If you have read “Hope Beyond Hell” and would like to study further about the Greek word for “destruction,” I refer you to A. E. Knoch’s article, “The Meaning of Destruction.” See link at page bottom.
Death and destruction, are 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…”¹
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 for a moment. “God is not the God of the dead, but of the living for all live to Him (Lu: 20:38).” “For to this end Christ died and rose and lived again, that He might be Lord of both the dead and the living (Rom 14:9).” “With God nothing is impossible!” See Luke 1:37. (See chapter one of “Hope Beyond Hell” for more on apollumi.)
CLICK HERE FOR ARTICLE BY A. E. Knoch: THE MEANING OF DESTRUCTION
CLICK HERE FOR A ONE PAGE STATEMENT FROM Dr. Marvin Vincent: THE MEANING OF ETERNAL DESTRUCTION
¹ Vine, W. E. An Expository Dictionary of Biblical Words. Nashville, TN: Nelson, 1985. 164.
April 28, 2011
Marie, I think this question is one best to pray about and see what the Lord reveals to your heart about it.
February 13, 2018
Apolumi is the Greek compound word, away-punish. It does not mean lost sight off.
Jesus said He was not commissioned (Greek, Eli me) if not to the (Greek, apolumi, away punished) sheep of the House of Israel.. The modern universalist multi-racial church teaching is heresy.
David.
February 14, 2018
Dear Gerry I missed putting the proof text for the forty two thousand years. Eonian fire with the Adversary and His Messengers
Deuteronomy 7: 8, 9.
1 Cronicles. 16: 15..
Love you.
David
February 14, 2018
Hi Gary..
I was hoping to hear your reply to my apolumi statement which has the meaning of NOT lost sight of, but the Greek is “away punished” which refers to the dispersed Israelites of the House Israel who were cut off and divorced with no way back even if they repented and wanted to return to Yahweh.. It took the death of their former Husband Yahweh in the form of a Man, Christ Jesus, who was roused from among the dead and He invited His former wife to remarry under a better (marriage) covenant with better promises. Hebrews 8 :6-13.
The law of this divorce demande the death of the Husband to annul the marriage vows and release the wife from the law of the divorce. See Romans 7:1-6 C.V..
Love you,
David.