else.  That's why I prefaced my use of the term universalism with evangelical. I also do believe in a literal, physical place called the lake of fire and all unbelievers end up there after the 1,000 year rule of Christ upon the earth. The point of difference between you and I is whether the unsaved are punished forever in the lake of fire or chastised in the lake of fire for an unknown (not for eternity) remedial period of time so that consequently in the end, every knee shall bow and every tongue shall confess Jesus Christ as Lord. That should hopefully narrow the scope of discussion on what is already a broad subject to begin with.

Elhanan, so that I understand what is being discussed basically you don't believe Hell (eternal separation from God) is eternal?

God bless,

GE

 

Yes GE, thank you for clarifying - that is correct - I don't believe hell i.e., lake of fire means eternal separation from God.  Probably 99.9% of us have been taught eternal punishment ever since we first became Christians but I think there are good scriptural reasons to at least question that view.  One problem is how we translate the word eternal.  We translate the word eternity from the Greek noun aion and its adjectival forms such as forever and eternal from Greek words such as aionion and aionios.  The pertinent question is: Is that an accurate rendering?  I don't have time to get into details now but I'll quote G. Morgan Campbell who is known as the prince of Bible expositors to at least provide food for thought:

 

"Let me say to Bible students that we must be very careful how we use the word 'eternity.'  We have fallen into great error in our constant use of that word. There is no word in the whole Book of God corresponding with our 'eternal' which as commonly used among us means absolutely without end. The strongest Scripture word used with reference to the existence of God is - 'unto the ages of the ages,' which does not literally mean eternally."  (God's Methods With Men, p. 185-6)

 

 

Hai Elhanan!  

 

I like your brain.  <3  What do you think 'unto the ages of the ages' might mean?

[GoldenEagle]

I stated that the lake of fire exists and the unsaved do end up there.  The question is whether they remain there for eternity.

 

What is Hell? How is Hell described in the Bible?

Part 1 of 3 (divided this out this into 3 parts

1. Hell – A place of weeping and gnashing of teeth.

Luke 13:18

There will be weeping and gnashing of teeth, when you see Abraham and Isaac and Jacob and all the prophets in the kingdom of God, and yourselves thrust out.

 

2. Hell – It will be a furnace of fire with wailing and gnashing of teeth.

 

Matt. 13:40-43

⁴⁰ Therefore as the tares are gathered and burned in the fire, so it will be at the end of this age. ⁴¹ The Son of Man will send out His angels, and they will gather out of His kingdom all things that offend, and those who practice lawlessness, ⁴² and will cast them into the furnace of fire. There will be wailing and gnashing of teeth. ⁴³ Then the righteous will shine forth as the sun in the kingdom of their Father. He who has ears to hear, let him hear!

 

 

3. Jesus Himself said hell was eternal.

 

Matt. 18:8

⁸ And if your hand or your foot causes you to sin, cut it off and throw it away. It is better for you to enter life crippled or lame than with two hands or two feet to be thrown into the eternal fire.

 

 

4. Hell – a place of darkness, weeping, and gnashing of teeth. (Matt. 22:11-13; Matt. 25:29-30)

Matt. 22:11-13

¹¹ “But when the king came in to see the guests, he saw a man there who did not have on a wedding garment. ¹² So he said to him, ‘Friend, how did you come in here without a wedding garment?’ And he was speechless. ¹³ Then the king said to the servants, ‘Bind him hand and foot, take him away, and^[a] cast him into outer darkness; there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.’

Matt. 25:29-30

²⁹ ‘For to everyone who has, more will be given, and he will have abundance; but from him who does not have, even what he has will be taken away. ³⁰ And cast the unprofitable servant into the outer darkness. There will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.’

God bless,

GE

 

[GoldenEagle]

Part 2 of 3

5. Hell - The punishment will be everlasting separation from the presence of God. (2 Thess. 1:9)

2 Thess. 1:9
These shall be punished with everlasting destruction from the presence of the Lord and from the glory of His power…

 

 

6. This passage in 1 Cor. 15:1-5 is important because we are saved from what we deserve - eternal separation from God were it not for the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus Christ. Or do we believe this side of death in vain? Does this life not matter?

1 Cor. 15:1-5
¹ Now I would remind you, brothers, of the gospel I preached to you, which you received, in which you stand, ² and by which you are being saved, if you hold fast to the word I preached to you—unless you believed in vain. ³ For I delivered to you as of first importance what I also received: that Christ died for our sins in accordance with the Scriptures, ⁴ that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day in accordance with the Scriptures, ⁵ and that he appeared to Cephas, then to the twelve.

 

 

7. If we hear the words of Christ and believe God who sent Jesus Christ to die, be buried, and be raised again on the third day we no longer face eternal judgement but eternal life.

 

John 5:24

²⁴ Truly, truly, I say to you, whoever hears my word and believes him who sent me has eternal life. He does not come into judgment, but has passed from death to life.

 

 

8. Why does Jude call this (Hell) as a punishment of eternal fire. Has not the gloom of utter darkness been reserved forever for some? Or is Scripture incorrect?

Jude 7, 12-13

⁷ just as Sodom and Gomorrah and the surrounding cities, which likewise indulged in sexual immorality and pursued unnatural desire,serve as an example by undergoing a punishment of eternal fire.
¹² These are hidden reefsat your love feasts, as they feast with you without fear, shepherds feeding themselves; waterless clouds, swept along by winds; fruitless trees in late autumn, twice dead, uprooted; ¹³ wild waves of the sea, casting up the foam of their own shame; wandering stars, for whom the gloom of utter darkness has been reserved forever.

 

 

God bless,

GE

[GoldenEagle]

Part 3 of 3

9. Hell - Those who receive the Mark of the Beast (and reject Christ) will be tormented forever and will have no rest. From the Greek, aionas ton aionon, which is literally "ages of the of ages."

Rev. 14:11
And the smoke of their torment ascends forever and ever; and they have no rest day or night, who worship the beast and his image, and whoever receives the mark of his name.”

 

10. There is the use of "forever and ever" twice in Revelation.

 

Rev 19:3

³ Once more they cried out,

“Hallelujah!
The smoke from her goes up forever and ever.”

Rev 20:10

¹⁰ and the devil who had deceived them was thrown into the lake of fire and sulfur where the beast and the false prophet were, and they will be tormented day and night forever and ever.

 

11. Hell – a place where people will be burned with fire and brimstone.

Rev. 21:8
But the cowardly, unbelieving, abominable, murderers, sexually immoral, sorcerers, idolaters, and all liars shall have their part in the lake which burns with fire and brimstone, which is the second death.”


12. Hell – Again there will be torments in Hell (Hades – vs. 23). There will be no satisfaction as people will be constantly thirsty and tormented by the flame. (vs. 24) There will be no going to and from the good part of eternity to the bad. (vs. 26)

Luke 16:19-31
The Rich Man and Lazarus

¹⁹ “There was a certain rich man who was clothed in purple and fine linen and fared sumptuously every day. ²⁰ But there was a certain beggar named Lazarus, full of sores, who was laid at his gate, ²¹ desiring to be fed with the crumbs which fell^[d] from the rich man’s table. Moreover the dogs came and licked his sores. ²² So it was that the beggar died, and was carried by the angels to Abraham’s bosom. The rich man also died and was buried. ²³ And being in torments in Hades, he lifted up his eyes and saw Abraham afar off, and Lazarus in his bosom.

²⁴ “Then he cried and said, ‘Father Abraham, have mercy on me, and send Lazarus that he may dip the tip of his finger in water and cool my tongue; for I am tormented in this flame.’ ²⁵ But Abraham said, ‘Son, remember that in your lifetime you received your good things, and likewise Lazarus evil things; but now he is comforted and you are tormented. ²⁶ And besides all this, between us and you there is a great gulf fixed, so that those who want to pass from here to you cannot, nor can those from there pass to us.’

²⁷ “Then he said, ‘I beg you therefore, father, that you would send him to my father’s house, ²⁸ for I have five brothers, that he may testify to them, lest they also come to this place of torment.’ ²⁹ Abraham said to him, ‘They have Moses and the prophets; let them hear them.’ ³⁰ And he said, ‘No, father Abraham; but if one goes to them from the dead, they will repent.’ ³¹ But he said to him, ‘If they do not hear Moses and the prophets, neither will they be persuaded though one rise from the dead.’”

13. The phrase "forever and ever" is used both of describing God's eternal worth and the duration of eternal damnation.  The exact same Greek phrase is used in each of the verses in the table below.

 

forever and ever

aionas ton aionon
"ages of the ages"

 

Eternal - without end: 1 Tim. 1:17 and Rev. 5:13

 

Eternal Damnation: Rev. 19:3 and Rev. 20.10

That is the bad news... Yet there is hope...

 

God bless,

GE

[GoldenEagle]

Yet there is hope!! If we confess with our mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in our heart that God has raised Him from the dead we will be saved. (v. 9) Whoever calls on the name of the Lord will be saved. (v. 13)

Rom. 10:8-13
⁸ But what does it say? “The word is near you, in your mouth and in your heart”^[e] (that is, the word of faith which we preach): ⁹ that if you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved. ¹⁰ For with the heart one believes unto righteousness, and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation. ¹¹ For the Scripture says, “Whoever believes on Him will not be put to shame.”^{[f] 12} For there is no distinction between Jew and Greek, for the same Lord over all is rich to all who call upon Him. ¹³ For “whoever calls on the name of the Lord shall be saved.”^[g]

God bless,
GE