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Originally Posted by Raptor
Not so, only unbelievers go to the lake of fire. Outer darkness is mentioned 3 times in the New Testament, it is a place of discipline for believers outside the Presence of the Lord, outside of His glory, joy, and light. The context of the verses shows that:
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I’m not here in this post to argue for or against accountability of believers for their lives. But the 1000 year discipline teaching is too often used as a cudgel for a kind of works-based salvation and to keep members of a particular group from leaving (TLR is by no means the worst offender in this regard) and with flimsy support. For example, I have a very different reading of the context of your first proof-text:
Quote:
Originally Posted by Raptor
"But the sons of the kingdom will be thrown into the outer darkness, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.” Matt. 8:12.
Unbelievers can never be the "sons of the kingdom" which are the good seed planted by the Son of Man (13:37-38). Here they are ones that did not have enough faith.
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The context of Matt 8 is that Jesus is remarking on the faith of a Gentile centurion, and it is clear that the “sons of the kingdom” are the Jews to whom the kingdom was originally promised but because of their stubborn rejection of Jesus were being disinherited. Any reading of that passage that interprets “sons of the kingdom” as Christ’s own followers who don’t meet a standard of overcoming actually defies that context and in my opinion is an unhealthy eisegesis.
Once I started examining “The Ministry” without giving it the benefit of the doubt, I found this kind of sloppy exposition in many places, including especially in support of the “two trees” and “genuine ground of oneness” teachings. It really helps to actually read the context and to consider the plain meaning of the text.
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"But when the king came in to see the guests, he spotted a man who was not dressed in wedding clothes. ‘Friend,’ he asked, ‘how did you get in here without wedding clothes?’ But the man was speechless. Then the king told the servants, ‘Tie him hand and foot, and throw him into the outer darkness, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.’" Matt. 22:11-13.
This is a saved believer that is not ready,he did not prepare sufficiently and is specifically missing "wedding" garments.
"You wicked, lazy servant!’ replied his Master. ‘You knew that I reap where I have not sown and gather where I have not scattered seed. Then you should have deposited my money with the bankers, and on my return I would have received it back with interest. Therefore take the talent from him and give it to the one who has ten talents. For everyone who has will be given more, and he will have an abundance. But the one who does not have, even what he has will be taken away from him. And throw that worthless servant into the outer darkness, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth." Matt. 25:26-30.
The wicked and lazy servant is a saved believer, he was given a talent and is rendering an account to the Master, but was found worthless.
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I would approach the second and third quotes with a little more humility, as the meaning is a matter of interpretation. A broadly accepted interpretation of the under-dressed wedding guest is as an example of Matt 7:15’s wolf in sheep’s clothing, recognizable by the “bad fruit” of their living (lack of repentance). In the case of the talents the problem was the lack of faith in and misrepresentation of the master as reaping where he did not sow, etc. You could argue these are false believers (never saved) or that they’re those who experienced Christ as their Savior but not their Lord.
From the CSB Study Bible, on 22:8-12, “The guests represent Jesus’s disciples who are invited into the kingdom despite their unworthiness. The improperly dressed guest represents a false disciple (7:15-23). His presence seems initially to honor the Son, but his refusal to wear festive garments dishonors him. Similarly, many false disciples appear to honor Jesus by calling Him “Lord” but their lack of true faith and repentance offends him.”
In any case, I agree with @Zezima. It’s not wise to be over-bold with these interpretations. It can too easily (and has) facilitate inappropriate control (read spiritual abuse) over the saints.