The intent of this writing is to explore the case for universalism, the idea that all sinful and alienated human souls will ultimately be reconciled to God, by making the strongest argument for it and allowing the reader to evaluate its merits. I believe that in order to do this, it is best to start by reviewing the writings of Paul and leveraging his phrasing, statements, and claims as a lens by which we can view the parables of Christ and the gospel message altogether. While some may view this as a mistake, I believe it is important to keep in mind that the parables of Christ are written in such a way that one could come to multiple conclusions by them, and, as history has shown, this does indeed happen quite frequently. By using Paul’s writing as a lens, we are able to eliminate some of these alternate conclusions by their contradictory nature, leaving us with a decision to make regarding the efficacy of Paul’s writing.
The Universalist Paul
As a disclaimer, I am not concretely stating that Paul accepted the idea of universalism, but I hope that by exploring critical elements of his writing we can demonstrate that some fundamental elements of universalism were present. If we use these elements as a lens for the larger gospel, I believe we will begin to see a clear case for universalism.
I have chosen a seemingly obscure place to start our examination of Paul’s writing, starting in 1 Corinthians 5 where Paul is rebuking the church for celebrating a sexually immoral relationship. While this may appear entirely unrelated to universalism, Paul provides an intriguing command to the church, found in verses 4 and 5.
When you are assembled in the name of our Lord Jesus and I am with you in spirit, along with the power of the Lord Jesus, hand this man over to Satan for the destruction of the flesh, so that his spirit may be saved on the Day of the Lord.
1 Corinthians 5:4-5 Berean Standard Bible
So that his spirit may be saved on the Day of the Lord, presumably after the destruction of his flesh. Now, we can interpret this to mean a great deal of things in isolation, as well as in the context of this chapter of Corinthians, and Paul himself could have intended this verse to apply to a variety of situations within his own mind. Perhaps he meant a metaphorical destruction of the flesh, although it would be odd for Satan, as the opposition of God, to facilitate such an event. In this case, Paul could be implying that the man will be saved when God desires it, and that he should be expelled from the church until then. While this view fits nicely with the context of the chapter, the remark about Satan does not. In a more literal sense, he could also be implying that this man may be saved after his death, following the physical destruction of his body. For now, let us set this verse aside and look further into Paul’s writing in Corinthians.
But Christ has indeed been raised from the dead, the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep. For since death came through a man, the resurrection of the dead comes also through a man. For as in Adam all die, so in Christ all will be made alive. But each in his own turn: Christ the firstfruits; then at His coming, those who belong to Him.
1 Corinthians 15:20-23 Berean Standard Bible
In Christ, all will be made alive. Some may point to the last words here, stating that only those who belong to Him will be made alive, and so we must ask who actually belongs to Him? Christ, who was granted authority over all things, must then have all things under Him, which is affirmed in the very next set of verses from 1 Corinthians 15.
Then the end will come, when He hands over the kingdom to God the Father after He has destroyed all dominion, authority, and power. For He must reign until He has put all His enemies under His feet. The last enemy to be destroyed is death. For “God has put everything under His feet.” Now when it says that everything has been put under Him, this clearly does not include the One who put everything under Him. And when all things have been subjected to Him, then the Son Himself will be made subject to Him who put all things under Him, so that God may be all in all.
1 Corinthians 15:24-28 Berean Standard Bible
Verse 28 here clarifies that all things have been put under Christ by God. To further justify this position, let us briefly look to the words of Christ after His resurrection.
Then Jesus came to them and said, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to Me. Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey all that I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, even to the end of the age.”
Matthew 28:18-20 Berean Standard Bible
All authority in heaven and on earth was granted to Him. It logically follows that He was given authority over all of humanity as well, even those that do not claim Him. To further this point, let me ask a question. Who has authority over something, if not the creator, sustainer, maintainer, and judge of it? And if the owner chooses to hand that authority over to someone else, then they most certainly must be considered the owner of the object in question. If we agree with this conclusion, then it is inevitable that all people belong to Christ, even if they do not claim Him. So once again, in Christ, all will be made alive. Those that belong to Him will be made alive, and per our conclusion, all people belong to Christ. Let’s return to Paul for an additional point on this, continuing from our last verse in Corinthians.
If these things are not so, what will those do who are baptized for the dead? If the dead are not raised at all, why are people baptized for them?
1 Corinthians 15:29 Berean Standard Bible
The early church conducted baptisms on the behalf of those who had already died, and Paul plainly asks why they would do this if they did not also believe that they could be raised. This would be a rather futile endeavor, and pointless, if we do not believe that they could be saved as well. Many modern churches no longer practice this, believing that the dead have lost their chance at salvation and, as a result, the practice is indeed futile. However, if one were to read Paul’s writings, it is clear that he was quick to call out such things if they were not beneficial and it is important to note that no such chastisement is stated here. In fact, he appears to endorse the practice, using it as further justification for the eventual raising of the dead.
So will it be with the resurrection of the dead: What is sown is perishable; it is raised imperishable. It is sown in dishonor; it is raised in glory. It is sown in weakness; it is raised in power. It is sown a natural body; it is raised a spiritual body. If there is a natural body, there is also a spiritual body. So it is written: “The first man Adam became a living being;” the last Adam a life-giving spirit.
1 Corinthians 15:42-45 Berean Standard Bible
In review of what we have read so far, we can see the following concepts:
- If there is a natural body, there is also a spiritual body. What is sown is perishable, it is raised imperishable.
- Hand him over to Satan for the destruction of the flesh, so that he may be saved on the day of the Lord.
- In Christ, all will be made alive.
From these passages alone, universalist undertones present themselves. Before we move on, let us attempt to reinforce these concepts by referring to other biblical authors. Should we require further evidence for the potential salvation of the dead, beyond the ceremonial implications of baptism addressed by Paul, let us look no further than Peter.
For Christ also suffered for sins once for all, the righteous for the unrighteous, to bring you to God. He was put to death in the body but made alive in the Spirit, in whom He also went and preached to the spirits in prison who disobeyed long ago when God waited patiently in the days of Noah while the ark was being built.
1 Peter 3:18-20 Berean Standard Bible
Why would Christ preach to those in prison, those who died long ago in the flood, if there were no hope for them? This would surely be a strangely insignificant action for Christ, unless they are still under His authority. Peter responds to this query in the following chapter.
That is why the gospel was preached even to those who are now dead, so that they might be judged as men in the flesh, but live according to God in the spirit.
1 Peter 4:6 Berean Standard Bible
According to Peter, the gospel was preached to the dead so that they might live according to God. How can the dead live, especially if they are in prison? Let us consult the very words of Christ on this accord.
Reconcile quickly with your adversary, while you are still on the way to court. Otherwise, he may hand you over to the judge, and the judge may hand you over to the officer, and you may be thrown into prison. Truly I tell you, you will not get out until you have paid the last penny.
Matthew 5:25-26 Berean Standard Bible
If we are to believe that the dead cannot be saved and have no hope of freedom through Christ, our mediator to God our judge, then it would seem that a life-long sentence would be a more apt comparison. Instead, we find that Christ says you will not get out until you have paid every last penny, implying that freedom is still possible. Given the context provided by Paul and Peter, baptizing the dead and Christ preaching to them, this statement from Christ becomes far more meaningful and sounds much less like the eternal destruction we read about elsewhere.
Finally, before moving on to discuss eternal destruction, eternal punishment, and the outer darkness, I would like to pose a few questions. If Christ preached to the dead, so that they may live according to God, and if we accept the doctrine of eternal punishment, how do we reconcile these concepts? How does one live according to God while in the midst of eternal torment? What comfort could one soul offer another? What good could be provided by those in the midst of their torment? For these questions, I can conceive no answer.
Now, some commentators may point out that those who died in the flood had not heard the gospel, and without hearing had no opportunity for forgiveness. Thus, Christ gave them the gospel and the opportunity, should they have been willing to accept it. I suppose that such an argument has some merit, but I should point out that Noah most likely preached to them as well, until the very day of the flood. However, even if we yield to this argument, we are still left with Paul endorsing the practice of baptism on behalf of the dead, and again we find ourselves attempting to answer the very same set of questions.
Eternal Destruction and Eternal Life
The doctrine of eternal damnation clearly stands in the way of a plain reading of the verses I cited from Paul, Peter, and Matthew. Thus, we must look at the verses on which that doctrine is based for further understanding.
I’d like to start with a reminder that when interpreting any text, even text within our native tongue, context can change the entire meaning of a word. Sometimes this context is clear and apparent, but occasionally the context can be obscured, resulting in confusion and misunderstanding. As a brief demonstration of this, I would like to share a couple of sentences using the word awful. It should be possible to derive the intended meaning of the word from each example, even without defining it.
- Getting that flat tire was such an awful experience.
- The presence of Nature in all her awful loveliness.
In the first example, awful carries a negative connotation, while it does the opposite in the second example. This sort of contextual implication is common among all languages and so it should come as no surprise that there is debate, even among scholars, regarding the interpretation of ancient written texts such as the Bible.
Lexicography
I don’t believe that anyone would contend with the idea that the common meaning or usage of words change throughout time. I am sure that we could list many examples of this occurring within our own lifetimes as validation of the concept. As a result, we should start our contextual analysis by examining historical definitions of the word aiōn, the root from which every word translated as endless, eternal, or forever in the English New Testament is derived. I believe that in this case, we should start with the definition provided by the oldest known lexicographer, Hesychius of Alexandria. Likely living sometime during the 5th and 6th century C.E., Hesychius is the author of one of the world’s oldest existing lexicons, in it he defines aiōn as such:
“the life of man, the time of life.”
Hesychius; Alphabetical Collection of All Words available for review in Hesychii Alexandrini
Lexicon, ed. Kurt Latte (Hauniae: Ejnar Munksgaard, 1953), 47; trans. by Hanson, Greek Word.
Interestingly, he does not include any notion of eternity in his definition, but alludes to an indeterminate amount of time with both a beginning and end. John of Damascus, living sometime between the 7th and 8th century C.E. and one of the Fathers of the Eastern Orthodox Church, would seem to agree with this, adding the following:
“whole duration or life of this world is called aión”
John of Damascus; An Exact Exposition of the Orthodox Faith, Book II Chapter 1, trans. by
“life after the resurrection is called ‘the aión to come.”
Hanson, Greek Word.
In fact, it doesn’t seem that aión is given any secular or common use regarding endless or limitless time until the 16th century C.E., when a unique entry was added by yet another lexicographer. Varinus Phavorinus, who was a 16th century lexicographer and tutor to the future Pope Leo X, provides the following definition:
Aión, time, also life, also habit, or way of life. Aión is also the eternal and endless as it seems to the theologian.
Varinus Phavorinus; Magnum ac Perutile Dictionarium, trans. by Hanson, Greek Word
Phavorinus notes that theology has provided a new meaning for the word in common language. Somewhere between the time of Hesychius and that of Phavorinus, theological interpretation drove a new meaning into the common language. It appears that aión would have been understood very differently to ancient readers of the Old Testament, as well as the very people to whom Christ spoke, which only serves to strengthen the lens we built through Paul earlier.
The only exception found here comes from Theodoret of Cyrus, a theologian in the 5th century C.E., who provides us with one scenario in which aión can refer to the infinite; only when spoken of God. This is, of course, a direct result to the theological idea that God has no beginning or end. If the classical meaning of the word aión compares a length of time with the life of something, then when it is used while speaking about God it must refer to His duration as well.
“Aión is not any existing thing, but an interval denoting time, sometimes infinite when
Theodoret of Cyrus; Patrologiae Cursus Completus, trans. into Latin by Jacques
spoken of God, sometimes proportioned to the duration of the creation, and sometimes to
the life of man.”
Paul Migne, Vol. IV, 400, trans. by Hanson, Greek Word.
Olympiodorus of Thebes was a Roman historian, poet, philosopher and diplomat of the early fifth century. I have included him here as an early non-Christian source informing us of the common understanding of aiónian punishment. Notice that he adds a Greek word (apeirous) to clarify that an aiónian period is not endless.
Do not suppose that the soul is punished for endless ages [apeirous aionas] in Tartarus. Very properly the soul is not punished to gratify the revenge of the divinity, but for the sake of healing. But we say that the soul is punished for an æonian period, calling its life, and its allotted period of punishment, its æon.
Olympiodorus, Quoted by John Wesley Hanson, Universalism the Prevailing Doctrine of the Christian Church (1889), p. 283
Eternal or Indefinite
From these authors, scholars, theologians, and lexicographers, it should be made plain that aión is not endless unless the target of its application can be deemed so, such as its application to God. Now, let us look to one of the passages from which the doctrine of eternal damnation is drawn.
They will be punished with everlasting destruction and shut out from the presence of the Lord and from the glory of his might
2 Thessalonians 1:9 New International Version
The New International Version uses the definite translation of everlasting, making the contextual decision for us. Marvin Vincent, professor of classics at Troy Methodist University and professor of New Testament exegesis and criticism at Union Theological Seminary before his death in 1922, provides a very enlightening note on this very verse in his work, Word Studies in the New Testament.
Additional Note on ὄλεθρον αἰώνιον eternal destruction, Th2 1:9
Ἁιών transliterated eon, is a period of time of longer or shorter duration, having a beginning and an end, and complete in itself. Aristotle (περὶ οὐρανοῦ, i. 9, 15) says: “The period which includes the whole time of each one’s life is called the eon of each one.” Hence it often means the life of a man, as in Homer, where one’s life (αἰών) is said to leave him or to consume away (Il. v. 685; Od. v. 160). It is not, however, limited to human life; it signifies any period in the course of events, as the period or age before Christ; the period of the millennium; the mytho-logical period before the beginnings of history. The word has not “a stationary and mechanical value” (De Quincey). It does not mean a period of a fixed length for all cases. There are as many eons as entities, the respective durations of which are fixed by the normal conditions of the several entities. There is one eon of a human life, another of the life of a nation, another of a crow’s life, another of an oak’s life. The length of the eon depends on the subject to which it is attached.
Vincent, M., 1991. Word studies in the New Testament:. Peabody, Mass.: Hendrickson.
Once again we see that the definitive use of everlasting, eternal, or endless, would not be appropriate here. The New International Version, as well as so many other interpretations of the New Testament, have chosen to make this contextual decision on our behalf. Perhaps it was done for the sake of doctrine, perhaps on behalf of doctrine for the sake of readability, the motivations do not really matter as the fact is that this decision was made for us, the reader, without any note of possible exception and in spite of the historical understanding of the word. However, not all translations choose to do this, preferring instead to remove doctrine from the text and allowing the reader to come to their own doctrinal conclusions.
who shall suffer justice — destruction age-during — from the face of the Lord, and from the glory of his strength,
2 Thessalonians 1:9 Young’s Literal Translation
As we see in Young’s Literal Translation, everlasting is instead presented as age-during, a much more appropriate phrase which carries the historical understanding. With this translation, the punishment could be everlasting or finite, and it is left to the reader to decide. Based on the verses I presented earlier from Paul, Peter, and even Christ, if we are talking about punishment, separated from God, could it truly be everlasting? If so, we are confronted with the same questions of baptism on behalf of the dead and of Jesus preaching to the dead. What would be the meaning of these things if the punishment is everlasting and unending? After the last penny has been paid, does the prisoner just remain in prison? It would seem that the lens Paul, Peter, and Christ have given us suggests otherwise.
“Then they will go away to eternal punishment, but the righteous to eternal life.”
Matthew 25:46 New International Version
Once again we are presented with an interpretation which makes the contextual decision for us. But which would you prefer, an interpretation which makes contextual decisions for you in the name of readability, or an interpretation which might be harder to understand but causes you to stop and ask the right questions? Let’s take a look at the same verse from another New Testament version.
And these shall go away to punishment age-during, but the righteous to life age-during.
Matthew 25:46 Young’s Literal Translation
I will admit that this verse is much more difficult to understand, but it does cause us to ask the following question. What is meant by punishment age-during, or life age-during? To answer this question, we would need to look at the historical lexicons and word studies which I have quoted, and others which I have not mentioned here. We would have to use our understanding of other biblical verses in order to create a holistic picture of what is being described, and the verses I have quoted so far would need to be accounted for.
If we leverage the lens we established earlier, the verse becomes clear. The context of the passage in Matthew is again regarding punishment separated from God, one which must be for an indeterminate period of time if we accept baptism on behalf of the dead, just as Paul clearly did. Life, on the other hand, can be presumed to be life with God, which can absolutely be eternal, as God is eternal. However, I still would insist that age-during is the appropriate phrase to use here, as opposed to eternal, and I will explain why.
It is my opinion that we retain free will in heaven. Though we may not desire to sin, if we have free will, the possibility remains. Removing free will would seem to defeat the purpose of this entire existence, as God could have created mindless automatons from the beginning, providing agency and then removing it would seem to be counterproductive. Although I can see no logical reason why someone, after striving to be with God through life and through punishment, being united with Him in paradise, would choose to rebel, the word choice here is just one more indication that it is indeed possible.
All of this leads me to one more point about the selection of phrasing and the translation. If Christ and the authors of the New Testament had insisted on endless duration without question, there were Greek words at their disposal, aïdios (eternal) or ateleutos (endless) for example. These words have no ambiguity to them and were even used by Flavius Josephus, a first century historian, to describe the eternal retribution and eternal imprisonment teachings of the Pharisees and the Essenes respectively. Nevertheless, we were given the use of a word which is hinged to the relative time-duration of its subject. It is my belief that this was deliberate.
There are many more examples of this throughout the New Testament, but I will not go through all of them here. I would like to present one final example though. Typically captioned as the unforgivable or unpardonable sin, Mark 3:29 is commonly interpreted as such:
but whoever blasphemes against the Holy Spirit will never be forgiven; they are guilty of an eternal sin.
Mark 3:29 New International Version
With this interpretation, there can be no doubt as to its meaning. The contextual decisions have been made for us once again, regardless of the true intent of the underlying Greek. Once again, Young’s Literal and other translations have taken a more historically accurate phrasing.
but whoever may speak evil in regard to the Holy Spirit hath not forgiveness — to the age, but is in danger of age-during judgment;
Mark 3:29 Young’s Literal Translation
The difference here is clear, and the passage is no longer absolute, allowing it to easily align with the verses we reviewed earlier. Rejection of the Holy Spirit, rejection of the gospel, results in punishment. If Christ will not mediate on our behalf until we accept the gospel, and if we allow baptisms on behalf of the dead and agree that Christ preaches to them, then this verse, as it is presented in Young’s, appears to be a more accurate translation. Further so when one considers the historical definition of aión.
Expanding the Lens
At this point we have given ourselves a set of verses which challenge the doctrine of eternal damnation and we have equipped ourselves with a more historically accurate understanding of some of the key verses which support such a doctrine. Now we must establish a larger context by which we can understand what is meant by age-during judgement or punishment, and age-during life.
Catholicism gets around the difficulty of dealing with baptism, preaching, and even prayers for the dead with the introduction of another alternative, referred to as purgatory, a temporary state of existence where believers who have not been perfected are prepared for their entrance to Heaven. Of course, this doctrine is presented with its own set of challenges, and these challenges overlap with the doctrine of eternal damnation.
By the grace God has given me, I laid a foundation as an expert builder, and someone else is building on it. But each one must be careful how he builds. For no one can lay a foundation other than the one already laid, which is Jesus Christ. If anyone builds on this foundation using gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, or straw, his workmanship will be evident, because the Day will bring it to light. It will be revealed with fire, and the fire will prove the quality of each man’s work. If what he has built survives, he will receive a reward. If it is burned up, he will suffer loss. He himself will be saved, but only as if through the flames.
1 Corinthians 3:10-15 Berean Standard Bible
If anyone builds on this foundation, his workmanship will be evident. If it is burnt up, he will suffer, but he himself will be saved. This passage comes from Paul’s letter to the Corinthians and is frequently assumed to be addressing the Corinthians directly. I’d like to challenge that assumption, given the way that Paul frequently addresses the Corinthians as you, yourselves, brothers, and so on. In fact, in the verses immediately prior to this passage, and immediately following, Paul returns to addressing the Corinthians in that manner. If we choose to ignore that distinction here, then we must also do so in verse 17:
If anyone destroys God’s temple, God will destroy him; for God’s temple is holy, and you are that temple.
1 Corinthians 3:17 Berean Standard Bible
If we presume Paul to be speaking exclusively to the Church in Corinth, then we must interpret this passage in the same way, taking away from the clear distinction of Paul’s choice to say anyone, and assuming that he is implying that only if a fellow brother in Christ destroys God’s temple, God will destroy him. This is, of course, nonsensical given the phrasing. In this same manner, we must assume that Paul when Paul says anyone, he in fact means anyone, and not just those to whom he is speaking. Such an understanding would indeed challenge the view of eternal damnation, as well as purgatory. Not only does this understanding of the passage respect Paul’s choice of words, but it also aligns with the verses identified as our lens. Baptism on behalf of the dead, prayers for the dead, and even Christ Himself preaching to the dead so that they might live according to God, all make sense without any form of convoluted reasoning.
Additionally, I have heard it stated that the works spoken of in the previous passage are exclusive to believers, typically in defense of the view of purgatory, but this is addressed directly in the passage where it is explicitly stated that no one can lay a foundation other than the one already laid, which is Jesus Christ. Nonbelievers produce works as well, and those works must be built on some foundation, even if it is a foundation they reject.
Finally, I will offer one final passage by which we can expand the lens Paul provides us:
All this is from God, who reconciled us to Himself through Christ and gave us the ministry of reconciliation: that God was reconciling the world to Himself in Christ, not counting men’s trespasses against them. And He has committed to us the message of reconciliation.
2 Corinthians 5:18-19
If our ministry is one of reconciliation, how then can we preach eternal and endless suffering? This does not appear to me, to be a message of reconciliation, but one purely of judgement. Is God reconciling the world, or merely reconciling part of the world and eternally punishing the rest?
All Shall Be Saved
Any doctrine which includes eternal damnation, with or without purgatory, must be thoroughly reconciled not only with the lens we have identified, but also with the following verses:
- This is good and pleasing in the sight of God our Savior, who wants everyone to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth. – 1 Timothy 2:3-4
- For there is one God, and there is one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus, who gave Himself as a ransom for all – 1 Timothy 2:5-6
- For the love of Christ controls us, because we have concluded this: that one has died for all, therefore all have died; and he died for all, that those who live might no longer live for themselves but for him who for their sake died and was raised. – 2 Corinthians 5:14-15
- For just as the Father raises the dead and gives them life, so also the Son gives life to whom He wishes. – John 5:21
This is merely a selection of verses with which eternal damnation would clash, but age-during judgement would easily be reconciled, and there are more. I’d like to walk through these examples in a larger context, so that we might see this point on full display.
For just as the Father raises the dead and gives them life, so also the Son gives life to whom He wishes.
John 5:21, 30 Berean Standard Bible
I can do nothing by Myself; I judge only as I hear. And My judgment is just, because I do not seek My own will, but the will of Him who sent Me.
These are the words of Christ, as recorded in the book of John. Here we see that not only does the Father raise the dead to life, but also the Son who does the will of the Father. What is the will of the Father?
This is good and pleasing in the sight of God our Savior, who wants everyone to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth.
1 Timothy 2:3-4 Berean Standard Bible
According to Paul, God our Savior desires for everyone to be saved. If the Son does the will of the Father, and the Father desires all to be saved, how can we conclude that some will not be saved?
Everyone or All Humanity?
One common rebuttal to the verses we have examined so far is that, in context, they may not be referring to ‘all humanity’ when they say ‘everyone’. This is a valid point and something that should be addressed. Our last verse, from 1 Timothy 2, says that God wants everyone to be saved. Of course, this verse comes from a letter from Paul to Timothy, and a case could be made that Paul had a specific group of people in mind when he says ‘everyone’. Rather than go through and analyze the context of each of these verses individually, it may be better to present a concrete example supporting universalism, and then use that passage to help us decide if ‘everyone’ means merely the ‘elect’, or if it may indeed apply to all of humanity. In order to determine this, we must first establish that Christ atoned for all humanity, and then we can establish that all people will eventually experience salvation.
He Himself is the atoning sacrifice for our sins, and not only for ours but also for the sins of the whole world.
1 John 2:2 Berean Standard Bible
John establishes that Christ atoned for the sins of the whole world, not just some people. The word choice here is undeniable. All sins have been atoned for with one exception, the denial of the Holy Spirit. This denial is what condemns people to punishment, their own choice not to accept the pardon that has been made for them.
The Lord is not slow in keeping His promise as some understand slowness, but is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish but everyone to come to repentance.
2 Peter 3:9 Berean Standard Bible
Punishment is an action that intends to seek a certain outcome, the understanding that whatever someone has done to deserve punishment was wrong or improper and a commitment to no longer conduct one’s self in that manner, also called repentance. An eternal, endless punishment would not obtain that outcome as the punishment would simply continue on forever, even after the person has repented. Endless punishment makes the act of repentance meaningless. In order for repentance to have value, a person must be saved from further punishment. So, the question that we must ask is if there is a promise from God that all people will eventually see that salvation from punishment.
Prepare the way for the LORD in the wilderness; make a straight highway for our God in the desert. Every valley shall be lifted up, and every mountain and hill made low; the uneven ground will become smooth, and the rugged land a plain. And the glory of the LORD will be revealed, and all humanity together will see it. For the mouth of the LORD has spoken.
Isaiah 40: 3-5 Berean Standard Bible
All humanity will see the glory of God, for the mouth of the Lord has spoken. We could spend some time breaking down the meaning of this, but the book of Luke has already rephrased it for us.
Prepare the way for the Lord, make straight paths for Him. Every valley shall be filled in, and every mountain and hill made low. The crooked ways shall be made straight, and the rough ways smooth. And all humanity will see God’s salvation.
Luke 3:4-6 Berean Standard Bible
All humanity will see God’s salvation. Not merely the elect, not some subgroup of humanity, but all humanity. Some will be saved prior to punishment, others will be handed over for the destruction of the flesh, so that their spirit may be saved on the Day of the Lord (1 Corinthians 5:4-5), but all humanity will see God’s salvation.
Age-During Judgement or Age-During Life
Earlier, I asked if Christ does the will of the Father, and the Father desires all to be saved, how can we conclude that some will not be saved? In response to that question, I’d like to use several verses by which we can paint a portrait of sorts, one which describes the fate of unbelievers beyond this life. In order to properly portray such imagery, we must first lay some foundation.
God is a Consuming Fire
“For our God is a consuming fire.”
Hebrews 12:24 Berean Standard Bible
God is indeed a consuming fire, one which refines and cleanses. For some context regarding what this means, let us consider the following:
when the Lord has washed away the filth of the daughters of Zion and cleansed the bloodstains from the heart of Jerusalem by a spirit of judgment and a spirit of fire.
Isaiah 4:4 Berean Standard Bible
In Isaiah we see that God cleanses the heart with a spirit of judgement and a spirit of fire.
But who can endure the day of His coming? And who can stand when He appears? For He will be like a refiner’s fire, like a launderer’s soap. And He will sit as a refiner and purifier of silver; He will purify the sons of Levi and refine them like gold and silver. Then they will present offerings to the LORD in righteousness.
Malachi 3:2-3 Berean Standard Bible
Here in Malachi we see similarities in the imagery provided by Paul in 1 Corinthians 3:10-15, which I will refer to again in a moment. From this passage in Malachi we come to understand that the spirit of fire is like a refining fire, purifying and refining to be like silver and gold. These precious metals are most likely analogous to righteousness. Now that we have established that the spirit of fire, the consuming fire, is a refining, purifying, and cleansing fire, let us revisit Paul’s words in Corinthians.
By the grace God has given me, I laid a foundation as an expert builder, and someone else is building on it. But each one must be careful how he builds. For no one can lay a foundation other than the one already laid, which is Jesus Christ. If anyone builds on this foundation using gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, or straw, his workmanship will be evident, because the Day will bring it to light. It will be revealed with fire, and the fire will prove the quality of each man’s work. If what he has built survives, he will receive a reward. If it is burned up, he will suffer loss. He himself will be saved, but only as if through the flames.
1 Corinthians 3:10-15 Berean Standard Bible
Under the Old Covenant we are judged by our works, and since we are all fallible, this is not desirable or beneficial to us. It is absolutely a gauge by which we can aspire to improve, but it is not a measure by which we would benefit if judged. This is the judgement, the purifying fire by which we are judged, and if our works are good we are rewarded, but if they are not, we will suffer. However, through the flames we are saved. Regardless of this eventuality, the process does not sound appealing to say the least. How can we avoid such a fate?
But in a great house there are not only vessels of gold and of silver, but also of wood and of earth; and some to honour, and some to dishonour. If a man therefore purge himself from these, he shall be a vessel unto honour, sanctified, and meet for the master’s use, and prepared unto every good work.
2 Timothy 2:20-2 Berean Standard Bible
According to Paul in 2 Timothy, a man can purge himself of dishonorable works and be sanctified, prepared for every good work. How can this be done? Through Christ.
For with your heart you believe and are justified, and with your mouth you confess and are saved.
Romans 10:10 Berean Standard Bible
In Romans Paul makes it clear that faith in Christ and confession of that faith will not only save us, but justify us as well, and that justification is what saves us from torment in our judgement.
It is just as the Scripture says: “Anyone who believes in Him will never be put to shame.” For there is no difference between Jew and Greek: The same Lord is Lord of all, and gives richly to all who call on Him, for, “Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.”
Romans 10:11-13 Berean Standard Bible
Anyone who believes in Him will never be put to shame. Our works are justified through our faith in Christ and this gift is freely available to all. Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved. Saved from age-during torment and judgement, the purifying and consuming fire, and rewarded with age-during life with Christ, which is eternally with God the Father.
The Lake of Fire
And if anyone was found whose name was not written in the Book of Life, he was thrown into the lake of fire.
Revelation 20:15 Berean Standard Bible
Now, there are many beliefs regarding the book of Revelation, whether certain events have taken place and if certain things mentioned are intended to be literal or metaphorical. Once again, these debates are not necessary for the understanding of that which I am about to share. First, we already have an understanding of the nature of fire in this context, as purifying and refining, but it is only purifying for those things which can remain through the flames. Those things which are no longer necessary, such as death or Hades, will not survive the flame. However, let us look into the book of Revelation for some examples of things which may indeed survive the fire.
The Kings of the Earth
Why do the nations rage and the peoples plot in vain? The kings of the earth take their stand and the rulers gather together, against the LORD and against His Anointed One: “Let us break Their chains and cast away Their cords.”
Psalms 2:1-3 Berean Standard Bible
This is a passage from Psalms which appears to foreshadow the same kings of the earth mentioned in Revelation, and a warning is given to them regarding their rebellion:
Therefore be wise, O kings; be admonished, O judges of the earth. Serve the LORD with fear, and rejoice with trembling. Kiss the Son, lest He be angry and you perish in your rebellion, when His wrath ignites in an instant.
Psalms 2:10-12 Berean Standard Bible
Here we see that they, the kings of the earth, will perish in their rebellion when His wrath ignites in an instant. We see these same events play out in the book of Revelation.
Grace and peace to you from Him who is and was and is to come, and from the seven Spirits before His throne, and from Jesus Christ, the faithful witness, the firstborn from the dead, and the ruler of the kings of the earth.
Revelation 1:4-5 Berean Standard Bible
This is the first mention of the kings of the earth in Revelation, and Jesus is proclaimed to be their ruler, whom they were warned and instructed to serve.
And when I saw the Lamb open the sixth seal, there was a great earthquake, and the sun became black like sackcloth of goat hair, and the whole moon turned blood red, and the stars of the sky fell to the earth like unripe figs dropping from a tree shaken by a great wind. The sky receded like a scroll being rolled up, and every mountain and island was moved from its place. Then the kings of the earth, the nobles, the commanders, the rich, the mighty, and every slave and free man hid in the caves and among the rocks of the mountains. And they said to the mountains and the rocks, “Fall on us and hide us from the face of the One seated on the throne, and from the wrath of the Lamb. For the great day of Their wrath has come, and who is able to withstand it?”
Revelation 6:12-17 Berean Standard Bible
Here we see the kings of the earth running and attempting to escape their imminent demise, just as they were warned.
And I saw three unclean spirits that looked like frogs coming out of the mouths of the dragon, the beast, and the false prophet. These are demonic spirits that perform signs and go out to all the kings of the earth, to assemble them for battle on the great day of God the Almighty.
Revelation 16:13-14 Berean Standard Bible
Now the kings of the earth prepare for battle, for violent rebellion, just as described in Psalms 2.
Then one of the seven angels with the seven bowls came and said to me, “Come, I will show you the punishment of the great prostitute, who sits on many waters. The kings of the earth were immoral with her, and those who dwell on the earth were intoxicated with the wine of her immorality.”
Revelation 17:1-2, 5, 18 Berean Standard Bible
And on her forehead a mysterious name was written:
BABYLON THE GREAT,
THE MOTHER OF PROSTITUTES
AND OF THE ABOMINATIONS OF THE EARTH.
And the woman you saw is the great city that rules over the kings of the earth.”
In Revelation 17, it is made clear to whom the loyalty of the kings of the earth lays.
Then the kings of the earth who committed sexual immorality and lived in luxury with her will weep and wail at the sight of the smoke rising from the fire that consumes her. In fear of her torment, they will stand at a distance and cry out: “Woe, woe to the great city, the mighty city of Babylon! For in a single hour your judgment has come.”
Revelation 18:9-10 Berean Standard Bible
The kings of the earth watch in fear as their master is consumed by fire. It is important to remember here that their master is a city, Babylon.
Then I saw the beast and the kings of the earth with their armies assembled to wage war against the One seated on the horse, and against His army. But the beast was captured along with the false prophet, who on its behalf had performed signs deceiving those who had the mark of the beast and worshiped its image. Both the beast and the false prophet were thrown alive into the fiery lake of burning sulfur. And the rest were killed with the sword that proceeded from the mouth of the One seated on the horse. And all the birds gorged themselves on their flesh.
Revelation 19:19-21 Berean Standard Bible
We see the kings of the earth meet their fate and perish at the hands of Christ, just as stated in Psalms 2. At this point, in Revelation 20, we are presented with the resurrection of those who served Christ and are given a thousand years of peace. After this, the dead are judged according to their works. Surely we can count the kings of the earth, who died in open rebellion against Christ, among them.
And there were open books, and one of them was the Book of Life. And the dead were judged according to their deeds, as recorded in the books. The sea gave up its dead, and Death and Hades gave up their dead, and each one was judged according to his deeds. Then Death and Hades were thrown into the lake of fire. This is the second death—the lake of fire. And if anyone was found whose name was not written in the Book of Life, he was thrown into the lake of fire.
Revelation 20:12-15 Berean Standard Bible
At this point, we are presented with an open question. Do we believe that the names of the kings of the earth are recorded in the Book of Life? It is not necessary to debate this question here, so I will leave it to you for now. The more important question at this juncture is this: What happens to the kings of the earth? It is my belief that we are presented with three basic options:
- If we accept a doctrine of eternal conscious torment, everlasting damnation, then we must assume that they remain in the lake of fire.
- If we believe that their names were present in the Book of Life, then we must do so despite the fact that they are presented as dying in open rebellion against Christ. The ramifications of such a belief will be difficult to reconcile with all of the passages regarding the judgement of fire, age-during punishment, or even eternal punishment.
- We can accept the description of the fire of judgement as purifying and refining, destroying those works which are dishonorable and saving the man in the end, as we have seen it described in several passages.
I will not bother to address option two, as it seemingly contradicts very much of what we have read and established so far, and I would be hard pressed to imagine any position which can coherently reconcile such a view with scripture. So, let us address option number one, and inquire if they remain in the lake of fire.
Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and earth had passed away, and the sea was no more. I saw the holy city, the new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband.
Revelation 21:1-2, 22-24 Berean Standard Bible
But I saw no temple in the city, because the Lord God Almighty and the Lamb are its temple. And the city has no need of sun or moon to shine on it, because the glory of God illuminates the city, and the Lamb is its lamp. By its light the nations will walk, and into it the kings of the earth will bring their glory.
Here we see a new heaven, a new earth, and the holy city, the new Jerusalem. But we also see that the kings of the earth enter into it with glory. How is this possible? Perhaps these are a different set of kings of the earth, different from those presented to us earlier. The phrasing is too suspect and deliberate, as this could have easily have been distinguished from such prominent figures in all of the earlier chapters of Revelation by simply describing them as new kings of the earth, or perhaps the remaining kings of the earth. Yet, here they are, being presented in the exact same manner as we have seen them described in Psalm 2, Revelation 1, 6, 16, 17, 18, and 19, as the kings of the earth. Even in the Greek, they were βασιλεῖς (basileis) when they were slain in Revelation 19 and βασιλεῖς (basileis) when presented in Revelation 21. Given this, it would seem that the view of judgement fire as being purifying and refining, saving the man through the flames, as well as the view of age-during punishment and age-during judgement being limited in duration, hold true even here at the end, with the new heaven and the new earth, and even the new Jerusalem.
This is good and pleasing in the sight of God our Savior, who wants everyone to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth.
1 Timothy 2:3-4 Berean Standard Bible
Patriarchs of the Early Church
When looking for guidance on issues of grave importance, it is essential to look to the early church fathers for their understanding as well. This can only serve to inform our opinion on such matters. Many of these men have been venerated as Saints, have miracles attributed to them, and many of them died as martyrs refusing to deny their faith in Christ, as a result, I do not believe we should take their words lightly. I will offer some limited background information in order to properly introduce each person before looking into their quoted works, this way their is no confusion as to the prominence and historical role each of these men played in the history of the church.
Pope Clement I (1st Century)
Clement of Rome was Bishop of Rome until his death in 99 AD and is said to have been consecrated by Peter the Apostle.
If we do the will of Christ, we shall obtain rest; but if not, if we neglect his commandments, nothing will rescue us from eternal punishment
Second Clement, Chapter 6
Here Clement is careful to use the same Greek terminology that we find in our biblical examples, also translated as age-during punishment. Thus, we must once again refer to the biblical context for the implication of this phrasing, which we have already done. It is agreed that nothing will rescue us from such punishment, or refinement, and it is merely the duration being disputed as either eternal or limited. Given the historical usage of the word, and the lens we have been provided by Paul, we must once again ask ourselves if this is an appropriate translation of Pope Clement I from the Greek.
But when they see how those who have sinned and who have denied Jesus by their words or by their deeds are punished with terrible torture in unquenchable fire, the righteous, who have done good, and who have endured tortures and have hated the luxuries of life, will give glory to their God saying, ‘There shall be hope for him that has served God with all his heart!’
Second Clement, Chapter 17
In this passage we are presented with torture in unquenchable fire and, as I previously pointed out, there are no qualms with the claim that the fire is unquenchable, merely the duration that one may spend in such a fire. There is nothing present in either of these passages which would call into question the biblical understanding of age-during punishment that I presented earlier, simply the recycled biblical language used to express age-during punishment, which we have already discussed.
In fact, in First Clement there is a passage which seems to imply limited, or age-during punishment:
All these the great Creator and Lord of all has appointed to exist in peace and harmony; while He does good to all, but most abundantly to us who have fled for refuge to His compassions through Jesus Christ our Lord, to whom be glory and majesty for ever and ever.
First Clement, Chapter 20
He does good to all. Refining and purifying like silver and gold, or eternal conscious torment? What good comes to the soul suffering eternally?
All these, therefore, were highly honoured, and made great, not for their own sake, or for their own works, or for the righteousness which they wrought, but through the operation of His will. And we, too, being called by His will in Christ Jesus, are not justified by ourselves, nor by our own wisdom, or understanding, or godliness, or works which we have wrought in holiness of heart; but by that faith through which, from the beginning, Almighty God has justified all men; to whom be glory for ever and ever. Amen.
First Clement, Chapter 32
Almighty God has justified all men; to whom be glory for ever and ever. Amen.
Justin Martyr (c. AD 100 – c. AD 165)
Also known as Justin the philosopher, Justin was a second century Christian apologist who was martyred, hence the title.
No more is it possible for the evildoer, the avaricious, and the treacherous to hide from God than it is for the virtuous. Every man will receive the eternal punishment or reward which his actions deserve. Indeed, if all men recognized this, no one would choose evil even for a short time, knowing that he would incur the eternal sentence of fire
First Apology, Chapter 12
Once again in this passage we see that original Greek uses the same biblical terminology that we have become accustomed to, with Justin using the word αἰωνίαν (aiōnian), from the root aión, which we have already discussed. For those same reasons, it is alternatively, and more appropriately, translated as age-during.
“We have been taught that only they may aim at immortality who have lived a holy and virtuous life near to God. We believe that they who live wickedly and do not repent will be punished in everlasting fire” (ibid., 21).
First Apology, Chapter 21
Here, we do not see any notion as to the duration of the punishment, merely the mention that the fire is age-during, or αἰωνίῳ (aionious).
[Jesus] shall come from the heavens in glory with his angelic host, when he shall raise the bodies of all the men who ever lived. Then he will clothe the worthy in immortality; but the wicked, clothed in eternal sensibility, he will commit to the eternal fire, along with the evil demons
First Apology, Chapter 52
Once again, in this final passage we see that the wicked are condemned to punishment in fire, and the duration of the punishment is not explicitly implied. In all of these passages from Justin, we again find ourselves reading the same biblical language we have already discussed and seeing passages which neither support nor condemn any notion of eternal punishment. One thing of note here is that demons are mentioned in this fire as well, and I will address this later with a passage from another church father.
For among us the prince of the wicked spirits is called the serpent, and Satan, and the devil, as you can learn by looking into our writings. And that he would be sent into the fire with his host, and the men who follow him, and would be punished for an endless duration, Christ foretold. For the reason why God has delayed to do this, is His regard for the human race. For He fore-knows that some are to be saved by repentance, some even that are perhaps not yet born.
First Apology, Chapter 28
While this passage is not one offered up as evidence for belief in eternal damnation among the church fathers, I believe it may help to provide some additional insight into, not only the previous passages from Justin and the other church fathers, but also to the biblical passages we have discussed. Most interesting in this passage is the phrase endless duration, as the word endless here is an entirely new Greek word (ἀπέραντον) which is never used in the Bible to describe the duration of punishment. We will return to that word in just a moment, but first I would like to address the second part of that phrase, the word duration here is actually from the same Greek aión which I pointed out is more accurately translated as age-during, but it is also translated as age and, apparently, duration, as it is used here. This only serves to strengthen the case that age-during, or some equivalent phrase expressing the flexibility of the term, is a more appropriate translation.
In regard to the word endless from the passage, used here to further describe the duration of punishment, I would like to point out that it is also used in the book of 3 Maccabees. Although this is not considered biblical canon, its usage in the following passage can help us to more accurately understand how it is used.
You, O King, when you had created the boundless and immeasurable earth
3 Maccabees 2:9 Revised Standard Version
In Maccabees, ἀπέραντον is used to describe the earth. Unless we are willing to accept that the earth is literally endless, or boundless as it is translated here, we must accept that the Greek word is either being used as a form of poetic exaggeration or that its meaning does not always literally apply the infinite article. In fact, we see that in Job 36, in the Greek LXX, the word απέραντος with which the meaning of ἀπέραντον is equated in modern lexicons, being used to describe the age of God.
Indeed, God is great—beyond our knowledge; the number of His years is unsearchable.
Job 36:26 Berean Standard Bible
Here, απέραντος is translated as unsearchable from the Hebrew and unlimited from the Greek LXX, but far more telling is its translation in the New International Translation’s as unknowable. This makes the usage of ἀπέραντον in 3 Maccabees and in Justin’s First Apology much more clear. An unknowable duration more closely fits not only our biblical understanding of punishment through the lens of Paul, but also our geographic knowledge of the earth, the measure of which would have actually been unknowable when 3 Maccabees was written, and still maintains the eternal understanding we have regarding the nature of God being described in Job. In fact, combining this understanding of the term ἀπέραντον in Justin’s writing makes sense when presented with the rest of the passage; For He fore-knows that some are to be saved by repentance. If only some are to be saved by repentance, given that it is God’s will that all be saved (1 Timothy 2:4) how are the rest to be saved? For a very direct answer to this question, we will quote Gregory of Nyssa, Bishop, Saint, Cappadocian father, and church father, later on in this section. For now, I will leave it to you to ponder what, if anything, Justin is implying here.
In his work, On the Resurrection, Justin goes on to admit the following:
But He is good, and will have all to be saved.
On the Resurrection, Chapter 8
[…]
Wherefore the Saviour also taught us to love our enemies, since, says He, what thank have ye? So that He has shown us that it is a good work not only to love those that are begotten of Him, but also those that are without. And what He enjoins upon us, He Himself first of all does.
God will have all to be saved, which is far different than saying that only some will be saved. However, it is the end of this passage that draws the most attention. The Savior taught us to love our enemies, what He enjoins upon us, He Himself does first. If the wicked are the enemies of God, insofar as they reject His commandments and openly rebel against His will, how does eternal conscious torment in Hell show love to them? This is a question that the doctrine does not seem to answer. However, purifying or refining punishment, which saves the man even though he suffers for an unknown duration (1 Corinthians 3:10-15), does answer this question. The punishment is for their own edification, so that they may live according to the will of God (1 Peter 4:6).
Finally, with regard to Justin, I will leave you not only with the question from earlier, but also with a poem which he quotes in another of his works:
That time of times shall come, shall surely come,
Justin Martyr quoting Sophocles, On the Sole Government of God, Chapter 3
When from the golden ether down shall fall
Fire’s teeming treasure, and in burning flames
All things of earth and heaven shall be consumed;
And then, when all creation is dissolved,
The sea’s last wave shall die upon the shore,
The bald earth stript of trees, the burning air
No winged thing upon its breast shall bear.
There are two roads to Hades, well we know;
By this the righteous, and by that the bad,
On to their separate fates shall tend; and He,
Who all things had destroyed, shall all things save.
Who all things had destroyed, shall all things save.
Mathetes
This is an interesting passage to quote in support of eternal damnation for a couple of reasons. First, the author is unknown, but the word mathetes means student or disciple, and the time period ascribed to this writing is right around 150 AD.
When you know what is the true life, that of heaven; when you despise the merely apparent death, which is temporal; when you fear the death which is real, and which is reserved for those who will be condemned to the everlasting fire, the fire which will punish even to the end those who are delivered to it, then you will condemn the deceit and error of the world
Letter to Diognetus, Chapter 10
Everlasting here is αἰώνιον (aiōnion), which we have already discussed and is more appropriately translated as age-during. Even so, the subsequent language suggests some form of end. “The fire which will punish even to the end those who are delivered to it”, to the end of what? The end of this age? The end of the next age? The end of their punishment? The end of their existence? Rather than supporting eternal damnation, the phrasing here actually seems to support some notion of limited punishment.
Athenagoras (c. 133 – c. 190 AD)
Ante-Nicene Christian apologist who lived during the second half of the 2nd century, not much is known about him otherwise.
“[W]e [Christians] are persuaded that when we are removed from this present life we shall live another life, better than the present one. . . . Then we shall abide near God and with God, changeless and free from suffering in the soul . . . or if we fall with the rest [of mankind], a worse one and in fire; for God has not made us as sheep or beasts of burden, a mere incidental work, that we should perish and be annihilated” (Plea for the Christians 31 [A.D. 177]).
Plea for the Christians, Chapter 31
With regards to this passage, I do not see anything which shows a belief in eternal damnation. However, I really enjoy the very next line of this passage, which is excluded in this quote.
On these grounds it is not likely that we should wish to do evil, or deliver ourselves over to the great Judge to be punished.
Plea for the Christians, Chapter 31
We should not wish to deliver ourselves over to the great Judge to be punished, for Christ said:
Reconcile quickly with your adversary, while you are still on the way to court. Otherwise, he may hand you over to the judge, and the judge may hand you over to the officer, and you may be thrown into prison. Truly I tell you, you will not get out until you have paid the last penny.
Matthew 5:25-26 Berean Standard Bible
Truly I tell you, you will not get out until you have paid the last penny.
Clement of Alexandria (c. 150 – c. 215 AD)
Clement of Alexandria was a Christian theologian and philosopher who taught at the Catechetical School of Alexandria. The Catechetical School of Alexandria is one of the six early schools of Christianity, four of which taught universalism. These were not formal schools in the sense of classrooms and schoolwork, but places where people could assist with pastoral duties until they had learned enough to work on their own.
“And not only for our sins,”—that is for those of the faithful,—is the Lord the propitiator, does he say, “but also for the whole world.” He, indeed, saves all; but some [He saves], converting them by punishments; others, however, who follow voluntarily [He saves] with dignity of honour; so “that every knee should bow to Him, of things in heaven, and things on earth, and things under the earth;” that is, angels, men, and souls that before His advent have departed from this temporal life.
Clement of Alexandria, Stromata VII; Ante-Nicene Fathers, Volume 2
Clement lays it out very plainly; some follow voluntarily, others are converted by punishment. But what kind of punishment are we talking about here? Eternal torment in Hell?
God’s punishments are saving and disciplinary, leading to conversion, and choosing rather the repentance than the death of a sinner
Clement of Alexandria, Stromata VI; Ante-Nicene Fathers, Volume 2
Saving and disciplinary punishment, leading to conversion and repentance rather than destruction.
Gregory of Nyssa (c. 335 – c. 395 AD)
Clement of Nyssa, Bishop of Nyssa in Cappadocia from 372 to 376 and from 378 until his death in 395. Venerated as a saint in multiple denominations, and helped author the Nicene Creed.
He freed man from evil, and healed the very author of evil himself. For the healing of an infirmity involves doing away with the disease, even if the process is painful.
Gregory of Nyssa, Address on Religious Instruction, Chapter 26; Christology of the Later Fathers, Volume III
He healed the very author of evil himself. That statement might spark some controversy in the modern church, where the devil is depicted as trouncing around the world tempting us all. However, this is coming from a saint, Bishop, and author of many modern church doctrines. He goes on to say that the process of healing can be painful, echoing the words of Christ speaking about purifying fire (1 Corinthians 3:10-15).
His end is one, and one only; it is this: when the complete whole of our race shall have been perfected from the first man to the last,—some having at once in this life been cleansed from evil, others having afterwards in the necessary periods been healed by the Fire, others having in their life here been unconscious equally of good and of evil,—to offer to every one of us participation in the blessings which are in Him, which, the Scripture tells us, “eye hath not seen, nor ear heard,” nor thought ever reached. But this is nothing else, as I at least understand it, but to be in God Himself; for the Good which is above hearing and eye and heart must be that Good which transcends the universe. But the difference between the virtuous and the vicious life led at the present time will be illustrated in this way; viz. in the quicker or more tardy participation of each in that promised blessedness. According to the amount of the ingrained wickedness of each will be computed the duration of his cure. This cure consists in the cleansing of his soul, and that cannot be achieved without an excruciating condition, as has been expounded in our previous discussion.
Gregory of Nyssa, On the Soul and the Resurrection; Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers, Series II, Volume V
Here Gregory of Nyssa clearly states the core concept of universalism. Some are saved in this life, others are saved after necessary periods in purifying fire.
We certainly believe, both because of the prevailing opinion, and still more of Scripture teaching, that there exists another world of beings besides, divested of such bodies as ours are, who are opposed to that which is good and are capable of hurting the lives of men, having by an act of will lapsed from the nobler view, and by this revolt from goodness personified in themselves the contrary principle; and this world is what, some say, the Apostle adds to the number of the “things under the earth,” signifying in that passage that when evil shall have been some day annihilated in the long revolutions of the ages, nothing shall be left outside the world of goodness, but that even from those evil spirits shall rise in harmony the confession of Christ’s Lordship. If this is so, then no one can compel us to see any spot of the underworld in the expression, “things under the earth”; the atmosphere spreads equally over every part of the earth, and there is not a single corner of it left unrobed by this circumambient air.
Gregory of Nyssa, On the Soul and the Resurrection; Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers, Series II, Volume V
When evil shall have been some day annihilated in the long revolutions of the ages, nothing shall be left outside the world of goodness. Nothing will be left outside the world of goodness. Even the evil spirits will rise in confession of Christ’s Lordship.
Jerome of Stridon (~c. 342 – c. 420 AD)
Jerome of Stridon was a Christian priest, confessor, theologian, and historian, recognized as a saint by multiple denominations.
Christ then is subject to the Father in the faithful; for all believers, nay the whole human race, are accounted members of His body. But in unbelievers, that is in Jews, heathens, and heretics, He is said to be not subject; for these members of His body are not subject to the faith. But in the end of the world when all His members shall see Christ, that is their own body, reigning, they also shall be made subject to Christ, that is to their own body, that the whole of Christ’s body may be subject unto God and the Father, and that God may be all in all.
Jerome of Stridon, Letter LV. To Amandus; Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers, Series II, Volume VI
Even the unbelievers will be made subject to Christ, so that God may be all in all.
The Parables
The parables of Christ in the New Testament are intended to be a source of wisdom regarding the Gospel message, as Christ said:
Then the disciples came to Jesus and asked, “Why do You speak to the people in parables?”
Matthew 13:10-14 Berean Standard Bible
He replied, “The knowledge of the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven has been given to you, but not to them. Whoever has will be given more, and he will have an abundance. Whoever does not have, even what he has will be taken away from him.
This is why I speak to them in parables: ‘Though seeing, they do not see; though hearing, they do not hear or understand.’ In them the prophecy of Isaiah is fulfilled:
‘You will be ever hearing but never understanding; you will be ever seeing but never perceiving. For this people’s heart has grown callous; they hardly hear with their ears, and they have closed their eyes. Otherwise they might see with their eyes, hear with their ears, understand with their hearts, and turn, and I would heal them.’
Now, opponents of universalism use this passage as evidence against it. Matt Slick, President and Founder of the Christian Apologetics and Research Ministry, posits exactly this in his article, “How can universalism be true if Jesus did not want some people saved?”. I will quote some of the key premises from his argument here and respond to them in kind.
If Christian-based universalism is true, then it means Jesus atoned for everybody who ever lived.
Matt Slick, How can universalism be true if Jesus did not want some people saved?, CARM.org
Yes, Christ atoned for the sins of everyone. We have established that Christ preached to the dead, and the Bible is clear that His atonement applies to everyone in the world.
He Himself is the atoning sacrifice for our sins, and not only for ours but also for the sins of the whole world.
1 John 2:2 Berean Standard Bible
If preaching to the dead and atoning for the sins of the whole world doesn’t encompass everyone who ever lived, I don’t know what could.
Since scripture says we are justified by faith (Rom. 3:28; 4:1-5; 5:1; Eph. 2:8-9), we would also know that the gospel is a necessity for people to believe because the Bible tells us that people are commanded to repent and believe the gospel (Mark 1:15). […] If that’s the case, and if Christian universalism is true, it should not occur that Jesus would prevent the belief of people in the gospel, or that he would desire that they not be forgiven. But, that is exactly the case.
Matt Slick, How can universalism be true if Jesus did not want some people saved?, CARM.org
Here, Matt Slick identifies a potential conundrum. We have a quote from Christ saying that:
‘they may be ever seeing but never perceiving, and ever hearing but never understanding; otherwise they might turn and be forgiven.’
Mark 4:12 Berean Standard Bible
Indeed, he has correctly outlined an apparent problem. I will outline the issue Matt is addressing here:
- Christ is the atoning sacrifice for the sins of the whole world – 1 John 2:2
- We are saved through faith alone – Ephesians 2:8-9
- Christ spoke in parables so that, ‘they may be ever seeing but never perceiving, and ever hearing but never understanding; otherwise they might turn and be forgiven.’ – Mark 4:12
These bullet points by themselves make it easy to draw the conclusion that those Christ elects will be saved, and the rest will not. This is indeed a common understanding of the Gospel, but Matt goes on to elaborate why this is truly an issue for universalists and in the same breath creates a supporting argument for universalism while outlining a major issue for annihilationists and supporters of eternal conscious torment:
Jesus clearly tells his followers that the reason he is speaking in parables is so people will not be forgiven. Clearly, it is his intent that they are judged instead of forgiven. Why would he do that if universalism is true? If God wants all people to be saved, which is what universalism asserts, why did Jesus speak in such a way that people would not be forgiven?
Matt Slick, How can universalism be true if Jesus did not want some people saved?, CARM.org
“If God wants all people to be saved, which is what universalism asserts, why did Jesus speak in such a way that people would not be forgiven?”, this appears to be, on the surface, quite the conundrum for universalists, but it actually supports the argument for universalism quite handily. You see, as we have established earlier, God does want all people to be saved.
This is good and pleasing in the sight of God our Savior, who wants everyone to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth.
1 Timothy 2:3-4 Berean Standard Bible
And so, Matt has outlined a critical support for universalism, because it is not the contention of universalism that all people will escape judgment and punishment, merely that, in the end, all people will be saved, just as God desires. For those who believe in an eternal Hell, Matt has perfectly outlined a contradiction between the Son and the Father:
- God wants everyone to be saved – 1 Timothy 2:3-4
- Christ speaks in parables so that some will not be forgiven in this life – Mark 4:12
If Hell is eternal, and if the Son does the will of the Father (John 5:30), how can the Son fulfill the will of the Father by condemning some people to Hell? For the universalist, the answer is simple; Hell is a place of purification, and eventually all will be saved. For those who believe in an eternal Hell, I eagerly await an answer.
Luke 15
In the beginning of the book of Luke, chapter 15, we are presented with tax collectors and sinners gathering around Jesus, and the Pharisees are complaining that Jesus welcomes and even eats with them. This is the stage for the three parables presented in this chapter, told as a response to the Pharisees, and it is crucial to keep this in mind as we look at each parable.
The Lost Sheep
Now all the tax collectors and sinners were gathering around to listen to Jesus. So the Pharisees and scribes began to grumble: “This man welcomes sinners and eats with them.”
Luke 15:1-7 Berean Standard Bible
Then Jesus told them this parable: “What man among you, if he has a hundred sheep and loses one of them, does not leave the ninety-nine in the pasture and go after the one that is lost, until he finds it? And when he finds it, he joyfully puts it on his shoulders, comes home, and calls together his friends and neighbors to tell them, ‘Rejoice with me, for I have found my lost sheep!’ In the same way, I tell you that there will be more joy in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine righteous ones who do not need to repent.”
The shepherd leaves the flock to look for the one lost sheep, and does not stop looking until he finds it. Once the lost sheep has been found, it is saved by the shepherd and returned to the flock. We must assume that this parable applies to the very sinners that the Pharisees were complaining about. If God wants everyone to be saved (1 Timothy 2:3-4), and will not stop working towards that goal until it has been achieved, as displayed in this parable, how can we have an eternal Hell from which no one will ever be saved?
The Lost Coin
“Or what woman who has ten silver coins and loses one of them does not light a lamp, sweep her house, and search carefully until she finds it? And when she finds it, she calls together her friends and neighbors to say, ‘Rejoice with me, for I have found my lost coin.’ In the same way, I tell you, there is joy in the presence of God’s angels over one sinner who repents.”
Luke 15:8-10 Berean Standard Bible
The woman who has lost one of her silver coins does not stop searching for it until she finds it. Whereas in the previous parable, the sheep may have been dead by the time it was found, in this parable the coin will continue to exist, it cannot die. It can be destroyed, just as God is capable of destroying both body and soul in Hell (Matthew 10:28), but the coin will not naturally expire. This runs parallel to the belief in a soul. If the sinner dies, they can still be saved because they still exist as body and soul in the prison of Hell, from which, as we have established, there is no escape until they “have paid the last penny” (Matthew 5:25-26). In this sense, it does not matter how long it takes to return the coin, the sheep, or the sinner, to their rightful place.
In the case of the coin and the sheep, they make no effort to be found, to be saved, or even to do good works, they merely exist in their current state and are eventually returned to their rightful place because that is the will of their true owner.
The Lost Son
Then Jesus said, “There was a man who had two sons. The younger son said to him, ‘Father, give me my share of the estate.’
Luke 15:11-32 Berean Standard Bible
So he divided his property between them. After a few days, the younger son got everything together and journeyed to a distant country, where he squandered his wealth in wild living. After he had spent all he had, a severe famine swept through that country, and he began to be in need. So he went and hired himself out to a citizen of that country, who sent him into his fields to feed the pigs. He longed to fill his belly with the pods the pigs were eating, but no one would give him a thing. Finally he came to his senses and said, ‘How many of my father’s hired servants have plenty of food? But here I am, starving to death! I will get up and go back to my father and say to him, “Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you. I am no longer worthy to be called your son. Make me like one of your hired servants.” ’
So he got up and went to his father. But while he was still in the distance, his father saw him and was filled with compassion. He ran to his son, embraced him, and kissed him. The son declared, ‘Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you. I am no longer worthy to be called your son.’
But the father said to his servants, ‘Quick! Bring the best robe and put it on him. Put a ring on his finger and sandals on his feet. Bring the fattened calf and kill it. Let us feast and celebrate. For this son of mine was dead and is alive again! He was lost and is found!’
So they began to celebrate. Meanwhile the older son was in the field, and as he approached the house, he heard music and dancing. So he called one of the servants and asked what was going on. ‘Your brother has returned,’ he said, ‘and your father has killed the fattened calf, because he has him back safe and sound.’
The older son became angry and refused to go in. So his father came out and pleaded with him. But he answered his father, ‘Look, all these years I have served you and never disobeyed a commandment of yours. Yet you never gave me even a young goat so I could celebrate with my friends. But when this son of yours returns from squandering your wealth with prostitutes, you kill the fattened calf for him!’
‘Son, you are always with me,’ the father said, ‘and all that is mine is yours. But it was fitting to celebrate and be glad, because this brother of yours was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found.’ ”
In this parable, the son squanders all of the blessings his father had bestowed upon him, and he did so purely out of selfish desire. Note, that he does not change as a person, he only goes back to his father because he knew that whatever punishment he may receive would still result in an improvement to his situation. His father’s servants were well fed, and he was starving in a field while feeding pigs. He left for selfish reasons, and he returned for those same selfish reasons, but it did not matter to the father, who rejoiced upon his return.
The sinners who were eating with Jesus were still sinners, some of them may have repented but not all of them. This is why the Pharisees still refer to them as sinners. Yet, just like the son in the parable, one day they will return to the Father and be welcomed, much to the dismay of those who have served the Father and believe that those sinners should not be entitled to the same inheritance. Perhaps, the Pharisees, like the brother in the parable, would be jealous, claiming instead that they should be handed an eternal fate in hellfire, rather than being forgiven and celebrated.
The Rich Man and Lazarus
Now there was a rich man dressed in purple and fine linen, who lived each day in joyous splendor. And a beggar named Lazarus lay at his gate, covered with sores and longing to be fed with the crumbs that fell from the rich man’s table. Even the dogs came and licked his sores. One day the beggar died and was carried by the angels to Abraham’s side. And the rich man also died and was buried.
Luke 16:19-31 Berean Standard Bible
In Hades, where he was in torment, he looked up and saw Abraham from afar, with Lazarus by his side. So he cried out, ‘Father Abraham, have mercy on me and send Lazarus to dip the tip of his finger in water and cool my tongue. For I am in agony in this fire.’
But Abraham answered, ‘Child, remember that during your lifetime you received your good things, while Lazarus received bad things. But now he is comforted here, while you are in agony. And besides all this, a great chasm has been fixed between us and you, so that even those who wish cannot cross from here to you, nor can anyone cross from there to us.’
‘Then I beg you, father,’ he said, ‘send Lazarus to my father’s house, for I have five brothers. Let him warn them, so that they will not also end up in this place of torment.’
But Abraham replied, ‘They have Moses and the prophets; let your brothers listen to them.’
‘No, father Abraham,’ he said, ‘but if someone is sent to them from the dead, they will repent.’
Then Abraham said to him, ‘If they do not listen to Moses and the prophets, they will not be persuaded even if someone rises from the dead.’ ”
This story from the book of Luke is debated as being either a parable or authentically known to Jesus, and either view is acceptable for the purpose of this writing. I will not make a case here either way regarding the historicity of this story. However, I would like to point out a few key details of the story which align to what we have discussed so far.
- There is no detail in the story which indicates that the rich man’s torment is endless, merely that it is agonizing and that neither Abraham or Lazarus are able to offer him any reprieve.
- The rich man is tormented by fire and, as we have established, judgement is a purifying and refining fire, consuming that which can be burned up and leaving that which is refined like gold and silver. Though the rich man suffers, he will be saved through the flames.
- Abraham foreshadows the resurrection, and the fact that not all will believe in this life, by telling the rich man that if his family will not listen to the prophets and Moses, then they will not listen even if someone rises from the grave.
Given this, nothing in the story remains which could offer any substantive refutation of limited punishment or universalism.
Consequences of Universalism
What then shall we say? Shall we continue in sin so that grace may increase?
Romans 6:1 Berean Standard Bible
Many people who hear the message of universal salvation scoff at its consequences. They ask why anyone should bother with God if everyone will be saved anyway? I must say, this is incredibly disheartening to hear, especially from those who claim to espouse Christian ideals, and it is remarkably similar to the sentiment that is present in Romans 6. If we are free from the law, why not sin? Paul addressed such sentiment in Romans, but we see the very same sentiment in response to the idea of universal salvation. People ask, why should anyone do good work if there is no reward? They ask this because if it is true that everyone will be saved, then their individual reward is no greater that of any common sinner. They reveal themselves to be much like the brother in the parable of the lost son, envious that their father loves them both equally even though one brother is faithful and the other is not. They seem to forget about the free pardon of God.
Let the wicked man forsake his own way and the unrighteous man his own thoughts; let him return to the LORD, that He may have compassion, and to our God, for He will freely pardon.
Isaiah 55:7 Berean Standard Bible
So, why not wait until you are dead to repent and accept Christ as your Lord and Savior? I assume that you would do this so that you can freely indulge in any evil behavior your heart desires. Hopefully, reading that sentence clarifies the whole situation. Why do good when I can do evil, and ultimately still get the same reward? My response is merely a question; Why do you despise the idea of doing good simply because it is good? Why must you be bribed in exchange for good behavior? We are not perfect, we will still stumble, but our intent should be to do what is right even if we do not get credit for our actions. Most assuredly, my friends, you will still do evil regardless:
For God has consigned everyone to disobedience so that He may have mercy on everyone.
Romans 11:32 Berean Standard Bible
We serve God out of love, not out of want. We do good works because it is good to do so, not for some grand reward. And once you know the truth, once you have died in Christ:
How can we who died to sin live in it any longer?
Romans 6:2 Berean Standard Bible
You see, it isn’t as simple as choosing to deny Christ and continuing to live in sin. First, you come to know the truth, then you find yourself convicted of your own sin, living with guilt, sadness, and remorse. Why continue living in guilt and remorse just so that you can keep doing the very things that make you feel those emotions? Why would you desire to continue causing yourself to suffer? So, ultimately, in regards to why someone wouldn’t just wait to repent because of universalism, I fail to see why they would want to continue living a lifestyle that makes them more miserable by the day. In the end, those who come to know the truth will eventually embrace it, and every knee shall bow, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord.
Therefore God exalted Him to the highest place and gave Him the name above all names, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.
Philippians 2:9-11 Berean Standard Bible
Canon Of Reason 