Truth Magazine

By Jack L. Holt

The word “annihilation,” is from the Latin nihil, “nothing.” The doctrine of annihilation taught by the Seventh Day Adventists, Jehovah’s Witnesses and others is that some, if not all, human souls will cease to exist after death; they will become nothing.

Warfield, in commenting on this subject, says, “This point of view may take three main forms: (a) that all men cease to exist at death (materialism); (b) that while man is naturally mortal, God imparts to the redeemed the gift of immortality and allows the rest of humanity to sink into nothingness (conditional immortality; (c) that man, being created immortal, fulfills his destiny in salvation, while the reprobates fall into nonexistence either through a direct act of God, or through the corrosive effect of evil” (annihilation proper).

In debates with Adventists I have asked them to produce one Scripture that teaches any spirit will ever cease to be, whether that spirit is angelic, demonic or human. No one has produced that Scripture. The Scriptures teach that all human spirits will eternally endure and their condition after death is settled by the choices they made and the life they lived on earth (2 Cor. 5:10; Jn. 5:28-29).

Books written to prove annihilation seem to have a built in flaw. The authors go to the Bible to prove their doctrine rather than to get the doctrine of God. When one comes to the Bible with his idol in his heart God will satisfy him according to his idol. Being in love with their idol they don’t mind wresting the Scriptures in their futile attempts to prove it worthy of worship.

Adventists deny the immortality of the soul. They refer to 1 Timothy 6:16, “God only has immortality.” Then they say since God only has immortality, the human spirit is not immortal so it dies. To them death means the spirit ceases to exist. But if one is saved, God bestows upon that one immortality and he will enjoy eternal life. Their argument on 1 Timothy 6:16, falls flat for it fails to take into consideration the truth that God may and does bestow immortality on all human souls. Adventists argue that the word death proves the wicked will cease to be. For example, Romans 6:23, “the wages of sin is death.” But death in the Bible is never set forth as the end of being, but the end of well being (Vines). The root meaning of the word death is separation, not end of being. In physical death a separation takes place when the spirit leaves the body. The Bible says “the body without the spirit is dead” (Jas. 2:26), but it never says the spirit out of the body is dead.

To be separated from God is to be separated from the source of all life, light and love. The second death is eternal existence away from God in the lake of fire, in the regions of outer darkness, where their worm (anguish, Bagster) does not die and the fire is never quenched (Matt. 25:30; Mk. 9:43-44). Does this “worm of anguish” feed on something that ceases to exist? Can one be punished before he begins to be? If not how can one be punished who ceases to be? Consciousness is an essential element of torment. Can one punish a fence post? Can one quench what the Lord calls an unquenchable fire? Since this fire is in hell, does hell cease to be?

Adventists seem to think they are qualified to apologize for the Savior’s teaching that all who leave this world in their sins will be eternally punished. They sit in judgment on God’s word and declare eternal punishment is inconsistent with God’s love. In a recent debate with an Adventist he “proved” eternal punishment is inconsistent with the character of God for Tom Paine and other infidels said it is! He declared the doctrine of eternal torment drives people from God, turns them off to the Scriptures, and drives them into infidelity.

To many, God’s revelation of himself in his book, as a just but loving God who will by no means clear the guilty, but punish them eternally is not consistent with what they conceive as the character of a loving God. So, worshipping and serving the creature rather than the Creator, they consider themselves qualified and empowered to rewrite God’s word and make the eternal God fit an image the world will accept. God can annihilate and be just, but he can’t eternally punish and be just. So declares rank unbelief of the word of God. This is the same error men follow when they try to rewrite God’s marriage law. After all, we have to doctor the word of God so the world will accept the God of the Bible! Why if we teach what God says on marriage it will turn the world off to the Scriptures. They just will not accept a God with such strict laws on marriage. So don’t preach the word, preach what people want to hear is the plea today. (Pardon the digression.)

The Scriptures are often rejected as our guide and man’s own reasoning becomes his god. The godless error of annihilation was invented by the devil in order to promote sin by banishing hell. And thousands fall for it. So when Jesus speaks of “the worm that never dies … .. the fire that is never quenched,” “the sons of the kingdom being cast into outer darkness where there will be (the) weeping and (the) gnashing of teeth” and about “fearing him that is able to destroy both soul and body in hell,” why you should just take that with a grain of salt. Adventists declare that teaching is an insult to the love and mercy of God. Unbelief will make void God’s word, won’t it? (cf. Rom. 3:3-4)

One of the most blatant errors of Adventists is the way they pervert the meaning of certain words. They take words like death, destroy, destruction, perish, blot out, and limit them to one meaning. They use these words to prove the wicked will not suffer eternal punishment for they cease to exist. It is hard for me to believe one can be intellectually honest and teach this error.

Guardian of Truth XXXV: 19, pp. 579-580
October 3, 1991

By Harold Fite

Fire in the domestic realm is beneficial, By it we cook our meals and warm ourselves. Fire also destroys our possessions and our lives. Fire can inflict intense pain upon the human body; disfigure and destroy it. One has only to go to the burn center in Galveston, Texas to witness the horrible results of fire on flesh.

God frequently used fire to punish the disobedient. He rained brimstone and fire on Sodom and Gomorrah (Gen. 19:24). He brought hail mingled with fire upon the Egyptians (Exod. 9:23). By fire God destroyed two hundred fifty men who were in rebellion (Num. 16:35). God sent fire upon Nadab and Abihu to devour them because they acted without his authority (Lev. 10:2). Someday the heavens will be dissolved by fire and the elements shall melt with fervent heat (2 Pet. 3:12).

I have observed naming fire consuming industrial buildings and felt the scorching heat two blocks away. I have seen huge furnaces in which fire generated incredibly high temperatures. In both instances I thought, “This must be, in a small measure, what Hell is like.”

People fear fire, and respect it. Yell “fire!” in a crowded room and people panic and rush madly for the exits. In their hysteria some have crushed others to death fleeing from the searching and searing flames bent on engulfing them. Here we have a paradox: while people will flee from fire, millions are racing toward the fire of hell – actually inviting it!

Hell is a place of fire. The Scriptures describe hell as a “lake of fire” (Rev. 20:14) ; “furnace of fire” (Matt. 13:42); and “hell fire” (Matt. 18:9). It is into this fire that the ungodly will be cast. How terribly frightening to contemplate being thrown into a lake consumed by fire, or into a suffocating, searing furnace of fire. This is just a hint of what the fire of hell will be like.

Whatever the nature of that fire, God used the word that would best describe hell. If it is a metaphor it is a “likeness or similarity set forth as reality.” The punishment of fire is far worse than anything we have seen, heard, or imagined.

Fire produces pain. Those who go to hell will be tormented by fire. Jesus said, “There will be wailing and gnashing of teeth” (Matt. 13:42). The rich man died and was buried, “and being in torments in Hades, he lifted up his eyes and saw Abraham afar off, and Lazarus in his bosom.

Then he cried and said, ‘Father Abraham, have mercy on me and send Lazarus that he may dip the tip of his finger in water and cool my tongue, for I am tormented in this flame.. (Lk. 16:23,24). He was in agony with no hope of relief.

The nature of this fire is “everlasting.” Jesus will ultimately say to those on his left hand, “Depart from me, you cursed, into the everlasting fire prepared for the devil and his angels” (Matt. 25:41). Jude describes it as “eternal” (Jude 7).

Jesus warns us that if we place our members at the disposal of sinful desires we shall be cast into hell fire, “where the worm dieth not, and the fire is not quenched. For everyone shall be salted by fire” (Mk. 9:48,49). There are two destructive forces: the worm and fire. Both suggests to us the permanence of retribution. The worm dieth not, therefore the “gnawing anguish” never ceases. Those in hell are “salted with fire” (preserved), therefore, the results remain constant. “The smoke of their torment ascends forever and ever; and they have no rest day or night” (Rev. 14:11). Just think, to be in constant agony forever, with no hope of escaping the horrors of hell.

“Knowing therefore the terror of the Lord, we persuade men” (2 Cor. 5:11).

Guardian of Truth XXXV: 19, p. 585
October 3, 1991

By Leon Odom

All Bible students familiar with the life of our Lord are cognizant of the fact that much of his personal teachings were involved in a confrontation with the Jews. The Jews always demonstrated that they had a real problem with their faith -both objectively and subjectively. In the times of the apostles they did not consider the gospel as a message directed to any Gentile, for to them the Gentile was despicable. However, Paul made the matter clear in Romans 1:16, declaring, “the gospel is the power of God unto salvation to everyone that believeth; to the Jew first and also to the Greek.” Hence the Jews often received rebukes, from both the Lord and the apostles, for their supercilious attitude toward those who were not the descendants of Abraham. The Jews not only had a faith problem relative to the gospel, but also with regards to their “belief” (or maybe we should say with their unbelief). Much of our Lord’s teachings on Hell emanated from conflict with the Pharisees.

This will serve to lead us into the text of this study. Matthew 8:5-13 is the record of the healing of the centurion’s servant. Here it is:

And when Jesus had entered Capernaum, a centurion came to him, pleading with him, saying, Lord, my servant is lying at home paralyzed, terribly tormented. And Jesus said unto him, I will come and heal him. The centurion answered and said, Lord I am not worthy that you should come under my roof. But only speak a word and my servant will be healed. For 1 also am a man under authority, having soldiers under me. And I say to this one, go, and he goes; and to another, come, and he comes; and to my servant, do this and he does it. When Jesus heard this he marveled, and said to those who followed, Assuredly, I say unto you, I have not found such great faith, not even in Israel! And I say to you, that many will come from the east and the west, and sit down with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob in the kingdom of heaven. But the sons of the kingdom will be cast out into outer darkness. There shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth.

Jesus marvels at the faith of the Gentile centurion. The only other reference where it is said that “Jesus marveled” is in Mark 6:6, where he marveled over the “unbelief” (lack of faith) of the Jews. “Sons of the kingdom” refers to the Jews, to whom the kingdom belonged by heritage, according to their thinking. The Gentiles are represented as those from the east and the west who come to him by faith.

The Lord is using a simile to get his message across. To the Jewish mind was always the association of the kingdom to a gala festivity. Picture such an event as in a great hall: being conducted at night the hall is ablaze with torches giving off a brilliant light. Those inside are in fellowship with the king and other loyal servants. The felicity of the occasion is indescribable. On the other hand, picture those on the outside looking in. They are in the absence of light. They are cast away into darkness.

This scribe finds it interesting to note that there are two darknesses contemplated in the Scriptures. We would simply put it, outside of the kingdom in the world of deluded, ignorant, lying and rebellious souls. From this darkness men can be saved and finally enjoy the bliss of eternal light (Rom. 1:16). The second darkness, which we would explore, is the “utterly outside” darkness from whence there is no escape and which will last throughout eternity; that is, never ending. This “outside darkness” is not to be viewed as merely the absence of light, life, and joy. We need to realize that it is a dreaded power that drags souls away from the light and holds them forever in its control.

When we begin to think of this “outer darkness” as a place, even as heaven is viewed as a place prepared for the faithful, it becomes more realistic. When the student of the Bible thinks of heaven, his heart should leap with joy and his expectation should run high. Heaven! A place prepared for those in fellowship with the Father. A place where we shall forever be in the benedictive presence of God. There we can walk through the Elysian fields of glory and live in the perpetual springtime of eternity with the redeemed of all the ages past. In that land that is fairer than day, we will eat of the fruit of the evergreen tree, and drink the waters of everlasting life. We will bask in the sunlight of God’s love and mingle our voices with the angels as they sing the song of Moses and the Lamb with the volume of a “mighty water-fall. ” There we shall gaze on the towering walls of jasper and the beautiful gates of pearl. And more importantly, we shall see our Savior as he is. No wonder John said, “Come Lord Jesus, come quickly.” What a day that will be when all of the faithful get home!

Hence when we contemplate such a gathering as that, then we can view the eternal punishment of the workers of iniquity with more appreciation for what Jesus said in our text. In the outer darkness we are shut out of the portals of heaven forever. Out of the presence of Deity! In the outer darkness of eternal night the misery is pictured as “weeping and gnashing of teeth.” In hell there is fire but no light; it is utter darkness,- darkness in extremity; the highest degree of darkness, without any remainder of semblance of hope for light. In hell there will be great grief and deep rivers of tears shed to no purpose. All of the anguish of spirit will be the order throughout ceaseless ages. The castaways will be conscious of the joys and delights of the heavenly host, and will be aware that there is between the two places a “great gulf fixed.” To emphasize it all, that misery will last forever and forever without end! Perish the thought of ever being cast into hell.

Neighbor friend, we can let that be only a place we read about and avoid. We need to strive to “walk in the light” of his word while here on earth so that we can revel in the “light of heaven’s eternity” when this pilgrim journey is ended.

Guardian of Truth XXXV: 19, pp. 584-585
October 3, 1991

By Charles N. Spence, Jr.

Nevertheless, because of sexual immorality, let each man his own wife, and let each woman have her own husband. Let the husband render unto his wife the affection her, and likewise also the wife to her husband. The wife does not have authority over her own body, but the husband does. And likewise the husband does not have authority his own body, but the wife does. Do not deprive one her except with consent for a time, that you may give yourselves to fasting and prayer and come together again so that Satan does not tempt you because of your lack of control” (1 Cor. 7:2-5).

The phrase “Justified Love” has become popularized by those who would condone sexual acts such as fornication, adultery and homosexuality. Many people believe that society could dictate what the morals should be at any given time. Their plea is, “You must go with the flow. ” They say since times have changed, the way society thinks should change. Their thinking is that the moral standard should reflect the prevalent attitude and behavior of society. Thus, the biblical view of sexuality becomes outdated and archaic. What the Bible deems as sinful sexual practices, society views as common and acceptable, therefore, justified love. The idea that the biblical view on sex should be interpreted in keeping with the moral standards of society has some startling consequences.

“There Is Nothing New Under The Sun”

Solomon once said, “The thing that hath been, it is that which shall be; and that which is done is that which shall be done: and there is no new thing under the sun. Is there anything whereof it may be said, See, this is new? it hath been already of old time, which was before us” (Eccl. 1:9-10). The immorality that man seeks to justify today is nothing new. In Leviticus 18, God gives the Israelites laws governing sexual practices. He commands them not to engage in adultery (v. 20) or homosexuality (v. 22). These practices, God says, were the practices of the Egyptians and the Canaanites (Lev. 18:3,27). The Israelites lived in the midst of a society where such sexual practices were common and acceptable, yet God did not tolerate such practices. Anyone who would be his would not be involved in such practices.

Paul also spoke of such practices that existed in his day. “For this cause God gave them up unto vile affections: for even their women did change the natural use into that which is against nature: and likewise also the men, leaving the natural use of the woman, burned in there lust one to ward another,- men with men working that which is unseemly, and receiving in themselves that recompense of their error was meet” (Rom. 1:26-27). From the language of the text one can see that the sexual practices that were condemned by God 1500 years earlier, were still condemned by God. The sins have not changed nor has God’s attitude toward the sins. What is the difference in the sins today? They were just as acceptable and prevalent back then as they are today. One cannot justify such practices and still remain in God’s favor. God has, throughout mankind’s existence, separated his people from the rest of society. And today he still exhorts his people by saying, “Come out of her, my people, that ye be not partakers of her sins and that ye receive not her plagues” (Rev. 18:4).

The only “Justified Love” that is scripturally sanctioned is, “Let the husband render unto his wife the affection due her, and likewise the wife to her husband” (1 Cor. 7:3). There is no other way to practice safe sex.

Guardian of Truth XXXV: 18, p. 559
September 19, 1991