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And what are your proofs for what you wrote above?
How can you know if the eonian chastening of Matthew 25:46 is describing that which is to exist beyond that current aion?
For instance, how can you know for sure that "according to the injunction of the eonion God" (Rom.16:26) is just speaking of Him being the God pertaining to the current eon? How do you know for sure that He is not the God of all the eons, past, present and future?
Now I do believe that "eonian chastening and eonian life" is the chastening and life pertaining to only that 1000 year long eon. This is because that judging takes place at the beginning of the 1000 year eon and that eon will end and a new earth will come after it.
My proof is the evidence I have given. I have already shown how the interpretation of aionios as applying a limited duration is in error. So why embrace error? I'm giving you a solution to the problem that isn't contradicted by any scripture.
Dear Paul,
I don't see the problem. If a doctor told you you have cancer but said I am giving you 10 years to live (that's a decade), that would mean you have decadian life or life pertaining to the decade. And if he said you are going to put on immortality, we would know that in spite of the decadian life ending you would continue to live, not because you have decadian life but because you have immortality.
I realize my example may suck a little but it is the best I can do this early in the morning.
Eonian chastening cannot possibly get the bad nations to have chastening beyond the 1000 year eon. That eon is going to end.
Likewise the eonian life those good nations will enjoy cannot possibly give them life beyond the 1000 year eon.
For the believer, all eonian life means is life pertaining to the on-coming eons, nothing more and nothing less. They don't live eternally because they get eonian life. They live eternally because they put on immortality.
The eons will end. That which is eonian is that which is pertaining to the eons which will end.
The problem is that when you say that aionios refers to a limited duration and then use that adjective to describe life. When you have done that you have errored.
Let's look at a verse that applies aionios to habitations:
Luk 16:9 And I say unto you, Make to yourselves friends of the mammon of unrighteousness; that, when ye fail, they may receive you into everlasting habitations.
IF the word aionios implied a limited duration then the use of this word is complete nonsense. But when we see that it is referring to a continuing point and not an end point it makes sense. But when we see that these habitations are a place that exist BEYOND the current age it makes sense.
I can see arguments on both sides make some points. I believe aionios life means life pertaining to the eons. Yes eonian life could "end" without harming our true eternal life. That is one way to interpret it.
The other way is as trett and phazelwood do, that is it "continuing on". I also don't see aionios meaning "limited" or "eternal", but simply "pertaining to an eon or eons".
But the real thing we must consider is that scripture itself defines what aionios life is:
John 17:3 Now this is eternal [aionios] life: that they may know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom you have sent.
Aionios life is simply knowing God.
True believers enjoy this aionios life (knowing God), unbelievers do not (obviously because they don't know God). I believe that is the heart of the matter.
Now we can debate whether it means limited duration, or continuing, or perpetual, or whatever. But the fact is, believers who have aionios life will know God. That is the reward of believing.
John 3:16 For God loved the world so much that he gave his one and only Son, so that everyone who believes in him will not perish but have eternal (aionios) life.
God gave His son so that we could know Him! Its about a relationship. Unbelievers don't have it, so they will perish. (Of course they will be restored later and will then know God and gain that relationship). And then when God is all in all, all will know Him.
I think that is the important thing we should focus on in understanding aionios life. John 17:3 is key. JMHO.
Consider that verse John 17:3 in light of what I'm saying. Notice it compares and endless point (not an ending point) in describing what aionios life is. It says to KNOW - this doesn't address an endpoint. It is to be and to continue to be. Just as we are punished now (for Adams condemnation) many shall continue to be punished. Just as some have life now they shall continue to have life. None of which is to be evaluated by the word aionios has have a limited or unlimited duration since it doesn't address the endpoint at all. We should only see aionios from its continuing point.
The aionios life doesn't come to an end that would be saying that the life that is in Christ - comes to an end. The believer no longer has THEIR LIFE, their life is destroyed by putting on His life (Christ). That life always exists (always has - always will).
Aionios life ends with the ages, because it only refers to the life which everyone shall have in the fullness of times. Only that we(the believers) have it now in the ages, while everyone else will have life but only at the end of the ages. We have the life of knowing God and his Christ now in the ages, thus only believers will have aionios life. The unbelievers do not have and will not have aionios life, or life of knowing God and his Christ in the ages. They will only have life knowing God and his Christ at the culmination of the ages. Instead the unbelievers have aionios kolasis, correction of the ages . And that aionios kolasis will end as well at the culmination of the ages, when they are finally reconciled at last and all judgment is passed. Then they will know life.
Aionios zoe and aionios kolasis only refer to life and correction during the ages. The life after the ages is not aionios, because it is after the culmination of the ages. The life we have during the ages will not end, but the ages themselves will so that what was aionios life in the ages will no longer be aionios, it will just be life.
That is how i understand it.
No the aionios life that is referred to in the scriptures never ends. It always exists and always will. The correction will end but the life is eternal.
Here is another verse that proves the nonsense of aionios meaning a limited duration:
Rom 16:26 But now is made manifest, and by the scriptures of the prophets, according to the commandment of the everlasting God, made known to all nations for the obedience of faith:
The adjective is being applied to God here. Does anyone really believe that Paul was eager to promote God as a limited duration being? Can't you see that Paul is showing us that God is a God that continue beyond this age? When you rightly understand aionios, you don't have to live with those contradictions anymore. Come on guys - you'll only be a stronger universalist (because you will be armed with less contradiction) when you embrace this.
Euesbius asked for scripture proof that aionios doesn't apply to a limited duration and not to this duration. Here you go Eusebius:
2Co 4:18 While we look not at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen: for the things which are seen are temporal; but the things which are not seen are eternal.
Notice the things not seen are seen now (because it says they are in the verse). See how this verse shows us that the unseen things are known in this age and the next age. See aionios is referring to a continuing point. It is not referring to now or then it is referring to something in the present continuing beyond the limit of the present age.
Here is another verse that proves the nonsense of aionios meaning a limited duration:
Rom 16:26 But now is made manifest, and by the scriptures of the prophets, according to the commandment of the everlasting God, made known to all nations for the obedience of faith:
The adjective is being applied to God here. Does anyone really believe that Paul was eager to promote God as a limited duration being? Can't you see that Paul is showing us that God is a God that continue beyond this age? When you rightly understand aionios, you don't have to live with those contradictions anymore. Come on guys - you'll only be a stronger universalist (because you will be armed with less contradiction) when you embrace this.
Paul
I have no problem with that. Eternal can only be applied to God as that is the only things humans can relate eternal to. But when I say I am eternally grateful, it really doesn't mean eternal, just a figure of speech.
The problem is that when you say that aionios refers to a limited duration and then use that adjective to describe life. When you have done that you have errored.
Let's look at a verse that applies aionios to habitations:
Luk 16:9 And I say unto you, Make to yourselves friends of the mammon of unrighteousness; that, when ye fail, they may receive you into everlasting habitations.
IF the word aionios implied a limited duration then the use of this word is complete nonsense. But when we see that it is referring to a continuing point and not an end point it makes sense. But when we see that these habitations are a place that exist BEYOND the current age it makes sense.
Paul
To begin with, you are understanding this parable completely in error. As far as i understand it. Perhaps i am wrong. But i understand this parable is about stewardship. The unjust steward was wiser than the children of light when it came to dealing with finances.
Jesus is saying to make friends with money, so that when you fall into need, they will receive you into habitations in the ages. For instance, i have friends who are well to do in their financial lives. That is what they do well. They are not spiritual people, but they are still my friends. And when i have need, because they are my friends they receive me and help me now here in this age.
"for the children of this world are in their generation wiser than the children of light. "
Or do you believe that Jesus is saying that children of this world are wiser in spiritual matters then the children of light?
We serve God as our master and because of that we are not serving mammon and cannot be as well to do in the world or in the generation in which we live.
If the we make friends of the mammon of unrighteousness, and they are the ones receiving us when we fail in to aionios skēnē (age abiding habitations) or conversely (as you believe) everlasting habitations, then are the children of this world the ones who give us everlasting life? Because the "they" in that verse who receive us when we fail is our friends of the mammon of unrighteousness.
As an example i give you the fact that when jesus failed(In this sense when he died, though i do not believe fail to be only in this sense), a rich man (Joseph of Arimathea to be exact) received his body and placed him in a rich mans tomb.
The aionios life doesn't come to an end that would be saying that the life that is in Christ - comes to an end. The believer no longer has THEIR LIFE, their life is destroyed by putting on His life (Christ). That life always exists (always has - always will).
Aionios (eonian) life comes to an end because the ages, collectively, come to an end.
But everyone's life in Christ will go on after the ages come to an end.
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Eonian (aionios) life comes to an end
