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Table Talk
Evangelicals and Annihilationism
The topic "Evangelicals and Annihilationism" (the
belief that the wicked will pass into nonexistence either at death or the
resurrection) may sound somewhat odd in that Christians throughout history
have taught that those who reject God's gift of salvation through the finished
work of Christ will suffer conscious punishment for all eternity. For the
most part, the topic of annihilationism usually comes up with reference
to such cults as the Jehovah's Witnesses and the Christadelphians, Mormonism,
New Age cults such as Unity School of Christianity, and at one time with
Herbert Armstrong's Worldwide Church of God which has moved doctrinally
into the mainstream of orthodox Christianity within the past several years.
This doctrine is also traditionally held by the Seventh-day Adventists
denomination .
In recent years the doctrine of annihilationism
has gained acceptance with a number of Evangelicals such as Anglican John
R.W. Stott (Rector of All Soul's church in London) and Clark Pinnock (professor
and noted Evangelical author), as well as John Wenham (Warden of Latimer
House, Oxford), Philip Hughes, and Stephen Travis.
Distinction of Terms
When we discuss the doctrine of annihilationism keep
in mind that there are distinctions between annihiliationism and universalism
and between annihilationism and conditional immortality. As already noted,
annihilationism is the belief that the wicked will pass into nonexistence
either at death or the resurrection. Universalism teaches on the other
hand that ultimately all will be saved, even the wicked. (Clement of Alexandria,
Origen, Gregory of Nyssa all held variations of this view . Today you will
find this view with theological liberalism (Schleiermacher and Barth),
Unitarianism, neo-orthodoxy, among the Eastern-based religions and New
Age groups. Conditional immortality (those holding this view are called
"conditionalists") rests upon the assumption that at death the conscious,
thinking part of man (the soul)ceases to exist with the body (often called
soul-sleep) until the resurrection of the just and the unjust. The wicked
will be raised on the day of judgment when God will inflict punishment
of whatever degree and duration deemed fit eventually to be consumed entirely
and be no more. The traditional orthodox view is that the soul, though
created and dependent on God's providential support (contingent immortality,
not absolute immortality) is eternal. In other word's , God could annihilate
the soul if he so chooses, but the question or issue is not that he could
but whether he intends to do so.
The Bible and Divine Punishment
The issue before us is not so much does God intend
to punish the wicked but whether the state of "mind" of the wicked while
under punishment is conscious torment and the duration of the punishment
itself! Annihilationists would argue that the ultimate end of the wicked
is annihilationism or extinction of being, regardless of what state of
existence may or may not preceed this final annihilation event and further
that the annihilation is eternal; the sentence will never be reversed.
In order to find the answers to these questions we must go to the Bible
an find out what it has to say on the subject. Anyone familiar with scripture
knows that they clearly teach that God's character necessitates divine
punishment and His justice and holiness is displayed by the vindication
of His righteousness in the punishment of sin. Indeed, the subject of hell
and punishment is talked about equal to or more than any other subject
(Job 33:18; Psalm 9:17; 16:10; Isa. 14:9; 24:22; 66:24; Ezk. 32:21; Dan.
12:2; Matt. 5:22; 7:13; 10:28; 25:41; Luke 16:23; John 5:29; 17:12; 1 Pet.
3:19; 4:6; 2 Pet. 2:4; Rev. 1:18; 19:20; 20:13; 21:8;)!
Unfortunately, there are far too many passages
of scripture dealing with the subject of hell and punishment for us to
explore in the limited time that we have together. Therefore we need to
center on just a few of the more clear ones to get an understanding of
what is being said.
Matthew 25:41,46
This passage reads: "Then He will also say to those
on his left, 'Depart from me, accursed ones, into the eternal fire which
has been prepared for the devil and his angels...'[v.46] And these will
go away into eternal punishment, but the righteous into life eternal."
The rather obvious conclusion from this text is the wicked share the same
fate as Satan and his demonic hosts. The nature of hell in this passage
is described in very clear terms: eternal conscious punishment. If the
punishment was not eternal nor conscious the passage would make no sense
as by contrast, the righteous will go consciously to heaven for all eternity!
The corresponding adjectives describing both the durations of existence
either in hell or heaven are the same! As Shed puts it: "...the extinction
of consciousness in not the nature of punishment, if suffering is lacking,
so is the punishment; punishment entails suffering. But suffering entails
consciousness." In other word's, one can exist and not be punished; but
no one can be punished and not exist! The text is not saying that annihilationism
is the result of the punishment but that the punishment itself is eternal
just as the reward itself is eternal life! One may argue the use metaphorical
language at this point as with the case of Luke 16 (Lazarus in Hades);
Mark 9:48 ("undying worm"); or chains of darkness in Jude v.6, but the
use of this kind of language only serves to emphasize the nature of the
awfulness of the fact!
Revelation 14:9-11; 20:10
This text reads: "If anyone worships the beast and
his image...[14:10] he will be tormented with fire and brimstone in the
presence of the holy angels and in the presence of the Lamb. [14:11] And
the smoke of their torment goes up forever and ever; and they have no rest
day or night, those who worship the beast and his image,...[20:10] And
the devil who deceived them was throw into the lake of fire and brimstone,
where the beast and the false prophet are also; and they will be tormented
day and night for ever and ever."
Here, again, is a clear description of the
nature of punishment as "torment." The same form of the word torment is
found in Luke 16:23,28 used to describe the rich man's conscious suffering
in Hades. The expression "day and night" indicates ceaseless activity and
is used in the worship of God in Rev. 4:8 and 7:15! By juxtaposing the
words "day and night" with "forever and ever" in 20:10, we have the most
emphatic expression of unending, ceaseless activity possibly in the Greek
language.
Conclusion
It would be possible to discuss many other passages
of scripture which clearly speak of the nature of punishment as both conscious
and eternal. As expected, annihilationists argue further on moral and linguistic
grounds that it would be immoral for God to inflict everlasting torture
on His creatures. But as the great church father Anselm one stated people
who argue this way (based on an emotional response, rather from a purely
biblical response), "have not as yet estimated the great burden of sin."
Neither should we forget that it was the Lord Jesus Christ who more than
any other enunciated the doctrine of everlasting torment for the lost.
We can afford to do no less than our master.
Annihilationism is not a biblical doctrine
but a dangerous doctrine which undermines the justice, love and law of
God as revealed in scripture. It weakens the entire missionary endeavor
of the gospel and grossly undercuts the power and meaning of the cross.
Eternal conscious punishment is an awful doctrine only if one fails to
see it in view of the divine. Once we see it from God's perspective, it
is a necessary part of God's sovereign design to display once again that
he his pure holiness, righteous, and good; He makes no mistakes nor does
he send someone arbitrarily to hell for all eternity! We may therefore
trust the scriptures and accept His will and revelation for the future
of lost souls.
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