Category: Uncategorized

Free Will A (Listen or Read)

Free Will

This last pillar is not difficult to resolve. What father holding his little girl’s hand crossing a busy street would ever let it go? The more she pulls, the tighter he squeezes. There is no way she is going anywhere! Is God any different? The argument that a person can choose hell by rejecting God as a result of “free” will is in effect saying a little girl has more strength than her dad. God has given man a “measure” of free will, but certainly not to the degree that He would allow him or her to damn themselves forever in torment. Is God less of a parent than we are (Mt. 7:11)? We extend increasing freedom to our children as they mature. Too much too soon is disastrous. He knows just how much freedom we need for our development.

God, as Creator, is owner of all things (Ps. 2:8; Ez. 18:4; Col. 1:16; He. 1:2), and that includes you and I. He has never relinquished that title. Only He has absolute “free” will over His property. Should we be forever lost, He would be the loser and God is not a loser!

Many say hell is locked on the inside. But how? Christ has the keys! (Re. 1:18).

Many believe God’s hands are tied; as much as He would like to keep us, He is unable. But, is our power to destroy His property really greater than His power to preserve or restore it? How “free” and powerful are we? What role did we play in controlling our life experiences that have made us what we are? Will we deliberately choose what sufferings we will undergo in the future that inevitably will affect what we become? What intricacies of our reasoning processes, which determine our decisions, do we fully control?

Is the Bible right in saying no one seeks after God, that our natural mind is at odds with Him and not subject to His law? “Indeed it cannot be subject,” said Paul (Ro. 3:11; 8:7). How can a naturally hostile mind, which “indeed” cannot subject itself to God, of its own “free” will do so? Is there not a contradiction here? Only God can give us faith and draw us to Himself; we cannot muster it up. See He. 12:2; Ro. 12:3; Jn. 6:44; 15:16; Ph. 1:29; Mt. 11:27; 16:16-17; Jn. 1:13; Ac. 13:48; 1Co. 4:7; Ep. 2:8-9; 3:16-17; Ph. 1:6; 2:13; Col. 1:12; 2 Th. 3:2; 1Ti. 1:14; Tit. 1:1; Ez. 36: 26-27; Jer. 24:7; 31:33-34; 32:39-40. To idolize “free” will as though it were the crux of our salvation contradicts the Bible and fosters a boastful attitude! (1Co. 1:26-31; 4:6-7).

What are we implying when we infer that God is helpless in the face of man’s “free” will? It intimates that our salvation depends on human power, not divine. Thus, God is stripped of His power and glory leaving the blood of Christ powerless to save those for whom it was shed (all sinners). In fact, it negates the very definition of God as “Almighty,” leaving us with no real God at all. In Exploring the Attributes of God Dr. Robert Morey stated:

God’s sovereignty was viewed as an essential attribute by the early Church and anyone who dared to deny it was called an atheist. This is one of the most misunderstood and maligned attributes of God. Yet, it is an essential attribute that makes God GOD. The Scriptures always describe God as actively controlling and guiding the entire creation. It is never viewed as bare potential. Where should we begin when studying God’s sovereignty and man’s responsibility? Should we begin with man and establish his free will and then define divine sovereignty in such a way it does not conflict with man? Or, should we begin with God and His free will and then develop our understanding of man from that viewpoint? We must begin where Scripture begins.…The Bible begins with GOD. He is the great I AM, the Alpha…Omega, the Beginning…End.²²

The story of Joseph pictures God powerfully working behind the scenes influencing the wills of men. Who of these men thought their will was not solely their own? Yet God, in His infinite power, was at work accomplishing His purposes through their decisions (Ge. 45:5). While the king of Egypt decreed all male Hebrew babies should die, God was all the while orchestrating His plan for putting Moses at the head of the kingdom! Even while Pharaoh resisted Moses, God was at work according to His plan. Where was Pharaoh’s “free” will? Consider what Isaiah wrote about Assyria:

Woe to Assyria, the rod of My anger…I will send him against…the people of My wrath…will give him charge.… Yet he does not mean so, nor does his heart think so.…For he says: “By the strength of my hand I have done it.…Shall the ax boast itself against him who chops with it?” (Is. 10:5-7, 13).

Assyria was being used by God and was totally unaware of it. In all these cases, we see men doing, but God orchestrating.

References: See Bibliography page.

 

 

Destruction B (Listen or Read)

Scripture Interprets Itself

Often in Scripture, two statements are made side by side that together shed greater light on a given theme. Consider 1Co. 1:19; Ro. 2:12; 14:15, 20-21. “I will destroy [apollumi] the wisdom of the wise; I will bring to nothing [“set aside”—NAS] the understanding of the prudent” (1Co. 1:19). Here apollumi is used in the same sense as “set aside” or “bring to nothing.” “For as many as have sinned without law will also perish [apollumi] without law, and as many as have sinned in the law will be judged by the law” (Ro. 2:12). Scripture is clear that all are judged including unbelievers who have sinned without law (Re. 20:12-13). Thus, to “perish” here cannot be utter annihilation, for judgment must follow.

Consider Ro. 14:15: “Do not destroy [apollumi] with your food the one for whom Christ died” (Ro. 14:15). Read a little further to see Paul’s own definition of apollumi. “Do not tear down the work of God for the sake of food” (Ro. 14:20 NAS). “It is good neither to eat meat nor drink wine nor do anything by which your brother stumbles or is offended or is made weak” (Ro. 14:21). Paul defines apollumi as “tear down,” “stumble,” “offend,” and “make weak.” What better commentary is there? Do you think apollumi means we can cancel out another’s eternal redemption paid for by Christ by our diet? And consider as well 1Co. 8:11: “Because of your knowledge shall the weak brother perish [apollumi] for whom Christ died?” Can we annihilate others for whom Christ died by our knowledge? Of course not! God is righteous and just.

In all the above, whatever is meant by death and destruction, it cannot be unending torment or annihilation. Could Jukes be right in saying death for man is an end or separation from some given form of life in which he has lived? What did our Lord mean when He said that in order to save our life, we must lose apollumi it (Mk. 8:35)? Is this not to end living a self-centered life and instead to live for God—to stop being ruled by sin, but instead by righteousness?

Did you realize that the very ones Christ came to save are the “destroyed” ones? “For the Son of Man has come to seek and to save that which was lost [apollumi]” (Lu. 19:10). Apollumi is the very condition qualifying us for salvation! Are the lost (apollumi) ones then, the annihilated ones or those not yet found? At what point does apollumi become so permanent it exceeds God’s power and will to save? What justifies us to put limits on Him who is able to turn stones into worshippers (Lu. 3:8)?

What gives God greater glory: annihilation or restoration? Stop! Think about that a moment. Lu: 20:38 says “God is not the God of the dead, but of the living for all live to Him.” Lu. 1:37 says, “With God nothing will be impossible!” Is He able to do all things except restore the destroyed for whom Christ died? Really? For more documentation on apollumi, see our website: Further Study; Destruction.

References: See Bibliography page.

Destruction A (Listen or Read)

Apollumi (Greek for “destruction”)

The third pillar, death and destruction, is thought by most Christians to refer to an eternal hell of suffering or to a state of annihilation. Thus, they are understood to be a permanent state. I think if we closely compare Scripture with Scripture, line upon line, we will see this falls short of what God is all about. Even in death and destruction, God will not be defeated. His promises to restore all (Ac. 3:21; 2Co. 5:19; Ep. 1:10; Col. 1:19-21) will come to pass in their appointed times (Ep. 1:9-11; 1Ti. 2:6). In An Expository Dictionary of Biblical Words regarding apollumi, W. E. Vine stated: “The idea is not extinction but ruin, loss, not of being, but of well being….”¹⁶

Andrew Jukes, graduate of Harrow and Trinity College, Cambridge and pastor of St. John’s Church, was a well-respected Christian author in 19^th century England. Also, the author of The Law of the Offerings, Four Views of Christ, Types in Genesis, The Names of God, and the Restitution of all Things, he wrote:

Death for man is simply an end to, or separation from, some given form of life which he has lived in… We must… by Christ die to this dark spirit-world [Mk. 8:35], to return to live in God’s light-world [Jn. 8:12; 12:46]… [It] is a ceasing from some particular form of life which has been lived in by man [Ro. 6:11], yet it is never non-existence absolutely [Jn. 12:24]; rather the means to bring the fallen creature into a new life [Ro. 6:4], a chaos being ever the necessary condition for a new creation [2 Co. 5:17].¹⁷

Here are a few passages for you to think about:

¨      You [Adam] shall surely die (Ge.2:17).

¨      You [Israel] shall surely perish [apollomi—Septuagint¹⁸] (De. 30:18).

¨      I kill and I make alive; I wound and I heal (De. 32:39).

¨      He destroys [apollumi—Septuagint¹⁹] the blameless and the wicked (Job 9:22).

¨      The righteous perishes [apollumi—Septuagint²⁰], and no man takes it to heart (Is. 57:1).

¨      The wineskins are marred [apollumi] (Mk. 2:22 KJV).

¨      He is not the God of the dead… for all live to Him (Lu. 20:38).

¨      If it [grain of wheat] dies, it produces much grain (Jn. 12:24).

¨      He who has died has been freed from sin (Ro. 6:7; 7:9; 8:6; 2Co. 4:11; Ep. 2:1; 1Ti. 5:6).

¨      Neither death nor life…shall be able to separate us from the love of God (Ro. 8:38-39).

¨      What you sow is not made alive unless it dies (1Co. 15:36).

¨      Death is swallowed up in victory (1Co. 15:54).

Please take a moment to reflect on what we have just read. Adam died on the same day he sinned, yet lived 900 more years. Israel perished. The blameless were destroyed. The righteous perished. Wineskins were marred. The dead are alive to God. Death produces grain and frees from sin. Death cannot separate from God’s love. What is sown is not made alive unless it dies. Utter or permanent annihilation cannot be the true meaning of death and destruction in any of these cases. Destruction is the prerequisite for subsequent change. Is this not what the cross is all about in the life of the believer? He kills and makes alive. He destroys to make new.

The Cross

Andrew Jukes wrote:

The meaning of Christ’s cross is not understood, but rather perverted and therefore death is shrunk from. It is not welcomed as God’s appointed means to deliver us from him that has the power of death.…Christians misunderstand destruction and judgment are the only way for fallen creatures to be delivered from their bondage, and brought back into God’s life… This is a point of all importance. It lies at the very root of the cross of Christ and of His members. It is the clue to all His judgments, who “kills and makes alive,” who “brings down to the grave and brings up” [1Sa. 2:6; Dt. 32:39]. The way of life is and must be through death…and cannot be otherwise.²¹

As followers of Jesus Christ, we have been called to carry our cross, to die (Mk. 8:34; Jn. 12:24-25). Unless we do, we will not have His life abiding in us (Jn. 15:4-5). We are to partake of the divine nature (2Pe. 1:3-12). What does this mean except that we are to die? Our salvation is not brought to perfection until we have died to sin and live to righteousness (Ro. 6). Death is not optional. Only in dying to our self-will do we truly live and bear fruit to God (Jn. 12:24). Scripture frequently alludes to this purpose in salvation (Ro. 6:3; 8:13; 12:1, 2; 2Co. 4:11, 16; 5:15; Ga. 2:20; Ph. 3:10; 2Ti. 2:11; He. 5:7-9; 1Pe. 2:21, 24; 1Jn. 3:16).

References: See Bibliography page

Gehenna Fire (Listen or Read)

Fire of Gehenna

The second pillar in support of the doctrine of everlasting punishment is Gehenna. It is one of three words translated “hell” in the New Testament. It is the most common, used twelve times. Hades is used eleven times, and Tartarus only once. William Barclay stated:

Gehenna…means the Valley of Hinnom, a valley to the southwest of Jerusalem. It was notorious as the place where Ahaz had introduced the fire worship of the heathen God Molech, to whom little children were burned.…2 Chronicles 28:2-4. Josiah had stamped out that worship and ordered that the valley should be forever after an accursed place…it became the place where the refuse of Jerusalem was cast out and destroyed. It was a kind of public incinerator. Always the fire smoldered in it, and a pall of thick smoke lay over it, and bred a loathsome kind of worm which was hard to kill (Mark 9:44-48). So Gehenna, the Valley of Hinnom, became identified in people’s minds with all that was accursed and filthy, the place where useless and evil things were destroyed.¹⁴ See #1 Appendix V.

Hades is the Greek word for the Hebrew, Sheol, which the New Strong’s Concise Dictionary defines as “unseen,” the place (state) of departed souls.¹⁵ Throughout the Old Testament it refers to the state following death for both righteous and unrighteous. The NIV translates it “grave” or “death.” Tartarus is a holding area prior to judgment for angels who have sinned (2Pe. 2:4).

Gehenna is not mentioned in the Old Testament or by John, Paul, Peter, Jude, or James in all their writings (except once indirectly regarding the tongue—Ja. 3:6). Nor is it mentioned in the book of Acts or Hebrews. Jesus uses the term on what seems like only four occasions. (A few times He seems to refer to this judgment but without using the term. Mt. 3:10-12; 7:19; 13:40-50; 25:41) If Gehenna were truly eternal and purposeless agony as claimed, how can such a horrible fate—to which most people are destined—not be warned against everywhere? How can we explain this?

The First Time “Gehenna” Is Used by Christ

[Turn to Mt. 5:21-22.]

At the very outset of the New Testament, Christ established the limited nature of the Gehenna judgment. This is extremely significant. For in the context of His first mention of it, He confirmed the Mosaic code of justice: “An eye for an eye, and a tooth for a tooth” (Mt. 5:38 derived from Ex. 21:24; Mt. 5:17-19). This code established that each crime merits a just and fit punishment, one obviously measurable: “You shall give life for life, eye for eye, tooth for tooth, hand for hand, foot for foot, burn for burn, wound for wound, stripe for stripe” (Ex. 21:23-25). If Christ understood Gehenna to be everlasting, He could not have associated it with the Mosaic code. What is measurable about everlasting? And furthermore, He specifically confirmed this by saying that the same measure we use on others will be used on us! (Mt. 7:2). This indicates Gehenna is not eternal. For example, no derogatory remark (fool) afflicts everlasting pain, and therefore cannot merit everlasting punishment in return.

[Turn to Mt. 5:23-26.]

“Prison” here is a metaphor for Gehenna. This harmonizes with the “prison” of 1Pe. 3:19, and the Father’s sentence of Mt. 18:34-35. It is directly linked to Gehenna in the preceding verse (Mt. 5:22) by the word “therefore,” and it is immediately followed by another Gehenna judgment in the very next passage (Mt. 5:27-32). Thus, Mt. 5:23-26 is “sandwiched” between two Gehenna judgments. The final clincher is that the Lord identifies the Gehenna judgment as a most serious judgment we are all to fear. He says, “Truly (Assuredly NKJV) I say unto you.” That is serious. What other judgment could he possibly be referring to in this context but the Gehenna judgment?

“Truly I say to you, you will not come out of there [Gehenna] until you have paid up the last cent.” The word “until” unmistakably confirms Gehenna is of a limited duration. Once the penalty is exacted, release follows, but not before. Note He addressed these words to a mixed audience of believers and unbelievers (Mt. 5:1; 7:28; 8:1). (See also Mt. 18:34-35).

[Turn to Mt. 5:27-30.]

Here, He describes the consequences of sinning lustfully. We can all imagine the scene—not pleasant. Nevertheless, these are concepts we can identify with in this physical world. With Gehenna, however, we know little. We have to trust Christ implicitly. So what does He say? It is “more profitable” to lose an eye or a hand, than to experience Gehenna. That’s it. That is all He chose to say. If Gehenna were truly unending and horrible beyond what we can imagine, how could He describe it merely as “less profitable”? Is this all He could say to contrast momentary and unending pain? Such a phrase can only describe another finite penalty, though to a degree more severe.

For the continuing exposition of Christ’s use of Gehenna, including: “Fire not Quenched,” “Refining Fire,” “Undying Worm,” and “Lake of Fire.” See #1 Appendix V.

Whatever judgment fire entails, we can be confident it conforms to the character of our Father. “He is like a refiner’s fire…He will sit as a refiner and a purifier of silver; He will purify the sons of Levi…that they may offer to the Lord an offering in righteousness”(Mal. 3:2-3). Please note that His judgment fire is administered in the presence of the Lamb who was slain for us from the foundation of the world (Re. 14:10; 13:8). He certainly will not rest day and night as He looks on our sufferings with His unchanging heart of compassion (Mt. 9:36; He. 13:8).Everything God does was planned before the world began. Gehenna was not something God was forced to create because man surprised or disappointed Him. Nothing is an afterthought. All things serve His good purposes for His creation, a creation which He declared to be, “indeed” very good (Ge. 1:31). God controls world! (1Pe. 1:18-20; 1Co. 2:7; Ep. 1:4; 2Tim. 1:9; Titus 1:2.)

(For the following three references, see #1 Appendix V)

References: See Bibliography page.

Eternity E (Listen or Read)

Alternative Views

Aionian (eternal), when associated with God, may simply refer to that which comes forth from Him and relates to His purposes; a quality of essence rather than of duration. Is this not what our Lord intends in John 17:3: “And this is eternal life, that they may know You.” If this is so, perhaps the Matthew passage could be para­phrased this way: “And these will go away into the chastisement of God, but the righteous into the life of God.” Professor Talbott confirmed this:

When the letter of Jude describes the fire that consumed Sodom and Gomorrah as “eternal fire,” the point is not that the fire literally burns forever without consuming the cities; it is not that the fire continues to burn even today. The point is that the fire is a form of divine judgment upon those cities…that has its causal source in the eternal God himself. And similar for Jesus’ reference to “eternal fire” in Matthew 25:41 and to “eternal punishment” in Matthew 25:46. The fire to which he alludes is not eternal in the sense that it burns forever without consuming anything—without consuming, for example, that which is false within a person (see 1 Co. 3:15)—and neither is the punishment eternal in the sense that it continues forever without accomplishing its corrective purpose. Both the fire and the punishment are eternal in the sense that they have their causal source in the eternal God himself.¹⁰

Similarly, Barclay wrote:

The simplest way to put it is that aionios cannot be used properly of anyone but God; it is the word uniquely, as Plato saw it, of God. Eternal punishment is then literally that kind of remedial punishment which it befits God to give and which only God can give.¹¹

Talbott continued:

The Gospel writers thought in terms of two ages, the present age and the age to come, and they associated the age to come with God himself; it was an age in which God’s presence would be fully manifested, his purposes fully realized, and his redemptive work eventually completed. They therefore came to employ the term, “αίώνίος,” [aionios] as an eschatological [doctrine of end times] term, one that functioned as a handy reference to the realities of the age to come. In this way, they managed to combine the more literal sense of “that which pertains to an age” with the more religious sense of “that which manifests the presence of God in a special way.” Eternal life, then, is not merely life that comes from God; it is also the mode of living associated with the age to come. And similarly for eternal punishment: It is not merely punishment that comes from God; it is also the form of punishment associated with the age to come. Now in none of this is there any implication that the life that comes from God and the punishment that comes from God are of an equal duration.”¹²

Likewise, Beecher demonstrated that in the days of the early church the idea was “punishment of the world to come.” The early Church establishes that fact through the ancient creeds. In fact, in none of its creeds did the early Church teach everlasting punishment.¹³

Arguing that eternal punishment must be of unending duration because it is contrasted with eternal life (Mt. 25:46), misses the point. It fails to recognize that eternal life is a quality of relationship with God (Jn. 17:3), and is an end in itself; while eternal punishment is God’s corrective discipline and a means to an end. In any case, whether aion means “age-abiding,” “of God,” or “of the world to come,” none of these expressions state, imply, or require that the punishment be never-ending.

So then, if aion does not strictly mean eternal, what word does? There are a number of Greek words that imply eternal. They are usually translated “indestructible,” “imperishable,” “unfading,” “immortality,” and “incorruptible.” See Ro. 1:23; 2:7; 1Co. 9:25; 15:42, 51-54; He. 7:15-16; 1Pe. 1:3-4; 5:4; 1Ti. 1:17; 6:16; 2Ti. 1:10.

Our hope of immortality does not reside in the word aion but in God’s very nature (unfailing love and unlimited power) and promises. (See Appendix I). So long as we have a flawed understanding of this four letter Greek word, we will remain blinded to the truth in relation to God’s judgments.

I recommend that you also read The History of Opinions on the Scriptural Doctrine of Retribution by Dr. Edward Beecher. I found his findings conclusive. You may read it on our website: HopeBeyondHell.net, Further Study, Church History.

References: See Bibliography page.

Eternity D (Listen or Read)

Matthew 25:46 contains an additional clue confirming the temporary nature of God’s judgment. The Greek word, translated “punishment,” is kolasis. William Barclay, world-renowned Greek scholar, translator, and author of the popular Bible commentary, The Daily Study Bible and New Testament Words, noted:

The Greek word for punishment here [Mt. 25:46] is kolasis, which was not originally an ethical word at all. It originally meant the pruning of trees to make them grow better. I think it is true to say that in all Greek secular literature kolasis is never used of anything but remedial punishment.⁶

Thomas Talbott, philosophy professor at Willamette University in Oregon and author of The Inescapable Love of God, explained:

According to Aristotle, there is a difference between revenge and punishment; the latter (kolasis) is inflicted in the interest of the sufferer, the former (timōria) in the interest of him who inflicts it, that he may obtain satisfaction. Plato also appealed to the established meaning of kolasis as support for his theory that virtue could be taught: “For if you will consider punishment (kolasis)…and what control it has over wrong-doers, the facts will inform you that men agree in regarding virtue as procured.” Even where a punishment may seem harsh and unforgiving, more like retribution than parental chastisement, this in no way excludes a corrective purpose. Check out the punishment that Paul prescribes in I Corinthians 5:5. One might never have guessed that, in prescribing such a punishment—that is, delivering a man to Satan for the destruction of the flesh—Paul had in mind a corrective purpose, had Paul not explicitly stated the corrective purpose himself (“that his spirit may be saved in the day of the Lord Jesus”). So as this text illustrates, even harsh punishment of a seemingly retributive kind can in fact serve a redemptive purpose.^7-9

“And these will go away into everlasting [aionian] punishment [kolasis], but the righteous into eternal [aionian] life” (Mt. 25:46). Isn’t it ironic that the passage most often used to support everlasting punishment is in fact one strongly opposing it when accurately understood?

Dr. Helena Keizer is a trustworthy authority on the definition of aiōn in ancient Greek literature, including the Bible in the time of Christ. Keizer published a 315-page doctoral dissertation titled: “Life, Time, Entirety – A Study of Aiōn in Greek Literature and Philosophy, the Septuagint and Philo.” Presented on September 7, 1999 in Holland, at Amsterdam University. Keizer stated:

“Olām and hence aiōn in the Biblical sense is time constituting the human temporal horizon.”²⁹ “Our study has led to the conclusion that infinity is not an intrinsic or necessary connotation of aiōn, either in the Greek or in the Biblical usage (‘olām).”³⁰ “To speak of ‘this aiōn’, its ‘end,’ and ‘the aiōn to come’ clearly lends to aiōn the meaning of a limited time.”³¹ “The following description of Gregory of Nyssa…makes a good finishing point for now: ‘Aeon designates temporality, that which occurs within time.’”³²

I am pleased to say that Dr. Keizer has given me permission to share her book with others in electronic format.

Terms for Eternity is another scholarly work on aiōn by David Konstan and Ilaria Ramelli. Konstan is the John Rowe Workman Distinguished Professor of Classics and Professor of Comparative Literature, at Brown University in R.I. Ramelli is Assistant Professor of Ancient Philosophy at the Catholic University of Milan, Italy. They agree with the conclusions of Dr. Keizer. They wrote:

“Apart from the Platonic philosophical vocabulary, which is specific to few authors, aiónios does not mean “eternal”; it acquires this meaning only when it refers to God, and only because the notion of eternity was included in the conception of God: for the rest, it has a wide range of meanings and its possible renderings are multiple, but it does not mean “eternal.” In particular when it is associated with life or punishment, in the Bible and in Christian authors who keep themselves close to the Biblical usage, it denotes their belonging to the world to come.” (Page 238)

These scholarly works are important, as the key defense of eternal punishment depends on this word meaning absolute eternity. For more on the meaning of aiōn, see our website: HopeBeyondHell.net; Further Study; Eternity, and Church History.

References: See Bibliography page.

Eternity C (Listen or Read)

So what if the Greek word aion has been erroneously translated “eternal” instead of “age”? What does that have to do with everlasting punishment? It has everything to do with it, since one of the key texts used in defense of the Augustinian view of hell is Mt. 25:46: “And these will go away into everlasting [aionian] punishment.” If this passage as translated here is accurate, then I would have to admit the Bible teaches that punishment is forever. But what if it is not? What if aion does not mean “everlasting”? What would that do to the “biblical support” of an infinite hell? It would negate the use of any verses resting on the word aion used in its defense.

Consider how the following translations word this phrase:

¨      Young’s Literal Translation: “punishment age-during.”

¨      Rotherham Translation: “age-abiding correction.”

¨      Weymouth Translation: “punishment of the ages.”

¨      Concordant Literal Translation: “chastening eonian.”

These reputable translations use the word “age” and not “eternal.” These two concepts are diametrically opposed to one another. They are not the same by any means. An age has a beginning and an end; eternity does not.

Augustine raised the argument that since aionios in Mt. 25:46 referred to both life and punishment, it had to carry the same duration in both cases.⁵ However, he failed to consider that the duration of aionios is determined by the subject to which it refers. For example, when aionios referred to the duration of Jonah’s entrapment in the fish, it was limited to three days. To a slave, aionios referred to his life span. To the Aaronic priesthood, it referred to the generation preceding the Melchizedek priesthood. To Solomon’s temple, it referred to 400 years. To God it encompasses and transcends time altogether.

Thus, the word cannot have a set value. It is a relative term and its duration depends upon that with which it is associated. It is similar to what “tall” is to height. The size of a tall building can be 300 feet, a tall man six feet, and a tall dog three feet. Black Beauty was a great horse, Abraham Lincoln a great man, and Yahweh the GREAT God. Though God is called “great,” the word “great” is neither eternal nor divine. The horse is still a horse. An adjective relates to the noun it modifies. In relation to God, “great” becomes GREAT only because of who and what God is. This silences the contention that aion must always mean forever because it modifies God. God is described as the God of Israel and the God of Abraham. This does not mean He is not the God of Gentiles, or the God of you and me. Though He is called the God of the “ages,” He nonetheless remains the God who transcends the ages.

In addition, Augustine’s reasoning does not hold up in light of Ro. 16:25, 26 and Hab. 3:6. Here, in both cases, the same word is used twice—with God and with something temporal. “In accord with the revelation of a secret hushed in times eonian, yet manifested now…according to the injunction of the eonian God” (Ro. 16:25, 26 CLT). An eonian secret revealed at some point cannot be eternal even though it is revealed by the eonian God. Eonian does not make God eternal, but God makes eonian eternal. “And the everlasting mountains were scattered.…His ways are everlasting” (Hab. 3:6). Mountains are not eternal, though they will last a very long time. God’s ways however, are eternal, because He is eternal.

References: See Bibliography page.

Eternity B (Listen or Read)

New Testament

Consider the N. T. use of aion. Does “eternity” make any sense in the following passages? To make my point unmistakable, I have translated the Greek word aion with the English word “eternity.”

¨      What will be the sign…of the end of the eternity (Mt. 24:3)?

¨      I am with you…to the end of the eternity (Mt. 28:20).

¨      The sons of this eternity are more shrewd (Lu. 16:8).

¨      The sons of this eternity marry (Lu. 20:34).

¨      Worthy to attain that eternity (Lu. 20:35).

¨      Since the eternity began (Jn. 9:32; Ac. 3:21).

¨      Conformed to this eternity (Ro. 12:2).

¨      Mystery kept secret since the eternity began but now made manifest (Ro. 16:25-26).

¨      Where is the disputer of this eternity (1Co. 1:20)?

¨      Wisdom of this eternity, nor of the rulers of this eternity…ordained before the eternities…which none of the rulers of this eternity… (1Co. 2:6-8)

¨      Wise in this eternity (1Co. 3:18).

¨      Upon whom the ends of the eternities have come.
(1Co. 10:11)

¨      God of this eternity has blinded (2Co. 4:4).

¨      Deliver us from this present evil eternity (Ga. 1:4).

¨      Not only in this eternity but also in that which is to come (Ep. 1:21).

¨      Walked according to the eternity of this world (Ep. 2:2).

¨      In the eternities to come (Ep. 2:7).

¨      From the beginnings of the eternities (Ep. 3:9).

¨      Hidden from eternities…but now…revealed (Col. 1:26).

¨      Loved this present eternity (2Ti. 4:10).

¨      Receive him for eternity (Philemon.1:15). Does this mean forever or only until Onesimus dies?

¨      Powers of the eternity to come (He. 6:5).

¨      At the end of the eternities (He. 9:26).

¨      We understand the eternities have been prepared by a saying of God (He. 11:3).

How can we say…

¨      “Before eternity” or “eternity began”? Eternity has no beginning (Jn. 9:32; Ac. 3:21; 1Co. 2:7; Ep. 3:9).

¨      “Present eternity,” “eternity to come,” and “end of eternity?” Eternity transcends time. Only God is eternal (Mt. 24:3; 28:20; 1Co. 10:11; 2Ti. 4:10; He. 6:5; 9:26).

¨      “This eternity,” “that eternity,” or “eternities”? There is only one eternity (Lu. 16:8; 20:34-35; Ro. 12:2; 1Co. 1:20; 2:6-8; 3:18; 10:11; 2Co. 4:4; Ga. 1:4; Ep. 1:21; 2:2, 7; 3:9; Col. 1:26; 2Ti. 4:10; He. 11:3).

¨      “Eternal secret” if the secret is revealed? (Ro. 16:25-26; Col. 1:26). It is no longer a “secret” at that point.

¨      Onesimus will be Philemon’s slave for eternity? Is he still his slave (Phil. 1:15)?

Scores of passages demonstrate that aion is of limited duration. In his book God’s Methods with Man, G. Campbell Morgan (scholar, associate of D.L. Moody, and a highly respected expositor of Scripture), said:

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.³

In his Word Studies in the New Testament, Marvin Vincent, D.D., Baldwin Professor of Sacred Literature at Union Theological Seminary, New York, explained:

Aion, transliterated aeon, is a period of longer or shorter duration, having a beginning and an end, and complete in itself. Aristotle (peri ouravou, i. 9, 15) said, “The period which includes the whole time of one’s life is called the aeon of each one.” Hence, it often means the life of a man, as in Homer, where one’s life (aion) is said to leave him or to consume away (Il v.685; Od v.160). It is not, however, limited to human life. It signifies any period in the course of the millennium, the mythological period before the beginnings of history. The word has not “a stationary and mechanical value” (De Quincey). It does not mean a period of a fixed length for all cases. There are as many aeons as entities, the respective durations of which are fixed by the normal conditions of the several entities. There is one aeon of a human life, another of the life of a nation, another of a crow’s life, another of an oak’s life. The length of the aeon depends on the subject to which it is attached.…The adjective aionious in like manner carries the idea of time. Neither the noun nor the adjective, in themselves, carry the sense of endless or everlasting. They may acquire that sense by their connotation….Aionios means “enduring through” or “pertaining to a period of time.” Both the noun and the adjective are applied to limited periods….Out of the 150 instances in LXX, [Greek Old Testament] four-fifths imply limited duration. For a few instances, see Gen. xlviii. 4; Num. x. 8; xv. 15; Prov. xxii. 28; Jonah ii.6; Hab. iii. 6; Isa lxi. 17.⁴

References: See Bibliography page.

Eternity A (Listen or Read)

CHAPTER ONE  PILLARS

Examining the scriptures…to see if these things were so. (Ac. 17:11 NAS)

“Test all things: hold fast what is good” (1Th. 5:21). The doctrine of everlasting punishment, in my view, is erroneously supported by four pillars. These pillars represent a misunderstanding of three key Greek words, and one concept. They are Aion, Gehenna, Apollumi, and “Free” Will. Once these are understood as the biblical writers understood them, our comprehension of God’s judgments take on a glorious new meaning.

Aion

The first pillar we will examine is the Greek word, aion. It is mostly translated “eternal,” “everlasting,” and for “ever” in the King James Version. However, some translations read “age-abiding,” “age-during,” or “eon,” as noted below. “Robert Young, author of the highly respected Young’s Analytical Concordance, in his literal translation of the Bible, always translates it ‘age’ and never once as ‘everlasting,’ or ‘eternal.’”¹

Old Testament (Greek Septuagint)

In History of Opinions on the Scriptural Doctrine of Retribution, Edward Beecher, D.D., pointed out:

The Septuagint is the Greek translation of the Old Testament and was the Bible of the early church. The word aion occurs in it about four hundred times in every variety of combination. The adjective aionios derived from it, is used over one hundred times.…Aion denoted an age, great or small, so the adjective aionios expressed the idea pertaining to or belonging to the aion, whether great or small. But in every case this adjective derives its character and duration from the aion to which it refers.²

In the Septuagint the Greek word, aion, is used to translate the Hebrew word olam. Thus, if we want to get a sense of the N.T. meaning of aion, we need to understand the meaning of olam in the O.T. Numerous passages referring to olam show clearly it cannot mean “never-ending” in those texts. Note these few:

¨      Jonah was in the fish forever [olam]. But only until he left three days later (Jon. 1:17; 2:6).

¨      Sodom’s fiery judgment is eternal [olam]. But only until God returns them to their former state (Ez. 16:53-55; Ju. 7).

¨      A Moabite is forbidden to enter the Lord’s congregation forever [olam]. But only until the 10^th generation. (De. 23:3).

¨      Hills are everlasting [olam]. But only until made low and the earth is burned up (Ge. 49:26; De. 33:15; Is. 40:4; 2Pe. 3:10).

¨      Mountains are everlasting [olam]. But only until they are scattered (Hab. 3:6).

¨      A slave serves his master forever [olam]. But only until death ends his servitude (Ex. 21:6).

¨      The Mosaic covenant is everlasting [olam]. But only until it vanishes away (Le. 24:8; He. 8:7-13).

¨      The Aaronic priesthood is everlasting [olam]. But only until the likeness of Melchizedek arises (Ex. 40:15; Nu. 25:13; He. 7:14-22).

¨      These “stones” are to be a memorial forever [olam]. Where are they now (Jos. 4:7)?

¨      The leprosy of Naaman shall cling forever [olam]. But only until his death, of course (2K. 5:27).

¨      God dwells in Solomon’s temple forever [olam]. But only until it is destroyed (2Ch. 7:16; 1K 8:13; 9:3).

¨      Animal sacrifices were to be offered forever [olam]. But only until ended by the work of Christ (2Ch. 2:4; He. 7:11-10:18).

¨      Circumcision was an everlasting [olam] covenant. But only until the new covenant (Ge. 17:9-13; 1Co. 7:19; Ga. 5:6).

¨      Israel’s judgment lasts forever [olam]. But only until the Spirit is poured out and God restores it (Is. 32:13-15).

¨      I will make you an eternal [olam] excellence. But only until many generations (Is. 60:15).

As we can see, olam does not mean “eternal” though it can last a very long time. Also, “forever and ever” is not an accurate translation. How can you add “ever” to “forever?” The literal translation is “for the eon [olam] and further.” This makes sense. The Concordant Version Old Testament is consistent here. Consider two examples:

 

¨      He [David] asked life from You; You will give it to him: Length of days for an eon [olam] and further (Ps. 21:4 CVOT).

¨      He has founded the earth on its bases. It shall never slip for

the eon [olam] and further (Ps. 104:5 CVOT).

 

Even passages that do not use the word olam, but signify unchanging, are not so when God is involved. Nothing can deter Him from achieving His purposes. For example:

¨      Israel’s affliction is incurable. But only until the Lord restores health and heals her wounds (Jer. 30:12, 17).

¨      Samaria’s wounds are incurable. But only until the Lord brings them back and restores them (Mic. 1:9; Ez. 16:53).

¨      Egypt and Elam will rise no more. But only until the Lord brings back their captives (Jer. 25:27; 49:39; Ez. 29:14).

¨      Moab is destroyed. But only until the Lord brings back the captives of Moab (Jer. 48:4, 42, 47).

References: See Bibliography page.

THE SCRIPTURES (Listen or Read)

The Bible has been translated from ancient tongues and cultures by men who carry their own ideas into their translations. They cannot help reading the ancient manuscripts through the lens of their personal theology. They are only human. Since most of our translators have held the doctrine of eternal torment, they unwittingly filtered all they translated from that mindset. That is why we must constantly be on our guard, like the Bereans (Ac. 17:11), comparing Scripture with Scripture based on the original Greek and Hebrew words. “Ye do err, not knowing the Scriptures…” (Mt. 22:29 KJV).

Unless God gives us ears to hear, the Bible will remain a mystery (Pr. 20:12; Lu. 8:8). For unless He opens our minds and hearts, we toil in vain. “For our sufficiency is from God and not of the letter…for the letter kills, but the Spirit gives life” (2Co. 3:5, 6). The Ku Klux Klan is known to have based its evil actions on the “letter” of Scripture, but did the Klan know its Spirit?⁵ “Be diligent to present yourself approved to God, a worker who does not need to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth” (2Ti. 2:15).

To help you rightly divide the word of truth, I submit to you the following five principles of interpretation for your consideration:

¨      Pray for understanding.

¨      Trust Scripture to interpret Scripture, not man.

¨      Base your beliefs on the total forest of Scripture, not a few trees.

¨      Put aside what your spirit reveals is not right or good until the Lord resolves the issue in your heart (1Th. 5:21; Lu. 12:57).

¨      Remember that the ancient eastern custom was to use language in the most vivid possible way.⁶ (Appendix V, #18)

“Are you not therefore mistaken, because you do not know the Scriptures nor the power of God?” (Mk. 12:24)? I encourage you to meditate on the Scriptures presented in this study, for they focus strongly on God’s power. Follow the example of the Bereans, who were “more noble” than the rest, for they did not just take someone’s word for it, but searched it out for themselves (Ac. 17:11). You may find The Word Study Concordance, by George Wigram and Ralph Winter helpful as it lists words according to Greek usage, not English. You do not need to know Greek to use it. Winter explained:

The Word Study Concordance traces not English but Greek words. You can find listed every passage where a given Greek word occurs regardless of how many different ways it may be translated into English. Even the best lexicons are basically some scholar’s reflections on the data drawn from a concordance. Once you have read these Bible passages yourself, you have acquired something no dictionary can easily give you—a certain instinctive feel for the word. You have become conditioned by the actual use of the word (which is the most normal and reliable way to learn any word in any language), not to equate it to some other word. Students often try to short-circuit this process and go directly to a lexicon.⁷

Since this book has no index, we invite you to download the book free from our website. Use the “find” feature on your computer to look up words, topics, and Scriptures.

With a humble spirit and prayerful attitude, let us look intently into God’s written revelation seeking to understand His character and purpose in His judgments. We will start by critically examining the key points (pillars) on which belief in everlasting punishment is based.

References: See Bibliography page.