tam wrote:if I share something I learned from my Lord, then I cannot call it my opinion.
Call it what you will. If you say annihilationism is something you learned from the Lord, I say you are mistaken.
As an aside, if you want to be really correct about it, Jesus does not teach Scripture – at least directly speaking – to those who have lived since Pentecost (Acts 2). Teaching is actually the Holy Spirit’s role (1 Corinthians 2:10-16). But I digress.
Back to the discussion at hand, you want evidence. Well, this is not an exhaustive list, but should be more than sufficient:
- • Clearly, what we read in Matthew 25 and Luke 16 – directly from the mouth of our Lord – refutes the cessation of existence of the wicked. You surely will agree that we cannot hear and or understand Mark 9 or Isaiah 66 in ignorance of or isolation from Matthew 25 or Luke 16.
• We must also read Luke 23 in light of Matthew 25 (especially, as those on His left will be sent away rather than exterminated) and Luke 16. As Jesus is on the cross at Calvary, He says to the thief on His right, “Truly I say to you, today you shall be with Me in Paradise.� He says nothing to the thief on His left, but His silence cannot be interpreted as “you will not exist anymore,� but rather, “you will be somewhere other than Paradise.�
• In Revelation 19, immediately after the coming of Christ, we read of the doom of the Beast and False Prophet (Satan) – they were thrown alive into the lake of fire which burns with brimstone. Then in Revelation 20, we again see the coming of Christ and His execution of the Judgment, and verse 10 specifically states that the Beast and False Prophet, having been thrown into the lake of fire and brimstone, are tormented day and night forever and ever. In 20:11-15, all whose names are not found in the book of life follow Satan and are thrown into the same lake of fire. Their punishment is exactly the same – the second death is consignment to hell, the final abode of the wicked – and by direct inference, they also are tormented day and night forever and ever (20:15). This is the second death (20:14). The second death is spiritual in character, and accompanies bodily resurrection (John 5:29).
So, we agree that Isaiah 66:24 and Mark 9:42-48 are eschatological pronouncements of God's judgment upon the wicked... but specifically regarding these two passages, the fire is not literal, but rather symbolic of God’s judgment, which is never-ending -- “not quenched� -- for the wicked. Likewise, the worm… “their worm,� which signifies ownership… symbolizes their torment and resulting anguish, which also is never-ending -- “does not die.� And to have a torment/anguish that does not end, he or she must still have a conscious existence -- shown graphically by Jesus in Luke 16. Likewise, to suffer punishment for eternity, one must likewise have a conscious existence, as alluded to in Matthew 25. It’s a terrible thing to contemplate, but it’s true.
You may still disagree with that, and probably do. That should be okay with both of us at this point; we should be able to agree to disagree. As such, we can maintain our fellowship and love for one another in Christ, and I resolve to do those things and urge you to do likewise.
At any rate, I’m sure we can agree that God’s judgment is a fearsome thing and is to be avoided above all else. And to do that, we need Jesus. Thanks be to God, Who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.
Now. No offense to you or anyone else, but this has turned into, really, fruitless discussion. In other words, the Gospel is not being advanced, and neither you nor I nor anyone else involved here is furthering the administration of God which is by faith (1 Timothy 1). It has really turned into empty chatter, which is to be avoided lest it lead to further ungodliness (1 Timothy 2). Therefore, I’m withdrawing gracefully.
Grace and peace to you in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.
