Redefinition 101:
25 reasons why Eternal is not eternal, Damnation is not damnation and Hell is a real nice place.
Caroline Wong <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote:
Caroline Wong <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote:
I was raised a very proper Evangelical. 4 Spiritual Laws. Sola scriptura and sola fide. But life is a journey and change is the only constant. Not long ago, I emailed a former pastor and said I'm fast becoming a universalist! Please email back reasons why I shouldn't be! He had a good laugh.The number one passage people bring up is Matthew 25 about eternal punishment and eternal life. Talbott says "eternal" here means long time but not...eternal (just as some would say a day is not a day and all does not mean all but those are debates for another time!!). He makes a good argument on the Greek term but, as someone else who has read the book said, it was not entirely compelling.I think the key to Matthew 25 is the epistle of 1 John. The whole epistle helps but the key verse is 1 John 1:2 "The life appeared: we have seen it and testify to it, and we proclaim to you eternal life, which was with the Father and has appeared to us."Eternal life is Christ Jesus. It is the incarnation. It is about us in Him and He in us. It is right now and more fully later. Even now, we are seated in the heavenly realms at the right hand side of our Father in Jesus Christ our brother, saviour and Lord. Right now we have eternal life because we have Him.Getting eternal life is getting Jesus. Getting eternal punishment is getting the other guy. That parable does not contradict other teachings in the bible about salvation and God's love. While some will use this parable as saying hell is eternal just as heaven is eternal because it fits their theology, this parable no longer have to be the sticking point for universalism. The gates of hell can be stormed and the strong man's home can be plundered becasue he can be tied up. "O LORD, you brought me up from sheol" Psalm 30:3 "If I go up to the heavens, you are there; if I make my bed in sheol, you are there." Psalm 139:8Universalism have biblical support and can be formulated in an internally coherent theology. There are several such systems now: exclusivism, inclusivism, annihilation, universalism. What resonates with your spirit? Jesus asked, "Who do you say that I am?" The system that you choose depends on how you answer Jesus' question.I thought I'd throw that in as most likely I can't spend too much time on TT and will be here less.Love and God bless,Caroline
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