Category Archives: Hell

Degrees of Punishment: Interpreting the Parable of Faithful and Unfaithful Slaves (Luke 12:41-48), Part 4

Risk Aversion in the Churches of Christ This parable, read with the Parable of the Talents, is a fearful lesson both individually and corporately. Let’s talk about the Churches of Christ as a body. One of the characteristics of my fellowship … Continue reading

Posted in Afterlife, The, Hell, Luke, Uncategorized | 6 Comments

Degrees of Punishment: Interpreting the Parable of Faithful and Unfaithful Slaves (Luke 12:41-48), Part 3

Proposed reading Degrees of punishment. I don’t buy the Purgatory arguments, and I can’t overlook the fact that the second and third managers were punished — even severely. Most commentaries offer no help at all on this question (the first … Continue reading

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Degrees of Punishment: Interpreting the Parable of Faithful and Unfaithful Slaves (Luke 12:41-48), Part 2

Luke 12:44 (Lk. 12:44 ESV)  44 Truly, I say to you, he will set him over all his possessions. The faithful manager will be rewarded with greater responsibility. In an honor culture, this is a great reward. This is, of … Continue reading

Posted in Afterlife, The, Hell, Luke, Uncategorized | 18 Comments

Degrees of Punishment: Interpreting the Parable of Faithful and Unfaithful Slaves (Luke 12:41-48), Part 1

Over the years, I’ve frequently mentioned Luke 12:41-48 as demonstrating that Jesus promises that there will be degrees of punishment for the damned. However, I’ve never attempted to work through the passage in its entirety or literary context. Recently, some … Continue reading

Posted in Afterlife, The, Hell, Luke, Uncategorized | 17 Comments

Salvation 2.0: Part 3.6: Separation from God

Now, many a theologian has argued that hell is separation from God, and I think that’s part of the punishment. Maybe all. Speaking of the damned, Paul writes, (2Th 1:9-10 ESV)  9 They will suffer the punishment of eternal destruction, … Continue reading

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Salvation 2.0: Part 3.5: Gehenna

Jesus and James refer to the fate of the damned as gehenna, usually translated “hell.” The word is entirely absent from Paul and the other NT writers, who prefer to speak in terms of the damned being destroyed. There is no … Continue reading

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Salvation 2.0: Part 3.1B: Everlasting, eternal, unquenchable fire

Monty asked about the meaning of “everlasting fire” in the comments. My answer was pretty long and I thought worth posting as a post — because it’s a good question that deserves a thorough answer. Monty, Unquenchable fire “Everlasting fire” … Continue reading

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Salvation 2.0: Part 3.4: The Second Death

The Revelation speaks of the damned suffering a “second death.” (Rev 2:11 ESV) 11 He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. The one who conquers will not be hurt by the second … Continue reading

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Salvation 2.0: Part 3.3: Plato and Phaedo

Edward Fudge points out that the question of immortality was a favorite of Greek philosophers. The seminal work on the subject was Plato’s Phaedo, a dialogue on the question that was well-known among First Century Hellenistic people. Plato presents a … Continue reading

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Salvation 2.0: Part 3.1A: The Early Church Fathers on Conditionalism

Just came across this very thorough study of the writings of the Early Church Fathers relating to Conditionalism and Perpetual Conscious Torment: The Doctrine of Immortality in the Early Church, by Dr. John H. Roller (free download). Roller goes through … Continue reading

Posted in Afterlife, The, Heaven, Hell, Salvation 2.0, Uncategorized | 26 Comments