Changes within UPC (recent)

[Rudy]

Someone start a thread on this.

[Michael The Disciple]

Originally Posted by Abiding Now

No.

Did you listen to the video?

[Michael The Disciple]

Friends, This is huge compared to tithing.

[Luke]

So you believe in eternal judgment but not unending punishment?

[Abiding Now]

As the old preacher said, "ain't gonna make the lake of fire one degree cooler for you".

[Michael The Disciple]

Originally Posted by Abiding Now

As the old preacher said, "ain't gonna make the lake of fire one degree cooler for you".

It will be hot but it will eventually come to an end.

[Michael The Disciple]

Originally Posted by Luke

So you believe in eternal judgment but not unending punishment?

The punishment is eternal in that once the persons soul dies in Gehenna fire they will never exist again throughout all eternity.

[Michael The Disciple]

Originally Posted by Rudy

Someone start a thread on this.

Here is a recent thread on the subject.

http://www.apostolicfriendsforum.com...ad.php?t=46991

One could add questions or comments there.

[Luke]

Originally Posted by Michael The Disciple

It will be hot but it will eventually come to an end.

As I said eternal but not unending punishment. How can one be punished if they do not exist?

[Michael The Disciple]

Originally Posted by Luke

As I said eternal but not unending punishment. How can one be punished if they do not exist?

Luke,

Your problem is foundational. The Bible does not teach the punishment for sin is to be tormented for billions and trillions and quadrillions of years burning and suffocating in endless flame.

Because you believe this it keeps you from seeing the truth that is right before you.

Old Testament

4Behold, all souls are mine; as the soul of the father, so also the soul of the son is mine: the soul that sinneth, it shall die. Ezekiel 18:4

New Testament

21What fruit had ye then in those things whereof ye are now ashamed? for the end of those things is death. 22But now being made free from sin, and become servants to God, ye have your fruit unto holiness, and the end everlasting life. 23For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord. Romans 6:21-23

When you have a wrong foundation you dont know it. Then when you see the verses about Gehenna fire you dont see how it fits in.

I was like you for 16 years. When I was Pastoring in 1990 one of the Brothers in the Church brought this verse to me.

28And fear not them which kill the body, but are not able to kill the soul: but rather fear him which is able to destroy both soul and body in hell. Matt. 10:28

I had never noticed before what it really was saying. BOTH BODY AND SOUL WOULD BE DESTROYED IN GEHENNA!

That blew my foundation away! I began a study of the topic and within a short time my eyes were opened.