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Hi Chris, This is an excellent question, and one that many people ask when they learn about the real meaning of the Greek word "aionios." Fortunately, there is evidence in the Bible that heaven is not temporary, but truly eternal -- unlike hell. People stay in hell only for an aionios (age-lasting) time, but the life with Christ in paradise is unlimited; it transcends the "ages" of existence in the lower worlds of earth and hell. Before I get into the Biblical evidence, I should point out something that most people don't realize about the word "aionios." This word not only refers to an indeterminate period of time, it also explains something fundamental about the difference between the life in Adam versus the life in Christ. The life in Adam -- the life of sin and corruption, which fills this world ever since the fall of man -- is a life of successive ages and ages, one after another. Nothing remains the same. There is no peace on earth, only constant insecurity and impermanence. The passing of the generations is an "aionios" phenomenon. The passing of historical eras, nations, empires, and all other cyclical and temporal features of this-worldly, unredeemed existence are all aptly described as "aionios." Death and decay are ever present in our world, which cause the cycle of nature that arises from the reality of sin. Corrupt thoughts, corrupt speech, corrupt actions, and a corrupt world -- ever in turmoil -- this is the Adamic life, which in reality is death. It is the "aionios death." The goal of being a Christian is to attain the resurrection from the dead, being raised into a new spiritual life with Christ rather than remaining in the hell of sin and corruption (whether in this life or the next), dead and bereft of the Holy Spirit. This is "aionios life" rather than "aionios death." And the goal of God in bringing the ages to a conclusion is to defeat the power of death once and for all, which is accomplished through Christ as the firstborn of the new creation. "For as in Adam ALL die, so in Christ ALL will be made alive. But each in his own turn..." (1 Cor. 15:22-23). Ultimately, "God will be all in all." (v. 28). But until this glorious culmination at the end of history, the ages will continue. The ages must continue until all beings are brought back into communion with God and hell is completely emptied. This is the purpose of the ages: to give all beings the opportunity to rise into resurrection with Christ, overcoming sin and death in Christ's power, and thus undoing the power of the fall in Adam that spread to all creation. Beings who rise into aionios life -- life in Christ during the ages -- will have the special opportunity to help others escape hell and experience spiritual rebirth and transformation. Once a being has exited the hell of the fallen state, that being is resurrected to new life in Christ. At that point, the aionios death (Adamic life) of corruption, turmoil, and futility is over for that being -- hallelujah! The resurrected being may serve, like Jesus Christ himself, to draw others to God in the coming ages, and even right now in this world. The true follower of Christ is one with Christ; and as Christ was already participating in the divine eternity, so can we. We are called to enter into the eternity of peace, light, and love, filled with the Spirit of God and at one with the divine attributes. "On that day you will realize that I am in my Father, and you are in me, and I am in you," says Jesus (John 14:20). God all in all, this is heaven or paradise: the mystical state of reunion with the Infinite Being after a long sojourn in the fallen state of earth and various other hellish dimensions, whether corporeal or non-corporeal. Heaven, in other words, is the state of transcendence beyond the ages of time -- it is eternity, imperishable and perfect. But while we are still here on earth or in a spiritual world after physical death, our calling is to bring a little bit of heaven, the divine light, to others who are still "burning in hell" and "walking in darkness," so that they, too, can be released from the fallen aionios condition and enter into eternity with Christ. "You are the light of the world.... let your light shine before men, that they may see your good deeds and praise your Father in heaven." (Mat. 5:14,16). We are co-workers with Christ in God's plan of the ages, to bring all things into renewed oneness with the Source of All Being. This theology I have just presented is classic Origen, the third century church father who developed the greatest system of Christian theology in the ancient world -- later to be declared a heretic after eternal torment became the official church doctrine in the sixth century. I am always amazed that a lot of people think this beautiful version of the Christian faith is some kind of bogus "new age" innovation, when in fact it dates back to the era of the Apostles and the Fathers; whereas eternal torment and "traditional" understandings of salvation, human nature and destiny, are later developments of a heavily paganized Roman Church that have little to do with the deeply spiritual and mystical message of Jesus and the path of the early disciples. Anyway, getting back to the issue at hand which you asked about, there is Biblical justification for the idea that heaven is eternal whereas hell is "of the ages" and destined to disappear like everything else of the temporal world. Specifically, we can be sure that the life in heaven is eternal because of the following verse in the Bible: "When the perishable has been clothed with the imperishable, and the mortal with immortality, then the saying that is written will come true: 'Death has been swallowed up in victory.'" (1 Cor. 15:54). This is referring to the life of the resurrection in Christ. The Greek words translated as "imperishable" (aphtharsia) and "immortality" (athanasia) really do mean what they say in English, unlike aionios which means age-lasting -- not "eternal" as in most Bible translations -- and is used to describe a limited time some beings spend in hell. Furthermore, we should note the idea that Paul expresses that death will be swallowed up in victory. This correlates with the verse in Revelation, in which John prophesies that "death and hell are thrown into the lake of fire. The lake of fire is the second death." (Rev. 20:14). If death and hell die -- are destroyed -- in the metaphorical lake of fire, that tells us that hell will no longer exist, and death will no longer exist. Therefore, nobody will spend eternity in hell, and nobody will be annihilated or die again, because there will be no more death. Immortality of all beings in a heavenly state of universal reconciliation is the only other option. So, once all are saved, all will live eternally with God. Verses in the Bible that refer to the redeemed life as "aionios" are simply making the point that even in this age of existence, right here on earth during a person's temporal life, a person can attain heaven. We don't have to wait until the next age, the afterlife, to experience transcendence. After all, Jesus did say that "the Kingdom of God is within you." (Luke 17:21). If we are born again in the Spirit and raised up in Christ, we can participate in heavenly things right now. "Since, then, you have been raised with Christ, set your hearts on things above." (Col. 3:1). This is aionios life -- a life in harmony with God -- as opposed to aionios condemnation or death, which is a life in the misery and shame of opposition to God and divine principles, a fruitless life fit for the fire. The immortal life of eternity goes beyond aionios life, which is the special glory of true followers of the path of Christ here on earth and in the spirit world prior to the resurrection of all the dead. After the general resurrection and purification, all people will enter into immortality with God. When God restores all things, and all are made fully like Christ, and the ages come to an end, then we enter into immortality. Some will have missed out on aionios life, because they were in hell. It is certainly preferable to live in aionios life (holiness and blessedness) prior to the ultimate restoration, rather than in aionios death and punishment (the hellish, fallen condition). Peace in Christ,
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Christian Universalist FAQ -- Frequently Asked Questions
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Heavenly Father, please bless this ministry, lead multitudes to this website, and help them see the truth of Your love and forgiveness for all people through the power of Your Son, our Lord Jesus Christ, the Savior of the whole world. Open their eyes to Your true nature, take away their fears, and fill their hearts with the Holy Spirit. In Jesus' name we pray, Amen. |