Anyone with just a slightly open mind can see there are quite a few Scriptures that can be used to support eternal punishment, annihilation, or the salvation of all mankind through Jesus Christ.  Throughout the centuries there have been sincere Christians in all these groups.  Augustine, the champion of eternal torment said in his day, There are very many who though not denying the Holy Scriptures, do not believe in endless torments.  St. Basil the Great (c. 329-379) in his De Asceticis wrote: The mass of men (Christians) say that there is to be an end of punishment to those who are punished.
 
Now if all three positions seem to have Scriptural grounds, this presents a problem for some.  The solution to the problem is found in Matthew 16:17.  You see, apart from the Spirit of revelation, which comes from above and not from ourselves, the Bible can really be made to say anything we want it to say.  Look at the thousands of denominations each based upon differences of interpretation of basically the same Bible.  Most Christian cults are even more intense in Bible study than average churchgoers and they often come up with some very bizarre teachings.  Most people are usually sincere in their beliefs.  They really believe they have the truth.  But until we have what Peter received when Jesus asked him Who He was ... until then, we only have knowledge which gets filtered through our culturally conditioned mind.  The Scriptures, apart from the Spirit of revelation often produces horrible systems of belief.  Few of us are honest enough with ourselves to cry out to God to be completely set free from the traditions of men, from cultural, parental, political mind-sets which effect how we read the Scriptures.
 
The teaching of eternal torment has permeated the Western civilization for about 1500 years. Few realize the early believers were not indoctrinated into this mind-set by Christian leaders.  Today it is not long before a child, even though never having read a Bible, is exposed to the doctrine of eternal torment as fact.  It is important to be absolutely certain regarding such an important subject whether we are reading the Bible through pre-conditioned eyes or through enlightenment by the Holy Spirit.

Ask God to reveal through the Spirit of revelation all of His attributes and character.  One must not know His love, power, omnipresence, mercy through words on a page, one must receive these things by the Spirit.  Then the Bible will be read with clear eyes of understanding. Then the Bible will confirm what the Spirit has revealed.
 
Peter did not believe that Jesus Christ was the Son of God because he properly interpreted the Scriptures prophesying a Messiah.  It was revealed to him by our Father.  Upon this, the body of Christ is built, not upon Bible interpretation.  Interpretation produces division, revelation supported with Scripture produces unity.  Revelation first, then the Scriptures will witness to the revelation.  A person may read the Bible and believe what he reads based upon the fact that people have told him it was the word of God.  Some may read it because it is the most widely published book in the world.  A person may decide to go to church and become a Baptist, Methodist, etc., as a result and yet still not have true understanding.  The natural mind may spend years studying the Bible and produce very carnal and often very evil systems of belief.  I was amazed reading a Ku Klux Klan paper at how often they quoted Scripture to justify their hate.  How are we delivered from this deception?--by humility, brokenness, sincerity of heart, child-like faith, and a willingness to acknowledge that we really know very little of the ways of the Creator of the Universe.  These are some of the steps to deliverance.  But true deliverance comes when the Spirit of revelation brings light.
 
The problem with this method is that it smacks contrary to the Bible study mentality based upon the creeds, articles of faith, denominational position statements, etc.  It contradicts the typical "Bible study" mind-set of most fundamental evangelical systems.  These systems are full of people who just pass on the tradition of the elders through reading the Bible with preconceived ideas of what it should say.  Then, when one comes along reading the same Bible and comes to a different interpretation, these people know they are right and the other individual is wrong.  Why?  Because it doesn't line up with what they have already decided was the right interpretation.  They become locked into the "tradition of the elders."

As I have mentioned before, the doctrine of eternal torment is Satan’s lie.  It is amazing to me how such a lie could be believed by such a vast majority of people.  The only explanation can be is that the “god of this world” has blinded us to the “complete” gospel.  In fact, so entrenched is this doctrine in the Church, that you can go up to any pastor, deacon, or “leader”, present them with this truth, and they won’t bat an eye as they tell you that it’s heresy.  Most of them won’t pray about it.  Most won’t seek the Scriptures.  It was Adolph Hitler who said, “Tell a lie long enough, loud enough, and often enough and people will start to believe you.”  The problem is Satan has blinded us for so long that we don’t even know that eternal torment might be false.  And because “orthodoxy” has been set in stone by the dozens of denominations in the Church, anything that does not line up with our doctrinal statements is automatically considered heresy.

Most who hold the belief of eternal torment do so sincerely and do not know any other way.  I can certainly understand for I was in the same position for over twenty years.  The truth was kept from me through my ignorance and lack of serious study of the Scriptures.  “Orthodoxy” kept me from considering universal reconciliation as a viable truth.  “But greater is He that is in me than he that is in the world.”  Once God set me free from religion through the revelation of the Lordship of Christ, I was open to receive the truth.  I was no longer encumbered by the traditions of men.  You see, when I was in the system, I wanted to do everything to please those in it.  That was my great stumbling block—that was my flesh.  But the moment God broke me of my pride and self-arrogance; I was free—truly free!  I no longer desired to please men.  The death that God brought to me produced life in me.

As to this presentation, we can debate all day on the subject.  I can give you my arguments; you can give me yours.  But it not until we die to the power of sin through the working of the cross that there is any hope for us to see.  And of course, ultimately, it is God who gives us the vision to see more and more of His truth.  I believe that God does not give us all His truth at one time.  We couldn’t handle it.  As babies start out on milk, so must we.  But through the trials of this life, and the slaying of self through the cross, the Word of God begins to open up more and more.  But it is not until we are changed from corruptible to incorruptible that we will see in full.  Until then, we can only hope to conquer more and more of our flesh so we can see as much of Christ as is possible.

And really, isn’t that what it’s all about, seeing more and more of Christ in our lives?  It’s not about our ministries, evangelistic outreaches, Sunday Schools, churches, or any other “things.”  It’s not about learning more about Christ.  It’s knowing Christ!  The Apostle Paul, in Phil 3:8-11, says,

But, no, rather I also count all things to be loss because of the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord, for whose sake I have suffered the loss of all things and count them to be trash, that I might gain Christ  and be found in Him; not having my own righteousness of Law, but through the faith of Christ, having the righteousness of God on faith, to know Him and the power of His resurrection, and the fellowship of His sufferings, having been conformed to His death, if somehow I may attain to a resurrection out of the dead.

It’s about Christ being all in all.  It’s about us being filled with all the fullness of Christ.  That should be our goal and desire while we are on this earth.  He must become our preoccupation.  And it is to this end that I have written this short treatise.  My hope and prayer is that we see more and more of Him, and less and less of ourselves.