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Non-Restitutionism


There are many arguments from an extreme theological viewpoint.

One such argument goes like this: "In Matthew 25:46, the exact same word, aionion, is used to describe the duration of punishment as well as of the life of the righteous--those who are saved. The same word describes both conditions. If it means one thing in the first part of this sentence, then it means the same thing in the second part since they are both in the same context and both are describing time-duration of the states of the unsaved and the saved. If the punishment is eternal, then so is the life."

Let's state this argument with all of its implied messages:

     
  • Assumption 1: Saved is a synonym for being born again, and that is ALL there is to salvation.  
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  • Assumption 2: Aionian refers to a length of time and cannot mean what it literally means, "according to the Eon." (Alternately, Aionian can be referring to a kind of life, the life of the Kingdom age or aion. This interpretation causes no conflict between the various Scriptures.)  
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  • Assumption 3: By adopting these two definitions, we are able to make the Bible conflict with itself, and we would rather have the Bible conflict with itself here and declare these words to not mean what they mean here and be done with it.  
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  • Assumption 4: We can now ignore the fact that we have created other conflicts in the Bible or those can be dealt with by the same process of making the Bible not say what it says.

Have you received the fact that the word, aionian, means according to the aion (English: Eon)? Could you receive the concept that, in the context of Matthew 25:46, the word, aionian, means a kind of life and a kind of punishment rather than the duration of the punishment? Could you receive the idea that aonian means related to the age and doesn't necessarily mean for the length of the age.

Have you received the fact that the word, punishment, here can mean "to correct." The word, punishment, is a translation from the Greek word, kolasis, which could be translated as correction, punishment, or penalty. A person who has been trained in the TULIP philosophy will automatically prefer the translation to be punishment or penalty. Of course, every parent knows that the punishments and penalties that they give to their own children are also corrections. They are meant to restore the children to a right path, not to destroy or cause permanent damage to the child. The TULIP philosophy, however, says that God predestined (based on a mistranslation of that word) some people to eternal life and, by implication, others to eternal damnation. There is nothing that anyone can do about this situation. Some were selected. Others have no choice other than to go into eternal punishment. According to the theory, God did this with His eyes open for His glory. All of this is so far from God's character that even those who firmly believe in TULIP have trouble with the internal inconsistency of the thought. They usually have been told that there is no alternative explanation that does not do violence to the Bible. However, TULIP has violent inconsistencies with the Bible. The alternative does not create internal inconsistencies in the Bible.

The alternate claim of some is that, if the word is used to describe God's kingdom, power, and glory and God's life, then it must mean eternity, perpetuity of time and never ending. The reasoning, were it stated in clear terms, would say that God cannot be the God of the ages and still be the God of eternity. That is false, just as it is false to say that God cannot be my God and God of the Universe and God of the church. Man's reasoning is naturally flawed. If I tell you that my car will last a week and a tank of gas in the car lasts a week, are both of these claims true? Yes, they are both true. The fact that the car lasts a week and more does not make it less than true that my car lasts a week. So, the logic is flawed, raw human reasoning (the reasoning of the human mind without the Intelligence of the Creator flowing through the human mind) is not the means by which God reveals His word.

Another argument appeals to Revelation 14:11; 19:3; 20:10 and 20:15 with no further explanation. Let's examine them now.

Revelation 14:11 And the smoke of their torment ascends up to the eons [165 aion] of the eons [165 aion]: and they have no rest day nor night, who worship the beast and his image, and whoever receives the mark of his name.

Revelation 19:3 And again they said, Alleluia. And her smoke rose up to the eons [165 aion] of the eons [165 aion].

Revelation 20:10 And the devil that deceived them was cast into the lake of fire and brimstone, where the beast and the false prophet are, and shall be tormented day and night to the eons [165 aion] of the eons [165 aion].

Revelation 20:15 And whoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire.

Again, this does not show any conflict with the eon. However, if we were to interpret these scriptures to mean eternal, then we have a problem with several Scriptures.



You also may want to read this: https://seekfind.net/Bible_Dictionary__Define_Hell__Definition_of_Hell.html

this: https://www.SeekFind.net/What_About_The_Three_Incompatible_Principles_In_The_Bible.html 

and this: https://seekfind.net/Bible_Dictionary__Define_Universalism__Definition_of_Universalism.html


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