Defining Hell

The concept of “hell” has been a cornerstone of Christian theology for centuries, eliciting various interpretations. The popular view holds that it is a place where the wicked are tormented, most commonly by fire, throughout all eternity. However, an increasingly prevalent viewpoint is annihilationism, or conditional immortality. This stance maintains that instead of enduring eternal conscious torment, the wicked face ultimate destruction — a state referred to as the “second death.” This school of thought further interprets the term “eternal” — in the context of “eternal life” and “eternal death” — as denoting the unending nature of the condition, whether life or death, not the continuous process of living or dying.

Annihilationism rests on several pivotal biblical passages. Matthew 10:28¹⁾, for example, records Jesus' admonition to not fear those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul; instead, fear should be reserved for Him who can destroy both soul and body in hell. Similarly, 2 Thessalonians 1:9 has Paul describing those who disobey the gospel of Jesus and do not know God as subject to the penalty of eternal destruction, severed for all time from the Lord's presence. Moreover, Revelation 20:14 symbolizes death and Hades, the common symbols of “hell”, being cast into the lake of fire — a depiction of the second death.

From an annihilationist standpoint, the wicked's punishment and torment entail their absolute and irrevocable separation from God, culminating in the second death as there is no life without God. It holds that the wicked, following their final demise, are left with no further prospect of resurrection or salvation. Thus, the “eternal” in terms such as “eternal life” and “eternal punishment” is understood to refer to the endless state of the person, whether in physical life (in body and soul with God) or in physical death (of body and soul without God.)

Eternal conscious torment, as traditionally conceptualized, raises several challenging questions and practical implications. One such query is whether the redeemed, those who have received salvation, can see and hear the wicked in their torment. This concept brings discomfort to many, as it contradicts the depiction of heaven as a place of absolute peace, joy, and fellowship with God. Would the redeemed find eternal happiness while being constantly aware of the perpetual suffering of others, perhaps including people they once knew and loved?

This question underlines the dilemma posed by eternal conscious torment — the idea of a paradise shadowed by an ever-present realm of infinite suffering. Moreover, it raises questions about the nature of the redeemed: Would they remain empathetic to suffering? If so, how could they enjoy eternal bliss while aware of ongoing torment? Conversely, if they become indifferent to suffering, would that be a compromise of their moral sensibilities, cultivated by the teachings of Christ about compassion, love, and mercy?

Similar issues arise regarding God's omnipresence, a core theological principle. If God is everywhere, is He also in hell, witnessing the torment of the damned? Yet, hell is often described as a place of complete separation from God — a notion that seems to contradict God's omnipresence.

Annihilationism effectively sidesteps these paradoxes and dilemmas. By proposing that the wicked cease to exist after judgment, it obviates the question of the redeemed's awareness of the wicked's torment, as well as the paradox of God's omnipresence in a place of utter godlessness.

Understanding God's nature is critical to the annihilationist view. The Bible characterizes God as infinitely just, but also infinitely merciful and loving. Consequently, the concept of eternal conscious torment raises questions about God's mercy and justice. Annihilationists argue against the idea of a God, who after existing for an infinite time and offering eternal life to the redeemed, would impose endless torment on the wicked, whose transgressions occurred within a finite lifespan. They contend that such a notion of God contradicts the broader depiction of God's nature found throughout scripture.

Let's paint a picture. Imagine, for instance, that God has existed for at least 30 billion years. That's a few billion more than the age of the universe according to current estimates from the science community of 13-26 billion years. Given that God always has been and always will be, this figure, enormous as it is, barely scratches the surface of His infinite existence.

Now, let's suppose that the redeemed will also live another 30 billion years — the beginning of eternal life. This is a reasonable assumption and an understatement when considered against eternity.

When you combine the supposed 30 billion years of God's existence prior to us, and the additional 30 billion years of life for the redeemed, we're considering a timescale of at least 60 billion years for God and at least 30 billion for humanity. This time frame, both colossal to human comprehension and negligible when weighed against the scale of true infinity, sets the stage for our comparison. Since we cannot comprehend infinity, and we cannot perform meaningful comparisons against it, we will forget about eternity.

How do the lifespans of lost sinners compare to 30 billion years of human existence? Let's examine the case of a lost sinner who lived for 90 years. When viewed against the 30 billion years of humanity, 90 years becomes a mere blip — practically negligible. To put it in perspective, 90 years equates to just 0.0000003% of 30 billion. Or, put the other way around, 30 billion years is over 330 million times longer than 90 years! In comparison to our proposed 60 billion years of God's time, the comparisons are 0.00000015% and 660 million.

Now, here's the real kicker. Despite these minuscule proportions, some argue that God would impose a punishment on these sinners, relative to their lifespans versus the first 30 billion years of human eternity, lasting — at a bare minimum, since our human period of 30 billion years is infinitely less than eternity — 330 million times longer than the lifetime of the 90-year-old.

The traditional view of hell, with its neverending conscious torment, asks us to believe that our just and merciful God of love will impose such incomprehensibly long periods of living anguish upon those who were sinners for what was in effect a mere blip in time.

When you stop and really think about it, doesn't that seem fundamentally absurd?

Support for annihilationism appears to be reinforced by the prophetic vision of the New Heaven and New Earth in Revelation 21:4. This envisages a time where God “will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and death shall be no more, neither shall there be mourning, nor crying, nor pain anymore.” Such a picture of ultimate restoration appears incongruous with the idea of a co-existing realm of endless suffering.

Counterarguments against annihilationism frequently refer to scriptures like Matthew 25:41-46, which mentions “eternal punishment” for the wicked, and Revelation 14:10-11 and 20:10, which describe unending torment. However, annihilationists argue these passages can be interpreted differently. They propose that “eternal punishment” in Matthew 25:46 signifies a penalty with everlasting effects, not unceasing torment. The “eternal fire,” they argue, is a divine fire leading to total consumption, as suggested by Jude 7, which describes Sodom and Gomorrah enduring “a punishment of eternal fire,” despite the fact these cities are no longer aflame.

In terms of the Revelation passages, annihilationists posit that the book's language is highly symbolic and not always to be taken literally. For example, Revelation 14:10-11 suggests the torment occurs in the presence of holy angels and the Lamb, seemingly contradicting the idea of hell as a place of separation from God.

While the understanding of “hell” as a place of eternal conscious torment has held sway in much of Christian tradition, the annihilationist interpretation presents a biblically grounded alternative. It aligns with the primary biblical themes of God's justice, love, and ultimate triumph over sin and death.

The annihilationist perspective asserts that the consequences of sin are grave and eternal — culminating in the total annihilation of the wicked — but it concurrently upholds the belief in God's overarching goal, which isn't perpetual torment but rather the comprehensive restoration of all creation and the complete eradication of all suffering, evil, and death.

The contrasting visions of hell in Christian theology underscore the vital importance of thoughtful biblical interpretation and respectful discourse within the Christian community. Both viewpoints recognize the severity of sin and its consequences, as well as God's sovereignty, justice, and mercy. Yet, they provide distinct frameworks for understanding the nature and purpose of hell.

The discussion of hell, therefore, extends beyond its characteristics or the fate of the wicked. It encompasses broader theological questions about the character of God, the nature of justice and punishment, and the ultimate destiny of creation. The annihilationist view presents a concept of hell that aligns with the depiction of a just and loving God who “will wipe every tear from their eyes” and in whom “death shall be no more.”

As unapologetic annihilationists, we maintain that the traditional view of eternal conscious torment is incongruous with God's character and presents inherent paradoxes, such as the moral and spiritual dilemma of the redeemed witnessing the eternal torment of the wicked. We find such a concept to be fundamentally inconsistent with the vision of ultimate restoration and the elimination of all suffering, as promised in the scripture.

However, we acknowledge that both the traditional and annihilationist interpretations are attempts to comprehend the reality of hell in light of God's nature and the breadth of biblical revelation. The exploration of these viewpoints not only underscores the grave consequences of sin, but also highlights problematic and unsettling questions associated with eternal conscious torment.

Through this ongoing exploration, believers can deepen their understanding of God's character, His plans for humanity, and the ultimate defeat of sin and death. This scrutiny of hell serves to both highlight the severity of sin and inspire hope in God's promise of redemption and comprehensive restoration. Thus, studying these perspectives on hell not only presents a stark warning, but it also reinforces our faith in God's encompassing mercy and the ultimate eradication of all suffering and death.

In the end, while we find the concept of eternal conscious torment fundamentally antithetical to God's nature and absurd on its face, we respect the commitment of all believers to grapple earnestly with these challenging and profound aspects of our faith. We urge everyone to study the concept of hell within the full scope of Scripture. Avoid using isolated verses to justify preconceived notions; instead, let the complete biblical narrative illuminate God's nature and His plans for humanity. Through careful exploration, we not only understand the gravity of sin but also reinforce our hope in God's promise of redemption and comprehensive restoration.

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