arminianism, calvinism, and universalism

Actually - the text does not say the prodigal son was "destroyed". Do you know of ANY translator that will bend the text to that point?

I do not find any.

In Christ,

Bob

 

As I said - no translators use this as "destroy" in the context given for the prodigal son. It is the wrong meaning for that context.

Look up the word "bat".

In Christ,

Bob

 

Thanks, I thought you may be an author I've read.

 

Being a universalist, an annihilationist, or one who believes in eternal torment or separation is a matter of how one chooses to interpret the Bible. William Barclay gives his reasons for being a universalist by quoting Gregory of Nyssa, and then giving his own reasons. Quoting Gregory of Nyssa, he states:

"Gregory of Nyssa offered three reasons why he believed in universalism. First, he believed in it because of the character of God. "Being good, God entertains pity for fallen man; being wise, he is not ignorant of the means for his recovery." Second, he believed in it because of the nature of evil. Evil must in the end be moved out of existence, "so that the absolutely non-existent should cease to be at all." Evil is essentially negative and doomed to non-existence. Third, he believed in it because of the purpose of punishment. The purpose of punishment is always remedial. Its aim is "to get the good separated from the evil and to attract it into the communion of blessedness." Punishment will hurt, but it is like the fire which separates the alloy from the gold; it is like the surgery which removes the diseased thing; it is like the cautery which burns out that which cannot be removed any other way. "

Concerning the meaning of "eternal punishment" Barclay says:

"Second, one of the key passages is Matthew 25:46 where it is said that the rejected go away to eternal punishment, and the righteous to eternal life. The Greek word for punishment 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. The word for eternal is aionios. It means more than everlasting, for Plato - who may have invented the word - plainly says that a thing may be everlasting and still not be aionios. The simplest way to out 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."

Finally, Barclay states that to be a universalist is to believe that God is truly a God of love:

"Third, I believe that it is impossible to set limits to the grace of God. I believe that not only in this world, but in any other world there may be, the grace of God is still effective, still operative, still at work. I do not believe that the operation of the grace of God is limited to this world. I believe that the grace of God is as wide as the universe."

I believe this final statement of Barclay is true! The only way for a person to be lost "forever", according to our English meaning of the word, would be to reject Christ forever. Is this possible?
C.S. Lewis believes the doors of hell are only locked from the inside.

 

Heb 9 - it is appointed unto men ONCE to die and THEN comes the judgment. No (but I changed my mind after I died).

Matt 10:28 God "DESTROYS BOTH body AND SOUL in hell fire" whereas those in this life can "KILL the body ONLY".

Ezek 18:1-4 - "The sould that sins IT will die".

The Bible is filled with instruction to make peace with God in THIS LIFE before you die.

The idea of eternal life, joy and bliss for those wicked that suffer "The second death" is not found in all of scripture.

But in Genesis 3 we DO have the idea first presented that those who rebel against God and suffer His punishment "will not surely die".

IN Christ,

Bob

 

Universalists believe that judgment comes after death. Where does the verse say that minds can't be changed at this time. Remember Barclays definition of punishment (The Greek word for punishment is kolasis, which was not originally an ethical word at all. It originally meant the pruning of trees to make them grow better.) In other words "remedial punishment"

Compare this with verse 39 below:
Matthew 10:39 (NASB-U)
"He who has found his life will lose it, and he who has lost his life for My sake will find it.

The word "soul" in verse 28 is "psuche" (translated breath, heart, life, mind as well as soul) It's the same word used for "life" in verse 39. Notice that, although the soul is something that men cannot destroy, it's something you can actually gain in this life by losing or lost by seeking . So if you havn't gained your soul in this life by losing it, maby it wont be such a bad thing to do so in the next. Isn't that the purpose of the "fire":

Mark 9:49-50 (NASB-U)
"For everyone will be salted with fire. [50] "Salt is good; but if the salt becomes unsalty, with what will you make it salty again? Have salt in yourselves, and be at peace with one another."

Of course it's always better to make peace with God in this life first instead of having to face the judgment of the next. Show me your best scripture, though, that proves this will be implssible in the next.

Scripture does picture of the destruction of death though; as an enemy finally destroyed from among "all who died in Adam"

1 Cor. 15:22-26 (KJV)
For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ shall all be made alive. [23] But every man in his own order: Christ the firstfruits; afterward they that are Christ's at his coming. [24] Then cometh the end, when he shall have delivered up the kingdom to God, even the Father; when he shall have put down all rule and all authority and power. [25] For he must reign, till he hath put all enemies under his feet. [26] The last enemy that shall be destroyed is death.