tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16829530730136307442024-02-20T19:42:32.696-08:00Faith Hope LoveNow, however, there remain faith, hope, love, these three; but the greatest of these is love.
(1. Corinthians 13:13)Faith Love Hopehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07380360569730156936noreply@blogger.comBlogger2125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1682953073013630744.post-64392449364779077512008-08-13T06:50:00.000-07:002008-08-13T07:25:44.179-07:00<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbjFpLEGd9JB24G-IS4EADbh6sAUcm6nqJ8E5ng-QJBQyfbQAx_2AJI85KtuVkasTS7gJ6u_v9OxTXi9jKkio0gMfHgY74agNXgLKtDTh1iF2ZgdMaRWoy9ATnljl5LzzCPojpTl_q-Xg2/s1600-h/blattherzmitwassertropfen.JPG"><img style="margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; float: right; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbjFpLEGd9JB24G-IS4EADbh6sAUcm6nqJ8E5ng-QJBQyfbQAx_2AJI85KtuVkasTS7gJ6u_v9OxTXi9jKkio0gMfHgY74agNXgLKtDTh1iF2ZgdMaRWoy9ATnljl5LzzCPojpTl_q-Xg2/s320/blattherzmitwassertropfen.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5234007118562557506" border="0" /></a><span style="font-weight: bold;font-size:180%;" ><span style="font-family:verdana;">The true Power of God's Love</span></span> <span style="font-size:100%;"><span style="font-family:verdana;"><br /><br />The thing about being a Christian and about knowing and loving God is this... It is more than an academic understanding of scripture. It is the academic understanding of a book written by the very definition of love. So the book must always reflect God's love. So one Charles Taze Russell, called the man who put the fires out in hell by the US press, the founder of the Watchtower Society, knowing his Father, asked the following type of question:</span></span> <p style="font-family:verdana;"><span style="font-size:100%;"><span style="font-style: italic;">Would it be fair or just or loving to punish a man into eternity for sins which he committed over a period of a mere 70 years? </span><br /></span></p><p style="font-family:verdana;"><span style="font-size:100%;">The conclusion that the founder of the International Bible Students, now known as the Jehovah's Witnesses, came to was this:</span></p> <p style="font-family:verdana;"><span style="font-size:100%;"><span style="font-style: italic;">A God that would use his power to create human beings, whom he foreknew and pre-destinated should be eternally tormented, could be neither wise, just nor loving. His standard would be lower than that of many men</span> ('Kingdom Proclaimers' book, published by WTBTS).</span></p> <p style="font-family:verdana;"><span style="font-size:100%;">This type of reasoning is the triumph of love over dogma, it is the triumph of wisdom over doctrine. For at first sight the scriptures do appear to support an eternal torturing of the unrighteous, yet Jehovah is the one who makes it rain on the righteous and the unrighteous alike whilst they are alive, and his son advised us to...</span></p> <p style="font-family:verdana;"><span style="font-size:100%;"><span style="font-size:78%;">44</span> However, I say to you: Continue to love your enemies and to pray for those persecuting you;<br /></span> <span style="font-size:100%;"><span style="font-size:78%;">45</span> that you may prove yourselves sons of your Father who is in the heavens, since he makes his sun rise upon wicked people and good and makes it rain upon righteous people and unrighteous (Matthew 5).</span></p> <p style="font-family:verdana;"><span style="font-size:100%;">When a warm and gentle breeze blows across a Mediterranean beach on a summer evening does it miss out the cheeks of the wicked and only caress the faces of the righteous?</span></p> <p style="font-family:verdana;"><span style="font-size:100%;">And what kind of a God commands us to love our enemies and pray for our persecutors, only to burn these very same people for an eternity in Hell himself after we have loved them and prayed for them? Would he frustrate the very love he commanded us to show for them?</span></p> <p style="font-family:verdana;"><span style="font-size:100%;">So Charles Russell taught that death was simply a state of non existence, and that the wicked were switched off and thrown away permanently without pain.</span></p> <p style="font-family:verdana;"><span style="font-size:100%;"><span style="font-size:78%;"> 5</span> For the living are conscious that they will die; but as for the dead, they are conscious of nothing at all, neither do they anymore have wages, because the remembrance of them has been forgotten (Ecclesiastes 9).</span></p> <p style="font-family:verdana;"><span style="font-size:100%;"><span style="font-size:78%;">3 </span>Do not put your trust in nobles, Nor in the son of earthling man, to whom no salvation belongs.<br /></span> <span style="font-size:100%;"><span style="font-size:78%;">4</span> His spirit goes out, he goes back to his ground; In that day his thoughts do perish (Psalm 146).<br /><br />Jehovah's Witnesses believe this today. But even though Charles Russell's thinking was good, and even though his thoughts moved mankind a step nearer to God's love, the journey to understanding how deep and how true the love of God is, requires a few more paces than he was able to make. Paces of the mind that is. For all our thoughts are imperfect and all our conclusions are incomplete at first. For how we think is how we walk, one step at a time, and this is the brilliance and consistency of our design. The physical mirrors the intellectual.</span> </p><p style="font-family:verdana;"><span style="font-size:100%;">We will now compare Scriptures that will allow us to put the jigsaw together and make the necessary steps in our knowledge of divine love.<br /></span></p><span style="font-size:100%;"><span style="font-family:verdana;">There is a resurrection of the unrighteous ones. Jesus advices...</span></span> <p style="font-family:verdana;"><span style="font-size:100%;"><span style="font-size:78%;"> 13</span> But when you spread a feast, invite poor people, crippled, lame, blind,<br /></span> <span style="font-size:100%;"><span style="font-size:78%;"> 14 </span>and you will be happy, because they have nothing with which to repay you. For you will be repaid in <u> the resurrection of the righteous ones</u> (Luke 14).</span></p> <p style="font-family:verdana;"><span style="font-size:100%;">Whereas Paul explains...</span></p> <p style="font-family:verdana;"><span style="font-size:100%;"><span style="font-size:78%;"> 15</span> and I have hope toward God, which hope these [men] themselves also entertain, that there is going to be a <u>resurrection of both the righteous and the unrighteous</u> (Acts 24).</span></p> <span style="font-size:100%;"><span style="font-family:verdana;">So the unrighteous ones, those who are not in Abraham's bosom, still nonetheless get a resurrection.</span> <span style="font-family:verdana;">So , Come on! In true justice, could the true God punish a man for ever (either by tomrnting him or by switching him off permanently) as a result of his sinning for 100 years? Would those scales balance? Would that be an eye for an eye? No sir. So eventually one must get out of the death and out of Gehenna. For otherwise God is being pointlessly cruel and unjust. Gehenna is a place of emotionally painful rehabilitation. A place of weeping and gnashing teeth until one gets sin straight in ones mind and heart. For God will teach us all and eventually he will save us all. He will succeed with all of us, however bad we are at learning. For he has stated through his great prophet Isaiah that:</span></span> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:verdana;"><span style="font-size:100%;"><span style="font-size:78%;">10</span> Everything that is my delight I shall do (Isaiah 46).</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:verdana;"><span style="font-size:100%;"><span style="">And through Jesus' rock ('petros' in Greek), the firstling ('peter' in Hebrew), Peter, he has stated that:</span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:verdana;"><span style="font-size:100%;"><span style="font-size:78%;">9 </span>The Lord is not slow respecting his promise, as some people consider slowness, but he is patient with you because he does not desire any to be destroyed but <u> desires all to attain to repentance</u> (2 Peter 3).</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:verdana;"><span style="font-size:100%;">So if he does not want any to be destroyed, and if he does everything he wants, then he will indeed save and re-educate even the most wicked of men.<br /></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:verdana;"><span style="font-size:100%;">Then we have the Lord's prayer...</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:verdana;"><span style="font-size:100%;">"Our Father who are in heaven, hallowed be thy name, thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven."</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:verdana;"><span style="font-size:100%;">So he will is going to be done everywhere, and his will is that all men should be saved. End of two pice jigsaw!</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:verdana;"><span style="font-size:100%;">Putting this even another way...</span></p> <p style="font-family:verdana;"><span style="font-size:100%;"><span style="font-size:78%;"> 21</span> For since death is through a man, resurrection of the dead is also through a man.<br /></span> <span style="font-size:100%;"><span style="font-size:78%;"> 22</span> For just as in Adam all are dying, so also in the Christ <u> all will be made alive</u> (1 Corinthians 15).</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:verdana;"><span style="font-size:100%;">All will conquer death through the Christ, not some, but all of Adam's sons. All those who die in Adam will get life in Jesus. Gehenna is the second death. No son of Adam will languish there eternally. Jesus fixes all of the problems for all of Adam's kids.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:verdana;"><span style="font-size:100%;">We even don't have to trust our own conclusions, the Bible outspokenly tells us that all should be saved...<br /></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:verdana;"><span style="font-size:100%;"><span style="font-size:78%;">3</span> This is fine and acceptable in the sight of our Savior, God,<br /></span> <span style="font-size:100%;"><span style="font-size:78%;">4</span> whose will is that <u>all men</u> [pantaV anqrwpouV] should be saved and come to an accurate knowledge of truth (1 Timothy 2).</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:verdana;"></p><span style="font-size:100%;"><span style="font-family:verdana;">The statement out of one reliable inspired book is good and sufficient ground for faith. Nevertheless, God, who is rich in mercy and very pitiful, considered our weakness of faith, and has answered the prayer of our hearts in advance, providing more than the one testimony...</span> </span><span style=";font-family:verdana;font-size:78%;" >11</span><span style="font-size:100%;"><span style="font-family:verdana;"> For the undeserved kindness of God which brings salvation to all men has been manifested. (Titus 2:11)</span> <span style="font-family:verdana;">This undeserved kindess is or was expressed in the ransom sacrifice of Jesus Christ!</span> <span style="font-family:verdana;">But if that is too complex for ye great and holy researchers of the perfect word of God, try this one piece jigsaw...</span></span> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:verdana;"><span style="font-size:100%;"><span style="font-size:78%;">10</span> For to this end we are working hard and exerting ourselves, because we have rested our hope on a living God, who <u>is a Savior of all men</u>, especially of faithful ones </span><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 128);font-size:100%;" ><b><span style="font-size:85%;">[</span><span style="font-size:85%;">but also of unfaithful ones through the sin bin of Gehenna]</span></b></span><span style="font-size:85%;">.</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:verdana;"><span style="font-size:100%;">QED.</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:verdana;"><span style="font-size:100%;">Now we know from 1John 4:8 that God is love. The Hebrew meaning of the name Elisha is: God is salvation. The Hebrew meaning of Yeshua (Jesus' Hebrew name) is YHWH is salvation. So if God is love and God is salvation, then love is salvation, since equality is transitive. Since God loves us all, however unrighteous our behaviour, he will save us all, for that is what love is. </span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:verdana;"><span style="font-size:100%;">Love never fails and we must love our enemies and you cannot love the non existent. Put those together and you see again that everyone will be saved eventually. For love bears all things, love endures all things, even the sort of behaviour that puts us into Gehenna!</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" face="verdana"><span style="font-size:100%;">So now we can truly understand what Paul was saying in 1 Corinthians 5...</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="font-size:100%;"> 5 You hand such a man over to Satan for the destruction of the flesh, in order that the spirit may be saved in the day of the Lord (1Corinthians5). </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:verdana;"><span style="font-size:100%;">In the next section we will discuss Scriptures that speak about the "second death", "Gehenna", "the lake of fire" and "eternal destruction".</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:verdana;"><span style="font-size:100%;">They can all be harmonized!</span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:130%;"><span style=";font-family:Arial;font-size:11;" ><span style=";font-family:verdana;font-size:100%;" >Michael</span><br /></span></span></p><span style="font-size:130%;"></span><p style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></p>Faith Love Hopehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07380360569730156936noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1682953073013630744.post-12902800772463328882008-08-12T07:23:00.000-07:002008-08-19T07:37:28.985-07:00<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMqkZiI73Ox35vLHQdebuiqn_mGcRjD1wDxQ3tfG_Dqpgy9c4tFv9INRh7GJoUPNsLebLraLTMMbOD_tVNpeF_yG3OuLLOmsd_SUJp65HoVRS5yayT_ku1vI_eSK2_DcW-iDeW64rEKkkv/s1600-h/haende-1.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; float: right; cursor: pointer; width: 219px; height: 224px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMqkZiI73Ox35vLHQdebuiqn_mGcRjD1wDxQ3tfG_Dqpgy9c4tFv9INRh7GJoUPNsLebLraLTMMbOD_tVNpeF_yG3OuLLOmsd_SUJp65HoVRS5yayT_ku1vI_eSK2_DcW-iDeW64rEKkkv/s320/haende-1.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5236236893391516466" border="0" /></a><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-weight: bold;font-size:180%;" ><span style="font-family:verdana;">Examining all Scriptures dealing with Gehenna, Second Death and Lake of Fire</span></span><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-weight: bold;font-size:180%;" ><span style="font-size:100%;"><span style="font-weight: bold;"><br /></span></span></span> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size:100%;"><span style=";font-family:Arial;font-size:10;" ><span style="font-family:verdana;">We start with the OT where the concept first appears and work our way back to Revelation 21...</span><br /></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size:100%;"><span style=";font-family:Arial;font-size:10;" >(<span style="font-family:verdana;">Job 38:17) </span><b style="font-family: verdana;"><sup>17</sup></b><span style="font-family:verdana;"> Have the gates of death been uncovered to you, Or the gates of deep shadow can you see? FOOTNOTE: Lit., “death shadow,” M; LXX, “Hades,” that is, the common grave; T, “death of Gehenna.”</span><o:p style="font-family: verdana;"></o:p></span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;font-family:verdana;"><span style="font-size:100%;"><o:p></o:p></span>The reference to Gehenna is only to be found in Aramaic Targums. This translations were made mostly in the <st1:place><st1:placename>Second</st1:placename> <st1:placetype>Temple</st1:placetype></st1:place> period. But if this question of Job refers to Gehenna he makes a clear distinction between death <i>“maveth”</i> (“the place of death”, “Hades” acc. to Geseniu’s Lexicon) and <i>“</i><i>tsalmaveth”</i> “death-shadow”, “a place of very thick darkness” acc. to Genesiu’s)<o:p></o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;font-family:verdana;"><o:p> </o:p><span style="font-size:10;">(Ecclesiastes 5:5-6) . . .. <b><sup>6</sup></b> Do not allow your mouth to cause your flesh to sin, neither say before the angel that it was a mistake. Why should the [true] God become indignant on account of your voice and have to wreck the work of your hands? FOOTNOTE: “Do not allow the word of your mouth to determine the judgment of Gehenna upon your flesh,” <o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;font-family:verdana;"><o:p> </o:p><br />I couldn’t find the Hebrew translation for the footnote to check Gehenna. But the noun translated “your flesh” is <i>“basar”</i> meaning “flesh of the body” or “the body itself” (Strong’s H1320). So we see, that the judgment of Gehenna can come or have influence upon our body. If Gehenna was permanent destruction it couldn’t effect our body since the body and thus “we” are already dead when this punishment would be implemented.<o:p></o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;font-family:verdana;"><span lang="EN-GB"><o:p> </o:p></span><br /><span style="font-size:10;">(Matthew 5) <b><sup>22</sup></b> However, I say to YOU that everyone who continues wrathful with his brother will be accountable to the court of justice; but whoever addresses his brother with an unspeakable word of contempt will be accountable to the Supreme Court; whereas whoever says, ‘You despicable fool!’ will be liable to the fiery Ge·hen´na.<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;font-family:verdana;"><o:p> </o:p><br />When someone is continually wrathful against his brother he will stand in front of the “Court of justice”. The word <i>(“krisis”)</i> original meaning to separate. But in the time of Jesus the word was used (and is surely here used so) for the “college of judges” which was a tribunal of seven men in the several cities of <st1:city><st1:place>Palestine</st1:place></st1:city>; as distinguished from the Sanhedrin, which had its seat at <st1:city><st1:place>Jerusalem</st1:place></st1:city>. The “unspeakable word of content” is the Hebrew idiom <i>“rhaka”,</i> a common term of reproach used among the Jews in the time of Christ, meaning “empty headed man”. So both men would be accountable to human courts. But then Jesus shows us, what would make us liable for the judgement leading to Gehenna. He uses<span style=""> </span>the adjective <i>(“moros”</i>). It can be a word expressive of condemnation, impious, godless, because such a person neglects and despises what relates to salvation. So it shows that if humans judge someone as being godless (and thus liable for Gehenna) we might end up ourselves in the refining fire of Gehenna.<o:p></o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;font-family:verdana;"><o:p> </o:p><span style="font-size:10;">(Matthew 5) <b><sup>29</sup></b> If, now, that right eye of yours is making you stumble, tear it out and throw it away from you. For it is more beneficial to you for one of your members to be lost to you than for your whole body to be pitched into Ge·hen´na. <b><sup>30</sup></b> Also, if your right hand is making you stumble, cut it off and throw it away from you. For it is more beneficial to you for one of your members to be lost than for your whole body to land in Ge·hen´na <o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;font-family:verdana;"><span lang="EN-GB"><o:p></o:p></span><span style="font-style: normal;" lang="EN-GB">See explanation below Mark 9 <o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;font-family:verdana;"><span style=""><o:p> </o:p></span><span style="font-size:10;">(Matthew 10:28) <b><sup>28</sup></b> And do not become fearful of those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul; but rather be in fear of him that can destroy both soul and body in Ge·hen´na. . .<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;font-family:verdana;"><o:p> </o:p><br />From this gem we see two simple truths: 1. There are people that can kill (<i>“apokteino”</i>) our body. When our body is killed then we are dead (in the first death). 2. There is one who can do even more. He can “kill” (<i>“apollymi”</i>) body and soul (the angelic vehicle) in Gehenna. The word translated “of those” and “of him that” is <i>“ho”</i> which is a definite article which corresponds to our definite article “the” which is properly a demonstrative pronoun which is sometimes used to make a partition. It is 79 times translated “who” and 413 times “which”. So it could also demonstrate an antithesis between situations/circumstances which cause the mere death of the body and Gehenna itself, which “renders useless” (see Strong’s) body and soul. <o:p></o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;font-family:verdana;"><o:p><br /></o:p><span style="font-size:10;">(Matthew 23:15) <b><sup>15</sup></b> “Woe to YOU, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! because YOU traverse sea and dry land to make one proselyte, and when he becomes one YOU make him a subject for Ge·hen´na twice as much so as yourselves.<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" face="verdana" style="text-align: justify;">If Gehenna is a permanent state of non-existence, how can you be a subject to Gehenna “twice as much” (<i>“diplous”</i>) than another person. Can one be switched off for ever twice?<o:p></o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal" face="verdana" style="text-align: justify;"><o:p><br /></o:p><span style="font-size:10;">(Mark </span><st1:time minute="43" hour="9"><span style="font-size:10;">9:43</span></st1:time><span style="font-size:10;">-48) <b><sup>43</sup></b> “And if ever your hand makes you stumble, cut it off; it is finer for you to enter into life maimed than with two hands to go off into Ge·hen´na, into the fire that cannot be put out. <b><sup>44</sup></b> —— <b><sup>45</sup></b> And if your foot makes you stumble, cut it off; it is finer for you to enter into life lame than with two feet to be pitched into Ge·hen´na. <b><sup>46</sup></b> —— <b><sup>47</sup></b> And if your eye makes you stumble, throw it away; it is finer for you to enter one-eyed into the kingdom of God than with two eyes to be pitched into Ge·hen´na, <b><sup>48</sup></b> where their maggot does not die and the fire is not put out.<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" face="verdana" style="text-align: justify;"><o:p> </o:p><br />In verse 48 “their” is <i>“autos”.</i> The maggot “of it”: not clear to what or who it refers. The maggot of Gehenna or the eye? “Die” is okay but means also “finishes” or “come to an end”. The word translated “not put out” is <i>“sbennumi”</i>, a different word than used in 43 <i>“asbestos”</i>. <i>“Sbennumi”</i> is translated “quenched”. Let us see how the word <i>"asbestos”</i> (unquenchable) was used by the Greeks. Strabo calls it the lamp in the Parthenon, and Plutarch calls the sacred fire of a temple "unquenchable," though they were extinguished long ago. Josephus, the Jewish Priest who saw the destruction of <st1:city><st1:place>Jerusalem</st1:place></st1:city> says that the fire on the altar of the temple at <st1:city><st1:place>Jerusalem</st1:place></st1:city> was "always unquenchable" <i>abeston aei</i>, yet he was there when the fire on the altar was forever extinguished. Eusibius, the church historian who lived in <st1:city><st1:place>Constantine</st1:place></st1:city>'s day says that certain martyrs of <st1:city><st1:place>Alexandria</st1:place></st1:city> "were burned in unquenchable fire." The fire was put out within an hour! Homer speaks of "unquenchable laughter"<i> asbestos gelos</i>, (Iliad, I: 599) <o:p></o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal" face="verdana" style="text-align: justify;">Clearly, we are not dealing here with fire or symbolic fire that is eternal and will never go out. We have a fire which will not be quenched until it consumes that which it is burning! It cannot be put out by an external means such as water or lack of oxygen. When it consumes everything that it was set to consume, it will go out due to lack of material that is burning. The force of the word should be on the emphasis that this divine fire will not be stopped from doing what it was sent to do. It will finish its work and will not be cut short. Whatever it was sent to burn will be completely done in.<o:p></o:p></p><span style="font-size:100%;">Verse 49 then makes it finally clear:<o:p></o:p></span> <p class="MsoNormal" face="verdana" style="text-align: justify;"><o:p> </o:p><br /><span style="font-size:10;">“Thus, everyone must be salted <u>with fire</u>” (Mark </span><st1:time minute="49" hour="9"><span style="font-size:10;">9:49</span></st1:time><span style="font-size:10;">)<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" face="verdana" style="text-align: justify;"><o:p> </o:p><br />This verse gives the conclusion of what was said before. ”The adjective <i>“pas”</i> means everyone or any or all of a group”. Thus,<span style=""> </span>all who go to Gehenna must be seasoned or tested by fire. The verb <i>“halizo”</i> means “seasoned, sprinkled with salt”. We know from the OT that the sacrifice is sprinkled with salt and thus rendered acceptable to God (Lev. <st1:time minute="13" hour="2">2:13</st1:time>, Ezek. 43:24) So Jesus is speaking here about the fire of Gehenna with which those sinners will be made acceptable before God. Now we can understand the next verse:<o:p></o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal" face="verdana" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size:10;">(Mark </span><st1:time minute="50" hour="9"><span style="font-size:10;">9:50</span></st1:time><span style="font-size:10;">) “Salt is fine; but if ever the salt loses its strength, with what will you season it itself? Have salt in yourselves and keep peace between one another. <o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" face="verdana" style="text-align: justify;">The first sentence of<span style=""> </span>this verse is telling us that salt is fine for “salting”, but it might lose it’s strength compared with the “fire that is not put out”. It’s an antagonism! The second sentence shows us the better alternative: if we have salt in ourselves, the we are an acceptable sacrifice to God and don’t have to go through the refining of the fire of Gehenna.<o:p></o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal" face="verdana" style="text-align: justify;"><o:p></o:p><span style="font-size:10;">(Luke 12:4-5) . . .Do not fear those who kill the body and after this are not able to do anything more. <b><sup>5</sup></b> But I will indicate to YOU whom to fear: Fear him who after killing has authority to throw into Ge·hen´na. Yes, I tell YOU, fear this One. <o:p></o:p></span><br /><o:p> </o:p><br />“This one” at the end could also mean “that/this” (to be thrown into Gehenna). This shows, that “you” as a person can be thrown into Gehenna AFTER you died! That is an proactive action, it cannot just mean to be <u>not resurrected</u> eternally.<o:p></o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal" face="verdana" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size:10;">(James 3:5-6) <b><sup>5</sup></b> So, too, the tongue is a little member and yet makes great brags. Look! How little a fire it takes to set so great a woodland on fire! <b><sup>6</sup></b> Well, the tongue is a fire. The tongue is constituted a world of unrighteousness among our members, for it spots up all the body and sets the wheel of natural life aflame and it is set aflame by Ge·hen´na. . .<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" face="verdana" style="text-align: justify;"><o:p></o:p><br />Why and how is the tongue set aflame by Gehenna? I don’t know, but we can clearly see that this ‘fire’ and this ‘setting aflame’ are used metaphorically here. We are lead to the conclusion that Gehenna is equivalent with the “lake of fire” (and sulphur).<br /><span lang="EN-GB"><o:p> </o:p></span><br /><span style="font-size:10;">(Revelation 20:6) <b><sup>6</sup></b> Happy and holy is anyone having part in the first resurrection; over these the second death has no authority, but they will be priests of God and of the Christ, and will rule as kings with him for the thousand years.<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" face="verdana" style="text-align: justify;"><o:p> </o:p>The “second death” is in Greek <i>“deuteros thanatos”</i>. <i>Deuteros</i> is used to signify a distinction between two, so it can be translated “the other of two” (Thayer’s Lexicon). The first of the two is “the first death”, sleeping in unconsciousness so “the second death” cannot just be a prolongation of the same situation/sentence. It is the other kind of death, the sin bin of Gehenna, existence in some kind of body less form. It is a ‘pit of dense darkness’ like ‘Tartarus’ for the demons. The unrighteous who are resurrected into Gehenna will go through a rehabilitation and training program until they learn and accept that the law of God is for the best of all creatures.<o:p></o:p><span lang="EN-GB"><o:p> </o:p></span><br /></p><p class="MsoNormal" face="verdana" style="text-align: justify;">Now let us examine the last 3 scriptures dealing with the “second death”, “the lake of fire” and “the lake of fire and sulphur”. Here are the relevant texts:<o:p></o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal" face="verdana" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size:10;">(Revelation 20:10) <b><sup>10</sup></b> And the Devil who was misleading them was hurled into the lake of fire and sulphur, where both the wild beast and the false prophet [already were]; and they will be tormented day and night forever and ever.<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" face="verdana" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size:10;">(Revelation 20:13-15) <b><sup>13</sup></b> And the sea gave up those dead in it, and death and Ha´des gave up those dead in them, and they were judged individually according to their deeds. <b><sup>14</sup></b> And death and Ha´des were hurled into the lake of fire. This means the second death, the lake of fire. <b><sup>15</sup></b> Furthermore, whoever was not found written in the book of life was hurled into the lake of fire.<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" face="verdana" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size:10;">(Revelation 21:8) <b><sup>8</sup></b> But as for the cowards and those without faith and those who are disgusting in their filth and murderers and fornicators and those practicing spiritism and idolaters and all the liars, their portion will be in the lake that burns with fire and sulphur. This means the second death.”</span><o:p> </o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal" face="verdana" style="text-align: justify;">It seems that in verse 10 we learn that 3 entities are tortured forever. We learn from verse 14 and 15 that abstract things like “death” and “Hades” end up in the lake of fire as do man not in the book of life. And we are taught that the “lake of fire” and the “lake of fire and sulphur” mean the “second death”. So now let us scrutinize how this really fits into the picture:<o:p></o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal" face="verdana" style="text-align: justify;"><o:p> </o:p><span style="font-size:10;">(Revelation 20:10) <b><sup>10</sup></b> And the Devil who was misleading them was hurled into the lake of fire and sulphur, where both the wild beast and the false prophet [already were]; and they will be tormented day and night forever and ever.<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; font-family: verdana;">What does it mean that this is a lake of fire AND brimstone? We already know from Mark 9:49 that the fire in this place will burn unquenchable by man until it has achieved it’s purpose. As regards “brimstone”, “tormented” and “forever” we’ll encounter a classic ambiguity of biblical Greek. <o:p> </o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; font-family: verdana;">The noun translated “brimstone” is <i>“theoin</i>”(<span class="lextitlegk"><span style="letter-spacing: 0pt;font-size:26;" lang="EN-GB" >θε</span></span><span class="lextitlegk"><span style="letter-spacing: 0pt;font-size:26;" lang="EN-GB" >ῖ</span></span><span class="lextitlegk"><span style="letter-spacing: 0pt;font-size:26;" lang="EN-GB" >ον</span></span>). Brimstone obviously keeps fire burning. But according to Thayer’s it is a divine incense, because burning brimstone was regarded as having power to purify, and to ward off disease. As fire is used to purify and to melt away undesirable characteristics, so does brimstone have the function of purification.<o:p></o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; font-family: verdana;">We know that the “wild beast” and the “false prophet” are not individuals but composite figures, symbolizing manifestations of the UN and the Anglo-American world power respectively. <o:p><br /></o:p>The verb translated “tormented” is <i>“basanizo”</i> (<span class="lextitlegk"><span style="letter-spacing: 0pt;font-size:26;" lang="EN-GB" >βασανίζω</span></span>). Its first meaning is “to test (metals) by the touchstone, which is a black siliceous stone used to test the purity of gold or silver by the colour of the streak produced on it by rubbing it with either metal“ (Thayer’s) and its second meaning is to be “to be harassed” or “the distress of those who at sea are struggling with a head wind” which is remarkable given the use of the word in connection with a lake.<o:p></o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; font-family: verdana;"><o:p> </o:p><br />What about “forever and ever”? The Greek text uses the same masculine noun <i>“aion”</i> (<span style=";font-family:webdings;font-size:85%;" ><span class="lextitlegk"><span style="letter-spacing: 0pt;font-size:26;" lang="EN-GB" >αἰών</span></span></span>) successively. This noun is translated “the worlds” /”universe”, “period of time”/”age” and “forever”/”eternity”. Thus, we have three related but temporal different possible meanings. <o:p></o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; font-family: verdana;"><o:p> </o:p><br />Now let us put the jigsaw together. Organizations or systems like the “wild beats” or the “false prophet” will never come back after they are destroyed. So for them, this “lake of fire and sulphur” means complete destruction, in a lake that keeps burning for eternity. But for the Devil as an individual this lake will be a lake of cleaning as if through fire, painful and rigid. He will be tested by the touchstone until he achieves purity and there is no spiritual disease left in him. This will take “from the ages to the ages” but God’s fire will finally achieve it’s purifying purpose.<span style=""> </span><o:p> </o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; font-family: verdana;">With this knowledge in mind, let us now re-examine the other two texts!<o:p><br /></o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; font-family: verdana;"><span style="font-size:10;">(Revelation 20:13-15) <b><sup>13</sup></b> And the sea gave up those dead in it, and death and Ha´des gave up those dead in them, and they were judged individually according to their deeds. <b><sup>14</sup></b> And death and Ha´des were hurled into the lake of fire. This means the second death, the lake of fire. <b><sup>15</sup></b> Furthermore, whoever was not found written in the book of life was hurled into the lake of fire.</span><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-size:10;"><o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; font-family: verdana;"><o:p> </o:p><br />The word translated “the dead” is “<i>nekros”,</i> the same noun used in verse 12. There we are told that those <i>“nekros”</i> (dead individuals) “stand” (<i>“histemi”</i>) in front of the court. So it seems that those individuals are alive (at least their spirit is conscious) and await their judgment/assignment either to a human body for a life on earth or a body less existence in the sin bin of Gehenna. Anyway, the sea, death and Hades give up those dead in them and are then hurled into the lake of fire themselves. This lake represents the “second” or better “other” death. Also all individuals who are not found in the book of life will reside there. The fire of this lake will achieve all that God set it aflame for and will completely devour “death” and “Hades” and will fully refine the spirits of those who were not found worthy of a resurrection to life.<o:p></o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; font-family: verdana;">Now finally also the last scripture threatening scripture can be fully harmonized with the supreme love of our father:<o:p></o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; font-family: verdana;"><o:p> </o:p><span style="font-size:10;">(Revelation 21:8) <b><sup>8</sup></b> But as for the cowards and those without faith and those who are disgusting in their filth and murderers and fornicators and those practicing spiritism and idolaters and all the liars, their portion will be in the lake that burns with fire and sulphur. This means the second death.”</span><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-size:10;"> <o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; font-family: verdana;"><o:p> </o:p><br />We already discern that “the other death” is represented by the lake of fire. For human individuals this lake also has brimstone in it to purify from the “disease” of an immoral, atheistic lifestyle. This death is different from the first. It’s the state of consciousness of the spirit without an individual body<o:p></o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; font-family: verdana;"><o:p> </o:p><br />After reading all these scriptures at least one point seems very obvious. I haven’t found even one text that supports the idea or a (continued) non-existence!</p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; font-family: verdana;"><br /><o:p></o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; font-family: verdana;"><b><span style="font-size:130%;">What does the Bible tell us about God’s love and his mercy?</span><o:p></o:p></b><br /><o:p></o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; font-family: verdana;"><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-size:10;">(Matthew 5:44) However, I say to you: Continue to love your enemies and to pray for those persecuting you;<o:p></o:p></span><br /><o:p> </o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; font-family: verdana;">So Jesus taught us to pray for our enemies and to love them, unconditional of what they are doing or are doing to us. Is it reasonable to conclude that this principle uttered by “the word of God”, Jesus Christ, is only applicable to humans? Well, let us read the next verse how Jehovah thinks about it:<o:p></o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; font-family: verdana;"><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-size:10;">(Matthew 5:45) that you may prove yourselves sons of your Father who is in the heavens […]<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; font-family: verdana;"><o:p> </o:p><br />So in truth by acting like commanded in verse 44 we perfectly imitate the love and the MO of our heavenly Father. Loving unconditionally makes us to real sons of our God!<o:p><br /></o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-indent: 14.4pt;font-family:verdana;"><span style="font-size:10;">(Matthew 5:46) <b><sup>46</sup></b> For if YOU love those loving YOU, what reward do YOU have? Are not also the tax collectors doing the same thing?<o:p></o:p></span><o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-indent: 14.4pt;font-family:verdana;"><o:p></o:p>Yes, that is true. We must also love those who hate us. And what happens if we do so?<br /><o:p><br /></o:p><span style="font-size:10;">(Matthew 5:48) <b><sup>48</sup></b> YOU must accordingly be perfect, as YOUR heavenly Father is perfect.<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; font-family: verdana;">We become perfect imitators of God who loves his enemies that hate him.<o:p></o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; font-family: verdana;"><o:p> </o:p>And quantity is not a matter for God. There is no difference if you hate him 10 points or 10.000.000.000 points. He IS love, period…<o:p> </o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; font-family: verdana;"><span style="font-size:10;">(1 John 4:8) <b><sup>8</sup></b> He that does not love has not come to know God, because God is love. . .<o:p></o:p></span><o:p> </o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; font-family: verdana;">The verb translated “come to know” is <i>“ginosko”</i> which signifies a very deep knowledge and intimate knowledge. This love is the divine essence of Jehovah.<o:p></o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal" face="verdana" style="text-align: justify; text-indent: 14.4pt;"><span style="font-size:10;">(1 Corinthians 13:4-8) <b><sup>4</sup></b> Love is long-suffering and kind. Love is not jealous, it does not brag, does not get puffed up, <b><sup>5</sup></b> does not behave indecently, does not look for its own interests, does not become provoked. It does not keep account of the injury. <b><sup>6</sup></b> It does not rejoice over unrighteousness, but rejoices with the truth. <b><sup>7</sup></b> It bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. <b><sup>8</sup></b> Love never fails […]<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; font-family: verdana;"><o:p></o:p>The same love that defines God according to 1. John (“agape”) has all those qualities. Let us emphasize verse 7 and 8a:<o:p></o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-indent: 14.4pt; font-family: verdana;"><o:p> </o:p><br /><span style="font-size:10;">(1 Corinthians 13:6-8) . . .. <b><sup>7</sup></b> It bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. <b><sup>8</sup></b> Love never fails. . .<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; font-family: verdana;">The verb translated “bears” is <i>“stego”</i> and most importantly means “to cover” or “to preserve”. The verb translated “endures” is <i>“hupomeno”</i> can also mean to remain, to preserve. So plainly, the divine love endures all and never fails (<i>“ekpipto” </i>= falls powerless).<o:p><br /><br /></o:p>Let us do two other deductions that show that God will successfully mold all his children<o:p></o:p></p> <p style="text-align: justify;font-family:verdana;"><span style="font-size:10;">But a certain </span><b><span style="color: rgb(204, 102, 0);font-size:10;" >man</span></b><span style="font-size:10;"> was rich, and he used to deck himself with purple and linen, enjoying himself according to day (literal) with magnificence.<span style=""> </span></span><span style="font-size:10;">20</span><span style="font-size:10;"> But a certain poor [one] named Lazarus had been thrown towards (used to be put at) his gate, having been ulcerated </span><span style="font-size:10;">21</span><span style="font-size:10;"> and desiring to be filled with the things dropping from the table of the rich [one]. Yes, too, the dogs would come and lick his ulcers. </span><span style="font-size:10;">22</span><span style="font-size:10;"> Now it occurred [that] the poor [one] died and he was carried off by the angels to the bosom of Abraham. Also, the rich [one] died and was buried. </span><span style="font-size:10;">23</span><span style="font-size:10;"> And in Hades he lifted up his eyes, he existing in torments, and he saw Abraham afar off and Lazarus in the bosoms of him. </span><span style="font-size:10;">24</span><span style="font-size:10;"> So he called and said: </span><b><span style="color: rgb(204, 102, 0);font-size:10;" >Father Abraham</span></b><span style="font-size:10;">, have mercy on me and send Lazarus to dip the tip of his finger in water and cool my tongue, because I am in anguish in this blazing fire. </span><span style="font-size:10;">25</span><span style="font-size:10;"> But Abraham said: </span><b><span style="color: rgb(204, 102, 0);font-size:10;" >Child</span></b><span style="font-size:10;">, remember that you received in full your good things in your life, but Lazarus correspondingly the injurious things. Now, however, he is having comfort here but you are in anguish. </span><span style="font-size:10;">26</span><span style="font-size:10;"> And besides all these things, a great chasm has been fixed between us and you [people], so that those wanting to go over from here to you [people] cannot, neither may [people] cross over from there to us (Luke 16). <o:p></o:p></span></p> <p style="text-align: justify; font-family: verdana;">Lazarus is in the bosom of Abraham, which means he is going to be resurrected into the <st1:place><st1:placetype>Kingdom</st1:placetype> of <st1:placename>God</st1:placename></st1:place>. But the rich man is in Hades and is existing in torments. There is a chasm between Lazarus and the rich man. Now Hades is the common grave of mankind, in scriptural terms Hades is the first death, physical death. So Lazarus and the Rich man are both in Hades, but there is a chasm dividing them. Now a man existing in torment <u>cannot</u> possibly represent a man who is permanently switched off. Existence cannot stand for non existence. So those who are not in the bosom of Abraham are indeed tormented and in anguish. The Rich man is in Hell, which is Gehenna in Hebrew terminology. Gehenna means the <st1:place><st1:placetype>valley</st1:placetype> of <st1:placename>Hinnom</st1:placename></st1:place> outside <st1:city><st1:place>Jerusalem</st1:place></st1:city>. This was a rubbish dump which was regularly incinerated. The bodies of criminals were thrown into this dump when they were not considered worthy of a dignified burial. The rich man is being tormented and so is no longer asleep. Lazarus is being comforted and is asked to visit the Rich man, and so is also awake as of course is Abraham who is talking to the rich man. So everyone has been woken up which is their resurrection. The rich man is resurrected out of the first death, the physical death, the unconscious sleep into Gehenna. Lazarus and Abraham are resurrected into the <st1:place><st1:placetype>Kingdom</st1:placetype> of <st1:placename>God</st1:placename></st1:place>. Now Jesus advised...<o:p></o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:verdana;"><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-size:10;">13</span><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-size:10;"> But when you spread a feast, invite poor people, crippled, lame, blind,<br /></span><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-size:10;">14</span><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-size:10;"> and you will be happy, because they have nothing with which to repay you. For you will be repaid in <u>the resurrection of the righteous ones</u> (Luke 14).<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p style="text-align: justify; font-family: verdana;">Whereas Paul explains...<o:p></o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:verdana;"><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-size:10;">15</span><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-size:10;"> and I have hope toward God, which hope these [men] themselves also entertain, that there is going to be a <u>resurrection of both the righteous and the unrighteous</u> (Acts 24).<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p style="text-align: justify; font-family: verdana;">So the unrighteous ones, those who are not in Abraham's bosom, still nonetheless get a resurrection. They get a resurrection into torment and anguish. So the Rich man gets the resurrection of the unrighteous and Lazarus and Abraham get the resurrection of the righteous.<o:p></o:p></p> <p style="text-align: justify; font-family: verdana;">So , Come on! In true justice, could the true God punish a man for ever as a result of his sinning for 100 years? Would those scales balance? Would that be an eye for an eye? No sir. So eventually one must get out of Gehenna. For otherwise God is being pointlessly cruel and unjust. Gehenna is a place of emotionally painful rehabilitation. A place of weeping and gnashing teeth until one gets sin straight in ones mind and heart. For God will teach us all and eventually he will save us all. He will succeed with all of us, however bad we are at learning. For he has stated through his great prophet Isaiah that:<o:p></o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; font-family: verdana;"><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-size:10;">10</span><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-size:10;"> Everything that is my delight I shall do (Isaiah 46).<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; font-family: verdana;">And his apostle Paul said...<o:p></o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:verdana;"><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-size:10;">21</span><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-size:10;"> For since death is through a man, resurrection of the dead is also through a man. </span><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-size:10;">22</span><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-size:10;"> For just as in Adam all are dying, so also in the Christ <u>all will be made alive</u> (1 Corinthians 15).<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; font-family: verdana;"><u>All</u> will conquer death through the Christ, not some, but all of Adam's sons. All those who die in Adam (well, that all of us!) will get life in Jesus. This is pretty plain and outspoken. Gehenna is the second death. No son of Adam will languish there indefinitely. Jesus fixes all of the problems for all of Adam's kids.<o:p></o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: verdana;">And through Jesus' rock Peter he has stated that:<o:p></o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; font-family: verdana;"><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-size:10;">9</span><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-size:10;"> Jehovah is not slow respecting his promise, as some people consider slowness, but he is patient with you because he does not desire any to be destroyed but <u>desires all to attain to repentance</u> (2 Peter 3).<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; font-family: verdana;">So if he does not want any to be destroyed, and if he does everything he wants, then he will indeed discipline and finally save all his creatures. Because his love knows no bounds at all and is not only greater than his justice, but is in fact the whole basis of his justice. It is the father of his justice.<o:p></o:p></p> <p style="font-family: verdana;" class="MsoNormal">Now in a final step, let us go beyond deduction and understand what the Scripture literally state. Jesus himself said when he defined Gehenna saying:<o:p></o:p><br /><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-size:10;"><o:p><br /></o:p>27</span><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-size:10;"> But he will speak and say to you, I do not know where you are from. Get away from me, all you workers of unrighteousness!' </span><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-size:10;">28</span><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-size:10;"> There is where [your] weeping and the gnashing of [your] teeth will be, when you see Abraham and Isaac and Jacob and all the prophets in the kingdom of God, but yourselves thrown outside (Luke 13).<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; font-family: verdana;"><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-size:10;"><o:p> </o:p></span><br />So Gehenna is being thrown outside the kingdom but still 'seeing' those within it. So you must be conscious to experience this! There is no other way!!!</p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: verdana;"><i style="">Note:<o:p></o:p></i></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; font-family: verdana;"><i style=""><o:p></o:p></i>There has been a long standing debate amongst criminologists between the proponents of retributive justice and the proponents of rehabilitative justice. The former group believe in punishment as a deterrent and for the sake of justice or vengeance. The latter believe in punishment for the sake of teaching. The above understanding shows us that God manages to combine both views, for he believes in punishment for all three reasons (the former view has two reasons). But he does not believe in punishment merely for vengeance or merely as a deterrent, there is always a lesson to be learned. God does not support punishment without teaching. He would never support a life sentence which leaves the criminal with no hope. Even Satan has no such sentence. But neither would he support 18 months in prison for rape. The penalty for murder or rape in the days from Adam to Moses was 7 years outside the camp, i.e. in prison if the camp is the whole country, as it is today. Not a day less and not a day more. The purpose of discipline is to teach. The reader may be asking why did God give a 7 year penalty for murder to the sons of Adam (Genesis <st1:time minute="15" hour="4">4:15</st1:time>), but a death sentence to the sons of Moses (Exodus <st1:time minute="12" hour="21">21:12</st1:time>). Since God's justice is supposed to be constant how can he be setting these two different punishments for the same crime? The answer would appear to be that death is a temporary imprisonment in any event. In fact one could use this argument to prove that there must be a resurrection from death, just as there is a release from prison. <o:p><br /></o:p><br />But as regards those who abuse and who steal human life and those who persistently trash human love, everlasting death is too good for them, let them go to hell for 1,000 years! For there, by losing both of them, they will indeed learn the exceeding value of life and of love. In the present world, some children, such as the orphans of Beslan or of AIDS have never seen much love. One of the kids of Beslan said: There is no God. This is why God cannot permit this system to last much longer. Every child deserves a loving template and God will ensure that one way or another, in one system or the other, they get one.</p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; font-family: verdana;">Michael</p></div></div>Faith Love Hopehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07380360569730156936noreply@blogger.com0