The Evangelical Universalist Forum

Fire & Brimstone

Theology Biblical Theology
#21

Sherman ~

your reading of the Lake of Fire as God’s consuming love, power, and purifying holiness is a beautiful, hopeful one. if that is true, there may be one more point of hope on this matter. i’m sure others have mentioned it, but anyway…

Revelation 20:12-15 describes the dead whose names were not written in the Book of Life being cast into the Lake of Fire.

Revelation 22:15 describes the same kind of people as being outside of the New Jerusalem.

i am reminded of the story of St. Mary of Egypt, a young prostitue and generally loose, blasphemous woman who sailed from Egypt to Jerusalem with pilgrims, using her time on the trip to seduce those on route. when she came to Jerusalem, she attempted to enter through the open door of the Church of the Holy Sepulchre for the adoration inside, and found she was physically unable to enter- though the door was open, something invisible was holding her back. she looked through the open door to behold an incon of the Virgin Mary, and cried out in repentance, realizing her sin and wretchedness was keeping her from entering the Church. she then attempted to enter the church, and was allowed in.

Revelation 21:25 mentions that the gates of this New Jerusalem will not be shut at all by day, for there is no more night, meaning that they will be perpetually open. is it possible that they are open in order to allow those outside, once repenting, to enter? because if everyone on the inside of this beautiful city who is going to enter has already entered, and as no one is leaving (who would want to leave the presence of God?), why else would the gates of the City be left open perpetually, except to allow enterance?

Scripture tells us that all who call upon the Name of the Lord Jesus will be saved. that grace through faith saves us, and gives us a new nature, and a new inheritance. as God is all in all, what presents someone in the Lake of Fire from calling out like Mary of Egypt, and being allowed through repentance, faith, and grace, to then enter?

#22

Hi Grace, notice that it says “If anyone’s name is not written in the Lamb’s book of life”, the key word being “IF”. Who did Jesus die for, redeem? Everyone. So everyone’s name is written in the Lamb’s book of life. But “IF” there be anything or anyone that is not ultimately reconciled to God through the blood of the Lamb, then even that is ultimately brought back to the all-consuming healing purifying presence of God the Source of everything. I believe that it’s a picture of the ultimate triumph of God over everything.

#23

Sherman ~

Sir, while i sincerely would love to share in your certainty… i guess i’m still hopeful about this, but not certain. hopeful because the Bible doesn’t mention that all will not be saved, and does give us reason to look forward to the salvation of all. uncertain, because the Bible does mention that some will be found in the Lake of Fire, and that some will be outside of the New Jerusalem (Revelation 21:8, Revelation 22:14-15).

yet the doors of that city remain open day and night, perhaps, though the Bible does not say so, to allow the men and women outside and in the Lake of Fire to someday enter, after repenting of those things which kept them out. kind of like St. Mary at the Church of the Holy Sepulchre.

#24

Question:
Do you guys think that the Lake of fire in rev. 20:11-14 is the same fire that burned Satan as well as Satan’s followers after the 1000 years?

#25

Who do you think Satan is?

  1. A supernatural being who rebelled from Heaven?
  2. An anthropomorphous term to describe evil that exists?
  3. A supernatural being who was created on earth and has struggled against Heaven?
  4. Evil men who persue religion as a course to find God?
  5. An ambiguous term for a title or position a person, place or thing that may play in opposition to the Truth in God?
#26

Hi Ricky,
I really haven’t studied Revelation that much. I tend to like the Metaphorical interpretation perspective; and the Futuristic interpretations of it seem so speculative that I just haven’t put much study into it. So as far as the 1000 years go, I don’t know what it represents. I think Revelation is a book that is so widely interpreted because its metaphorical nature lends itself to be interpreted based on the assumptions that one brings to it, the lens through which one views it. I wish I had a better answer, but oh well.
Blessings,
Sherman