As I mentioned in the introduction, I was initially intrigued by the Universalist affirmation that scriptures that speak of the salvation of all humanity, really mean that all humans are saved. The following is a brief list of some of these scriptures.
The list is certainly not exhaustive, nor is it meant to be a list of proof-texts; I realize that each passage should be interpreted individually based on its unique context. Most of them can readily be interpreted as generalized statements not meant to necessarily affirm that all will be saved. But a couple of them I found to be extremely compelling, especially Rom. 5:18, 11:32, 1 Tim. 4:10, and others.
John 1:9 – “The true light gives light to every man.”
John 1:29 – the Lamb of God “takes away the sin of the world.”
John 3:17 – the Son was sent to “save the world.”
John 12:32 – Jesus, through the cross, “will draw all men” to himself.
John 12:47 - Jesus came “to save” the world.
Acts 3:21 – Jesus is in heaven “until the restoration of all things”.
Acts 3:25 – “And in your seed all the families of the earth shall be blessed.”
Acts 3:26 – God sent Jesus “to bless you, in turning away every one of you from your iniquities
Romans 3:23, 24 – all “are justified freely by his grace.”
Romans 5:18 – “one act of righteousness” brings “life for all humanity.”
Romans 11:32 – God “has bound all men . . . so that he may have mercy on” all.
1 Corinthians 15:22 – “all will be made alive.”
2 Corinthians 5:14 – “one died for all, and therefore all died.”
2 Corinthians 5:19 – God has “reconciled the world to himself” and does not count “men's sins against them.”
Philippians 2:10, 11 – every knee shall bow and every tongue will “confess that Jesus Christ is Lord.”
1 Cor.12.3 – “no one can say, "Jesus is Lord," except by the Holy Spirit.”
Colossians 1:20 – through his Son God has reconciled “all things” to himself.
1 Timothy 2:6 – Christ Jesus “gave himself a ransom for all men.”
1 Timothy 4:10 – God “is the Savior of all humanity, especially believers.”
Titus 2:11 (RSV) – God's grace “has appeared for the salvation of all humanity.”
Hebrews 2:9 – Jesus tasted “death for everyone.”
1 John 2:2 – Jesus is the atoning sacrifice for our sins and “for the sins of the whole world.”
Calvinists interpret these passages to refer to a “Certain-to-be-realized Salvation” because God is Sovereign and chooses whom to love and whom to hate. However, this salvation is Not applicable to all humanity, only the elect – because some people are “Certainly Lost”. God does not love “all humanity”, only the chosen. The foundational principles of Calvinism are 1) God’s Sovereignty, 2) total depravity of man, 3) unconditional election, 4) limited atonement in scope, 5) irresistible Grace, 6) perseverance of the saints, and 7) the certainty of damnation for some (for others). To the Calvinist, the above scriptures cannot mean that all humans are actually saved because some are certainly damned, and thus the Atonement must be Limited in scope.
Arminians interpret these passages to refer to All Humanity because God loves All Humanity. However, the salvation spoken of is not Universal; rather, it is only “Potential Salvation” NOT “Certain-to-be-Realized Salvation.” The foundational principles of Arminianism are 1) Human Autonomy, 2) partial depravity of man, 3) conditional election, 4) limited atonement in effect, 5) resistible grace, 6) potentiality of saints being lost, and 7) the certainty of damnation for some (for others). To the Arminianist the above scriptures cannot mean that all humans are actually saved because some are certainly damned, and thus the Atonement must be Limited in effect.
Universalists accept these passages as referring to a “Certain-to-be-Realized Salvation” that is applicable to “All Humanity”, because 1) God is Sovereign and human autonomy is limited, 2) man is spiritually dead, 3) Grace is irresistible (if not in this life, certainly in the life to come), 4) God loves All Humanity and Jesus died for All Humanity, and 5) punishment in the afterlife is remedial! Salvation is thus by grace for all humanity. Some will accept this salvation in this life, though many, if not most, will not accept this salvation until the afterlife. Punishment in the eternal, in the afterlife, is not "endless and vindictive"; rather, it is just, merciful, and remedial – the chastisement of the Lord! The Lord chastises those whom He loves and He loves all humanity. Thus Universalists agree with both foundational assumptions of Calvinists and Armenian’s concerning salvation but disagree with them on the nature and purpose of punishment in the afterlife.
I find it very interesting that Calvinists and Arminians disagree concerning the essence of salvation, the sovereignty of God, the depravity of humanity, the essence of Grace, human autonomy, the effect of the atonement, even the security of the believer, but their shared belief is the certainty of damnation for others (not themselves)! In other words, their "shared faith" is not in "salvation" but in "damnation for others". Amazing!
Showing posts with label doctrine. Show all posts
Showing posts with label doctrine. Show all posts
Friday, February 12, 2010
Tuesday, February 9, 2010
Christian Universalism - Intro
Well I must confess, I have avoided writing this post for a few months now. After months of prayerful consideration of Scripture concerning the foundational principles of salvation, I have experienced a significant shift in my theological beliefs. I have come to believe, based on my understanding of Scripture, that through the Atonement, Jesus triumphs completely over death and Hades, restoring all of humanity into relationship with Him – Christian Universalism!
Christian Universalism is otherwise known as Universal Reconciliation, Apokatastasis, Universal Salvation, and Evangelical Universalism. Its most basic distinguishing belief is that the Atonement of Christ is Universal in both Scope and Effect. It is “Universal in Scope” in that Jesus died for all of humanity; which is the opposite of Calvinism’s belief that the Atonement is limited to those chosen for salvation (God chooses). The Atonement is also “Universal in Effect” in that it fully accomplishes the salvation of all humanity; which is opposite of Arminianism that affirms that the Atonement is limited to effecting salvation for only those who choose salvation (Man chooses). Over the next several weeks, I will be sharing why I have come to believe in Christian Universalism.
I was initially exposed to Christian Universalism in an article that I read a few years ago which highlighted a couple of scriptures that seemed to support their beliefs. It was an intriguing article and I always try to be open minded; so I decided to mentally file the subject until my schedule allowed me to invest the time required for an in-depth study on the subject.
My schedule opened up significantly a couple of years ago when we moved from Virginia to Tennessee and even more so after we were fully settled in. And then about a year ago, a coworker asked me what I thought of Carlton Pearson becoming a Universalist and being removed from the Board of Directors of Oral Roberts University which I attended in `88. Being careful to not think negatively of someone without giving them a fair hearing, I decided to read his book “The Gospel of Inclusion”.
I found his book, “The Gospel of Inclusion,” to be uninteresting. I had hoped that it would be an academic explanation of the reasons for his change in theology; but it seemed to be more of a vent for his frustration and anger over the rejection he experienced from many who had previously respected him. I ended up only reading about half of the book; maybe someday I’ll get back to it but probably not. However, he did briefly reference several scriptures that apparently support Universal Reconciliation and other information and sources that I had not previously been exposed to.
As I prayerfully meditated upon and studied the few scriptures Pearson mentioned in his book, I was surprised to find that these scriptures seemed to strongly affirm the concept that the Atonement is universal, not limited in either scope or effect. This was not only a surprise to me; it was also a very disconcerting. Could it be that what I had believed all of my life was actually not correct? Of course such is possible, but rarely do we allow anything to challenge our foundational theological beliefs, our traditions. I also immediately thought of many questions and objections to Universal Reconciliation from my traditional perspective, the first being the many scriptures that speak of Hell. Thus I decided to do an in-depth study of Hell and Judgment.
I assumed that a study of Scripture concerning Hell would surely and effectively counter the concept of Universal Reconciliation and reaffirm my traditional belief in the certainty of damnation for some, if not most, of humanity. You can imagine my surprise when the more I studied Scripture concerning Judgment and Hell, the more I found scriptural evidence suggesting that punishment in the afterlife is remedial and not punitive, merciful and not vengeful, purposeful and not purposeless, with the positive effects of such punishment being enduring though the pain of such is not!
Frankly, I am as surprised as anyone where my research has led me. I certainly had no desire or need to change my beliefs on this doctrine. I have compassion for the lost and regularly share my faith in and love for Christ in the hope that such might encourage others to put their faith in Christ; but I am not overwhelmed with despair concerning anyone’s salvation, even relatives’. (I’m just being forthright here, maybe I should be despairing for the lost, but I’m not.)
I certainly trust in the Lord for my salvation and the fear of “Hell” is not and never has been a concern because of having faith in Christ from childhood. I have a strong passion to see people come to know the Lord, not because I fear them going to Hell but because I believe they are missing out on the goodness of God, perishing, their lives and families being destroyed because of their bondage to sin. I have devoted much of my life to studying Scripture in search of a clearer understanding of how to apply its truth to our daily lives and thus embrace the abundant life of Christ! To my knowledge I had no motive to change my beliefs on this topic except a love for truth.
Realizing how radical a departure Universal Reconciliation is from the traditional beliefs of the Church, from my traditional beliefs, I was extremely hesitant, even resistant to embrace such even though I was finding the scriptural evidence to be compelling. Looking back on it now, I recognize that I was fearful, fearful of being wrong and especially reluctant to face the conflict with loved ones and even persecution that I knew would come if I embraced such. But this was an itch that just had to be scratched. I had already uncovered more than enough information to cause me to question my traditional beliefs; and when I’m not completely at peace with my beliefs, I pray, research, meditate, study Scripture, and discuss the topic with other believers until I come to a conviction on that topic.
For me an important part of processing and growing in my beliefs is discussing Scripture and doctrine with other believers. I highly value the body of Christ and listen for God to speak through people, especially those whom I love and respect. So I contacted several people who love and respect and shared with them some of what I was uncovering. As I shared with them, I was careful to listen for the Holy Spirit to raise any solid scriptural or logical arguments against either Universal Reconciliation or the concept of Remedial Punishment in the afterlife. Many said that what I had uncovered was interesting, but of course it did not line up with what they believed; and they evidenced no desire to consider or discuss the subject further. A couple were open to the information and even enjoyed discussing it and studying it with me, though they were as reserved as I was in considering the possibility of Universal Reconciliation.
Sadly, some, instead of accepting that this was an honest inquiry on my part, when they couldn’t quickly dismiss the information that I had uncovered and persuade me to get back on the “straight and narrow” of tradition, turned to personal attacks, accusing me of spiritual pride, negative motives, and even spiritual deception. I was surprised by the irrational ferociousness of these personal attacks. People, who otherwise respected and loved me, unjustly accused me of some terrible things. But of course, their actions did not have their desired effect of motivating me to set aside my studies and blindly accept traditional doctrine. In fact, such irrational negative personal attacks only served to fuel my desire to pray and study the subject further. And the more I have prayed and studied Scripture on this issue, the stronger my convictions have become affirming Universal Reconciliation!
Over the next several weeks I look forward to sharing with you why I have come to believe that Jesus truly triumphs over death and Hades, restoring all of humanity to Himself and delivering us all from our bondage to sin and Satan – through Death, His death on the cross and our death to sin and self!
Christian Universalism is otherwise known as Universal Reconciliation, Apokatastasis, Universal Salvation, and Evangelical Universalism. Its most basic distinguishing belief is that the Atonement of Christ is Universal in both Scope and Effect. It is “Universal in Scope” in that Jesus died for all of humanity; which is the opposite of Calvinism’s belief that the Atonement is limited to those chosen for salvation (God chooses). The Atonement is also “Universal in Effect” in that it fully accomplishes the salvation of all humanity; which is opposite of Arminianism that affirms that the Atonement is limited to effecting salvation for only those who choose salvation (Man chooses). Over the next several weeks, I will be sharing why I have come to believe in Christian Universalism.
I was initially exposed to Christian Universalism in an article that I read a few years ago which highlighted a couple of scriptures that seemed to support their beliefs. It was an intriguing article and I always try to be open minded; so I decided to mentally file the subject until my schedule allowed me to invest the time required for an in-depth study on the subject.
My schedule opened up significantly a couple of years ago when we moved from Virginia to Tennessee and even more so after we were fully settled in. And then about a year ago, a coworker asked me what I thought of Carlton Pearson becoming a Universalist and being removed from the Board of Directors of Oral Roberts University which I attended in `88. Being careful to not think negatively of someone without giving them a fair hearing, I decided to read his book “The Gospel of Inclusion”.
I found his book, “The Gospel of Inclusion,” to be uninteresting. I had hoped that it would be an academic explanation of the reasons for his change in theology; but it seemed to be more of a vent for his frustration and anger over the rejection he experienced from many who had previously respected him. I ended up only reading about half of the book; maybe someday I’ll get back to it but probably not. However, he did briefly reference several scriptures that apparently support Universal Reconciliation and other information and sources that I had not previously been exposed to.
As I prayerfully meditated upon and studied the few scriptures Pearson mentioned in his book, I was surprised to find that these scriptures seemed to strongly affirm the concept that the Atonement is universal, not limited in either scope or effect. This was not only a surprise to me; it was also a very disconcerting. Could it be that what I had believed all of my life was actually not correct? Of course such is possible, but rarely do we allow anything to challenge our foundational theological beliefs, our traditions. I also immediately thought of many questions and objections to Universal Reconciliation from my traditional perspective, the first being the many scriptures that speak of Hell. Thus I decided to do an in-depth study of Hell and Judgment.
I assumed that a study of Scripture concerning Hell would surely and effectively counter the concept of Universal Reconciliation and reaffirm my traditional belief in the certainty of damnation for some, if not most, of humanity. You can imagine my surprise when the more I studied Scripture concerning Judgment and Hell, the more I found scriptural evidence suggesting that punishment in the afterlife is remedial and not punitive, merciful and not vengeful, purposeful and not purposeless, with the positive effects of such punishment being enduring though the pain of such is not!
Frankly, I am as surprised as anyone where my research has led me. I certainly had no desire or need to change my beliefs on this doctrine. I have compassion for the lost and regularly share my faith in and love for Christ in the hope that such might encourage others to put their faith in Christ; but I am not overwhelmed with despair concerning anyone’s salvation, even relatives’. (I’m just being forthright here, maybe I should be despairing for the lost, but I’m not.)
I certainly trust in the Lord for my salvation and the fear of “Hell” is not and never has been a concern because of having faith in Christ from childhood. I have a strong passion to see people come to know the Lord, not because I fear them going to Hell but because I believe they are missing out on the goodness of God, perishing, their lives and families being destroyed because of their bondage to sin. I have devoted much of my life to studying Scripture in search of a clearer understanding of how to apply its truth to our daily lives and thus embrace the abundant life of Christ! To my knowledge I had no motive to change my beliefs on this topic except a love for truth.
Realizing how radical a departure Universal Reconciliation is from the traditional beliefs of the Church, from my traditional beliefs, I was extremely hesitant, even resistant to embrace such even though I was finding the scriptural evidence to be compelling. Looking back on it now, I recognize that I was fearful, fearful of being wrong and especially reluctant to face the conflict with loved ones and even persecution that I knew would come if I embraced such. But this was an itch that just had to be scratched. I had already uncovered more than enough information to cause me to question my traditional beliefs; and when I’m not completely at peace with my beliefs, I pray, research, meditate, study Scripture, and discuss the topic with other believers until I come to a conviction on that topic.
For me an important part of processing and growing in my beliefs is discussing Scripture and doctrine with other believers. I highly value the body of Christ and listen for God to speak through people, especially those whom I love and respect. So I contacted several people who love and respect and shared with them some of what I was uncovering. As I shared with them, I was careful to listen for the Holy Spirit to raise any solid scriptural or logical arguments against either Universal Reconciliation or the concept of Remedial Punishment in the afterlife. Many said that what I had uncovered was interesting, but of course it did not line up with what they believed; and they evidenced no desire to consider or discuss the subject further. A couple were open to the information and even enjoyed discussing it and studying it with me, though they were as reserved as I was in considering the possibility of Universal Reconciliation.
Sadly, some, instead of accepting that this was an honest inquiry on my part, when they couldn’t quickly dismiss the information that I had uncovered and persuade me to get back on the “straight and narrow” of tradition, turned to personal attacks, accusing me of spiritual pride, negative motives, and even spiritual deception. I was surprised by the irrational ferociousness of these personal attacks. People, who otherwise respected and loved me, unjustly accused me of some terrible things. But of course, their actions did not have their desired effect of motivating me to set aside my studies and blindly accept traditional doctrine. In fact, such irrational negative personal attacks only served to fuel my desire to pray and study the subject further. And the more I have prayed and studied Scripture on this issue, the stronger my convictions have become affirming Universal Reconciliation!
Over the next several weeks I look forward to sharing with you why I have come to believe that Jesus truly triumphs over death and Hades, restoring all of humanity to Himself and delivering us all from our bondage to sin and Satan – through Death, His death on the cross and our death to sin and self!
Friday, January 22, 2010
4 Sources of Authority for Faith
Theologians commonly speak of four sources of authority for faith -- Scripture, Tradition, Experience, and Reason. Of course, a banner of Protestantism is "sola scriptura". However, we should recall though that scripture itself is a result of Tradition, for it was the consensus of the church accepting specific letters/books/authors as inspired and others as not inspired that gave us scripture as we know it.
And let us not forget the role of experience! Throughout scripture and church history experience and personal revelation have played a vital role in the lives of many brothers and sisters in Christ, in the lives and ministries of believers in both the Old and New Testaments and throughout church history. In many ways, an experience (testimony) is never out weighed by a theory. And our experiences, or lack thereof, significantly influence how we understand scripture and our world-view.
For Western cultures especially, Reason also plays a tremendous role in establishing our beliefs. It must make sense to us. It's got to fit! We strive to systematize our lives and our theology, ergo "Systematic Theology". We seek to make everything fit into a specific system of reason. If it doesn't make sense to us, it's hard for us to accept it is as real or true.
Various branches of the church and various individuals focus more or less of their attention and effort on each one of these four sources of theology. For the older denominations (RCC & EO) and for many Christians regardless of their denominational affiliation, Tradition is a primary source for their beliefs. XX is what I've always believed and what those whom I respect (bishopric, apostolic succession, etc.) accept as true; thus I believe XX is true and am not open to anything else.
Protestantism's banner waves "Sola Scriptura", raising a call to affirm Scripture as the "sole" source of faith; but it would be better if the call was "prima scripture", affirming scripture as the primary source of faith and yet recognizing the value and importance of the other sources. It would also do Protestants service to recognize that they value Reason as highly or almost as highly as Scripture for their beliefs are based on their personal and corporate "understanding" of scripture.
For "Liberals", Reason actually holds a higher place in their considerations than scripture or tradition, and there is no appeal to Experience (except possibly what they have not experienced). Though significant portions of scripture are contrary to their beliefs, if it doesn't make sense to them, they set scripture aside and maintain their beliefs, what they accept as true.
For the mystics of the middle ages and the Pentecostals and Charismatics of today, Experience plays a vital role in their faith. Their understanding of scripture, their tendency to downplay reason and tradition, all are related to their code (though not stated) of "experience first".
For myself, I value all four sources -- Scripture, Experience, Reason, and Tradition. I am diligent to study scripture and some tradition, using reason as best I can. But I also value the personal experiences that I've had with the Lord and seek the wisdom and understanding of the Holy Spirit.
I must confess, Tradition is the least of my considerations. From "Experience" I've found that Tradition, my traditions, have often hindered me from receiving new-to-me truth, truths that brought me into a stronger relationship with the Lord, freedom from sin, and more love for my fellow man; and I've noted many others who have a very difficult time even considering something as possibly true if it is outside of their Tradition. And of course, in Scripture, Jesus also challenges Tradition, actually saying that tradition nullifies the power of the word of God.
On the other hand, I've come to tremendously value Tradition from another perspective - the Traditions of the greater Body of Christ! By studying (Reason) the beliefs of other branches of the church, and by being exposed (Experience) to other believers from different branches of the Church, my faith in Christ has been tremendously enriched and expanded! I've gained knowledge (Reason) and grown in humility, and respect and love for others. Having worked for a para-church ministry, studying at an interdenominational seminary, and attending an interdenominational fellowship of believers has greatly aided me in this exposure to the greater Body of Christ.
Well, having said all this, it's my hope and prayer that we shall all grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. May we all seek to grown in our knowledge of scripture and tradition! And may we increasingly walk in respect and love for one another!
And let us not forget the role of experience! Throughout scripture and church history experience and personal revelation have played a vital role in the lives of many brothers and sisters in Christ, in the lives and ministries of believers in both the Old and New Testaments and throughout church history. In many ways, an experience (testimony) is never out weighed by a theory. And our experiences, or lack thereof, significantly influence how we understand scripture and our world-view.
For Western cultures especially, Reason also plays a tremendous role in establishing our beliefs. It must make sense to us. It's got to fit! We strive to systematize our lives and our theology, ergo "Systematic Theology". We seek to make everything fit into a specific system of reason. If it doesn't make sense to us, it's hard for us to accept it is as real or true.
Various branches of the church and various individuals focus more or less of their attention and effort on each one of these four sources of theology. For the older denominations (RCC & EO) and for many Christians regardless of their denominational affiliation, Tradition is a primary source for their beliefs. XX is what I've always believed and what those whom I respect (bishopric, apostolic succession, etc.) accept as true; thus I believe XX is true and am not open to anything else.
Protestantism's banner waves "Sola Scriptura", raising a call to affirm Scripture as the "sole" source of faith; but it would be better if the call was "prima scripture", affirming scripture as the primary source of faith and yet recognizing the value and importance of the other sources. It would also do Protestants service to recognize that they value Reason as highly or almost as highly as Scripture for their beliefs are based on their personal and corporate "understanding" of scripture.
For "Liberals", Reason actually holds a higher place in their considerations than scripture or tradition, and there is no appeal to Experience (except possibly what they have not experienced). Though significant portions of scripture are contrary to their beliefs, if it doesn't make sense to them, they set scripture aside and maintain their beliefs, what they accept as true.
For the mystics of the middle ages and the Pentecostals and Charismatics of today, Experience plays a vital role in their faith. Their understanding of scripture, their tendency to downplay reason and tradition, all are related to their code (though not stated) of "experience first".
For myself, I value all four sources -- Scripture, Experience, Reason, and Tradition. I am diligent to study scripture and some tradition, using reason as best I can. But I also value the personal experiences that I've had with the Lord and seek the wisdom and understanding of the Holy Spirit.
I must confess, Tradition is the least of my considerations. From "Experience" I've found that Tradition, my traditions, have often hindered me from receiving new-to-me truth, truths that brought me into a stronger relationship with the Lord, freedom from sin, and more love for my fellow man; and I've noted many others who have a very difficult time even considering something as possibly true if it is outside of their Tradition. And of course, in Scripture, Jesus also challenges Tradition, actually saying that tradition nullifies the power of the word of God.
On the other hand, I've come to tremendously value Tradition from another perspective - the Traditions of the greater Body of Christ! By studying (Reason) the beliefs of other branches of the church, and by being exposed (Experience) to other believers from different branches of the Church, my faith in Christ has been tremendously enriched and expanded! I've gained knowledge (Reason) and grown in humility, and respect and love for others. Having worked for a para-church ministry, studying at an interdenominational seminary, and attending an interdenominational fellowship of believers has greatly aided me in this exposure to the greater Body of Christ.
Well, having said all this, it's my hope and prayer that we shall all grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. May we all seek to grown in our knowledge of scripture and tradition! And may we increasingly walk in respect and love for one another!
Wednesday, May 6, 2009
The Lake Burning with Fire and Brimstone
Over the last several months I’ve been researching the doctrine called the “Restoration of All Things” or “Christian Universalism”. It is, at its most basic, the belief that because of the sacrifice of Christ, all of humanity is ultimately saved and will ultimately come into relationship and life forever with Him. There are several scriptures that seem to indicate this is true. However, in order to “balance” what I had been studying on this, I decided to research scripture concerning Hell and Judgment. In my research though, I’ve come across information that is challenging my traditional Evangelical beliefs concerning the essence and purpose of punishment in the afterlife!
According to the doctrine that I have been raised to believe, the traditional Protestant/Evangelical doctrine, Hell is a place of “endless torture” for those who are not saved. However, I’ve run across information that seems to indicate that the traditional doctrine of Hell is incorrect, that the afterlife does not include a place of “endless torture”.
As mentioned in the previous post, Jesus used the word GEHENNA in speaking of punishment in the afterlife. But the Rabbis of Jesus’ day taught that GEHENNA was a place of purification of and payment for sin that only lasted as long as was needed for the healing and the reformation of the human soul. After a person was purified in GEHENNA, he was admitted to Paradise; but the English word Hell carries the connotation of “endless torture”, so it is not a good interpretation of GEHENNA. Rather, the best interpretation of the word GEHENNA, I believe, is Purgatory.
But of course, GEHENNA is only one word used in scripture which references punishment in the afterlife. In my research of Hell, Judgment, and related words and scriptures, another very interesting bit of information came to my attention. It is the word “Brimstone”, THEION in Greek. Notice how similar THEION is to THEIOS (divine). THEION, brimstone, actually means “divine incense, because burning brimstone was regarded as having power to purify and to ward off disease” (Enhanced Strong’s Lexicon).
Thayer’s Lexicon, Friberg’s Analytical Lexicon, and Liddell and Scott Greek-English Lexicon all agree that THEION is related to purification and healing. And Liddell and Scott notes that the verb THEIOO actually means “to hallow, to make divine, or to dedicate to a god.” Thus, based upon the actual Greek usage of THEION, brimstone carries the connotation of purification and healing, and even signifies being made holy, set apart, dedicated to God; it does NOT connote “endless torture”.
Brimstone - fire from heaven, lightening, volcanic bombs, and other geologic forms of fire give off the smell of burning sulfur. Sodom and Gomorrah were destroyed by fire and brimstone, fire from heaven. Geologist Frederick Clapp theorized that Sodom’s divine judgmental fire was likely a petroleum-based substance called bitumen, similar to asphalt, that was forced out of the earth through a fault-line, ignited by a spark or surface fire, and then fell to earth as a burning fiery mass bringing the judgment of God.
Furthermore, as noted by Strong’s Lexicon, brimstone, sulfur was burnt as incense meant to ward off disease. Even today many medicines are sulfur-based. Thus brimstone is dynamically connected to healing.
Something else that I’ve never noticed before about the “lake burning with fire and brimstone” is that it is actually in the “presence” of God, not separated from the presence of God. Rev. 14:10 says that those who receive the mark of the beast shall “drink of the wine of the wrath of God” and “shall be tormented with fire and brimstone in the presence of the holy angels and in the presence of the Lamb.”
When I ran across this information about brimstone the first thing that came to mind was when Isaiah stood before the Lord and was overwhelmed by the sin that God’s presence revealed in him (Isaiah 6). In the presence of the Lord and His angels, Isaiah cried, “Woe is me, for I am undone! Because I am a man of unclean lips, and I dwell in the midst of a people of unclean lips!” In response to this confession an angel took a live coal (brimstone?) from the altar, put it to Isaiah’s lips and purified him! Could it be that this is a picture of the burning purification of the Lord? I like Peterson’s translation of this passage:
In the year that King Uzziah died, I saw the Master sitting on a throne—high, exalted!—and the train of his robes filled the Temple. Angel-seraphs hovered above him, each with six wings. With two wings they covered their faces, with two their feet, and with two they flew. And they called back and forth one to the other,
Holy, Holy, Holy is God-of-the-Angel-Armies. His bright glory fills the whole earth.
The foundations trembled at the sound of the angel voices, and then the whole house filled with smoke. I said,
"Doom! It's Doomsday! I'm as good as dead!Every word I've ever spoken is tainted— blasphemous even!And the people I live with talk the same way, using words that corrupt and desecrate.And here I've looked God in the face! The King! God-of-the-Angel-Armies!"
Then one of the angel-seraphs flew to me. He held a live coal that he had taken with tongs from the altar. He touched my mouth with the coal and said,
Look. This coal has touched your lips. Gone your guilt, your sins wiped out."
Thus considering that 1) brimstone implies purification and healing (not endless torture), 2) the “lake burning with fire and brimstone” is in the presence of God, and 3) God Himself is a Consuming Fire, the “lake burning with fire and brimstone could be, should be interpreted as “the Volcanic Lake of God’s Consuming-Purifying-Healing Presence”!
Could it be that the traditional Evangelical doctrine of the afterlife for the wicked being endless fiery torture, unending punishment, Hell, be wrong? Could it be that the fiery punishment of the afterlife spoken of in the Bible is for our healing and purification, even for those with the mark of the beast? Frankly, the more I study what is actually written in scripture, the more I believe the answer to be yes! “Look. This coal has touched your lips. Gone your guilt, your sins wiped out!”
According to the doctrine that I have been raised to believe, the traditional Protestant/Evangelical doctrine, Hell is a place of “endless torture” for those who are not saved. However, I’ve run across information that seems to indicate that the traditional doctrine of Hell is incorrect, that the afterlife does not include a place of “endless torture”.
As mentioned in the previous post, Jesus used the word GEHENNA in speaking of punishment in the afterlife. But the Rabbis of Jesus’ day taught that GEHENNA was a place of purification of and payment for sin that only lasted as long as was needed for the healing and the reformation of the human soul. After a person was purified in GEHENNA, he was admitted to Paradise; but the English word Hell carries the connotation of “endless torture”, so it is not a good interpretation of GEHENNA. Rather, the best interpretation of the word GEHENNA, I believe, is Purgatory.
But of course, GEHENNA is only one word used in scripture which references punishment in the afterlife. In my research of Hell, Judgment, and related words and scriptures, another very interesting bit of information came to my attention. It is the word “Brimstone”, THEION in Greek. Notice how similar THEION is to THEIOS (divine). THEION, brimstone, actually means “divine incense, because burning brimstone was regarded as having power to purify and to ward off disease” (Enhanced Strong’s Lexicon).
Thayer’s Lexicon, Friberg’s Analytical Lexicon, and Liddell and Scott Greek-English Lexicon all agree that THEION is related to purification and healing. And Liddell and Scott notes that the verb THEIOO actually means “to hallow, to make divine, or to dedicate to a god.” Thus, based upon the actual Greek usage of THEION, brimstone carries the connotation of purification and healing, and even signifies being made holy, set apart, dedicated to God; it does NOT connote “endless torture”.
Brimstone - fire from heaven, lightening, volcanic bombs, and other geologic forms of fire give off the smell of burning sulfur. Sodom and Gomorrah were destroyed by fire and brimstone, fire from heaven. Geologist Frederick Clapp theorized that Sodom’s divine judgmental fire was likely a petroleum-based substance called bitumen, similar to asphalt, that was forced out of the earth through a fault-line, ignited by a spark or surface fire, and then fell to earth as a burning fiery mass bringing the judgment of God.
Furthermore, as noted by Strong’s Lexicon, brimstone, sulfur was burnt as incense meant to ward off disease. Even today many medicines are sulfur-based. Thus brimstone is dynamically connected to healing.
Something else that I’ve never noticed before about the “lake burning with fire and brimstone” is that it is actually in the “presence” of God, not separated from the presence of God. Rev. 14:10 says that those who receive the mark of the beast shall “drink of the wine of the wrath of God” and “shall be tormented with fire and brimstone in the presence of the holy angels and in the presence of the Lamb.”
When I ran across this information about brimstone the first thing that came to mind was when Isaiah stood before the Lord and was overwhelmed by the sin that God’s presence revealed in him (Isaiah 6). In the presence of the Lord and His angels, Isaiah cried, “Woe is me, for I am undone! Because I am a man of unclean lips, and I dwell in the midst of a people of unclean lips!” In response to this confession an angel took a live coal (brimstone?) from the altar, put it to Isaiah’s lips and purified him! Could it be that this is a picture of the burning purification of the Lord? I like Peterson’s translation of this passage:
In the year that King Uzziah died, I saw the Master sitting on a throne—high, exalted!—and the train of his robes filled the Temple. Angel-seraphs hovered above him, each with six wings. With two wings they covered their faces, with two their feet, and with two they flew. And they called back and forth one to the other,
Holy, Holy, Holy is God-of-the-Angel-Armies. His bright glory fills the whole earth.
The foundations trembled at the sound of the angel voices, and then the whole house filled with smoke. I said,
"Doom! It's Doomsday! I'm as good as dead!Every word I've ever spoken is tainted— blasphemous even!And the people I live with talk the same way, using words that corrupt and desecrate.And here I've looked God in the face! The King! God-of-the-Angel-Armies!"
Then one of the angel-seraphs flew to me. He held a live coal that he had taken with tongs from the altar. He touched my mouth with the coal and said,
Look. This coal has touched your lips. Gone your guilt, your sins wiped out."
Thus considering that 1) brimstone implies purification and healing (not endless torture), 2) the “lake burning with fire and brimstone” is in the presence of God, and 3) God Himself is a Consuming Fire, the “lake burning with fire and brimstone could be, should be interpreted as “the Volcanic Lake of God’s Consuming-Purifying-Healing Presence”!
Could it be that the traditional Evangelical doctrine of the afterlife for the wicked being endless fiery torture, unending punishment, Hell, be wrong? Could it be that the fiery punishment of the afterlife spoken of in the Bible is for our healing and purification, even for those with the mark of the beast? Frankly, the more I study what is actually written in scripture, the more I believe the answer to be yes! “Look. This coal has touched your lips. Gone your guilt, your sins wiped out!”
Tuesday, April 21, 2009
Hell - "Gehenna"
I've recently been doing an indepth study on Hell and am coming to believe differently than what I've been taught since childhood. One of the most interesting things I've come across is the cultural context of what Jesus said concerning Gehenna.
When Jesus spoke of sin and sinners burning in continuous fire, He spoke of Gehenna. Jesus uses the word Gehenna 10 times in the Gospels, and the Gospels only record Jesus using the word Hades 4 times. And only once is the word Hades used in regards to a person - the rich man in Luke 16. And considering Luke was a Gentile, it's understandable that He would use a Greek term to reference a fiery afterlife twice and only use Gehenna once.
Anyhow, Jesus used almost exclusively the word Gehenna to reference God's punishment upon sin and sinner; so understanding that word in its cultural context is very important. What was Gehenna and how did the first century Jew understand the concept of Gehenna? When Jesus used the word Gehenna, what did it communicate to His first century audience?
Lexicons and commentaries all note that Gehenna was Jerusalem's trash dump where the city waste was consumed by fire and maggots; trash was burnt and waste flesh, even the bodies of condemned criminals, was reduced to dust by maggots. It was a place continuously (eternally) burning with fire and continuously populated by maggots (worm dieth not). The continuous fire was actually fueled by brimstone - sulfur. The valley of Gehenna was selected by default to be a trash dump because it was where Molech had been worshipped and children burnt in sacrifice to that idol; so when the Jews repented from such, they used the site as a trash dump. This is information readily noted in most commentaries and lexicons.
What is rarely noted is that Gehenna was used by the Rabbis of Jesus' day to reference the afterlife of sinners. Shammai and Hillel both used Gehenna to speak metaphorically of a place of purification of the soul for those who were not righteous enough to directly enter Paradise - the Garden of Eden. Shammai believed that only the extremenly righteous went to Paradise when they died; everyone else went to Gehenna. Most would rise to Ga Eden (Paradise) after being purified, having their sins burnt up - similar to the Catholic concept of Purgatory. Hillel taught that only the wicked went to Gehenna. Both Shammai and Hillel taught that the longest most people would stay in Gehenna was 11 months, and only the most wicked evil person would stay longer, possibly as much as 12 months. They debated as to what would happen to the especially wicked people, whether they too would be purified, annihilated, or endure the punishment of Gehenna indefinitely. They agreed though that most people, after being purified and healed by fire though, rose from the pit and were admitted to Paradise, the Garden of Eden! This was especially true for loved ones!
Thus, when Jesus spoke of Gehenna, unless He otherwise specified, the word Gehenna would have carried this meaning of a place of purification and healing of the soul! Note Jesus' use of Gehenna in the following passage.
Mark 9:42-49 "And if anyone causes one of these little ones who believe in me to sin, it would be better for him to be thrown into the sea with a large millstone tied around his neck. If your hand causes you to sin, cut it off. It is better for you to enter life maimed than with two hands to go into hell (Gehenna), where the fire never goes out. And if your foot causes you to sin, cut it off. It is better for you to enter life crippled than to have two feet and be thrown into hell (Gehenna). And if your eye causes you to sin, pluck it out. It is better for you to enter the kingdom of God with one eye than to have two eyes and be thrown into hell (Gehenna), where " 'their worm does not die, and the fire is not quenched.' Everyone will be salted with fire."
The NLT actually translates vs. 49 as "Everyone will be purified by fire." And according to the immediate literary context, there is no reason to not equate "fire" in vs. 49 with the "fire" of Gehenna in the previous verses. So Jesus warned everyone to be careful how we live, especially in regards to how we treat others. If we treat others badly, especially if we cause someone to loose faith, we're accountable for our actions and will suffer the chastisement of the Lord undergoing His fiery purification - terrible and yet redemptive (with a purpose)! And though the Rabbis taught that some are righteous enough to not undergo the fire of Gehenna, Jesus said that "Everyone will be purified by fire!"
When Jesus spoke of sin and sinners burning in continuous fire, He spoke of Gehenna. Jesus uses the word Gehenna 10 times in the Gospels, and the Gospels only record Jesus using the word Hades 4 times. And only once is the word Hades used in regards to a person - the rich man in Luke 16. And considering Luke was a Gentile, it's understandable that He would use a Greek term to reference a fiery afterlife twice and only use Gehenna once.
Anyhow, Jesus used almost exclusively the word Gehenna to reference God's punishment upon sin and sinner; so understanding that word in its cultural context is very important. What was Gehenna and how did the first century Jew understand the concept of Gehenna? When Jesus used the word Gehenna, what did it communicate to His first century audience?
Lexicons and commentaries all note that Gehenna was Jerusalem's trash dump where the city waste was consumed by fire and maggots; trash was burnt and waste flesh, even the bodies of condemned criminals, was reduced to dust by maggots. It was a place continuously (eternally) burning with fire and continuously populated by maggots (worm dieth not). The continuous fire was actually fueled by brimstone - sulfur. The valley of Gehenna was selected by default to be a trash dump because it was where Molech had been worshipped and children burnt in sacrifice to that idol; so when the Jews repented from such, they used the site as a trash dump. This is information readily noted in most commentaries and lexicons.
What is rarely noted is that Gehenna was used by the Rabbis of Jesus' day to reference the afterlife of sinners. Shammai and Hillel both used Gehenna to speak metaphorically of a place of purification of the soul for those who were not righteous enough to directly enter Paradise - the Garden of Eden. Shammai believed that only the extremenly righteous went to Paradise when they died; everyone else went to Gehenna. Most would rise to Ga Eden (Paradise) after being purified, having their sins burnt up - similar to the Catholic concept of Purgatory. Hillel taught that only the wicked went to Gehenna. Both Shammai and Hillel taught that the longest most people would stay in Gehenna was 11 months, and only the most wicked evil person would stay longer, possibly as much as 12 months. They debated as to what would happen to the especially wicked people, whether they too would be purified, annihilated, or endure the punishment of Gehenna indefinitely. They agreed though that most people, after being purified and healed by fire though, rose from the pit and were admitted to Paradise, the Garden of Eden! This was especially true for loved ones!
Thus, when Jesus spoke of Gehenna, unless He otherwise specified, the word Gehenna would have carried this meaning of a place of purification and healing of the soul! Note Jesus' use of Gehenna in the following passage.
Mark 9:42-49 "And if anyone causes one of these little ones who believe in me to sin, it would be better for him to be thrown into the sea with a large millstone tied around his neck. If your hand causes you to sin, cut it off. It is better for you to enter life maimed than with two hands to go into hell (Gehenna), where the fire never goes out. And if your foot causes you to sin, cut it off. It is better for you to enter life crippled than to have two feet and be thrown into hell (Gehenna). And if your eye causes you to sin, pluck it out. It is better for you to enter the kingdom of God with one eye than to have two eyes and be thrown into hell (Gehenna), where " 'their worm does not die, and the fire is not quenched.' Everyone will be salted with fire."
The NLT actually translates vs. 49 as "Everyone will be purified by fire." And according to the immediate literary context, there is no reason to not equate "fire" in vs. 49 with the "fire" of Gehenna in the previous verses. So Jesus warned everyone to be careful how we live, especially in regards to how we treat others. If we treat others badly, especially if we cause someone to loose faith, we're accountable for our actions and will suffer the chastisement of the Lord undergoing His fiery purification - terrible and yet redemptive (with a purpose)! And though the Rabbis taught that some are righteous enough to not undergo the fire of Gehenna, Jesus said that "Everyone will be purified by fire!"
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