Question: People who argue for annihilationism will often cite passages such as Romans 6:23 and John 3:16), in support of their argument. They argue that "death" and "perish" mean "cease to exist." How do I answer this argument to show that this isn't the meaning of the words death, perish, etc. in verses like those?
Answer: Greetings and thank you for posting your question. What does the Bible teach on death and annihilation? This is a very important question for how we interpret certain biblical passages that speak of death, judgment, and eternal life.
First, what is the doctrine of annihilation? In its most basic sense, annihilation teaches that upon death, the souls of the wicked (i.e., unbelievers) are annihilated; that is, they cease to exist. Louis Berkhof (1873-1957), a Dutch-American theologian who taught for many years at Calvin Theological Seminary in Grand Rapids, MI, writes in his Systematic Theology, "Annihilation teaches that man was created immortal, but that the soul, which continues in sin, is by a positive act of God deprived of the gift of immortality, and ultimately destroyed, or (according to some) forever bereaved of consciousness, which is practically equivalent to being reduced to non-existence."
Throughout the history of the church, there have been proponents of varying theories of annihilationism, but it has always been a minority view in the church. Some argue that annihilationism (or as it's sometimes called conditional immortality) was condemned with Origen at the Second Council of Constantinople (553). Others will argue that it wasn't officially condemned until the Fifth Lateran Council (1512-17), which affirmed the immortality of the soul. Either way, the majority report of the church throughout history has been against annihilationism in all its various flavors.
Now, you cite passages such as Romans 6:23 and John 3:16 as evidence proponents of annihilationism use in support of their argument that the soul, upon death, ceases to exist. Let's look at these passages.
John 3:16
[16] "For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life. (John 3:16 NKJV)
You have in this verse the contrast between perish and everlasting life. Believers receive everlasting life. Unbelievers perish. What does it mean to perish? The word in the original Greek is ἀπόλλυμι (apollymi), and it means "to destroy, to ruin, to abolish, to kill." In the old King James version of the Bible, it is variously translated as perish, destroy, lose. On the surface, it would seem that the contrast is between everlasting life and destruction. Seems to support the annihilationist argument.
Romans 6:23
[23] For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord. (Romans 6:23 NKJV)
Here we see a similar contrast between eternal life and death. We also see the language of "gift" being used in conjunction with eternal life. The word for "death" is the Greek word θάνατος (thanatos), and it's the typical word for "death." However, again with a surface reading, we seem to have the contrast between eternal life and death. Both verses seem to suggest that while life has this quality of being eternal, death does not. This is the annihilationist argument in a nutshell. Case closed, or so it seems.
One of the basic rules for biblical interpretation is the analogia fidei, or the "analogy of faith." It's the rule that since all of the Bible is inspired by God, and God does not lie nor contradict Himself, we must interpret Scripture in light of Scripture. Does Scripture, as a whole, teach the doctrine of annihilationism? The answer is a resounding "no," and I'll prove that by looking at other places in Scripture.
One of the core beliefs of the Christian faith is the return of Christ and the subsequent resurrection and judgment that will occur upon His return. This is preserved in the earliest creeds of the Christian faith:
- The Apostles' Creed: "From there [Jesus] shall come to judge the living and the dead."
- Nicene Creed: "And [Jesus] shall come again, with glory, to judge the living and the dead."
That repeating phrase, "to judge the living and the dead," means at the return of Jesus, those who are dead upon His return will be raised and, together with those who are alive at His return, will be judged. This is seen throughout Scripture:
- [2] And many of those who sleep in the dust of the earth shall awake, Some to everlasting life, Some to shame and everlasting contempt. (Daniel 12:2 NKJV)
- [26] "For as the Father has life in Himself, so He has granted the Son to have life in Himself, [27] "and has given Him authority to execute judgment also, because He is the Son of Man. [28] "Do not marvel at this; for the hour is coming in which all who are in the graves will hear His voice [29] "and come forth--those who have done good, to the resurrection of life, and those who have done evil, to the resurrection of condemnation. (John 5:26-29 NKJV)
These are somewhat parallel passages from both the OT and the NT. They express the same event. A general resurrection of all the dead and a judgment that separates the righteous to everlasting life and the wicked to everlasting contempt. In John's case, Jesus uses the phrase "resurrection of life" and "resurrection of condemnation." The word for "resurrection" is ἀνάστασις (anastasis) and it means "a rising from the dead." It's interesting that in the Daniel passage, you have life and contempt modified by the word everlasting (עוֹלָם, olam). In the John passage, you have life and condemnation modified by the word resurrection. Both of these passages, which speak directly to the subject of final judgment at Christ's return, refute the teaching of annihilationism.
We can also look at Jesus' words in the Olivet Discourse, which was given to answer the question about the return of Christ at the end of the age.
- [34] "Then the King will say to those on His right hand, 'Come, you blessed of My Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world: ... [41] "Then He will also say to those on the left hand, 'Depart from Me, you cursed, into the everlasting fire prepared for the devil and his angels: ... [46] "And these will go away into everlasting punishment, but the righteous into eternal life." (Matthew 25:34, 41, 46 NKJV)
When Jesus returns, all the living and the dead will be gathered before Him and He will separate them as a shepherd separates sheep and goats. To the one (sheep) He will invite them into the kingdom and they will be given eternal life. To the other (goats) He will judge them and cast them into the everlasting fire where they will receive everlasting punishment. In all three cases, the word "eternal" and "everlasting" is the Greek word αἰώνιος (aionios), which means "everlasting, no beginning or end." Again, this clear teaching from Jesus own lips directly refutes the annihilationist argument.
Finally, our examination wouldn't be complete if we didn't look at the book of Revelation:
- [11] "And the smoke of their torment ascends forever and ever; and they have no rest day or night, who worship the beast and his image, and whoever receives the mark of his name." (Revelation 14:11 NKJV)
- [10] The devil, who deceived them, was cast into the lake of fire and brimstone where the beast and the false prophet are. And they will be tormented day and night forever and ever. ... [15] And anyone not found written in the Book of Life was cast into the lake of fire. (Revelation 20:10, 15 NKJV)
In the first passage, one of the three angels announces to all who worship the beast that the torment of their judgment will be forever and ever. This is where we get the doctrine of eternal conscious torment of the unrighteous. The second passage contains verses from Revelation 20 that speak of the lake of fire. Those who are cast into the lake of fire will be tormented day and night forever and ever. We see the beast, the false prophet, the devil (Satan), and anyone whose name is not written in the Book of Life.
So, when you put it all together, while on a surface level reading of passage such as John 3:16 and Romans 6:23, one might conclude that "perish" and "death" refer to the annihilation of the soul, there are many other passages that speak to the eternal conscious torment of the wicked on the last day. What that suggests to me is that we need to understand words such as "perish" and "destroy" as synonymous with everlasting contempt or everlasting punishment.
This may seem horrifying, and it's meant to be. Sin is a death sentence, and not in the sense of annihilationism, but in the sense of everlasting contempt and punishment. That's why Paul says "the wages of sin is death." We deserve death and judgment for our sin. But God "so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son," Jesus. Jesus bore everlasting contempt and punishment for us on the cross. Everlasting contempt and punishment may seem horrific, but the good news of the gospel is so much sweeter: "The gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord."
I hope this helps.
