Judgment Day - Mat.25.31-46

Mat.25:31-46 is the well known passage of judgment where all of humanity, all peoples are gathered before God and He separates the sheep from the goats. And vs. 46 states, “And these will go away into everlasting punishment, but the righteous into eternal life” which is often used, or more correctly, “misused” as a proof-text affirming the concept of Hell.

 

Advocates of the traditional concept of Hell (traditionalists) interpret this passage to be God separating those who are part of His flock from those who are not, separating His children from those who are not His children, separating believers from unbelievers. Traditionalists point to this passage with tremendous passion and unrelenting resolve as “proof” that Hell awaits those who are not saved. However there are several significant problems with this traditional interpretation of this passage.

 

The first fact that the traditional doctrine disregards is that in this passage, judgment is based on how aware one is of the needs of others and how motivated he is to meet those needs. Traditionalists misinterpret this passage to say that judgment is based on whether one is saved or not. However, the judgment actually spoken of in this passage is about how we live our lives, whether or not we feed the hungry, clothe the naked, give water to the thirsty or even visit those in jail. This judgment is based on works, life-style, not on just whether one has faith in Christ or not. In fact, faith or one’s spiritual beliefs or devotion are not even mentioned.

 

And let me ask, who among us has not failed in this regard? Based on the stated criteria in this passage, who among us would not find himself on the “goat side”! Who among us can claim that we have devoted our lives to the service of those less fortunate than we? In reality, there are but a few, very few, Mother Teresa’s or Albert Schweitzer’s, even among us Christians. I for one often fail in this regard, often consuming upon myself what I could use to bless others. I have walked by the homeless, sometimes without a thought to their care; and I have never been to visit anyone in prison, even a couple of friends that spent some time there. And if we are honest with ourselves, it is likely that we all fail in this regard regularly. Does this mean that all are going to Hell except those who give their lives completely in the service of the poor? This would make salvation completely based on works and not on grace – “IF” one accepts the traditional interpretation.

 

In order to understand Mathew 25:46 we should also take into consideration that it is in the context of other statements of judgment. In the parable of the faithful and unfaithful servant, the unfaithful servant was consigned to a place with the hypocrites, a place of weeping and gnashing of teeth (Mat. 24:45-51) In the parable of the ten virgins (Mat. 25:1-13), the five foolish virgins were refused entrance to the wedding feast. And in the parable of the talents (Mat. 25:14-30), the unfaithful servant was consigned to “outer darkness”, a place of “weeping and gnashing of teeth”.

 

The parable of the absentee master is a special warning for those in leadership, those who have responsibility over others. The unfaithful servant who used his position of authority as a means of gratifying his selfish desires was condemned to a place with the hypocrites, a place of weeping and gnashing of teeth, which was a common phrase used to allude to Gehenna, warned of specifically and repeatedly elsewhere in Matthew.

 

The parable of the ten virgins speaks of the necessity of always being prepared, of doing what is necessary now for will likely come one’s way later. Five of the virgins were not prepared and thus were not admitted to the wedding feast. May I ask you who of us is always ready? Who of us never has a bad day? Who of us never runs low on oil? Not me; in fact, I don’t know of anyone who is constantly ready, constantly filled with the Holy Spirit! Is this passage saying that any of us who have a bad day, a day when we are not walking in the grace and power of the Lord, that we might miss out on heaven if the Lord comes when we are having a bad day? If one “assumes” that this passage is speaking of getting into heaven, then such would be a natural conclusion. But is this the message of the parable of the five wise and five foolish virgins?

 

And what about the parable of the talents! It speaks of faithfully using whatever we have been given. Who among us has been absolutely faithful to use all of the talents, all of the money, all of the spiritual gifts, all of one’s time faithfully in the service of God our master? Not me; in fact, the Lord has already shown me just how much of my life I have wasted due to selfishness (laziness) and fear, especially the fear of rejection and fear of failure. Reality is none of us are faithful servants; all of us have wasted much of what we have been given by God! And those who have not been faithful will be cast into “outer darkness” where there will be “weeping and gnashing of teeth” (Mat. 25:30)! Does this parable mean that salvation is based on our faithfulness and those of us who have been unfaithful (all of us) will go to Hell?

 

When we look at these warnings in context, who of us shall escape outer darkness? Who of us will not weep and gnash our teeth? Who of us shall not face eternal judgment and be on the negative side of things? None of us! Of course, traditionalists argue that these passages do not apply to us because Jesus died for us and we have been forgiven of all of our sins. And yet, these passages do not make judgment based on one’s faith or even upon the atonement of Christ. Rather, in these passages judgment is based solely upon how we actually live, our faithfulness and our good works. At least, that is what these passages actually say! And it is hypocritical to interpret these passages to apply to others, but not to ourselves. Does this mean then that salvation is dependant upon how we live our lives? Of course not! That is not the message of these passages.

 

So how are they to be correctly interpreted and applied to our lives? As they stand, at face value, they only promise “outer darkness”, “weeping and gnashing of teeth”, and “eternal punishment” for us all, for all have sinned; none of us are completely faithful; we have all miss countless opportunities to do good for those who are less fortunate!

 

1) To interpret these passages correctly there are several things we should note. First note that these warnings were spoken to the disciples, followers of Christ, those who already considered themselves to be children of God. These passages are not warnings to unbelievers, but to believers! Their purpose is not to call unbelievers to faith in God, but they were meant to call those with faith in God to repentance, to be careful to live wisely and compassionately.

 

2) We also should recognize that they warn of the universality of judgment! We shall ALL face judgment, all nations, all peoples, not just unbelievers! We shall hall face judgment and give an account for our lives – whether we have faith in Christ or not, whether we have been born of the Spirit or not! In fact, if any thing, these passages are targeted at believers. They are a warning to us disciples of Christ. “To whom much is given, much is expected.”

 

3) It is important to recognize that the judgment spoken of is based on how we treat others, recognizing and meeting the needs of people around us. The judgment in this passage is not about whether we believe in Christ or not.

 

4) Also, it is very helpful to note that the word interpreted “goats” is actually “eriphos” which means “kid” or “young goat”, and the word interpreted “sheep” is “probaton” which means small four legged grazing animal, as in sheep or goats. The words draw a distinction in maturity; eriphos are immature, and probaton are mature goats. They are not calling a distinction between the type of animals. Even if one does interpret these as “sheep and goats”, both sheep and goats were clean animals, not unclean. Sheep provided the shepherd with wool and meat; but goats provided the shepherd with milk, meat, and skins. And a billy-goat could be especially helpful in protecting the flock from a wolf. A billy-goat is one tough animal! Both goats and sheep were valuable to the shepherd, valuable members of the flock.

 

I believe though that the best interpretation of probaton and eriphos is not “sheep and goats” though both were clean animals; rather, the best interpretation would be “goats and kids” highlighting the difference in maturity. A shepherd would separate out the kids (baby goats) for specific training so that they could learn to follow the shepherd’s guidance and directives and participate in the flock! Lambs, being much more docile, do not need this training; but baby goats do.

 

5) It is also important to note that the phrase “weeping and gnashing of teeth” (25:30) was a reference to the Jewish concept of Gehenna. Gehenna, a transliteration of Ga ben Hinnom, the valley of the sons of Hinnom, a valley just outside Israel’s dung gate that was used as a trash dump with a continuous fire and seemingly endless supply of maggots (worm dies not). The city refuse and the corpses of the poor and criminals were consumed there either by fire or by decay (maggots).

 

The most significant thing to note about Gehenna is that it was used by 1st century Jewish Rabbis as a theological metaphor of Remedial Judgment and Punishment in the afterlife. Rabbis during the time of Christ taught that those who were not righteous enough to go straight to Ga Eden (Paradise) were consigned to Gehenna as a means of purification and after some time (up to 11 months) most people ascended to Ga Eden, though it was argued that the most wicked of people might either be annihilated there or continue indefinitely there. Thus Gehenna for the average person, for most all consigned there was understood at an assumption level to be a place of remedial punishment, a season of encountering the fire of truth that would burn the dross from one’s soul. A person’s suffering in Gehenna, though terrible, was understood to be neither endless nor meaningless, but fully accomplished the purification and healing of those consigned there.

 

5) Another very important piece of information that helps us in understanding the promise and warning of Mt.25.46 is the meaning of the word “kolasis”. Kolasis, in Classical Greek specifically meant Remedial Punishment, punishment with a purpose of bringing about a positive change in the one being punished. Another word, timoria, spoke of Vindictive Punishment, punishment meant as an outlet for vengeance. In Mt.25.46 Jesus warns of kolasis not timoria, remedial punishment not vengeful punishment, punishment as in chastisement!

 

6) And of course, an informed interpretation of Mt.25.46 would not be complete without at least a brief review of the meaning of aionios which is often translated as “eternal”, an adjective that describes both kolasis (remedial punishment) and zoe (life). In brief, aionios in scripture is used to speak of that which is spiritual as opposed to that which is physical, that which transcends time (eternal) as opposed to that which is bound by time (temporal). It was used to reference the power and authority of Caesar, the Roman Empire. It was used in the LXX to translate the Hebraic concept of Olam Haba, the realm beyond, that which is beyond the horizon, out of sight and beyond understanding, the age of the Messiah! It is the adjectival form of aion which means age, season, or eon. In short, it simply refers to that which is beyond, of the eternal realm of God that transcends time. It is a word that references source and quality. Eternal Life is life that is from God and of the realm of God, life that transcends time, is both now and not yet. Eternal Remedial Punishment is punishment that is from God, of the realm of God, punishment that transcends time, is both now and not yet. Aionios is not meant to convey something as being endless or not endless; rather, it is meant to convey a quality of life or punishment that transcends time, that effects its purpose in this life as well as in the life to come.

 

Let us review what I have pointed out concerning the literary context and actual wording of Mt.25.46.

 

1. The intended audience was the disciples, not unbelievers.
2. The judgment mentioned was universal, all people, not just unbelievers.
3. The basis of the judgment is works, how we actually live, not whether or not we believe or have been “saved” or “born again.
4. The metaphor of the “sheep and goats” actually draws a distinction in “maturity”, not value. It would be better translated “goats and kids”.
5. In the immediate literary context, Jesus uses phrases that refer to Gehenna, which also spoke of remedial punishment, chastisement from a loving God.
6. Kolasis means Remedial Punishment, punishment meant to bring about positive change in the one being punished.
7. Aionian is a word used to reference that which is from God, that which belongs to time-transcending the realm of God.

When I take into consideration these points about the context and actual wording of Mat.25:31-46, it is evident to me that the traditional interpretation is severely lacking at best, and completely misleading at the worst. This passage is a warning of judgment for all humanity, not just unbelievers. It is a judgment based on how we actually live, not on just whether or not we have faith in Christ. It is judgment based on how mature we are, how much we give our lives in the selfless service of others. And of course, the punishment warned is remedial in nature, not vindictive; it is punishment meant to bring about a positive change in the ones being punished! It is perfect remedial punishment from God that will bring about God’s intended purposes in all who are subjected to it. Like a shepherd chastises the baby-goats in his flock, the Lord will chastise us bringing us to healthy maturity.

 

The traditional interpretation that this passage is speaking of the separation of believers and unbelievers with believers going to Heaven and unbelievers going to Hell completely disregards the context and actual wording of the passage! Mat.25:31-46 is not warning of a separation of believer and unbeliever, but of those who live in service to others verses those who do not. It is not a warning of unending torture for anyone; rather, it is a warning of God’s shepherdly perfect punishment that leads a person to a change of heart and life.

 

By mistranslating this passage, the traditional interpretation completely nullifies the power of this passage to call believers to righteous living. By misinterpreting this passage to speak of the separation of believers and unbelievers and speaking of Heaven and Hell, believers say to themselves “this passage does not apply to me because I’m a believer and thus I need not fear ‘eternal punishment.’ Whereas the correct interpretation of this passage calls us as believers to be not only aware of the needs of others, but to be careful to do good to others.

 

Mistranslating this passage to speak of Hell also confuses the issue of salvation! In this passage the reward of life blessed by God is based on how we live our lives, and it says nothing of grace or faith. Many believers point to this passage as “proof” that one getting into heaven is based to a greater or lesser degree on how we live, whether or not we do good. For them, salvation is not based solely upon grace, but is based to a greater or lesser degree upon how we live, whether or not we believe and do right. This results in legalism to a greater or lesser degree. And yet scripture affirms that salvation is by grace, not by our works, that we are saved by the atonement, not by how good we are. Of course, through faith we receive the benefits of this grace; but faith does not generate the grace. Grace precedes and is the foundation of faith. Grace is not predicated upon faith; but faith is predicted upon faith.

 

Mistranslating this passage to warn of Hell for the non-believer also hinders the work of evangelism. If a believer points out this passage to an unbeliever as a warning of them going to Hell, the unbeliever simply need point out that the believer is no better than he is. In fact, many unbelievers give their lives in support of social causes, serving humanity. Does this mean that they have more hope of life with God than the believer who is caught up in materialism? Of course not, but the unbeliever can point to the hypocrisy of the traditional interpretation and thus fail to grasp the Good News that salvation is based on grace, not on works.

 

Whether one believes in Hell or not, whether one believes that Jesus ultimately saves everyone and reconciles all creation to Himself or fails to save most of humanity, this passage warns of Remedial Punishment (kolasis), chastisement for believer and unbeliever alike (pas ethnos, all peoples). It does not warn of vindictive “torture” for anyone. It does not warn of or affirm the concept of “Hell”! Instead, it powerfully affirms that God, the good shepherd, will work in our lives to bring us to a place of emotional and relational maturity, whether in this life or the life to come!

 

In fact, not one of the four parables of Matthew 24:45 – 25:46 speaks of endless torture or of a separation between believer and unbeliever. All four parables present eternal principles that apply to everyone whether one believes in Jesus or not.

 

The parable of the two servants (24:45-51) warns of the importance of not misusing one’s position and authority in leadership. If one misuses their authority and power over others, one will be labeled a hypocrite and there will be much weeping (regret and repentance) and gnashing of teeth (terrible frustration and remorse)!

 

The parable of the five wise and five foolish virgins warns of the importance of being prepared. If one fails to prepare, whether in education, financial planning, exercise, eating right, or what ever, if one fails to prepare as one should, he will miss out on the party! He will miss out on some of the good that God intends for him!

 

The parable of the talents speaks of the importance of discipline, diligence, faith, and even of having a right belief concerning God. If one is lazy, selfish, and fearful, twisted in one’s beliefs concerning God, then one will not only miss out on the party, one will have what is good taken away from them; and they too shall come to a place of weeping (regret and repentance) and gnashing of teeth (shame and remorse), and even experience the relational privation of outer darkness!

 

Do not be fooled! God will not be mocked! What a man sows, so shall he reap, if not in this life, the life to come!

Is the Atonement Limited?

One of the foundational elements of Calvinism is the belief that the Atonement is Limited in “scope”, that Jesus’ sacrifice only atones for the sins of those He has chosen to save. However, they do not limit the Atonement in “effect” believing that the Atonement fully accomplishes the salvation of those who Jesus died for. It is because of the Atonement that the saved come to faith. Salvation is thus completely by grace through the Atonement for those whom God chooses to save, and those whom God chooses to save will eventually come to faith, but God does not choose to save everyone. Thus the Atonement is Limited in Scope.


For the Calvinist the Atonement is like a life-guard rescuing a few drowning people out of a sea full of drowning people. Though the person being rescued is unconscious or out of his mind with fear, the life-guard overpowers the person and pulls him to safety. Of course though, most are not saved.

What many people fail to recognize is that Arminianism also believes in Limited Atonement. Instead of limiting the Atonement in “Scope” though, Arminianism limits the Atonement in “Effect” believing that the Atonement does NOT fully accomplish the salvation of those who Jesus died for. The Atonement only makes salvation available for those who qualify for salvation through obedient faith in Christ. Salvation is not completely by grace because of the Atonement but requires a response of obedient faith on our part. Thus for the Arminianist the Atonement is Limited in Effect. The Atonement doesn’t actually save anyone; rather, it only makes salvation available.

For the Arminianist the Atonement is like a life-guard throwing a floatation ring to many drowning people. Sadly though, the unconscious or those out of their minds with fear of death do not grab the life-line and thus end up drowning. Of course, some don’t realize they are drowning until it is too late. And even sadder still are the ones who never have an opportunity to grab the life-ring because no one ever throws them one.

Calvinism and Arminianism both Limit the Atonement! Calvinism limits the Atonement in Scope and Arminianism limits the Atonement in Effect. But does scripture limit the Atonement in either scope or effect? I do not believe it does. Let’s look at a few scriptures that speak of the Universality of the Atonement, starting with what Jesus said concerning His own death.

John 12:30-32
30 Jesus said, "This voice was for your benefit, not mine. 31 Now is the time for judgment on this world; now the prince of this world will be driven out. 32 And I, when I am lifted up from the earth, will draw all men to myself."

Note the universality of this statement. Apparently Jesus believed that through His death He would actually “draw all” unto Himself.” And Paul picks up this theme repeatedly stating such in his writings, as in the following.

Colossians 1:15-20
15 He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation. 16 For by him all things were created: things in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or powers or rulers or authorities; all things were created by him and for him. 17 He is before all things, and in him all things hold together. 18 And he is the head of the body, the church; he is the beginning and the firstborn from among the dead, so that in everything he might have the supremacy. 19 For God was pleased to have all his fullness dwell in him, 20 and through him to reconcile to himself all things, whether things on earth or things in heaven, by making peace through his blood, shed on the cross.

Notice the repetition of the phrase “all things”. “All things” were created by Christ and for Christ; and “all things” are reconciled to Him through his blood shed on the cross. Apokatallasso, means to “to reconcile completely, to reconcile back again, bring back a former state of harmony ”, “to remove all enmity and leave no impediment to unity and peace ”. Eirenopoieo, means “to make peace, establish harmony.”

Also note the mention of creation. What is it that we are brought back to? What former state of harmony are we brought back to? The Garden of Eden, Paradise, what humanity was created for in the beginning is what we are brought back to. In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth and through the Atonement Jesus brings back everything in heaven and on earth to Himself, brings us all back to our intended former state of harmony with God in Eden!

Ephesians 1:7-10
7 In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, in accordance with the riches of God's grace 8 that he lavished on us with all wisdom and understanding. 9 And he made known to us the mystery of his will according to his good pleasure, which he purposed in Christ, 10 to be put into effect when the times will have reached their fulfillment—to bring all things in heaven and on earth together under one head, even Christ.

Note the universality of the Atonement in this passage which notes God’s stated intended purpose of bringing all things in heaven and on earth under the headship of Christ! Apolutrosis, “AV translates as “redemption” nine times, and “deliverance” once, 1 a releasing effected by payment of ransom, 1A redemption, deliverance, 1B liberation procured by the payment of a ransom.” It is because we are forgiven in heaven, redeemed by the blood of Christ in the eternal, that we can now embrace such on earth in the temporal through faith! It is because of the grace of God that we, all of humanity, stand forgiven; and God lavishes such on us by giving us understanding into this wonderful mystery that He purposed in Christ!

1 Timothy 2:1-6
1 I urge, then, first of all, that requests, prayers, intercession and thanksgiving be made for everyone— 2 for kings and all those in authority, that we may live peaceful and quiet lives in all godliness and holiness. 3 This is good, and pleases God our Savior, 4 who wants all men to be saved and to come to a knowledge of the truth. 5 For there is one God and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus, 6who gave himself as a ransom for all men—the testimony given in its proper time.

Note the universality of the Atonement in this passage. God not only wants all to be saved, He has “ransomed” all through the sacrifice of Christ. Ransom, antilutron, “what is given in exchange for another as the price of his redemption, ” a redemption-price, the means of liberation. Jesus exchanged himself for us, for all of humanity. Recognizing that Jesus gave himself as a ransom for all of humanity is the foundation from which we pray for everyone to experience this freedom now, in the present.

Also notice verse 4, what is translated as “wants” might be better translated as “will have”; thelo “to will, have in mind, intend, to be resolved or determined, to purpose. ” God purposes to have all humanity to be saved and come to knowledge of the truth, so He gave Jesus as a ransom for all humanity as the means of liberation for all humanity.

Romans 5:18
“Just as the result of one trespass was condemnation for all men, so also the result of one act of righteousness was justification that brings life for all men.”

In this passage, Paul compares the effect of the sin of Adam with the effect of the sacrifice of Christ. Adam’s sin effected condemnation and death for all of humanity; even Jesus suffered condemnation and death though He had no sin of His own. In like manner, the sacrifice of Christ effects justification and life for all humanity! In fact, the Atonement is greater than the sin of Adam because not only does the sacrifice of Christ atone for Adam’s sin, but it atones for all the sins of all humanity including Adam’s. The Atonement is far greater than the sin of Adam!

2 Corinthians 5:18-21
18 All this is from God, who reconciled us to himself through Christ and gave us the ministry of reconciliation: 19 that God was reconciling the world to himself in Christ, not counting men's sins against them. And he has committed to us the message of reconciliation. 20 We are therefore Christ's ambassadors, as though God were making his appeal through us. We implore you on Christ's behalf: Be reconciled to God. 21 God made him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.

God does not count, recon, hold our sins against us! In fact, God in Jesus was “reconciling” the world, the kosmos, the universe, to Himself. It is on this basis that we participate in the ministry of Christ, that we as believers participate in this ministry of reconciliation, that we implore others to go ahead and be reconciled to God now! It is because we all are reconciled to God in heaven, in the eternal, that we seek the reconciliation of all on earth, in the temporal. And we pray, “Your kingdom come on earth as it IS in heaven!”

Scripture repeatedly affirms that the Atonement is NOT limited in either scope or effect; the Atonement is universal in scope and effect, redeeming and reconciling all to God, ultimately restoring all back into harmony with God as it was in Eden! This is truly Good News! Hallelujah!

For the Universalist the Atonement is like a life-guard rescuing everyone who is drowning. Some people respond to life-rings and other floatation devices thrown to them, choosing salvation. On the other hand, though a person is unconscious, out of his mind with fear, the life-guard overpowers him and pulls him to safety – ultimately saving all who were drowning. Not one mother’s son or father’s daughter shall be lost – because God loves all of humanity and gave His only son as a ransom, redeeming us all from the bondage of sin and Satan!  Jesus is the Good Shepherd that searches until every sheep is found!

“Hell” Is Disappearing From the Bible!

You may have noticed that the word “Hell” is  increasingly disappearing from contemporary English translations. The first Catholic English translation Douay Rheims (1610) had the word “Hell” in it 110 times. The 1611 King James Version only has it 54 times; NKJV (1982) – 32 times; CEV (1995) – 20 times; NLT & NCV – 17 times; NIV, ESV, Darby, & Catholic NJB – 14 times; NASB, AMP, ASV & TNIV – 13 times; HCSB – 12 times. And the Catholic NAB, Young’s Literal Translation, Rotherham’s translation, Fenton’s translation, and the WEB do not have the word “Hell” in them at all – 0 times!

You may have also noticed that though in years gone by “Hell” was a primary element of many sermons with some sermons being wholly devoted to its horrors; however, in contemporary churches “Hell” is rarely, if ever, mentioned, especially in mega-churches.

Some believe that contemporary churches have gone soft, preaching only to please people, afraid to preach the full counsel of God, afraid they’ll offend and loose their people. On the other hand, some believe that the message of Hell promotes little, if any, lasting positive change and thus elect to not teach from that perspective. Rather, they minister from a grace-based perspective, believing that it is the goodness of God that leads people to lasting positive change (repentance). And a few go so far as to believe and teach that Hell (i.e. conscious endless torment) is actually not a scriptural concept, but one that was mistranslated into the English text.

Is there some type of conspiracy to remove Hell from Scripture? Are mega-churches only offering Christianity-lite? Is there another explanation for this trend? What is the truth; what does Scripture actually teach concerning Hell?

The word "Hell" is an English word derived from the Old English Norse word "Hel" which was a concept of Old English pagan mythology and connotes a place of "conscious endless torture;" though the one they pictured was freezing. "Hell" is used to translate four words from the original Hebrew and Greek text of Scripture - Sheol, Hades, Tartaroo, and Gehenna. Let us review the actual meaning of these four  words. As you know, "Hell" implies "Conscious Endless Torment", but:

Sheol - Hebrew, means the realm of the dead, often translated grave. It does Not imply "Torment".

Hades - Greek, means the realm of the dead, used to translate Sheol in the LXX. It too does Not imply "Torment". In Greek mythology, Hades had several sections – Elysium, Asphodel, and Tartarus. The Elysium fields were the final resting place of the souls of the heroic and the virtuous where they would enjoy immortal bliss. The Asphodel Meadows is where ordinary people went after death, a place of utter neutrality, a ghostly place where people are given over to an endless monotony. Tartarus is the torturous realm of Hades and is reserved for the especially wicked.

Tartaroo - Greek, the torturous realm of Hades, is used only once in scripture in 2 Peter 2:4 to reference the place where sinning angels are held "until judgment".  The only scripture where Tartaroo is used does Not imply "Endless", nor are humans consigned there.

Gehenna – Greek, transliteration of the Hebrew "Ga Hinnom," literally means "Valley of Hinnom" – a valley just outside of Jerusalem that was used as a trash dump where there was a continuous (eternal) fire consuming the trash and never a shortage of maggots (worm dies not) consuming decaying flesh. "Gehenna" would best be translated as "the city (Jerusalem’s) trash dump".

Note that this metaphor does not specifically indicate that people will be tormented forever; if anything, without other information, it would indicate annihilation. Though the fire is continuous, the trash cast into the flame burns up. Gehenna was actually used as a metaphor by 1st century Rabbis, both the schools of Shammai and Hillel, to speak of punishment and purification in the afterlife.

Most 1st century Jews believed that when people died (except for the especially wicked) they went through a season of purification where they encountered the Truth about themselves and it, well, burnt the evil from them. Some of the Rabbis spoke of people being tormented by the demons of their own creation until they fully understood just how evil their attitudes and lifestyles were, and cried out for salvation. They believed that this season/event of purification was remedial and terrible, but not endless for most people. For most people, especially loved ones, Gehenna was a season of purification less than twelve months. In fact, to mourn the passing of a loved one more than eleven months was to imply that the person was especially wicked.

The Jews believed that Gehenna was for both Jews and Gentiles and that people were judged according to the revelation and covenant they received - the Old Covenant (Testament) being strictly for the Jew. During the eleven months of mourning, Jews would offer prayers, sacrificial gifts, and even be baptized for the dead (which Paul spoke of affirmatively in 1 Corinthians 15). Some believed that even the most wicked persons would be purified and go on to the Garden of Eden (Paradise). Others believed that those who were especially wicked, wholly given over to evil, would be either consumed (annihilated) or stuck indefinitely in Gehenna.

If one was going to translate Gehenna using a Theological term (instead of metaphorical), the predominant meaning of Gehenna as understood by the 1st Century Jew would be "Purgatory", not "Hell". In fact, Jesus actually indicates that purification was the purpose of Gehenna’s fire in Mark 9.

Warning of the terribleness of Gehenna, Jesus say that “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’” (9:47-48). And Jesus goes on to say that “ Everyone will be salted with fire” (9:49). Jesus warns of the terribleness of Gehenna, but indicates that such is apparently for the purification of the soul, not the destruction of the soul, for everyone shall undergo such purification, salted, seasoned by fire.

This reminds me of what Paul wrote in 1 Cor. 3:13 “Every man's work shall be made manifest: for the day shall declare it, because it shall be revealed by fire; and the fire shall try every man's work of what sort it is.” What is burnt up is that which is worthless. Gehenna would be best theologically interpreted as “Purgatory,” and certainly should not be interpreted as “Hell.”

None of the four words commonly translated "Hell" in English translations implied "conscious unending torment" in their original context.  The mistranslation of these four words began with St. Jerome's Latin Vulgate. St. Jerome was an advocate for the doctrine of "conscious endless torment" of all who were not part of the Church, which stood in opposition to others in the early church that believed in Universal Salvation like Origen and Gregory of Nyssa, and even others that believed in annihilation.  He, St. Jerome, translated his beliefs “INTO” scripture, mistranslating Sheol, Hades, Gehenna, and Tartaroo as Infernum 110 times in his Latin Vulgate. The 1610 Catholic Douay Rheims translation is based solely upon the Latin Vulgate and thus uses the word “Hell” 110 times. And the Roman Catholic Church was strongly influenced, one could say even built upon, the Latin Vulgate.

Why is the word “Hell” disappearing from English translations? Because English translations are getting better and more accurately convey what the original text says! Hell, conscious unending torment, is not a scriptural concept.

Scriptures Affirming Universalism

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!

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!

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!

Holiness

I read a post today by a well-meaning brother who was bemoaning the fact that holiness is little spoken of in churches today. After noting that when he speaks on holiness, most people respond with the scripture that says we all sin, and he said, “So I guess holiness is out and sin is in huh?”

I simply could not agree this brother’s assessment of the state of the church. Rather, I believe that the church has often misrepresented the love and grace of God. And traditionally the church has especially misrepresented "holiness" as merely the absence of sin, instead of its primary meaning of "dedication and consecration". Sadly, instead of preaching the Good News of the forgiveness and love of Christ which draws people to the Lord who cleanses us from all sin, many churches focus on trying to motivate people through guilt and condemnation, preaching bad news instead of Good News.

It's the goodness of God that draws us to repentance. Jesus said that He didn't come to the world to condemn the world but to save it. Salvation and Christian Living is “grace based” - not “condemnation based”.

Because of the church's misrepresentation of "holiness", many believers feel condemnation instead of salvation and thus negatively react when people speak of "holiness"! If holiness was taught from a grace-based perspective, people would be drawn to the Lord and His salvation instead of repulsed by condemnation!

The most "holy" people I know are the ones who simply and practically love God and love others. They have tremendous grace and mercy towards other people and rarely, if ever, speak condescendingly of others. In loving people, they tend to highlight the good and cover any negatives. Doesn’t scripture say something about love covering sin!

If we're filled with the love of God, then we're drawn to Him like moths to a flame. And our love for God purges us from sin, and we die to self and are filled with resurrection life! Who loves the most? The one who's been forgiven the most! Those who are dedicated to the Lord grow in the freedom of the Lord from sin – sanctification and holiness. It’s love that fulfills the law!

Holiness is NOT about sin, but about forgiveness! I am holy, wholly consecrated to the Lord because I have been wholly forgiven!