To Christian church pastors, whats your opinion about the Christian Universalist assertion that .........?

Question

the greek word translated eternal, forever,everlasting,ect..... in eternal punishment scriptures does not mean eternal or unending
and that we have poor translating regarding this? And the Universalist claim that God's punishment will not be unending.

If your someone who feels you can answer this then go ahead even if you are not a pastor.

samuel crow - Not the Unitarians. Thats different. Check out www.tentmaker.org .

teebone03 - I'm not talking about Unitarians. They do not believe that Jesus is the only way. Universalists do, and very intelligently at that I must add. As opposed to mainstrem beliefs that everybody is going to unending torment in a handbasket! www.tentmaker.org

Also I would like to know if you have studied universalism.

And tell me what you think. Have you seen www.tentmaker.org ?

Schneb have you read Hope Beyond Hell? What is your response to it? You can at least look at it at www.tentmaker.org . Its an excellent read. I would be curious to know what you don't agree with and why. I'm only interested in knowing the truth thats all.

Schneb - I posted your answer at tentmaker forum in the "arguments against universal salvation" section.

Also they have very good explanations explaining why those verses DO NOT teach that Jesus condones unending torment or torture as your saying.

I know quite a bit about it, but there is a lot to talk about their forum would be a much better place to do it and not here.

Answer 1

I'm a Christian Pastor, in the Christian Church, (Disciples of Christ) and I have serious doubts about "Hell" being an "eternal punishment."

I believe we are in hell, already, because many of us are removed from the presence of God. Most people just don't know it.

Absence of reward is a sort of punishment, I suppose. But I think the end of life is either eternal presence with the Creator, or a empty darkness. It's our choice.

This is more the OT view, rather than "Universalist."

Godspeed.

Answer 2

This is rather a foolish thing to rest one's destiny on. OK, let's not look at the Greek for now, let us look at the Hebrew.

And many of those who sleep in the dust of the earth shall awake, Some to everlasting life, Some to shame and everlasting contempt. - Daniel 12:2

Is heaven everlasting, or just temporary? The angel that spoke to Daniel proclaimed that both are "everlasting" and are the same word "owlam" in the Hebrew. In Genesis 21:33, the same word is used in "everlasting God". So are the Unversalists god a finite god? You can't have it both ways.

Isaiah described (and Jesus confirmed it three times) that hell is a place where the maggot will continue to feed on your flesh, and the fire of torment will NEVER be abated.
Isa 66:24 - “And they shall go forth and look Upon the corpses of the men Who have transgressed against Me. For their worm does not die, And their fire is not quenched.

OK, so now let us see if the Greek agrees with the Hebrew.

Jude 7 - ...suffering the vengeance of eternal fire.
The Greek for eternal is "aionios" which is also used earlier in the same book in Jude 1:21 for "eternal life". So is heaven temporary, or are both forever and ever? Again, you cannot have one translation for one usage of the word, and another translation for the same word elsewhere.

Eternal means just that--forever and ever without end. Best to deal with truth as truth and not try and sugar coat it because it makes you or your congregation uncomfortable.

Answer 3

I don't know about this church. I do know that Peter wrote that between death and the resurrection Christ went and taught the spirits in prison. To me these were the ones who were lost and suffering. He opened up missionary work for those who died without the Gospel. Given the mercy of God, we know that they may still repent and partake of the atonement of Jesus Christ.

1 Peter 3:18 For Christ also hath once suffered for sins, the just for the unjust, that he might bring us to God, being put to death in the flesh, but quickened by the Spirit:
19 By which also he went and preached unto the spirits in prison;
20 Which sometime were disobedient, when once the longsuffering of God waited in the days of Noah, while the ark was a preparing, wherein few, that is, eight souls were saved by water.
21 The like figure whereunto even baptism doth also now save us (not the putting away of the filth of the flesh, but the answer of a good conscience toward God,) by the resurrection of Jesus Christ:

Answer 4

Jesus said that they would come preaching a "different" gospel and they will deceive many, even the very elect if it is possible.

Just another fulfillment of biblical prophecy.

The historic Christian faith has always taught that "eternal" means eternal and the great Theologians of the historic Christian faith, and through those of our own day, have taught that "eternal" means eternal. Were they ALL wrong? I do not believe they were.

Pastor/Teachers are held to a higher standard by God and the false teachers of the universalist movement will be held accountable by God for mis-representing His Word and misleading those little ones that belong to God.

This is a perfect example of why it is so important to know the Word of God for yourself. If you don't, you can fall victim to every new thing that comes along.

Do not be decieved. Jesus warned us ahead of time.

Answer 5

Christian Universalism does not teach the existence of an eternal hell. Jesus' sacrifice is meant to save us from death and is for all. Here are some resources for anyone interested in Christian Universalism:

Online resources:

http://www.christianuniversalist.org/

http://www.christian-universalism.com/

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Universalism

All of the following links are for discussion forums that are Christian Universalist in orientation:

Emergent Universalism Discussion Forum

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/emerging-universalist/

Christian Universalism Discussion Forum

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/christian-universalism/

Apokatastasis Discussion Forum
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/apokatastasis/

The Church of Interfaith Christians Discussion Forum

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/thechu...ithchristians/

Wider Universalist Fellowship Discussion Forum

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/WiderUniversalist/

Fundie Universalist Discussion Forum

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/fundieuniversalist/

Answer 6

i could say he grew to become into on the main suitable music finally & totally help him if i grew to become into going to a church. If the church i went to had achieved this i could probably nevertheless be there. yet seeing as they did no longer, i'm a Sabbath keeper now for 6 years. WOW i'm surprised that individuals think of that doing Shabbat is pharisaical its the leaven of the pharisees that U ought to computer screen for & thats man made rules no longer YHWH's Torah. Leaven/yeast is something U upload to the mixture, makes it bigger & greater suitable & crammed with AIR :)

Answer 7

Read the Book of Mormon, the Dead sea scrolls, and any number of other religious documents that claim a less corrupt heritage than the frequent mistranslations of the Bible by the early catholic church. You will see a very different perspective on what "eternal" means.

Answer 8

Sorry, I am not a pastor. But I would like to express my opinion that the Universalist unitarian "church" is a social gathering, rather than a Christian church.

Answer 9

The UUC is a social gathering, not a church. They do not follow the Word of God. They change it to suit their agendas



Catholic Christian

Answer 10

I ascertain they don't know their Greek or Aramaic.