Part 9 Being tormented in the Lake of Fire/Gehenna forever Part 5

Problem with traditional creed

“Take next a clear exposure of the traditional creed from another point of view. Christ, we know from the Bible, is the Saviour of the world. He is, therefore, on the popular view, the Saviour of those whom in fact He does not save. This evidently follows. But this principle once admitted, it is wholly immaterial, as a matter of reasoning, what the percentage of the lost may be. Although out of the countless myriad’s of our race but a few hundreds were saved, God would still save every man. Indeed, though not even one solitary soul were saved, God would still, on the principle popularly held, save every man. For that principle is this, that to offer salvation, though the offer come to nothing, is to save. Hence it undoubtedly follows that God might be the Saviour of the whole race of men, though not one soul were in fact saved. All might be saved on this principle, though all were in fact damned! There is a further difficulty in the way of the popular creed. Who are those whom it represents as finally unsaved ? --- the finally impenitent, the most obstinate sinners. And what is that but to say, in so many words, that those precisely whose case furnished the strongest reason for the Saviour’s mission, are unsaved? Admit their guilt, recognize as we do to the very utmost the need and the certainty of retribution; still, when all this has been said, it remains true that Christ came to save the "lost," and if so, the more "lost" any are, the more Christ came to seek and to save them, and if He fails, the more marked His failure.

Thus on the ordinary view, precisely those for whom Christ especially came receive no salvation; those whose claims are strongest perish, those whose claims on a Saviour are weakest, are rescued. For the fullest admission of the guilt of sin, must not blind us to the sinner's claim on our sympathy. Sin abounding calls out grace much more abounding; such is the great principle enunciated by Saint Paul . Are we to say with the traditional creed, sin abounding beyond certain limits (obstinate sin) ceases to call out grace?”

From Christ Triumphant”, by Thomas Allin


Being tormented in the Lake of Fire/Gehenna forever is not the answer to what happens to unbelievers. I use to think it was, up till the end of 2005. In fact up till just before Christmas of 2005. I have already pointed out Annihilation is NOT the answer. So what is the answer???…and what is my view on what happens to unbelievers….Find out in up coming parts……

Copyright © M J Farquharson 2006 & 2020

Part 10 Free Will

All Will Be Saved