Very little in the book of Revelation could be interpreted literally. While it is crucial to read and study the book thoroughly, appreciating its language, imagery, and themes, it is equally important to recognize the book’s genre and that almost every element in Revelation is steeped in references to Hebrew …
Divine Abuse
-
-
For an article on the meaning of the word “eternal” in Greek and Hebrew, visit here. The Epistle of Jude, which was written to warn of the destructive concourses of false doctrines, is often cited by the Augustinian-Calvinist Eternal Conscious Torment proponents as supporting the concept of hellfire. For instance, …
-
#Christianity #Jesus #Bible
What is “Everlasting Destruction” (2 Thessalonians 1:8-9)?
by Dr. Eitan Bar 5 minutes readFor an article on the meaning of the word “eternal” in Greek and Hebrew, visit here. New Testament’s 2 Thessalonians 1:8-9 is often cited by proponents of Eternal Conscious Torment (ECT) as a key passage supporting the doctrine of hellfire. However, a careful analysis of the text within its context …
-
#Christianity #Jesus #Bible
Fear God Who Could Throw You Into Hell?! (Matthew 10:28)
by Dr. Eitan Bar 12 minutes read“Then Jesus took the teenage girl and threw her into the fire. As he watched her scream in the flames, he said unto her, ‘Your parents warned you, but you did not listen!’” (Matthew 10:28, according to Calvinism) Sounds too harsh? Sadly, this is exactly how many Christians today read …
-
#Christianity #Jesus #Bible
What are the “Gates of Hell” (Matthew 16:18)?
by Dr. Eitan Bar 4 minutes readMatthew 16 is where Jesus finally introduces the concept of his death and resurrection to his disciples. In verse 18, Jesus declares something that confused many: And I tell you that you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of Hades will not …
-
#Christianity #Jesus #Bible
“Lord Lord….”, “I Never Knew You. Away from me, you evildoers!” (Matthew 7:21-23)
by Dr. Eitan Bar 5 minutes readThere are two kinds of “Christianity.” One is a religion that, on paper, intellectually adheres to all the correct theological recipes and doctrines about Jesus’ Lordship and Divinity. The other is a way of life—represented by the kingdom of heaven—embodied by Christ-like individuals who live out the values Jesus taught …
-
#Christianity #Jesus #Bible
Aren’t we “Born Again” to Avoid Hellfire?
by Dr. Eitan Bar 5 minutes readEvangelicals, commonly self-identified as “Born-again Evangelicals,” generally interpret “born again” as a profound experience of repentance and faith in Jesus’s sacrifice for sins. This experience is often specific, memorable, and pivotal to their personal testimony. These experiences, usually emotionally charged, can look like reciting a “salvation prayer” from a pamphlet …
-
#Christianity #Jesus #Bible
What Are the “Unquenchable Fire” and “Wheat and Chaff”?
by Dr. Eitan Bar 9 minutes readWhen the Western mind encounters the word “fire,” it often conjures images of witches being burned at the stake, nuclear bombs, or Dante’s depictions of individuals tormented by flames, which has significantly influenced Western Christian theology. However, in the Bible, Judaism, and other ancient civilizations, fire, though potentially painful, primarily …
-
#Christianity #Jesus #Bible
What are “Outer Darkness” and “Gnashing of Teeth”?
by Dr. Eitan Bar 8 minutes readWhen these metaphors are taken literally and out of context, their imagery might appear quite terrifying, akin to a vivid depiction of the Augustinian-Calvinist hellfire: But the subjects of the kingdom will be thrown outside, into the darkness, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth. Matthew 8:12 They …
-
#Christianity #Jesus #Bible
Is the Parable of the Sheep & Goats About Hell? (Matthew 25:31-46)
by Dr. Eitan Bar 6 minutes readJesus presents three parables in Matthew 25: The Parable of the Ten Virgins (verses 1-13), The Parable of the Bags of Gold (verses 14-28), and the one we focus on today, The Parable of the Sheep and the Goats (verses 31-46). Some, Augustine himself included, interpret a section of this parable …
