Response to comment [from a Christian]: "How do you get "immortal souls" out of Mt. 10:28? If anything, it teaches the unsaved will be destroyed in hell, not live eternally. You seem to have gotten it exactly backwards."
We were created to live forever. Will live with the Lord or apart from him.
Gen. 5:24; 2 Sam. 12:23; 2 Kin. 2:11; Neh. 9:5; Job 4:17–21; Job 14:13; Psa. 16:10, 11; Psa. 21:4; Psa. 22:26; Psa. 23:6; Psa. 31:5; Psa. 36:9; Psa. 37:18, 27; Psa. 49:7–9; Psa. 49:14, 15; Psa. 73:26; Psa. 86:12; Psa. 102:24–28; Psa. 121:8; Psa. 133:3; Psa. 145:1, 2; Prov. 14:32; Eccl. 3:21; Eccl. 12:7; Isa. 14:9; Isa. 25:8; Isa. 26:19; Isa. 38:18, 19; Ezek. 32:31; Dan. 12:2, 3; Matt. 10:28; Matt. 16:26; Matt. 19:16, 17 Luke 10:25–28. Matt. 25:46; Mark 10:30; Mark 12:26, 27; Luke 9:25; Luke 20:36–38; John 3:14–16, 36; John 5:29, 40; John 6:39, 40, 44, 47, 50, 51, 53, 54, 58; John 10:28; John 11:25, 26; John 14:19; John 17:2, 3; Acts 20:32; Acts 23:8, 9; Acts 26:7, 8, 18; Rom. 2:7; Rom. 6:22, 23; 1 Cor. 15:12–55; Gal. 6:8; Col. 1:5, 6; 1 Thess. 4:13–18; 1 Thess. 5:10; 2 Thess. 1:7–9; 2 Thess. 2:16; 1 Tim. 4:8; 1 Tim. 6:12, 19; 2 Tim. 1:9, 10; Tit. 1:2; Tit. 3:7; Heb. 9:15; Heb. 10:34; Heb. 11:5, 10, 13–16; 1 Pet. 1:3–5; 1 John 2:17, 25; 1 John 5:13; Jude 21; Rev. 1:7; Rev. 3:4; Rev. 22:5Response to comment [from a Christian]: "What is the second death, if not annihilation?"
We have never lived apart from
God's grace.
"The book of Revelation speaks of a “second death,”
which is a final (and eternal) separation from God. Only
those who have never experienced new life in Christ will
partake of the second death (Revelation
2:11;
20:6,
14;
21:8)..."
Full text:
What is spiritual death?
And death and hell were
cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death.
And whosoever was not found written in the book of life
was cast into the lake of fire [Rev.
20:14–15].
"And death and Hades were cast into the lake of fire.
This is the second death even the lake of fire. And if
any were not found written in the book of life, he was
cast into the lake of fire.
You will notice that in my translation I have changed
“death and hell were cast into the lake of fire” to
“death and Hades were cast into the lake of fire.” Sheol
or hades (translated hell in the New Testament) is the
place of the unseen dead and is divided into two
compartments: paradise and the place of torment (see
Luke 16:19–31).
Paradise was emptied when Christ took the Old Testament
believers with Him at His ascension. “Wherefore he saith,
When he ascended up on high, he led captivity captive,
and gave gifts unto men. (Now that he ascended, what is
it but that he also descended first into the lower parts
of the earth? He that descended is the same also that
ascended up far above all heavens, that he might fill
all things)” (Eph.
4:8–10). Christ did two
things: He gave gifts to men down here, but He also took
with Him to heaven those Old Testament saints who had
died and were in the place called paradise. But the
place of torment will deliver up the lost at the
judgment at the Great White Throne. All who stand at
this judgment are lost, and we are told that they are
cast into the lake of fire, which is the second death.
The Lord also called it “outer darkness.” We believe
that this is symbolic of something worse than literal
fire or outer darkness. It is eternal separation from
God, for death means separation."
McGee, J. Vernon: Thru the Bible Commentary. electronic
ed. Nashville : Thomas Nelson, 1997, c1981, S. 5:1061
"It is the Serpent who claims, "Ye shall not surely die.""
In that, he was telling the truth. He mixes truth with error (Ga 5:9).
"There is a consequence to sinning--death. How will the wicked avoid death?"
We are created in God's image (Ge
1:26,27;
1Co 11:7,
Jas 3:9).
He is the Creator (Ge
1:27;
Isa 45:12).
We are his creation (Ge
2:7;
Job 33:6).
He will always be God and we will always be his
creation. We are responsible before him.
See:
Responsibility
"Do you believe life exists apart from God? That's essentially what you are arguing, that the wicked will live eternally apart from God, which necessitates there be another source of life beside God and completely apart from Him."
We are promised eternal rewards or punishment (Matt. 25:31–46; Luke 16:19–31).
Response to comment [from a
Christian]: "Are the wages of sin eternal life or
eternal death?
What do the wicked receive in the end, eternal
life or eternal death?
Eternal life or second death.
They get a
t-shirt (no heat resistant
body though
).
"Are you implying the wicked are utterly destroyed (burned to ashes), receiving eternal death (the wages of sin), or implying that the wicked receive an eternal life someplace apart from God only being burned a little by God all the time?"
The righteous are given a body fit for heaven. The wicked are given a body fit for hell (Jn 5:29). No t-shirt.
"Then after the resurrection of the wicked ...Do the wicked receive a living body at the second death, or a dead body at the second death. And if it is a dead body they receive, will this dead body the receive in the second death be a living body that lives forever?"
The wicked are raised to be
judged and punished accordingly (Mt
25:31-46,
Lk 16:29-31).
Marvel not at this: for
the hour is coming, in the which all that are in the
graves shall hear his voice,
And shall come forth; they that have done good, unto the
resurrection of life; and they that have done evil, unto
the resurrection of damnation [John
5:28–29].
"A better translation for the word damnation would be
“judgment.”
There are two resurrections mentioned here. The Book of
Revelation is even more specific and describes the
completion of the first resurrection (Rev.
20:4–6) and the second
resurrection (Rev.
20:11–15). The first
resurrection is the resurrection of all the saved—the
first phase of which is the next thing on the agenda of
God. We call it the Rapture of the church. “Rapture” is
a good translation of the Greek harpazoµ. Paul used it
in
1 Thessalonians 4:17
where he says we shall be “caught up,” which means “to
be raptured.” The Rapture takes place at some time in
the future. It is not dated and there are no signs given
for it. It could happen at any moment. He is going to
call His own out of this world, both the living and the
dead. That is part of the first resurrection. Then,
during the Tribulation Period, a great many believers
will become martyrs. They will be raised at the end of
the Great Tribulation Period together with the Old
Testament saints. That also is part of the first
resurrection. They will be raised to live forever here
upon this earth. That is the first resurrection. It is
the resurrection of life, as our Lord called it.
Then the resurrection of judgment is the Great White
Throne judgment when all the unsaved, of all the ages,
will be raised. They wanted to be judged by their works,
and they will be! They will stand before God who is just
and righteous; they will have an opportunity to stand
before a Holy God and to plead their case. But God has
already warned them; there is no one saved in that
judgment. It is only the lost who are brought there, and
they will be judged according to their works, because
there are degrees in punishment (see
Luke 12:47–48)."
McGee, J. Vernon: Thru the Bible Commentary. electronic
ed. Nashville : Thomas Nelson, 1997, c1981, S. 4:398
"What do the wicked receive in the end, eternal life or eternal death?"
