Hi all!
I spent some time yesterday doing one of my favorite things which is doing a word study using my Bible and Concordance. I decided to do "destruction" since that word so often is used by Christians to mean "going to hell."
I found that in the New Testament, destruction can mean these 4 things, depending on the verse:
Spiritual Loss, Complete ruin, Extinction, and Punishment.
When I reread these scriptures using the appropriate word in the place of destruction, they took on a whole new meaning! It was great.
Anyway, I came across a verse that has always been one used for "proving" there is a hell and how God is not there. By using my concordance on the words in question and realizing that oftentimes connecting words are chosen to fit what the interpreter wished to convey (in this case using "from" rather than "in"), I was able to rewrite the verse so that I hope my version is closer to what God had in mind. I'd like to share it with you and see what you think....
The verse in question:
2 Thes. 1:9 (speaking of those who "obey not" the gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ...)
"Who shall be punished with everlasting destruction from the presence of the Lord, and from the glory of his power;..."
Using my concordance, I rewrote it this way...
"Who shall be judged with aonian punishment in the presence of the Lord, and in the glory of his power;..."
Be blessed!
Lin