'"See where it leads to",
St. Augustine advised in dealing with falsehood. Follow it out to "the
absolute ruddy end," C.S. Lewis remarked with characteristic
Englishness. Push them to "the logic of their presuppositions," Francis
Schaeffer used to say' (Os Guinness, 2000, Time for Truth).
If you have read what Barclay has written about eternity, then consider this important rule of grammar.
In
the study of grammar, it is an indisputable law that an adjective can have
no different or greater meaning than the noun from which it is derived. For
example, the adjective "monthly" could only be derived from the
noun "month," not "hour," "day," or "week."
Aeonios life can only mean a life pertaining to an age or ages of time (Heb.1:3
Ampl.) because "aeonios" is derived from "aeon." (source)
Now it is reasonable to say that "an age" could be an eternal age or limited. So both translations of the word can be correct. However, given the way the word "all" is used in the New Testament as well as the nature of God whose love is eternal, a limited age and not the word eternal is the appropriate translation for aeonios in many passages.
Further
Reading
Anything by George MacDonald
"I have never concealed the fact that I regarded him [MacDonald] as my
master; indeed I fancy I have never written a book in which I did not quote
from him."--C.S. Lewis
Lewis expressed disappointment that so few people read MacDonald. I feel the same way. My own experience is similar to that of the following book reviewer. Book review
Is it just that the innocent should suffer for the guilty? If you come to the conclusion that God's love is eternal and that He will never
stop loving anyone then you will find that you have much in common with some of the great saints of the early Church (Clement of Alexandria, Origen, Saint Gregory of Nyassa, Ambrose and Chrysostom). And you can find like minded people in the following forum.
