I don’t know how you are coming to the conclusion that only Origen taught Apokatastasis but your sources are incomplete Alexandrians Clement / Gregory of Nyssa/Makrina ( Gregory’s sister) / Diodore of Tarsea/ Theodore of Mepsuestia / Theodore of Cyrus / Isaac of Nineveh and others were early church fathers that all taught Christian Universal Salvation. And there have been others through out the church that have also. I do have a question for you , if the lake of fire is the second death and it never ends then death goes on forever but in 1 Cor 15:26 “ the last enemy to be conquered is death “ How is death conquered if it goes on forever? Only when all have been restored will death be conquered that is why 1Cor 15:54 says “ Death has been swallowed up in victory”
Hi Jeff, after doing further research, the conclusion I draw is that Clement / Gregory of Nyssa/Makrina ( Gregory’s sister) / Diodore of Tarsea/ Theodore of Mepsuestia / Theodore of Cyrus / Isaac of Nineveh were all likely Universalists. And there may have been others.
Regarding the Second Death... First of all, the Bible teaches a
final judgment called "The Second Death" - the Lake of Fire.
Your question is, how can death continue when
1 Corinthians 15:26 teaches that death is conquered - swallowed up in victory.
This regards physical death and corruption of the flesh. Death is conquered. All who believe in Lord Jesus (the righteous) will be resurrected to incorruptible life in the New Heavens and the New Earth. No more physical death or even sickness.
In the Kingdom of God, the New Heavens and the New Earth, death is conquered, and
the righteous will shine in that Kingdom of Righteousness in incorruptible resurrected bodies in a renewed heavens and earth.
However, at the same time that God creates the New Heavens and New Earth where righteousness dwells, there will be a place called "
outside" and "
second death" where all that is wicked is cast into as their final estate at the restoration. This "
death" is referring to
separation from God -
outside from His presence. This is referring to a place of condemnation for those who were unbelieving and wicked in this present life. These unrighteous ones are cast into a place in which they are shut out from the presence of God to suffer their final fate determined by all they did in the present life.
2 Thessalonians 1:6-9 (WEB) 6 Since
it is a righteous thing with God to repay affliction to those who afflict you, 7 and to give relief to you who are afflicted with us, when the Lord Jesus is revealed from heaven with his mighty angels in flaming fire, 8
punishing those who don’t know God, and to those who
don’t obey the Good News of our Lord Jesus, 9 who will
pay the penalty: eternal destruction from the face of the Lord
So the Restoration refers to life after the final judgment of the righteous and the unrighteous.
Revelation 21:5-8 (WEB) 5 He who sits on the throne said, “Behold,
I am making all things new.” He said, “Write, for these words of God are faithful and true.” 6 He said to me, “I am the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End. I will give freely to him who is thirsty from the spring of the water of life. 7
He who overcomes,
I will give him these things.
I will be his God, and he will be my son. 8
But for the cowardly, unbelieving, sinners, abominable, murderers, sexually immoral, sorcerers,
idolaters, and
all liars,
their part is in the lake that burns with fire and sulfur, which is the second death.”
Revelation 22:12-16 (WEB) 12 “Behold, I come quickly.
My reward is with me, to repay to each man according to his work. 13 I am the Alpha and the Omega, the First and the Last, the Beginning and the End. 14
Blessed are those who do his commandments, that they may have
the right to the tree of life, and may enter in by the gates into the city. 15
Outside are the dogs, the sorcerers, the sexually immoral, the murderers, the idolaters, and everyone who loves and practices falsehood. 16 I, Jesus, have sent my angel to testify these things to you for the assemblies. I am the root and the offspring of David, the Bright and Morning Star.”
At the end of the Age, there will be a Restoration of all things, but that pertains to the Kingdom of God. For the wicked will be condemned in that place of wrath, called the Lake of Fire.
Matthew 13:40-43 (WEB) 40 As therefore the weeds are
gathered up and burned with fire; so will it be at the
end of this age. 41 The
Son of Man will send out his angels, and they will
gather out of his Kingdom all things that
cause stumbling and those who do iniquity, 42 and will
cast them into the furnace of fire. There will be
weeping and gnashing of teeth. 43 Then the
righteous will shine like the sun in the Kingdom of their Father. He who has ears to hear, let him hear.
The Scriptures do not teach that the judgment is not final. Rather, at the end, when God makes everything new, there will be a judgment of the righteous and the unrighteous. And this judgment is a final judgment according to the Scriptures. I see know clear teaching either in the OT or NT that the judgment is temporary.
As for the word, "aionios,"
"Aionios," as used in the NT, the context (local and broader context) determines the meaning conveyed. For instance, when referring to eternal life or eternal condemnation, the local and broader context teaches us that this refers to a
final state (thus eternal or continuous in its duration) of the
righteous and
sinners at the end of the age and into the next, as evidenced by the Scriptures I provided for you.
Grace is offered in this life, but after this life is complete, then comes the judgment - and the
finality of that judgment either onto life or death is clearly taught throughout the Scriptures.
For instance:
2 Thessalonians 2:10-12 (WEB) They
perish because they
refused to love the truth and so be saved. 11 For this reason God sends them a powerful delusion so that they will believe the lie; 12 and so, all
will be condemned who have
not believed the truth but have delighted in wickedness.
John 3:16-18 (WEB) 16 For
God so loved the world, that he gave his one and only Son, that
whoever believes in him should not perish, but
have eternal life. 17 For God didn’t send his Son into the world to judge the world, but that the world should be saved through him. 18
He who believes in him is not judged.
He who doesn’t believe has been judged already, because
he has not believed in the name of the one and only Son of God.
The eternality of punishment to the unrighteous after this life is complete is taught by Lord Jesus in various ways and shows the finality of the last judgment, and so is something we should fear now. We must be alert now, so that we will be judged worthy of life in the hereafter. Some of these are as follows:
Luke 21:34-36 (WEB)
34 “
So be careful, or your hearts will be loaded down with carousing, drunkenness, and cares of this life, and that day will come on you suddenly. 35 For it will come like a snare on all those who dwell on the surface of all the earth. 36 Therefore
be watchful all the time, praying that
you may be counted worthy to escape all these things that will happen, and to stand before the Son of Man.”
Matthew 7:21-28 (WEB)
21 “
Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter into the Kingdom of Heaven, but he who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. 22 Many will tell me
in that day, ‘Lord, Lord, didn’t we prophesy in your name, in your name cast out demons, and in your name do many mighty works?’ 23 Then I will tell them, ‘I never knew you. Depart from me, you who work iniquity.’
Luke 13:23-28 (WEB) He said to them, 24 “
Strive to enter in by the narrow door,
for many, I tell you, will seek to enter in and will not be able. 25 When
once the master of the house has risen up, and has shut the door, [
finality of judgment] and you begin to stand
outside and to knock at the door, saying, ‘Lord, Lord, open to us!’ then he will answer and tell you, ‘
I don’t know you or where you come from.’ 26 Then you will begin to say, ‘We ate and drank in your presence, and you taught in our streets.’ 27 He will say, ‘I tell you, I don’t know where you come from.
Depart from me, all you workers of iniquity.’ 28 There will be
weeping and gnashing of teeth when you see Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, and all the prophets in God’s Kingdom, and
yourselves being thrown outside.
Lord Jesus appears to be describing a place that the unrighteous will be cast into, and is
eternal or final, because no one who is in that prison can pay anything. So this place is
forever.
Matthew 5:22-26 (WEB)
25 Agree with your adversary quickly while you are with him on the way; lest perhaps the prosecutor deliver you to the judge, and the judge deliver you to the officer, and
you be cast into prison. 26 Most certainly
I tell you, you shall by no means get out of there until you have paid the last penny.
Again, Lord Jesus appears to be describing a place that the unrighteous will be cast into, and is eternal, because no one who is in that prison can pay anything.
Luke 12:57-59 (WEB)
57 Why don’t you judge for yourselves what is right? 58 For when you are going with your adversary before the magistrate, try diligently on the way to be released from him, lest perhaps he drag you to the judge, and the judge deliver you to the officer,
and the officer throw you into prison. 59 I tell you,
you will by no means get out of there, until you have paid the very last penny.
The Parable of the
Rich Man and Lazarus is another teaching by Lord Jesus of the finality the punishment of the wicked after this life is complete. See:
Luke 16:19-31
The finality of the Judgment after this life is complete shows that grace is extended now, but not at the Judgment.
Hebrews 12:14-17 (WEB) 14 Follow after peace with all men, and
the sanctification without which no man will see the Lord, 15 looking carefully lest there be any man who
falls short of the grace of God, lest any root of bitterness springing up trouble you, and many be defiled by it, 16 lest there be any sexually immoral person, or profane person, like Esau, who
sold his birthright for one meal. 17 For you know that even when he afterward desired to inherit the blessing, he was rejected, for
he found no place for a change of mind though he sought it diligently with tears.
1 Timothy 4:16 (WEB) 16
Pay attention to yourself and to your teaching.
Continue in these things, for in doing this you will
save both yourself and those who hear you.
Hebrews 10:26-30 (WEB) 26
If we deliberately keep on sinning after we have received the knowledge of the truth, no sacrifice for sins is left, 27 but only a
fearful expectation of judgment and of raging fire that will consume the enemies of God. 28 Anyone who rejected the law of Moses died without mercy on the testimony of two or three witnesses.29
How much worse punishment do you think he will be judged worthy of who has
trodden under foot the Son of God, and has
counted the Blood of The Covenant with which he was sanctified an unholy thing, and has
insulted the Spirit of Grace? 30 For we know him who said, “Vengeance belongs to me. I will repay,” says the Lord. [Deuteronomy 32:35] Again, “
The Lord will judge HIS people.” [Deuteronomy 32:36; Psalms 135:14]
Romans 11:20-22 (WEB) 20 True;
by their unbelief they were broken off, and
you stand by your faith. Do not be conceited, but fear; 21 for if God didn’t spare the natural branches, neither will he spare you. 22 See then the
goodness and severity of God. Toward
those who fell, severity; but toward you, goodness,
if you continue in his goodness; otherwise
you also will be cut off.
Hebrews 4:11 (WEB) 11 Let us therefore give diligence to enter into
that Rest,
lest anyone fall after the same example of
disobedience.
Hebrews 3:14-15 (WEB) 14
For we have become partakers of Christ, if we hold the beginning of our confidence firm to the end, 15 while it is said, “
Today if you will hear his voice, do not harden your hearts, as in the rebellion.” [Psalm 95:7-8]
Hebrews 4:1 (WEB)
Let us fear therefore, lest perhaps anyone of you should seem to have
come short of a promise of entering into his Rest.
Daniel 12:1-2 (WEB) At that time Michael will stand up, the great prince who stands for the children of your people; and there will be a time of trouble, such as never was since there was a nation even to that same time. At that time your people will be delivered, everyone who is found written in the book. 2 Many of those who sleep in the dust of the earth will
awake, some to
everlasting life, and some to
shame and everlasting contempt.
Matthew 25:46 (WEB) 46 These will go away into
eternal punishment, but the righteous into
eternal life.
Therefore, while God is love, and is merciful, that mercy to grant repentance onto life is limited to how a person responds to God's love and grace in this present life, so they may be judged worthy of life in the age to come.
That is restoration to purity - once all those who do evil are cast out. Then the righteous will shine in God's Kingdom forever.