Thank you Joe,
I went to that site and read of the story of Jannes and Jambres. Very interesting, it brings to light the true meaning Paul is trying to convey. As you said, they were Egyptian magicians who withstood Moses.
As in the article from Ray, the beleif in a literal hell came from the egyptians, and these two even at their death continued to believe and teach that false befief. Sounds very familiar to what we hear today. It is truly amazing how tradition can take ahold of many to believe such things.
(2Ti 3:8 LITV) But in the way Jannes and Jambres withstood Moses, so also these withstand the truth, men having been corrupted in mind, found worthless concerning the faith.
(2Ti 3:9 LITV) But they will not go further, for their foolishness will be plain to all, as also that of those became.
(2Ti 3:10 LITV) But you have closely followed my doctrine, the conduct, the purpose, the faith, the long-suffering, the love, the patient endurance,
(2Ti 3:11 LITV) the persecutions, the sufferings, such as happened to me in Antioch, in Iconium, in Lystra, what persecutions I bore. And the Lord delivered me out of all.
(2Ti 3:12 LITV) And, indeed, all desiring to live godly in Christ Jesus will be persecuted.
(2Ti 3:13 LITV) But evil men and pretenders will go forward to worse, leading astray and being led astray.
(2Ti 3:14 LITV) But you keep on in what you learned and were assured of, knowing from whom you learned,
(2Ti 3:15 LITV) and that from a babe you know the Holy Scriptures, those being able to make you wise to salvation through belief in Christ Jesus.
If only those who strongly believe in a literal hell would study this example Paul put in the scripture, they would see it's a mistake and totally against the true character of the God we worship.
Thanks again for posting the link, Joe.
God bless,
Gary