Every since the time of Augustine the greatest trump card that Eternal Punishment has had is Matthew 25:46,
And these shall go away into everlasting punishment: but the righteous into life eternal. (KJV)
The thought going something like this: If eternal punishment is temporary then so is eternal life, because the same word (aionios) is used for both outcomes. As it has been stated before aionios, being an adjective, speaks of a quality of existence, it modifies whatever noun it is connected to. A good example of this is the adjective “big”. A big dog is most certainly small compared to a big house. A big salary is not even comparable to a big fortress. Though it is the same word being used, two different ideas are being presented. I would present the case that the same applies to aionios. My compelling evidence for this? Many times the depths people will go to prove a point are quite thorough and well…boring. The strength of Augustine’s argument is that it is readily apparent to everyone who hears it. The question that most people do not ask, however (which happens to be the one crucial bit of evidence) is “What is eternal life?” What is so beautiful is that Jesus answers that question unequivocally, in no uncertain terms.
And this is eternal life, that they know you the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom you have sent. (John 17:3 ESV)
Eternal life then ceases to be a question of living forever, but a union with the living God. It is basically everything that we could want, because it is the life of God Himself, it is to know Him as He is. Immortality and life are separate things according to Paul (2 Timothy 1:10), yet one cannot be without the other. This eternal life (or as we know it “Life of the Ages”) is connected with Immortality (deathlessness). Life of the Ages flows naturally into immortality, because the quality of it is relationship with the Great I AM. So what is the death-blow to Augustine’s argument? Titus 1:2,
In hope of eternal life, which God, who cannot lie, promised before times eternal (ASV)
There is one other verse that proves the same point (Romans 16:25-26), but the one above is easily the most succinct. The construct is similar to Matthew 25:46. Here is “eternal life” using the term aionios, and there right beside it in the same sentence is “before eternal (aionios) times”. What is amazing is that you will see most translations interpret “eternal life” as they do in every other case, but watch what they do with “eternal times”
**promised before the world began (KJV)
promised long ages ago (NASB)
promised before the ages began (NET)**
They throw out their rules of interpretation and translate the same word differently in the same sentence. They translate aionios in one case as ‘eternal’, but in the other as ‘long ages, ages, and world’. Let me ask you then, does this not put to rest once and for all Augustine’s argument? Even if it is conceded that ‘aionios’ can be translated as ‘eternal’ in some cases, doesn’t this destroy the argument of “if the punishment isn’t forever, then neither can the life be”? Could we not say instead, “Well if the times are not eternal, then neither can the life be”? People cannot appeal simply to tradition or the argument of contextual interpretation, instead it can be concluded that eternal life might mean a completely different thing than eternal punishment, that the punishment could simply be “Punishment of the Ages” (as Weymouth translated it), and just because that means eternal life could be stated as “Life of the Ages” doesn’t mean that it is only temporal, but as Paul wrote,
[The Lord] saved us and called us to a holy calling, not because of our works but because of his own purpose and grace, which he gave us in Christ Jesus before the ages began (before aionios times), and which now has been manifested through the appearing of our Savior Christ Jesus, who abolished death and brought life and immortality to light through the gospel. (2 Timothy 1:9-10)
The power in this argument is in its simplicity, just like Augustine’s that has silenced many thoughts toward Christ being the Savior of all people, the simplicity is that “aionios” can possibly mean two things in the same sentence, and that aionios life does not have to be eternal, but that life and immortality are separate, yet they go hand in hand, both flowing out of the gospel. True eternal life is knowing God the Father and Jesus Christ whom He sent; and that in knowing Him, He in us and we in Him, we are connected to unending-life. This at least opens up the hope of all men being saved.