Bird's Nest

Is EVERLASTING BURNINGS proof of endless torment? The following passage was shared with me as proof of ceaseless suffering: Isaiah 33:12 And the people shall be as the burnings of lime: as thorns cut up shall they be burned in the fire. 13 Hear, ye that are far off, what I have done; and, ye that are near, acknowledge my might. 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? But don't stop there.  A question is asked.  Let's hear the answer: 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; 16 He shall dwell on high: his place of defence shall be the munitions of rocks: bread shall be given him; his waters shall be sure. So the answer is that only the righteous ("H...

After over twenty years of faithfully upholding the traditional view, and with a pillow soaked with the tears of agonizing contemplation, I privately wrestled for ten plus years with the subject of our discussion. With complete confidence in the final authority of Scripture, I diligently searched to see "whether those things were so" (Acts 17:11). Four discoveries led to a departure from what I had always been taught: 1. I could not find Scriptural validation for the immortality of the soul, but rather abundant testimony against it. 2. I found that Scripture clearly and consistently taught that the wicked will perish, burn up, die, be destroyed, consumed, and be no more. 3. I was overwhelmed with the continual presentation of eternal, everlasting life as the gift of God given only to those in Christ, and this in constant contrast to the fate of the wicked who would finally and truly perish. 4. I was startled at how weak or contradictory our "proof-texts" were for en...

I do not engage with time-wasters with any delusion of convincing them. But what I have found as effective is the obvious contrast in the interaction that persuades others who are looking over our shoulders. And it has often been communicated to me that a point used in vain against a time-waster, nevertheless bore fruit in someone else genuinely considering the matter. The first person I directly convinced of CI over twenty years ago was not so much convinced by my acumen, but by the clear contrast of evidentiary exegesis vs. the parroted creedal assertions of my antagonists. Luther won more converts in heated engagement with his enemies than he did with civil discourse with his friends. But I am trying to learn to not take the heated interaction too personally, nor respond in kind. I'm not fully there yet, but I am improving. And I hope we can all be patient with each other. Our unique styles are clearly not one-size-fits-all, but I believe we can all be effective in our own...