What is Aionios Life? Is it Eternal?

We are often asked “What is aionios life?” This is a simple question, but because of the total apostasy of ‘historical orthodox Christianity’ and the extensive efforts which have been taken to hide the meaning of the Greek words ‘aion‘ and ‘aionios‘, it will take a few pages to answer this question properly.

It always serves us well to allow God’s Word and not the doctrines of man to answer our questions. So what do the scriptures teach us of aionios life? Do the scriptures teach that aionios life never ends? If that is the case, where is the scripture?

In asking the question using this word as an adjective in describing ‘What is aionios life?’, that is exactly what this Greek word is. It is the adjective form of the Greek word which in noun form is ‘aion‘ – our English word eon. If we have any hope of ever understanding the meaning of any adjective, we must first find out what its derivative noun means. You must always have a noun form of any word before you can have an adjective form.

In other words, you must have the word ‘hour’ before you can speak of anything happening hourly. You must have a day before you can speak of anything happening daily, and you must have a month or year before you can speak of things happening monthly or yearly, etc. You would never under any circumstance use the word ‘hourly’ to mean every one hundred years, and it would be beyond comprehension to take the word ‘hourly’ to mean eternity. So it is with this Greek word ‘aion‘ and its adjective ‘aionios‘.

You must have a clear understanding of how the Holy Spirit uses the noun ‘aion‘ if you hope to have any understanding of how the Holy Spirit intends for us to understand the word ‘aionios’, the adjective form of ‘aion‘.

You can go to e-sword or any of the many software Bible concordances and type in #165, the Strong’s number for this Greek word ‘aion.’ When you do, you must specify the New Testament so you don’t get the Hebrew word to which Strong has assigned the number 165.

The first entry for this word in the New Testament is Matthew 6:13, which is right at the end of the so-called ‘Lord’s prayer’.

Mat 6:13  ‘And do not lead us into temptation, but deliver us from evil. [For Yours is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever. (Greek: aion) Amen.]’ (NASB)

You will notice that the last sentence in this verse is in brackets which means that this part of this verse was added by the translators and is not in the Greek manuscripts. This is noted in the DRB, CEV, GNB, REV, CLV and many other translations. For that reason we will go to the next verse which is uncontested as being in the Greek manuscripts. Here is the first uncontested use of this Greek word ‘aion‘ in the New Testament:

Mat 12:32  And whosoever speaketh a word against the Son of man, it shall be forgiven him: but whosoever speaketh against the Holy Ghost, it shall not be forgiven him, neither in this world [Greek: aion], neither in the world [Greek: aion] to come.

Now let’s ask ourselves honestly if this verse is talking about eternity? Is this verse speaking of endless time as Strong’s “by extension” defines this word? Strong’s Concordance defines this Greek word ‘aion‘ “properly” as “an age.” However, Mr. Strong adds to the word of God and tells his readers “by extension, perpetuity.” That is how the doctrines of men have led them to add to the definition of a word which they have already “properly” defined as ‘age’. I will cut and paste directly from Mr. Strong himself:

G165
αἰών
aiōn
ahee-ohn’

From the same as G104; properly an age; by extension perpetuity (also past); by implication the world; specifically (Jewish) a Messianic period (present or future): – age, course, eternal, (for) ever (- more), [n-] ever, (beginning of the, while the) world (began, without end).

“Properly an age.” That is quite an admission. Why bother with being ‘proper’ when you have a church doctrine to defend. Why not just “extend” the meaning of ‘hourly’ into perpetuity?

There are many more than just the entries I will give here of this word in the New Testament to demonstrate how foolish it is to attempt to make this word mean “eternal, (for) ever (-more), [n-] ever… without end…” etc. The very fact that there are about nine different English words and phrases used by the translators to translate this one Greek word, which admittedly is “properly” translated as ‘age’, should make any honest, scholarly, thinking person reconsider how this word was used by the original authors under the inspiration of God’s Holy Spirit.

Since we cannot take time here to look at all the entries in the New Testament, we will list all of them, and then we will take the time to look at the first four entries just for the purpose of demonstrating how impossible it is to make this noun meaning “properly an age” and twist and pervert the proper meaning  into ‘eternity’ or anything greater or different from the thought of an ‘age’, a period of time, long or short, with a definite beginning and a definite end. Here is every entry of this Greek word in the New Testament, as cut and pasted from e-sword. Observe the great lengths that have been taken by the translators to force God’s Word to fit into their false doctrine of eternal hell fire:

G165
αἰών
aiōn
ahee-ohn’

Total KJV Occurrences: 129
ever, 72
Mat 6:13, Mat 21:19, Mar 11:14, Luk 1:33, Luk 1:55, Joh 6:51, Joh 6:58, Joh 8:35 (2), Joh 12:34, Joh 14:16, Rom 1:25, Rom 9:5, Rom 11:36, Rom 16:27, 2Co 9:9, Gal 1:5 (2), Phi 4:20 (2), 1Ti 1:17 (2), 2Ti 4:18 (2), Heb 1:8 (2), Heb 5:6, Heb 6:20, Heb 7:17, Heb 7:21, Heb 7:24, Heb 13:8, Heb 13:21 (2), 1Pe 1:23, 1Pe 1:25, 1Pe 5:11 (4), 2Pe 3:17-18 (2), 1Jn 2:17, 2Jn 1:2, Jdg 1:13, Jdg 1:25, Rev 1:6 (2), Rev 4:9-10 (4), Rev 5:13-14 (4), Rev 7:12 (2), Rev 10:6 (2), Rev 11:15 (2), Rev 14:11 (2), Rev 15:7 (2), Rev 19:3 (2), Rev 20:10 (2), Rev 22:5 (2)
world, 37
Mat 12:32, Mat 13:22, Mat 13:39-40 (2), Mat 13:49, Mat 24:3, Mat 28:20, Mar 4:19, Mar 10:30, Luk 1:70, Luke16:8, Luke18:30, Luke20:34-35 (2), Joh 9:32, Act 3:21, Act 15:18, Rom 12:2, 1Co 1:20, 1Co 2:6-8 (4), 1Co 3:18, 1Co 8:13, 1Co 10:11, 2Co 4:4, Gal 1:4, Eph 1:21, Eph 3:9, Eph 3:21, Eph 6:12, 1Ti 6:17, 2Ti 4:10, Tit 2:12, Heb 6:5, Heb 9:26
never, 8
Mar 3:29, Joh 4:14, Joh 6:35, Joh 8:51-52 (2), Joh 10:28, Joh 11:26, Joh 13:8
evermore, 3
2Co 11:31, Heb 7:28, Rev 1:18
ages, 2
Eph 2:7, Col 1:26
end, 2
Eph 3:21 (2)
eternal, 2
Eph 3:11, 1Ti 1:17
worlds, 2
Heb 11:2-3 (2)
course, 1
Eph 2:2

There they are; nine different English translations for one short Greek word ‘aion‘.  Only two times out of 129 is it translated properly as ‘age’ (Eph 2:7, Col 1:26). Take the time to go to each entry and try to make it say ‘forever’. It simply cannot be done. Take the time to read the two proper translations in Ephesians and in Colossians, and you will see why they could not possibly make these two verses say what they want this word to say without exposing themselves as manipulators of God’s Word. To make it say anything other than what it properly says is to do so “by extension”, to use Mr. Strong’s own admission. ‘Extending’ is “adding to” the word of God. What are we told about extending God’s Words?

Deu 4:2  Ye shall not add unto the word which I command you, neither shall ye diminish ought from it, that ye may keep the commandments of the LORD your God which I command you.

This is a very serious offense to God. If we are not to “diminish” from His Word, then we are certainly not to ‘extend’ His Word. This is so important to God that He repeats this warning right here in Deuteronomy:

Deu 12:32  What thing soever I command you, observe to do it: thou shalt not add thereto, nor diminish from it.

Adding to and diminishing from God’s Word is adding to and diminishing from Christ Himself:

Joh 1:1  In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.

To demonstrate just how serious He is about this subject, God’s Word ends with a third warning which details what will be done to those who either add to, ‘extend’ or diminish and subtract from God’s Word, Christ:

Rev 22:18  For I testify unto every man that heareth the words of the prophecy of this book, If any man shall add unto these things, God shall add unto him the plagues that are written in this book:
Rev 22:19  And if any man shall take away from the words of the book of this prophecy, God shall take away his part out of the book of life, and out of the holy city, and from the things which are written in this book.

One cannot take a noun which the Holy Spirit “properly” inspired to mean an age, and by “adding to” this noun make it mean:

“by extension perpetuity (also past); by implication the world; specifically (Jewish) a Messianic period (present or future): … course, eternal, (for) ever (-more), [n-] ever, (beginning of the, while the) world (began, without end).”

Let us look now at the next two occurrences of this word in the New Testament:

Mat 13:22  He also that received seed among the thorns is he that heareth the word; and the care of this world [Greek: aion], and the deceitfulness of riches, choke the word, and he becometh unfruitful.

“The care of this aion?” Is “this aion” separated from some other ‘aion’? Can there be multiple eternities? This makes no sense at all if this noun under any circumstance can mean ‘endless time’. On the other hand, it makes perfect sense if it is understood as the period of time we all spend in this vessel of clay, in “this present evil aion.”

Gal 1:4  Who gave himself for our sins, that he might deliver us from this present evil world [Greek: aion – age], according to the will of God and our Father:

Mat 13:39  The enemy that sowed them is the devil; the harvest is the end of the world [Greek: aion – age]; and the reapers are the angels.

“The end of endless time?” Again this is absurd, but this verse makes perfect sense when we understand ‘aion’ to mean this period of time under discussion as “the end of this age” for each person who lives during his appointed “times aionios” (2Ti 1:9, Tit 1:2) in this “marred in the hand of the Potter… vessel of clay” (Jer 18:4).

I will add just one more scripture to demonstrate the absurdity of trying to make this Greek noun mean something other than what the Holy Spirit “properly” meant when it inspired the writers of the New Testament to use this word. Notice how Christ’s disciples used this word when asking our Lord about the “end of this age;”

Mat 24:3  And as he sat upon the mount of Olives, the disciples came unto him privately, saying, Tell us, when shall these things be? and what shall be the sign of thy coming, and of the end of the world? [Greek: aion]

“The end of eternity?” Is that what the disciples are asking our Lord? How absolutely absurd! I have listed every entry for this word. Read each entry and try to make the word ‘eternity’ or ‘forever’ fit in each entry. It cannot be done without doing violence to and adding to the Word of God. On the other hand, try to use the word ‘age’. You will find that this word will make perfect sense in some form in every case.

Now you ask ‘What is aionios life?’ I would hope that we have established, with all we have demonstrated above, that an ‘aion’ has a distinct beginning and a distinct end. I hope that you can see how impossible it is for an adjective to assume a meaning which is greater than the noun from which it is derived. I repeat:

You must have the word ‘hour’ before you can speak of anything happening hourly. You must have a day before you can speak of anything happening daily, and you must have a month or year before you can speak of things happening monthly, or yearly, etc. You would never, under any circumstance, use the word ‘hourly’ to mean every one hundred years, and it would be beyond comprehension to take the word ‘hourly’ to mean eternity. So it is with this Greek word ‘aion‘ and its adjective ‘aionios‘.

Does life end when the aions (eons in English) end?

So what is aionios life? Aionios life is life derived from receiving spiritual life during this aion. It is not life which must end when the aions are consumed and have fulfilled their purpose, but aionios life began during “times aionios“. Here is what the scriptures teach:

Rom 6:23  For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal [Greek: aionios] life through Jesus Christ our Lord.

Since we have demonstrated that ‘aion‘ means the period of one’s life in this vessel of clay, are we therefore saying that there is no such thing as endless life? No, not at all! The scriptures teach that those who are raised from among the dead receive immortality:

Rom 2:7  To them who by patient continuance in well doing seek for glory and honour and immortality, eternal life:

Immortality is defined as “deathlessness, not subject to death.” Paul tells us that the last enemy to be destroyed is death:

1Co 15:50  Now this I say, brethren, that flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God; neither doth corruption inherit incorruption.
1Co 15:51  Behold, I shew you a mystery; We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed,
1Co 15:52  In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump: for the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed.
1Co 15:53  For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality.
1Co 15:54  So when this corruptible shall have put on incorruption, and this mortal shall have put on immortality , then shall be brought to pass the saying that is written, Death is swallowed up in victory.
1Co 15:55  O death, where is thy sting? O grave [Greek: hades], where is thy victory?

“Oh grave, where is thy victory?” Just as an aside, this is another perfect example of how church doctrine never allows truth to penetrate its thick armor of deceit. Just look at how the translators have treated this Greek word ‘hades‘ here in this one verse alone. Here are all the verses in which this Greek word appear:

G86
ᾅδης
hadēs
Total KJV Occurrences: 11
hell, 10
Mat 11:23, Mat 16:18, Luk 10:15, Luk 16:23, Act 2:27, Act 2:31, Rev 1:18, Rev 6:8, Rev 20:13-14 (2)
grave, 1
1Co 15:55

“Grave, 1?” Why is this Greek word hades translated as grave only in this one verse? Why not be consistent and translate this word as ‘hell’ in 1Co 15:55? Well, let’s be consistent, and maybe we will understand why the translators decided against consistency and decided to be honest and “proper” only once out of eleven times:

1Co 15:55  O death, where is thy sting? O hell [Greek: hades], where is thy victory?

‘O hell, where is your victory?’ Seems to agree with verse 22 of this same chapter:

1Co 15:22  For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ shall all be made alive.

This verse flies in the face of all that historical orthodox Christianity teaches on this subject. Orthodox Christianity teaches that “eternal hell”, a totally unscriptural phrase, has and will have multiple billions of victories. No wonder the translators went with ‘grave’ in 1Co 15:55. To “properly” translate this word would again expose how they willingly manipulate and twist God’s inspired words to make it conform to their false and unscriptural doctrines of the ‘immortality of the soul’ and/or ‘eternal hell fire’.

Getting back to the question, immortality is something we “put on” after a resurrection from among the dead.

1Co 15:53  For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality.

You don’t “put on” something you already are. We are “corruptible”, so we must yet “put on incorruption.” We are mortal, subject to death; we “must put on immortality” – deathlessness.

For some “chosen and faithful-to-the-end few”, their ‘death’ and their ‘resurrection’ and their ‘judgment’ are all experienced in spirit while they are yet in “the body of this death.”

Rom 6:1  What shall we say then? Shall we continue in sin, that grace may abound?
Rom 6:2  God forbid. How shall we, that are dead to sin, live any longer therein?
Rom 6:3  Know ye not, that so many of us as were baptized into Jesus Christ were baptized into his death?
Rom 6:4  Therefore we are buried with him by baptism into death: that like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life.

Rom 7:24  O wretched man that I am! who shall deliver me from the body of this death?

Mat 10:22  And ye shall be hated of all men for my name’s sake: but he that endureth to the end shall be saved.

“Endureth to the end?”  To the end of what? The end of “this present evil age!” (Gal 1:4 – cited above).

Do the scriptures teach “once in grace always in grace?”

Absolutely not! Salvation is not something which is to be considered as accomplished without effort as we are constantly taught by the doctrine of the ten-second sinner’s prayer. We are even told plainly that we are to “work out your own salvation with fear and trembling.”

Php 2:12  Wherefore, my beloved, as ye have always obeyed, not as in my presence only, but now much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling.

“Fear?” Fear of what? We are to “work out our own salvation with fear” that we might fall for a doctrine which teaches that we cannot fall:

1Co 9:27  But I keep under my body, and bring [it] into subjection: lest that by any means, when I have preached to others, I myself should be a castaway.

1Co 10:12  Wherefore let him that thinketh he standeth take heed lest he fall.

Php 3:12  Not as though I had already attained, either were already perfect: but I follow after, if that I may apprehend that for which also I am apprehended of Christ Jesus.
Php 3:13  Brethren, I count not myself to have apprehended: but this one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before,
Php 3:14  I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus.

Here is the final and conclusive verse against the doctrine of ‘once in grace always in grace’:

Gal 5:4  Christ is become of no effect unto you, whosoever of you are justified by the law; ye are fallen from grace.

Why mention “enduring to the end… take heed lest he fall… not as though I had already attained, either were already perfect… I count not myself to have apprehended… I myself should be a castaway… you are fallen from grace” if ‘once in grace always in grace’ were a Biblical doctrine? The answer is it is not Biblical. The truth of this matter is that many are called and come to Christ and call Him “Lord, Lord”, and yet He has “never known them.”

Mat 22:14  For many are called [Greek: kletos], but few are chosen [Greek: eklectos]

The word ‘chosen’ is translated from the exact same Greek word which is also translated ‘elect’.  That Greek word is “eklectos“. Eklectos is a Greek word made from two Greek roots, ‘kletos‘ and ‘ek‘. Ek means ‘out of’.  So God’s elect are called out of God’s called out, His ‘kletos‘. Hence the word ‘eklectos‘.

Mat 7:22  Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works?
Mat 7:23  And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity.

Who are these “many called?” Are these people who have heard of Christ on the radio and television but refused to go to church, such I was taught as a child? Is that who they are? No, it is not. These are “those… who believe on Christ, are called and sanctified by Christ, and yet, because they cannot hear His words, they want to kill Him.”

Joh 8:30  As he spake these words, many believed on him.
Joh 8:31  Then said Jesus to those Jews which believed on him, If ye continue in my word, then are ye my disciples indeed;
Joh 8:32  And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.
Joh 8:33  They answered him, We be Abraham’s seed, and were never in bondage to any man: how sayest thou, Ye shall be made free?
Joh 8:34  Jesus answered them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Whosoever committeth sin is the servant of sin.
Joh 8:35  And the servant abideth not in the house for ever: [but] the Son abideth ever.
Joh 8:36  If the Son therefore shall make you free, ye shall be free indeed.
Joh 8:37  I know that ye are Abraham’s seed; but ye seek to kill me, because my word hath no place in you.

Until we come to see that the established church of Christ’s day is the established church of today and that the spirit of those Jews which believed on Him and yet wanted to kill Him is just as alive and well today in us all, and is to this very day the spirit of the Pharisees, we will never understand who are the “many” who say “Lord, Lord” to whom He replies, “I never knew you.”

Joh 8:30  As he spake these words, many believed on him.

Mat 7:21  Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven.
Mat 7:22  Many [who “believe on Him”] will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works?

Nothing has changed. “Many” Christians believe on Christ and still “seek to kill Him because His words have no place in them.”  “Love thine enemies” is less acceptable today than it was in the day Christ first uttered those words to “those Jews which believed on Him.” Why does Christ say “His words “have no place” in those Jews which believed on Him?” Here is why that is so:

Joh 8:43  Why do ye not understand my speech? even because ye cannot hear my word.
Joh 8:44  Ye are of your father the devil, and the lusts of your father ye will do. He was a murderer from the beginning, and abode not in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he speaketh a lie, he speaketh of his own: for he is a liar, and the father of it.

Mind you, Christ is saying all of this to “those Jews which believed on Him.” Why is it that the multitudes who come to Christ “cannot understand His speech?” He tells us why on more than one occasion. He tells us why right here: “Because you cannot hear my word.” Why cannot the multitudes who come to Christ and believe on Him hear His word? The answer is that He speaks to them in parables, which to this very day  keep them from “understanding the mysteries of the kingdom of God” because it is not given to them to understand:”

Mat 13:1  The same day went Jesus out of the house, and sat by the sea side.
Mat 13:2  And great multitudes were gathered together unto him, so that he went into a ship, and sat; and the whole multitude stood on the shore.
Mat 13:3  And he spake many things unto them in parables, saying, Behold, a sower went forth to sow;

The disciples had a question for Christ which is still being asked to this day, but it is never answered the same as Christ answered His disciples:

Mat 13:10  And the disciples came, and said unto him, Why speakest thou unto them in parables?

Now every minister and Sunday school teacher of “historical orthodox Christianity” teaches that Christ came to save all men here and now in this age, and that therefore He was speaking to the multitudes who came to hear His teaching in a way that would ‘make His message easier to understand.’ Isn’t that what we have all been taught while attending one of the 30,000 daughters of “Babylon the great?” That is exactly what Babylon teaches universally. Now let’s take this doctrine of men, a doctrine taught universally in the orthodox Christian world, and stack it up against the answer Christ gave to His disciples who asked “Why speakest thou to [the multitudes] in parables?”

Mat 13:11  He answered and said unto them, Because it is given unto you to know the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven, but to them it is not given.
Mat 13:12  For whosoever hath, to him shall be given, and he shall have more abundance: but whosoever hath not, from him shall be taken away even that he hath.
Mat 13:13  Therefore speak I to them in parables: because they seeing see not; and hearing they hear not, neither do they understand.

“Therefore speak I to them in parables… because it is not given to them to understand the mysteries of the kingdom of God… they seeing see not; and hearing they hear not neither do they understand… those Jews which believed in him.”

Is there another verse which might shed some light on this seemingly hopeless state in which the multitudes who come to hear Christ’s parables, find themselves?

How about this verse?

Rom 11:8  (According as it is written, God hath given them the spirit of slumber, eyes that they should not see, and ears that they should not hear;) unto this day.

And how about these verses?

Rom 9:16  So then it is not of him that willeth , nor of him that runneth, but of God that sheweth mercy.
Rom 9:17  For the scripture saith unto Pharaoh, Even for this same purpose have I raised thee up, that I might shew my power in thee, and that my name might be declared throughout all the earth.
Rom 9:18  Therefore hath he mercy on whom he will have mercy, and whom he will he hardeneth.

“It is not of him that willeth?” What minister of “historical orthodox Christianity” believes that part of God’s word? Or this part of God’s word?

Rom 8:20  For the creature was made subject to vanity, not willingly, but by reason of him who hath subjected the same in hope,

We are “made subject to vanity” not because with a fabled ‘free’ will with which we decided to be subject to vanity, but “by reason of Him who has subjected us to vanity in hope.” That is what is taught in God’s Word from Genesis 1:1 to Revelation 22:21. Where were you given a choice of whether you wanted to be “in Adam”? “God has mercy on whom He wants to have mercy and whom He wills He hardens.” That almost sounds like predestination. Could predestination possibly be a Biblical doctrine?

Eph 1:11  In whom also we have obtained an inheritance, being predestinated according to the purpose of him who worketh all things after the counsel of his own will:
[Read After The Counsel of His Own Will on the iswasandwillbe.com website]

When was this all decided? At what point were the multitudes who are called to Christ determined to be hardened at this time, while an elect few chosen from among the multitudes of those who believe on Him but “cannot receive His words” are being shown mercy? Do the scriptures answer this question? Just when were these decisions made?

2Ti 1:9  Who hath saved us, and called us with an holy calling, not according to our works, but according to his own purpose and grace, which was given us in Christ Jesus before the world began, [Greek: chronos aionios – times eonian]

“Not according to our works…”, not in accord with anything connected with what we do or don’t do, “but according to his own purpose and grace, which was given us in Christ Jesus before the world began, [Greek: chronos aionios – times eonian]”

Tit 1:2 In hope of eternal life [Greek: aionios life], which God, that cannot lie, promised before the world began;

So what is aionios life? Aionios life is the gift that Christ gives to the overcomers who are used to bring in the rest of mankind.

1Co 15:22  For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ shall all be made alive.

That is right; “all in Adam” will be given immortality. But life aionios will not be given to the multitudes. There is an “order” to accomplishing this goal of saving all in Adam, and it is all His Work in us in spite of the fact that we are told “work out your own salvation with fear and trembling.”

1Co 15:21  For since by man came death, by man came also the resurrection of the dead.
1Co 15:22  For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ shall all be made alive.
1Co 15:23  But every man in his own order: Christ the firstfruits; afterward they that are Christ’s at his coming.

We bring nothing to the table. “All things are after the counsel of HIS OWN WILL…” It is not of him that wills or runs, but [it is all] of him that either hardens or shows mercy.” (Rom 9:16-18).

“As in Adam all die, so in Christ will all be made alive… every man in his own order: Christ the firstfruits, afterward they that are Christ’s at His coming.” But Christ is not coming to all at this time. God has given most who come to Him “eyes that cannot see and ears that cannot hear… to this day.” These are all those who are in Adam who will be saved at “the end.” So then we are plainly told:

1Co 15:24  Then cometh the end, when he shall have delivered up the kingdom to God, even the Father; when he shall have put down all rule and all authority and power.
1Co 15:25  For he must reign, till he hath put all enemies under his feet.
1Co 15:26  The last enemy that shall be destroyed is death.

The multitudes of Christianity are not given immortality until “the end”; until death is destroyed. It is the destruction of death that brings immortality to the multitudes who come to Christ but are not elect, and who do not reign with Him either in the period known as the millennium or in the lake of fire. The “lake of fire” is a period of time; it is still “chronos aionios,” or “times aionian“, and it is in the lake of fire that death is destroyed and the aions are brought to their consummation through ‘punishment aionios‘ for those who are not in the first resurrection. Until death is destroyed, “all rule and authority and power…[and] all enemies are [not yet] put under His feet.” “The end” is “the destruction of death.” But death is not destroyed as long as one single soul has not yet been given immortality. “All in Adam” will be “made alive” with immortality at the consummation of the aions..

Rom 6:23  For the wages of sin is death [for all in Adam]; but the gift of God is eternal [aionion] life [for those in the first resurrection] through Jesus Christ our Lord.

1Co 15:22  For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ shall all be made alive.

1Co 15:54  So when this corruptible shall have put on incorruption, and this mortal shall have put on immortality, then shall be brought to pass the saying that is written, Death is swallowed up in victory.
1Co 15:55  O death, where is thy sting? O grave, where is thy victory?

Rev 20:14  And death and hell were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death.

The “second death” is second in the same sense that the second resurrection is the second resurrection. It is not second because anyone is resurrected twice, it is second only because others were resurrected first.

Rom 6:13 Neither yield ye your members as instruments of unrighteousness unto sin: but yield yourselves unto God, as those that are alive from the dead, and your members as instruments of righteousness unto God.

So, too, is the second death. It is not called the second death because those who are in this death are dying for the second time. It is the second death simply because those who are in this death are the second group who are finally dying to the carnal mind. Being cast into “the lake of fire… is the second death.”

Rev 20:14  And death and hell were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death.

So the second group will also be “buried with Him by baptism into His death”. This second group of sinners will also be “crucified with Him that [their] body of sin might be destroyed.”

Rom 6:4  Therefore we are buried with him by baptism into death: that like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life.
Rom 6:5  For if we have been planted together in the likeness of his death, we shall be also [in the likeness] of his resurrection:
Rom 6:6  Knowing this, that our old man is crucified with him, that the body of sin might be destroyed, that henceforth we should not serve sin.

So being “crucified with Him… that we should no longer serve sin” is the destiny of all mankind, but it is achieved in two stages. God’s “few chosen”, His “very elect”, are even now “dying daily” to their fleshly nature. Their fiery white throne is already here. Their day of judgment is come even now in this life:

1Co 15:31  I protest by your rejoicing which I have in Christ Jesus our Lord, I die daily.

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:

1Pe 4:17  For the time is come that judgment must begin at the house of God: and if it first begin at us, what shall the end be of them that obey not the gospel o God?

To determine who is in the second death, all we need to learn is who is this “lake of fire?” Who is this “great white-throne judgment” which “judges all the dead who are in death and hell?” In other words, all we need to know is who and what is this “lake of fire” that judges all those who are in death and hell? Why is it called a “lake” instead of a large ‘sea’ or an endless ‘ocean’? Here is why it is a mere lake:

Isa 33:14  The sinners in Zion are afraid; fearfulness hath surprised the hypocrites. Who among us shall dwell with the devouring fire? who among us shall dwell with everlasting burnings?

Where are the “sinners” with which this verse is concerned? They are “in Zion”. They are “among us”. They are “the multitudes… who believed on Him… and yet seek to kill Him… because you cannot hear my word… to this day.”

The question is posed in this verse: “Who among us shall dwell with the devouring fire? who among us shall dwell with everlasting burnings?”

When we get the answer to this question, we will have our answer to who it is who is cast into the lake of fire.
That is a legitimate question.”Who among us shall dwell with the devouring fire? Who among us shall dwell with the everlasting [Hebrew: olawm – age lasting] burnings?”

Well, we have just been told “The sinners in Zion are afraid; fearfulness hath surprised the hypocrites… among us…”  According to the doctrines of “historical orthodox Christianity”, it is the sinners and hypocrites among us in Zion who will dwell in the devouring fire and in the everlasting burnings. But is that what the scriptures teach? Absolutely not! What the scriptures do teach is that “our God is a consuming fire… and we shall be like Him.”

Heb 12:29  For our God is a consuming fire.

1Jn 3:2  Beloved, now are we the sons of God, and it doth not yet appear what we shall be: but we know that, when he shall appear, we shall be like him; for we shall see him as he is.

“Our God is a consuming fire… It doth not yet appear what we shall be: but we know that when He shall appear, we shall be like Him.”

So now let us return to Isaiah’s question: “Who among us shall dwell with the devouring fire? Who among us shall dwell with everlasting burnings?”

Is the answer to Isaiah’s question anything akin to what is taught in all of the churches of the 30,000 daughters of “Babylon the great the mother of harlots and of abominations of the earth?” Is it “the sinners in Zion”; is it “the hypocrites among us” who will dwell in the olawm, age-lasting fire? Isaiah answers his own question:

Isa 33:15  He that walketh righteously, and speaketh uprightly; he that despiseth the gain of oppressions, that shaketh his hands from holding of bribes, that stoppeth his ears from hearing of blood, and shutteth his eyes from seeing evil;

There it is! That is who “dwells in the devouring fire and the everlasting [age lasting] burnings.” It is God’s elect who make up and comprise that instrument of God which will effectuate the destruction of death and hell:

Rev 20:11  And I saw a great white throne, and him that sat on it, from whose face the earth and the heaven fled away; and there was found no place for them.
Rev 20:12  And I saw the dead, small and great, stand before God; and the books were opened: and another book was opened, which is [the book] of life: and the dead were judged out of those things which were written in the books, according to their works.
Rev 20:13  And the sea gave up the dead which were in it; and death and hell delivered up the dead which were in them: and they were judged every man according to their works.
Rev 20:14  And death and hell were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death.
Rev 20:15  And whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire.

It is not a hopeless and cruel ‘black throne’; it is rather a glorious “great white throne” at which all of mankind who were not part of that “blessed and holy first resurrection” are to be “judged out of those things which were written in the books according to their works.” That is the function of this “great white throne… lake of fire… second death. The ‘fire’ of God’s word physically burns no one. What the ‘fire’ of scripture does is prune, purge, scourge, purify and burn out all the sin in the lives of all of God’s creatures in Adam. The “great white throne” on which Christ sits is the hearts and minds of His elect in whom He dwells:

Joh 14:18  I will not leave you comfortless: I will come to you.

1Co 3:15  If any man’s work shall be burned , he shall suffer loss: but he himself shall be saved; yet so as by fire.
1Co 3:16  Know ye not that ye are the temple of God, and that the Spirit of God dwelleth in you?

Christ’s throne is in the hearts and minds of His people. That is “the heavens themselves which had to be cleansed with better sacrifices than the blood of calves and goats.” The “great white throne” is those blessed and holy few who are in that first resurrection:

Rev 20:6  Blessed and holy is he that hath part in the first resurrection: on such the second death hath no power, but they shall be priests of God and of Christ, and shall reign with him a thousand years.

These are those upon whom is conferred the single greatest blessing which can be bestowed on mankind. “They shall be priests of God and of Christ and shall reign with Him a thousand years.”

These are those who will “rule the world.”

1Co 6:2  Do ye not know that the saints shall judge the world? and if the world shall be judged by you, are ye unworthy to judge the smallest matters?

But this is just the beginning of the honor to be bestowed upon these “blessed and holy… priests of God and of Christ.” What will they do after reigning with Him on this earth?

1Co 6:3  Know ye not that we shall judge angels? how much more things that pertain to this life?

God’s elect are “prepared for the Devil and His angels” just as Joseph was prepared for his own brothers. It is through the unbelief of our own brothers in Christ that we are made God’s elect, and it will be through the chastening grace of God which His elect will administer as a “lake of fire” that all of our unbelieving brothers will be purified and brought into the irresistible mercies of the love of a Godly Father:

Rom 11:30  For as ye in times past have not believed God, yet have now obtained mercy through their unbelief :
Rom 11:31  Even so have these also now not believed, that through your mercy they also may obtain mercy.
Rom 11:32  For God hath concluded them all in unbelief, that he might have mercy upon all.

Those who know how to Rightly Divide The Word of Truth (be sure to read that paper) know that the fire of God’s Word is God’s righteous Word:

Deu 33:2  And he said, The LORD came from Sinai, and rose up from Seir unto them; he shined forth from mount Paran, and he came with ten thousands of saints : from his right hand went a fiery law for them.

What is in God’s “right hand?” His ‘right hand’ is His ‘saints.’ His elect saints are the seven angels of the seven churches:

Rev 1:20  The mystery of the seven stars which thou sawest in my right hand, and the seven golden candlesticks. The seven stars are the angels of the seven churches: and the seven candlesticks which thou sawest are the seven churches.

And who are these “seven angels” of this book?

Rev 17:1  And there came one of the seven angels which had the seven vials, and talked with me, saying unto me, Come hither; I will shew unto thee the judgment of the great whore that sitteth upon many waters:

Rev 19:10  And I fell at his feet to worship him [The angel – And who do these seven angels represent? Let’s let this angel tell us]. And he said unto me, See thou do it not: I am thy fellowservant, and of thy brethren that have the testimony of Jesus: worship God: for the testimony of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy.

And lest we miss the point of who these angels are, this is all repeated just a couple of chapters later:

Rev 22:8  And I John saw these things, and heard them. And when I had heard and seen, I fell down to worship before the feet of the angel which shewed me these things.
Rev 22:9  Then saith he unto me, See thou do it not : for I am thy fellowservant, and of thy brethren the prophets, and of them which keep the sayings of this book: worship God.
Rev 22:10  And he saith unto me, Seal not the sayings of the prophecy of this book: for the time is at hand.

These seven angels to the seven churches are “our fellowservants, and of our brothers the prophets, and of them which keep the sayings of this book.” That is who these seven angels are. That is who they tell us they are. And it is through these, our “fellowservants – those who keep the sayings of this book” – that God will burn out the wood, hay, stubble and dross from the lives of all of Joseph’s own brothers, the rejected ‘seed of Abraham’ who despise those who are destined to rule over them.

1Co 3:13  Every man’s work shall be made manifest: for the day shall declare it, because it shall be revealed by fire; and the fire shall try every man’s work of what sort it is.
1Co 3:14  If any man’s work abide which he hath built thereupon, he shall receive a reward.
1Co 3:15  If any man’s work shall be burned, he shall suffer loss: but he himself shall be saved; yet so as by fire [The lake of fire – Those who are “like Him”].

It will be fire that will cause the “loss that will be suffered” by most. But it will be that same fire which will, in the end, see to it that “he himself shall be saved… by fire.”

This whole excruciating experience is typified for us in the story of Joseph being hated by His own brothers, just as those today who teach the words of Christ are hated by all those who claim to be Abraham’s seed, but who “cannot hear my (Christ’s) words.” Joseph typifies Christ and all who are in Him. Joseph’s brothers typify the multitudes of Christians who profess to believe in Christ but who want to literally stone any who insist on living by Christ’s Words. Joseph’s brothers experienced being “tormented in the presence of the Lamb”.

Rev 14:10  The same shall drink of the wine of the wrath of God, which is poured out without mixture into the cup of his indignation; and he shall be tormented with fire and brimstone in the presence of the holy angels, and in the presence of the Lamb:

While this was indeed done to Joseph’s brothers, it is also experienced by us all at our appointed time. For most people their appointed time will be in the midst of that small body called a lake of fire as typified by Joseph’s ten brothers here:

Gen 42:20  But bring your youngest brother unto me; so shall your words be verified, and ye shall not die. And they did so.
Gen 42:21  And they said one to another, We are verily guilty concerning our brother, in that we saw the anguish of his soul, when he besought us, and we would not hear; therefore is this distress come upon us.
Gen 42:22  And Reuben answered them, saying, Spake I not unto you, saying, Do not sin against the child; and ye would not hear? therefore, behold, also his blood is required.
Gen 42:23  And they knew not that Joseph understood them; for he spake unto them by an interpreter.
Gen 42:24  And he turned himself about from them, and wept; and returned to them again, and communed with them, and took from them Simeon, and bound him before their eyes.

“They knew not that Joseph understood them; for he spoke unto them by an interpreter.” So Joseph’s brothers were tormented by their own consciences right there in the typical “presence of the Lamb”, in being brought to acknowledge that it was their own false doctrines which have brought them to the point of such torment.

Just like Joseph, God’s elect are not being saved just to walk on physical streets of pure physical gold. It bears repeating; this is why God saved Joseph, and this is also why He is saving His elect today:

Rom 11:30  For as ye in times past have not believed God, yet have now obtained mercy through their unbelief:
Rom 11:31  Even so have these also now not believed, that through your mercy they also may obtain mercy.

As sobering a thought as it is to contemplate, it is upon the backs of God’s own rejected people that He is calling out His elect. It was at the expense of his brothers that Joseph was given dreams of rulership. It wasn’t the sheaves of Canaanites that bowed to Joseph’s sheaf. It was the sheaves of His own brothers. But why does God need an elect? Are God’s elect saved just for their own benefit? Absolutely not! God’s elect “believe through the unbelief of their brothers, that through the mercy of God’s elect all unbelievers will receive mercy.”

“They themselves will be saved… yet so as by fire… those who dwell in the devouring flame… the righteous… those who are like Him.” And so Paul continues:

Rom 11:32  For God hath concluded them all in unbelief, that he might have mercy upon all [through the mercy of His elect].

Those who know the mind of God know that while Joseph made his brothers “give an account” for their evil deeds and even tormented them for a time, Joseph knew that the evil deeds of his brothers was not really their evil deeds any more than our good deeds are really our good deeds and works. In Joseph’s own words:

Gen 45:5  Now therefore be not grieved, nor angry with yourselves, that ye sold me hither: for God did send me before you to preserve life.
Gen 45:6  For these two years [hath] the famine [been] in the land: and yet [there are] five years, in the which [there shall] neither [be] earing nor harvest.
Gen 45:7  And God sent me before you to preserve you a posterity in the earth, and to save your lives by a great deliverance [typifying the deliverance of all of mankind through God greatest work of grace, the lake of fire].
Gen 45:8  So now it was not you that sent me hither, but God: and he hath made me a father to Pharaoh, and lord of all his house, and a ruler throughout all the land of Egypt.

What is the truth? The truth is “it was not you that sent me here, but God.” Look at these Words of God. This is the mind of Christ. Does Joseph deny that his brothers decided to sell him into Egypt as a slave? No, he does not. He holds his brothers to give account for their evil deeds; “ye sold me hither.” Joseph does not say ‘ye did not sell me hither.’ He confesses “ye…sent me hither.” But to whom does Joseph point us as responsible for the evil deeds of his evil brothers? Does Joseph or God anywhere ever tell us that we are responsible for our own works? No, never in the pages of all of God’s Word to mankind do we ever find the word ‘responsible.’ Type it into your e-sword or any Bible software. It is never once in God’s word simply because God never once holds mankind responsible for anything. Instead this is what we are told from Genesis to Revelation, whether the subject is good or evil deeds:

Gen 45:8  So now it was not you that sent me hither, but God: and he hath made me a father to Pharaoh, and lord of all his house, and a ruler throughout all the land of Egypt.

Pro 20:24  Man’s goings [good and evil] are of the LORD; how can a man then understand his own way?

Pro 16:4  The LORD hath made all things for himself: yea, even the wicked for the day of evil.

What minister of “historical orthodox Christianity” agrees with Joseph? There is not one. Then again they are all so double-tongued that they all declare that God is indeed sovereign and with the same forked serpent’s tongue they declare that you and you alone are responsible for choosing whether we will accept Christ as our savior. God is believed to have no influence over your fabled ‘free’ will. Where in all of God’s Word is the phrase ‘free will’? Where is it? Is this the scripture which proves that we all have a ‘free’ will?

Jos 24:15  And if it seem evil unto you to serve the LORD, choose you this day whom ye will serve; whether the gods which your fathers served that were on the other side of the flood, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land ye dwell: but as for me and my house, we will serve the LORD.

Now I challenge anyone to show me anywhere in that or any other verse of God’s word, where we are told that God has not so much as a clue what Israel was going to choose to do? Where in that or in any other verse of God’s word are we told that God would not either harden or show mercy to each Israelite to whom He told “choose you this day?”

Why, if God had no idea what Adam and Eve would choose to do, are we told that Christ was “slain from the foundation of the world?”

Rev 13:8  And all that dwell upon the earth shall worship him, whose names are not written in the book of life of the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world.

Once again, when were the names of those who would be God’s firstfruits of “all in Adam… written in the book of life?” When were all the rest temporarily “blotted out of the book of life?” What say the scriptures?

“Whose names are not written in the book of life of the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world… before the world began” say the scriptures.

And why are they “not written in the book of life of the lamb slain from the foundation of the world?” Here is why:

Exo 32:31  And Moses returned unto the LORD, and said, Oh, this people have sinned a great sin, and have made them gods of gold.
Exo 32:32  Yet now, if thou wilt forgive their sin–; and if not, blot me, I pray thee, out of thy book which thou hast written.
Exo 32:33  And the LORD said unto Moses, Whosoever hath sinned against me, him will I blot out of my book.

The fact that God has to “blot out the names of… whosoever hath sinned against me” proves that all mankind are in God’s book of life of the lamb. That most people would be temporarily “blotted out” was all decided before Adam was ever created “marred in the Potter’s hand:”

2Ti 1:9  Who hath saved us, and called [us] with an holy calling, not according to our works, but according to his own purpose and grace, which was given us in Christ Jesus before the world began,

Tit 1:2  In hope of eternal life, which God, that cannot lie, promised before the world began;

Jer 18:4  And the vessel that he made of clay [Adam and all in him] was marred in the hand of the potter : so he made it again another vessel, as seemed good to the potter to make it.

It is impossible to understand the Word of God without realizing that both Hebrew and Greek languages are written generally in the aorist tense; what we would call, in English, the present progressive tense. So when we read that God made man in His image, what was really written in the Hebrew was that ‘God is making man in His image.’ In other words it is “another vessel… made again as seems good to the Potter… conformed to the image of his Son” which will be the finished product “made in the image of God.”

If indeed the first Adam were already in the image of God, why pray tell, must he be “conformed to the image of His son?” Why, if Adam and Eve were completed at creation and were not “marred while yet in the hand of the Potter”, were they capable of lusting after the fruit of a tree of which they had been commanded not to eat. That’s right, Adam and Eve committed the sin of lust before they ever touched the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. It wasn’t eating of the tree that caused them to lust. It was their “marred in the hand of the Potter” condition which caused them to lust after that which they were commanded not to eat. It was God “working all things After The Counsel of His Own Will” (Be sure to read that paper).

Being “marred in the hand of the Potter” is a prerequisite to being born of the spirit:

Joh 3:5  Jesus answered, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born of water [flesh first] and of the Spirit [“made again… another vessel”], he cannot enter into the kingdom of God.
Joh 3:6  That which is born of the flesh is flesh; and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit.
Joh 3:7  Marvel not that I said unto thee, Ye must be born again.
Joh 3:8  The wind bloweth where it listeth, and thou hearest the sound thereof, but canst not tell whence it cometh, and whither it goeth: so is every one that is born of the Spirit.

1Co 15:44  It is sown a natural body; it is raised a spiritual body. There is a natural body, and there is a spiritual body.
1Co 15:45  And so it is written, The first man Adam was made a living soul; the last Adam [ was made] a quickening spirit.
1Co 15:46  Howbeit that was not first which is spiritual, but that which is natural ; and afterward that which is spiritual.
1Co 15:47  The first man is of the earth, earthy: the second man is the Lord from heaven.
1Co 15:48  A s is the earthy, such are they also that are earthy: and as [is] the heavenly, such [are] they also that are heavenly.
1Co 15:49  And as we have borne the image of the earthy , we shall also bear the image of the heavenly.
1Co 15:50  Now this I say, brethren, that flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God; neither doth corruption inherit incorruption.

Contrary to all the lies of Babylon and the serpent himself, Adam and Eve were created mortal, corruptible, naked, of the dust, sinful flesh and blood, shapen in iniquity, conceived in sin and marred in the hand of the Potter. And so is the Potter shaping us all in Adam to this very day:

Psa 51:5  Behold, I was shapen in iniquity; and in sin did my mother conceive me.
Rom 7:5  For when we were in the flesh , the motions of sins, which were by the law, did work in our members to bring forth fruit unto death.
Rom 7:18  For I know that in me (that is, in my flesh,) dwelleth no good thing : for to will is present with me; but how to perform that which is good I find not.

And why, according to the scriptures, can we not perform that which is good even though we might will to do so? Do we serve our flesh because of our fabled ‘free’ will, or is there another factor to be reckoned with? Is not God Himself working all things after the counsel of His own will? What say the scriptures? Here once again is what say the scriptures from Genesis to Revelation:

Php 2:13  For it is God which worketh in you both to will and to do of his good pleasure.

“Both to will and to do? ” That is right; that is what scripture teaches. Both our will and our actions are “both” what “God works in you”.

Pro 16:1  The preparations of the heart in man, and the answer of the tongue, is from the LORD.

Pro 20:24  Man’s goings are of the LORD; how can a man then understand his own way?

Jer 10:23  O LORD, I know that the way of man is not in himself: it is not in man that walketh to direct his steps.

“It is not in man that walketh to…” freely choose to either obey or to disobey God. Man is not a “free moral agent”. Man is rather “marred in the Potter’s hand.”  What God created was a sinning machine. “In man is no good thing.” He is “shapen in iniquity and conceived in sin.” It is not in man to direct his steps.

Eph 2:8  For by [chastening] grace are ye saved through faith; and that [grace through faith] not of yourselves: it is the gift of God:
Eph 2:9  Not of [our] works, lest any man should boast.
Eph 2:10  For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them.

That is what it says; all the “good works we do are actually His work, before ordained that we should walk in them.” Truly “it is God which worketh in [us all] both to will and to do of His good pleasure.”

Genesis tells us the Truth right from the beginning. In the last chapter, just to make sure that we don’t fail to understand how God works with mankind, we are told again:

Gen 50:18  And his brethren [representing our brothers in Christ who believe in Christ yet want us dead “because they cannot receive His words”] also went and fell down before his face; and they said, Behold, we be thy servants.
Gen 50:19  And Joseph [representing Christ and all those who are in Him and who will be part of that “blessed and holy first resurrection”] said unto them, Fear not: for am I in the place of God?
Gen 50:20  But as for you, ye thought evil against me; but God meant it unto good, to bring to pass, as it is this day, to save much people alive.

And for those who can receive it, that is the purpose for all evil; ‘God means it all unto good to bring to pass… to save much people alive.’ It is to this end that God sells His elect into the prisons of Egypt to be brought forth for the purpose of saving the most wicked of all men.’

1Co 15:22  For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ shall all be made alive.

1Ti 2:4  Who will have all men to be saved, and to come unto the knowledge of the truth.

1Ti 4:10  For therefore we both labour and suffer reproach, because we trust in the living God, who is the Saviour of all men, specially [not exclusively] of those that believe.

2Pe 3:9  The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance.

What is aionios life? It is what Christ has freely given to those in the first resurection.

Mat 25:46 And these shall go away into everlasting punishment: but the righteous into life eternal (aionios).

Aionios life is for those who receive life in this vessel of clay in this aion (or eon in English).

Joh 5:24 Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that heareth my word, and believeth on him that sent me, hath everlasting life, and shall not come into condemnation; but is passed from death unto life.

1Jn 3:14 We know that we have passed from death unto life, because we love the brethren. He that loveth not his brother abideth in death.

It replaces the wages of sin which we have all inherited from our fleshly father, Adam. Christ, as Joseph demonstrates in dealing with his own brothers who wanted Him dead, is making all men give account of their actions, forgiving their sins, and through it all acknowledging that it is all caused and worked by the sovereign guiding hand of His God; a God who has provided “the propitiation not only for our sins, but for the sins of the whole world”, the whole world to whom he will, in His appointed time, give His gift of immortality.

Gen 50:21  Now therefore fear ye not: I [Joseph] will nourish you, and your little ones [His brothers who wanted Him dead]. And he comforted them, and spake kindly unto them .

This same message is repeated by God’s Spirit in the New Testament:

1Jn 2:2  And he is the propitiation for our sins: and not for ours only, but also for the sins of the whole world .

Rom 6:23  For the wages of sin [of all mankind] is death; but the gift of God [to His elect] is eternal [aionios] life through Jesus Christ our Lord.

Does the Biblical doctine of universal salvation deny the necessity for justice and judgment? It absolutely does not! God is a just God. Let it never even be intimated that God’s Word does not deal with sin in a very just way. Let no man deceive himself into thinking that the forgiveness of sins somehow nullifies these words of our Lord:

Gal 6:7  Be not deceived; God is not mocked: for whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap .

Forgiveness of sins does not do away with the wages of sin – death. We are born spiritually dead.

Mat 8:22 But Jesus said unto him, Follow me; and let the dead bury their dead.

Rom 7:24 O wretched man that I am! who shall deliver me from the body of this death?

Forgiveness of sins does not do away with the necessity of justice and reaping what we have sown. God’s word does not contradict itself. What we sow is indeed what we will all reap. Here is the principle which governs all of God’s judgments:

Luk 12:47  And that servant, which knew his lord’s will, and prepared not himself, neither did according to his will, shall be beaten with many stripes.
Luk 12:48  But he that knew not, and did commit things worthy of stripes, shall be beaten with few stripes . For unto whomsoever much is given, of him shall be much required: and to whom men have committed much, of him they will ask the more.

This leads us to discussing the meaning of grace, the instrument by which we are all saved:

Eph 2:8  For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God:
Eph 2:9  Not of works, lest any man should boast.

“By grace… not of works?” So what is this ‘grace’ everyone talks about so very much and yet understands so very little? What does ‘grace’ accomplish in the life of the believer? Here is what ‘grace’ accomplishes:

Tit 2:11  For the grace of God that bringeth salvation hath appeared to all men,
Tit 2:12  Teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly, in this present world;

According to the Word of God grace “teaches” us to forsake ungodliness and worldly lusts and “teaches” us to live soberly, righteously, and godly, in this present world [Greek: aion – age]. How does grace teach us to forsake ungodliness?

Here again, we are literally robbed of knowing God and Jesus Christ by the inconsistencies of the translators. I realize fully that “all things are of God” (2Co 5:18). I know fully well that God is “working all things after the counsel of His own will” (Eph 1:11). All this means is that God is using inconsistent tranlations of His word to blind the eyes of the “many called…” but not “chosen”. The word translated ‘teach’ in Tit 2:12 is the Greek word ‘paideuo‘.  Here is Strong’s breakdown of how this word is variously translated in the King James Version:

G3811
παιδεύω
paideuō

Total KJV Occurrences: 13
chastened, 3

chasteneth, 2
Heb 12:6-7 (2)

chastise, 2
Luk 23:16, Luk 23:22

chasten, 1
Rev 3:19

instructing, 1
2Ti 2:25

learn, 1
1Ti 1:20

learned, 1
Act 7:22

taught, 1
Act 22:3

teaching, 1
Tit 2:12

Notice that eight out of thirteen entries are translated with some form of the English word ‘chasten’ or ‘chastise.’ The other five all carry the thought of instructing and teaching.

Let’s look at the first four entries in this list:

1Co 11:31  For if we would judge ourselves, we should not be judged.
1Co 11:32  But when we are judged, we are chastened [Greek: paideuo] of the Lord, that we should not be condemned with the world.

2Co 6:9  As unknown, and yet well known; as dying, and, behold, we live; as chastened [Greek: paideuo], and not killed;

Heb 12:9  Furthermore we have had fathers of our flesh which corrected us, and we gave them reverence: shall we not much rather be in subjection unto the Father of spirits, and live?
Heb 12:10  For they verily for a few days chastened [Greek: paidueo] us after their own pleasure; but he for our profit, that we might be partakers of his holiness.

Our final citation from the above list is this verse which tells us what God means by the word ‘paideuo‘:

Heb 12:6  For whom the Lord loveth he chasteneth [Greek: paideuo] and scourgeth every son whom he receiveth.
Heb 12:7  If ye endure chastening [Greek: paideia], God dealeth with you as with sons; for what son is he whom the father chasteneth [paideuo] not?

So what grace does is “chasten and scourge(s) every son whom He receives.” Now when we read this verse:

Rom 5:20  Moreover the law entered, that the offence might abound. But where sin abounded, [chastening] grace did much more abound:

We should have a much fuller understanding of what is being said here in Rom 5:20. If grace “chastens us to forsake ungodliness”, then we should now understand that the free gift in no way encourages one to continue in sin, but it rather “chastens and scourges every son the Father receives… to forsake ungodliness and worldly lusts and to live godly lives in this present world [Greek: aion – age]. It is a “free gift” because God does not charge us one red cent for chastening and scourging us every time we sin against Him.

Aionios life is given to mankind through grace but only in a certain “order.” I will quote it again:

1Co 15:22  For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ shall all be made alive.
1Co 15:23  But every man in his own order : Christ the firstfruits; afterward they that are Christ’s at his coming.
1Co 15:24  Then cometh the end, when he shall have delivered up the kingdom to God, even the Father; when he shall have put down all rule and all authority and power.
1Co 15:25  For he [Christ] must reign, till he [the Father] hath put all enemies under his feet.
1Co 15:26  The last enemy that shall be destroyed is death.
1Co 15:27  For he [the Father] hath put all things under his [Christ’s] feet. But when he [the Father] saith all things are put under him [Christ], it is manifest that he [the Father] is excepted, which did put all things under him [Christ].
1Co 15:28  And when all things shall be subdued unto him [Christ], then shall the Son also himself be subject unto him [the Father] that put all things under him [Christ], that God may be all in all.

So you see, life aionios, as wonderful and necessary as it is, is not God’s ultimate goal. His ultimate goal is achieved after the aions are consumed and have completed their purpose of bring us all to the point that “God is all in all.”

The fact that the eons have a beginning and an end in no way denies that the eons are God’s channel through which to give immortality, life that continues beyond the eons to all men.

I also felt that it was necessary to demonstrate that the doctrine of universal salvation, when taught scripturally, in no way denies that God is a just God and that we will all reap what we have sown.