#1 i do not choose to believe in annihilation because i WANT it to be true. If that were the case I would choose universal salvation. Also if that were the case I would not have gone many years believing in eternal punishment as being true.
#2 how sweet it is to be able to simply point to a lecture that can describe why I believe it much better than I'd be able to articulate it!! Not to mention that substituting an hour long lecture with writing would be one incredibly LONG post...
EDIT...let me add something that will make it more intriguing to wanna watch, I'll list the people that he mentions as ALSO believing in total annihilation,
Total annihilation - without being on the same page of understanding IMPOV, is the crux of misunderstanding and contention. The term is broad and vague.
For the purpose of IMPOV I will point out the step by step, regarding mankind, (not particularly including angels)
The Who, What, When, Why, Where.
What - Hell.
...A place for those things that are no longer present in their "first estate"
...A "first estate", is the Place created
for particular things.
Man - a kind of formed thing, from the earth, to return to the earth.
Soul - a kind of thing, made by God, imparted Life from God, imparted into man,
.........for the purpose of quickening (bringing into living) the form, ie man.
Man - now brought to living, continues living, by its Blood, which is the forms Life.
Spirit of man - mans natural truth.
Heart of man - mans natural truth thoughts.
Mind of man - mans natural ability to have and process thoughts, true or deceptive.
Soul of man - belongs to God, a recording of sorts, of all thoughts & deeds of man.
Organs, bones, systems of man - natural parts of man for functioning purposes.
All natural born alive men - are separated from God, via being born via a corrupt seed.
Thus - All natural born alive men - inside and outside are corrupt.
......Their form/body, their soul, their heart, their truth, their mindful thoughts, etc.
Thus - All natural born alive men - have an unknown amount of time to choose to reconcile unto God, or not.
Thus - A choice to reconcile unto God - requires a total restoration, renewing, changing
.....of the WHOLE of the man, inside and outside. (Spiritually accomplished, by a Spiritual God)
Earth is First Estate of the WHOLE of man. Not Heaven and Not Hell.
Hell - is an estate created FOR;
.....Living Souls, second estate, for Wholly Faithful men, whose body perished and
.....returned to the earth ** this has been fulfilled and no longer applies ***
.....because of Jesus' soul fulfillment to first leave Hell.
.....THUS TO NOTE - From since Jesus' fulfillment - Living souls departed from their
.....dead body's go directly to God in Heaven, who continue to be sustained in Life
.....from God, via the Tree of Life (which is always in the midst of faithful living souls).
Hell - is an estate created FOR;
.....Living Souls, second estate, for ALSO the UNFAITHFUL, whose body perished and
......returned to the earth ** this was individually accomplished from the beginning of ......mankind and continues to this day.
Hell - also has application specific to angels, but this is about mankind.
Hell - is a Place (since Jesus' fulfillment) for living souls to be
Totally Separated from
........God, and pleasant things God created "upon" the earth. (UNTIL a specific Day)
Hell - is a Place that (on a specific Day)
Judgement and Sentencing shall commence.
The Judging is performed By the FAITHFUL to God; Christ Jesus and His saints.
The Basis of Judgement is according to Gods books and records, per the TRUE FACTS
.....as "recorded" in the living soul, that belongs to God, but that which was IN the
.....man, that also were testified of IN Heaven, and recorded in Gods Books.
The Sentencing is according to that which the Word of God declared and revealed for
.....all to have such knowledge; as required to be told, repeated, written, announced,
.....for mankind to be informed.
The Judging and Sentencing requires the Judged and Sentenced to be present.
Thus that which is Judged and Sentenced - requires their dead body (unchanged) to be raised from it's earthly grave and sent to hell, where its living soul is imparted, that both the body and soul can stand in its own judgement, before the judges.
Judgement -
as already revealed is TOTAL SEPARATION FROM GOD FOR EVER, with NO HOPE OF RECONCILIATION EVER, which is what becomes realized as their eternal torment.
This being their CHOSEN separation from God during their life span ON EARTH; Thus God WHO IS JUST; has promised every man the freewill to choose, and shall Keep His Word and give to every man what He chose.
Eternal Torment -
is not an Eternal "feeling of Pain", as some ascribe as a torturous feeling of endless pain.
Eternal Torment - is their own finality of coming to the understanding - of basically they blew it - they shall never experience or participate in the splendor of eternity with their creator. Peace and Joy (something most living humans on this earth, crave for their whole lives, even the unfaithful); shall Never be afforded for the UNFAITHFUL to behold and experience.
Understanding -
God IS LIFE. Nothing whatsoever has LIFE in it, Less it is Life given it BY God. Spirit LIFE, belongs to God and REMAINS in the (thing/vessels) which God imparted Spirit LIFE into it - or Spirit LIFE, departs the (thing/vessels) and returns to God.
Blood is LIFE of a form/body. And because mankind FORM/Body is separated from God, God shall require IT'S BLOOD.
Lev 17
- [11] For the life of the flesh is in the blood:
- [14] For it is the life of all flesh; the blood of it is for the life thereof:
Gen 9
[
5] And surely your
blood of your lives will I require;
The Over view -
What Belongs to God? body's He created. The earth He created body's from. souls He has made. Life that is He.
What is Acceptable to God?
That what belongs to God which is Wholly Holy.
What is Acceptable to be restored, quickened, changed, renewed, sanctified, justified?
That which chose to be Faithful.
When is the choice to stand FOR or AGAINST God an election of man?
When a living man is occupying his first estate (upon the earth).
The Sentencing -
Total forever Separation from God -
The living soul departed from the body,
The life from the soul departed and returns to God.
The lifeless body and lifeless soul destroyed.
Matt.10
- [28] And fear not them which kill the body, but are not able to kill the soul: but rather fear him which is able to destroy both soul and body in hell.
Summary -
God IS JUST - every man has the authority to choose to stand with God or stand again Him.
God IS JUST - all knowledge is reveal that is the consequence for standing with God or standing against God.
God IS MERCIFUL - No man in standing against God receives an ETERNALLY LIVING born again spirit,
which is that which CAN NOT DIE.
God IS MERCIFUL - No man in standing against God remains with Life, or Feelings to forever be physically tormented eternally.
Conclusion -
Total annihilation? Yes, specific to unforgiven unfaithful mankind's body and soul totally void of Life.
Additional reasoning -
Nothing whatsoever teaches Hell is Place designed to Receive forgiveness, sanctification, become made whole or holy, restoration, renewing, quickening with forever life, or an eternal abode (estate) for the faithful.
God Bless,
SBC