A BIBLE STUDY BY FRED KENISON
The phrase “book of life” occurs only eight times in the Bible, and seven of them are in Revelation. In addition, there are four instances in the Old Testament that refer to God having a book.
This book of life has been the subject of many misleading ideas which are not scriptural. For example, evangelical preachers often use the book of life with an emotional appeal, urging people to accept Jesus as their personal savior so their names will be written in the book of life and they will go to heaven when they die. Of course, there are several things wrong with this. For instance, there is no place in the scriptures which tells people to accept Jesus as their personal savior, to ask him to come into their hearts and save them. Neither is there any place in scripture which says that if they do, their names will then be written in the book of life.
The first mention of God having a book in which names were retained or blotted out, is found in Exodus 32:30-34. “And it came to pass on the morrow, that Moses said unto the people, Ye have sinned a great sin: and now I will go up unto the Lord; peradventure I shall make an atonement for your sin. And Moses returned unto the Lord, and said, Oh, this people have sinned a great sin, and have made them gods of gold. Yet now, if thou wilt forgive their sin--; and if not, blot me, I pray thee, out of thy book which thou hast written. And the Lord said unto Moses, Whosoever hath sinned against me, him will I blot out of my book. Therefore now go, lead the people unto the place of which I have spoken unto thee: behold, mine Angel shall go before thee: nevertheless in the day when I visit I will visit their sin upon them.” [Note: All verses quoted are from the KJV.]
There is no mention of when or how names are written in the book, only that God has such a book and that he reserves the right to blot out the names of those who sin against him.
The next mention of a book is in Psalms 69:21-28: “They gave me also gall for my meat; and in my thirst they gave me vinegar to drink. Let their table become a snare before them: and that which should have been for their welfare, let it become a trap. Let their eyes be darkened, that they see not; and make their loins continually to shake. Pour out thine indignation upon them, and let thy wrathful anger take hold of them. Let their habitation be desolate; and let none dwell in their tents. For they persecute him whom thou hast smitten; and they talk to the grief of those whom thou hast wounded. Add iniquity unto their iniquity: and let them not come into thy righteousness. Let them be blotted out of the book of the living, and not be written with the righteous.”
In this scripture, a new element was added. The book has now become the book of the living, or the book of life. David said that those whose names are blotted out will not “come into thy righteousness” which was his way of saying they would not enter the Messianic Kingdom, or the thousand year reign. [For more details on the Kingdom of God, see our book What Scripture Says About Salvation, Monograph No. 7].
The next mention of a book is in Psalms 139:13-16. “For thou hast possessed my reins: thou hast covered me in my mother’s womb. I will praise thee; for I am fearfully and wonderfully made: marvellous are thy works; and that my soul knoweth right well. My substance was not hid from thee, when I was made in secret, and curiously wrought in the lowest parts of the earth. Thine eyes did see my substance, yet being unperfect; and in thy book all my members were written, which in continuance were fashioned, when as yet there was none of them.”
This passage says that God actually wrote David’s name in his book before David was born. Evidently, faith has little to do with having your name written in God’s book. David certainly claimed no righteousness of his own to justify having his name being in the book; he gave all the credit to God. Having our names in the book of life appears to be another element of God’s grace.
Daniel 12:1-3 says, “And at that time shall Michael stand up, the great prince which standeth for the children of thy people: and there shall be a time of trouble, such as never was since there was a nation even to that same time: and at that time thy people shall be delivered, every one that shall be found written in the book. And many of them that sleep in the dust of the earth shall awake, some to everlasting life, and some to shame and everlasting contempt. And they that be wise shall shine as the brightness of the firmament; and they that turn many to righteousness as the stars for ever and ever.”
These verses mention deliverance into the Kingdom as a blessing for having your name in the book. When tribulation comes upon the earth, those whose names are in the book will be delivered from that trouble. They will also be resurrected to everlasting life, or the kingdom, or into the righteousness of God.
Another blessing is that those who turn many to righteousness shall shine as the brightness of the firmament. Notice it does not tell us to “save souls,” but to turn people to righteousness. Neither does it tell us to have people ask Jesus into their hearts, or to accept him as their savior. It simply says, “to turn people to righteousness,” which is the essence of repentance, the same message preached by John the Baptist.
The phrase “book of life” was used by Paul in Philippians 4:3. “And I entreat thee also, true yokefellow, help those women which laboured with me in the gospel, with Clement also, and with other my fellowlabourers, whose names are in the book of life.” Paul evidently believed that the names of those laboring with him in the gospel were still written in the book of life.
All the other scriptures pertaining to the book of life are in Revelation. The first is Revelation 3:5, where Jesus said, “He that overcometh, the same shall be clothed in white raiment; and I will not blot out his name out of the book of life, but I will confess his name before my Father, and before his angels.” The word confess comes from exomologesomai, which means to acknowledge that someone is in agreement with you, or with someone who serves your cause.
What a promise! The names of the overcomers will not be blotted out of the book, and Jesus will confess their names before the Father. However, this verse clearly says that there is a definite possibility that sin in our lives can result in our names being blotted out of the book. Notice, too, that it is Jesus who is in charge of blotting out names.
Revelation 13:8 says, “whose names are not written in the book of life of the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world.” Revelation 17:8 says, “whose names were not written in the book of life from the foundation of the world.” These verses indicate that the names were written in the book of life from the foundation of the earth. It is clear that people’s names are not written in the book of life as a result of anything they do. Rather, their names were written in the book of life before they were ever born, from the very foundation of the world!
Revelation 20:12 is the next scripture in which the book of life is mentioned. “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.” According to the previous verse (20:11), this is called the great white throne judgment. Those who enter the Kingdom, the overcomers, will rule and reign with Jesus during the 1000 years. Those who did not enter the Kingdom will spend the 1000 years in outer darkness and, along with those born during the reign of Jesus, will have their works judged at the great white throne judgment (see Revelation 12:4-5).
Overcomers during the 1000 year reign will not participate in the great white throne judgment as it occurs after the 1000 year reign. The works of people living now will be judged at the second coming of Jesus. However, non-overcomers will face judgment at the great white throne.
Revelation 20:15 says, “And whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire.” Revelation 21:27 says, “And there shall in no wise enter into it any thing that defileth, neither whatsoever worketh abomination, or maketh a lie: but they which are written in the Lamb’s book of life.” These two verses show the destination of those whose names are not written in the book of life.
The final mention of the book of life occurs in Revelation 22:19 which indicates the penalty for altering what John wrote. “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.”
To summarize, scripture establishes that, (1) God has a book; (2) the book is the book of life; (3) it contains the names of those who will enter into God’s righteousness, or the Kingdom, at the coming of Jesus, the Christ; (4) the names were written in the book from the foundation of the earth, before anyone was born; (5) those whose names are in the book will be delivered into the Kingdom of God; (6) Jesus is in charge of blotting out names; (7) those whose names are blotted out will wind up in the lake of fire.
Given this, our task should not be trying to get God to accept us; he has already done that. Rather, our task is to retain that acceptance so our names will not be blotted out of the book of life. Ironically, we do this best when we stop striving to please God, and simply yield ourselves to God, allowing him to use us.
Saturday, February 9, 2008
Tuesday, February 5, 2008
Lake of Fire and Brimstone
A BIBLE STUDY BY FRED KENISON
The concept of hell is a major foundation belief in Christian churches. Many churches teach that the lake of fire, or the lake of fire and brimstone, is the same as Hell, a place where people will be tormented forever, if they do not get into heaven. But, is that really what the Bible says? What do the scriptures mean when they speak of the lake of fire and brimstone, or hell, or outer darkness?
In the New Testament, three verses mention a lake of fire, one verse mentions fire and brimstone, and two verses mention a lake of fire and brimstone.
Revelation 19:20 And the beast was taken, and with him the false prophet that wrought miracles before him, with which he deceived them that had received the mark of the beast, and them that worshipped his image. These both were cast alive into a lake of fire burning with brimstone.
Revelation 20:14 And death and hell were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death.
Revelation 20:15 And whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire.
Revelation 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:
Revelation 20:10 And the devil that deceived them was cast into the lake of fire and brimstone, where the beast and the false prophet are, and shall be tormented day and night for ever and ever.
Revelation 21:8 But the fearful, and unbelieving, and the abominable, and murderers, and whoremongers, and sorcerers, and idolaters, and all liars, shall have their part in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone: which is the second death.
Jesus spoke about this. For example,
Matthew 5:29‑30: And if thy right eye offend thee, pluck it out, and cast it from thee: for it is profitable for thee that one of thy members should perish, and not that thy whole body should be cast into hell. And if thy right hand offend thee, cut it off, and cast it from thee: for it is profitable for thee that one of thy members should perish, and not that thy whole body should be cast into hell.
Matthew 10:28: And fear not them which kill the body, but are not able to kill the soul: but rather fear him which is able to destroy both soul and body in hell.
Matthew 18:7‑9: Woe unto the world because of offences! for it must needs be that offences come; but woe to that man by whom the offence cometh! Wherefore if thy hand or thy foot offend thee, cut them off, and cast them from thee: it is better for thee to enter into life halt or maimed, rather than having two hands or two feet to be cast into everlasting fire. And if thine eye offend thee, pluck it out, and cast it from thee: it is better for thee to enter into life with one eye, rather than having two eyes to be cast into hell fire.
In all of these references, hell comes from the word gehenna, which is the valley of Tophet, also known as the valley of Hinnom. Thayer (p. 111), commenting on gehenna, or hell, said that the original name gehenna comes from a Chaldee word meaning, “the valley of the son of lamentation.” He went on to say that:
“Gehenna, the name of a valley on the south and east of Jerusalem which was so called from the cries of the little children who were thrown into the fiery arms of Moloch, i.e. of an idol having the form of a bull. The Jews so abhorred the place after these horrible sacrifices had been abolished by king Josiah, that they cast into it not only all manner of refuse, but even the dead bodies of animals and of unburied criminals who had been executed. And since fires were always needed to consume the dead bodies, that the air might not become tainted by the putrefaction, it came to pass that the place was called geena tou puros.”
Based on Thayer’s definition, we can see that gehenna would literally mean the valley of fires.
Luke provided further enlightenment about the lake of fire and brimstone. Jesus was teaching that a person cannot serve both God and Mammon. Then he talked about a rich man and a beggar named Lazarus. He said that Lazarus was laid at the rich man’s doorstep and begged for just the crumbs from the rich man’s table; however, he was ignored, probably because he was a leper. The first part of his name, lazar, is Greek for leper; he was “full of sores.”
Luke 16:22‑26 says, And it came to pass, that the beggar died, and was carried by the angels into Abraham's bosom: the rich man also died, and was buried; And in hell (hades) he lift up his eyes, being in torments, and seeth Abraham afar off, and Lazarus in his bosom. And he cried and said, Father Abraham, have mercy on me, and send Lazarus, that he may dip the tip of his finger in water, and cool my tongue; for I am tormented in this flame. But Abraham said, Son, remember that thou in thy lifetime receivedst thy good things, and likewise Lazarus evil things: but now he is comforted, and thou art tormented. And beside all this, between us and you there is a great gulf fixed: so that they which would pass from hence to you cannot; neither can they pass to us, that would come from thence.
What Jesus called gehenna and hades, John called the lake of fire and brimstone. Gehenna, as used by Jesus, emphasized the suffering and lamentation, or the emotional quality of the people therein. Hades emphasized the boundaries of the place of suffering and lamentation. The Jews looked upon hades as the abode of departed spirits, both the good and the evil. Therefore, both Lazarus and the rich man were in hades. To Lazarus it was a place of blessedness, but to the rich man it was a place of torment.
Although hades was described as a place, the emphasis was not on where the rich man and Lazarus were, but on their situation, or condition, while there. One condition was blessedness, but the other was torment. Matthew’s parable of the marriage feast described the same conditions. Those with the proper marriage garments stayed in a condition of blessedness, while those who were not clothed in righteousness were put into a condition of torment called “outer darkness.”
During the 1,000 year reign, the blessed will be given glorified bodies as a reward, while the tormented will be resurrected in a fleshly body; and, because of this, they will “weep and gnash their teeth.” The blessed will go out among the tormented to minister to them; and, as they rule with a rod of iron, they will require obedience to God’s law. Therefore, both those who minister, and those who are ministered to, will be in the same place, but in a different condition while there.
Revelation 14:10 said that those who had received the mark of the beast, and who had worshiped the beast and his image, would be tormented with fire and brimstone in the presence of the angels and of the Lamb. Again, the blessed and the tormented will be together, but their conditions will be different.
Revelation 17:8 said the beast would ascend out of the bottomless pit and go into perdition. John used a prolepsis to skip to the end of the next age when this beast was cast into the lake of fire and brimstone. This provides a scriptural identification of perdition, the final destiny of the devil.
The hades that Jesus taught about before his death and resurrection is the outer darkness of the kingdom of God, or the 1,000 year reign. At the end of the 1,000 year reign, it was called the lake of fire and brimstone. Both the blessed and the tormented are in this lake of fire and brimstone, but in different conditions.
Earlier comments said that the wicked would be thrown, or cast, into the lake of fire and brimstone, which will be made up of the glorified saints, for the purpose of restoration. Everyone is finally where the Lord died to bring them: in the presence of God, in the lake of fire and brimstone. Remember, God was reconciling the world unto himself through christ. Now, they are finally here: heaven and hell are united.
Being in the presence of God will be the “heaven” the saints have yearned for, but it will also be “hell” to the wicked. The location is the same, but the result is different. The chasm in the parable of the rich man and Lazarus was not a chasm of space, but of condition. The blessed cannot change their blessed condition, and except by the further grace of God, neither can the wicked change their condition. John has finally answered the puzzle presented by the different teachings about “heaven” and “hell,” and closed out the history of mankind.
Outer Darkness
So, where does “outer darkness” fit into all this? There are three verses in the Bible which refer to outer darkness; all three found in Matthew.
Matthew 8:12 But the children of the kingdom shall be cast out into outer darkness: there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth.
Matthew 22:13 Then said the king to the servants, Bind him hand and foot, and take him away, and cast him into outer darkness, there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth.
Matthew 25:30 And cast ye the unprofitable servant into outer darkness: there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth.
Many church denominations consider “outer darkness” as synonymous with “hell.” According to them, this is where evil people go after death, presumably to be tormented forever. Such an interpretation does a gross injustice to scripture. However, if outer darkness is not hell, then what is it?
The term outer darkness definitely refers to an undesirable place, used three times in Matthew to describe the fate of wrong-doers. It is where the person who came to the wedding feast without a wedding garment was cast (Matthew 22:13); it is where the slothful servant was cast (Matthew 25:30); and it is where even the children of the kingdom will be cast (Matthew 8:12). All three verses describe it as a place where, “there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth.”
The literal meaning of outer darkness is the darkness outside the lighted palace. All three instances in Matthew refer to people being removed from a desirable place and being cast into a non-desirable place. In other words, they lose something that they once had. That something is salvation, the right to enter the kingdom, which all received as a result of Jesus’ life and death. However, if we do not work to retain our inheritance, we will lose it, which is the point of these three verses.
Each of these illustrations in Matthew refers to all the people who will be judged as unfit to receive a glorified body when Jesus returns. They will not be allowed to enter the kingdom in a place of blessing, to rule and reign with Jesus. Instead, during the millennial reign, they will be ruled over, and ministered to, by Jesus and his glorified saints.
Outer darkness, then, refers to a person’s position during the kingdom. There will be those on the inside, and those on the outside. The people on the outside will be in outer darkness. They will not be there by choice; they will be there as a result of failing the judgment of Jesus.
The concept of hell is a major foundation belief in Christian churches. Many churches teach that the lake of fire, or the lake of fire and brimstone, is the same as Hell, a place where people will be tormented forever, if they do not get into heaven. But, is that really what the Bible says? What do the scriptures mean when they speak of the lake of fire and brimstone, or hell, or outer darkness?
In the New Testament, three verses mention a lake of fire, one verse mentions fire and brimstone, and two verses mention a lake of fire and brimstone.
Revelation 19:20 And the beast was taken, and with him the false prophet that wrought miracles before him, with which he deceived them that had received the mark of the beast, and them that worshipped his image. These both were cast alive into a lake of fire burning with brimstone.
Revelation 20:14 And death and hell were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death.
Revelation 20:15 And whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire.
Revelation 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:
Revelation 20:10 And the devil that deceived them was cast into the lake of fire and brimstone, where the beast and the false prophet are, and shall be tormented day and night for ever and ever.
Revelation 21:8 But the fearful, and unbelieving, and the abominable, and murderers, and whoremongers, and sorcerers, and idolaters, and all liars, shall have their part in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone: which is the second death.
Jesus spoke about this. For example,
Matthew 5:29‑30: And if thy right eye offend thee, pluck it out, and cast it from thee: for it is profitable for thee that one of thy members should perish, and not that thy whole body should be cast into hell. And if thy right hand offend thee, cut it off, and cast it from thee: for it is profitable for thee that one of thy members should perish, and not that thy whole body should be cast into hell.
Matthew 10:28: And fear not them which kill the body, but are not able to kill the soul: but rather fear him which is able to destroy both soul and body in hell.
Matthew 18:7‑9: Woe unto the world because of offences! for it must needs be that offences come; but woe to that man by whom the offence cometh! Wherefore if thy hand or thy foot offend thee, cut them off, and cast them from thee: it is better for thee to enter into life halt or maimed, rather than having two hands or two feet to be cast into everlasting fire. And if thine eye offend thee, pluck it out, and cast it from thee: it is better for thee to enter into life with one eye, rather than having two eyes to be cast into hell fire.
In all of these references, hell comes from the word gehenna, which is the valley of Tophet, also known as the valley of Hinnom. Thayer (p. 111), commenting on gehenna, or hell, said that the original name gehenna comes from a Chaldee word meaning, “the valley of the son of lamentation.” He went on to say that:
“Gehenna, the name of a valley on the south and east of Jerusalem which was so called from the cries of the little children who were thrown into the fiery arms of Moloch, i.e. of an idol having the form of a bull. The Jews so abhorred the place after these horrible sacrifices had been abolished by king Josiah, that they cast into it not only all manner of refuse, but even the dead bodies of animals and of unburied criminals who had been executed. And since fires were always needed to consume the dead bodies, that the air might not become tainted by the putrefaction, it came to pass that the place was called geena tou puros.”
Based on Thayer’s definition, we can see that gehenna would literally mean the valley of fires.
Luke provided further enlightenment about the lake of fire and brimstone. Jesus was teaching that a person cannot serve both God and Mammon. Then he talked about a rich man and a beggar named Lazarus. He said that Lazarus was laid at the rich man’s doorstep and begged for just the crumbs from the rich man’s table; however, he was ignored, probably because he was a leper. The first part of his name, lazar, is Greek for leper; he was “full of sores.”
Luke 16:22‑26 says, And it came to pass, that the beggar died, and was carried by the angels into Abraham's bosom: the rich man also died, and was buried; And in hell (hades) he lift up his eyes, being in torments, and seeth Abraham afar off, and Lazarus in his bosom. And he cried and said, Father Abraham, have mercy on me, and send Lazarus, that he may dip the tip of his finger in water, and cool my tongue; for I am tormented in this flame. But Abraham said, Son, remember that thou in thy lifetime receivedst thy good things, and likewise Lazarus evil things: but now he is comforted, and thou art tormented. And beside all this, between us and you there is a great gulf fixed: so that they which would pass from hence to you cannot; neither can they pass to us, that would come from thence.
What Jesus called gehenna and hades, John called the lake of fire and brimstone. Gehenna, as used by Jesus, emphasized the suffering and lamentation, or the emotional quality of the people therein. Hades emphasized the boundaries of the place of suffering and lamentation. The Jews looked upon hades as the abode of departed spirits, both the good and the evil. Therefore, both Lazarus and the rich man were in hades. To Lazarus it was a place of blessedness, but to the rich man it was a place of torment.
Although hades was described as a place, the emphasis was not on where the rich man and Lazarus were, but on their situation, or condition, while there. One condition was blessedness, but the other was torment. Matthew’s parable of the marriage feast described the same conditions. Those with the proper marriage garments stayed in a condition of blessedness, while those who were not clothed in righteousness were put into a condition of torment called “outer darkness.”
During the 1,000 year reign, the blessed will be given glorified bodies as a reward, while the tormented will be resurrected in a fleshly body; and, because of this, they will “weep and gnash their teeth.” The blessed will go out among the tormented to minister to them; and, as they rule with a rod of iron, they will require obedience to God’s law. Therefore, both those who minister, and those who are ministered to, will be in the same place, but in a different condition while there.
Revelation 14:10 said that those who had received the mark of the beast, and who had worshiped the beast and his image, would be tormented with fire and brimstone in the presence of the angels and of the Lamb. Again, the blessed and the tormented will be together, but their conditions will be different.
Revelation 17:8 said the beast would ascend out of the bottomless pit and go into perdition. John used a prolepsis to skip to the end of the next age when this beast was cast into the lake of fire and brimstone. This provides a scriptural identification of perdition, the final destiny of the devil.
The hades that Jesus taught about before his death and resurrection is the outer darkness of the kingdom of God, or the 1,000 year reign. At the end of the 1,000 year reign, it was called the lake of fire and brimstone. Both the blessed and the tormented are in this lake of fire and brimstone, but in different conditions.
Earlier comments said that the wicked would be thrown, or cast, into the lake of fire and brimstone, which will be made up of the glorified saints, for the purpose of restoration. Everyone is finally where the Lord died to bring them: in the presence of God, in the lake of fire and brimstone. Remember, God was reconciling the world unto himself through christ. Now, they are finally here: heaven and hell are united.
Being in the presence of God will be the “heaven” the saints have yearned for, but it will also be “hell” to the wicked. The location is the same, but the result is different. The chasm in the parable of the rich man and Lazarus was not a chasm of space, but of condition. The blessed cannot change their blessed condition, and except by the further grace of God, neither can the wicked change their condition. John has finally answered the puzzle presented by the different teachings about “heaven” and “hell,” and closed out the history of mankind.
Outer Darkness
So, where does “outer darkness” fit into all this? There are three verses in the Bible which refer to outer darkness; all three found in Matthew.
Matthew 8:12 But the children of the kingdom shall be cast out into outer darkness: there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth.
Matthew 22:13 Then said the king to the servants, Bind him hand and foot, and take him away, and cast him into outer darkness, there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth.
Matthew 25:30 And cast ye the unprofitable servant into outer darkness: there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth.
Many church denominations consider “outer darkness” as synonymous with “hell.” According to them, this is where evil people go after death, presumably to be tormented forever. Such an interpretation does a gross injustice to scripture. However, if outer darkness is not hell, then what is it?
The term outer darkness definitely refers to an undesirable place, used three times in Matthew to describe the fate of wrong-doers. It is where the person who came to the wedding feast without a wedding garment was cast (Matthew 22:13); it is where the slothful servant was cast (Matthew 25:30); and it is where even the children of the kingdom will be cast (Matthew 8:12). All three verses describe it as a place where, “there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth.”
The literal meaning of outer darkness is the darkness outside the lighted palace. All three instances in Matthew refer to people being removed from a desirable place and being cast into a non-desirable place. In other words, they lose something that they once had. That something is salvation, the right to enter the kingdom, which all received as a result of Jesus’ life and death. However, if we do not work to retain our inheritance, we will lose it, which is the point of these three verses.
Each of these illustrations in Matthew refers to all the people who will be judged as unfit to receive a glorified body when Jesus returns. They will not be allowed to enter the kingdom in a place of blessing, to rule and reign with Jesus. Instead, during the millennial reign, they will be ruled over, and ministered to, by Jesus and his glorified saints.
Outer darkness, then, refers to a person’s position during the kingdom. There will be those on the inside, and those on the outside. The people on the outside will be in outer darkness. They will not be there by choice; they will be there as a result of failing the judgment of Jesus.
Friday, February 1, 2008
Understanding John 3:16
A BIBLE STUDY BY FRED KENISON
“For God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten son that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.”
The above verse is often used by evangelicals to “prove” that in order to be “born again,” or to be “saved,” it is necessary to believe in Jesus. However, there is much confusion surrounding this verse. First, it is taken out of context. Second, there is no distinction made between spiritual life and eternal life. And, third, there is no effort made to discover the Old Testament background for this verse.
Let us begin by putting this verse in context. Many evangelicals know John 3: 16 by heart, but they have no idea of the preceding verses which provide the setting for it. John 3:14-15 says, “And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of man be lifted up: that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have eternal life” Why does John mention the serpent in the wilderness, and what does that have to do with Jesus? To find out, we turn to Numbers 21:5-9.
“And the people spake against God, and against Moses, Wherefore have ye brought us up out of Egypt to die in the wilderness? For there is no bread, neither is there any water; and our soul loatheth this light bread. And the Lord sent fiery serpents among the people, and they bit the people; and much people of Israel died. Therefore the people came to Moses, and said, We have sinned, for we have spoken against the Lord, and against thee; pray unto the Lord, that he take away the serpents from us. And Moses prayed for the people. And the Lord said unto Moses, Make thee a fiery serpent, and set it upon a pole: and it shall come to pass, that every one that is bitten, when he looketh upon it, shall live. And Moses made a serpent of brass, and put it upon a pole, and it came to pass, that if a serpent had bitten any man, when he beheld the serpent of brass, he lived.”
The people who were bitten faced a physical death. Only by looking upon this brass serpent could they continue to live. They did not die! If they were not alive, they could not die. Keep this in mind as it aligns John 3:16 with the Old Testament scriptures.
In John 3:14-15, John referred to this event about Moses and the serpent. John was expounding on the Old Testament scriptures in the light thrown on them by the life and death of Jesus. Instead of commenting about a physical death and life, as dealt with in the Old Testament, John transformed this scripture to spiritual life and spiritual death. He drew a parallel between physical life with Moses and spiritual life with Jesus. Moses lifted up the brass serpent in the wilderness, and the people who looked upon it continued to live physically. Jesus was lifted up, or crucified, so that everyone who believed on him should not perish (die spiritually), but have eternal life.
There is a distinction between one who has only spiritual life, and the eternal life of a believer. All people were granted spiritual life at birth, but only those of faith in Jesus have eternal life. When anyone believes in what God accomplished for us through the life, death, burial, resurrection, and ascension of Jesus, then that person has a quality of life that an unbeliever does not have. Eternal life is a quality of life enhanced by holy spirit that only people of faith can experience.
Given this background, let us turn to a grammatical explanation of John 3:16 which will be helpful. The word for comes from the Greek particle, or conjunction, gar, which means because, or for this reason, and refers back to previous comments. Verses 3:14-15 say that Jesus must be lifted up so that those who believe should not perish, but have eternal life. It is for this reason that God so loved the world, and gave his son. God gave his son so that mankind could look upon him, and continue to live spiritually. And, not only live, but live more abundantly, because of that quality of life. The usual meaning of eternal, aionios, is that of a quality of life. It is this quality, or eternal part, that has been added to the life of a believer. The concept of living forever and ever is a poor interpretation.
Note, too, that God loved the world, not just the believers. God loved the entire cosmos. Everybody. And he gave his son for everyone! What son was this? “He gave his only begotten Son.” The words “only begotten” are often confusing, and they might be better understood if translated as “unique son.” God had many sons, but Jesus was unique; no other man was his equal in godliness and obedience to the Father. Jesus was also unique in his calling which was to die for the sins of the world upon a cross, or to be lifted up.
Jesus said, “I, if I be lifted up from the earth, will draw all men unto me” (John 12:32). Not some men, but all men! All men will be drawn—some will respond in faith, and others will continue in unbelief (sometimes translated as disobedience). Those who do not respond in faith will perish. They will wander through this life lost insofar as spiritual things are concerned. Their end will be to spend the next age in outer darkness, without being able to enter the kingdom. [For more details on outer darkness, please see our book, The Apocalypse of Revelation.] On the other hand those who respond in faith will enter the next age to rule and reign with Jesus. This is the epitome, or end result, of the eternal quality, called eternal life.
In the term “not perish,” the word not comes from mee, a conditional not, rather than ouk, the unconditional not. Therefore, perishing, or not perishing, is conditional. It depends, not on a one time belief, but on a lifetime of commitment to the will of God.
The scriptures teach that many will perish. Matthew 7:13-14 says, “Enter ye in at the strait gate: for wide is the gate, and broad is the way, that leadeth to destruction, and many there be which go in thereat: because strait is the gate, and narrow is the way, which leadeth unto (the) life, and few there be that find it.” When asked who could be saved, Jesus said, “With men this is impossible; but with God all things are possible.” In other words, don’t try to save yourself by what you do, but look unto God in faith, yield yourself to him, and live in obedience to him.
“For God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten son that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.”
The above verse is often used by evangelicals to “prove” that in order to be “born again,” or to be “saved,” it is necessary to believe in Jesus. However, there is much confusion surrounding this verse. First, it is taken out of context. Second, there is no distinction made between spiritual life and eternal life. And, third, there is no effort made to discover the Old Testament background for this verse.
Let us begin by putting this verse in context. Many evangelicals know John 3: 16 by heart, but they have no idea of the preceding verses which provide the setting for it. John 3:14-15 says, “And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of man be lifted up: that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have eternal life” Why does John mention the serpent in the wilderness, and what does that have to do with Jesus? To find out, we turn to Numbers 21:5-9.
“And the people spake against God, and against Moses, Wherefore have ye brought us up out of Egypt to die in the wilderness? For there is no bread, neither is there any water; and our soul loatheth this light bread. And the Lord sent fiery serpents among the people, and they bit the people; and much people of Israel died. Therefore the people came to Moses, and said, We have sinned, for we have spoken against the Lord, and against thee; pray unto the Lord, that he take away the serpents from us. And Moses prayed for the people. And the Lord said unto Moses, Make thee a fiery serpent, and set it upon a pole: and it shall come to pass, that every one that is bitten, when he looketh upon it, shall live. And Moses made a serpent of brass, and put it upon a pole, and it came to pass, that if a serpent had bitten any man, when he beheld the serpent of brass, he lived.”
The people who were bitten faced a physical death. Only by looking upon this brass serpent could they continue to live. They did not die! If they were not alive, they could not die. Keep this in mind as it aligns John 3:16 with the Old Testament scriptures.
In John 3:14-15, John referred to this event about Moses and the serpent. John was expounding on the Old Testament scriptures in the light thrown on them by the life and death of Jesus. Instead of commenting about a physical death and life, as dealt with in the Old Testament, John transformed this scripture to spiritual life and spiritual death. He drew a parallel between physical life with Moses and spiritual life with Jesus. Moses lifted up the brass serpent in the wilderness, and the people who looked upon it continued to live physically. Jesus was lifted up, or crucified, so that everyone who believed on him should not perish (die spiritually), but have eternal life.
There is a distinction between one who has only spiritual life, and the eternal life of a believer. All people were granted spiritual life at birth, but only those of faith in Jesus have eternal life. When anyone believes in what God accomplished for us through the life, death, burial, resurrection, and ascension of Jesus, then that person has a quality of life that an unbeliever does not have. Eternal life is a quality of life enhanced by holy spirit that only people of faith can experience.
Given this background, let us turn to a grammatical explanation of John 3:16 which will be helpful. The word for comes from the Greek particle, or conjunction, gar, which means because, or for this reason, and refers back to previous comments. Verses 3:14-15 say that Jesus must be lifted up so that those who believe should not perish, but have eternal life. It is for this reason that God so loved the world, and gave his son. God gave his son so that mankind could look upon him, and continue to live spiritually. And, not only live, but live more abundantly, because of that quality of life. The usual meaning of eternal, aionios, is that of a quality of life. It is this quality, or eternal part, that has been added to the life of a believer. The concept of living forever and ever is a poor interpretation.
Note, too, that God loved the world, not just the believers. God loved the entire cosmos. Everybody. And he gave his son for everyone! What son was this? “He gave his only begotten Son.” The words “only begotten” are often confusing, and they might be better understood if translated as “unique son.” God had many sons, but Jesus was unique; no other man was his equal in godliness and obedience to the Father. Jesus was also unique in his calling which was to die for the sins of the world upon a cross, or to be lifted up.
Jesus said, “I, if I be lifted up from the earth, will draw all men unto me” (John 12:32). Not some men, but all men! All men will be drawn—some will respond in faith, and others will continue in unbelief (sometimes translated as disobedience). Those who do not respond in faith will perish. They will wander through this life lost insofar as spiritual things are concerned. Their end will be to spend the next age in outer darkness, without being able to enter the kingdom. [For more details on outer darkness, please see our book, The Apocalypse of Revelation.] On the other hand those who respond in faith will enter the next age to rule and reign with Jesus. This is the epitome, or end result, of the eternal quality, called eternal life.
In the term “not perish,” the word not comes from mee, a conditional not, rather than ouk, the unconditional not. Therefore, perishing, or not perishing, is conditional. It depends, not on a one time belief, but on a lifetime of commitment to the will of God.
The scriptures teach that many will perish. Matthew 7:13-14 says, “Enter ye in at the strait gate: for wide is the gate, and broad is the way, that leadeth to destruction, and many there be which go in thereat: because strait is the gate, and narrow is the way, which leadeth unto (the) life, and few there be that find it.” When asked who could be saved, Jesus said, “With men this is impossible; but with God all things are possible.” In other words, don’t try to save yourself by what you do, but look unto God in faith, yield yourself to him, and live in obedience to him.
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