@CadyandZoe
Let's take a look at how the KJV translation contradicts
itself due to inaccurate translations. Inaccurate translations result in inaccurate doctrines.
Matthew 25:46 KJV
And these shall go away into everlasting punishment: but the righteous into life eternal.
Ok. So some people go to "eternal" punishment. Fine.
Here is an English translation with the Greek words in italics.
"And these will depart into eternal [αἰώνιον] punishment, but the righteous into eternal [αἰώνιον] life.”
By inspection, I can see that Jesus used the same Greek word twice, once to mention eternal punishment and once to mention eternal life. Since the Lord draws a contrast between the final disposition of two groups, we understand that [αἰώνιον] should mean the same thing in either case.
But this leaves us with a problem many have already mentioned. Since one must be alive to experience "eternal punishment," how is that different from "eternal life"? The resolution to this apparent contradiction is resolved once we understand that Jesus intends to say something about the
status of a person; regardless of what the person might
experience. A man must be alive in order to
experience punishment, but he doesn't need to be alive to have the legal
status of "punished."
In other words, those who are permanently punished don't necessarily experience perpetual punishment. The state of eternal punishment is simply the inability to move beyond this life (age) into the next life (age.)
αἰώνιον [perpetual] is distinct from ἀΐδιος [eternal, everlasting.] That is, often times the word refers to anything that lists for a lifetime (not necessarily everlasting.) Anything that is [αἰώνιον] lasts for a lifetime. A man might have an [αἰώνιον] job, which means he can never be fired; he has his job for life. If a slave is freed, he can choose to leave, or he can choose to stay with the family. If he chooses to stay, he is considered a "son" [αἰώνιον] for the rest of his life.
The salient point is this. Once a slave becomes a son, his status as a "son" can never change. He is a son for as long as he lives, and if his life is everlasting then his status as "son" is everlasting.
But wait a minute, let's look at the following verse from the same Bible.
1 Timothy 4:10 KJV
For therefore we both labour and suffer reproach, because we trust in the living God, who is the Saviour of all men, specially of those that believe.
In Timothy, Paul says that Jesus is the savior of ALL men. It doesn't say that Jesus is the potential savior of all men, it says that Jesus IS the savior of ALL men.
Notice that it says "all men" and by that phrase he doesn't mean to exclude women or children. In other words "all men" doesn't mean "exclusively men." [I know you know this but I am making a point. :) ]
We derive the meaning of the phrase "all men" from the context, where Paul is asking us to pray for "Kings and rulers and all in authority." Here Paul the Apostle is exhorting men to live a quiet life, without being angry or anxious. He knows that men in particular are often perturbed by those in authority over them. Rather than get angry and upset about people in authority, Paul wants us to pray for them, because God desires that "all men" be saved. And by "all men" he means "don't forget to pray for those who get you upset. Don't exclude or forget anyone. Pray even for those who upset you.
In 1 Timothy 4:10, the phrase "all men" means the same thing. Paul isn't saying that God will save each and every man. He is saying that God will not ignore or dismiss someone based on their qualities or circumstances. God doesn't save every man, but he does save men from every race, nation, background, economic status or gender.