Is hell really forever? Is that too severe? There are times in each of our lives when it’s necessary and important to have difficult conversations about things we might not like to discuss or topics that can make us uncomfortable. Despite the discomfort, however, these kinds of dialogues often have a tendency to hold tremendous significance and have outcomes that are profoundly impactful. The goal in addressing the content in today’s article is just that.
Given much of the recent buzz within Christian media surrounding the fate of those who pass away without having placed their faith in Jesus for the forgiveness of and deliverance from the ensuing consequences of their sins, I’d like to examine what the Bible teaches about the eternal destiny of those who perish having rejected God’s gracious offer of salvation in Christ.
The Current Debate: Annihilationism vs. Eternal Conscious Torment
This subject has recently gained much attention and sparked debate on various social media platforms after well-known and outspoken Christian influencer, Kirk Cameron, began questioning the traditionally accepted view of hell. To summarize, during an online conversation with his son where differing positions on the topic of hell were sincerely questioned, examined, and debated, Cameron affirmed that in his opinion the annihilationist position regarding the fate of the wicked fits more with his understanding of God’s character as opposed to the traditionally recognized position of eternal conscious torment.
This immediately sparked countless reactions across social media platforms, predominantly among other Christians, some commending him for honestly examining the Scriptures in search of answers for tough questions, and others condemning him for challenging traditionally accepted beliefs long held by many followers of Christ.
As believers, continually studying the Word of God is vital when it comes to learning what God has to say about a whole variety of subjects, and in doing so, it builds confidence when dealing with challenging topics and tough questions. So, what does the Bible actually say about hell? Before trying to answer this question, it is necessary to define a couple of the terms already mentioned above: annihilationism vs. eternal conscious torment.
Annihilationism is the idea that at some point following the death of the wicked, their souls will be completely destroyed (annihilated), and they will simply cease to exist from that point forward for eternity. Though debate exists within this view regarding the timing of one’s annihilation, whether it immediately follows death or occurs subsequent to an undefined period of time spent enduring punishment, the key element is that, regardless of how long the souls of the unsaved endure torment and suffering as a consequence of sin, at some point it will come to an end. A time will eventually arrive when the infliction of discernable punishment will be concluded and their souls, the very essence of their being, will be no more.
This differs from the concept of eternal conscious torment, which posits that the ultimate destination and final outcome for those outside of salvation in Christ is the Lake of Fire, where they will remain forever, being completely aware of the unending agony they must endure resulting from their rejection of God’s saving grace available in Jesus.
God’s Design for Humanity and the Entrance of Death
In an effort to demonstrate from Scripture which of these two perspectives are correct, it is beneficial to first understand God’s original design for humanity by looking back to the beginning when He first created man. When God initially created Adam from the dust of the ground, breathing life into him (Ge. 2:7) and thereafter created Eve from his rib (Ge. 2:21-22), He did not confine their existence with mortality. Rather, He warned them that death would result from eating of the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil (Ge. 2:17, 3:3), meaning that death was not part of God’s design for or constitution of humanity; human beings were created by God as immortal creatures.
Scripture corroborates this in the book of Romans when it asserts that death entered the world through Adam’s sin (Ro. 5:12), meaning that from the time of its creation humanity was created by God to live perpetually. While not eternal, human beings are everlasting creatures currently confined to mortal bodies afflicted by decay and destined to expire (2 Co. 4:16).
Sin, Justice, and God’s Desire to Save
This brings me to the topic of sin. Some people argue that even if humans were created to live for eternity, a limited terrestrial lifetime that entailed sinning does not warrant an eternity of perpetual suffering. In other words, the claim is that the punishment doesn’t fit the crime. It is argued that even if someone continuously sinned for a hundred years, it shouldn’t warrant being afflicted by unimaginable agony that never ends. Said differently, it is a claim that this isn’t justice; it’s cruel and unusual punishment. But is this really the case? Is God unjust in condemning sinners to an eternity of misery and pain? Simply put, I believe the answer to this question is no, and that this allegation is based on faulty logic that fails to understand the nature of what sin really entails.
Sin itself is ultimately a rejection of God’s status and authority. It is a decision that one makes to follow their own will and desires rather than the perfect and righteous will of their Creator – God.
In essence, when a person sins, even if only once, it is a denial and rejection of God’s status and authority, and therefore a repudiation of eternal God Himself whereby one esteems himself or herself superior to God. Whether by one’s thoughts, statements, or actions, sinning reflects the condition of one’s heart conveying not “Thy will be done” but “my will be done.” Simply put, it is idolatry and demonstrates a heart postured with pride. It is precisely the same demeanor displayed by Lucifer prior to being cast down from heaven for his aspiration to “make myself like the Most High” (Is. 14:12-14). What must be understood then is whether someone sins once or thousands of times, both constitute a denial of Almighty God.
A rejection of God through sin isn’t a temporal decision, it’s an eternal one bearing everlasting consequences. As such, God’s penalization of sin is perfectly just as He is giving one precisely he or she desired, separation from Himself.
Speaking of the consequences for sin, it cannot be overlooked that God’s desire is for no one to endure an eternity separated from Him, but quite the opposite. We read in His Word that He “desires all men to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth” (1 Ti. 2:4) and He is “not wishing for any to perish but for all to come to repentance” (2 Pe. 3:9). It is for this very reason that He sent Jesus into this world to pay the price for our sins and provide a means of escape from such a terrifying fate (1 Jn. 2:2, Jn. 3:16).
This highlights one of the other major issues with the annihilationist perspective of God’s wrath; it diminishes Jesus’ sacrifice on the cross. Jesus gave up His life in our stead to reconcile us to God and graciously bestow eternal life spent in His presence for those willing to place their faith in Him. However, if it is true that at some point in the distant future one knows that they will simply cease to exist, it reduces the motivation, the necessity, and the urgency to receive Jesus’ immeasurable gift of forgiveness, life, and love.
In effect, it provides an alternative option that is more palatable to those whose hearts are hardened towards God. Rather than placing their faith in Jesus for salvation from an eternity of anguish, those who are hostile towards Christ may willingly choose to endure the agony of the Lake of Fire in lieu of God’s offer of redemption, however long that suffering may last, provided that it ultimately comes to an end and they simply cease to exist.
The Lake of Fire and the Eternity of Judgment
Finally, when examining the fate of those outside of Christ’s deliverance, attention must be given to the matter of hell itself. The Lake of Fire may often be what one has in mind when colloquially using the word “hell,” but must be distinguished from the Hebrew concept of “Sheol” (Ps. 16:10), a general reference to the grave or abode of the dead, and its Greek equivalent, “Hades” (Ac. 2:27). Depending on the translation, both words have at times been rendered in our English Bibles as “hell.” However, whereas the intent of Sheol/Hades is to be a temporary place for those awaiting God’s judgement (Re. 20:13), the Lake of Fire is the final place of eternal punishment for those condemned by God (Re. 20:15). This singular detail holds profound significance in answering the question regarding annihilationism vs. eternal conscious torment.
Following Jesus’ return to Earth at the end of the Tribulation, the Antichrist or “beast,” along with his cohort, the “False Prophet,” are cast into the Lake of Fire as punishment for deceiving and leading the world in rebellion against God (Re. 19:20). It cannot be overlooked that both figures are themselves human beings, and vile ones at that!
Joined together with them in the Lake of Fire following a period of a thousand years of Jesus’ reign on Earth as King, will be Satan himself. And what does the Bible say about their punishment? “They will be tormented day and night forever and ever” (Re. 20:10). Did you catch that? It isn’t just the devil who will endure eternal conscious torment; the two most evil human beings from all of history will also endure God’s eternal wrath.
What must be concluded then is that the Lake of Fire itself is a place of eternal wrath and incarceration, devoid of any hope of escape. In describing this place, Jesus Himself spoke of “eternal fire,” warning others that is preferable “to enter life crippled or lame, than to have two hands or two feet and be cast into the eternal fire” (Mt. 18:8). He further elaborates on the Lake of Fire referring to it as “eternal fire which has been prepared for the devil and his angels” and points out that those who are accursed for rejecting Him “will go away into eternal punishment” into the Lake of Fire (Mt. 18:41, 46).
The obvious detail here is that the Lake of Fire is an “eternal” fire meant to be an “eternal” punishment. Despite being created for the devil and the angels, as a place of God’s perpetual wrath designed for these immortal creatures, the Lake of Fire will likewise be the final place where the lost will share in their endless fate.
The conclusion that must be drawn from the above is, as human beings, each one of us are creatures designed by God for an immortal existence and are faced with a decision bearing an eternal consequence pertaining to one’s eternal destination. We may either embrace Jesus’ divine offer of eternal life together with Him in heaven, filled perpetual joy and freedom from death, mourning, crying, or pain (Re. 21:4), or we may reject His gracious invitation, forever condemned to an eternity of perpetual suffering being perfectly aware of our alienation from Him.
Faith in annihilation as an alternative to faith in Jesus will prove to be an egregious mistake. The very reason Jesus came was to die in our place because He is the only way of escape. It is specifically for this reason that I implore every one of you reading this, if you haven’t done so already, place your faith and trust in Jesus today that you may have confidence about where you will spend eternity, being free from fear of such a terrible fate.
