Will everyone be saved? This is a topic that I had given some thought to in the past. It was a topic that I had debated with several Christian Universalists over the years. I have recently begun meditating upon this subect again, and I'd like to initiate an honest and careful investigation into the merits of Christian Universalism. Let me say from the get-go that I am not a Christian Universalist. I do not believe that all people will eventually be saved. My opinion is that the Biblical evidence that only some will be saved far outweighs any evidence there might be for Universal Salvation. That being said, I am still open to the evidence for this doctrine. In this thread, I'd like to challenge us to scrutinze the evidence for and against Universal Salvation. To begin, I will quote the words of a Christian Universalist who recently defended his doctrine via online debate at another forum. The topic of his post is centered upon the Greek word aionios, the meaning thereof often being a matter of dispute between Partialists and Christian Universalists. The latter will often argue that aionios does not mean "eternal" and that it simply means "pertaining to an age" or something like that. I remain completely unconvinced by what I regard as utter naivety. However, I was taken back when I came across the following argument put forth by Samuel Cripps, a Christian Universalist
"Samuel Cripps")
Aionios and the Biblical Concept of EternityMy opponent has stated that Hellfire is eternal. I agree. Many might find this an odd thing for a Scriptural Universalist to say, but I have no reservations in admitting as much. To be sure, there have been a number of Christian Universalists who have insisted that the Greek word aionios never means “eternal” and that it always, in the Bible at least, pertains to an indefinite period of time. While it is true that aionios is, at times, used in contexts where “eternal” is impossible if not unlikely, I cannot, in good conscience, adopt this narrow view. Scholarship and context have proven that this rich Greek word indeed carries the meaning of eternity. Does aionios mean ‘eternal’ in the verses (Matthew 3:12; 2 Thessalonians 1:9; Jude 1:7) cited by my opponent? I believe that it does. Does this prove that some will never be saved? Not at all!My opponent insists that eternal punishment consists in being punished forever. Does his interpretation represent the only viable application of the term aionios? No, it is not, for consider:“Neither by the blood of goats and calves, but by his own blood he entered in once into the holy place, having obtained eternal redemption [for us].” Hebrews 9:12Does this verse mean that the redeeming process lasts forever? Of course not! Rather, it is the end result of the process which is everlasting. Seeing that the word “eternal” is applied in this manner in Hebrews 9:12, my opponent must demonstrate why “eternal punishment” refers to an everlasting punitive process rather than referring to the final result of the punishing process.What is the Biblical concept of eternity? First it must be noted that God is the only eternal being in the primary sense. That is to say, only God is eternal by virtue of being who He is. All other things are eternal only insofar as they derive their eternality from God. Our eternal life, for instance, is participatory; we partake in the life of Christ. Eternal destruction, I thus propose, is eternal by virtue of originating in God. In other words, to suffer eternal destruction is to suffer destruction at the hands of God, as opposed to destruction at the hands of mortals (this idea is articulated in Matthew 10:28). Likewise, eternal life is that sort of life which is peculiar to God, in contrast to mortal life. Eternity, according to the Bible, is without beginning nor end, and thus transcends time (Revelation 1:8 , 22:13). As mentioned before, the Greek word translated “eternal” in many places in the Bible is aionios. From its first known appearance in Greek literature (see the works of Plato, e.g. Timaeus 37d), aionios was used of that which transcends the physical world of time. This sense is retained in the New Testament, as is evident considering that this word is routinely used in the New Testament contexts in which its juxtaposition to things perishable and material is manifest. "For we know that if our earthly house of [this] tabernacle were dissolved, we have a building of God, an house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens." - 2 Corinthians 5:1 Here aionios is used of the indissoluble things of Heaven in contrast to the things of the mundane world of corruption. "While we look not at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen: for the things which are seen [are] temporal; but the things which are not seen [are] eternal." -2 Corinthians 4:18 In this verse, aionios describes the eternal truths which human eyes and ears have not seen nor heard, for these truths belong to the unseen realm of God as opposed to the visible world of change.. "Labour not for the meat which perisheth, but for that meat which endureth unto everlasting life, which the Son of man shall give unto you: for him hath God the Father sealed." - John 6:27 Aionios here refers to that Heavenly life which does not fade nor falter; It is the very life of Christ in contradistinction to the perishable life that humanity has in Adam. This life that Christ gives - the very life of God - is not of this world, but is of the unseen realm of Spirit: "That which is born of the flesh is flesh; and that which is born of the spirit is spirit." - John 3:6 So then, what do we make of those verses which speak of "eternal destruction" and "eternal punishment"? I suggest that it is the sort of destruction/punishment which originates in the eternal God. "In flaming fire taking vengeance on them that know not God, and that obey not the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ: Who shall be punished with everlasting destruction from the presence of the Lord, and from the glory of his power;" - 2 Thessalonians 1:8,9 Here we read that the wicked will be destroyed by Heavenly fire (note that the Greek word apo does not signify that the destruction consists in being away from God, but that the destruction comes from God). Eternal destruction, evidently, is none but destruction from on high, just as eternal punishment is simply that sort of perfect parental punishment which originates in the Heavenly Father. “In the same way, Sodom and Gomorrah and the cities around them committed sexual immorality and practiced perversions, just as they did, and serve as an example by undergoing the punishment of eternal fire.” Jude 1:7The word aionios here serves to make the point that the fire and punishment in view is not ordinary, but rather from God. The eternal fire is God Himself (Deuteronomy 4:24, Hebrews 12:29). If punishment by the fire of God precludes salvation, then we are all in big trouble, for Scripture declares that all believers will reap the consequences of what they have sown in the flesh (as opposed to things which they have sown in the Spirit) by being subjected to the trying fire of God (1 Corinthians 3:15; Galatians 6:7).
What does everyone make of this?
"Samuel Cripps")Aionios and the Biblical Concept of EternityMy opponent has stated that Hellfire is eternal. I agree. Many might find this an odd thing for a Scriptural Universalist to say, but I have no reservations in admitting as much. To be sure, there have been a number of Christian Universalists who have insisted that the Greek word aionios never means “eternal” and that it always, in the Bible at least, pertains to an indefinite period of time. While it is true that aionios is, at times, used in contexts where “eternal” is impossible if not unlikely, I cannot, in good conscience, adopt this narrow view. Scholarship and context have proven that this rich Greek word indeed carries the meaning of eternity. Does aionios mean ‘eternal’ in the verses (Matthew 3:12; 2 Thessalonians 1:9; Jude 1:7) cited by my opponent? I believe that it does. Does this prove that some will never be saved? Not at all!My opponent insists that eternal punishment consists in being punished forever. Does his interpretation represent the only viable application of the term aionios? No, it is not, for consider:“Neither by the blood of goats and calves, but by his own blood he entered in once into the holy place, having obtained eternal redemption [for us].” Hebrews 9:12Does this verse mean that the redeeming process lasts forever? Of course not! Rather, it is the end result of the process which is everlasting. Seeing that the word “eternal” is applied in this manner in Hebrews 9:12, my opponent must demonstrate why “eternal punishment” refers to an everlasting punitive process rather than referring to the final result of the punishing process.What is the Biblical concept of eternity? First it must be noted that God is the only eternal being in the primary sense. That is to say, only God is eternal by virtue of being who He is. All other things are eternal only insofar as they derive their eternality from God. Our eternal life, for instance, is participatory; we partake in the life of Christ. Eternal destruction, I thus propose, is eternal by virtue of originating in God. In other words, to suffer eternal destruction is to suffer destruction at the hands of God, as opposed to destruction at the hands of mortals (this idea is articulated in Matthew 10:28). Likewise, eternal life is that sort of life which is peculiar to God, in contrast to mortal life. Eternity, according to the Bible, is without beginning nor end, and thus transcends time (Revelation 1:8 , 22:13). As mentioned before, the Greek word translated “eternal” in many places in the Bible is aionios. From its first known appearance in Greek literature (see the works of Plato, e.g. Timaeus 37d), aionios was used of that which transcends the physical world of time. This sense is retained in the New Testament, as is evident considering that this word is routinely used in the New Testament contexts in which its juxtaposition to things perishable and material is manifest. "For we know that if our earthly house of [this] tabernacle were dissolved, we have a building of God, an house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens." - 2 Corinthians 5:1 Here aionios is used of the indissoluble things of Heaven in contrast to the things of the mundane world of corruption. "While we look not at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen: for the things which are seen [are] temporal; but the things which are not seen [are] eternal." -2 Corinthians 4:18 In this verse, aionios describes the eternal truths which human eyes and ears have not seen nor heard, for these truths belong to the unseen realm of God as opposed to the visible world of change.. "Labour not for the meat which perisheth, but for that meat which endureth unto everlasting life, which the Son of man shall give unto you: for him hath God the Father sealed." - John 6:27 Aionios here refers to that Heavenly life which does not fade nor falter; It is the very life of Christ in contradistinction to the perishable life that humanity has in Adam. This life that Christ gives - the very life of God - is not of this world, but is of the unseen realm of Spirit: "That which is born of the flesh is flesh; and that which is born of the spirit is spirit." - John 3:6 So then, what do we make of those verses which speak of "eternal destruction" and "eternal punishment"? I suggest that it is the sort of destruction/punishment which originates in the eternal God. "In flaming fire taking vengeance on them that know not God, and that obey not the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ: Who shall be punished with everlasting destruction from the presence of the Lord, and from the glory of his power;" - 2 Thessalonians 1:8,9 Here we read that the wicked will be destroyed by Heavenly fire (note that the Greek word apo does not signify that the destruction consists in being away from God, but that the destruction comes from God). Eternal destruction, evidently, is none but destruction from on high, just as eternal punishment is simply that sort of perfect parental punishment which originates in the Heavenly Father. “In the same way, Sodom and Gomorrah and the cities around them committed sexual immorality and practiced perversions, just as they did, and serve as an example by undergoing the punishment of eternal fire.” Jude 1:7The word aionios here serves to make the point that the fire and punishment in view is not ordinary, but rather from God. The eternal fire is God Himself (Deuteronomy 4:24, Hebrews 12:29). If punishment by the fire of God precludes salvation, then we are all in big trouble, for Scripture declares that all believers will reap the consequences of what they have sown in the flesh (as opposed to things which they have sown in the Spirit) by being subjected to the trying fire of God (1 Corinthians 3:15; Galatians 6:7).
What does everyone make of this?
