Eternal Damnation

Eternal Punishment

The age old question of what will happen when I die has become a debated topic amongst different religious organizations over the years. When addressing this subject you must decide if you are coming at it from a biblical perspective or not. When I read the bible I believe that the bible clearly defines where you will go when you leave your physical body. This paper will attempt to address some of the different views as well as my own.

There are three common thoughts within the religious community about what will happen when your time is up and those are eternal punishment, annihilationism, and universalism. Eternal punishment is the belief that the sinners who chose not to accept Christ as their saviour will be eternally punished and tormented in hell.[1] Annihilationism is the belief that some, if not all, human soles will cease to exist after death.[2] Finally you have universalism, which is the doctrine which asserts that all men will eventually be reconciled to God.[3]

The bible has many different names for hell, but most commonly stated in scripture are Sheol, Hades, and Gehenna. Sheol is related to the grave in numerous scriptures in the Bible, but it is more commonly described as an intermediate state in which soles are dealt with according to their lives on earth. Jesus conquered Sheol when he was resurrected, and in affect turned this final resting place into a changing room where one could change out of their current state into their final state, whether that was eternal glory or damnation. Hades is almost the same as Sheol as it is defined as the abode of the dead.[4] Gehenna is biblically the most accurate depiction of hell due to the sacrificial practices that were conducted there. Gehenna is even stated as being a place of shame the will become the punishment place of by God.[5]

So what do I think about eternal punishment of the unsaved? That is simple; I believe those that do not accept Jesus as their saviour and repent of their sins will be punished for eternity. It is stated throughout the Bible that if you refuse to accept Christ as your saviour and repent that you will not receive eternal life instead you will receive eternal punishment. I believe the best passage that states this is in the book of John right after one of the most quoted scriptures in history. “Anyone who believes in Him is not condemned, but anyone who does not believe is already condemned.”(John 3:18) If you look further into the bible you will also find that in the book of Romans chapter 8 we are compared and described as slaves. The point of this passage is to let you know that you truly have only 2 choices in life. First to become a slave to God and live in eternal glory, or to become a slave to the Devil and live in eternal damnation.

Mathew 25:46 states “And they will go away into eternal punishment, but the righteous into eternal life.” This is an interpretation of the second judgment. They refer to those who have turned away and denied God, and the righteous are those who have submitted. The word eternal is exactly that, eternal. There is no other way to interpret this scripture than the way that it reads. Only those who are looking for a reason to not believe in eternal punishment will try and disprove this.

The opposition to my view and the biblical view on eternal punishment usually will come from the universalism side of the house. There are those out there that just want to see the good of God and not the wrath. Their arguments are usually based on their idea that a loving God would never subject His creation to such a hideous punishment. To support their view I wish I could provide you with some biblical evidence but the fact of the matter is that there is none. When you hear people try and contradict the theory of eternal punishment with watered down scripture keep this in mind. “But to interpret such passages as meaning that in the end all will be saved is to go beyond what the writers are saying and to ignore the fact that in the contexts there are usually references to God’s condemnation of the wicked or to the final separation between good and evil or the like.”[6]

Is it fair for a God who loves us so much to condemn His own creation to a life of eternal damnation? My answer is simply yes. God created us perfect with Adam, but He also created us with free will. He wanted us to be able to make up our own minds on whether or not we would glorify Him and we chose wrong. This fact and action requires consequences and those consequences result in eternal damnation. This final disposition is not some big mystery, anyone who reads the bible can read what is expected of them from their creator and what happens should we chose not to be obedient. Yet people choose to make that decision that condemns them to eternal punishment. Is it fair that we as the creation choose not to honor a glorious and loving God? That is the question that truly needs to be answered.

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[1] Morris, L.L. "Eternal Punishment." In Evangelical Dictionary of Theology, edited by Walter A. Elwell, 395-396.

      Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Academic, 2001.

[2] Nicole, R. "Annihilationism." In Evangelical Dictionary of Theology, edited by Walter A. Elwell, 64. Grand Rapids ,

      MI: Baker Academic, 2001.

[3] Root, J.R. "Universalism." In Evangelical Book of Theology, edited by Walter A. Elwell, 1232-1233. Grand Rapids ,

      MI: Baker Academic, 2001.

[4] Motyner, J.A. "Hades." In Evangelical Dictionary of Theology, edited by Walter A. Elwell, 532. Grand Rapids , MI:

      Baker Academic, 2001.

[5] Cruz, V. "Gehenna." In Evangelical Dictionary of Theology, edited by Walter A. Elwell, 480. Grand Rapids, MI:

      Baker Academic, 2001.

[6] Morris, L.L. "Eternal Punishment." In Evangelical Dictionary of Theology, edited by Walter A. Elwell, 395-396.

      Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Academic, 2001.

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1st Theology Essay

Short Essay on Inspiration and Inerrancy of the Bible

What does it mean that the Bible has authority? Who gives the Bible authority? What was the inspiration for the Bible? What does it mean to say that the Bible is inerrant? These are the questions that this essay is going to address and hopefully answer. By looking at the Bible itself and other outside sources, this paper will provide the reader with proof and insight into the answers of these often sought after questions.

Authority is defined by the American Heritage Dictionary as the right and power to command, enforce laws, exact obedience, and determine or judge.[1] The Bible commands people, judges and determines guilt or innocence, makes and enforces laws, and exacts obedience. So who gives the Bible this authority that is listed above? The simple yet complicated answer is that God gives the Bible its authority. Simple in the fact that the authority of the Bible is established by its own claims, it is the word of God.[2] John 1:1 states that “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.”  When the unnamed angel was talking to the prophet Daniel he said “No one has the courage to support me against them except Michael, your prince. However, I will tell you what is recorded in the book of truth.” (Dan 10:21) There are plenty of other scriptures that show the absolute authority of the Bible but its authority is best stated as the Bible being the book of God’s truth; and such truth is, as the Westminster Catechism says, “infallible truth.” As it is wholly trustworthy regarding its truth, so must it be wholly trustworthy regarding its facts.[3] The Word of God, book of truth, or the Bible as it is called now, has stood the test of time.

Biblical inspiration is defined as a supernatural influence of the Holy Spirit upon divinely chosen agents in consequence of which their writings become trustworthy and authoritative.[4] So what does it mean to say that the Bible is inspired, and who is it inspired by? Once again, the answer is fairly simple as you look at it. The Bible is the authoritative Word of God and is inspired by God and the Holy Spirit. It is true that the Bible was written by man, but it was written by man with the help of the Holy Spirit to ensure the accuracy of God’s Word. This theory of inspiration is called plenary inspiration and the main principles of this theory are (1) God is the author of the Bible, in varied ways; (2) the focus of inspiration is the writers of the Bible – there is an author rather than text orientation (as seen in the emotions displayed in Romans 9:2 and Galatians 3:1); (3) the writers have been inspired in all that they have written, though in varied ways (revelation).[5] Inspiration is found within the scriptures themselves as seen in the OT from Moses. “Then the Lord said to me. They have spoken well. I will raise up for them a prophet like you from among their brother. I will put My words in his mouth, and he will tell them everything I command him.”(Deut. 18:17-18) Inspiration is also found within scripture as seen here in Paul’s first letter to the Church at Corinth. “We also speak these things, not in words taught by human wisdom, but in those taught by the Spirit, explaining spiritual things to spiritual people.” (1 Cor. 2:13) It is evident through scripture that the Bible is the inspired or “breathed” word of God written by man through the Holy Spirit.

Inerrancy is the view that when all the facts become known, they will demonstrate that the Bible in its original autographs and correctly interpreted is entirely true and never false in all it affirms, whether that relates to doctrine or ethics or to the social, physical or life sciences.[6] My personal view on the inerrancy of the Bible falls in line with the above definition. As a believer and follower of Christ I completely believe in the inerrancy and infallibility of the Bible. How can one be so sure that what is written is inerrant, the key in the definition is the singling out of the original text. When the Bible is in its original manuscript and it is translated properly it is the Word of God and as such is without error. Paul writes in the pastoral letters, “All Scripture is inspired by God and is profitable for teaching, for rebuking, for correcting, for training in righteousness, so that the man of God may be complete, equipped for every good work.” (2 Tim. 3:16-17) For further proof of the inerrancy of God’s Word within the scripture see 1 Pet. 1:20, Matthew 4:4, Eph. 3:1-5, and Gal. 1:11-12.

So what is the relationship between inspiration and inerrancy? With relation to the Bible you can’t have one without the other. Inspiration and inerrancy must feed off each other in order for the inspiration and inerrancy of the Bible to have authority over a believer’s life. Inspiration comes from God therefore any of his products must be inerrant, hence the Bible is inerrant.

              I close this essay by telling you, the reader that the way that I am structuring my life and the life of

my family completely relies on the inspiration, authority, and inerrancy of the Bible. Without these things

making the Bible what it is, myself and many other followers of Christ would be completely lost. Whenever I

find myself addressed with questions about the Bible and its authority, inerrancy, and inspiration I remember

the following statement and equation. If God is the cause of inspiration, it (the object of Gods inspiration) will

represent or take on His characteristics, mainly His Holiness. Inspiration equals infallibility which equals

authority which equals inerrancy.

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[1] McDonald, H. D. "Bible, Authority of." In Evangelical Dictionary of Theology, edited by Walter A Elwell, 153. MI, Grand Rapids: Baker Academic, 2001.

[2] (Ibid. 154)

[3] McDonald, H. D. "Bible, Authority of." In Evangelical Dictionary of Theology, edited by Walter A Elwell, 154. MI, Grand Rapids: Baker Academic, 2001.

[4] Henry, C. F. H. "Bible, Inspiration of." In Evangelical Dictionary of Theology, edited by Walter A Elwell, 160. MI, Grand Rapids: Baker Academic, 2001.

[5] Rennie, I. S. "Plenary Inspiration." In Evangelical Dictionary of Theology, edited by Walter A Elwell, 929. MI, Grand Rapids: Baker Academic, 2001.

[6] Feinberg, P.D. "Bible, Inerrancy and Infallibility of." In Evangelical Dictionary of Theology, edited by Walter A Elwell, 156. MI, Grand Rapids: Baker Academic, 2001.

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Milestones

Milestones

                Ok so this last Saturday, the 17^th of September was my 14 year anniversary of entering into military service. The 11^th of September was the 10 year anniversary of the terrorist attacks on the Two Towers and Pentagon. 28 July was the 10^th anniversary of the day that I married the most wonderful person in the world. June 11^th 2011 was the day that I gave my life to Christ and God. All these events in my life were decisions that I made that define the man I have become today, I also truly believe that they are decisions that were joined within themselves. I believe that without any specific decision made I would not be in the place I am today.

                I joined the military late in life on 17 September 1997 after losing my job as a Paramedic. I had a wife and child and needed work to support them. My initial reason for joining the military was not out of a duty filled obligation that I might have felt for my country. The recruitment process was easy and I was enlisted into the Infantry in a few short days. What I received from this decision in my life was a sound work ethic, discipline, and a sense of love for my country that I did not have at that time in my life. I was also in a environment that I was enjoying and a job that I loved as well as the people associated with that job. Through this decision to join the military I had the opportunity to experience my first divorce but was able to take from that marriage a good friend who is now more like a family member and my oldest son Colby. I was able to meet the most wonderful person in the world, my wife Shannon. After only a short time of dating we got married and shortly starting popping out children like it was going out of style.

                The events of September 11^th 2001 changes mine and my family’s life forever as it did for so many people living in this country. I was no longer in a army that was operating during peace time, I was suddenly thrown into the real possibility that I could be put into harm’s way and possibly never see my family again. I was married just over a year to Shannon and we had one child already and another on the way. I spent 2 more years in Germany after the attacks, but as soon as the time for me to leave Germany came, I had volunteered to go to a unit I knew was deploying to Iraq. Just like all the other Soldiers of this time frame I had this insane urge to serve my country in the best way that you could and that was in a war zone, I made this decision without telling my wife and when it came down to it, I lied to her by telling her that the Army had made its decision to send me to the unit I was going to. I wasn’t until after my tour in Iraq that I actually let her know that I had volunteered to go. This decision that I made was a life altering experience, you can never truly prepare for war and what you might have to do or what you will see and who you will lose. I came back from Iraq a different person with a different outlook on the world, started drinking a little more that I had already been, and distancing myself from my family. My family and I picked up again from Washington and moved back to Germany with the unit I was with. We got to Germany and within a year I was back on deployment orders. This was not something we had expected and I found myself going to war again but this time for 15 months. It finally hit me that in a 4 year period I was gone for 27 months and missing my children growing up and time with my wife. In October of 2010 I was medically retired from the Army and we settled down in Louisiana.

                After 36 years of fighting the fight within myself, my lovely wife led me to the Church. Sure we had gone before and I wasn’t really into it. Then I met my Family at First Baptist Rosepine. Right from the beginning my wife and I knew that this place was different. I found myself and my family immediately accepted into this community and in a very short succession I found myself on my face giving myself to Christ and the Lord. On 11 June 2011 I was forgiven by Christ and the Lord for my sins and I vowed to live my life for the glory of God. Since this time my wife and I have dedicated and built our family around the Church and God. There is nothing that we do that does not involve the Lord. We shape our lives and our time around the Church and have volunteered everything and every moment we have to helping to build up the Church and its body.

                You see, if I hadn’t made the decision to join the military I would not have met my wife. I would not have experienced the war, would not have ever came to Louisiana, would never have met my Church family, and probably would never have found my Salvation. I believe now that God had a plan for me through all this and was helping to guide me in the decisions that I made. Even more now, I know that God is guiding me as I start my journey into becoming a Pastor hopefully. I begin school in under a month and I can’t wait to begin. The excitement and spiritual completeness I feel is something I don’t ever want to lose. So if you are in a bad place, or you think that you might have made a bad decision, look back to all the decisions you made to get you to where you are. Are these decisions all linked in some way. I bet if you look hard enough you will figure out that they are. God Bless and thank you for reading.

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