The Western Australian Department of Corrective Services fulfils its obligations to the community and to the OFFENDER by
- providing offender management services that protect the community
- giving offenders the interventions they need to make a positive difference in their lives and reduce their involvement in the criminal justice system
- supporting offenders to become responsible citizens by adopting law-abiding lifestyles
- promoting crime prevention. Source
But according to most Christian believers ETERNAL, FOREVER AND EVER punishment of the wicked in Hell sees NO CHANCE of ever becoming a better citizen fit for the community of the Kingdom of God.
Therefore the man made system of REHABILITATING OFFENDERS is MUCH MORE JUST AND KIND than the GOD made system believed in by most Christians.
Apparently God is not interested in making anyone fit for His Kingdom after they die. There is, they say, a cut off time to His grace and never-ending? mercy.
Here is a verse that reinforces that view which because of the dubious translation work maligns God’s true heart and character.
Mat 25:45 Then He will answer them, saying, ‘Assuredly, I say to you, inasmuch as you did not do it to one of the least of these, you did not do it to Me.’
Mat 25:46 And these will go away into everlasting punishment,(aionios kolasis) but the righteous into eternal life.” nkjv
Most versions of the Scriptures have translated the Greek phrase “aionios kolasis” as everlasting or eternal punishment. Yet as I have written before aionios and aionian are ADJECTIVES of the NOUN AION!!
What is an aion dear friend? It is transliterated to the word EON which simply means AGE. An age is a length of time–NOT ETERNITY. It may be long or short but it is still a length of time.
Aionios Kolasis
I have the Rotherham’s Emphasized Bible here on my desk. This version and other literal versions do not translate the words(aionios kolasis) of our loving Lord like that found in the KJV and the many other versions like it.
REB version: Matthew 25:46
And |these|shall go away, into |age-abiding| correction,
But |the righteous| into |age-abiding| life.
Another literal version–Young’s Literal Translation reads:
Mat 25:46 And these shall go away to punishment age-during, but the righteous to life age-during.’
And another- The Concordant Version says
45 “Then shall He be answering them, saying, ‘Verily, I am saying to you, In as much as you do it not to one of these, the least, neither do you it to Me.’
46 And these shall be coming away into chastening eonian, yet the just into life eonian.”
These versions are lining up perfectly with God’s character. The punishment is not to destroy the offender but to chasten him. Chastening is FOR A GOOD PURPOSE. Chastening is for those that God LOVES! Does not God love every sinner? Yes He does. Therefore everyone shall be chastened in order to share in His holiness. Hebrew 12 says so.
Heb 12:6 FOR WHOM THE LORD LOVES HE CHASTENS, AND SCOURGES EVERY SON WHOM HE RECEIVES.”
Heb 12:7 If you endure chastening, God deals with you as with sons; for what son is there whom a father does not chasten?
God is the Father of all spirits –for all spirits came forth from God and live in God and shall return to God. (Rom 11:36) But along that pathway to God is chastening and none of us are exempt from having to be chastened.
We Believers have been called to Him before the greater mass of people. We get to be chastened by our loving heavenly Father first. Then at the resurrection when all are raised up again those who hear Jesus saying “these shall be coming away into chastening eonian” shall begin their chastening in the fire of God’s passion for them. For our God is a consuming fire right? (Heb 12:29)
To go into the fire prepared for the Devil is to go into God’s passionate all consuming LOVE as He chastens us as seems best to Him. His fire consumes all that is of the old man so that we come forth in His likeness. This is what aionios kolasis is all about. This is the so called everlasting punishment. It is not everlasting but for an age…a length of time. How long it takes is between you and God. That is true for us believers while we live in these bodies…and it will be true of all those who are raised up to the resurrection of “condemnation” or judgment.
They shall begin to walk with Jesus, knowing Father’s love for them which always includes chastening. This is the Way walk ye in it.
To say that sinners are forever in a literal tormenting flame that burns their bodies and wracks them with physical pain is something that NEVER ENTERED INTO GODS MIND to do.
Jer 7:31 And they have built the high places of Tophet, which is in the Valley of the Son of Hinnom,(Gehenna/hell?) to burn their sons and their daughters in the fire, which I did not command, nor did it come into My heart.
Jer 19:4 “Because they have forsaken Me and made this an alien place, because they have burned incense in it to other gods whom neither they, their fathers, nor the kings of Judah have known, and have filled this place with the blood of the innocents
Jer 19:5 (they have also built the high places of Baal, to burn their sons with fire for burnt offerings to Baal, which I did not command or speak, nor did it come into My mind),
God is JUST….not cruel. If His punishment had no end He would be cruel. But because He is just and always moves and does in love–His corrective services are to rehabilitate the sinner. His chastening is to cause us to share in His Holiness–because He sees all of us as His sons and daughters…..ALL shall be chastened through the FIRE of His consuming LOVE.
The torment and the gnashing of teeth I know well!! I have been in God’s Fire for nearly 30 years and at times I have been like a demon lashing out at my Father as if He were the Jail keeper. But He always brings me through the fire for that is ALWAYS HIS INTENTION.
God will have all men to be saved. God will bring all people to Himself…through the fire yes.
Chastening in the fire of God
The words translated as chasten and chastening.
Heb 12:8 “But if you are without chastening,…”
Strong’s definitions:
paideia
pahee-di’-ah– tutorage, that is, education or training; by implication disciplinary correction: – chastening, chastisement, instruction, nurture.
Do you see the Loving heavenly Father here? This is what every father wants to do for his children so that they learn his ways and be pleasing in his sight. We got that trait from our Father in heaven. This is the Christian’s blessed experience–to know His care , His nurture, His instruction and guidance. When God lets you know that He wants you to live in a certain town and take a certain job which you yourself would not normally have chosen…He is chastening you. Everyone knows His chastening, whether we submit under it or not determines how long the eon/aion will be.
The word above -paideia- comes from paideuō
to train up a child, that is, educate, or (by implication) discipline (by punishment): – chasten (-ise), instruct, learn, teach.
If you love your children you will educate them and train them up in right living. God is no different. This is the aionios kolasis–the age abiding correction of Matthew 25:46.
God wants to save and to deliver and to restore that which was lost and broken and unloved. That includes ALL OF US…ALL PEOPLE!
To say God shall wash his hands of all those who don’t receive Jesus in their short lives is to accuse God of NOT LOVING THEM. Thus you blaspheme God and contradict Him.
For God so loved the world? But after they die he hates them?
No!!
God shall raise them from death at the resurrection and they shall bow the knee and confess that Jesus is their LORD AND SAVIOUR.
Once born again, like us they shall begin to walk with God–Their Consuming Fire
This is why Paul write in 1 Cor 15:25 that Jesus must reign UNTIL ALL ENEMIES are made His footstool. Who are His enemies? He loves all people…but people don’t love Jesus. I didn’t love Him, did you? In the AGES still to come God shall win the hearts of every man woman and child and after initially winning them, He shall chasten them until they bow beneath His throne in LOVING adoration and surrender.
1Co 15:20 But now Christ is risen from the dead, and has become the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep.
1Co 15:21 For since by man came death, by Man also came the resurrection of the dead.
1Co 15:22 For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ all shall be made alive.
1Co 15:23 But each one in his own order: Christ the firstfruits, afterward those who are Christ’s at His coming.
1Co 15:24 Then comes the end, when He delivers the kingdom to God the Father, when He puts an end to all rule and all authority and power.
1Co 15:25 For He must reign till He has put all enemies under His feet.
1Co 15:26 The last enemy that will be destroyed is death.
1Co 15:27 For “HE HAS PUT ALL THINGS UNDER HIS FEET.” But when He says “all things are put under Him,” it is evident that He who put all things under Him is excepted.
1Co 15:28 Now when all things are made subject to Him, then the Son Himself will also be subject to Him who put all things under Him, that God may be all in all.
Isa 45:21b “…And there is no other God besides Me, A just God and a Savior; There is none besides Me.
Isa 45:22 “Look to Me, and be saved, All you ends of the earth! For I am God, and there is no other.
Isa 45:23 I have sworn by Myself; The word has gone out of My mouth in righteousness, And shall not return, That to Me every knee shall bow, Every tongue shall take an oath.
Christians imagine that there will be a forced confession to God before they are cast into the abominable fire. But read it yourself!! They shall confess surely in the LORD I have righteousness and strength. This is the testimony we all carry. This is the willing heart that loves Jesus. ALL shall confess this because GOD HAS SWORN that it shall happen.
Isa 45:24 He shall say, ‘Surely in the LORD I have righteousness and strength. To Him men shall come, And all shall be ashamed Who are incensed against Him.
Isa 45:25 In the LORD all the descendants of Israel Shall be justified, and shall glory.’ ”
