For St.

John,

You are the reason why I am looking into hell. In particular your case for
annihilationism in response to the traditional church view.
My material comes mostly from J.I. Packers response to his dear
respected friend John Stott and a chapter on Hell from Don Carsons The
Gagging of God.
Typically the annihilationist points to passages in scripture in which hell is
described as a place of destruction to show that hell cannot be a state
that is experienced eternally. I would argue that these passages should be
interpreted with alongside passages on hell as a collective whole rather
than in isolation.
Jude 6 and Matthew 8:12, 22:13; 25:13 show that darkness signifies a
state of deprivation and distress, but not of destruction in the sense of
ceasing to exist. Only those who exist can weep and gnash their teeth, as
those banished in darkness are said to do.
An example in point would be in 2 Thessalonians 1:9 where Paul explains
the meaning of punished with an everlasting [eternal, ouionios]
destruction by adding and shut out from the presence of the Lord. This
phrase by affirming exclusion, rules out the idea that destruction means
extinction. Only those who exist can be excluded. In Greek the natural
meaning of the destruction vocabulary (noun, ocethros; verb apollumi) is
wreaking, so that what is destroyed is henceforth non-functional rather
than annihilated, so that it no longer exists in any form at all.

The Greek word for destruction can also refer to lost as it does in the lost
coin in Luke 15 and as it also refers to the ruined wine skin of Matthew
9:17. Similarly the jar of oil poured on Jesus feet is translated as a waste
in Matthew 26:8. Was the content of the jar annihilated when it was
poured on Jesus feet? Me thinks not.
Nowhere in scripture does death signify extinction, physical death is
departure into another mode of being, called sheol or hades, and
metaphorical death is existence that is God-less and graceless.

Luke 16:22-24 shows that, as also a good deal of extra-biblical apocalyptic

literature shows that fire signifies continued existence in pain. Other
scriptural examples would be Revelation 14:10, 19:20, 20:10, Matthew
13:43, 50

Does eternal destruction imply extinction?

No. As can be seen from the following scripture:

Revelation 14:11 And the smoke of their torment rises forever and
ever.

John Stotts response would be to say that the fire itself is termed eternal
and unquenchable but it would be very odd if what is thrown into it
proves indestructible. Our expectation would be the very opposite; it
would be consumed forever, not tormented forever. Hence it is the smoke
(evidence that the fire has done its work) which rises forever and ever.
However, this reading runs contrary to common sense. Our expectation
would be that the smoke would die out once the fire had finished its work.
Besides, with such a reading what are we to make of the very next verse:
There is no rest day or night for those who worship the beast and his
image.
Mark 9:47-48 And if your eye causes you to stumble, pluck it out. It is
better for you to enter the kingdom of God with one eye than to have two
eyes and be thrown into hell, where "'the worms that eat them do not die,
and the fire is not quenched.
Biblical commentator Matthew Henry describes the soul as food for the
worm, if the soul is what sustains the worm and the worm never dies then
neither does the soul. If the worm that eats (presumably maggots) does
not die, then what keeps them alive once they have devoured all people?
Why should the fire burn forever and the worms not die if their purpose
comes to an end?
So at every point the linguistic argument simply fails. To say that some
texts, taken in isolation, might prove isolation proves nothing when other
texts evidently do not.

Would the saints joy in heaven be marred by knowing that some

continue under merited retribution?
When God expresses the holiness of his retribution it does not hurt him
more than the offenders; Christians will be like God in character in
heaven. This means that they will love what he loves and take joy in what
he takes joy in. The Lord takes pleasure in crushing the wicked and so the
saints in heaven will rejoice in that.

Does the continuous presence of evil creatures in Gods universe

eternally mar the perfection of a universe that God created to
reflect his glory?
No. When God punishes evil, the glory of his justice, righteousness and
power to triumph over all opposition will be seen.

Romans 9:22-24
22

What if God, although choosing to show his wrath and make his power
known, bore with great patience the objects of his wrathprepared for
destruction? 23 What if he did this to make the riches of his glory known to
the objects of his mercy, whom he prepared in advance for glory 24 even
us, whom he also called, not only from the Jews but also from the
Gentiles?

On the contrary it is only sin that remains unpunished that detracts from
Gods glory in the universe. When God triumphs over evil through eternal
punishment the depths of his mercy will be revealed. (Dont forget that I
am a Calvinist through and through)

Does the God who told us to love our enemies intend to wreak
vengeance on his own enemies for all eternity?
Yes justice must prevail. Vengeance in the purest sense belongs to the
Lord. As a wise earthly father would not permit his children to use sharp
objects whilst using them himself, so it is with our heavenly father and
vengeance.

What about the argument from mortality?

Some would say that after the Fall in Genesis, man became mortal and
since Christ has come it is now only the redeemed that gain immortality.
However, does this line of reasoning have a scriptural basis?
For example Ecclesiastes 12:7 says: Then shall the dust return to the
earth as it was and the spirit shall return to God who gave it.
Ecclesiastes does not seem to be making reference to the godly or
ungodly but just to spiritual beings in general having a soul that outlasts
the body that is to put it bluntly, immortal.
Likewise Paul reflects on his experience of being caught up into the third
heaven unsure of whether it was in the body or out of the body. (2 Cor
12: 1-10). Paul is not uncomfortable with existence apart from the body.
Doesnt Jesus teach that eternal life is only for those who believe in him?
John 3:16 For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son,
that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.
This verse is more than Christ just promising survival for those who
believe in him and extinction for those who dont. Christ is comparing two
qualitatively different types of existence. One indicates everlasting
communion with Goad and the other one everlasting ruin that is
isolation from God.

What about the apparent threat of Matthew 10:28: And fear not them
which kill the body, but are not able to kill the soul; but rather fear him
who is able to destroy both body and soul in hell.
Ive have already stated that destruction cannot be taken to mean
annihilation but rather brokenness on the basis of other scripture
describing hell.
Why should the annihilationist even fear in this instance? Surely, there is
nothing to fear but the thought of cessation of existence.

Isnt it the consequence of punishment and salvation that is

eternal?
Eternal punishment does occur once and for all and there are eternal
results. I believe that the redeemed in heaven can say that they are being
saved by Christ. Salvation has a broad semantic range. It can refer to
ongoing blessedness introduced by the consummation of salvation.

Isnt eternal punishment excessive?

Some annihilationists argue that there are varying degrees in punishment
before the sinner becomes extinct. However, one might reasonably
wonder why, if people pay for their sins in hell before they are annihilated,
they cannot be released into heaven thereby turning hell into purgatory.
Alternatively, if the sins have not yet been paid for, why should they be
annihilated?
The truth of the matter is that annihilation does not account for what Jesus
calls an eternal sin. (Mark 3:29)
Hell is ongoing simply because sin is ongoing. As we shall see.
Rev 22:10-11. Then he told me, Do not seal up the words of the
prophecy of this scroll, because the time is near. 11 Let the one who does
wrong continue to do wrong; let the vile person continue to be vile; let the
one who does right continue to do right; and let the holy person continue
to be holy.
The above passage highlights the reality that sinners in hell remain
unrepentant which is why their punishment is ongoing.

I hope this helps to explain the reason for a doctrine of hell that includes
eternal mental torment.
Miriam