Excellent post, weedman. I'm somewhat a universalist in that I believe that none will "perish" Sure there will be a second death, but that death will be a death of the natural into spiritual. ?We are all going to die twice, and come into life everlasting, meaning this: Those who die to self in this life (Born again) must die again in the physical sense. Those who don't die to self in this life will die physical, and then to self spiritual. (Born again)

There is no way around it in my mind. Hell is reserved for the wicked one, and the children of the wicked one, which is to say his fruits. Not actual people or children per se.

If you look at the parable of the tares and wheat, you'll get an idea as to what is going to happen, or at least MY view of what is going to happen.




24. Another parable put he forth unto them, saying, The kingdom of heaven is likened unto a man which sowed good seed in his field: The man is Christ, The field is the world, or "us"

25. But while men slept, his enemy came and sowed tares among the wheat, and went his way. The enemy is God's adversary, or that which is in conflict with God's spirit.

26. But when the blade was sprung up, and brought forth fruit, then appeared the tares also. This is the "Natural" condition of the inward man after the fall

27. So the servants of the householder came and said unto him, Sir, didst not thou sow good seed in thy field? from whence then hath it tares?

28. He said unto them, An enemy hath done this. The servants said unto him, Wilt thou then that we go and gather them up?

29. But he said, Nay; lest while ye gather up the tares, ye root up also the wheat with them.

30. Let both grow together until the harvest: and in the time of harvest I will say to the reapers, Gather ye together first the tares, and bind them in bundles to burn them: but gather the wheat into my barn.





Christ explains this parable.. . ..





37. He answered and said unto them, He that soweth the good seed is the Son of man (Christ the "man")

38. The field is the world; (Us) the good seed are the children of the kingdom; (Christ the "spirit" and his ā??Spiritualā? fruits) but the tares are the children of the wicked one; (The spiritual fruits of the adversary, or that which is in conflict love or God)

39. The enemy that sowed them is the devil; the harvest is the end of the world; (This is in reference to being born again) and the reapers are the angels.

40. As therefore the tares (The children, or "Fruits" of the wicked one i.e. Anger, bitterness, hate, violence, intolerance, resentment, and all things that are in conflict with love.) are gathered and burned in the fire; so shall it be in the end of this world.




The end of the world simply is to say, the end of the natural ā??Sinfulā? man. To be born again in Godā??s spirit (in this life or the next i.e. second death) is the core of this parable, Imo. The devil is simply defined as God's adversary, i.e. that which opposes love in the spiritual realm. None are going to perish, but that which is an offence to God's and man. It's all spiritual, Imo.