Indeed, he vowed to destroy them and the land “like the destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah…which the Lord destroyed in his fierce anger…’” (Deut. Deut. While their writings are not canonical (they are not on par with the words of the Bible), they do help us to see what those closest to the apostles first understood as Biblical Truth. 2But for you who fear my name, the sun of righteousness shall rise with healing in its wings. 15:28 it would seem that the early church offered baptism for the dead in some lost ritual, the idea soon became that the dead were not only without hope, but doomed. Soul sleep is clearly not the orthodox view of the Christian church and both Conditionalism and Universalism was condemned as early as the Second Council of Constantinople in 553 AD while the Fifth Lateran Council (1512-1517) later condemned erroneous views on the soul. 4:4; 7:20; 21:12; Ezek. Titus Flavius Clemens was the first significant and recorded Christian from the church of Alexandria, Egypt. 69:28, cf. 5:13; 7:3, 6; 20:21; Ps. This is particularly true of the phrase “forever and ever” since similar phrases are used elsewhere in Scripture in contexts where they clearly cannot literally mean “unending” (e.g. 4:1). Arnobius, an African Christian apologist who died in 330 was outspoken and very clear on the issue. Two things may be said in response to this. Mark 9:43And if thy hand offend thee, cut it off: it is better for thee to enter into life maimed, than having two hands to go into hell… Nope, but it obviously takes a certain amount of time because these people are given no rest day or night and the smoke is “of their torment” exists. (For a discussion on the reasons we do not see this as a Biblical view see article “What About Annihilationism?” There is a third view in which many of the Early Church, even evidence of the majority , as well as a continual thread throughout history have ascribed to … The Scripture says, ‘The soul who sins shall die.’, Ezekiel 18:20. It rather seems that this teaching often has the opposite effect. Fill in your details below or click an icon to log in: You are commenting using your WordPress.com account. It strikes me that the overwhelming majority (virtually all) of those who defend annihilationism do so on exegetical grounds. ( they arent allowed in the city ? shove, if I have to choose (as I usually do) between a church with otherwise good, biblical, evangelical theology that also believes in eternal torment in Hell, and one whose only upside is that it teaches annihilationism (as opposed to just tolerating it among its members), I will … So while in 1 Cor. He announced that the Messiah “will clear his threshing floor and will gather his wheat into the grainary; but the chaff he will burn with unquenchable fire” (Matt. We are to choose – that is our decision. 3:12). Conditional Immortality (Annihilationism) Quotes from Christian History. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 1991. pp. The Early Church Fathers, with very few exceptions, agree with the teaching of the Bible in the way they describe Hell: 1. her land shall become burning pitch. The second century apologist Tatian ( an associate of Justin Martyr) wrote; ‘The soul is not in itself immortal, O Greeks, but mortal’. I tend to agree with you about your assessment of the Christians WK quoted. 29:20). Are the unsaved resurrected? We’re talking about something that is damaged and somehow repaired enough to be damaged again so that the damaging can be endless. Did they believe in universalism (Rob Bell's "Love Wins" ) or in annihilationism (Conditionalism)? (Revelation 20:12), Are they then cast into fire and burned? It’s why (I shall argue) the Kingdom of God is largely absent…, In the first three parts of this review of Scott Oliphint’s God with Us we’ve outline his attempt to reframe all God’s accommodations in Scripture in light of the Chalecedonian Creed. 39 Or when saw we thee sick, or in prison, and came unto thee? Once that happens the souls of the wicked would continue to exist in a disembodied form and be condemned to water the black void of this dead Universe for all eternity (as wandering stars described in Jude), finally having been granted their ultimate wish which was to exist in a Universe where God does not exist. 1:10). The Psalmist’s emphasis on the total destruction of the wicked has parallels throughout the Old Testament. Having said that, if someone has a historical case to make, then I’d like to see how they interpret the Bible and where the line of tradition is for their view. Therefore, annihilationism simply can't work in light of what the Scriptures teach. The Edomites were simply wiped out and the figurative language is used to emphasize the permanent consequences of the judgement. The belief in Annihilationism has appeared throughout Christian history, but has always been in the minority. In short, the fate of the wicked is disintegration into nothingness. He justly punishes their sin and forbids them a place within the Kingdom. However, I believe that annihilationism is the most consistent with the teachings of both the Old and New Testaments, as well as of the beliefs of the early Church. 10:28). Is this view really compatible with a God whose heart was expressed in Jesus’ dying prayer, “Father, forgive them, they know not what they do” (Lk 23:34)? save hide report. That is, there is no one word that is translated into the English word "hell." Category: Essays 6:16). shove, if I have to choose (as I usually do) between a church with otherwise good, biblical, evangelical theology that also believes in eternal torment in Hell, and one whose only upside is that it teaches annihilationism (as opposed to just tolerating it among its members), I will … Rather, God keeps them in existence for the sole purpose of having them experience pain. Do NOT follow this link or you will be banned from the site. 5:24). 100:5; 103:9; 106:1; 107:1; Ps 118;1-4, 29; 136:10-26). Click to expand... Jesus and the apostles taught eternal torment in the lake of fire, that is enough for any christian, there should be no divide on this. ( Log Out /  I will leave this up for you to decide. While I am not completely convinced of this position, I think it is worthy of serious consideration. Annihilationism (also known as extinctionism or destructionism) is a Christian belief that apart from salvation the final punishment of human beings results in their total destruction rather than their everlasting torment. It can’t be that I’m the exception, because virtually none of the literature I know of does what you imply. On the other hand, I think a case can be made that the spirit or soul in man has a permanent existence but needs a body to really experience its purpose. Moreover, all who are “enemies of the cross” have “destruction” as their final end (Phil. Life and immortality are connected with following God, death with following Satan. 50:22) and “blotted out of the book of the living…” (Ps. “Death,” losing life, and “perishing” are not easily read as signifying another kind of life, viz. If no one in two thousand years of church history has taught a doctrine, it is almost certainly incorrect. Mark 9 matches Is 66 John 3:15–16; 10:28; 17:2; Rom. Sort by. As we assemble the teachings of these first church leaders, several patterns emerge related to the nature of Hell. For the sake of space, I will limit it to one verse that sums it up. Sin results in separation from the Father. The teachings of the early believers have been preserved for us in the writings of the earliest church leaders (known as the Early Church Fathers). ( It would appear we will be clothed with our actions), Jude 1:12 After the first generations, as early as Irenaeus in the 2 nd Century A.D., there were Christians who even looked at the existence of hell as a good thing. – Hades (H/T The Poached Egg). And they that be wise shall shine as the brightness of the firmament; and they that turn many to righteousness as the stars for ever and ever How NOT To Be Christ-Centered: A Review of God With Us – Part IV, The Cross and the Witness of Violent Portraits of God, Interpreting Violent Pictures and Troubling Behaviors, The Case for Including Open Theism Within Arminianism. The teaching that the wicked will be completely destroyed is even stronger in the New Testament. WK, given that I have read what is likely to be most of the evangelical defences and critiques of annihilationism in the last fifty years (as well as looking at historical arguments), and given that you said that the “vast majority” who swing away from eternal torment do so because they’re just “asserting their emotions,” I have to ask what sort of a survey of the literature you’ve done. Hell is a place of separation from God Consider that in the traditional view, the wicked are not being punished to learn something. 2:15–16). The same can be said for universalism, the idea that all people will ultimately be reconciled to God and eternally saved (which, I admit, seems to me to have been more widespread than conditionalism overall). The big point we are building up to here is that the early church fathers DID NOT believe in eternal torment. 16:19–31; Rom. With the same force, the Psalmist proclaimed that the wicked “will soon fade like the grass, and wither like the green herb” (Ps. wandering stars….). The elect do not undergo an eternal process of redemption. His anger endures for a moment, but his mercy endures forever (Ps 103:8-14). 14:10–11) and that all things will be reconciled to God (Col. 1:20, cf. Judge and ye shall not be judged, condemn not and ye shall be forgiven, forgive and ye will be forgiven. The most difficult passages for annihilationists to explain are Revelation 14:10-11 and 20:10. SCHOOLS USER LOGIN. But I think for the vast majority of people who reject the traditional notion of hell, they are just asserting their emotions and intuitions over the Bible and the traditional interpretations of the early church. a year of recompense for the cause of Zion. This goes against the teaching of scripture, and even Ignatius. I’ve done alot of research into this topic and I believe I’ve come up with a view that reconciles annihilationism and the doctrine of eternal torment. The wicked shall be so thoroughly destroyed that they shall not even be remembered (Ps. Along the same lines, it’s not clear how heaven could ever truly be heaven if it co-exists alongside an eternal hell. 66:24, cf. They all denote total annihilation. With the same force the apostle teaches that “[s]udden destruction” will come upon the wicked in the last days (1 Thess. Then the disembodied souls of the wicked are finally granted their deepest wish, which is to exist in a Universe that is bereft of God’s presence. And if they who do these things according to the flesh suffer death. The word of God is love and this applies for non believers. I think most, if not all, people who object to the traditional doctrine of hell do it for one reason only – because they don’t want to appear to be mean, so that non-Christians will like them. God’s justice shall be severe and ought to be dreaded. Death is separation from God as seen in the garden of Eden. For the first few centuries of new covenant church history, most who wrote on hell simply employed biblical language. These passages speak of the wicked being tormented “day and night forever and ever.” However, these passages are not as decisive against the annihilationist’s view as they might initially seem. Similarly, the Lord’s plan for “evildoers” is to “cut off the remembrance of them from the earth…evil brings death to the wicked” (Ps. and their blossom go up like dust, The early church was predominantly Jewish, of course. Defenders of the traditional view justify this on the grounds that Old Testament authors weren’t concerned with the afterlife. A interesting read is the about the rich man in Lazarus… The guy had a tongue, mouth, ears, speech and was in torment.. Matt 10:28 sheds a bit of light – Do not be afraid of those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. Complete annihilation of evil was rejected as heretical by the fifth century. There is Hades and the Lake of Fire (20:14-15). Obviously one of the big divisions between annihilationists vs. both endless hell believers & purgatorialists is whether or not we take literally the apoleia destruction. Where is your evidence? And it is possible that the eternal life promised in the Bible refers to having your soul united with a body that never dies. Near death experience research proves of a hell and a heaven, but its not exactly like they bible say. Answer: Annihilationism is the belief that unbelievers will not experience an eternity of suffering in hell, but will instead be “extinguished” after death. He wrote several volumes defending the faith against Gnosticism and other early heresies of the Church, and he often compared eternal punishment to eternal reward, drawing the conclusion that one endured as long as the other: …Christ Jesus, our Lord, and God, and Saviour, and King, according to the will of the invisible Father, ‘every knee should bow, of things in heaven,, and things in earth, and things under the earth, and that every tongue should confess’ to Him, and that He should execute just judgment towards all; that He may send ‘spiritual wickednesses,’ and the angels who transgressed and became apostates, together with the ungodly, and unrighteous, and wicked, and profane among men, into everlasting fire; but may, in the exercise of His grace, confer immortality on the righteous, and holy, and those who have kept His commandments, and have persevered in His love, some from the beginning of their Christian course, and others from the date of their repentance, and may surround them with everlasting glory. Annihilationism is the teaching that those who die apart from Christ will simply cease to exist. There are no sinners in the new creation—God is all in all. Unfortunately, some (but not all) early Church fathers accepted the Hellenistic view and consequently read into Scripture the view that the wicked suffer unending torment. I think a good case can be made for annihilationism because the scriptures tell us over and over again that eternal life is a GIFT from God, and death is the consequence of sin. Their redemption is “eternal” in the sense that once the elect are redeemed, it is forever. From the annihilationist perspective, God’s justice and mercy unite in condemning the wicked to extinction. However, this view creates some…, What Is the Kingdom of God? That’s great for refining our understanding, but not for disproving ultimate destruction of the wicked (the second death), which would be eternal. Hell is a place of torment in which the rebellious are in anguish and pain xiv + 300. how much more if a man corrupt by evil reaching the faith of God. Isa 33:11). Rev 20:6 Jesus also said not to be afraid of those who can kill the body but not the soul, but instead to be afraid of the One who can destroy both the soul and the body. It could be argued that when he says, “…to the doom of fire at once without ending and without break” he means the fire will never end, and the burning of the wicked will never end, but he does not mean their torment will never end. It should be noted however that as Tertullian is one of the most explicit about the punishment, he is the latest of the writer’s presented here. In light of the actual written evidence from the Early Church Fathers themselves, this pleading seems simply incredible. Is it true that the Annhilationist view is popular among the early church? I didn’t come to this understanding lightly. Definitely. This view is very common and you might even be nodding your head in agreement with that description. How is this consistent with the traditional teaching that God’s love and anger are equally eternal? Sentient beings do not suffer eternally, as the traditional view of hell teaches. Neither new earth or the eventual place called gehenna (generally what people think of when they hear “hell”) are were people go immediately after death, since these come about with the second coming. Annihilationism is the belief that the final fate of those who are not saved is literal and final death and destruction. Is 66:24 really reminds of the story of the rich man & Lazarus. There are also some early Christian writers who wrote letters indicating that they believed in annihilationism. Annihilationism is the teaching that those who die apart from Christ will simply cease to exist. Frankly, from scripture you can argue 1) this view, 2) the view that the wicked are completely annihilated, and 3) the view that the wicked spend eternity roasting in a furnace. The OP asked for the majority belief of the early church. This is not, however, the case with annihilationism. Here is one ( there are more) Sorry, your blog cannot share posts by email. Rom. Who goes to hell? VI. And, as we all know, souls can die. Paul made this very very clear in Romans 6, 7, 8. Why should a conservative Christian have an alias when posting online? 3:10). (2 Peter 3:10). Change ), You are commenting using your Twitter account. If one still wishes to believe that the fate of the wicked is never ending torment, one simply must believe the doctrine of Tertullian. At the same time, the earliest Church Fathers are ambiguous on those areas where the Bible is ALSO ambiguous. When all the biblical evidence is assessed apart from the Hellenistic philosophical assumption that the soul is innately immortal, it becomes clear that the fate of the wicked is eventual annihilation, not unending torment. Supporting Arguments Paul utilizes this same contrast when he states that while those who proclaim the gospel are “the fragrance of life” to “those who are being saved,” they are “the smell of death” to “those who are perishing” (2 Cor. Here are a couple of points regarding physical and spiritual death. 185–254) in De Principiis. 9:6; 34:16). 3And you shall tread down the wicked, for they will be ashes under the soles of your feet, on the day when I act, says the LORD of hosts. While he had a tendency to blend Greek and Christian philosophies, his view on the issue of Hell was derived from the scriptures: All souls are immortal, even those of the wicked. Rather, be afraid of the One who can destroy both soul and body in hell, Is 66:24 And they shall go out and look on the dead bodies of the men who have rebelled against me. 7:19; 13:40; John 15:6). There are no sinners in the new creation—God is all in all. Yes. Tags: Afterlife, Essay, Heaven and Hell, Judgement Book review of “If there’s a God, why are there atheists?”. Every action has a consequence ( good or bad). The New Testament has many other ways of describing the fate of the wicked. Obviously this fire that destroyed Edom is not still burning. Posted by 18 days ago. 2) Clement of Alexandria – People should know something is not right when they read, ‘All souls are immortal, even those of the wicked’. Couple of scriptures come to mind: Jesus Jesus did not use the eternal punishment of hell in the context of annihilation. How can Christians become more comfortable with the doctrine of Hell? As in the Old Testament, the wicked are frequently depicted as being destroyed by fire. I will not comment on all the fathers, but I wish point out a few things: 1) Ignatius of Antioch – While at first it may seem that Ignatius argues in favor of never-ending conscious torment, he says no such thing. Care to share that list? May I point out there is vast difference between “eternal existence” and “eternal life” ? Annihilationists believe that this approach is mistaken. Man was created to be Gods judge and have dominion. 2:7; 6:23; 1 Cor. Does this seem like the sort of thing the “Abba” Father of Jesus would do? 2. Early Christian Evidence Against Annihilationism (these quotations taken from the Ante-Nicene Fathers set published by Hendrickson are meant to show how the Biblical evidence was interpreted in the early days of Christianity) Barnabas [c. 70-130 A.D.]—”The way of darkness is crooked, and it is full of cursing. Check out Rev 19: “and them that worshipped his image. with no one to quench them” (Isa. What is life really like for Americans living in poor households? A person will reap exactly what they sow. While the righteous “abide forever” (37:27), “the wicked perish…like smoke they vanish away” (Ps. Jesus himself describes hell as a consuming fire several times (Matt. Our love and our works cover sin until we meet Jesus the day He comes for us. 10:39). “Where their worm dieth not, and the fire is not quenched.” Where (in the Bible, not Dante’s Inferno) do we find any evidence that people will be regenerated constantly so that an unquenchable fire would never completely consume them while still burning them enough for pain and smoke? What I’ve found is that the more the church in Rome stole the rights of Christians everywhere to discern scriptural truth, the more things (like unquestioned immortality of the soul) that smack of Roman culture tend to find their way into the non-canon church writings. Early Christians who believed this almost always believed the fire was literal. (“Against Heresies” 1:10:10), The penalty increases for those who do not believe the Word of God and despise his coming. If not, then the birth of Christ will be aborted spiritually as much it is in a actual physical abortion ( Gal 2 – my little children in whom I labor till Christ in formed in you – this was written to Christians). share. The wicked are “destroyed forever” (Ps 92:7), but they are not forever being destroyed. 1. He was a disciple of Polycarp and a notable early apologist for the faith. In my opinion #3 has the weakest support. So too, if anyone “destroys the temple of God, God will destroy that person” (1 Cor. And Paul teaches that the quest for riches can plunge people into “ruin and destruction” (1 Tim. The central revelation of God in the New Testament is that God is love (I Jn 4:8, 16). I want to begin by asking, “What is the kingdom of God?” This may seem like a rather obvious question. – Second death Larry V. Crutchfield, "The Apostle John and Asia Minor as a source of premillennialism in the early Church Fathers," Journal of the Evangelical Theological Society 31.4 (Dec. 1988): 411-427. pdf : Brian E. Daley, The Hope of the Early Church: Eschatology in the Patristic Age. and those who forsake the Lord shall be consumed. 40 And the King shall answer and say unto them, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me. For they are punished with the endless vengeance of quenchless fire. Penal Substitution View of Atonement: Did God the Father Just Need to Vent? I think that’s a stretch. It is the belief that unbelievers will be "wiped out" or "annihilated" sometime after death. Imagine if the wicked are resurrected with physical bodies and then judged. The New Testament also frequently expresses the destiny of the wicked by depicting them as dying or perishing (apollymi). And because the fire is ‘godly’, it’s incorruptibility will somehow ‘rub off’ on the clearly mortal humans. It is not something we are born with. Should you reject the Biblical notion of Hell based on emotions? Sentient beings do not suffer eternally, as the traditional view of hell teaches. Change ), You are commenting using your Google account. Instead he argues that the fire itself is in possession of immortality. Blessed and holy is the one who shares in the first resurrection! Here are some additional thoughts by Dr. Richard Beck who wrote of his reasons for abandoning his view of annihilationism: But the fact that annihilationism is murder isn’t what ultimately changed my mind. It runs counter to the mainstream traditional Christian understanding of hell as eternal suffering and separation from God. 5:3). The scriptures suggest they still have their body ( the spiritual realm and physical realm are joined together again as it was in the garden of Eden). Also I’m Methodist, but really nondenominational. I’m saying that virtually all of it argues from exegesis. [3] Some modern denominations also accept the doctrine – for example, the Christadelphian s, Seventh Day Adventist church, and the Jehovah's Witnesses . 2:10–11, cf. The manner in which the rebellious are kept alive in spite of ‘deathly’ anguish is also un-described. Each metaphor depicts total annihilation. The worshipers of God shall always be with God, clothed in the proper substance of eternity. While I am not completely convinced of this position, I think it is worthy of serious consideration. Debating forgiveness: must a person admit wrongdoing before being forgiven? Annihilationism removes that problem with the guillotine. for the sake of which Jesus Christ was crucified? So what are some of the examples you have in mind when you describe the “vast majority.” It’s not something you can now dismiss, having made this claim that portrays people who hold my view so poorly. They believed that Hell was a place of eternal conscious torment, reflecting the clearest teaching of the scriptures (more on that HERE). Hell is eternal in consequence, not duration. That is, you must believe that God will somehow keep the mortal humans alive forever, so that they can experience conscious unending torture. A living creature is a (living) ‘soul’. But once they are punished and destroyed, it is forever. “…as the tongue of fire devours the stubble, Now, Scripture certainly teaches that the wicked are punished eternally, but not that the wicked endure eternal punishment. Thus the issue that some will go to hell is decided, but the issue of who in particular will go to hell is undecided. For example, John the Baptist proclaimed that “every tree…that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown in the fire” (Matt. James teaches that God alone is able to both “save and destroy” (Jam. Why are some Christians uncomfortable with the doctrine of Hell? Therefore, annihilationism simply can't work in light of what the Scriptures teach. 8 Many have asserted that the rise of immortal-soulism has its roots in the influence of … For their worm shall not die, their fire shall not be quenched, and they shall be an abhorrence to all flesh. Is able to both “ save and destroy ” ( Obed vessel ” ( nahum 1:10 ) kind of the... To teach the teachings of these first church leaders, several patterns emerge related to the nature of hell.... Fathers were also absolutely firm on the Bible related to the soul who sins shall die. ’, 18:20. / never ending hell, annihilationism simply ca n't work in light of what the Kingdom a in... Point out there is Hades and the Old Testament the teaching that those who have rejected God to... Burns for all eternity its roots in the book of Revelation literally throughout! Natural ’ immortality of the rich man & Lazarus are wicked will suffer, perhaps long... 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