What do you think?
Rate this book
Jesus Undefeated: Condemning the False Doctrine of Eternal Torment
What if God is better than you think and hell isn't an eternal torture chamber?
Many Christians are unaware that Universal Reconciliation was the dominant view of the church for the first 500 years, with Annihilation and Eternal Torment as minority positions. Jesus Undefeated is an eye-opening examination of all three views of the afterlife and a God who is even more loving than we dare imagine. Discover the Gospel that is not merely “Good News,” but fantastically “Great News.”
Many Christians are unaware that Universal Reconciliation was the dominant view of the church for the first 500 years, with Annihilation and Eternal Torment as minority positions. Jesus Undefeated is an eye-opening examination of all three views of the afterlife and a God who is even more loving than we dare imagine. Discover the Gospel that is not merely “Good News,” but fantastically “Great News.”
184 pages, Kindle Edition
Published November 9, 2019
98 people are currently reading
178 people want to read
About the author
Keith Giles
65 books96 followersKeith Giles is the author of 5 books including his latest, "This Is My Body:Ekklesia as God Intended" which explores God's design for His Church according to the scriptures. The free e-book version has been downloaded by over 3,000 people.
He is the former Director of Sales and Distribution for Vineyard Music Group and formerly Marketing Coordinator for Soul Survivor USA. He has been writing articles on the Christian subculture, the house church movement, spiritual formation, compassion ministry and the Kingdom of God for over 20 years now.
His articles have appeared in over a dozen print and online magazines over the last 20 years, including Relevant, 7 Ball, Channel Advisor, Fuse, CCM, Worship Musician Magazine, WorshipMusic.com and theOoze.com.
Keith and his wife Wendy and their two sons are part of a house church community called “The Mission” in Orange, California. They planted this church in their home in 2006 in order to share 100 percent of the offering to help the poor in their community.
Feel free to visit him online at http://www.KeithGiles.com.
He is the former Director of Sales and Distribution for Vineyard Music Group and formerly Marketing Coordinator for Soul Survivor USA. He has been writing articles on the Christian subculture, the house church movement, spiritual formation, compassion ministry and the Kingdom of God for over 20 years now.
His articles have appeared in over a dozen print and online magazines over the last 20 years, including Relevant, 7 Ball, Channel Advisor, Fuse, CCM, Worship Musician Magazine, WorshipMusic.com and theOoze.com.
Keith and his wife Wendy and their two sons are part of a house church community called “The Mission” in Orange, California. They planted this church in their home in 2006 in order to share 100 percent of the offering to help the poor in their community.
Feel free to visit him online at http://www.KeithGiles.com.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 15 of 15 reviews
October 10, 2021
We like to think of ourselves as open-minded, even if we rarely revise our long-held beliefs. One such long-held Christian belief is that most of humanity is doomed to endless torture in the afterlife.
In his new book, Keith Giles challenges the standard Christian belief about Hell. He makes a compelling case for an alternative view of the afterlife, grounded in scripture, that is more consistent with God's boundless love and mercy and His will that none should perish.
Most Christians don't realize that the doctrine of Hell has changed over the centuries. The dogma about eternal suffering was not embraced by the early church. On the contrary, for the first 500 years, the church espoused Universalism or Ultimate Reconciliation. It is embedded in the words of Jesus and Paul, as well as early theologians such as Clement, Origen, the Gregories, and Basil the Great.
None of the early Christian creeds, including the Nicene Creed, contained the doctrine about Eternal Suffering. Early Chriatians recognized that scripture was unclear about the afterlife, with conflicting verses, as opposed to clearly teaching one view.
Historically there have been three competing Christian vews of Hell based upon different Bible verses:
• Eternal Suffering or Infernalism, which is the most popular belief currently.
• Universalism or Ultimate Reconciliation under which those who die without
Christ will pass through the fire before being reconciled.
• Annihilation or Conditional
Immortality where the unsaved suffer in Hell until their sins are paid for, and then they will be destroyed forever.
All of these views agree that those who die without Christ will suffer in the afterlife; the disagreement is about the duration and purpose of that suffering.
Giles contends that the scriptural support is weaker for eternal suffering than for the other two views. It's notable that The Old Testament contains not a single verse describing hell as a lake of eternal fire. It's a strange omission if eternal torment were the divine plan all along. If Jesus taught the eternal torment doctrine, then it's curious that his disciples did not preach it, since it's not mentioned in Acts.
There are several verses supporting Universal Reconciliation: God is the savior of "all men," according to 1Tim 4:10, which states, "for this we labor and strive, that we have put our hope in the living God, who is the Savior of all men, and especially of those who believe."
"All will be made alive in Christ," per 1Cor 15:21-22. "For since death came through a man, the resurrection of the dead comes also through a man. For as in Adam all die, so in Christ all will be made alive."
The same sentiment is found in Romans 5:18: "Consequently, just as the result of one trespass was condemnation for all men, so also the result of one act of righteousness was justification that brings life for all men."
Eventually everyone will gladly confess Jesus Christ as Lord, according to
Phil. 2:10-11. "that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue gladly confess that Jesus Christ is Lord."
Paul says in Romans 10:9, that those who confess the Lord Jesus "will be saved." Since everyone will so confess, then everyone will be saved.
Everyone passes through the fire, which is used to reveal and refine, not to torture and destroy. Even those with worthless works will be saved, "only as one escaping through the flames," per
1 Cor 3:13-15. "It will be revealed with fire, and the fire will test the quality of each man's work. If what he has built survives, he will receive his reward. If it is burned up, he will suffer loss; he himself will be saved, but only as one escaping through the flames."
Hebrews 12: 6-11 tells us that God disciplines all of us, and does so "for our own profit, that we may be partakers of his holiness." In other words, God disciplines for the good of his children, not punishment for its own sake.
The doctrine of eternal torment crept into Jewish thought during the 400 years between the end of the Old Testament scriptures and the coming of Christ. The notion came from Greek and pagan sources.
There are six main verses in the New Testament with references to eternal suffering. Perhaps the best known is in Matthew 25:41, 46. "Depart from me, you cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels...And these will go into eternal punishment, but the righteous to eternal life."
The first verse tells us the fire is eternal, not that mortals will be there eternally. The second verse uses the word eternal that comes from a Greek word (aionius) that can also mean a very long time.
Mark 9:43-44, 47-48 states, "If your hand causes you to stumble, cut it off. It is better for you to enter life maimed than with two hands to go into hell, where the fire never goes out...It is better for you to enter the kingdom of God with one eye than to have two eyes and be thrown into hell, where 'their worm does not die, and the fire is not quenched.'"
Jesus is quoting from Isaiah 66:24, where the prophet was warning about what would happen to dead bodies, not a place of torment. When Jeremiah used similar language, he was speaking in a literal place called Gehena that subsequently did have dead bodies stacked and burned.
Jesus was actually warning about the destruction of the temple. It is more likely that Jesus was referring to Gehena in the same sense as the prophets, rather than in the sense of the Pharisees. The prophets were using apocalyptic hyperbole, which they often did in their warnings of destruction. Hyperbole is figurative and poetic, not literal. It is also found in Revelation.
The words "eternal destruction" are used in 2 Thess. 1:9. “They will suffer the punishment of eternal destruction, away from the presence of the Lord and from the glory of his might…”
Destruction does not equate to endless torment. This verse supports the notion of annihilation rather than endless suffering.
Revelation has two verses referring to torment with burning sulfur (Rev. 14:10-11, 19:20-12). The first refers specifically to those who worship the Beast during his reign, not to everyone who dies apart from Christ. The second says the specific persons thrown into the lake of fire are the Beast and his prophet. The rest were killed, not sent to eternal torture.
Judgment using the book of life is briefly described in Rev. 20: 13, 15. "The dead were judged according to what they had done as recorded in the books...If anyone's name was not found written in the book of life, he was thrown into the lake of fire."
Verse 15 does not reveal what leads to a name not being in the book of life. Nor does it say that nonbelievers suffer forever.
One of the hardest things to do, Giles recognizes, is to convince Christians that the version of Hell they’ve been taught isn’t actually in the Bible. That's because they have never been told anything else and they’re convinced the Bible supports their view. In addition, they’ve been taught that fear is necessary for conversion. Unfortunately, some Christians "are more offended by the idea that God will save everyone than they are that God might burn the majority of peple for eternity."
One premise of the Eternal Suffering doctrine is that is God too holy to tolerate those covered in sin. That assertion isn't in the Bible. The closest verse supporting it is in Habbukuk 1:13a. "Your eyes are too pure to look on evil; you cannot tolerate wrong." But the next verse indicates that God does look upon the sinful: "why do you idly look at traitors and remain silent when the wicked swallows up the man more righteous than he?"
One objection is that people won't become or remain Christians unless they fear eternal torture. To the extent that people believe out of fear, their belief is akin to a fire insurance policy, which does not constitute faith.
Is it desirable if faith is based upon fear, rather than upon "the good news of the kingdom"? The gospel, asserts Giles, is not "about a God who threatened to torture His children forever if they didn't love Him in return." The gospel is about reconciliation, not retribution, about love, not vengeance.
Our view of the afterlife should be consistent with the character of God as revealed through Christ. "If we see God as the "Abba" that Jesus revealed to us, then we may reject notions of a God who could torture His children for eternity and withhold His mercy from them forever." ###
In his new book, Keith Giles challenges the standard Christian belief about Hell. He makes a compelling case for an alternative view of the afterlife, grounded in scripture, that is more consistent with God's boundless love and mercy and His will that none should perish.
Most Christians don't realize that the doctrine of Hell has changed over the centuries. The dogma about eternal suffering was not embraced by the early church. On the contrary, for the first 500 years, the church espoused Universalism or Ultimate Reconciliation. It is embedded in the words of Jesus and Paul, as well as early theologians such as Clement, Origen, the Gregories, and Basil the Great.
None of the early Christian creeds, including the Nicene Creed, contained the doctrine about Eternal Suffering. Early Chriatians recognized that scripture was unclear about the afterlife, with conflicting verses, as opposed to clearly teaching one view.
Historically there have been three competing Christian vews of Hell based upon different Bible verses:
• Eternal Suffering or Infernalism, which is the most popular belief currently.
• Universalism or Ultimate Reconciliation under which those who die without
Christ will pass through the fire before being reconciled.
• Annihilation or Conditional
Immortality where the unsaved suffer in Hell until their sins are paid for, and then they will be destroyed forever.
All of these views agree that those who die without Christ will suffer in the afterlife; the disagreement is about the duration and purpose of that suffering.
Giles contends that the scriptural support is weaker for eternal suffering than for the other two views. It's notable that The Old Testament contains not a single verse describing hell as a lake of eternal fire. It's a strange omission if eternal torment were the divine plan all along. If Jesus taught the eternal torment doctrine, then it's curious that his disciples did not preach it, since it's not mentioned in Acts.
There are several verses supporting Universal Reconciliation: God is the savior of "all men," according to 1Tim 4:10, which states, "for this we labor and strive, that we have put our hope in the living God, who is the Savior of all men, and especially of those who believe."
"All will be made alive in Christ," per 1Cor 15:21-22. "For since death came through a man, the resurrection of the dead comes also through a man. For as in Adam all die, so in Christ all will be made alive."
The same sentiment is found in Romans 5:18: "Consequently, just as the result of one trespass was condemnation for all men, so also the result of one act of righteousness was justification that brings life for all men."
Eventually everyone will gladly confess Jesus Christ as Lord, according to
Phil. 2:10-11. "that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue gladly confess that Jesus Christ is Lord."
Paul says in Romans 10:9, that those who confess the Lord Jesus "will be saved." Since everyone will so confess, then everyone will be saved.
Everyone passes through the fire, which is used to reveal and refine, not to torture and destroy. Even those with worthless works will be saved, "only as one escaping through the flames," per
1 Cor 3:13-15. "It will be revealed with fire, and the fire will test the quality of each man's work. If what he has built survives, he will receive his reward. If it is burned up, he will suffer loss; he himself will be saved, but only as one escaping through the flames."
Hebrews 12: 6-11 tells us that God disciplines all of us, and does so "for our own profit, that we may be partakers of his holiness." In other words, God disciplines for the good of his children, not punishment for its own sake.
The doctrine of eternal torment crept into Jewish thought during the 400 years between the end of the Old Testament scriptures and the coming of Christ. The notion came from Greek and pagan sources.
There are six main verses in the New Testament with references to eternal suffering. Perhaps the best known is in Matthew 25:41, 46. "Depart from me, you cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels...And these will go into eternal punishment, but the righteous to eternal life."
The first verse tells us the fire is eternal, not that mortals will be there eternally. The second verse uses the word eternal that comes from a Greek word (aionius) that can also mean a very long time.
Mark 9:43-44, 47-48 states, "If your hand causes you to stumble, cut it off. It is better for you to enter life maimed than with two hands to go into hell, where the fire never goes out...It is better for you to enter the kingdom of God with one eye than to have two eyes and be thrown into hell, where 'their worm does not die, and the fire is not quenched.'"
Jesus is quoting from Isaiah 66:24, where the prophet was warning about what would happen to dead bodies, not a place of torment. When Jeremiah used similar language, he was speaking in a literal place called Gehena that subsequently did have dead bodies stacked and burned.
Jesus was actually warning about the destruction of the temple. It is more likely that Jesus was referring to Gehena in the same sense as the prophets, rather than in the sense of the Pharisees. The prophets were using apocalyptic hyperbole, which they often did in their warnings of destruction. Hyperbole is figurative and poetic, not literal. It is also found in Revelation.
The words "eternal destruction" are used in 2 Thess. 1:9. “They will suffer the punishment of eternal destruction, away from the presence of the Lord and from the glory of his might…”
Destruction does not equate to endless torment. This verse supports the notion of annihilation rather than endless suffering.
Revelation has two verses referring to torment with burning sulfur (Rev. 14:10-11, 19:20-12). The first refers specifically to those who worship the Beast during his reign, not to everyone who dies apart from Christ. The second says the specific persons thrown into the lake of fire are the Beast and his prophet. The rest were killed, not sent to eternal torture.
Judgment using the book of life is briefly described in Rev. 20: 13, 15. "The dead were judged according to what they had done as recorded in the books...If anyone's name was not found written in the book of life, he was thrown into the lake of fire."
Verse 15 does not reveal what leads to a name not being in the book of life. Nor does it say that nonbelievers suffer forever.
One of the hardest things to do, Giles recognizes, is to convince Christians that the version of Hell they’ve been taught isn’t actually in the Bible. That's because they have never been told anything else and they’re convinced the Bible supports their view. In addition, they’ve been taught that fear is necessary for conversion. Unfortunately, some Christians "are more offended by the idea that God will save everyone than they are that God might burn the majority of peple for eternity."
One premise of the Eternal Suffering doctrine is that is God too holy to tolerate those covered in sin. That assertion isn't in the Bible. The closest verse supporting it is in Habbukuk 1:13a. "Your eyes are too pure to look on evil; you cannot tolerate wrong." But the next verse indicates that God does look upon the sinful: "why do you idly look at traitors and remain silent when the wicked swallows up the man more righteous than he?"
One objection is that people won't become or remain Christians unless they fear eternal torture. To the extent that people believe out of fear, their belief is akin to a fire insurance policy, which does not constitute faith.
Is it desirable if faith is based upon fear, rather than upon "the good news of the kingdom"? The gospel, asserts Giles, is not "about a God who threatened to torture His children forever if they didn't love Him in return." The gospel is about reconciliation, not retribution, about love, not vengeance.
Our view of the afterlife should be consistent with the character of God as revealed through Christ. "If we see God as the "Abba" that Jesus revealed to us, then we may reject notions of a God who could torture His children for eternity and withhold His mercy from them forever." ###
June 19, 2022
A somewhat short but intriguing and balanced synopsis of the three major Christian positions on the afterlife that sets out to briefly examine the history of each view (these views being eternal conscious torment, conditional immortality, and universal reconciliation), as well as exploring the scriptures that can be used to support each of these positions and examining these verses' potential credibility, Jesus Undefeated: Condemning the False Doctrine of Eternal Torment surprised me by actually teaching me a thing or two or three, despite being a brief book about a subject that I was already deeply familiar with and had already read numerous books on. For instance, I had not been aware of the prolific abundance of signs pointing toward Nero having been the Beast that is depicted in Revelation (I feel that Giles virtually proved this); nor had I entirely processed the degree to which apocalyptic hyperbole had often been employed in Biblical times. I must say that I cannot entirely concur with all of Giles's conclusions. For instance, he is far more prone to attribute any New Testament warnings of doom to the destruction of Jerusalem in AD 70 than I personally am. A few warnings may have been primarily pointing to this ransacking—but I suspect that even these are multi-layered, also containing intentional implications in regard to post-mortem punishment. Nevertheless, Giles's ideas certainly gave me plenty to chew on and helped me to further grasp the complexity and potential error that is involved in haphazardly translating culturally metaphorical statements to modern understanding in too simplistic a manner.
Giles also impressed me in the amount of humility that he conveys in his approach. Sure, he makes no qualms about his opinion that eternal torment is by far the weakest supported view in scripture, while he believes that universal reconciliation is the strongest. But, contrary to what the book's subtitle might suggest, he gives a very balanced synopsis, more or less leaving the readers to figure things out for themselves. Giles also seems to have an immense heart for God, and I was moved by his sincerity! Ultimately, I am giving it just three stars because the book is so brief, and I would recommend other books concerning universal restoration before this one. But Jesus Undefeated nonetheless can make for a great starting place!
Update, 06/22: After finding out about some of Keith Gile’s other beliefs, I can no longer recommend this book in good conscience. Giles is rather agnostic about some things that I would consider to be core Christian doctrines, such as the divinity of Christ and His physical resurrection. Furthermore, he has made some deeply disconcerting comments on his Heretic Happy Hour podcast, such as suggesting that all of humanity in some sense might be divine.
Giles also impressed me in the amount of humility that he conveys in his approach. Sure, he makes no qualms about his opinion that eternal torment is by far the weakest supported view in scripture, while he believes that universal reconciliation is the strongest. But, contrary to what the book's subtitle might suggest, he gives a very balanced synopsis, more or less leaving the readers to figure things out for themselves. Giles also seems to have an immense heart for God, and I was moved by his sincerity! Ultimately, I am giving it just three stars because the book is so brief, and I would recommend other books concerning universal restoration before this one. But Jesus Undefeated nonetheless can make for a great starting place!
Update, 06/22: After finding out about some of Keith Gile’s other beliefs, I can no longer recommend this book in good conscience. Giles is rather agnostic about some things that I would consider to be core Christian doctrines, such as the divinity of Christ and His physical resurrection. Furthermore, he has made some deeply disconcerting comments on his Heretic Happy Hour podcast, such as suggesting that all of humanity in some sense might be divine.
May 13, 2024
The first half of the book working through the different views and the case for Christian Universalism were pretty great, but the latter portion of the book where he works through some implications or “why”/“what now?” questions didn’t land for me. Needs a larger emphasis on resurrection and what it means for Christ to truly be King, the King of all. Also, as it has been quipped before, never go full preterism. Which is why I think the latter part of the book was the way it was. Full preterism tends to not know what to do with future resurrection.
November 9, 2019
Another excellent job by one of the better critical thinkers in our day
I admit I was reluctant to start this one because I believed this would be the most challenging book he’s written. I wasn’t wrong, I am left with more questions than before I started but thanks to this well written book I know where to find the answers. I am grateful for voices like Keith Giles because they challenge me to seek answers from God Himself and examine His fingerprints which are all over creation. I may not agree with every single thing he has to say, but he presents his ideas and beliefs in such a way as to leave the decision to the reader. He gives you plenty of solid evidence to dive into, and if you allow yourself to go...he will take you an adventure through the gospel. This is the 4th book I’ve read from Keith. It’s tough to say this one is the best or that one is better because they all take different approaches at putting the Church back on the right path which should always lead straight to Jesus! I read this book in a matter of hours, I will be pondering it for the next weeks (maybe months) to come.
I admit I was reluctant to start this one because I believed this would be the most challenging book he’s written. I wasn’t wrong, I am left with more questions than before I started but thanks to this well written book I know where to find the answers. I am grateful for voices like Keith Giles because they challenge me to seek answers from God Himself and examine His fingerprints which are all over creation. I may not agree with every single thing he has to say, but he presents his ideas and beliefs in such a way as to leave the decision to the reader. He gives you plenty of solid evidence to dive into, and if you allow yourself to go...he will take you an adventure through the gospel. This is the 4th book I’ve read from Keith. It’s tough to say this one is the best or that one is better because they all take different approaches at putting the Church back on the right path which should always lead straight to Jesus! I read this book in a matter of hours, I will be pondering it for the next weeks (maybe months) to come.
September 29, 2020
Great resource for better understanding all the views about hell that Chrstianity held
Love the way Keith is trying to make a case for all views, while at the same time critiuqing all that doesn't really make sense.
Highly recommend this book for everyone questioning the whole Eternal torment of souls that's so popular these days among evangelicals especially.
Love the way Keith is trying to make a case for all views, while at the same time critiuqing all that doesn't really make sense.
Highly recommend this book for everyone questioning the whole Eternal torment of souls that's so popular these days among evangelicals especially.
February 6, 2020
Great book in the views of hell
July 5, 2021
This is a book I wasn't looking forward to reading but knew that to stay intellectually honest and teachable, I must. I brought strong opinions against anything that smacked of "universalism" but I soon found out that I hadn't understood the concept at all. Instead of being a faithless, involuntary, get-out-of jail-free heresy, Jesus was still central and true justice would inexorably be accomplished.
I appreciated Keith taking the time to present the three primary Christian views of the afterlife pre-500 AD and showing how they could all be biblically supported. He honestly admits his bias towards one particular view (and his rationale) but admits the Bible is not absolutely clear what happens after death. Its emphasis is "how shall we then live" right now.
This book is educational without being overbearing; it bases its presentation both on Scripture and the writings of early church fathers, allowing the reader to get a glimpse into their thinking and convictions. Whether convincing or not, this book will open the door into a sincere conversation with those who, far from being heretics, are fellow orthodox of a different flavor.
I appreciated Keith taking the time to present the three primary Christian views of the afterlife pre-500 AD and showing how they could all be biblically supported. He honestly admits his bias towards one particular view (and his rationale) but admits the Bible is not absolutely clear what happens after death. Its emphasis is "how shall we then live" right now.
This book is educational without being overbearing; it bases its presentation both on Scripture and the writings of early church fathers, allowing the reader to get a glimpse into their thinking and convictions. Whether convincing or not, this book will open the door into a sincere conversation with those who, far from being heretics, are fellow orthodox of a different flavor.
June 6, 2022
This is a fair assessment of the doctrines of the afterlife for Christians; and a thought-provoking critique of the doctrine of eternal conscious torment (ECT), in particular. It is not overly thorough but not lacking in text based evidence and analysis either. I don't think it would be enough to convince a hardcore believer in ECT, but it definitely provides a challenge, that can lead to further question and analysis of the topic. To those who have doubts or have strayed from the faith because of ECT, this book provides an encouragement to reconsider faith.
In truth the title is stronger than the content, as the author doesn't really ever condemn as much as call into question the doctrine of ECT. From beginning to end, the author gives the reader the choice to decide which doctrine they deem superior and, while clearly pushing the two doctrines of Annihilation and Universalism, makes clear that all three doctrines have some semblance of scriptural support. In the end, it is up to the reader to decide which doctrine they will adopt, though the author makes a great case for both Universalism and Annihilation.
In truth the title is stronger than the content, as the author doesn't really ever condemn as much as call into question the doctrine of ECT. From beginning to end, the author gives the reader the choice to decide which doctrine they deem superior and, while clearly pushing the two doctrines of Annihilation and Universalism, makes clear that all three doctrines have some semblance of scriptural support. In the end, it is up to the reader to decide which doctrine they will adopt, though the author makes a great case for both Universalism and Annihilation.
October 24, 2024
I’m not giving this five stars because I agree with everything the author has to say, but because I’ve found it so helpful and will use it as a reference for a long time.
Giles gives readers an overview of the three main historical views of judgement/afterlife held by Christians - annihilationism (conditional immortality), eternal suffering, and patristic universalism (universal salvation). He is balanced and fair, demonstrating that the early church fathers held all three views, and that all three can be reasonably defended by a “clear reading” of scripture. Proponents of each view lean on certain verses while dismissing/obscuring others, making assumptions about God and humans to fill in some gaps. I appreciate how Giles handled the opposing views with integrity and respect.
In short, this is a decent “one stop shop” for engaging in “whatabout-ism” (“What about this verse?” “Well, what about this one?” “But Paul says…” “But Jesus says…” etc., etc.) It’s not uber-scholarly or exhaustive by any means, but it’s an accessible explanation and arrangement of arguments that any Christian with curiosity about the subject can benefit from.
Giles gives readers an overview of the three main historical views of judgement/afterlife held by Christians - annihilationism (conditional immortality), eternal suffering, and patristic universalism (universal salvation). He is balanced and fair, demonstrating that the early church fathers held all three views, and that all three can be reasonably defended by a “clear reading” of scripture. Proponents of each view lean on certain verses while dismissing/obscuring others, making assumptions about God and humans to fill in some gaps. I appreciate how Giles handled the opposing views with integrity and respect.
In short, this is a decent “one stop shop” for engaging in “whatabout-ism” (“What about this verse?” “Well, what about this one?” “But Paul says…” “But Jesus says…” etc., etc.) It’s not uber-scholarly or exhaustive by any means, but it’s an accessible explanation and arrangement of arguments that any Christian with curiosity about the subject can benefit from.
November 8, 2024
Universal Salvation Revealed
This writer goes into details from the meaning of Hebrew and Greek words not studied, believed or understood to try and prove eternal torment. He shows the real meanings, why, and how they are a very real part of showing that God will save all. He does go into eternal torment and annihilation beliefs and why they are believed, with why they miss the meaning of salvation in Jesus Christ. Universal salvation is shown to be what the Bible says. An excellent book with a lot to show the reality of what God has revealed of his love for all humans and his actions to save all.
This writer goes into details from the meaning of Hebrew and Greek words not studied, believed or understood to try and prove eternal torment. He shows the real meanings, why, and how they are a very real part of showing that God will save all. He does go into eternal torment and annihilation beliefs and why they are believed, with why they miss the meaning of salvation in Jesus Christ. Universal salvation is shown to be what the Bible says. An excellent book with a lot to show the reality of what God has revealed of his love for all humans and his actions to save all.
January 18, 2022
I loved this book. I normally wouldn’t think that a book on heaven and hell would move me and squeeze my heart so much, but this one sure did, to the point of tears. My God is truly such a LOVING God, a more inclusive God, more than I ever dared to imagine. God is indeed, the PERFECT Father! ♥️
I appreciate Keith Giles’ appendices that quoted many early church fathers, and cited numerous scriptural references that back up this conviction.
“Would you still be a Christian if hell didn’t exist?”
I appreciate Keith Giles’ appendices that quoted many early church fathers, and cited numerous scriptural references that back up this conviction.
“Would you still be a Christian if hell didn’t exist?”
June 23, 2021
I thought the author presented the most reasonable case for a universalist viewpoint that I have read. While I’m still undecided on the topic, this book definitely helped me in my journey. I will look to Giles for other books to read as well.
May 3, 2023
I think Giles has a fascinating, intelligent and compassionate interpretation of scripture. I enjoy his articles very much. I had a harder time following the book, which seemed to repeat, yet leave me searching for a condensed point.
April 22, 2021
3.5 stars. Good intro to topic.
Displaying 1 - 15 of 15 reviews