The Bible no where teaches the unbeliever has eternal life, yet the Platonic's teach suffering eternally in hell for unbelievers...
old man joe
immortality is an idea concocted by Plato. it follows that people will isolate Bible
verses speaking to " everlasting fire " as in Mt. 25:41 ( KJV ) and give to the unbeliever
eternal life so that he can burn in hell forever.
the Bible no where teaches that unbeliever's have eternal life.
the religious philosopher's following Plato and the ancient Egyptian's do indeed teach
unbeliever's have eternal life so as to scare them into submission to their denomination.
by so doing they pervert the mercy and justice of God making Him out to be contrary than
what He reveals Himself to be in Holy Scripture.
anyone espousing an everlasting torment in hell for the unbeliever must prove from Holy
Scripture two or more witnesses out of Holy Scripture which clearly state that
unbeliever's have eternal life. one can not build a case on interpreting passage's that
may imply unbeliever's have eternal life, but rather find passage's, two at the very
least, that unbeliever's have eternal life.
Plato suggested that man is immortal but God says he returns to dust ( Gen. 3:19 )
the ancient Egyptians believed in eternal life for their Pharaoh's but God says they
return to dust and their spirit returns to God who gave it. Ecc. 12:7
the religious philosopher's evangelize unbeliever's saying unbeliever's have eternal life
so they can burn in hell forever but God says " the wages of sin is death " and only the
elect of God have eternal life. ( Jn. 5:24; 1 Jn. 3:14 ) so death in an unbeliever really
means eternal life. that paves the way to change any doctrine to the exact opposite of
what is says... it's ok now to " continue in sin so grace may abound " for example.
the facts presented in Holy Scripture are directly stated in plain terms yet the
Platonist's insist on interpreting the Bible through the worldly wisdom of Plato giving
man immortality without the intervention of the Living God. in other words, Christ being
" The Life " imparts His life to His elect who were otherwise " dead " in trespasses and
sins. ( Eph. 2:1 ) rewording the Bible to Platonism we rather read " and you are alive in
trespasses and sins. "
" For as in Adam all die, so also in Christ all will be made alive " is changed to " For
as in Adam all will be made alive, so also in Christ all will be made alive. "
denominations teaching conditional election also teach the eternal life of unbeliever's.
their hope is to scare people into submission to their denominations building a case for
the immortality of man... with that in mind, logically, aborted fetuses and babies dying
at birth who are not redeemed are given eternal life so they can burn in hell for all
eternity... otherwise, it is virtuous to die at birth teaching God automatically saves
aborted fetuses and babies dying at birth... the Bible doesn't teach that either.
the Platonist's indeed teach that the unbeliever has eternal life, that the wages of sin
is eternal life and not death. the Bible teaches the unbeliever is already dead in his
soul existence ( Eph. 2:1,5; Col. 2:13 ) and is made alive only by the Living God so as to
have eternal life. Eph. 2:5; Ro. 5:10 et al. where then do the Platonic's imagine the
unbeliever has eternal life except from Plato and the ancient Egyptians ?
the twisted perception of the character of God leads people to evangelize the unbelievers
by telling him he must fill conditions before he can be saved, and that once he has
fulfilled them, he is saved. failure to do so results in everlasting torment. they teach
that " God is love " yet He throws aborted fetuses and children into hell fire for all
eternity because of unbelief. unbelief is a sin which Christ paid for as well...
anyone can see that their's is a gospel for the smart, only.
arah
What the Quran said about unbelievers or kafir.
The word usually translated as "infidel" or "unbeliever" in English is
the Arabic kafir, pl. kuffar. It literally means "ingrate," and often
refers to human ingratitude in not recognizing the one God or in
persecuting the prophet or Muslims. It almost always refers to the
Meccan idolators, who are characterized by kufr or the ingratitude of
active disbelief. The Koran enjoins Muslims to fight back against the
idolatrous Meccans who were attacking Medina.
Ordinary Jews and Christians are not kafirs in this sense in the
Koran, but rather are "people of the book" with their own, valid,
divinely revealed scripture.
Koran 5:82 says (Arberry): "Surely they that believe, and those of
Jewry, and the Christians, and those Sabeaans, whoso believes in God
and the Last Day, and works righteousness--their wage waits them with
their Lord, and no fear shall be on them, neither shall they sorrow."
The Koran thus considers Judaism and Christianity true religions, in
whose scriptures there is "light and guidance." It says that
Christians are "closest in love" to Muslims. Muhammad made alliances
with the Medinan Jews against the Meccans, and some at least of those
alliances survived all the way through. It is true that some Jewish
tribes fell out with the Muslims, and one appears to have gone over to
the Meccan idolators to fight against monotheists. This betrayal
caused bitterness toward those specific Jews, but not toward Judaism
or Jews in general, who continue to be praised as in 5:82 above.
Throughout the article I will use the Arabic plural "kuffar" instead
of the anglicized term "kafirs"
(1a) Let’s review some standard definitions of "kufr", and also see
how the word is actually used and applied in the Quran.
The "Concordance of the Quran", by Kassis, defines the root word to
mean:
To disbelieve, to be thankless, unthankful, ungrateful; to disown,
deny; those who disbelieve, the unbelievers, unbelief, disbelief,
rejection; faithlessness, unbeliever; husbandman; tillers
The "Encyclopedia of Islam", (E.I.), defines Kafir
KAFIR, (a), originally "obliterating, covering", then, "concealing
benefits received" = "ungrateful"; this meaning is found even in the
old Arab poetry and in the Quran,
Sura 26:18. In the Quran the word is used with reference to God: "That
they are ungrateful for our gifts"; cf. also Sura 16:85. The next
development — probably under the influence of the Syriac and Aramaic
where the corresponding development took place earlier — is the more
general meaning of "infidel" which is first found in Sura 74:10 and is
henceforth very common; plural kafirun or kuffar, once (Sura 80:42)
kafara. The term is first applied to the unbelieving Meccans who
endeavor to refute and revile the Prophet: Sura 50:2 and elsewhere ...
In most passages the reference is to unbelievers in general who are
threatened with God’s punishment and Hell.
Below are a few Quranic verses that use the root word kufr or a
variant. The translation used is The Noble Quran by Al-Hilali & Khan.
2:102
They followed what the Shayatin (devils) gave out (falsely of the
magic) in the lifetime of Sulaiman (Solomon). Sulaiman did not
disbelieve, but the Shayatin (devils) disbelieved, teaching men magic
and such things that came down at Babylon to the two angels, ...
2:253
... If Allah had willed, succeeding generations would not have fought
against each other, after clear Verses of Allah had come to them, but
they differed - some of them believed and others disbelieved.
14:9
Has not the news reached you, of those before you, the people of Nuh
(Noah), and 'Ad, and Thamud? And those after them? None knows them but
Allah. To them came their Messengers with clear proofs, but they put
their hands in their mouths (biting them from anger) and said:
"Verily, we disbelieve in that with which you have been sent, and we
are really in grave doubt as to that to which you invite us (i.e.
Islamic Monotheism)."
Not only does the Quran present other peoples besides the Meccan as
"kuffar", a Sahih Hadith (another reference Cole has used) states that
the Christians and Jews would be punished by Allah in hell:
Sahih Muslim, Book 001, Number 0284:
It is narrated on the authority of Abu Huraira that the Messenger of
Allah observed: By Him in Whose hand is the life of Muhammad, he who
amongst the community of Jews or Christians hears about me, but does
not affirm his belief in that with which I have been sent and dies in
this state (of disbelief), he shall be but one of the denizens of Hell-
Fire.
It almost always refers to the Meccan idolators, who are characterized
by kufr or the ingratitude of active disbelief.
The word "kufr" does not only refer to the Meccan polytheists. Rather,
it defines all those who reject, disbelieve, or deny Allah and His
messengers. This term is even ascribed to "Satans", i.e. jinn, demons,
or Satan himself. It is also applicable upon all historical peoples
who have rejected or disbelieved God or His messengers.
Ordinary Jews and Christians are not kafirs in this sense in the
Koran, but rather are "people of the book" with their own, valid,
divinely revealed scripture.
As previously discussed above Islam does define Christians and Jews as
"kuffar." However, I feel it is necessary to elaborate on this in more
detail to establish the point. Below are two verses that mention
Christians and Jews.
5:72, 73
Surely, they have disbelieved who say: "Allah is the Messiah (Jesus),
son of Maryam (Mary)." But the Messiah (Jesus) said: "O Children of
Israel! Worship Allah, my Lord and your Lord." Verily, whosoever sets
up partners in worship with Allah, then Allah has forbidden Paradise
for him, and the Fire will be his abode. And for the Zalimun
(polytheists and wrongdoers) there are no helpers.
Surely, disbelievers are those who said: "Allah is the third of the
three (in a Trinity)." But there is no ilah (god) (none who has the
right to be worshipped) but One Ilâh (God-Allah). And if they cease
not from what they say, verily, a painful torment will befall the
disbelievers among them.
Note that Muhammad deliberately singles out two of Christianity’s
primary tenets: 1) the Messiah, i.e. the Son of God, is God in the
flesh, and 2), the doctrine of the Trinity. Therefore, Muhammad and
the Quran classify the overwhelming majority of Christians as
"unbelievers" (kuffar).
The Koran thus considers Judaism and Christianity true religions, in
whose scriptures there is "light and guidance." It says that
Christians are "closest in love" to Muslims.
5:82. Verily, you will find the strongest among men in enmity to the
believers (Muslims) the Jews and those who are Al-Mushrikun, and you
will find the nearest in love to the believers (Muslims) those who
say: "We are Christians." That is because amongst them are priests and
monks, and they are not proud.
5:83. And when they (who call themselves Christians) listen to what
has been sent down to the Messenger (Muhammad), you see their eyes
overflowing with tears because of the truth they have recognized. They
say: "Our Lord! We believe; so write us down among the witnesses.
Note why the Christians are "nearest in love" to the Muslims ..." they
are not proud." In 5:83 we see which Christians Muhammad is talking
about: Christians who accepted Muhammad’s words. What about those that
rejected Muhammad or believed in the deity of Jesus? According to the
Quran they are "kuffar" or unbelievers. More on this shortly.
The Koran recognizes aspects of Judaism and Christianity as truth, but
we shall not assume that Muhammad knew or understood Biblical
doctrines. The doctrine of Jesus as the Son of God was established
long before Muhammad. Muhammad said that the Bible contained "light
and guidance", but he denounced Jesus as the Son of God.
Pages 848, 849:
w4.4 (Ibn Kathir:) Allah Most High says:
"Surely those who believe, those of Jewry, the Christians, and the
Sabaens – whoever has faith in Allah and the Last Day, and works
righteousness, their wage awaits them with their Lord, and no fear
shall be upon them, and neither shall they sorrow" (Koran 2:62).
Suddi states that the verse, "Surely those who believe, etc." was
revealed about the former companions of Salman the Persian when he
mentioned them to the Prophet, relating how they had been, saying,
"They used to pray, fast, and believe in you, and testify that you
would be sent as a prophet." When he had finished praising them, the
Prophet replied, "Salman they are the denizens of hell," which came to
discomfit Salman greatly, and so Allah revealed this verse.
The faith of the Jews was that of whoever adhered to the Torah and the
sunna of Moses until the coming of Jesus. When Jesus came, whoever
held fast to the Torah and the sunna of Moses without giving them up
and following Jesus was lost.
The faith of the Christians was that whoever adhered to the Evangel
and precepts of Jesus, their faith was valid and acceptable until the
coming of Muhammad. Those of them who did not then follow Muhammad and
give up the sunna of Jesus and the Evangel were lost.
The foregoing is not contradicted by the hadith relating that the
verse,
Surely those who believe, those of Jewry, the Christians, and the
Sabeans – whoever has faith in Allah and the Last Day ..."