The interpretive lens of scripture is Jesus Christ and him crucified. (Jn.5:39, Lk.24:27, Col.2:3) Thus, when the doctrine of hell and the deviation of that doctrine embodied in annihilationism is examined it must fit with the person and work of Jesus Christ which delivers men from damnation. Working from the foundation of the penal substitutionary atonement of Jesus Christ (which is established here) we understand that the conscious suffering of Christ while in the body of his flesh on the cross and his death (Isa.53:5-6,8,10-12, Phil.2:8, 1Pt.2:24, 3:18, Gal.3:13, Rom.3:25,4:25, Mt.26:28, Heb.9:15-7,28,13:12, Col.1:19-22, Jn.19:30) made propitiation for us. (Rom.3:25, 1 Jn.2:2, 4:10) Thereby appeasing God’s justice and delivering us from his punishment for all our sins. God is exact or precise in his judgments- Ex. 21:23-5, Lev. 24:19-21, Lev. 19:34-6, Deut. 17:8, 19:21, 21:5, Deut. 25:14-16, Prov. 20:10,23, 11:1, 16:11, Micah 6:11. He demands righteousness Ezk.18:5, 45:9-10, Lv.19:36, Dt.25:15, Prv.11:1, 16:11, 17:15 So, our question here is how does annihilation propitiate God? God is not arbitrary in his justice (voluntarism error). If the penalty for sin is your eternal non-existence what exactly did Jesus do with regards to this? There must be a just weight & measure to fulfill all righteousness. Annihilationism creates a contradiction between the penalties of conscious suffering for sin and unconscious non-existence. Which is just and righteous? Is the penalty for sin both temporary conscious suffering and eternal unconscious non-existence? Temporal conscious existence in suffering and eternal unconscious non-existence without suffering are incompatible opposites, so how could both be equally just?
Annihilationism & its Corollary Errors
If annihilation atonement occurred, then Jesus as a temporal man propitiated and not as an eternal person for, he could not have ceased existing as an eternal person. So, how is the eternality measure to be filled in God’s just weights and measures? Strike one.
The annihilation interpretation of the cross would mean that as a man Jesus ceased to exist for 3 days and 3 nights. (Mt.12:40, Jon.1:17) While in fact Christ did not cease to exist when his soul left his body on the cross- Mt.12:40, Lk.23:43,46, Eph.4:8-10, Act.2:31,27, Psa.16:10, 1 Pt.3:18-20 . Strike two.
If annihilation or non-existence is the just meteyard then Christ’s conscious suffering on the cross and drinking the wrath of the Almighty was a fiction and unneeded. All that was needed was his momentary temporal unconscious non-existence. But Christ drank the cup of the wine of the wrath of God for us- Matt.26:39, 42, Mark 14:36, Luke 22:42, Psa.75:8, Isa.51:17, 22, Jer.25:15, 17, 28, Rev.14:10, 16:19. Strike three.
When you commit your first knowing sin of either omission or commission, you are instantly under God’s judgment. If non-existence is the just response to one sin, then the accumulation of sins thereafter would change nothing. Whether one sin or infinite sins, the punishment is the identical same; non-existence. How pray tell will God punish every and all sins? But God will judge every sin because he is just: Prv.24:12, Ecc.12:14, Mt.16:27, Rv.2:23, 20:13, 22:12, 2 Chr.6:23, Psa.9:4, Dt.21:5, Jer.11:20, 25:14, Jd.15, Rom.2:6-10, 3:5-6, 12:19, Ex.34:7, Num.14:18, Heb.2:2, 10:30, 12:23, Mt.12:36, 2 Cor.10:5, Gen.6:5, Ecc.3:17, Dt.21:5, Jer.32:19, 2 Chr. 6:30, 1 Ki.8:39, Nah.1:2, Rom.13:4, Dt.32:35,41,43, Psa.94:1, Isa.35:4, Jer.51:6, 5:9,29, 46:10, Ezk.25:17, Lk.18:7-8, 1 Thes.4:6, Acts 17:31. Strike four.
If burning extended periods of time is unjust as justice demands non-existence, then those dead for longer (e.g. Cain) whose souls are in hell fire suffer injustice compared to those who burn for a few years or so before the judgment (e.g. Hitler). So, the answer to this dilemma is that there is no consciousness ‘out of the body’. In other words, annihilationism is consistent with ‘soul-sleep’. But soul sleep is contradicted all over the bible (2 Cor.12:2-3, 5:6-8- there would be no ‘out of the body’). If P, then Q; not Q; therefore, not P. Strike five.
Jesus quoting from Isaiah warns that the smoke of their torment ascends up forever for they shall be tormented forever as their fire shall not be quenched, and their worm shall not die. (Mk.9:43-4,45-6, 48, Isa.66:23-4) Their carcases are burning month to month. If they are annihilated, the fire is in fact quenched. Strike six.
Why fear God any more than you would fear men? (Mt.10:28, Lk.12:5) Both can only burn up the body until non-existence. Strike seven.
Question for Annihilationists
How can you avoid the injustice of everyone getting the same penalty?
How can you avoid the injustice of not all sins being judged?
If you say the unjust burn up at different rates, then is the just penalty conscious suffering or unsconscious non-existence?
If the longer rate of burning up is the just measure, then they pay for their own sins, so why aren’t they qualified for heaven at that point?
Is God’s wrath expressed only in the moment of your destruction and no longer after you don’t exist? If so, then God’s wrath is appeased at your non-existence and therefore there is no more any wrath nor any reminder to creation of his justice nor (therefore) of his grace.
