Thank you for taking the time to help me understand your position.
My pleasure.
Following your paradigm of the 2 deaths, which death is physical death?
First death that occurred in the Bible was back in Genesis where God said 'in that day' [you eat the fruit] you shall surely die. By my understanding, the first death would then be spiritual death.
Physical death, then, isn't factored into the first or second death. For example, Jesus physically died, but never Spiritually died.
But you claimed that it is a symbol of the second death. For what reason do you make that claim?
'The lake of fire: which
is the second death' is symbolism since it is a thing that represents another thing. LoF
is second death which is describing the
state of being of death.
Revelation 20:14
“And
death and hell were
cast into the lake of fire. This
is the second death.”
Non-living things like "death and hell" are put to death. Since that's impossible it means that the lake of fire is a symbol, in my opinion.
So you believe that Jesus' definition of "eternal life" is: "having the possibility of knowing God"?
That would mean that everyone currently has eternal life because everyone currently has the possibility of knowing God.
John 3, 1 John 5 says that believers are the only ones who currently possess eternal life...which negates your interpretation.
Eternal tormenters believe that people are currently are awake in hell being tormented forever, not me.
Jesus was clearly defining eternal life as knowing God (personally). The reason translators added "may" is to express the subjective mood that Jesus had (he strongly desires us to have eternal life), which is portrayed throughout the rest of His prayer.
I am of the mindset that Jesus did not waste any words. The word "may" means the possibility of something happening.
This contradicts your claim of Jesus' definition of eternal life.
Everyone has the possibility of knowing God. But not everyone has eternal life. So the definition of "eternal life" cannot be "the possibility of knowing God".
And that's what makes eternal torment a Biblically inconsistent interpretation of scripture. You're talking about people living forever in hell without realizing that you're describing eternal life for the damned.
...So back to my statement:
Eternal life is in the Bible is not defined as "remaining conscious" or "awake" or "able to move" or etc.
““This is eternal life, that they may know You, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom You have sent.” (John 17:3)
Knowing God forever is eternal life, not merely being awake or conscious.
My interpretation has Biblical support despite your claims of me introducing contradictions.
I am of the mindset that Jesus did not waste any words. The word "may" means the possibility of something happening.
This is why Jesus says "whomsoever the Son will reveal Him" below. Jesus decides who He will His Father to, meaning that Jesus has the option of not revealing His Father.
Matthew 11:27
27All things are delivered unto me of my Father: and no man knoweth the Son, but the Father; neither knoweth any man the Father, save the Son, and
he to whomsoever the Son will reveal
him.