Timothew,
I refer to your post at #142 and this is a response.
If we took some isolated Scriptures, it may be possible to take these passages to mean annihilation. I’m thinking of the word, “destroy”, in Matt. 10:28, “And do not fear those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. Rather fear him who can destroy both soul and body in hell [Greek: Gehenna]” (ESV). Even with passages such as Matt. 7:13-14 where the broad road leads to destruction and John 3:16, “Whoever believes in him shall not perish”, could be pressed to try to get the meaning of annihilation. Even if we took the following passages alone without consideration of other passages, there is a possibility that extermination/extinction of the wicked could be an interpretation: John 10:28; 17:12; Romans 2:12; 9:22; Philippians 1:28; 3:19; 1 Thessalonians 5:3; Hebrews 10:39; James 4:12 and 2 Peter 3:7, 9. However, there’s a big barrier to this kind of interpretation. And I have shared this with you already, but you don't seem to be open to it.
There are verses that are impossible to square with destruction meaning annihilation. Second Thessalonians 1:9 is one of those barriers. It reads, “They will suffer the punishment of eternal destruction, away from the presence of the Lord and from the glory of his might” (ESV). Who are “they”? They are “those who do not know God” and “do not obey the gospel of our Lord Jesus” (2 Thess. 1:8). This is referring to unbelievers. The words from 2 Thess. 1:9, “eternal destruction”, could hardly mean “eternal annihilation”. This verse creates the added problem against annihilation that the ungodly will be “away from the presence of the Lord”, which indicates that their existence is continuing but they will be shut out from being in God’s presence. If one were to speak of being “destroyed” from the presence of the Lord, it would imply non-existence. Scot McKnight put it this way: 'Paul has in mind an irreversible verdict of eternal nonfellowship with God. A person exists but remains excluded from God’s good presence' (in Peterson 1995:163).
In Revelation 17:8, 11, “destruction” is prophesied of “the beast”, but in Revelation 19 the Beast and False Prophet “were thrown alive into the lake of fire that burns with sulfur” (19:20). We know that they are still alive when this is happening because they are there 1,000 years later (Rev. 20:7,10). It cannot mean what Fudge says it means, “The lake of fire stands for utter, absolute, irreversible annihilation” (in Peterson 1995:164).
There are five main pictures that the Bible uses to speak of hell. These are: darkness and separation (Matt. 8:12; 22:13; 25:30; Jude 13; Rev. 22:14), fire (Matt 25:41), weeping and gnashing of teeth (Matt 22:13), punishment (Matt 25:46), and death and destruction (2 Thess 1:7-9). Only the last one fits with annihilationism. The rest do not and all passages that deal with 'destruction' do not fit into the category of annihilation.
Jesus’ language is of those who are “thrown into
eternal fire” (Matt 18:8). Paul’s was of being “punished with
everlasting destruction” (2 Thess. 1:9). Jude warned of “the punishment of
eternal fire” (Jude 7) and of those “for whom
the gloom of utter darkness has been reserved
forever” (Jude 13). Of the sinful, condemned humanity, John’s vision was that “the
smoke from her
goes up forever and ever” (Rev. 19:3).
As far back as 1744, Matthew Horbery wrote, “It is hard to say how any doctrine can be taught so plainly than the eternity of future punishment…. how could he have done it in plainer words or in a more emphatical manner?” (Horbery 1744:61-62).
Therefore, I conclude that 'destruction' does not mean annihilation but continuing punishment and that for eternity.
Sincerely,
Oz
Works consulted
Henry Horbery 1744.
An Enquiry into the Scripture-Doctrine concerning the Duration of Future Punishment. London: James Fletcher. Partly available as a Google book online
HERE (Accessed 17 December 2014).
Robert A. Peterson 1995.
Hell on Trial: The Case for Eternal Punishment. Phillipsburg, New Jersey: P&R Publishing.
