Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: The John 3:16 & 4:16 flaw?
I'm not sure how to say it any more clearly, my friend. There is only one Bible. It was originally written in Hebrew, Aramaic, and Greek. Unfortunately, for those of us who speak other languages, the Bible has to be translated.
There are no perfect translations, though some are more faithful to the original languages than others. In order to avoid error and ensure that the intent of the original is preserved, I advise people to use multiple translations. Read a passage in several different versions to be sure you're grasping the full depth of meaning.
Any bilingual person who has tried to do some translation work, knows how difficult it is to render one language into another. The best translators remember to translate the meaning of words, even if one has to reconstruct sentences to fit the grammar of the receptacle language. Therefore, while a given translation of the Bible might do a good job of rendering the meaning of the original (which is the important part), few evangelicals would presume to call any translation verbally inspired.
When evangelical Christians speak of "the Bible", we are referring to the 66 books of the historic Christian canon (39 Old Testament, 27 New Testament). We do not include either the apocrypha or the pseudoepigrapha.
All men are dead in their sin, and all men are condemned to the second death. However, I believe that those who have not heard the Gospel but have served their Creator under different names (i.e., pagan religions) and who have lived a life according to the Law written upon their hearts (i.e., lived morally) will not descend to the depths of hell because they have not known God's will. However, they cannot enter the kingdom of God because they do not have Christ. Therefore, they will live somewhere in-between, perhaps like the Asphodel Meadows.
__________________ Ask me about my "obvious and unpleasant agenda of hatred."
I should mention...there are some Christians who believe God will not punish those who have never heard of Jesus -- or will give them some opportunity to choose after death, but before judgment. While there is no biblical basis for such beliefs, I have heard them expressed by a few believers.
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Looking at you.
I believe that Tim Rout is not a sock. He just believes some of the same things as Marchello. I have been talking to him through pm's and Marchello would never reply to me.
As for as the original question, in The Inferno, Dante "sees" the un-baptized infants and "noble pagans" in the uppermost level of hell, where they do not enjoy the blessings of heaven, but neither do they suffer. I find this to be the closest thing in the official Christian faith to what I used to believe, but I do not know where the divine comedy stands in relation to scripture.
I do not. As I mentioned earlier, one of my primary motivations for preaching the gospel is my sincere belief that others are doomed if I don't. I know a few Calvinists who'd think I'm nuts for saying that, but I believe God's sovereign grace covers both the outcome and the means.
Last edited by Tim Rout on Feb 24th, 2008 at 04:00 AM
The unbaptized pagans, like Aristotle, were not technically in Hell, they were on a plain before the first layer, and Dante and Virgil had to pass through it on the way to Hell.
Also, iirc, they were constantly being bit by insects.
The Catholic Church banned the book for a long while, I don't think any major religious organization officially supports it, although it has been fundamental in setting the imagery of Hell in pretty much every branch of Christianity.
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Feb 24th, 2008 01:42 AM
