timlings said...
Starkman

I agree! We need to work out what 'scripturally viable' means. I think that looking at passages might be helpful, although that might just turn into proof-texting things.

Before I start, I want to lay it out that I take a Christocentric hermeneutic, i.e. that scripture only full makes sense in the light of Jesus as Jesus "fills up the Law and the Prophets". Secondly, that scripture has got to be read in light of what sort literature it is.

It's hard to know where to start, but I think the issue of the 'immortal soul' is quite key.

Romans 2:5-8 "But because of your stubbornness and unrepentant heart you are storing up wrath for yourself in the day of wrath and revelation of the righteous judgement of God, who will render to each person according to his deeds: to those who by perseverance in doing good seek for glory and honour and immortality, eternal life; but to those who are selfishly ambitious and do not obey the truth, but obey unrighteousness, wrath and indignation."

Immortality seems to be something that we have to seek for, not something that we gain by default. If we don't automatically last forever, then those who don't want to follow Jesus eventually get destroyed. Otherwise God has to sustain us with life, either to punish us forever or to purge us until we give in. But if hell-fire actually does what fire normally does, i.e. burns things up until they're gone, then it's a different story. Now Christians can survive the fire of God's judgement, (like with Shadrach, Meschach & Abednego in Daniel), but I don't know if anyone else can...

Ezekiel 18:20 'The person who sins will die."

That idea turns up all over scripture, that sin leads to death.

Hebrews 6:1-2 "Therefore leaving the elementary teaching about the Christ, let us press on to maturity, not laying again a foundation of repentance from dead works and of faith toward God, of instruction about washings and laying on of hands, and the resurrection of the dead and eternal judgment."

There's going to be a judgement when we die, and the consequences of that will be eternal.

Hmm. I seem to be scratching around here a bit. What passages would you like to discuss that seem to point to universalism?

from

Timlings