[OBW]

I realize that I took the thread at least somewhat off-topic. But I think that my wandering through the lack of clarity on what exactly "salvation" really is and how we come to have assurance in it while not entirely grasping everything about it is quite helpful. I think that a good understanding of the nature of salvation — even one that is less simple and certain — takes care of the problem of outer darkness, or even Hell.

If you understand your salvation based on comprehensive coverage of the term, then you should be able to eliminate eternal damnation from your future. Having done that, as a simplistic matter, if those that advocate a temporal punishment for those who do poorly with their salvation turn out to be correct, that is the worst that we will face.

So then the real question comes down to what are you doing with your salvation, with sanctification, etc. Taking a couple of parables, then it would seem that doing something is sufficient. This comes primarily from the parable of the talents. It would seem that all the last guy had to do was draw interest. Not even double it. Just draw interest.

(Separately, I have been somewhat intrigued by the parable of the laborers (maybe not the common name of it). The guy hires workers all day long and everyone who goes to work gets their pay — same pay. The only ones not paid are those who didn't work. I wonder if there is something in this that may be an answer to that question that comes up periodically about those who are just saved one day and then somehow die the next day. What is their lot? It might just be that they are rewarded with the same "pay" as those who began their journey of obedience many years earlier in their lives (or didn't get hit by the truck full of mixed nuts the next day). It may not seem fair to those who stuck it out so long. But the agreed pay — not to perish — was equally offered to all. There are hints of reward for some kinds of actions/living.)

What is the purpose of the parable of the talents? To provide a definition of outer darkness? To clarify how it is that we will gnash our teeth?

Or is it to wake up the sleepers to do what they have been charged to do. Ignoring the ritualistic laws, the OT is full of rules of righteousness. And Jesus provided a lot more clarity and direct application on those. Seems we have direction. Maybe the answer is to take note that it is given as a warning and be warned. And act warned. Live warned. Don't just write it off as something not applicable to the saved and carry on as if nothing happened.

Have there been any reasonable explanations of those passages that this kind of approach does not successfully deal with? I'm not trying to cast those parables and other passages aside. But is it more important to take note and act positively with respect to what the negative implications might be than to figure out precisely what those negative implications really are. It may be that the whole idea was to drive us toward positive, righteous living in Christ rather than to provide a doctrine of outer darkness. Discovering a doctrine of outer darkness may be over-milking the metaphor.