Do We All Go Through the Lake of Fire?
Posted April 22, 2004
[Updated to fit TOA Module October 9, 2010]
Mike,
I hear people, especially church folks, yell at the top of their lungs that they are saved. How can one be saved if one is still sinning? And to be totally cleaned, don't we all have to go through the "Lake of Fire?" The Bible tells us that all sin. Please clear this up for me.
F____
Hi F______,
I challenge anyone to show me where anyone is already saved.
Eph 2:8 For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: [it is] the gift of God:
It is in the Greek 'aorist' tense, and it is what we would call the present progressive.
This is always the case in the Greek when it comes to our present spiritual standing. In the first three chapters of Revelation we are told that "he that overcometh..." will I give to "eat of the tree of life" etc.
The only thing offered to those who are not overcomers in this age is death. Salvation in the first resurrection is only offered to "he that endureth to the end, the same shall be saved."
If we don't 'endure to the end, we won't be saved.
When it comes to the phrase 'lake of fire,' we are never to apply this phraseology to the overcomers.
Rev 2:11 He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches; He that overcometh shall not be hurt of the second death.
The second death is 'the lake of fire,' and the lake of fire "is for the devil and his angels:"
Mat 25:41 Then shall he say also unto them on the left hand, Depart from me, ye cursed, into everlasting fire, prepared for the devil and his angels:
We really need to keep these phrases scriptural. We endure a "fiery trial."
1Pe 4:12 Beloved, think it not strange concerning the fiery trial which is to try you, as though some strange thing happened unto you:
Yet we are promised that we will not be hurt of the 2nd death which is the lake of fire.
It is indeed the very same fire. But it really is important to maintain a "pattern of sound words."
I hope I have cleared this up for you.
Your brother,
Mike