Matthew 2:13 And when they were departed, behold, the angel of the Lord appeareth to Joseph in a dream, saying, Arise, and take the young child and his mother, and flee into Egypt, and be thou there until I bring thee word: for Herod will seek the young child to destroy him.
Destroy in this verse is the same Greek word used for destroy in Matthew 10:28. The sense in this verse is to kill. This shows that this Greek word can sometimes mean to kill. Of course though, to kill someone isn't the same thing as annihilation. Yet, if the sense for destroy in Matthew 10:28 is also to kill, how can that not add up to annihilation in that particular context? What is the logic in killing a soul if that soul never really dies? And if a soul dies, that being the 2nd death, how could it still be existing forever instead?
Matthew 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.
but are not able to kill the soul. Obviously Jesus meant that men can kill the body, but that they can't also kill the soul. If there is no such thing as the killing of the soul, what was Jesus' reason for bringing up something impossible? But if there is such a thing as killing the soul, but that man can't do it, who would be able to do it then? God of course. And that's exactly what the next part of that verse tells us. It tells the who and the how.
Of course though, to kill someone isn't the same thing as annihilation. Yet, if the sense for destroy in Matthew 10:28 is also to kill, how can that not add up to annihilation in that particular context?
In the same way Romans 7:11 (which uses the word "kill" for killing a person) doesn't "add up to annihilation" of the person:
for sin, taking an opportunity through the commandment, deceived me and through it killed me. (Rom.7:11).
Sin "killed" him, but he wasn't annihilated. Thus also God can kill or destroy one without annihilating that one. Why would Love Omnipotent want to annihilate anyone. He wills that all mankind be saved, has ransomed all (1 Tim.2:4-6), & is the Savior of all (1 Tim.4:10). His judgements, anger and wrath are salvific.
What is the logic in killing a soul if that soul never really dies?
To bring a soul to repentance & salvation. To show it what it is like to be separated from God's will, mercy & love.
In the book of Daniel King Nebuchadnezzar lost his soul when God made him act insanely like an animal for 7 years. God's destruction/ruining of the kings' soul meant the loss of his soul for the king.
Likewise the prodigal son "lost" (same Greek word as "destroyed" in Mt.10:28) his soul when he left his father for the world. Later when he "came back to his senses", he "found" his soul. His Father said his son was "dead" and "lost" (i.e. destroyed). Though he was obviously never annihilated.
How is it that God is "able" to destroy body & soul in Gehenna. Supposedly if angels cast people into it, that in itself could destroy their mortal bodies, due to the fires in Gehenna. But how would literal fire destroy a non corporeal soul? If Satan & demons are there to possess people, just casting them into Gehenna could result in them being spiritually & psychologically destroyed/ruined in a multitude of ways we cannot even imagine, e.g. demon possession. I'm sure that experienced shrinks have a bit of an idea of what that might involve. Or deliverance ministers/exorcists.
Not only is God "able" to destroy [or ruin, lose] both body and soul...Jesus followers are told they must destroy their own souls to "find" them:
Mt.10:39 He who is finding his soul will be destroying it, and he who destroys his soul on My account will be finding it. clv
Mt.10:28 And do not fear those who are killing the body, yet are not able to kill the soul. Yet be fearing Him, rather, Who is able to destroy the soul as well as the body in Gehenna.
Others can kill your body, but not your soul. God can destroy soul and body in Gehenna. v.28
You can destroy your own soul. v.39...that is, ruin it.
By speaking of destroying your own soul, v.39 refers not to endless annihilation of your soul. So, in context, neither does verse 28 when God speaks of destroying a soul.
If you don't willingly destroy your soul (v.39) in this life, God will/is able to do it for you in the afterlife (v.28). But whether He does it for you or not, you will surely destroy your own soul by "finding" it (v.39) in this life. Since you destroy [but not annihilate] your own soul by finding it, why would God need to destroy it again, even though He is "able"? Though it is conceivable He could destroy it to a greater degree than it was destroyed before. Especially if people in Gehenna continued to rebel and harden themselves...cf Lk.11:26; Mt.12:45...7 times worse can occur. Scripture speaks of evil men shall becoming worse and worse, of the deep things of satan some have known, being possessed with a legion of demons, & few and many stripes (Lk.12:47-48).
What does it mean that God "can" ruin or destroy a soul in Gehenna? Would this be ruin as in cessation of existence or something like a spiritual death as in, for example, dead in sins (Eph.2:1)? Or as in what God did to the king in the book of Daniel in making him act like an animal for 7 years, before returning his soul back to sanity, resulting in him being humbled & worshiping God? Or, as in being delivered to Satan to be taught not to blaspheme (1 Tim.1:20)? BTW, Satan will be there in the LOF with human blasphemers.
Among them are Hymenaeus and Alexander, whom I have handed over to Satan to be taught not to blaspheme (1 Tim.1:20).
Even in this life one can be delivered to Satan for destruction that one may be saved:
1 Cor.5:5 hand this man over to Satan for the destruction of the flesh, so that his spirit may be saved on the day of the Lord.
Of course the spiritually dead are already dead in sins. But this does not preclude there being various degrees of spiritual deadness or destruction (i.e. ruin) of their souls. Similarly the Scriptures speak of those who are worthy of few stripes & others who are worthy of many stripes, & similarly. Surely a distinction is to be made between a relatively innocent infant or child, a rebellious teenager & those who have apostacized from the faith, or demons & Satan. It is conceivable that it is always possible for the spiritually dead to experience greater degrees of destruction to their souls should they continue to rebel in the LOF and until they finally repent. Though, ever given the choice to turn to God, it is mathematically impossible that they would continue to reject God for eternity.
And if a soul dies, that being the 2nd death, how could it still be existing forever instead?
The second death could refer to a second physical death like their first physical death. Or if physical death were the first death, and soul/spiritual death the second death, then the second death/lake of fire could conceivably refer to a state/place where such are residing. Not what happens to them there. There they reside and are tormented literally "into the eons of the eons" (mistranslated by pro endless punishment bible versions as "for ever and ever").
https://www.tentmaker.org/books/hope_beyond_hell.pdf
