Eternal Process or Result?

The book of Hebrews gives three instances where “eternal” (aionion) refers to the result and not the process, the end and not the means:

“And being made perfect, he became the author of eternal salvation unto all that obey him” (5:9)

“Of the doctrine… of resurrection from the dead, and of eternal judgment” (6:2).

“he entered in once into the holy place, having obtained eternal redemption for us” (9:12) 

It is eternal salvation, not eternal saving; eternal judgment, not eternal judging; eternal redemption, not eternal redeeming. 

And it is everlasting punishment, not everlasting punishing; everlasting destruction, not everlasting destroying. 

Each of these has a limited duration as to process (how long it takes), but an unlimited extent as to the end result (how long it lasts).  

The process of redemption was in what Christ once obtained, but the result of redemption is eternal, therefore it is truly eternal redemption. 

Here scripture gives us such a clear example of a finished process with an everlasting result:  "Once… obtained" - past tense, completed, done - but an eternal result.  It didn't take long but it lasts forever. 

Similarly the process of the judgment (the judging) is not everlasting, but the result is (the judgment).  The destruction is everlasting, not the process of destroying.