Leaving Hell Behind | Chapter 9: The Limited Liability Of Sin

As we now come to chapter 9 and 10, we arrive at what I believe is the heart of this study. For me, it has also been the ultimate piece of the puzzle, and analysis which helped me to conclude, the Bible—in its entirety—is the revelation of the full plan of the Most-High God. A plan which brings about the salvation of all of humanity and the reconciliation of all celestial beings, ending in the fullness of “God all in all.”

What I have found most interesting in reviewing all of the writings of the three interpretative frameworks is the complete and utter silence in terms of what the Old Testament laws say about the whole thing. As we have seen throughout this study so far, this likely has to do with our growing disconnect to the Old Testament. Yet in all of this, when the New Testament writers were writing about “the scriptures,” they only had the Old Testament as their reference.

For most of my study and analysis, I had been reading the writings of the seventeenth- and eighteenth-century bishops, scholars, and theologians. Those who had also been writing on the topic of universal restoration. As I have continued to study, learn, and grow, it was in 2020 when I discovered the writings of our twenty-first century patristic scholars and theologians. Those I have found to add deep value to me are Dr. Thomas Talbott, Dr. Ilaria L. E. Remelli, Dr. Robin A. Parry, Dr. Pieter Hiett and Dr. David Bentley Hart, just to name a few. However, given all of this amazing work. What I have found is a creepy silence that looks at how the laws of God never decree eternal punishment. It is, in fact, by law, an impossibility. I hope we can change this in the future.

It was 2018 when my enrollment into the University of kingdom law began through the ministry of Dr. Stephen E. Jones called God’s Kingdom Ministries. He has written profusely on the topic of kingdom law since 1992. He has written over 100+ books, over 6,000+ blogs and over 350+ monthly newsletters dealing with the law of Christ through New Covenant eyes and the spirit of the law. He writes about his experience as being a teacher and intercessor and how this all comes together in the divine courts, as spiritual warfare. I would say in fact, many of the books he has written are Bible commentaries which should be added to any student’s library. I have always felt the strength of the Holy Spirit through these studies as he pulls together so beautifully the Bible and history. In the end, we interpret true Bible prophecy through the study of history. History is the fulfilment of prophecy and its types and shadows over the ages.

Hard truths are revealed when we study God’s Kingdom laws. We find “Jesus never ever sanctioned punishment which could go on eternally.” Therefore, most of what I write about in the following two chapters are things I have learned through the studies of Dr. Jones and a couple of others. As I have not been able to find so many who write from this perspective. In my opinion, the laws of God are the most overlooked issue in the debate between the three interpretative frameworks. As we review these things, my hope is it will deeply challenge you on your own current understanding of God’s plan for salvation, reconciliation, and restoration of all things.

9.1 The Most Difficult Verse in the New Testament

I wanted to begin with a verse of scripture which, seems to be one of the most perplexing verses in all the New Testament. It is one where on the website gotquestions.org they state:

It is one of the most difficult verses in the New Testament to interpret. Of all the interpretations out there, none seem to answer all the questions concerning this verse.¹

If one reviews all the various commentaries on this verse. We can sense they all do their best, but it is abundantly clear, most don’t know how to understand what John is talking about. Well, I am not claiming to be all knowing, but the apostle John knew clearly what he was writing. Let’s look at this verse. It is 1 John 5:16-17:

BSB: ¹⁶ If anyone sees his brother committing a sin not leading to death, he should ask God, who will give life to those who commit this kind of sin. There is a sin that leads to death; I am not saying he should ask regarding that sin. ¹⁷ All unrighteousness is sin, yet there is sin that does not lead to death.
NTAT: ¹⁶ If anyone sees his brother committing a sin that does not lead to death, he should make supplication, and he will give him life—for those committing sins not leading to death. There is sin that leads to death; I do not say that he should make petitions concerning that. ¹⁷ All iniquity is sin, and there is sin that does not lead to death.

BGB: ¹⁶ Ἐάν τις ἴδῃ τὸν ἀδελφὸν αὐτοῦ ἁμαρτάνοντα ἁμαρτίαν μὴ πρὸς θάνατον, αἰτήσει, καὶ δώσει αὐτῷ ζωήν, τοῖς ἁμαρτάνουσιν μὴ πρὸς θάνατον. ἔστιν ἁμαρτία πρὸς θάνατον· οὐ περὶ ἐκείνης λέγω ἵνα ἐρωτήσῃ. ¹⁷ πᾶσα ἀδικία ἁμαρτία ἐστίν, καὶ ἔστιν ἁμαρτία οὐ πρὸς θάνατον.
BGB-T: ¹⁶ Ean tis idē ton adelphon autou hamartanonta hamartian mē pros thanaton, aitēsei, kai dōsei autō zōēn, tois hamartanousin mē pros thanaton. estin hamartia pros thanaton; ou peri ekeinēs legō hina erōtēsē. ¹⁷ pasa adikia hamartia estin, kai estin hamartia ou pros thanaton.

Let me ask you, given all that you have currently learned through the last two chapters. What do you think the interpretation is regarding “a sin that leads to death, and a sin that does not lead to death?” Any ideas?

The apostle John, when he wrote this passage, knew the laws of God. In fact, all of them knew the law. The apostle Paul was trained as a Pharisee, so he certainly knew the laws. They all knew that sin equates to a crime. So according to the laws of God, any specific crime could have a judgment that required the person to be put to death. Many other laws, in fact, did not lead to death.

I want to quote two verses which I think highlight this. The First is Deuteronomy 21:22,

BSB: ²² If a man has committed a sin worthy of death, and he is executed, and you hang his body on a tree,
ESV: ²² And if a man has committed a crime punishable by death and he is put to death, and you hang him on a tree,
NIV: ²² If someone guilty of a capital offense is put to death and their body is exposed on a pole,

²² וְכִֽי־יִהְיֶ֣ה בְאִ֗ישׁ חֵ֛טְא מִשְׁפַּט־מָ֖וֶת וְהוּמָ֑ת וְתָלִ֥יתָ אֹת֖וֹ עַל־עֵֽץ׃
WLC-T: ²² ky-yhyh ve’ish chete mishpat-maweth wehumath wethalitha otho al-ets

LXX: ²² Ἐὰν δὲ γένηται ἔν τινι ἁμαρτία κρίμα θανάτου καὶ ἀποθάνῃ καὶ κρεμάσητε αὐτὸν ἐπὶ ξύλου,
LXX-T: ²² Ean de genētai en tini hamartia krima thanatou kai apothanē kai kremasēte auton epi xylou,

I find this scripture so revealing, don’t you? If you recall, in chapter 7, when we looked at Luke 11:4, we found the Greek word for sin was hamartias (ἁμαρτίας / G266). When reviewing the Apostolic Bible Polyglot (ABP), we see this is the same word those seventy Hebrew elders used to translate the Hebrew word chete (חֵ֛טְא / ḥēṭĕʾ / H2399) into Greek. I find interesting the small variances within our English translations of this word. Overall, the BSB, NASB and CLV are translating it as sin, the ESV as a crime, and the NIV as a capital offense. The Christian Standard Bible and Holman CSB translate it as offense.

We can also see another example here with Deuteronomy 24:16 “Fathers shall not be put to death for their children, nor children for their fathers; each is to die for his own sin.” In this case, I would say ninety percent of translations consistently use sin, whereas some like the NLT, GNT, CEV translate it as crimes. All for these same Hebrew and Greek words.

When we analyze the laws found in the Old Testament, what we find is, we can account for twenty-eight different topical themes, in which the penalty for the sin is death. Some of these comprise murder, kidnapping, child sacrifice, rape, being a false prophet, being a false witness, being a disobedient son or daughter, cursing one’s mother or father, and a person whose ox kills someone after having previously gored other people.

What this means is if there are laws that lead to death, there are also laws existing where the penalty is “not death.” Most of these laws relate to us as being natural flesh and blood. This means, the penalty of the law is the person is considered unclean for certain period. Then we have other laws where the penalty is full restitution to the victim, or in the exceptional cases, actual physical punishment which is “limited in nature.”

I would like to ask you now, what are your thoughts on this? Isn’t it amazing to see how a better understanding of the Old Testament and the laws of God unlocks understanding to this one New Testament scripture? Think about what it would do for so many other scriptures of the New Testament. I must give credit where credit is due. This greater understanding came from Dr. Stephen E. Jones. It was through his ministry and studies that this clarity came about. As we now see, looking to the Old Testament laws have solved the great mystery of “what a sin unto death is, and what a sin not unto death is.”

9.2 The Law of Atonement/Propitiation

I want to pause and ask you a question. In your life, when was the last time you heard a sermon, had a discussion, or read a book that was specifically connecting the Old Testament law on atonement or propitiation of sins, connected to the work of Jesus on the cross? When I think about this for myself, even within the discussions of the three interpretative frameworks, I have to say; it isn’t something I have really come across too often. And here I mean, on really looking at how this law functioned. Of course, there is much spoken about this in light of the New Testament and its own writings. But I mean really diving into the Old Testament law itself?

What I found interesting was the tiered approach to this law.

I saw that in most cases, through our New Testament era, we tend to be focused mostly on the individual. We really overlook how this forgiveness of sins is to be applied on the national—or one could call it—the global level. Have you ever thought about this before? I would like to review only a short element of this as clearly, we could write an entire book about this topic. First, I want to start with an explicit statement from the apostle John as we read in 1 John 2:2:

BSB: ² He Himself is the atoning sacrifice for our sins, and not only for ours but also for the sins of the whole world.
ESV: ² He is the propitiation for our sins, and not for ours only but also for the sins of the whole world.

NTAT: ² And he is an atonement for our sins, and not only for ours, but for those of the whole cosmos.
CLV: ² And He is the propitiatory shelter concerned with our sins, yet not concerned with ours only, but concerned with the whole world also.

BGB: ² καὶ αὐτὸς ἱλασμός ἐστιν περὶ τῶν ἁμαρτιῶν ἡμῶν, οὐ περὶ τῶν ἡμετέρων δὲ μόνον ἀλλὰ καὶ περὶ ὅλου τοῦ κόσμου.
BGB-T: ² kai autos hilasmos estin peri tōn hamartiōn hēmōn, ou peri tōn hēmeterōn de monon alla kai peri holou tou kosmou.

We see here two clearly defined tiers being spoken about. 1. Our individual sins, 2. The sins of the cosmos. It is hard to ignore this, right? Jesus made atonement not just for each of us individually, but also for the entire cosmos. We can also look at this as individually and nationally.

Now, in reviewing Leviticus, the law of atonement and the process of this is found in chapter 16 and Numbers 23:26-32; 29:7-11. What we see specifically from this law is it applies to three specific levels.

It applies to the Priest and his family. Therefore, dealing with their sins.
It applies to the Holy Place. Dealing with the cleansing of it.
It applied to the nation. It dealt with everybody in the nation (the global level).

Upon reviewing this law, I found it was quite surprising that it doesn’t in fact deal with the state and condition of the individual. This law of atonement dealt with the priest, his family, and the overall condition of the nation. Let’s look at this law. I want to quote only Leviticus 16:16-17, 33-34. Additionally, I want to quote only verse 34 in Hebrew and Greek specifically because we see the words olam and aiōnios once again in this scripture.

BSB: ¹⁶ So he shall make atonement for the Most Holy Place because of the impurities and rebellious acts of the Israelites in regard to all their sins. He is to do the same for the Tent of Meeting which abides among them, because it is surrounded by their impurities. ¹⁷ No one may be in the Tent of Meeting from the time Aaron goes in to make atonement in the Most Holy Place until he leaves, after he has made atonement for himself, his household, and the whole assembly of Israel. … ³³ and make atonement for the Most Holy Place, the Tent of Meeting, and the altar, and for the priests and all the people of the assembly. ³⁴ This is to be a permanent statute for you, to make atonement once a year for the Israelites because of all their sins.” And all this was done as the LORD had commanded Moses.

EBR: ¹⁶ so shall he put a propitiatory-covering, over the holy place … ¹⁷ … so shall he put a propitiatory-covering about himself and about his household and about all the convocation of Israel. … ³³ And make propitiation for the holy sanctuary, … ³⁴ So shall this become unto you an age-abiding statute,—to put a propitiatory-covering over the sons of Israel because of all their sins, Once in the year. And he did, As Yahweh commanded Moses.

CLV: ¹⁶ Thus he will make a propitiatory shelter over the holy place … ¹⁷ … He will make a propitiatory shelter about himself and about his household and about the whole assembly of Israel. ³⁴ This will come to be for you as an eonian statute to make a propitiatory shelter over the sons of Israel because of all their sins, once a year. And he did just as Yahweh had instructed Moses.

⁴³ וְהָֽיְתָה־זֹּ֨את לָכֶ֜ם לְחֻקַּ֣ת עוֹלָ֗ם לְכַפֵּ֞ר עַל־בְּנֵ֤י יִשְׂרָאֵל֙ מִכָּל־חַטֹּאתָ֔ם אַחַ֖ת בַּשָּׁנָ֑ה וַיַּ֕עַשׂ כַּאֲשֶׁ֛ר צִוָּ֥ה יְהוָ֖ה אֶת־מֹשֶֽׁה׃ פ
WLC-T: ³⁴ wehayethah-zzoth lakhem lechuqqath olam lekhapper al-benei yisra’el mikkol-chattotham achath bashshanah wayya’as ka’asher tsiwwah yhwh eth-mosheh p

LXX: ³⁴ καὶ ἔσται τοῦτο ὑμῖν νόμιμον αἰώνιον ἐξιλάσκεσθαι περὶ τῶν υἱῶν Ισραηλ ἀπὸ πασῶν τῶν ἁμαρτιῶν αὐτῶν· ἅπαξ τοῦ ἐνιαυτοῦ ποιηθήσεται, καθάπερ συνέταξεν κύριος τῷ Μωυσῇ.
LXX-T: ³⁴ kai estai touto hymin nomimon aiōnion exilaskesthai peri tōn huiōn Israēl apo pasōn tōn hamartiōn autōn; hapax tou eniautou poiēthēsetai, kathaper synetaxen kyrios tō Mōusē.

What I really appreciate about the EBR and CLV is we see more clearly the connection of the law here with the words of the apostle, John. Jesus was the propitiation/proprietary covering of the sins of the cosmos. Similarly, as the bull, the ram, and the goat covered all the sins of the Israelites.

This law covered the entire nation together in its fullness. It was effective irrespective of an individual’s own sin-debt condition towards the Lord, or with another person. It was done irrespective of their own free will to accept it or not. Their sins were covered. They were forgiven. Of course, it also didn’t ignore the individual and remove the need to judge them according to their own deeds.

And so it is with Jesus. Jesus has covered the sins of the cosmos. Nobody is exempt on the global level. However, given the multiple layers of the law. It also means that the individual will stand at some point in time, to be judged according to their deeds. Assuming they have not been drawn to accept the sin-debt payment that Jesus has availed them. Exactly as it states in Revelations 20:12-13, but as we have been learning, the judgment then will be set according to the limitations of the law.

Finally, once again we see the influence in verse 34 regarding the translation of olam and aiōnios. The KJV uses everlasting, the ESV uses forever, the NIV uses lasting, the LSV uses continuous, and the NASB uses permanent. I can’t help believing this is another case where age-abiding, eonian, or age-during all fit better into the concept of this scripture. Is this a law that is really standing forever? Well, no! This was a ceremonial law leading us to Christ, it was not a civil or social law. This was a law that need not be repeated anymore. As we read from the apostle Paul in Hebrews 10:12 “But when this Priest had offered for all time one sacrifice for sins, He sat down at the right hand of God.” Jesus is no longer continuously sacrificing Himself for us. Clearly this is not a permanent law.

It should be mentioned, there are two stages of this law. One to do with the covering of sins with the first goat, and the second to do with the second goat and the removal of sins. The second is in fact also very important to understand, however, for me at this time it is not the key focus of this section.

9.3 The Law of Peace Offerings

As we have come to learn, when discussions take place between the three interpretative frameworks, more often than not, the laws of God are overlooked. We now come to one of these key laws that I have found to be quite critical in the discussion. In fact, I believe it forms the foundation of much of Paul’s theology. This is the “law of peace offering.” Thankfully, we have the benefit of hindsight to see that these laws pointed to Jesus as our sacrificial lamb. It should be our hope that we can see this more clearly than the ancient biblical writers of the day could. However, I’m not so sure? It is clear that the sacrificial system has been abolished. Yet, given most denominations today teach people that the “entire laws of God have been done away with.” We can ask, who other than scholars or the curious actually study their true meaning in relation to the restoration plan for the cosmos.

We find the first mention of the peace offering in Exodus 20:24. Then we find the overall activities for the law found in Leviticus chapter 3. At the end of chapter 7, we receive a summary of these laws, which include the peace offering. We read in Leviticus 7:37-38 the following,

BSB: ³⁷ This is the law of the burnt offering, the grain offering, the sin offering, the guilt offering, the ordination offering, and the peace offering, ³⁸ which the LORD gave Moses on Mount Sinai on the day He commanded the Israelites to present their offerings to the LORD in the Wilderness of Sinai.
CLV: ³⁷ This is the law for the ascent offering, for the cereal approach present, for the sin offering, for the guilt offering, for the consecrations and for the sacrifice of peace offerings, ³⁸ as Yahweh had instructed Moses on Mount Sinai on the day when He gave instructions that the sons of Israel bring near their approach presents to Yahweh in the wilderness of Sinai.

⁷³ זֹ֣את הַתּוֹרָ֗ה לָֽעֹלָה֙ לַמִּנְחָ֔ה וְלַֽחַטָּ֖את וְלָאָשָׁ֑ם וְלַ֨מִּלּוּאִ֔ים וּלְזֶ֖בַח הַשְּׁלָמִֽים׃ ⁸³ אֲשֶׁ֨ר צִוָּ֧ה יְהוָ֛ה אֶת־מֹשֶׁ֖ה בְּהַ֣ר סִינָ֑י בְּי֨וֹם צַוֺּת֜וֹ אֶת־בְּנֵ֣י יִשְׂרָאֵ֗ל לְהַקְרִ֧יב אֶת־קָרְבְּנֵיהֶ֛ם לַיהוָ֖ה בְּמִדְבַּ֥ר סִינָֽי׃ פ
WLC: ³⁷ zoth hattorah la’olah lamminchah welachattath wela’asham welammillu’im ulezevach hashshelamim ³⁸ asher tsiwwah yhwh eth-mosheh behar sinai beyom tsֺtw eth-benei yisra’el lehaqriv eth-qorbeneihem lyhwh bemidbar sinai p

LXX: ³⁷ οὗτος ὁ νόμος τῶν ὁλοκαυτωμάτων καὶ θυσίας καὶ περὶ ἁμαρτίας καὶ τῆς πλημμελείας καὶ τῆς τελειώσεως καὶ τῆς θυσίας τοῦ σωτηρίου, ³⁸ ὃν τρόπον ἐνετείλατο κύριος τῷ Μωυσῇ ἐν τῷ ὄρει Σινα ᾗ ἡμέρᾳ ἐνετείλατο τοῖς υἱοῖς Ισραηλ προσφέρειν τὰ δῶρα αὐτῶν ἔναντι κυρίου ἐν τῇ ἐρήμῳ Σινα.
LXX-T: ³⁷ houtos ho nomos tōn holokautōmatōn kai thysias kai peri hamartias kai tēs plēmmeleias kai tēs teleiōseōs kai tēs thysias tou sōtēriou, ³⁸ hon tropon eneteilato kyrios tō Mōusē en tō orei Sina hē hēmera eneteilato tois huiois Israēl prospherein ta dōra autōn enanti kyriou en tē erēmō Sina.

Each and every offering or sacrifice had a purpose. They addressed certain parts of being human and sinning and being unclean. As I shared, I was often presented with the image that the God of the Old Testament was an angry God who could never be pleased, and His wrath was taken out on His son for all the world. Only in Jesus was His anger and disgust for us satisfied. However, this concept and idea is crushed and destroyed when we understand the purpose and meaning of the peace offering.

We need to look further at the Hebrew word which is being translated. This is hashshelamim (הַשְּׁלָמִֽים) which as listed in Strongs, and NAS Concordance as the root shelem (שֶׁלֶם / šelem / H8002). Other than the NIV, CSB and HCSB which translate this word as fellowship offering, all translators agree with it being translated as peace offering. Which I find pretty amazing there is such an agreement on this word.

Strongs and NAS concordance state the meaning of this word as “a sacrifice for alliance or friendship, peace offering.” The root word comes from shalam (שָׁלַם / šālam / H7999) which means to “make amends.” Overall, the usage of shelem is that of “peace offering, requital, sacrifice for alliance or friendship.” Given this was such an important law and one that was able to be fulfilled at any time in a person’s life with the Lord, we should really take note of this. I have found the words of Robert Hawker in the Poor Man’s Concordance quite interesting. He states,

… It may not perhaps have struck an ordinary reader, that the word peace carries with it the idea that the breach then said to be made up presupposes that there had been a state of amity existing before the breach came in to interrupt it; and this is indeed the blessedness of the gospel. Hence it is called the “ministry of reconciliation.”²

It really touches my heart when I think about how the Lord put in place among all of the laws, one law that would ensure “peace and friendship with Him.” The whole idea behind the peace offering was to amend that which was broken. It was meant to reconcile and restore. I even find it interesting that the order that Moses lists the offerings, the peace offering was the last being mentioned. Meaning, after all others had achieved their purposes, “now the final one would bring friendship and peace between both parties.”

As I have explored this law further, I found a powerful connection to most of the writings of the apostle Paul. Specifically of interest is Colossians 1:16-17, 19-20. We read:

BSB: ¹⁶ For in Him all things were created, things in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities. All things were created through Him and for Him. ¹⁷ He is before all things, and in Him all things hold together. … ¹⁹ For God was pleased to have all His fullness dwell in Him, ²⁰ and through Him to reconcile to Himself all things, whether things on earth or things in heaven, by making peace through the blood of His cross.

NTAT: ¹⁶ Because in him were created all things in the heavens and on earth, the visible as well as the invisible (whether Thrones or Lordships or Archons or Powers); all things were created through him and for him; ¹⁷ And he is before all things, and all things hold together in him, … ¹⁹ For in him all the Fullness was pleased to take up a dwelling, ²⁰ And through him to reconcile all things to him, making peace by the blood of his cross [through him], whether the things on the earth or the things in the heavens.

BGB: ¹⁶ ὅτι ἐν αὐτῷ ἐκτίσθη τὰ πάντα ἐν τοῖς οὐρανοῖς καὶ ἐπὶ τῆς γῆς, τὰ ὁρατὰ καὶ τὰ ἀόρατα, εἴτε θρόνοι εἴτε κυριότητες εἴτε ἀρχαὶ εἴτε ἐξουσίαι· τὰ πάντα δι’ αὐτοῦ καὶ εἰς αὐτὸν ἔκτισται· ¹⁷ Καὶ αὐτός ἐστιν πρὸ πάντων καὶ τὰ πάντα ἐν αὐτῷ συνέστηκεν, … ¹⁹ ὅτι ἐν αὐτῷ εὐδόκησεν πᾶν τὸ πλήρωμα κατοικῆσαι ²⁰ καὶ δι’ αὐτοῦ ἀποκαταλλάξαι τὰ πάντα εἰς αὐτόν, εἰρηνοποιήσας διὰ τοῦ αἵματος τοῦ σταυροῦ αὐτοῦ, δι’ αὐτοῦ εἴτε τὰ ἐπὶ τῆς γῆς εἴτε τὰ ἐν τοῖς οὐρανοῖς.
BGB: ¹⁶ hoti en autō ektisthē ta panta en tois ouranois kai epi tēs gēs, ta horata kai ta aorata, eite thronoi eite kyriotētes eite archai eite exousiai; ta panta di’ autou kai eis auton ektistai; ¹⁷ Kai autos estin pro pantōn kai ta panta en autō synestēken, … ¹⁹ hoti en autō eudokēsen pan to plērōma katoikēsai ²⁰ kai di’ autou apokatallaxai ta panta eis auton, eirēnopoiēsas dia tou haimatos tou staurou autou, di’ autou eite ta epi tēs gēs eite ta en tois ouranois.

When Jesus died on the cross, He fulfilled the purpose and meaning of the peace offering. And as Paul states, this wasn’t only for us as humanity. We see clearly that all things (ta panta/τὰ πάντα) are involved. All things on earth and all things in the celestials, visible and invisible. Nothing is excluded or excepted. Paul continues on this theme in 2 Corinthians 5:18-19 “And all things come out of God, who through the Anointed has reconciled us to himself, and has given us the ministry of reconciliation: So that God was in the Anointed reconciling the cosmos to himself, not accounting their trespasses to them, and placing in us the word of reconciliation. (NTAT)”

The plan is clearly multi-tiered. Having shared all of this now, we can see there is great power in the blood of the cross to reconcile, not punish or annihilate eternally. It reaches beyond humans in the greater plan. I would like now to touch on one short element of this reconciliation which ultimately leads to the “restoration of all things.” I believe there can be quite some confusion on separating out the parts of the plan. Meaning, who is affected by what. I believe this stems from our usage of terminology. Let’s remember, nothing is excepted. This connects us back to all that I have written in chapter 7, section 2. I will quote Dr. Stephen E. Jones as to how he lays this distinction out:

-> Justification is a legal term relevant to sinners. Sinners need justification before the law.
-> Reconciliation is a term that applies to enemies. Enemies need to be reconciled to each other.
-> Salvation is a broad term often translated “deliverance,” and is generally needed by those who are in imminent danger. The word also carries the meaning of “health,” or “well-being,” and in this sense the danger is death from disease or condition of mortality.
-> Resurrection is something that the dead need.
While these terms are all generally related to each other, Paul uses the terms carefully-and so should we.³

He goes on to write and share the following:

We never find Paul telling us that the created universe will be “saved” or “justified.” It is always “reconciled.” Reconciliation always speaks of enemies, those who oppose each other as adversaries. The term “Satan” literally means Adversary, which is practically synonymous with “Enemy.” And so, when Paul wrote about ta panta, “THE ALL” being reconciled to God, whether they were beings in heaven or in earth, it seems self-evident that he spoke of both heavenly beings and earthly beings. Satan and men are portrayed in the Bible as being adversarial to God until such time as we are reconciled to Him. For men, this includes justification. For Satan, it does not. Therefore, the reconciliation of all things in heaven takes a different path from reconciling all men on earth.³

Do you feel a great deal of offense at the thought of this wickedness in heavenly places being reconciled to God? I know I certainly did at first. And yet, I couldn’t get around the statements I find all throughout the Bible on reconciliation. I couldn’t ignore this very important law of which Jesus died on the cross to fulfill. Afterall, I too was once an enemy “For if, when we were enemies of God, we were reconciled to Him through the death of His Son, how much more, having been reconciled, shall we be saved through His life! (Romans 5:10)” This reconciliation doesn’t just affect us humans. It affects all things. When we come to see the complete picture of the Bible through the interpretative framework of universal restoration. We really find a great deal of harmony in every piece of scripture written. This peace offering leaves nothing excepted.

I hope now you are possibly considering my question in chapter 7 when I asked, “what is the Adversary (the Satan)?” He is a created celestial being, isn’t he? Is he included in this reconciliation of all things? If his job title is to prosecute and accuse those who are sinning, what happens when there is no more sin to be found? Does he get a new job title after the ages of the ages in the lake of fire? I find it hard to see an exclusion of him in the declaration of all things being reconciled. I think only the Lord really can know.

Should we tell Jesus however this is unacceptable? It is after all His choice; it was Him who died on the cross to reconcile all things after all.

Nevertheless, as we read in the book of Revelation, it is clear however all these will find their part in the “lake/marsh of fire.” So, it really does come to understanding what this lake of fire is as I have explained in the previous chapter.

In order to conclude, the law of peace offering was a relevant piece of data for me when comparing and contrasting the differences between the three interpretative frameworks. We can’t ignore that the Bible is full of statements of judgment and punishment but as well, reconciliation and restoration. One doesn’t negate the other. It is all found to be in harmony as we process the entire plan of Father God. Jesus became the peace offering for us, and the cosmos. The end game is peace and fellowship, though as Paul states, “… yet at present we do not see everything subject to him. (Hebrews 2:8)”

Personally, I really don’t yet understand what this reconciliation looks like in relation to the celestial beings. Only time will tell. One thing I feel certain of is, if 1 Corinthians 15:28 is an indicator, God will be “all in all” and that seems to be a consideration of “ultimate perfection.” I certainly know I won’t demand Jesus destroy something He actually created.

What are your thoughts on this all? Have you ever considered the power of what the law of peace offerings really means for the salvation and restoration plan?

9.4 The Limitations On Discipline

When I was preparing to put together the coming section of this book, I realized it would not be workable to list all the important scriptures I wanted in Hebrew, Greek with transliterations and then two translations. As I reviewed the nature of the verses, I have elected to present them with only two translations. Where it makes sense, of course, and where I had found something that stood out in the Hebrew or Greek, I certainly include it. In the appendix you can find the scriptures in Hebrew and Hebrew Transliterated. What stands out throughout all the kingdom laws is the limitations Jesus always put on discipline or punishment for sin. I want to review now many of the key statements in the Bible which show the declarations of these limitations.

9.4.1 A Measurement of Sevenfold/Seven Times

We begin with looking at declarations of where the limitations are set to only sevenfold, or seven times.

Genesis 4:15:

BSB: ¹⁵ “Not so!” replied the LORD. “If anyone slays Cain, then Cain will be avenged sevenfold.” And the LORD placed a mark on Cain, so that no one who found him would kill him.
CLV: ¹⁵ Yet Yahweh said to him: Not so; anyone killing Cain, sevenfold shall he be avenged. So Yahweh placed a sign for Cain, by no means to smite him, should anyone find him.

Leviticus 26:18:

BSB: ¹⁸ And if after all this you will not obey Me, I will proceed to punish you sevenfold for your sins.
CLV: ¹⁸ And if, after these things, you should not hearken to Me, then I will continue to discipline you sevenfold for your sins.

Leviticus 26:23-24:

BSB: ²³ And if in spite of these things you do not accept My discipline, but continue to walk in hostility toward Me, ²⁴ then I will act with hostility toward you and strike you sevenfold for your sins.
CLV: ²³ If by these you should not be disciplined for Me, and you go contrary to Me, ²⁴ then I will, indeed, go contrary to you, and I Myself will even smite you sevenfold for your sins.

Leviticus 26:27-28:

BSB: ²⁷ But if in spite of all this you do not obey Me, but continue to walk in hostility toward Me, ²⁸ I will act with furious rage against you, and I Myself will punish you sevenfold for your sins.
CLV: ²⁷ If by this you should not hearken to Me, and you go contrary to Me, ²⁸ then I will go contrary to you in fury. And I Myself, indeed, will discipline you sevenfold for your sins.

Psalm 12:6:

BSB: ⁶ The words of the LORD are flawless, like silver refined in a furnace, like gold purified sevenfold.
CLV: ⁶ The words of Yahweh are clean words, Silver refined in a kiln, Fine gold purified seven times.

Psalm 79:12:

BSB: ¹² Pay back into the laps of our neighbors sevenfold the reproach they hurled at You, O Lord.
CLV: ¹² Turn back sevenfold to our neighbors into their bosom, Their reproach with which they reproached You, Yahweh.

When you read these words from the Lord in Genesis and Leviticus, don’t you find them amazing? I find every time I read them; I am left humbled. My heart flutters in how good He is! Realizing that even for Cain, the one who was the first murderer, there was a limitation set on anybody that would, in fact, kill him. That person would receive a maximum sevenfold. When we look at Leviticus, of course we could ask “what does sevenfold/seven times mean?” The reality of it is, there is a limitation and for such a reckoning, there must be a way to account for what this sevenfold should be. Maybe that is a long period of time, it could be a short period of time. But it is a maximum of sevenfold of their sins.

9.4.2 A Measurement of Three to Four Generations

In the following scriptures, the declaration from the Lord is we see Him clearly defining another sort of timeframe for sin or iniquity to be dealt with.

Exodus 34:6-7:

BSB: ⁶ Then the LORD passed in front of Moses and called out: “The LORD, the LORD God, is compassionate and gracious, slow to anger, abounding in loving devotion and faithfulness, ⁷ maintaining loving devotion to a thousand generations, forgiving iniquity, transgression, and sin. Yet He will by no means excuse the guilty; He will visit the iniquity of the fathers on their children and grandchildren to the third and fourth generations.”

CLV: ⁶ Now Yahweh passed by before his face and proclaimed: Yahweh, Yahweh El, Who is compassionate and gracious, slow to anger and abundant with benignity and truth, ⁷ preserving benignity to thousands, bearing with depravity, transgression and sin, yet He is not holding innocent, nay innocent, but visiting the depravity of the fathers on the sons and on the sons sons, on the third and on the fourth generation.

Numbers 14:18:

BSB: ¹⁸ ‘The LORD is slow to anger and abounding in loving devotion, forgiving wrongdoing and rebellion. But He will by no means leave the guilty unpunished; He visits the iniquity of the fathers upon their children to the third and fourth generation.’
CLV: ¹⁸ Yahweh, slow to anger and with much benignity and truth, bearing with depravity and transgression and sin, yet He is not holding innocent, nay innocent, but is visiting the depravity of the fathers on the sons, on the third and on the fourth generation.

Deuteronomy 5:9:

BSB: ⁹ You shall not bow down to them or worship them; for I, the LORD your God, am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers on their children to the third and fourth generations of those who hate Me,
CLV: ⁹ You shall not bow yourself down to them, nor be made to serve them, for I, Yahweh your Elohim, am a jealous El, visiting the depravity of the fathers on the sons, on the third and on the fourth generation, to those hating Me,

9.4.3 Nebuchadnezzars Sevenfold Judgment

Depending on your experience with the book of Daniel. I find some declarations in it very intriguing. We have the Babylonian King Nebuchadnezzar—a Pegan king—being humbled by the Lord, and we see clearly, there was a limitation to that decree. In fact, this is one statement I have to say really speaks to the sovereignty of Father God and Lord Jesus over their creation. Let’s look at these two verses.

Daniel 4:16-17:

BSB: ¹⁶ Let his mind be changed from that of a man, and let him be given the mind of a beast till seven times pass him by. ¹⁷ This decision is the decree of the watchers, the verdict declared by the holy ones, so that the living will know that the Most High is ruler over the kingdom of mankind, and gives it to whom He wishes, setting over it the lowliest of men.’

CLV: ¹⁶ Let his heart be altered from that of a mortal’s, and let the heart of an animal be granted to him. Thus let seven seasons pass on over him. ¹⁷ By the severance decree of the rousers is the rescript, and by the statement of the saints is the request, to the intent that the living may know that the Supreme is in authority in the kingdom of mortals, and He gives it to whomsoever He will, and He sets up over it a lowly one of mortals.

Daniel 4:32:

BSB: ³² You will be driven away from mankind to live with the beasts of the field, and you will feed on grass like cattle. And seven times will pass you by, until you acknowledge that the Most High is ruler over the kingdom of men, and He gives it to anyone He wishes.
CLV: ³² From mortals are they shoving you away, and with the animals of the field is your abode. They shall feed herbage to you, like oxen. Thus seven seasons shall pass on over you until you know that the Supreme is in authority in the kingdom of mortals, and He gives it to whomsoever He will.

9.4.4 Declarations of Jesus on Seven Times

We then have the words of Jesus on this matter. Here, He is confirming in His own way all the above statements. There is in fact an important connection to the words of Jesus with Daniel’s 70-Week’s prophecy. We read the following in Matthew 18:21-22,

BLB: ²¹ Then Peter having come, said to Him, “Lord, how often will my brother sin against me, and I will forgive him? Up to seven times?” ²² Jesus says to him, “I say to you not up to seven times, but up to seventy times seven!
CLV: ²¹ Then, approaching, Peter said to Him, “Lord, how many times shall my brother be sinning against me and I shall be pardoning him? Till seven times?” ²² Jesus is saying to him, “I am not saying to you ‘Till seven times, but ‘Till seventy times and seven,

BGB: ²¹ Τότε προσελθὼν «ὁ Πέτρος εἶπεν» ⇔ αὐτῷ “Κύριε, ποσάκις ἁμαρτήσει εἰς ἐμὲ ὁ ἀδελφός μου καὶ ἀφήσω αὐτῷ; ἕως ἑπτάκις; ²² Λέγει αὐτῷ ὁ Ἰησοῦς “Οὐ λέγω σοι ἕως ἑπτάκις, ἀλλὰ ἕως ἑβδομηκοντάκις ἑπτά.
BGB-T: ²¹ Tote proselthōn «ho Petros eipen» ⇔ autō “Kyrie, posakis hamartēsei eis eme ho adelphos mou kai aphēsō autō? heōs heptakis? 22 Legei autō ho Iēsous “Ou legō soi heōs heptakis, alla heōs hebdomēkontakis hepta.

There is something strange happening in verse 18:22, which I couldn’t find an answer to until now? The NIV, ESB, BSB, NASB, HCSB, CEV and NET translate hebdomēkontakis (ἑβδομηκοντάκις / G1441) as “seventy-seven times.” There are notes that state “or seventy times seven.” Yet, it is unclear why they translated this particularly important value as such? All the classic translations plus the BLB, the NASB95 and NASB77 all translate it as “seventy times seven” which if we do the math, is a quite different result. Hebdomēkontakis across all resources makes it clear, it means “seventy times.” This means 490 times one should forgive. This differs significantly if we translate this as only seventy-seven times. We then read the parallel account by Luke in Luke 17:3-4:

BSB: ³ Watch yourselves. If your brother sins, rebuke him; and if he repents, forgive him. ⁴Even if he sins against you seven times in a day, and seven times returns to say, ‘I repent,’ you must forgive him.
CLV: ³ Take heed to yourselves. Yet if your brother should be sinning, rebuke him, and if he should ever indeed repent, forgive him. ⁴ And if he should ever be sinning against you seven times a day, and if he should ever be turning about seven times a day to you, saying I am repenting, you shall be forgiving him.

All of this talk by Jesus on sevens helps us connect deeper into the Sabbath and Jubilee laws regarding sin-debt management. It all plays a part of the interplay between the Lord and His people, and the Lord and the nations. I will discuss the whole Sabbath and Jubilee laws in the next chapter and their significance for the restoration of all things.

Let’s now progress to the next topic, which for me was as well profound in my understanding of the limitations the Lord set on sin-crime/sin-debt management.

9.4.5 An Eye for an Eye

When we look at the laws that lay down limitations on punishment. We can’t ignore those which are found in Deuteronomy and Exodus which clearly state, the punishment should fit the sin-crime. I have found it interesting that Jesus in His sermon on the Mount speaks about this in Matthew 5:38-39. He clearly understood these laws and I do as well believe; he disrupts them considering how they were being interpreted per the spirit of the law. The foundation of this law is crucial in understanding the limitations applied to sin-crimes/sin-debts in judgement.

I will not include all of Deuteronomy 19:15-21, only verse 18-21. I encourage you to read the whole context as it establishes the law of double witness as well. We aren’t to convict someone of a sin-crime on the statement of only one witness. All things are to be confirmed with at least two witnesses. First, I want to look however at Exodus 21:23-25, it reads:

BSB: ²³ But if a serious injury results, then you must require a life for a life— ²⁴ eye for eye, tooth for tooth, hand for hand, foot for foot, ²⁵ burn for burn, wound for wound, and stripe for stripe.
CLV: ²³ Yet if a mishap comes to be then you will give soul for soul, ²⁴ eye for eye, tooth for tooth, hand for hand, foot for foot, ²⁵ scorching for scorching, injury for injury, welt for welt.

³² וְאִם־אָס֖וֹן יִהְיֶ֑ה וְנָתַתָּ֥ה נֶ֖פֶשׁ תַּ֥חַת נָֽפֶשׁ׃
WLC-T: ²³ we’im-ason yihyeh wenathattah nephesh tachath nephesh

LXX: ²³ ἐὰν δὲ ἐξεικονισμένον ἦν, δώσει ψυχὴν ἀντὶ ψυχῆς,
LXX-T: ²³ ean de exeikonismenon ēn, dōsei psychēn anti psychēs,

As a reference, I included verse 23 here in Hebrew and Greek. This is another interesting place where nephesh and psuché occur and have been translated as life rather than soul as we see in the CLV. I believe it is pretty hard to convince someone that the soul is immortal and doesn’t die when, in this case; we are to give a soul for soul, meaning; the soul is to be put to death if one kills a soul. We then see this being repeated and expanded on in Deuteronomy 19:21. Here we have Deuteronomy 19:18-21:

BSB: ¹⁸ The judges shall investigate thoroughly, and if the witness is proven to be a liar who has falsely accused his brother,¹⁹ you must do to him as he intended to do to his brother. You must purge the evil from among you. ²⁰ Then the rest of the people will hear and be afraid, and they will never again do anything so evil among you. ²¹ You must show no pity: life for life, eye for eye, tooth for tooth, hand for hand, and foot for foot.

CLV: ¹⁸ The judges will inquire diligently, and if the false witness asserts false testimony against his brother, ¹⁹ then you must do to him just as he schemed to do to his brother. Thus you will take out the evil from among you. ²⁰ The remainder, they shall hearken and fear, and they shall no longer continue to do anything like this evil matter among you. ²¹ Your eye shall not commiserate: soul for soul, eye for eye, tooth for tooth, hand for hand, foot for foot.

^a12 וְלֹ֥א תָח֖וֹס עֵינֶ֑ךָ נֶ֣פֶשׁ בְּנֶ֗פֶשׁ
WLC-T: ^21a welo thachos einekha nephesh benephesh

LXX: ^21a οὐ φείσεται ὁ ὀφθαλμός σου ἐπʼ αὐτῷ· ψυχὴν ἀντὶ ψυχῆς,
LXX-T: ^21a ou pheisetai ho ophthalmos sou epʼ autō; psychēn anti psychēs,

Let’s consider this law in light of the New Covenant. What is the spirit behind this law? If we consider this isn’t some big ceremonial law, but one of civil nature. The spirit of this law is saying, look, you have to apply limitations to your judgments. Apply restraint. We can’t have it that someone gives you a slap on the face, you take them to court for this sin-crime, and they end up being “put to death.” That is not equal punishment for an equal sin-crime.

I have found as I came to better understand this law. I saw how, if the Lord demands the Earthly Courts—which is the local, regional level—to judge in righteousness and apply limitations. Then surely if we think of the divine court being the Supreme court of law. The Lord Himself also upholds such law of limitations and equal accountability. As He declares Himself “just and merciful.” Can you see how maybe the interpretative frameworks of eternal hell and annihilationism, in fact, go far beyond the equalization of a sin-crimes, versus the sin-debt punishment or payment for that crime?

9.4.6 Maximum 40 Stripes, No More!

Now here is a part of the law I also have found incredible. I always knew it existed, but somehow, I always overlooked it given the fact, I was always told the laws of God were done away with. As we have seen so far, there really has been no justification or declaration that it is okay to torture someone for their sin-crime. I am also not hiding any verse which might allude to it. Maybe, if we stretch it, we could say the “burn for burn” might allow a bit of torture. For example, if one tortured someone to death, maybe, just maybe, you could apply torture to death. However, outside of these, there are absolutely zero decrees sanctioning torture in God’s laws. One will not find it anywhere. Now let’s look at this law which rebukes any thought of never-ending, eternal torture or torment being acceptable in God’s eyes. Deuteronomy 25:1-3 reads as follows:

BSB: ¹ If there is a dispute between men, they are to go to court to be judged, so that the innocent may be acquitted and the guilty condemned. ² If the guilty man deserves to be beaten, the judge shall have him lie down and be flogged in his presence with the number of lashes his crime deserves. ³ He may receive no more than forty lashes, lest your brother be beaten any more than that and be degraded in your sight.

WEB: ¹If there is a controversy between men, and they come to judgment and the judges judge them, then they shall justify the righteous and condemn the wicked. ²It shall be, if the wicked man is worthy to be beaten, that the judge shall cause him to lie down and to be beaten before his face, according to his wickedness, by number. ³He may sentence him to no more than forty stripes. He shall not give more, lest if he should give more and beat him more than that many stripes, then your brother will be degraded in your sight.

CLV: ³ Up to forty lashes may he smite him; he shall not add more, lest … your brother be dishonored in your eyes.
LSV: ³ he strikes him forty [times]; he is not adding, lest … our brother be lightly esteemed in your eyes.
NLT: ³ But never give more than forty lashes; more than forty lashes would publicly humiliate your neighbor.

Wow! Isn’t this amazing! What do you think? What do you feel when you read this decree of the law? I find it leaves me speechless. It leaves me so humbled. We have some key words here which are relevant to look at.

It only applies if the person is found deserving or worthy to be beaten. So, it has to have been a sin-crime warranting such a thing.
There should be a limitation of only forty lashes, beatings, or stripes. Hmm, isn’t this exactly what Jesus received, no less, no more. Even He was treated according to the law.
If one were to go above the forty lashes, we would degrade, dishonor, lightly esteem or humiliate our fellow human. To take such lashes or stripes beyond its limits, it would make us truly vile people.

Wasn’t Papal Rome at its most despotic time overlooking this one law? Clearly, they ignored the laws of God. Now let’s look at the connection of this law to what Jesus spoke about in Luke 12:46-48.

BSB: ⁴⁶ The master of that servant will come on a day he does not anticipate and at an hour he does not expect. Then He will cut him to pieces and assign him a place with the unbelievers.⁴⁷ That servant who knows his master’s will but does not get ready or follow his instructions will be beaten with many blows. ⁴⁸ But the one who unknowingly does things worthy of punishment will be beaten with few blows. From everyone who has been given much, much will be required; and from him who has been entrusted with much, even more will be demanded.

WEB: ⁴⁶ then the lord of that servant will come in a day when he isn’t expecting him, and in an hour that he doesn’t know, and will cut him in two, and place his portion with the unfaithful. ⁴⁷ That servant, who knew his lord’s will, and didn’t prepare, nor do what he wanted, will be beaten with many stripes, ⁴⁸ but he who didn’t know, and did things worthy of stripes, will be beaten with few stripes. To whomever much is given, of him will much be required; and to whom much was entrusted, of him more will be asked.

I find it fascinating to see that in these words of our Lord, He is, in fact, quoting the entire law on stripes or beatings. Of course, He doesn’t mention the forty limit but anybody who would have known the law would have understood that this is what He was referencing. If anybody knew the law, it was certainly Him.

We also read later in the epistles of Paul that he was often beaten just short of these forty stripes, and he continued to live after such beatings.

If there is anywhere in the law which one could say some form of torture could be sanctioned, I would say it could only be here with Deuteronomy 25:3. Yet, I hope even you would agree, in saying this, can we really consider a beating or stripe torture? Was Jesus tortured or beaten by the Romans on behalf of the Judeans? A beating or stripe of punishment would be swift. It would be done quickly, and definitely would be abhorrently painful. It certainly is not something we would ever wish on anybody, but it is clearly not torture as we know torture to be. It is also clear; it was something mean to be limited.

9.4.7 A Call for Honest Scales

Another interesting law which I think also plays into this whole level of what good discipline and punishment is, the Lord called on the people to have honest scales. We read here the following.

Deuteronomy 25:13-16:

BSB: ¹³ You shall not have two differing weights in your bag, one heavy and one light. ¹⁴ You shall not have two differing measures in your house, one large and one small.¹⁵ You must maintain accurate and honest weights and measures, so that you may live long in the land the LORD your God is giving you. ¹⁶ For everyone who behaves dishonestly in regard to these things is detestable to the LORD your God.

CLV: ¹³ You shall not come to have in your purse two diverse stones, a large and a small. ¹⁴ You shall not come to have in your house diverse ephah measures, a large and a small. ¹⁵ You shall come to have a standard weight equitable and just; you shall come to have an ephah equitable and just, that your days may be prolonged on the ground that Yahweh your Elohim is giving to you.

Proverbs 20:10:

BSB: ¹⁰ Differing weights and unequal measures — both are detestable to the LORD.
WEB: ¹⁰ Differing weights and differing measures, both of them alike are an abomination to Yahweh.

If we consider having honest scales also connects into just and righteous judgment. As we have learned from the “eye for an eye law,” and the maximum “forty stripes law.” This law regarding just weights and measures is equally important for sin-crime judgment, and sin-debt payments. As we read in Job, I think we could say we would all want this to apply for all of humanity at the Great White Throne judgment. Job 31:5-6:

BSB: ⁵ If I have walked in falsehood or my foot has rushed to deceit, ⁶ let God weigh me with honest scales, and He will know my integrity.
CLV: ⁵ If I have walked with hypocrisy, And my foot has hurried after deceit ⁶ (Let Him weigh me in the scales of justice, And let Eloah know my integrity).
LEB: ⁵ “If I have walked with falseness, and my foot has hastened to deceit, ⁶ let him weigh me in the balance of justice, and let God know my blamelessness.

The translation from the CLV is quite nice, “the scales of justice” and the LEB “the balance of justice.” It is accurate right; we all really desire that there be honest scales of justice. Whether it be in the earthly courts, and especially in the divine courts.

In wanting to conclude this section, as I had been reviewing these laws stressing the limitations of discipline, chastisement, or punishment, I couldn’t ignore what was staring me in the face. I can no longer conclude that Jesus was at all ever speaking of eternal punishment. The context in light of the laws simply don’t allow it. I can only conclude that the Hebrew word olam and the Greek word aiōnios can’t be interpreted and translated to mean eternal, never ending and forever and ever. This creates a huge disconnect between the Old and New Testaments’ concept of the limitations to sin-debts. If we look at the words of Jesus recorded in Matthew 25:46. Which translation, do you think, fits more justly now to the laws of God in relation to judgement of sin-crime/sin-debts?

BGB: ⁴⁶ Καὶ ἀπελεύσονται οὗτοι εἰς κόλασιν αἰώνιον, οἱ δὲ δίκαιοι εἰς ζωὴν αἰώνιον.
BGB-T: ⁴⁶ Kai apeleusontai houtoi eis kolasin aiōnion, hoi de dikaioi eis zōēn aiōnion.

BSB/[ESV]: ⁴⁶ And they [these] will go away into eternal punishment, but the righteous into eternal life.
YLT: ⁴⁶ And these shall go away to punishment age-during, but the righteous to life age-during.’
EBR: ⁴⁶ And, these, shall go away, into, age-abiding, correction, but, the righteous, into, age-abiding, life.
CLV: ⁴⁶ And these shall be coming away into chastening eonian, yet the just into life eonian.

It really is a different understanding now, isn’t it?

I would be interested to know what your thoughts are on these laws. Have you ever been presented with such an overview of the laws of God, which all point to “the limited liability of sin-debt?” Has it ever been something you considered in light of the character of our God? Do all of these scriptures pique your interest to learn more about Lord Jesus in how He governs the cosmos. Do they stir in you desire to understand further how you may one day judge the cosmos in fairness, justice, mercy, and grace?

9.5 Valuation of Sin-Debts

Limits, limits, limits, as we have been learning, there are always limits on the liability of sin. A part of this limitation means that, in fact, all sin has to have a valuation to it. This makes sense as otherwise, how can the cosmos and humanity be judged according to their deeds. There has to be a measuring stick. Naturally, this is only something Father God and Lord Jesus could truly know. Yet, we learn of these valuations when we come to study their laws. We learn, for example, if I poke out your eye and you choose not to forgive me, the judgment and valuation of this crime against you, is that my eye also should be poked out. You can’t require of me my entire leg or my soul. Now, of course, Jesus, through the New Covenant, takes this to a whole new level. Yet it still doesn’t nullify the overall spirit of the law. All judgment requires limits and to have limits, we need some form of accounting. I find here then the words of Job quite interesting. We read in Job 13:23:

BSB: ²³ How many are my iniquities and sins? Reveal to me my transgression and sin.
NIV: ²³ How many wrongs and sins have I committed? Show me my offense and my sin.
CLV: ²³ How many are my depravities and sins? Let me know my transgression and my sin.

³² כַּמָּ֣ה לִ֭י עֲוֺנ֣וֹת וְחַטָּא֑וֹת פִּֽשְׁעִ֥י וְ֝חַטָּאתִ֗י הֹדִיעֵֽנִי׃
WLC-T: ²³ kammah li awֺnoth wechatta’oth pishe’i wechattathi hodi’eni

LXX: ²³ πόσαι εἰσὶν αἱ ἁμαρτίαι μου καὶ αἱ ἀνομίαι μου; δίδαξόν με τίνες εἰσίν.
LXX-T: ²³ posai eisin hai hamartiai mou kai hai anomiai mou? didaxon me tines eisin.

If we review further these laws of God’s kingdom, we find some interesting laws which lay out the reckoning for payment of various sin-crimes. We find the fullness of these through Exodus 22:1-6, Leviticus 6:1-7, Numbers 5:5-10 in providing such a valuation. What I found really fascinating is these laws make it mandatory to make repayment or restitution. I will only quote the key scriptures.

Exodus 22:1-4:

BSB: ¹ If a man steals an ox or a sheep and slaughters or sells it, he must repay five oxen for an ox and four sheep for a sheep. ² If a thief is caught breaking in and is beaten to death, no one shall be guilty of bloodshed. ³ But if it happens after sunrise, there is guilt for his bloodshed. A thief must make full restitution; if he has nothing, he himself shall be sold for his theft. ⁴ If what was stolen is actually found alive in his possession—whether ox or donkey or sheep—he must pay back double.

CLV:¹When a man steals a bull or a flockling and slaughters it or sells it, five oxen shall he repay for the bull and four small cattle for the flockling. ² (If the thief is found while burrowing and is smitten so that he dies, there is no bloodguilt because of him.) ³But if the sun has risen on him there is bloodguilt because of him. He shall repay, yea repay; if he has nothing then he will be sold for his theft. ⁴ If the theft is found, yea found alive in his hand, whether bull or donkey or flockling, he shall only repay double.

Leviticus 6:4-5:

BSB: ⁴once he has sinned and becomes guilty, he must return what he has stolen or taken by extortion, or the deposit entrusted to him, or the lost property he found, ⁵ or anything else about which he has sworn falsely. He must make restitution in full, add a fifth of the value, and pay it to the owner on the day he presents his guilt offering.

CLV: ⁴ when it will come to be that he sins and realizes his guilt, then he will restore the pillage which he pillaged, or the extortion which he extorted, or the deposit which was committed to him, or the lost which he found, ⁵ or anything about which he swore falsely; he will repay it in its full value and add a fifth of its value to it. To him whose it is shall he give it on the day of his guilt offering.

Numbers 5:6-8a:

BSB: ⁶ Tell the Israelites that when a man or woman acts unfaithfully against the LORD by committing any sin against another, that person is guilty ⁷ and must confess the sin he has committed. He must pay full compensation, add a fifth to its value, and give all this to the one he has wronged. ⁸ But if the man has no relative to whom restitution can be made for the wrong, the restitution belongs to the LORD,

CLV: ⁶ Speak to the sons of Israel, saying, In case a man or a woman should commit any of the sins of humanity so as to offend with an offense against Yahweh, and that soul realizes his guilt, ⁷ then they will confess their sin which they had committed, the sinner will make restoration for his guilt in its full value, and he shall add a fifth of it onto it, and he will give it to him to whom he became guilty.⁸ If there is for the man no kinsman redeemer so as to make restoration for the guilt to him, then the guilt restoration goes to Yahweh for the priest,

In these laws, what we find is the need for the sinner committing the sin-crime to make repayment or restitution for their actions. This can only take place by having a valuation of that sin-crime. As we see, repayment even has limits. These are limited to either that of a fourth, or a fifth, or a maximum being doubled. The worst-case scenario is significant, as found in Exodus 22:3. If the sinner can’t make repayment at all, they are to be sold for the debt incurred and need to work off their sin-debt to the one they committed the sin-crime against. Finally, we should not think in terms of an individual here. Being sold into bondage, depending on the case, goes for the sinner’s entire household. It is a kind of debtors’ prison but without the prison bars.

We will explore these laws as part of the law of redemption further in Chapter 10. For now, it is important to grasp once again, sin-debts have limitations on what we should repay to the one we committed a crime against.

9.6 Regarding the “Torment” Scriptures

Given all that we have been learning about kingdom law. A question has possibly arisen in the back of your mind, which I believe we should address. Maybe it goes like this: “what about all the scriptures which talk about torment and torture?” Am I correct? I see only one way to address this. We need to look at the history of these words, which are plagued by traditional imagery. The starting place is the etymology of torture and torment.

9.6.1 Torture / Twerkw / Torquĕo

Torture: Is early 15^th century meaning “contortion, twisting, distortion; a disorder characterized by contortion.” It comes from Old French torture “infliction of great pain; great pain, agony” and is circa 12^th century. It is direct from Late Latin tortura “a twisting, writhing.” In Medieval Latin, “pain inflicted by judicial or ecclesiastical authority as a means of punishment or persuasion.” It comes from the stem of Latin torquere “to twist, turn, wind, wring, distort” (from PIE root *terkw- “to twist”).

The meaning “infliction of severe bodily pain as a means of punishment or persuasion” in English is from 1550s. The theory behind judicial torture was that a guilty person could be made to confess, but an innocent one could not, by this means. Macaulay writes that it was last inflicted in England in May AD 1640.⁴

Terkw: is Proto-Indo-European root meaning “to twist.” It forms all or part of or words: contort; distort; extort; extortion; nasturtium; queer; retort; thwart; torch; torment; torque (n.) a “rotating force;” torsion; tort; torticollis; tortuous; torture; truss.⁵

It is incredible how our minds stir up various images when we see the word torture. I personally have sweeping images of medieval torture chambers. If we look at the etymology of the word, we see it was during the medieval period that the crudeness of these words developed. It once again reveals the fruit of Papal Rome and the interpretations during that time of the eternal hell framework. When we look at the meaning of the Latin torquere we see the following.

Torquĕo: (1) to twist, turn, wind (2) to bend out of shape (3) to hurl (4) (catapult) to wind up (5) to turn to face in the opposite direction (6) (eyes) to roll (7) (neck) to crane (8) to divert the course of (9) to spin (10) (hair) to curl (11) (the head) to wreathe (12) (figuratively) to torment.⁶

As you read these definitions, and compare them to the imagery in your mind, what are your thoughts now on if actual torture and torment are being talked about in the Bible? Let’s make an example of this and change only one word. We come up with different kind of imagery in our mind, correct?

I am twisting your arm.
I am torturing your arm.

Having seen all of this, I thought to do some analysis of scriptures in Latin. What we find is the Latin Vulgate has used the various forms of torquĕo in all these cases. The effect of this was that when the King James translators were translating the Bible, they used these words not from the Greek manuscripts but in fact the Latin. Not that there isn’t some kind of uncomfortableness with the Greek words. But in context, it certainly creates different imagery. Especially given all the actual torture Rome and Papal Rome exacted on those who disagreed with them. Sadly, the fallout is we have a sadistic character being created of our Father God and Lord Jesus, which deeply maligns their name.

9.6.2 Basanos and Basanizō

In Greek, we have only two specific words being translated as torture or torment. We find these across fifteen verses, and they are basanos (βάσανος) and basanizō (βασανίζω). It is unfortunate that in our modern era, after having over 250 years of the KJV, these medieval definitions have creeped their way into the meanings of the Greek words. We should be aware of this when we review our resources.

1. basanos (βάσανος / G931): This occurs three times in the New Testament.

Thayer’s Greek Lexicon: (a) the touchstone (also called basanite, Latin lapis Lydius), by which gold and other metals are tested. (B) the rack or instrument of torture by which one is forced to divulge the truth.
HELPS Word-studies: Originally, a black, silicon-based stone used as “a touchstone” to test the purity of precious metals (like silver and gold). See G928 (basanízō). [In the papyri, basanos also means, “touchstone,” “test” (so P Oxy I. 58.25, ad 288). “Originally (from oriental origin) a touchstone; a ‘Lydian stone’ used for testing gold because pure gold rubbed on it left a peculiar mark. Then it was used for examination by torture. Sickness was often regarded as ‘torture.’” (WP, 1, 37)]
Strongs Concordance: A touchstone (a dark stone used in testing metals).

2. basanizō (βασανίζω / G928): This occurs twelve times in the New Testament.

Thayer’s Greek Lexicon: (1) properly, to test (metals) by the touchstone. (2) to question by applying torture. (3) to torture (4) universally, to vex with grievous pains (of body or mind), to torment (5) Passive to be harassed, distressed; of those who at sea are struggling with a head wind, Mark 6:48
HELPS Word-studies: (from 931 /básanos, “a tormenting trial”) – properly, to examine (literally by using torture).
Strongs Concordance: to torture

Are you seeing what I see? These accurate definitions connect us deeply with the Old Testament imagery of “God as a refining fire.” It all has to do with gold, silver, and metals. It concerns the refining and testing of them. Are they pure or not? It has to do with 1 Corinthians 3:15b “It will be revealed with fire, and the fire will prove the quality of each man’s work.” The basanite was to test for the purity of the gold.

When I was doing this review, I thought to myself, “I wonder how these words were used in the Old Testament?” To my surprise, the LXX uses basanos only eight times in 1 Samuel 6:3,4,8,17 and Ezekiel 7:19; 12:18; 16:52,54. I found it particularly strange what this Greek word was a translation of in Hebrew. On two occasions, as an example, it was the “trespass offering,” which was asham (אָשָׁ֑ם / ʾāšām / H817). I am not really certain, nor could I find any information as to the logic of that one? Basanizō is used once in 1 Samuel 5:6 (LXX – 5:3). In this case, there is a sense of ravaging and desolation being spoken about. The Hebrew word is wyshmm (וַיְשִׁמֵּ֑ם / wyšmm / H8074) as Strongs Exhaustive Concordance states it means to “make amazed, be astonished, be an astonishment.”

Classics Professor Emeritus at the University of Texas, Michael Gagarin explains the meaning of basanos for us as the following.

The word basanos (βάσανος), traditionally translated, originally means a touchstone to test gold, and then any test to determine the genuineness of someone or something. In the orators, it sometimes retains the simple sense of a “test,” but more often designates a means of confirming information by an interrogation. Normally, but not always, accompanied by the infliction of physical pain. Basanos (βάσανος), traditionally translated, can also refer to the evidence that results from such an interrogation.⁷

Having shared all of this now, what do you think this means about the character of our Lord Jesus and Father God? Does this change your thoughts about them, and the actions related to these words? The Old Testament, in revealing the kingdom laws, don’t allow torture. We have seen the Lord gave allowance only in the exceptional case, that a maximum of forty stripes could be administered. Anything more than this would be clear in His eyes administering torture, and that He abhorred.

If it had ever crossed your mind, the OT God = Angry, vengeful, fearful God and the NT Jesus = Loving, caring, graceful, saving us from OT God, God. I think it is time to change this image you have in your mind don’t you think?

Now I want to present an interesting thought? Might our current cultural view of basanos and basanizō tell us Jesus is no longer following His own kingdom laws anymore? Suddenly, He has surprised us with the “law of Christ” now sanctioning unending torment and torture to all of creation? Hmm, and we call this the “Good News?” He not only changed the law, but He made it infinitely crueler. It sounds weird to consider this, right? What goes through my mind is, wouldn’t that make Jesus out to be, in fact, a greater and more vicious God than when He was revealing Himself as Yahweh to us during the Old Covenant era? In fact, it would now be Jesus that is the wrathful one who will punish eternally.

Thankfully, there is no evidence of this at all. What we see is full evidence; Jesus upholds the kingdom laws by which He governs. One day soon, King Jesus, along with those who receive the reward to take part in the first resurrection as His king-priest-saints, will govern over the cosmos by these laws. The kingdom laws which bring forth the amazing and gracious character of our Lord Jesus and Father God.

There is no torture or torment sanctioned at all in the Bible! Praise the Lord. This is something you can literally take to the bank of heaven and invest in.

9.7 Realigning our Understanding of God’s Wrath

As I have been sharing, my perceptions in the past were OT God = God of Wrath, NT God = God of Love. Interestingly, this whole idea has its origins within “Marcionism.” Which came from Marcion of Sinope in Rome around AD 144. It really is in a way following on a Greek dualism.

I think our challenges today on this topic is our perception of wrath as some kind of “uncontrolled and unmanaged” anger. However, as we have been learning, any sort of judicial punishment is far from being uncontrolled and unmanaged. The reality is the idea of wrath was never limited to only the Old Testament. It is included on both sides. I like how Dr. Edward D. Andrews states this in one of his blogs, How Are We to Understand the Wrath of God. He writes:

The Old Testament holds the doctrine of the wrath of God in balance with three other doctrines: his forbearance, his love, and his readiness to forgive. First, God is patient. The Hebrew word for patient is related to the word for wrath, and means “length of wrath,” that is, God does not quickly become angry. He is long-suffering (Exodus 34:6). Second, God is full of compassion and fidelity (Exodus 34:6). Even when his children sin against him, he is like a father who is full of compassion and love. He is always faithful to his children.
Third, he is ready to forgive those who sin against him when they atone for and are cleansed from their sins (Exodus 34:6). The pleasure of his love is so much greater than his wrath (Psalm 30:5). Micah prayed that the Lord may soon forgive and restore his people on the ground that he cannot be angry forever (Micah 7:18; Psalms 89:46; Jeremiah 3:5). In Psalm 103:8–13, the psalmist likens God’s love and forgiveness to that of a father who does not harbor his anger continually, nor does he vex his children with discipline, so great is his love for those who fear him.⁸

Let’s look at some of these scriptures that he references here.

Psalm 30:5:

BSB: ⁵ For His anger is fleeting, but His favor lasts a lifetime. Weeping may stay the night, but joy comes in the morning.
CLV: ⁵ For there is only a moment under His anger But a lifetime under His benevolence. In the evening, lamentation may lodge, But in the morning there is jubilant song.

Micah 7:18:

BSB: ¹⁸ Who is a God like You, who pardons iniquity and passes over the transgression of the remnant of His inheritance— who does not retain His anger forever, because He delights in loving devotion?
CLV: 18 Who is an El like You, bearing with depravity, And passing over transgression, for the remnant of His allotment? He does not hold fast His anger for the future, For He delights in benignity.

Psalm 103:8-14:

BSB: ⁸ The LORD is compassionate and gracious, slow to anger, abounding in loving devotion. ⁹ He will not always accuse us, nor harbor His anger forever. ¹⁰ He has not dealt with us according to our sins or repaid us according to our iniquities. ¹¹ For as high as the heavens are above the earth, so great is His loving devotion for those who fear Him. ¹² As far as the east is from the west, so far has He removed our transgressions from us. ¹³ As a father has compassion on his children, so the LORD has compassion on those who fear Him. ¹⁴ For He knows our frame; He is mindful that we are dust.

CLV: ⁸ Compassionate and gracious is Yahweh, Slow to anger and with much benignity. ⁹ He shall not contend permanently, And He shall not hold resentment for the eon. ¹⁰ He has neither done to us according to our sins, Nor has He requited us according to our depravities. ¹¹ For as the heavens are lofty over the earth, So is His benignity masterful over those fearing Him. ¹² As far as the east is from the west, So He removes our transgressions far from us. ¹³ As a father shows compassion over his sons, So Yahweh shows compassion over those fearing Him. ¹⁴ For He knows our formation, Remembering that we are soil.

What we find is in the Bible, the wrath of the Lord is never vindictive, emotional, or unpredictable. It is that which is found of a father or parent over their child. Dr. Andrews goes on to write, “the New Testament continues to flow with these doctrines, bringing the wrath of God side by side with His grace, love, and forbearance.”

I have found the words of Dr. Stephen E. Jones as well very relevant in how we should look at the wrath of God. We read in his commentary Pauls Epistles to the Saints in Rome, Book 1, Chapter 4, The Judgements of God the following,

There is certainly judicial “wrath,” but the wrath of God always proceeds out of His character—and God is Love. It is therefore to be seen as parental chastisement of a child, rather than as the unloving judgment of an impersonal judge.
Wrath itself comes from the Hebrew word aph, (אַף / ʾap / H693) or “nose.” It has to do with breathing hard, such a horse snorting in a threatening manner. Yet God is also patient (or “long-suffering”), which literally means “long nosed.” Together, these Hebrew concepts formed Paul’s thought process. One cannot separate the wrath of God from His patience, love, and mercy. This is seen clearly when a parent appears to be full of wrath when he or she disciplines the child, and yet the discipline is done out of love, rather than anger or hatred. The purpose of judgment is to correct the child, not to destroy him.
So also it is with the judgments of God. The wrath of God proceeds out of a heart of love, as He renders to every man according to his deeds.⁹

The Hebrew word aph is often, the same word used in the New Testament as orgē (ὀργή / G3709). It is mostly translated as wrath however, Strong’s Exhaustive concordance states it means “properly, desire.” We see then as well from HELPS Word Studies:

3709 orgḗ (from orgáō, “to teem, swelling up to constitutionally oppose”) – properly, settled anger (opposition), i.e. rising up from an ongoing (fixed) opposition.
3709 /orgḗ (“settled anger”) proceeds from an internal disposition which steadfastly opposes someone or something based on extended personal exposure, i.e. solidifying what the beholder considers wrong (unjust, evil).
[“Orgē comes from the verb oragō meaning, ‘to teem, to swell’; and thus implies that it is not a sudden outburst, but rather (referring to God’s) fixed, controlled, passionate feeling against sin …a settled indignation (so Hendriksen)” (D. E. Hiebert, at 1 Thes 1:10).]

Having now shared all of this, the effect was huge on my understanding of the wrath of God. It became balanced to me in relation to Their forbearance, love, and readiness to forgive. There is nothing vile or uncontrolled. There is really nothing to fear in terms of Him holding His wrath and anger “forever in fire and torment.” It simply can’t fit within Their laws, Their character, and Their mercy. They are passionate about ridding sin and death and mortality from the Earth, and Jesus will do it.

As the Old Testament makes up a longer biography of the relationship with Yahweh-Jesus, when we read it, we get to really experience in a deeper way His forbearance, love, and readiness to forgive time and time again. In the New Testament we learn many great things, and we see clearly in the gospels the life of Jesus which is revealed. However, after He returns to the Father, we don’t see the similar interaction and relationship quite like in the Old Testament. This is why, in fact; the Old Testament is so valuable. It is here we learn about our Lord and Savior in ways we could never see through the New Testament writings to the ecclesia.

9.8 Conclusions

As we conclude this chapter, I have to ask you what thoughts are running through your mind now on these topics? What are you seeing that maybe you have never seen before? What kind of effect is this having on your heart and your spirit? Maybe you need to come back to it again and review it a couple of times, but I am sure something is stirring in you. I hope something is stirring in you, as you see Jesus always applied limits to the sin-crimes, and that truly, it is their goodness, graciousness and kindness that leads us to repentance. After all, the scriptures say “There is no fear in love, but perfect love drives out fear, because fear involves punishment. The one who fears has not been perfected in love. (1 John 4:18)”

This chapter is the most concise writing I could pull together to bring this all into a clearer picture. It reveals Jesus has always applied, even on the spiritual level, “limitations” to the punishment or chastisement of sin. In fact, when one really studies these laws, what we find are there are never statements or declarations of disgust or anger or wrath towards us. These laws are applied in pure, unadulterated love towards us. They are applied so we can also live in harmony with one another in this sin ridden state we are in. They know perfectly well; we are but flesh and blood. Most of the laws of Christ brought us awareness that we are unclean compared to a holy and righteous God. They reveal to us we are natural, we are fallible, and we make a mess of ourselves. This angry God disgusted with His creation is a far cry from the truth and needs to be expunged from our consciousness permanently.

Of course, we have learned that now we can see the wrath and anger of the Lord have always been controlled. With the Israelites, it was also in response to a truly rebellious people. We then see that judgment had to come and exact the right level of justice according to His own laws.

When we pull together the broader picture across the Old and New Testaments, we can better see this altogether makes Father God and Lord Jesus 100% “love” and 100% “just.” It is certain “Righteousness and justice are the foundation of Your throne; loving devotion and faithfulness go before You. (Psalm 89:14)”

Chapter 9: The Limited Liability of Sin – A Review of the Kingdom Laws of God

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