Dr. Max Sotak joins Rethinking Hell contributor Chris Date to discuss the assumptions read by traditionalists into the text of Scripture, as he details in his book, Damning Assumptions: What Advocates of Endless Torment Take for Granted.
Links
- Dr. Sotak’s book, Damning Assumptions, on Amazon
- Dr. Sotak’s Doctoral dissertation, published in book form as Framing Francis Schaeffer: Apologetics and Personal Integrity.
9 thoughts on “Episode 41: Damning Assumptions, with Max Sotak”
Loved his quote from Deut 25:2-3: “…then if the guilty man deserves to be beaten, the judge shall cause him to lie down and be beaten in his presence with a number of stripes in proportion to his offense. Forty stripes may be given him, but not more; lest, if one should go on to beat him with more stripes than these, your brother be degraded in your sight.”
Here God enforces a maximum penalty of 40 stripes regardless of the crime lest the punisher becomes dishonorable by being unjustly excessive in the torture. Yet traditionalism would have God breaking His own law.
God is not subject to His Law. Eg if I say to my kids don’t touch my computer, doesn’t mean I can’t touch my computer.
Maybe better to argue the Law reflects God’s nature.
So because God commands us not to lie doesn’t mean that God can’t lie? I’m sorry, but that’s a really bad example given the context of Scripture. Because God did subject Himself to His own law in Christ and Christ perfectly obeyed it. However, I understand the nuance of your latter point and think that is another valid way to see it.
The Father of Truth and Jesus Christ the truth
i agree but to add Numbers 23:19 is not a man, that he should lie; neither the son of man, that he should repent: hath he said, and shall he not do it? or hath he spoken, and shall he not make it good?
Titus 1:2 In hope of eternal life, which God, that cannot lie, promised before the world began;
Hebrews 6:18 That by two immutable things, in which it was impossible for God
to lie, we might have a strong consolation, who have fled for refuge to
lay hold upon the hope set before us:
John 14:6 Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.
and the devil John 8:44 Ye are of your father the devil, and
the lusts of your father ye will do . He was a murderer from
the beginning, and abode not in the truth, because there is
no truth in him. When he speaketh a lie, he speaketh of his
own: for he is a liar, and the father of it.
Roy, your example does not follow, since in forbidding your kids to touch your computer, you are appealing to the law of property rights, which would mean that your kids could be lawfully forbidden to touch your computer while leaving you with full access to your own property. Furthermore, if God’s law reflects his nature, why would he not be subject to a law that proceeds from his own nature? In fact, your point sounds more like a nominalist understanding of God’s law. A nominalist would say that God need not keep his own law since his laws are a reflection of his will alone, not his nature. But you are not arguing for a nominalist view in associating God’s law with his nature. Therefore, I would reiterate David’s point immediately below.
Another excellent interview! I just purchased the book. Blessings
The soul will become smoke
Psalm
37:20 But the wicked shall perish, and the enemies of the LORD shall be
as the fat of lambs: they shall consume; into smoke shall they consume
away.
Psalms 68:2
As smoke is driven away, so drive them away; As wax melts before the fire, So let the wicked perish before God.
Revelation
14:11 And the smoke of their torment ascendeth up for ever and ever:
and they have no rest day nor night, who worship the beast and his
image, and whosoever receiveth the mark of his name. The body consumed into a carcase of ashes
Isaiah 66:24 And they shall go forth, and look upon the carcases of
the men that have transgressed against me: for their worm shall not die,
neither shall their fire be quenched; and they shall be an abhorring
unto all flesh.
Malachi 4:3 And ye shall tread down the wicked;
for they shall be ashes under the soles of your feet in the day that I
shall do this, saith the LORD of hosts.
I really enjoyed Dr. Sotak’s insight and analysis. Just too bad that his book isn’t available for the Kindle. 🙁
Keep your eyes open. I believe it will be available soon.