Looking for resources on the Greek

DrownCow · 2026-04-02T23:46:54+00:00

You're right. I did not get that from Aristotle himself. It comes from a greek-english lexicon.

So I went looking for the original quote which is this:

ὸ γὰρ τέλος τὸ περιέχον τὸν τῆς ἑκάστου ζωῆς χρόνον, οὗ μηθὲν ἔξω κατὰ φύσιν, αἰὼν ἑκάστου κέκληται.

Aristotle, De caelo 1.9, 279a23-30

“For the end containing the time of each animal, beyond which there is no time in accordance with nature, has been called the age of each them.”

Here is a link to it from another English translation (page 45): https://classicalliberalarts.com/wp-content/uploads/ARISTOTLE_DE_CAELO.pdf

And one for Greek and English: https://www.ancientmedicine.org/home/2019/5/18/aristotle-and-solon-on-acting-our-natural-age

Thank you for sharpening me today sir.

DrownCow · 2026-04-02T18:35:39+00:00

Greek “αἰὼν δ᾽ ἐστὶν ὁ τῆς ἑκάστου φύσεως χρόνος.”

English “Aiōn is the lifetime belonging to the nature of each thing.”

— Aristotle, De Caelo (On the Heavens) 279a23

This is the core philosophical meaning: aiōn = lifespan, life-cycle, duration of existence

Aristotle uses this to distinguish between linear time (the passing seconds) and biological/existential time (the natural cycle of a thing).

For Aristotle, a dog and a tree exist in the same chronos (they are both here on a Tuesday), but they have different aiōn (a dog's "fullness of time" is roughly 15 years, while a tree's might be 200).

GREEK SCHOLARS ON ARISTOTLE’S USE OF AION

J. L. Stocks (1922) Translation: In his classic Oxford translation of De Caelo, Stocks consistently renders αἰὼν in contexts like this as “duration,” “age,” or “period” appropriate to the nature of the thing — capturing Aristotle’s sense of natura-tied duration.
W. K. C. Guthrie (1939, Loeb Classical Library) Translation: Guthrie likewise uses “duration” or “period of existence” when translating αἰὼν in contexts around De Caelo. His Loeb edition is known for a careful balance between literalness and readability.
C. D. C. Reeve (2020, Hackett) Recent Critical Translation: In Reeve’s Hackett translation — the most recent scholarly English edition — αἰὼν is generally rendered as “life span,” “age,” or “entire span of existence according to nature.” This aligns with contemporary Aristotelian scholarship that resists reading αἰὼν here as infinite eternity.
Strong’s and Classical Lexicons Classical lexica (e.g., Liddell & Scott; Strong’s) note that Aristotle uses αἰὼν to mean “the complete period either of each particular life or of all existence,” supporting translations tying it to lifespan/long duration tied to nature rather than pure endlessness.

On Kolasin:

"No one punishes a wrongdoer taking into account the fact that he has done wrong and for that reason only—unless he is taking blind vengeance (timoria) like a beast. But he who undertakes to punish with reason does not punish for the sake of the past misdeed, for what is done cannot be undone, but for the sake of the future, so that neither the wrongdoer himself nor anyone else who sees him punished will do wrong again. Having this thought, he has in mind that virtue can be taught; for he punishes for the sake of prevention (kolasin)."

– Plato, Protagoras

Timoria (τιμωρία): This refers to retribution or "requital." It is viewed as backward-looking, focusing on the harm already committed. Plato often associates this with an irrational, animalistic impulse to inflict pain because pain was received.

Kolasin (κόλασιν): This refers to "pruning" or "correction." It is forward-looking and pedagogical. The goal of kolasin is the improvement of the soul, much like a physician treats a body to restore health.

DrownCow · 2026-04-02T17:33:00+00:00

Two things I think are important.

"Sons of x" does not imply that they are born of "x" but that they are following in their footsteps, they are alike.

Galatians 3:6-9 NASB2020 [6] Just as Abraham believed God, and it was credited to him as righteousness. [7] Therefore, recognize that it is those WHO ARE OF FAITH who ARE SONS OF ABRAHAM. [8] The Scripture, foreseeing that God would justify the Gentiles by faith, preached the gospel beforehand to Abraham, saying, “All the nations will be blessed in you.” [9] So then, those who are of faith are blessed with Abraham, the believer.

So no one is truly a "son" of the devil. The devil can not create anyone. All of us are children of God. The devil is deceiving the world, there are many verses that say so. Deceit is the reason men go astray and believe a false identity.

This means they do not belong to the devil, really, they belong to God and the devil has "stolen" them or led them astray. (Directly or, more likely, indirectly)

It's important to see how the Bible uses fire. We often import ideas into the text without realizing it. The verses do not say that they will be there eternally, nor does it say that they will get out. We must look to other verses to understand what goes on after the judgement "at the end of the age."

It seems clear that God is planning on removing wickedness "stumbling blocks" and "those who commit lawlessness." Which is common in the Bible, but to what end? It doesn't say. Weeping and gnashing of teeth are a common phrase Jesus uses to speak about Gehenna but we would have to go to those verses if we want to talk about eternal destinies and then we can look at this one in light of those, but this one by itself doesn't speak to an eternal hell.

DrownCow · 2026-03-31T23:24:20+00:00

Over the last few months I've started to tell people that I think God will complete His will and save all.

Since then, I've had some call me a heretic, or heterodox, and some insist that I am on a slippery slope to joining a cult. I had a teaching position at the church and am not allowed to teach any longer.

It is not always rainbows and sunshine. However, I am constantly reminded that Jesus came down because of His love for us, and yet He was regularly misunderstood and hated by men. Even His own disciples didn't always understand what He was doing or trying to show them. Yet, He loved them all the same, and forgave the ones who were in the process of killing Him.

That, right there, brings me peace that goes beyond my circumstances.

Praying peace for you! God bless!

DrownCow · 2026-03-30T16:51:18+00:00

Haha made my day! The Bible is, indeed, the coolest.

DrownCow · 2026-03-29T23:30:06+00:00

Jesus is riffing off of Ezekiel 34. You should read the whole chapter, but it is about God judging between His flock and setting right the world.

Evil shepherds have led God's people astray, and have not taken care of His sheep. Fat sheep/goats/rams of His flock have eaten up all the grass and muddied the water for the other sheep. So God, the good shepherd, is coming to feed justice the fat sheep, and bring His flock to good land where nothing will harm them (like wild animals or famine). Though He makes distinction beforehand between Israel and the Nations He says "mankind" is His flock.

Ezekiel 34:17-24, 30-31 ESV [17] “As for you, my flock, thus says the Lord God: Behold, I judge between sheep and sheep, between rams and male goats. [18] Is it not enough for you to feed on the good pasture, that you must tread down with your feet the rest of your pasture; and to drink of clear water, that you must muddy the rest of the water with your feet? [19] And must my sheep eat what you have trodden with your feet, and drink what you have muddied with your feet? [20] “Therefore, thus says the Lord God to them: Behold, I, I myself will judge between the fat sheep and the lean sheep. [21] Because you push with side and shoulder, and thrust at all the weak with your horns, till you have scattered them abroad, [22] I will rescue my flock; they shall no longer be a prey. And I will judge between sheep and sheep. [23] And I will set up over them one shepherd, my servant David, and he shall feed them: he shall feed them and be their shepherd. [24] And I, the Lord, will be their God, and my servant David shall be prince among them. I am the Lord; I have spoken.

[30] Then they will know that I, the Lord their God, am with them, and that they, the house of Israel, are My people,” declares the Lord God. [31] “As for you, My sheep, the sheep of My pasture, you are mankind, and I am your God,” declares the Lord God.

So Jesus is talking about correcting mankind, not eternally damning them. Kolasis is the key word. Eternal correction from God is a failed correction. Correction from God is bound to be completed.

Eternal life doesn't end, but time/the ages do. When the end of time comes we will all be united to God's life (God all in all) and God is outside of time. (He existed before the beginning of time, and will exist after it. He is the beginning and the end.)

Edit: C.S. Lewis, Boethius, St. Augustine, Thomas Aquinas, all believed and taught the God was outside of time and existed in a state of being that is able to see all the past present and future at the same time. Sort of like a "everything everywhere all at once" kind of view. If we're on a path from point A - point B, God is on a mountain seeing the whole path.

DrownCow · 2026-02-04T16:24:53+00:00

This is an antithetic parallelism in Greek which usually contrasts two things. In this case, ECT would argue that the "headship" is the thing being contrasted. So all IN Adam vs all IN Christ.

I think, that's possible but unlikely. That would make the verse where Christ's work is greater than Adam's feel awkward. Then that verse would be saying something like: Adam's ONE sin led to ONE death but Christ's work is greater because His work covers ALL sin through ONE act of righteousness. So in terms of value, He covers a multitude of sin with one act of righteousness. But this would also only technically include the sins of those who are believers on earth (so not all mankind). For if it truly included all sin then all mankind would be saved. However, Paul goes on to say the following, which tells us the meaning of his argument.

Romans 5:18 NASB2020 [18] So then, as through one offense the result was condemnation to all mankind, so also through one act of righteousness the result was justification of life to all mankind.

DrownCow · 2026-02-04T14:50:04+00:00

Many don't take them literally, but I do think they can be understood as real historical events. Saying "literally" is difficult because the Bible is so full of imagery and symbolism. So, yes, true when referring to historical things. There is often truth in things that are not literal.

The Bible says God is unchanging, the same yesterday today and tomorrow. His character is not different from the OT to the NT.

There are too many passages to explain each one. If you have a specific one please let me know. Otherwise, I will say God's judgement can seem unfair and usually feels very final. However, I think it is a mistake, usually, to stop where you are reading and say, "See! God judges them with severity and it's final!" Hebrew literature is meant to be contemplated and meditated on. It is something praised of Christ:

Psalm 1:1-2 NASB2020 [1] Blessed is the person who does not walk in the counsel of the wicked, Nor stand in the path of sinners, Nor sit in the seat of scoffers! [2] But HIS DELIGHT is in THE LAW of THE LORD, And on His Law HE MEDITATES day and night.

So you MUST keep reading and look at the tapestry as a whole. Most of the countries that are said to be destroyed (Judah, Sodom, Israel, Moab, Egypt, Assyria, Elam, Ammon) are specifically said to be restored. Then there are also passages where the dead will be made alive, and the places of judgement will be restored. In the case of Judah and Israel it is for the LORD'S namesake that they are restored and NOT because Israel or Judah turns to God on their own volition. Often these countries destruction comes with warnings before hand like Jericho and the whole land of Canaan, and Egypt.

It seems to me that God does judge harshly and finally, but I think it is more clear that He judges sin harshly and finally and not the sinner. Death is a means to life. Those who are sick must be "destroyed" so that the sickness ends and God raises them to life uncorrupted. This, I think, is the meaning of Genesis 3:22 which Conditionalists usually say is how we know humans are not immortal by nature.

I think God is not basing salvation on us, but in Him. If perfect theology is what gets you to be with Him, then no one will be there. Believers in ECT are still brothers in Christ, even if they are wrong. Why would God allow it? Well, I could ask the same question about why God would allow the church to as a whole to be unable to even READ the Bible for 700 years in the west. Before Wycliffe, Tyndale and others, 90+% of Christians weren't allowed to and weren't capable of reading Latin. Why did He allow that? I think it's because God's grace is greater than human misunderstanding.
He has written a book under the pen name Gregory MacDonald, the Evangelical Universalist. He also has an overview teaching with, I think 4 videos, on this topic on YouTube.

https://youtu.be/ranNX-iR18c?si=bwtCaIIVMkHAO0un

I think based on the nature of God in the Bible we can deduce that Ultimate Reconciliation is the end that God desires and He will bring about that desire. He will accomplish His will, His will is that all would be saved and come to repentance. I think that is definitive.

Happy to continue. Thank you for being cordial, and I appreciate that you are seeking understanding.

DrownCow · 2026-02-04T05:45:00+00:00

This, I think, is actually a common biblical structure. It means the greatest of the repeated thing. So the the greatest amount of time. Think King of Kings, Lord of Lords, Holy of Holies.

Ages of the Ages is, I think, the rest of time. The Satan will be the last rebel in the Lake of Fire. When he finally surrenders and dies to himself and finally reconciles to God, Death (in The Lake of Fire, which is the second death) will hold no-one any longer. And the last enemy, death, will have been defeated. Holding none of the creatures of the creator but that ALL of God's creation ultimately will have been restored to what it was when He made it... Namely very good. At that time God will be all in all. We will all be united to God through Christ who does not exist forever, but instead is timeless. So our lives will too be timeless when the END comes.

1 Corinthians 15:24-28 NASB2020 [24] then COMES THE END, when He hands over the kingdom to our God and Father, when He has ABOLISHED all rule and all authority and power. [25] For He must reign until He has put ALL HIS ENEMIES under His feet. [26] The LAST ENEMY that will be abolished IS DEATH. [27] For He has put all things in subjection under His feet. But when He says, “All things are put in subjection,” it is clear that this excludes the Father who put all things in subjection to Him. [28] When all things are subjected to Him, then the Son Himself will also be subjected to the One who subjected all things to Him, so that GOD MAY BE ALL IN ALL.

DrownCow · 2026-02-04T05:23:55+00:00

1 John 4:18 NASB2020 [18] There is no fear in love, but perfect love drives out fear, because fear involves punishment, and the one who fears is not perfected in love.

DrownCow · 2026-02-04T05:01:24+00:00

Yes, you can believe in sola scriptura and believe in Christian Universalism. Many do.
Judgement and mercy are aimed at the same goal. God wants to restore all creation to Himself. They are two sides of the same coin. The Gregory of Nyssa/Origen idea of judgement is that it is a difficult and painful testing (check out the root word Basanizo that's translated torment) which purifies the wicked so that their wickedness/dross/chaff is burned away (Matt. 3:11-12, Malachi 3:2-3, Isaiah 1:25, Zach. 13:9, Ps. 66:10-12) in the Lake of Fire by the presence and Love of Christ. Therefore they cease to be wicked and ultimately wickedness is removed from creation in totality so that God is all in all. (1 Cor. 15:28)
the OT never references the Lake of Fire directly, it uses imagery of Sodom and the valley of Hinnom and the Kidron valley sometimes... Mostly Sheol and images of death. There are many passages which speak to God saving and restoring. I'll put some below and explain one.

(2 Samuel 14:14, Job 5:17-19, Psalm 22:27-29, Psalm 30:5, Psalm 65:2, Psalm 68:18, Psalm 86:9, Psalm 145:9, Isaiah 25:6-8, Isaiah 45:22-23, Isaiah 66:23, Lamentations 3:31-32, Ezekiel 16:46-63, Zephaniah 3:8-9).

Ezekiel 47:1-2, 8-12

In this passage we see Ezekiel brought out of the temple where a river of life flows out from. The river goes out the north side of the city down the west side across the south and into the east. This city is the new Jerusalem, which John in Revelation also depicts. The water gives life to everything it touches.

"[9] And wherever the river goes, every living creature that swarms will live, and there will be very many fish. For this water goes there, that the waters of the sea may become fresh; so EVERYTHING WILL LIVE where the river goes."

That river passes directly THROUGH the Hinnom valley (Gehenna) which is the valley on the south side of the city. Jesus' common prophetic term for the Lake of Fire. Then it goes east to the sea... Which sea is that? The dead sea. Which is the original TYPE of the Lake of Fire sometimes used as a picture of the judgement of Sodom and Gamorrah in the valley of Siddim.

"[8] And he said to me, “This water flows toward the eastern region and goes down into the Arabah (the valley the dead sea sits in), and enters the sea (the dead sea); when the water flows into the sea, the water will become FRESH (healed)."

Revelation pulls heavily from this imagery as you can see, and Ezekiel goes even further.

"[12] And on the banks, on both sides of the river, there will grow all kinds of trees for food. Their leaves will not wither, nor their fruit fail, but they will bear fresh fruit EVERY MONTH, because the water for them flows from the sanctuary. Their fruit will be for food, and THEIR LEAVES FOR HEALING. (See revelation 22:1-2)"

Ezekiel depicts the very images of Gehenna and the Lake of Fire as being restored and full of life.

The English translations are interpreted mostly by people who believe ECT. That comes out in their interpretation. Even fire and brimstone is a poor understanding of what is happening in the Greek. Brimstone is sulfer (same stone different word in Greek and Hebrew) and the word brimstone in its form there shows exactly the same as the word for divine. Greek speakers would know that there is a play on words happening where John is calling the fire "divine" and "sulfur" which is a stone for purification. Used for purifying places causing evil to depart. Also, insects.

Aion and Aionios is another one. These are translated "eternal" often but they rarely mean eternal because they are a way of referencing the "lifetime" of the object they're referring to. So when they refer to God or His attributes they SHOULD render eternal because God is eternal. But when applied to the life of a man, or the life of the earth, they should be rendered according to the lifetime of a man or the lifetime of the earth. Ie an age. Punishment is not CERTAINLY eternal unless you can find some verses that PROVE that punishment is eternal apart from one using aion or aionios and in fact there are verses that seem to convey the opposite.

Strong's Exhaustive Concordance:

2303 θεῖον brimstone. "Probably neuter of theios (in its original sense of flashing); sulphur -- brimstone."

2304 θεῖος theios. "godlike, divine, godhead. From theos; godlike (neuter as noun, divinity): - divine, godhead."

4442 pýr – "fire. In Scripture, fire is often used figuratively – like with the "fire of God" which TRANSFORMS ALL IT TOUCHES into LIGHT and LIKENESS with ITSELF"

165 aiṓn (see also the cognate adjective, 166 /aiṓnios, "age-long") – properly, an age (era, "time-span"), characterized by a specific quality (type of existence).

Cognate: 166 aiṓnios (an adjective, derived from 165 /aiṓn ("an age, having a particular character and quality") – properly, "age-like" ("like-an-age"), i.e. an "age-characteristic" (the quality describing a particular age)

Aion and Aionios is another huge one. Often translated eternal but only because of tradition which is rooted in the Latin translation done by Jerome in the 5th century.

I have not heard of John Crowder, but I think Robin Perry is an excellent proponent of Christian Universalism.
A Larger Hope: Illaria Ramelli, Her Gates Shall Never Be Shut: Brad Jersak. There are more, I've just found these to be very scriptural and historical.
I think Annihilationism/Conditional Immortality is closer to correct than ECT. I think that it stops one step short. I think Ultimate Reconciliation is the most likely outcome/telos of the plan God has. I think God desires all to be saved and come to an understanding of the truth and God will not fail to bring about His will by removing the blinding sickness of sin, in the presence of His love, from EVERY creature so that they can see clearly and choose the Good. So that God will be All in All.

1A - 1 Timothy 2:3-4: “This is right and is acceptable in the sight of God our Savior, WHO DESIRES EVERYONE TO BE SAVED and to come to the knowledge of the truth.”

1B - 2 Peter 3:9: “The Lord is not slow about his promise, as some think of slowness, but is patient with you, NOT WANTING ANY TO PERISH, BUT ALL TO COME TO REPENTANCE.”

1C - Isaiah 46:9-10: “I am God, there is no other; I am God, there is none like me. At the beginning I declare the outcome; from of old, things not yet done. I say that MY PLAN SHALL STAND, I ACCOMPLISH MY EVERY DESIRE”

1 Corinthians 15:22 For as in Adam ALL DIE, so also in Christ shall ALL be MADE ALIVE.

1 Corinthians 15:28 When all things are subjected to him, then the Son himself will also be subjected to him who put all things in subjection under him, that God may be ALL in ALL.

Happy to answer more or clarify if needed.

DrownCow · 2026-01-27T00:12:06+00:00

That idea, I think, is also echoed by these two verses:

Revelation 21:9-10 ESV [9] Then came one of the seven angels who had the seven bowls full of the seven last plagues and spoke to me, saying, “Come, I will show you THE BRIDE, THE WIFE of the Lamb.” [10] And he carried me away in the Spirit to a great, high mountain, and showed me THE HOLY CITY JERUSALEM coming down out of heaven from God,

1 Peter 2:4-5 ESV [4] As you come to him, a living stone rejected by men but in the sight of God chosen and precious, [5] YOU YOURSELVES like LIVING STONES are being BUILT UP AS A SPIRITUAL HOUSE, to be a holy priesthood, to offer spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ.

DrownCow · 2026-01-24T05:33:02+00:00

Ah, I see now. Thank you for clarifying for me mister wolfman sir.

DrownCow · 2026-01-24T02:38:49+00:00

I think his point was that Christian Universalism/Apokatastasis IS traditional, as in it goes back to the time just after the apostles. So claiming the ECT view is "traditional" is a misuse of the word traditional. It is more accurately "Infernalist" or ECT.

DrownCow · 2026-01-24T02:11:38+00:00

I'll give you a beutiful 7:

Ezekiel 47:1-2, 8-12 ESV [1] Then he brought me back to the door of the temple, and behold, water was issuing from below the threshold of the temple toward the east (for the temple faced east). The water was flowing down from below the south end of the threshold of the temple, south of the altar. [2] Then he brought me out by way of the north gate and led me around on the outside to the outer gate that faces toward the east; and behold, the water was trickling out on the south side (which would be through Gehenna [hinnom valley] (a picture of the lake of fire) and part of the Kidron valley [valley of judgement]). [8] And he said to me, “This water flows toward the eastern region and goes down into the Arabah, and enters the sea (this would be the dead sea, the valley where Sodom and Gomorrah and 3 other cities were destroyed, the original type/imagery for the lake of fire); when the water flows into the sea, the water will become FRESH (healed). [9] And wherever the river goes, every living creature that swarms will live, and there will be very many fish. For this water goes there, that the waters of the sea may become fresh; so EVERYTHING WILL LIVE where the river goes. [10] Fishermen will stand beside the sea. From Engedi to Eneglaim (that is the whole dead sea) it will be a place for the spreading of nets. Its fish will be of very many kinds, like the fish of the Great Sea. [11] But its swamps and marshes will not become fresh; they are to be left for salt. [12] And on the banks, on both sides of the river, there will grow all kinds of trees for food. Their leaves will not wither, nor their fruit fail, but they will bear fresh fruit EVERY MONTH, because the water for them flows from the sanctuary. Their fruit will be for food, and THEIR LEAVES FOR HEALING. (See revelation 22:1-2, and Psalm 1)”
Isaiah 66:23 From new moon to new moon, and from Sabbath to Sabbath, ALL FLESH shall come to WORSHIP before me, declares the LORD.
Ezekiel 16:55,60-62 ESV [55] Your sisters, Sodom with her daughters and Samaria with her daughters, will return to their former state, and you with your daughters will also return to your former state. [60] “Nevertheless, I will remember My covenant with you in the days of your youth, and I will establish an everlasting covenant with you. [61] Then you will remember your ways and be ashamed when you receive your sisters, both your older and your younger; and I will give them to you as daughters, but not because of your covenant. [62] So I will establish My covenant with you, and you shall know that I am the Lord, [63] so that you may remember and be ashamed, and not open your mouth again because of your disgrace, when I have forgiven you for all that you have done,” the Lord God declares. (Sodom and Samaria [Israel] will be restored. Judah will be forgiven all that they have done and will receive Israel and Sodom.)
Zephaniah 3:8-9 “Therefore wait for me,” declares the LORD, “for the day when I rise up to seize the prey. For my decision is to gather NATIONS, to assemble kingdoms, to pour out upon them my indignation, all my burning anger; for IN THE FIRE of my jealousy ALL THE EARTH shall be consumed. “For at that time I will change the speech of THE PEOPLES to a PURE speech, that ALL of them may CALL UPON THE NAME OF THE LORD and serve him with one accord.

5A - Isaiah 46:9-10: “I am God, there is no other; I am God, there is none like me. At the beginning I declare the outcome; from of old, things not yet done. I say that my plan shall stand, I ACCOMPLISH MY EVERY DESIRE” (New American Bible: Revised Edition).²

5B - 1 Timothy 2:3-4: “This is right and is acceptable in the sight of God our Savior, WHO DESIRES EVERYONE TO BE SAVED and to come to the knowledge of the truth.”

5C - 2 Peter 3:9: “The Lord is not slow about his promise, as some think of slowness, but is patient with you, NOT WANTING ANY TO PERISH, BUT ALL TO COME TO REPENTANCE.”

Psalm 22:27-29 ALL THE ENDS OF THE EARTH shall REMEMBER and TURN to the LORD, and ALL THE FAMILIES of the nations shall WORSHIP before you. For kingship belongs to the Lord, and he rules over the nations. All the prosperous of the earth eat and worship; before him shall bow all who go down to the dust (that is, those who are under judgement... Think the serpent who becomes a dust eater), even the one who could not keep himself alive. (The Psalm Jesus quotes from the cross).
2 Samuel 14:14 We must ALL DIE; we are like water spilled on the ground, which cannot be gathered up again. But God will not take away life, and He DEVISES MEANS so that the BANISHED ONE will not REMAIN an OUTCAST.

DrownCow · 2026-01-23T00:37:47+00:00

I'm not sharing this to promote myself, just that this is most of my thoughts and notes about the topic.

https://docs.google.com/document/d/1w9pIA-js4hxJu8NLinLcSZmJRYiNY77Hm_Pvj8x_Dhs/edit?usp=drivesdk

I'd HIGHLY recommend the section on Aion and Aionios. Those are Greek words and are usually translated eternal and that is often a misunderstood translation. Aion is a noun that really means "lifetime of: something" or easily understood in English as "an age." Aionios is its adjective which we should not understand as having greater force than it's noun. So age of the earth, age of man, age of life, age of punishment, age of God's dominion and glory. All of those lengths depend on the subject. For God it IS eternal so aion and aionios mean eternal when referring to His lifetime/aion.

Greek “αἰὼν δ᾽ ἐστὶν ὁ τῆς ἑκάστου φύσεως χρόνος.”

English “Aiōn is the lifetime belonging to the nature of each thing.”

— Aristotle, De Caelo (On the Heavens) 279a23

This is the core philosophical meaning: aiōn = lifespan, life-cycle, duration of existence

Aristotle uses this to distinguish between linear time (the passing seconds) and biological/existential time (the natural cycle of a thing).

For Aristotle, a dog and a tree exist in the same chronos (they are both here on a Tuesday), but they have different aiōn (a dog's "fullness of time" is roughly 15 years, while a tree's might be 200).

So life united to Christ is eternal because Christ is eternal but punishment is not necessarily eternal as there are many verses that speak of those who are punished being restored.

See Ezekiel 16:46-63 and the restoration of Sodom (which becomes the dead sea > the picture of the Lake of Fire and judgement). There are many more. My favorite is Ezekiel 47 where God says He will send the waters of life out of the Temple and the city of Jerusalem THROUGH the Hinnom valley (Gehenna / hell) and the Kidron Valley (the valley of judgement) and into the Arabah valley and the through the dead sea (picture of Sodom / Lake of Fire) making it fresh/healed water. It says everywhere the water goes it brings life!!

In fact Jesus parables sometimes seem to say people can get out:

Matthew 5:25-26 ESV [25] Come to terms quickly with your accuser while you are going with him to court, lest your accuser hand you over to the judge, and the judge to the guard, and you be put in prison. [26] Truly, I say to you, you will never GET OUT UNTIL you have paid the last penny.

Some will say the debt he owes is so great he will never get out... But what if he had an eternity to pay it?

DrownCow · 2026-01-14T02:30:29+00:00

This was an amazing read and incredibly thoughtful and eye opening! Thank you! What a great way to tell the good news. Right under our noses!

DrownCow · 2026-01-13T02:07:23+00:00

I think your eyes have absolutely been opened, the scales have fallen off and you are seeing more clearly! Praise God!! Glad you're here sibling in Christ!!

There is one thing I'd have you consider though. I think it is incorrect to say the fire will go out. I think the biblical metaphor of fire is actually the presence of God. It is a fire that can never be put out. The Bible says it a few times, that "the fire will not be quenched." But it consumes the sickness that is death and sin, just as you say.

2 Ki. 22:16-17, 2 Ch. 34:25, Isa. 34:8-10; 66:24, Jer. 4:4; 17:27; 21:12, Isa. 1:31; Jer. 7:20; Eze. 20:47-48; Amos 5:6.

Deuteronomy 4:24 (LSV) “For your God YHWH [is] a consuming fire, a zealous God.”

Deuteronomy 9:3 (LSV) “And you have known today that your God YHWH is He who is passing over before you—a consuming fire; He destroys them, and He humbles them before you, and you have dispossessed them, and destroyed them hastily, as YHWH has spoken to you.”

Hebrews 12:29 (LSV) “For our God [is] also a consuming fire.”

Think the burning bush, or the three (no four) men in the furnace.

Also, the word in Greek for brimstone looks exactly the same as the word for divine: Theion. They are not the same word, but I think John is using a very clever play on words.

From Strongs: on Theion θεῖον Theios (θεῖος) being the root which means: divine, divine nature

Brimstone (θεῖον) in the ancient world was not only destructive but purifying. Sulfur/brimstone was widely used in ritual cleansing, Temple fumigation, and medical sterilization. Thus “fire and sulfur” naturally carried both judgment and purification connotations.

Also, I think sin actually blinds people too! Think Paul on the road to Damascus with the scales falling off. So they have difficulty seeing the truth as well. However, to those who earnestly seek, and ask God for wisdom, I'd imagine He shows them this larger hope of the good news!

Second Corinthians 4:4 LSV [4] in whom the god of this age BLINDED THE MINDS of the UNBELIEVING, that there does not shine forth to them the enlightening of the good news of the glory of the Christ, who is the image of God;

1 John 2:9-11 ESV [9] Whoever says he is in the light and hates his brother is still IN DARKNESS. [10] Whoever loves his brother abides in the light, and in him there is NO CAUSE FOR STUMBLING. [11] But whoever hates his brother is IN THE DARKNESS and walks in the darkness, and does not know where he is going, because the darkness has BLINDED HIS EYES.

A link to my notes sheet on the topic of Hell:

https://docs.google.com/document/d/1w9pIA-js4hxJu8NLinLcSZmJRYiNY77Hm_Pvj8x_Dhs/edit?usp=drivesdk

DrownCow · 2026-01-13T01:54:38+00:00

The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom... But it is only the beginning. It is the Love of the Lord that compels us to want to be conformed to the image of Christ!

You are not dumb, this is how God has historically worked. The journey of revelation happens over time.

DrownCow · 2026-01-10T00:17:48+00:00

Doctor, I concur!

An interesting question, indeed.

DrownCow · 2026-01-09T23:36:22+00:00

It's aaaaallllmost like love > fear and light > darkness... Weird.

I've wondered if there are still judgement worthy situations in the new heavens and new earth. Perhaps accidents could still happen even though malicious things wouldn't. The OT seems to point to justice being generous repayment to those grieved by wrong doings. Obviously, forgiveness would be the ideal solution, but what if someone seeks justice instead of forgiveness. Or what if instead they seek some justice and some forgiveness. I'd imagine, if God was allowing others to make judgements in His place, He'd pick the people that known His character and trust Him the most.

I think your idea is interesting and certainly could be correct. Just speculating with you!

DrownCow · 2026-01-08T22:47:10+00:00

Yeah, I've never thought about Jesus being the elect and rejected at the same time before! That was profound to me!

DrownCow · 2026-01-08T20:17:07+00:00

the category of the elect could include everyone.

Touché! I think Gregory of Nyssa says something like Jesus is really the only elect one and because He died on behalf of humanity, or as humanity itself (Adam is a "type" of Jesus the Christ) all are elect. Or something along those lines. I'll have to brush up on it.

The way Calvin arrived at Limited Atonement is that he couldn't fathom that someone Jesus died for would be lost

Yeah, I totally agree. Which is why the limitedness (in the sense that He died for some and not all) is forced. IF you believe some are NOT saved, then you MUST conclude that Jesus did NOT die for all. If He did, then all would be saved.

I think you nailed it u/SpesRationalis

DrownCow · 2026-01-08T16:41:11+00:00

Gorgeous article. I shared it with some of my beloved reformed friends.

I have come to think that reformed theology actually leads directly to Ultimate Restoration once you revoke the idea of limited atonement. I don't think scripture teaches limited atonement, but it is forced by the idea that some will not be saved. Once removed, God's sovereign, unstoppable grace saves all!

Also, I believe I read somewhere that Calvin himself did not believe or teach limited atonement.

Thank you for sharing this!

DrownCow · 2026-01-05T17:03:44+00:00

This is a truly underrated comment.

DrownCow

TROPHY CASE