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This is the third and final part of our series on conditional immortality with Warren Prestidge.    Although most Christians today believe hell is a place where the dammed suffer eternal conscious torment, the bible teaches that the lost will perish.  For example, the most famous verse in the bible says, "For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only son that whoever believes in him would not perish but have eternal life" (John 3.16).  Did you see the two options there?  On the one hand, those who believe will have eternal life.  On the other, those who do not believe will perish.  Now, considering that eternal life contrasts with perishing, we shouldn't envisage perishing as also having eternal life, but of a much less pleasant variety.   But, if this "annihilationist" perspective is true, then what do you do with the handful of texts that seem to imply that the lost suffer continuous and unending torture?  My guest today, once again, is Baptist pastor Warren Prestidge of Auckland, NZ.  He will help us work through a few key texts to make sense of everything, including Matthew 25.41, 46; Mark 9.47-48; Revelation 14.11 and 20.10; and Luke 16.19-31 (The Rich Man and Lazarus).  What you'll see is how Prestidge's careful reading explains what these verses really mean in their context without reading in medieval assumptions about infernos and torture chambers.   Listen to this episode on Spotify or Apple Podcasts     —— Links —— Order Prestidge's book: Life, Death, and Destiny (paperback on Amazon, ebook on Lulu, or pdf on Afterlife.co.nz) Many more resources available at The Conditional Immortality Association of New Zealand More episodes about annihilationism If you’d like to support Restitutio, you can donate here or designate Restitutio as your charity of choice for Amazon purchases Join our Restitutio Facebook Group and follow us on Twitter @RestitutioSF Leave a voice message via SpeakPipe with questions or comments Intro music: Good Vibes by MBB Attribution-ShareAlike 3.0 Unported (CC BY-SA 3.0) Free Download / Stream: Music promoted by Audio Library

Last time Warren Prestidge walked us through a case for conditional immortality.  Today, we'll delve into some of the key texts that proponents of natural immortality employ to make their case, including these four texts: Luke 23.43; John 14.2-3; 2 Corinthians 5.8; and Philippians 1.23.  In each case, Prestidge appeals to the context of the passage and basic logic to make his case.  If you've ever wondered about what these verses mean, this episode will equip you to understand them from a conditional immortality perspective.   Listen to this episode on Spotify or Apple Podcasts     —— Books —— Freeman Barton, Heaven, Hell, and Hades Warren Prestidge, Life Death and Destiny George Carry, I Believe in Man Oscar Cullman, Immortality of the Soul or Resurrection Murray Harris, Raised Immortal Joel Green, What about the Soul Paul Elthouse, The Theology of Martin Luther "Eschatology" in New Bible Dictionary —— Links —— Order Prestidge's book: Life, Death, and Destiny (paperback on Amazon, ebook on Lulu, or pdf on Afterlife.co.nz) Many more resources available at The Conditional Immortality Association of New Zealand More episodes about conditional immortality If you’d like to support Restitutio, you can donate here or designate Restitutio as your charity of choice for Amazon purchases Join our Restitutio Facebook Group and follow us on Twitter @RestitutioSF Leave a voice message via SpeakPipe with questions or comments Intro music: Good Vibes by MBB Attribution-ShareAlike 3.0 Unported (CC BY-SA 3.0) Free Download / Stream: Music promoted by Audio Library

What happens when you die?  This is such a big question for all of us.  Do we go somewhere like heaven or hell? Do we stay on earth as a disembodied spirit?  Or are we unconscious? My guest today is Warren Prestidge of New Zealand, who contends that we should embrace the biblical language of the sleep of the dead.  The idea--often called conditional immortality--is that immortality is not automatic or innate, but conditioned on resurrection.    Prestidge is a retired Baptist pastor, living in Auckland, NZ. He has degrees in English and Theology. As well as pastoring churches in Auckland for over 30 years, he has lectured at the Bible College of NZ and Tyndale College. He has also served as a pastor in UK and, for two years, as a Bible college director in the Philippines.  He has been married for over 50 years and has three sons and six grandchildren. He continues to preach and also to work with the Conditional Immortality Association of NZ.   He has had an impact on me through his book, Life, Death and Destiny, which both lays out a biblical case for the sleep of the dead and offers solid explanations for confusing texts.   Listen to this episode on Spotify or Apple Podcasts     —— Links —— Order Prestidge's book: Life, Death, and Destiny (paperback on Amazon, ebook on Lulu, or pdf on Afterlife.co.nz) Many more resources available at The Conditional Immortality Association of New Zealand More episodes about conditional immortality If you’d like to support Restitutio, you can donate here or designate Restitutio as your charity of choice for Amazon purchases Join our Restitutio Facebook Group and follow us on Twitter @RestitutioSF Leave a voice message via SpeakPipe with questions or comments Intro music: Good Vibes by MBB Attribution-ShareAlike 3.0 Unported (CC BY-SA 3.0) Free Download / Stream: Music promoted by Audio Library

This is the last episode of our class, Why Christianity.  We've covered so many different reasons why Christianity is attractive, makes sense, and is worthy of our attention.  We've looked at scientific, logical, epistemological, social, psychological, and historical reasons for God's existence, Christ's resurrection, and the gospel's effectiveness.  Today, we consider three stories of changed lives.  The proof, they say, is in the pudding.  Can Christianity deliver healing, forgiveness, and purpose for real people in our world today?  What about people who are deeply entrenched in atheism, partying, or gay activism?  Listen to this episode on Spotify or Apple Podcasts This is part 16 of the Why Christianity class. https://youtu.be/iCxsuTKrKB4 —— Links —— See other episodes of Why Christianity More episodes about defending your faith here Join our Restitutio Facebook Group and follow us on Twitter @RestitutioSF If you’d like to support Restitutio, you can donate here or designate Restitutio as your charity of choice for Amazon purchases Leave a voice message via SpeakPipe with questions or comments Intro music: Good Vibes by MBB Attribution-ShareAlike 3.0 Unported (CC BY-SA 3.0) Free Download / Stream: Music promoted by Audio Library —— Notes —— God Has Power to Change Lives- Titus 3:3-7- sometimes our faith is too little- we are too easily intimidated Lee Strobel- 1 Peter 3:1-2- 1 Corinthians 7:13-16 - Case for Christ: A Journalist's Personal Investigation of the Evidence for Jesus- both a book and a movie Brian Welch- lead guitarist for Korn- Matthew 11:28-30- Save Me from Myself: How I Found God, Quit Korn, Kicked Drugs, and Lived to Tell My Story David Bennett- A War of Loves: The Unexpected Story of a Gay Activist Discovering Jesus- David recounts his dramatic story, from his early years exploring new age religions and French existentialism to his university experiences as an activist. Following supernatural encounters with God, he embarked on a journey not only of seeking to reconcile his faith and sexuality but also of discovering the higher call of Jesus Christ.

Although many throughout the Western world are quick to criticize Christianity, Jesus remains well-liked.  In fact, one of the most obvious answers to the question, “Why Christianity?” is “Jesus.”  To this day, reading the Gospels  draws the reader to Jesus’ magnetic and compelling way of life.  What’s more, the less satisfied we are with our own society, the more we find ourselves drawn to counter-cultural forces.  Jesus of Nazareth is just such a person.  He spoke truth to power and challenged the religious status quo of his own day.  He remains counter-cultural, and this just may be a strong reason for unbelievers to consider him today. Listen to this episode on Spotify or Apple Podcasts This is part 15 of the Why Christianity class.   —— Links —— See other episodes of Why Christianity More episodes about defending your faith here More with Daniel Fitzsimmons Join our Restitutio Facebook Group and follow us on Twitter @RestitutioSF If you’d like to support Restitutio, you can donate here or designate Restitutio as your charity of choice for Amazon purchases Leave a voice message via SpeakPipe with questions or comments Intro music: Good Vibes by MBB Attribution-ShareAlike 3.0 Unported (CC BY-SA 3.0) Free Download / Stream: Music promoted by Audio Library —— Notes —— • Countercultural forces and revolutions appeal to people because they’re different than what has been done or experienced before. • Rejection by the established political and cultural norms can greatly heighten that appeal. • True countercultural forces/revolution substantially affect culture going forward. • Countercultural forces are often co-opted, first through mainstream acceptance, then by assimilation and appropriation. • Jesus Christ’s ministry was revolutionary and counter-cultural, as evidenced by his radical message, rejection and ultimate execution by those in power. • We are to live as examples of Jesus to a desperate and dying world, presenting the message of the gospel as the true alternative to other life-defining – yet ultimately empty – belief systems.

Community is so important.  As so many continue to struggle with the ache of loneliness, anxiety about social encounters, and the gnawing pain of depression, we who belong to Christian communities have a huge opportunity and obligation to invite outsiders in, provide them a taste of God’s goodness, and welcome them with a spirit of genuine hospitality.  However, as soon as you begin reaching out to friends, coworkers, and neighbors, you may encounter a flurry of criticisms about Christianity.  “What about the crusades and the Spanish inquisition?” they may ask.  Or perhaps they’ll ask about pedophilia among priests or greedy mega pastors with private jets and multi-million dollar houses.  What can you say when these issues come up?  In this episode Daniel Fitzsimmons shares a about answering charges of hypocrisy as well as what authentic Christian community looks like. Listen to this episode on Spotify or Apple Podcasts This is part 14 of the Why Christianity class. —— Links —— See other episodes of Why Christianity More episodes about defending your faith here More with Daniel Fitzsimmons Join our Restitutio Facebook Group and follow us on Twitter @RestitutioSF If you’d like to support Restitutio, you can donate here or designate Restitutio as your charity of choice for Amazon purchases Leave a voice message via SpeakPipe with questions or comments Intro music: Good Vibes by MBB Attribution-ShareAlike 3.0 Unported (CC BY-SA 3.0) Free Download / Stream: Music promoted by Audio Library —— Notes —— • Evil that is perpetrated by so-called Christians or in the name of Christianity is a reality that must be acknowledged and addressed. • God hates hypocrisy (1 John 4:20; James 1:22-25; 1 John 2:1-6) • There are many examples, both ancient and recent, of Christ-followers embodying his teachings of radical love, self-sacrifice, service and forgiveness. • The best example of what a Christian community looks like should be the one you set within your own community. People who are skeptical about the Christian faith will be persuaded more by how you treat those around you and in your church community than by rote recitation of the gospel message alone. • There are copious opportunities to live out Christ’s teachings within your church and community. • The defining characteristic of an authentic Christian community is love.

What is the proper role of your emotions?  Should you trust them?  How do you know when they are helping and when they are hurting?  Today we'll take a look at another exciting advantage that Christianity provides.  In this episode, you'll learn about the problems endemic to emotional reasoning, the robust biblical teaching about your heart, and how God provides us away to exercise self-control.  Even if these are not new concepts, I believe they provide fresh insights in our emotionally fraught time while helping us to lead better lives. Listen to this episode on Spotify or Apple Podcasts This is part 13 of the Why Christianity class. https://youtu.be/M_6CuLEOTsM —— Links —— More information about KingdomFest (Sep 24-26, 2021) See other episodes of Why Christianity More episodes about defending your faith here Join our Restitutio Facebook Group and follow us on Twitter @RestitutioSF If you’d like to support Restitutio, you can donate here or designate Restitutio as your charity of choice for Amazon purchases Leave a voice message via SpeakPipe with questions or comments Intro music: Good Vibes by MBB Attribution-ShareAlike 3.0 Unported (CC BY-SA 3.0) Free Download / Stream: Music promoted by Audio Library —— Notes —— Cognitive Distortions----------------------- Emotional Reasoning- Catastrophizing- Overgeneralization- Dichotomous Thinking- Mind Reading- Labeling- Negative Filtering- Discounting Positives- Blaming Biblical View of the Heart---------------------------- The problem is worse than you think (Jeremiah 17.9; Mark 7.21-23)- We are the problem- Yet, God has provided a comprehensive solution both now and in the age to come Good News-----------1. New Birth- admit you are lost, believe in Christ’s death for you, accept God’s gift of salvation, repent, enter into covenant- he’ll give you a new heart (Ps. 51.1-2, 10)- regeneration via the spirit (Titus 3.3-7) 2. Sanctification- enkrateia ἐγκράτεια = “restraint of one’s emotions, impulses or desires, self-control” (BDAG); Proverbs 16.32; 12.16- God will help us through his spirit- (Proverbs 3.5-6; Galatians 5.16-23)- Jesus is our example (1 Peter 2.21-23)- ultimately we will benefit from a heart transplant (Ezekiel 36.24-28)

One of the most enduring problems we have faced throughout human history is tribalism.  From the Nazis to the Rwandan genocide, we’ve repeatedly seen the devastating results of group think and dehumanizing outsiders.  Although some Christian groups have tragically fallen into this sin, we don’t have to.  Christianity provides a better way.  We can draw upon our roots in scripture to live out a faith that recognizes insiders from outsiders while simultaneously inviting outsiders to become insiders.  Rather than excluding and shunning those who are different, we are called to love them and invite them in. Listen to this episode on Spotify or Apple Podcasts This is part 12 of the Why Christianity class. —— Links —— See other episodes of Why Christianity More episodes about defending your faith here Join our Restitutio Facebook Group and follow us on Twitter @RestitutioSF If you’d like to support Restitutio, you can donate here or designate Restitutio as your charity of choice for Amazon purchases Leave a voice message via SpeakPipe with questions or comments Intro music: Good Vibes by MBB Attribution-ShareAlike 3.0 Unported (CC BY-SA 3.0) Free Download / Stream: Music promoted by Audio Library —— Notes —— Racial Inclusion —————– – glimpses in the Old Testament. Jethro, Rahab, Ruth, Jonah – Philip in Samaria – Philip with Ethiopian treasurer – Peter with Cornelius the Roman soldier – Antioch (Acts 11.19-26) – Barnabas and Paul’s missionary journey – the Jerusalem council – Paul’s 2nd and 3rd missionary journeys – see also Eph 2.11-16 and Rev 5.9-10 Gender Inclusion —————– – in a.d. 177, Celsus criticized Christianity, “It is only foolish and low individuals, and persons devoid of perception, and slaves, and women, and children, of whom the teachers of the divine word wish to make converts” (Origen, Contra Celsum 49) – Galatians 3.27-29 How to Treat Outsiders ———————– – love your neighbor as yourself – love your enemies – 1 Peter 2.11-15; 3.14-16; 4.12-16 – listen and be humble (Acts 17.11) – invite them to follow Christ (Luke 9.23-24) – if ANYONE will put Jesus first…then she or he is welcome to follow him – once God and his son begin to live in someone through the spirit, they will change him/her (sanctification)

Who are you and why does your life matter?  These two piercing questions get to the heart of your identity.  Our society in the West has increasingly embraced an internally discovered identity on the basis of individual passions.  Such expressive individualism is exciting to live out, especially if those around you push back, however, the resulting identity is both fragile and abrasive.  In contrast, the Christian identity begins with a surrender and an acceptance of who God says you are.  This received identity is both more durable and more loving. Listen to this episode on Spotify or Apple Podcasts This is part 11 of the Why Christianity class. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KEEoHr42eGk —— Links —— See other episodes of Why Christianity More episodes about defending your faith here Join our Restitutio Facebook Group and follow us on Twitter @RestitutioSF If you’d like to support Restitutio, you can donate here or designate Restitutio as your charity of choice for Amazon purchases Leave a voice message via SpeakPipe with questions or comments Intro music: Good Vibes by MBB Attribution-ShareAlike 3.0 Unported (CC BY-SA 3.0) Free Download / Stream: Music promoted by Audio Library —— Notes —— Identity--------Sense of self—who are you and your understanding of yourself in relation to your family, friends, society, and the world. Sense of worth—your assessment of your personal value in life. Individualism--------------Expressive Individualism—a desire to pursue one’s own path but also a yearning for fulfillment through the definition and articulation of one’s own identity. It is a drive both to be more like whatever you already are and also to live in society by fully asserting who you are. • You be you; Be true to yourself• Follow your heart; Find yourself Christian Identity------------------Not outward or inward, but upward. Grounded in the immutability, the unconditional love, and the faithfulness of God. A secure sense of worth and value that is not dependent upon anything but God alone.

Let's face it, suffering is a major problem for those of us who believe in a good and powerful God.  How do you answer skeptics who challenge your belief in God because of the gratuitous suffering endemic in human history?  In this episode we'll explore some answers to this question offered by several worldviews before looking at how the Christian metanarrative offers hope. Listen to this episode on Spotify or Apple Podcasts This is part 10 of the Why Christianity class. https://youtu.be/Lu-TyjXB-Nc —— Links —— More podcasts about suffering and evil See other episodes of Why Christianity More episodes about defending your faith here Join our Restitutio Facebook Group and follow us on Twitter @RestitutioSF If you’d like to support Restitutio, you can donate here or designate Restitutio as your charity of choice for Amazon purchases Leave a voice message via SpeakPipe with questions or comments Intro music: Good Vibes by MBB Attribution-ShareAlike 3.0 Unported (CC BY-SA 3.0) Free Download / Stream: Music promoted by Audio Library —— Notes —— Suffering---------Natural Evil—suffering that is caused by impersonal agents (e.g., hurricanes, famine, fires, illness, etc). Moral Evil—suffering that is caused by personal agents (e.g., murder, rape, torture, theft, slander, etc). The BIG Questions1) Why me?2) Where’s God?3) What does it mean? How do the 3 major categories of metanarrative answer these questions? Tri-Lemma----------• Is evil, evil?• Is God all good?• Is God all powerful?• Evil exists• God is omnibenevolent• God is omnipotent Critics: “Which of these do YOU deny?” Response: “How are they all true?”