Fallen and Flawed

Annihilationism [A Near-Definitive Guide]

Annihilationism is the belief that the final fate of those who are not saved is literal and final destruction…

A belief that runs against the traditional Christian understanding of hell.

So naturally as I worked through the doctrine of hell during my stint on last things, in the back of my mind I considered whether I’d address annihilationism.

It was bound to come up at some point, right?

And indeed, it did.

But when I went to do my homework, I realized quite quickly that I couldn’t possibly do the topic justice…

A handful of people before me have already answered all the arguments for annihilationism so much better than this half-baked intellectual could.

How can I add anything original to the discussion? Fact is, I couldn’t.

So instead I decided to pull together all the resources I could possibly find online–and share them with you.

In case you care, of course. [I know you do.]

Listen: Everything that I list here is going to be critical of annihilationism. But everything I list here is also very conversant with the advocates and arguments for annihilationism.

In other words, you can learn the arguments of annihilation advocates from reading the objections.

Of course nothing beats first-hand interaction–that is if you have the time. Enjoy.

Articles on Annihilationism

The Destruction of Hell Destroyed: Annihilationism Examined
Jeff Spencer concludes the the moral, linguistic, and exegetical arguments for the doctrine of annihilation all fall to the ground due to a lack of reason, lack of lexical evidence, and a lack of good, solid exegesis.

Is Hell Forever?
Stanley J. Grenz writes a nice, 2-page summary of annihilationism and it’s problems for Christianity Today.

Evangelicals and the Annihilation of Hell: Part One | Part Two
In a two part series, Alan W. Gomes examined the scriptural teaching on the doctrine of hell, paying particular attention to key passages from the Gospel of Matthew and the Book of Revelation.

Has Robert A. Peterson Defeated Annihilationism?
Glenn Peoples examines and challenges Peterson’s argument against annihilationism–and says it fails.

Is Hell Forever?
Professor of Theology at Southern Baptists Theological Seminary Milliard Erikson takes a swing at annihilationism.

Evangelical Annihilation in Review by J. I Packer

Unless Jesus Says Otherwise Hell Exists Asserts Evangelical Report
British group acknowledges differences on annihilationism, but says doctrine of hell must be preached again.

United Kingdom: Hell Isn’t Obsolete, Brits Say
The reality of hell, and the teaching that it is “occupied to some degree,” is reaffirmed in a 140-page report published in April by the Evangelical Alliance of the United Kingdom.

Undying Worm, Unquenchable Fire
What is hell—eternal torment or annihilation? Robert A. Peterson looks at the Evangelical Alliance’s The Nature of Hell.

The Hermeneutics of Annihilationism
Robert A. Peterson explores the theological methods of Edward Fudge, defender of annihilationism.

Destroyed for Ever
Tony Gray argues that annihilation is at the very least an option which ought to be considered fairly and honestly.

Eternal Punishment and John Stott
Kenneth MacLeod addresses Stott’s suggestion that the topic requires more humility.

B. B. Warfield on Annihilationism
Monergism has got a nice layout of this article by Warfield.

An Examination of Annihilationism
A systematic, detailed, scriptural argument against annihilationism by James Patrick Holding. Probably one of the best I’ve encountered.

Hell and Annihilationism
Sam Storms works over annihilationism using Revelation 14.

Is Hell Real or Simply Annihilation?
Nothing new to add to the discussion except a table with the scriptural realities of hell–which you might find helpful.

We Reject the Doctrine of the Annihilation of the Wicked
A nice creed-style rejection of annihilationism by J. H. Gosden found in What Gospel Standard Baptists Believe.

The Annihilation of Hell [1]
Martin Downes shares an excerpt of an interview with Robert A. Peterson [found in his book Risking the Truth].

The Annihilation of Hell [2]
Then Downes shares even more of that interview.

Historical Mentions of Annihilationism

Dialog with Trypho
Embryonic forms of conditional immortality can be found in the writing of Justin Martyr [d. 165].

The Epistle of Ignatius to the Magneseans
Ignatius of Antioch [d. 107] is also supposed to be a conditionalist according to some conditionalist writers.

Against the Heathens
Some suggest it is also found in the writings of Arnobius [d. 330]. See paragraph 61, last sentence.

Books on Annihilationism

The Doctrine of Eternal Punishment by Harry Buis

Four Views on Hell Contributions by Walvoord, Crockett, Hayes and Pinnock

Hell Under Fire: Modern Scholarship Reinvents Eternal Punishment Contributions by Beale, Block, Ferguson, Mohler, Moo, Packer and Yarbough

Repent or Perish: With a Special Reference to the Conservative Attack on Hell by John Gerstner

Death And The Afterlife by Robert Morey

The Doctrine of Endless Punishment by William Greenough Thayer Shedd

Hell on Trial: The Case for Eternal Punishment by Robert A. Peterson

Two Views of Hell A theological discussion of annihilationism between Robert A. Peterson [against] and Edward Fudge [for].

Risking The truth: Handling error in the church by Martin Downes Contains the interview with Robert A. Peterson.

Your Turn

If you know of a resource not included here [especially mp3s, which I couldn't find anywhere], please share in the comments. I’ll add to them to this post and give you credit.

Tags: Annihilation, Hell

4 Ways Final Judgment Can Influence Our Lives Now

“When the Son of Man comes in his glory, and all the angels with him, then he will sit on his glorious throne. Before him will be gathered all the nations, and he will separate people one from another as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats. And he will place the sheep on his right, but the goats on the left.”

Those aren’t Augustine’s words. Or Luther’s. Or Wesley’s. Spurgeon’s or Piper’s.

Those are the words of our Lord Jesus Christ. Words found in our sacred Scriptures.

That means that the doctrine of the Final Judgment is a doctrine we should teach and learn.

But not simply for head knowledge. Rather, we are looking for heart transformation. In this life.

The doctrine of the Final Judgment can do that. In fact, it can influence our lives in four specific ways. Here they are:

1. Satisfies Our Craving for Justice
We live in a world where justice is half-baked at best. Dictators murder millions. Babies are punched to death. And even if these criminals do go to court, it’s hard to fathom what actual justice looks like. We still feel a deep sense of loss over these tragedies.

However, the doctrine of the final judgment gives us a sense that because God is supreme and sovereign and keeps accurate records of all deeds and renders fair judgment, his universe is ultimately just and every crime–no matter it’s atrociousness–will be vindicated and our sense of justice pacified.

2. Enables Us to Forgive Others
I don’t care who you are–you will be wronged to some degree in this life. And it won’t just happen once. But repeatedly. And quite possibly by the same person. And you may be able to brush off those small insults, but at some point you will be wronged to such an intensity that you find it difficult to forgive. Bitterness will build. Hatred will creep in. And revenge crouches–ready to strike.

What the doctrine of the last judgment does is allow you to see that those who hurt you will ultimately be sentenced and punished–and that eternal punishment [hell] should break our hearts for that person so that in the end we follow Jesus’ example who said “Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do.”

3. Offers an Incentive to Live a Godly Life 
On the one hand, a view of final judgment [where our eternal destinies are decided] motivates us to remain faithful, obedient and godly. It leads us to “store up treasures in heaven.” This is the comfort that an awareness of the final judgment brings to believers.

On the other hand, the doctrine provides some moral restraint for non-believers. When we live in a culture that acknowledges a sense of God as creator and Judge, a fear of God pervades–even for the unbeliever. But when that fear of God is absent, we give ourselves up to greater and greater evil. The doctrine of final judgment is thus a warning to unbelievers to flee sin and submit to God.

4. Provides a Great Motive to Evangelize
When we understand that our decisions in this life will determine our eternal destiny, we are eager to echo Ezekiel’s appeal to the house of Israel and tell the lost, “Turn back, turn back from your evil ways; for why will you die, O house of Israel?” [Read some of my best advice for sharing your faith.]

Listen: This is a tough doctrine to articulate [and even personally absorb] because the prevailing culture–inside and outside of the church–is pretty much humanistic: We only care about what occurs in this world.

Yet as Christians, this is where we put our trust in the historical figure Jesus Christ–who lived, died and rose again–and the words that he preached and look for how to apply his sermons so we can live better in this life–AND the next.

With that in mind, what other ways does the doctrine of the Final Judgment influence our lives in the here and now? Can you think of any? Did I miss anything? What would you add? I look forward to your thoughts.

Tags: God, Judge, Judgment, Truth

Final Judgment [Do Not Take Lightly]

There is no getting around it–the Bible speaks of a coming day of ultimate and final judgment…

A day when Jesus will proclaim the eternal destinies of all people:

“And I saw the dead, great and small, standing before the throne, and books were opened. Then another book was opened, which is the book of life. And the dead were judged by what was written in the books, according to what they had done.” Revelation 20:12

This will be the event where God determines everyone’s spiritual condition–alive or dead.

It will be the ultimate separation of good and evil at the end of history. The Christian does not need to fear this moment. The unbeliever should.

The Biblical Fact of the Final Judgment

The Bible does not shy from the topic of a final judgment. Among all the details given on the final judgment, Jesus gives us one of the most vivid.

On the Mount of Olives he concludes his sermon with an explanation of the former parables [Ten Virginsand Ten Talents]:

When the Son of Man comes in his glory, and all the angels with him, then he will sit on his glorious throne. Before him will be gathered all the nations, and he will separate people one from another as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats. And he will place the sheep on his right, but the goats on the left. Matthew 25:31-46

This is the scene of the final judgment. An event that will occur at the end of history, after the millennium. All individuals and nations will be judged. John describes it like this:

Then I saw a great white throne and him who was seated on it. From his presence earth and sky fled away, and no place was found for them. And I saw the dead, great and small, standing before the throne, and books were opened.

All the dead and the living–from the beginning of time to the end of time–will be judged.

Who and What Will Be Judged?

No man is excused from this judgment. Each of us will give account of ourselves to God. Believer and unbeliever alike will stand before the his judgment seat.

For the unbeliever, their deepest secrets will be exposed and every wrong deed laid out on the table–whether good or evil. Based on these deeds, Jesus will measure out degrees of punishment.

But the most condemning piece of evidence against the unbeliever will be their persistent rejection of God’s salvation.

Believers, on the other hand, will be judged out of The Book of Life–a list of all who accepted God’s mercy through Christ.

Indeed, all their deeds will also be judged. But they will be judged to bestow degrees of reward–not on their justification. For those who trust in the Lord, repent of sin and walk in his ways will not be condemned: ”There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus.”

Who Will Judge?

The Bible is quite clear: the judge will be Jesus.

I charge you in the presence of God and of Christ Jesus, who is to judge the living and the dead, and by his appearing and his kingdom. 2 Timothy 4:1

And he commanded us to preach to the people and to testify that he is the one appointed by God to be judge of the living and the dead. Acts 10:42:

Because he has fixed a day on which he will judge the world in righteousness by a man whom he has appointed; and of this he has given assurance to all by raising him from the dead. Acts 17:31

God gave the son this right to judge:

For as the Father has life in himself, so he has granted the Son also to have life in himself. And he has given him authority to execute judgment, because he is the Son of Man. John 5:26-27

Jesus’ death is a unique judgment where God paid the price justice demands for mankind’s sin. The death and resurrection of Jesus Christ are the foundations on which sinners are saved. So it is significant that he is chosen to be the judge.

The Necessity of the Final Judgment

The final and ultimate judgment at the end of history is simply the culmination of redemptive history and God’s frequent judgment on his people. From the earliest of time, God has been mankind’s judge.

In the Old Testament God brought abundant blessing on mankind but he also visited judgment on them, too, for their constant rebellion and unfaithfulness.

Think the Flood, the tower of Babel and Sodom and Gomorrah. And to this day God’s judgment continues against sin and idolatry and unfaithfulness.

Judgments throughout history serve as warnings for the consequences of unbelief, “For what can be known about God is plain to them, because God has shown it to them.”

In this way God’s historical judgment and the future, final judgment reflect his character. It reveals his holiness, justice and wrath.

Yet, if believers pass from death into presence with God and unbelievers into a state of separation from God, why does God have a time of final judgment at all?

Simple. It serves the purpose of displaying before all rational creatures the declarative glory of God in a formal, forensic act.

Final Judgment Should Not Be Taken Lightly

The Bible’s message of God’s grace is set against the backdrop of a just God before whom we live. A just God who demands the satisfaction that crimes against him [for that is what sin is] be paid in full.

Crime demands justice. God’s judgment of unrepentant criminals naturally flows from this. On the other hand, his justification of repentant criminals flows from his grace. And this accomplishes one, very important thing…

In the end, all human history–from creation to the final judgment to heaven and hell–glorifies Jesus.  He will be glorified through both grace and judgement.

For the believer, falling down before God’s throne to worship him will be a privilege. It will be all misery and torment for the unbeliever.

Let’s do what we can to make sure we bring as many believers with us.

Tags: Heaven, Hell, Judge, Judgment, Throne

Anti-Christ [Not a Doctrine of Idle Speculation]

I don’t know. Out of all of the doctrines of last things we’ve covered in the past couple months, the doctrine of the Anti-Christ appears to be one we could live without.

What I mean by that is this: This doctrine is not a lynch pin to the Christian faith.

Not the same with the doctrines of Christ’s second coming, hell or heaven.

We could neglect the doctrine of the Anti-Christ and not suffer. Our theological architecture wouldn’t collapse.

Or would it?

Anti-Christ in the Bible

Here’s what the Bible says about the Anti-Christ:

Children, it is the last hour, and as you have heard that antichrist is coming, so now many antichrists have come. Therefore we know that it is the last hour. 1 John 2:18

The word “anti-christ” never appears outside of 1 John. But it’s got a presence in one of Paul’s letters and the book of Revelation.

In it’s rock-bottom definition it means “anyone against Christ.”

But while “many anti-christs” were present, John narrows his meaning to a person who rejects Christ as the son of God and denies Jesus’ humanity.

Paul calls this person a “man of lawlessness” who will oppose Christ and exalt himself as God.

In the book of Revelation John describes the Anti-Christ as the beast, a counterfeit Christ. This beast will astonish the world with a fake resurrection, persuading people to glorify him.

Is [Insert Historical Figure Here] the Anti-Christ?

Throughout the ages, Christians have been tempted to name a religious or political figure the Anti-Christ. Nero was a target. So was Arius.

But the fact is, all attempts fail.

The end-time tyrant’s deeds will overshadow the acts of even the worst historical figures.

Here’s what we know: the influence of the Anti-Christ runs through the thread of Scripture–from the Serpent in Genesis to the Beast in Revelation.

And his spirit of deception dwells upon the earth now. That means the doctrine of the Anti-Christ is NOT a doctrine of idle speculation.

No. The main reason the Bible discusses the Anti-Christ is to urge believers to stand firm in their faith and resist his deceit.

In this sense it dovetails with other last thing doctrines, like the Millennium and the Tribulation. That makes it a critical doctrine. One we can’t ignore.

Fortunately, the Anti-Christ will not prevail. Jesus will return to conquer and judge. And that’s not an idle hope. But something we can sink our faith into.

Tags: Anti-Christ, Doctrine, Last Things

3 Ways of Looking at the Great Tribulation

About two years ago a friend asked me what I thought about the tribulation.

My response: “The what?”

I obviously hadn’t thought about it.

The question is, should I have thought about it?

More importantly, is this a doctrine that promotes a healthy, meaningful Christian life?

Or is this simply a speculative future event that causes nothing but fights?

I want to argue that it will indeed help Christians live a vivid, meaningful Christian life. That it can actually encourage us. And, combined with other doctrines of the last things, provide comfort.

But I’m getting ahead of myself. Let’s define the Great Tribulation real quick.

What Is the Great Tribulation?

The Bible talks about a time in the future of great anguish–tribulation–exceeding anything we’ve ever known:

…And he said to me, “These are the ones coming out of the great tribulation. They have washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb. Revelation 7:14

However, this is not to be confused with the general tribulation of common people [think childbirth] or believers [think torture] or God’s specific wrath found in hell.

No.

This is a short but dramatic burst of intense moral evil and natural disasters that will cover the globe. [See Daniel 7-12.]

How short? Seven years. But WHEN will it happen? In general, there are three positions on this doctrine of last things that describe the when:

Posttribulation
Some people believe that the church will be present during the entire 7-year tribulation. Christ’s second coming will occur at the end of this period.

Pretribulation
A belief that simply sees Christ coming to rapture his church [read: remove them from the world] before the tribulation.

Midtribulation
This position sees the church present during the first 3.5 years of the tribulation…before the severe anguish starts.

As you can see, we don’t have exact dates. That should tell us something: We aren’t supposed to calculate exact dates.

To do so–and then fail–will unnecessarily jeopardize our faith.

But it tells us something else: We are to be ever watchful and faithful. This is one of the redeemable qualities of this doctrine.

Here’s another: When combined with Christ’s second coming and the general resurrection, it provides comfort and encouragement.

To be honest, I don’t have a position on when the great tribulation will occur. Like the doctrine of the millennium, the when is not so important as the why.

Besides, this is not an issue Christians should die on the hill over. Neither is it something to quibble with unbelievers.

What about you: Ever think about the Tribulation? Ever read The Left Behind books? [I haven't.] Did I miss something in the positive benefits this doctrine provides? Also, can anyone tell me the place and date of the above photo? Don Dudley will shine your shoes if you get it right.

Tags: Persecution, Rapture, Tribulation