The following are five such views which have departed from the Biblical teaching by promoting the theories of man. But even within these various teachings there is great variation by those who hold them.
1. Eternal Reprobation
This teaching is sometimes called double-predestination. It is the teaching that God in eternity past specifically choose certain men to go to Hell. In this teaching the fact of their rejection and being cast into Hell is based upon God’s choice not their own actions. Yet Scripture clearly teaches that although election is always set in eternity as an act of God's love reprobation is always set in time and is the result of mans actions, choices and of his personal rejection of Christ.
2. Purgatory.
This is the official doctrine of the Catholic Church and has been the predominant teaching for most of its existence although it only became official dogma in 1438. It teaches that although atheists and heretics will go straight to an eternal Hell, faithful Catholics must endure a period of time in this place of purging before entering Heaven. It only differs from Hell in its length. This teaching moves the focus away from Christ’s suffering on the Cross for sinners to sinners suffering for their own sins in order to enter Heaven.
3. Annihilationism.
This term comes from nihil meaning nothing. It is sometimes called conditional immortality. The theories within this teaching varies between those who believe in cessation of all life at death and those who believe that sinners will be annihilated in the fire of Hell and shall then cease to exist. Although held by some professing born-again believers it has its roots in ancient atheism. The Greek philosopher Aristotle (384-322BC) believed death was the end of everything. There is a big push to now promote this amongst Evangelicals.
4. Second-chance.
This is the belief that if a man dies without Christ he will get a second chance. Again this view varies beginning with those who teach that only those who perished in Noah’s flood will get a second chance. Others teach that all those who have never heard the gospel will get a second chance after death. And then those who teach that everyone will get a second chance after death.
5. Universalism.
Also known as Ultimate Reconciliation. This teaches that all created beings will one day be reconciled to God, including the devil. Some teach that it is after having been purified by a temporary punishment that all will be saved. They think the teachings of Eternal Punishment and of Annihilationism is a defeat of Christs work on the Cross.
These views and teachings created by man are NOT built upon the solid foundation of the written Scripture and were not believed by the early Church or the great Evangelical preachers, teachers and leaders of Church History. Catholicism, Cults and fringe groups like the Jehovah Witnesses, the Mormons, Christian Science, Armstrongism, Christadelphians and the Emergent Church have all popularised these and other errors but sad to say such views have now invaded Evangelical Christianity.
Sadly sentimentalism, heresy and false teachers are now again rising in great numbers to assail the truth of eternal punishment as preached by Jesus Christ. These new opposers have little connection with historical Evangelicalism but much in common with old fashioned Liberalism and Modernism. These old historical heresies especially of Annihilationism and Universalism have been revamped, dressed up in a new guise, and are now being promoted by popular leaders and authors.