Hello Timothew, I will slow down on the size of the posts (responses) in hopes they will be answered more directly.
2 Peter 3:7-9
But by His word the present heavens and earth are being reserved for fire, kept for the day of judgment and destruction of ungodly men.
8But do not let this one fact escape your notice, beloved, that with the Lord one day is like a thousand years, and a thousand years like one day. 9The Lord is not slow about His promise, as some count slowness, but is patient toward you, not wishing for any to perish but for all to come to repentance.
Peter tells what will happent to ungodly men, they will be judged and then destroyed. All ungodly men will perish unless they repent.
First, there is nothing in this particular quote that speaks of ungodly men.
Secondly, when he does speak of ungodly men and their fate...
2 Peter 2
King James Version (KJV)
9 The Lord knoweth how to deliver the godly out of temptations, and to reserve the unjust unto the day of judgment to be
punished:
...annihilation is not implied.
2849. kolazo kol-ad'-zo from kolos (dwarf); properly, to curtail, i.e. (figuratively) to chastise (or reserve for infliction):--punish.
Now notice the eternailty of this punishment which is not destruction as the annihilationist wants it to be:
10 But chiefly them that walk after the flesh in the lust of uncleanness, and despise government. Presumptuous are they, selfwilled, they are not afraid to speak evil of dignities.
It is clear that this is a reference to the wicked among men. They are contrasted with Holy Angels, who do not, despite their greater power, presume to judge:
11 Whereas angels, which are greater in power and might, bring not railing accusation against them before the Lord.
The context of this passage, wrested by those that teach loss of salvation, refers to false teachers (contrasted themselves with the false prophets in Israel's earlier history).
We see they are unregenerate in the next verse:
12 But these, as natural brute beasts, made to be taken and destroyed, speak evil of the things that they understand not; and shall utterly perish in their own corruption;
The leopard truly cannot change his spots, though he might disguise them that he might run with the lions. A dog is stil a dog, a pig is still a pig, despite a bath and a bow (v.22).
The annihilationist is immediately drawn to "and shall utterly perish in their own corruption" just as readily as the loss of salvationist focuses on the destruction itself, wrongly applying salvation to these natural brute beasts that are false teachers.
These are not born again believers, they remain part of the cursed creation.
Now lets see what will happen to the unregenerate:
13 And shall receive the reward of unrighteousness, as they that count it pleasure to riot in the day time. Spots they are and blemishes, sporting themselves with their own deceivings while they feast with you;
All men will be rewarded according to their works, saved and unsaved alike. Here, there is promised a reward of unrghteousness, and the writer gives example of their unrighteousness:
14 Having eyes full of adultery, and that cannot cease from sin; beguiling unstable souls: an heart they have exercised with covetous practices; cursed children:
15 Which have forsaken the right way, and are gone astray, following the way of Balaam the son of Bosor, who loved the wages of unrighteousness;
16 But was rebuked for his iniquity: the dumb ass speaking with man's voice forbad the madness of the prophet.
Peter seems to believe a donkey talked. I mention that for those that do not believe God could bring about such an amazing event.
As a side-note to Balaam, we see him in a couple of other places in the New Testament. First, in a paralllel passage in Jude:
Jude 1:11
King James Version (KJV)
11 Woe unto them! for they have gone in the way of Cain, and ran greedily after the error of Balaam for reward, and perished in the gainsaying of Core.
One of the difficult points to get across to the annihilationist is that we see men perishing in the Old Testament physically, and they have, temporally...perished. Here both Cora and Balaam are said to have gone "in the same way," and few would argue that both have perished.
But...though they have perished, no-one would reasonably suggest that either were annihilated. Most cede the fact that though they died (perished) physically, they did not cease a conscious existence, but were consigned to sheol to await judgment...again.
It is not considered that they can perish without ceasing to exist here, which sets the precedent for their perishing in the judgment of the Great White Throne and still not ceasing to exist.
They seem to forget this, that the wicked perish physically, and spiritually. They seem to forget that though being physically alive...they are dead.
They do not seem to comprehend that spiritual separation from God is equivalent to...death. And it does not necessitate cessation of existence. And it does not negate the Lord's clear teaching to the contrary.
"Where their worm dieth not and the fire is not quenched" is turned into "Their worm will die and the fire will end."
Fire represents judgment...and the judgment they receive does not end.
Now consider:
17 These are wells without water, clouds that are carried with a tempest; to whom the mist of darkness is reserved for ever.
When I said that the passages that show an enduring eternal judgment are ignored, this is one oof them. I did a post that spoke of this passage as well as Jude. No reply was ever given.
Is it the "reservation" that is eternal here? Or the mist of darkness?
God bless.
