The following is my long-overdue response to an article, entitled “E.J. Hill – The Strange, Strange World of Calvinism”, by Tom Lessing of Discerning The World.
Lessing’s article is a “critique” of my exposition of Luke Chapter 16 Verses 19 to 31, “The Parable of Lazarus and the Rich Man” [2], in defense of Christian Annihilationism.
RESPONSE
Regarding the Supposedly Recent Calvinistic Trend Towards Annihilationism
According to Lessing, the calvinistic odyssey to annihilationism is a somewhat strangely new phenomenon:
EXTRACT: “… some very strange things are happening in the reformed camp. Who in their wildest dreams would have guessed that some Calvinists are extending a hand of friendship to annihilationism, the doctrine that condemned unbelievers will be completely annihilated, or destroyed after their resurrection, instead of spending an eternity of punishment in hell. At least one Calvinist in South Africa who believes in the doctrine of annihilationism has put the proverbial cat amongst the pigeons and is causing quite a stir in the Calvinist sheep fold. His name is E.J. Hill …” [1]
To prevent any misunderstanding: John Calvin himself, did NOT support Annihilationism. He defended the Doctrine of Eternal Torment.
However, I wasn’t the only, first or last, Calvinistic Conditionalist to ‘extend a hand of friendship to annihilationism’.
Consider, for instance, Clement I of Rome (+-30-99 AD), Martin Luther (1483-1546); Philip Edgecumbe Hughes (1915-1990); John R.W. Stott (1921-2011); Dr. James Kenneth Brandyberry; Dennis Caldwell (1957-); Chris Date; Dr. Glenn Peoples; Dr. James ‘Jim’ Spiegel; and Adam Murrell from Redeeming Grace Ministries; to name but a few.
It would, therefore, be quite conceivable, “that some Calvinists are extending a hand of friendship to annihilationism” [1], especially so, seeing that virtually all the Apostolic Fathers, most of the Sub-apostolic Fathers, and many Church Fathers, did likewise. [11]
For more information on this subject, please review my research on the subject of “Conditional Immortality Throughout History” and “Annihilationism Throughout History”.
Regarding My Support for Particular ‘SDA and JHW Doctrine’
According to Lessing, I was somewhat of a Seventh-Day Adventist or Jehovah’s Witness:
EXTRACT: “What motivates a Calvinist who believes in every iota and tittle contained in TULIP to embrace the SDA’s and JHW’s doctrines on hell? Is it compassion, mercy and grace that drives a Calvinist to believe in the doctrine of annihilationism or is it merely wilful (excuse the pun) ignorance of the core doctrines of the Bible that is leading him up the garden path to destruction (Proverbs 14:12)?” [1]
Lessing’s attempt at discrediting me, of course, fails miserably, since he selectively ‘forgot’ to mention, that he himself, shares his view of Believers’ Baptism [Credobaptism], with the VERY SAME Seventh-Day Adventists and Jehovah’s Witnesses.
Furthermore, he shares his view of Eternal Conscious Torment with the ancient Egyptians and Greeks, Roman Catholicism [3], Islam [3], and a myriad of those ‘evil Calvinists’ [he dislikes so much] – all of which he would have known, had he actually done a shred of research.
I guess it would be safe to assume then, that Lessing is either, a Seventh-Day Adventist, Jehovah’s Witness, Muslim or Calvinist?!
You see, if I am “guilty by association”, then so is he.
BUT, Christians do not discern, between right and wrong, based on ‘who else may or may not also believe this or that’.
Christians discern between right and wrong, by searching the Scriptures.
It is in fact Scripture, “that drives a Calvinist to believe in the doctrine of” [1]Conditional Immortality [Conditionalism] and Final Destruction [Annihilationism].
According to Scripture, God alone is immortal (1 Tim. 6v16 compared to Jn. 6v53; 1 Cor. 15v51-53; and 1 Jn. 3v15) – an immortality that can only be sought (Rom. 2v7), given (Jn. 10v28, 17v2; Rom. 6v23; 1 Jn. 5v11), and possessed (Mt. 19v16), in Christ (Mk. 10v17; Lk. 10v25, 18v18; Tit. 3v7; 1 Jn. 5v11).
BUT, according to Lessing, all mankind is innately immortal?!
According to Scripture, the lost will never see eternal life [that is immortality, Rom. 2v7]. (Jn. 3v36)
BUT, according to Lessing, all mankind already have eternal life [that is immortality, Rom. 2v7], i.e. Universal Immortality?!
According to Scripture, the soul that sins shall die (Rom. 6v23), being destroyed in hell. (Mt. 10v28; Jn. 3v16; Rom. 6v23; Rev. 2v11, 20v6, v14, 21v8)
BUT, according to Lessing, the soul that sins shall live forever in perpetual torment?!
I ask you in return, is it exegesis that drives an Arminian to believe in Eternal Conscious Torment, or is it merely willful (excuse the pun) ignorance of the core doctrines of the Bible?
Regarding the Supposed Reasons Behind My Adoption of Annihilationism
According to Lessing, my adoption of Annihilationism while a Christian, was an attempt to soften the judgement of the wicked:
EXTRACT: “Ahaa, this seems to be precisely the reason why our Calvinist friend is trying to soften the harsh and severe punitive doctrines of grace by condemning the non-elect, not to an eternity of punishment and misery in a literal hell, but to an eternity of a post-resurrected-White-Throne-Judgement-non-existence. Not even a sovereign God can send, contain and punish a non-existent, non-elect varmint in a horrendous place like hell. Hallelujah, at last there is a ‘compassionate Calvinist’ who has learnt how to mitigate the ungodly doctrines of grace in reformed theology by obliterating the idea of hell from the minds of both the elect and the non-elect.” [1]
No, I had no interest in ‘softening’ the judgement of the wicked. As far as I was concerned, whatever they got, they got exactly what they deserved.
That said, I believed in Conditionalism and Annihilationism, because it is the only plausible biblically conclusion I could draw, from passages like Genesis Chapter 3 Verse 22, Matthew Chapter 10 Verse 28, John Chapter 3 Verse 16, 1 Timothy Chapter 6 Verse 16, Revelation Chapter 14 Verse 11, Revelation Chapter 20 Verse 10, etc.
Regarding Calvinism’s Supposed Denial of ‘Free Will’
According to Lessing, Calvinist completely deny free will:
EXTRACT: “Henceforth the non-elect who are as dead as a cadaver and are completely void of a free-will, …” [1]
According to Lessing, Calvinists believe, that the wicked “are completely void of a free-will” [1].
The truth, however, is that no Calvinist EVER denied man’s ‘free will’.
Calvinists did, however, point out, that the will of man springs from the heart of man (Pr. 23v7; Mt. 12v33-37, 15v18-19) – a heart which is hard (Ezek. 36v26) and evil continually (Jer. 17v9) – meaning, that the ‘free will’ of man is in bondage to his own nature, since no man can make a decision contrary to his own disposition.
In other words, their will may be ‘free’, but only free to sin.
For more on this subject, please review my research on the Doctrine of Total Depravity. [4]
Regarding the Supposed Universal Immortality of the Soul
According to Lessing, all mankind possess an innately immortal soul:
EXTRACT: “Henceforth the non-elect who are as dead as a cadaver and are completely void of a free-will, a living and eternal soul, and responsive attributes like putting their trust in Jesus, no longer need to harbour any thoughts of hell.” [1]
Let’s assume for a moment, that Lessing was correct.
➢ Let’s assume, that everyone [including the wicked] are in possession of an eternal or immortal soul: IF we already have immortality [Eternal Life, Rom. 2v7], why do we need yet another Gift of Eternal Life? (Jn. 3v16, 10v28, 17v2; Acts 13v48; Rom. 6v23; 1 Jn. 5v11) Why do we need to GET eternal life, if we already HAVE eternal life?
➢ Let’s assume, that everyone [including the wicked] are in possession of an eternal or immortal soul: Did God fail to keep everyone from eating of the tree of life, and live forever? (Gen. 3v22)
➢ Let’s assume, that everyone [including the wicked] are in possession of an eternal or immortal soul: Why did the Apostle Paul ascribe immortality to God alone? (1 Tim. 6v16)
For more on this subject, please review my research on the Doctrine of Universal Immortality.
Regarding the Demand for a Literal Interpretation of Literal Expressions
According to Lessing, literal expressions demand a literal interpretation:
EXTRACT: “What I would like to point out, is that all the non-elect who have been cast into hell since the beginning of time – some having been there for thousands of years and others for not so long – are in torment this very moment and have been for hundreds and even thousands of years. If, as E.J. Hill believes, their annihilation is going to take place after their resurrection, then billions upon billions of non-elect people have been suffering in a place filled with excruciating misery and torment for many thousands of years. Ahaa (once again), but E.J. Hill believes that the narrative in Luke 16:19-31 is merely a parable that does not support intermediate consciousness and the doctrine of eternal torment in hell. To use his own words, ‘The passage does, however, support the Doctrine of Intermediate Unconsciousness (Psychopannychism) and the Doctrine of Final Destruction (Annihilationism)’. Some of the more popular words several dictionaries use for ‘unconsciousness’ are ‘oblivion,’ ‘sleep,’ ‘nothingness,’ ‘insentience,’ ‘catalepsy,’ ‘blackout’ and ‘swoon.’ Is their a slight possibility that Jesus Christ, the Logos of God who created the heavens and the earth and everything that is in it, has always been completely oblivious to the meaning of expressions such as ‘opening the eyes,’ ‘calling out for mercy,’ ‘a tongue craving for a little drop of water,’ ‘hearing father Abraham speak,’ ‘pleading in behalf of brethren’ and haphazardly interpret them in terms of severe cataleptic unconsciousness (a condition characterized by lack of response to external stimuli and by muscular rigidity, so that the limbs, including the tongue, remain in whatever position they are placed)? I have heard many conscious mockers accusing Jesus Christ of all kinds of silly things but never have I heard it suggested that Jesus was an illiterate ignoramus who did not know how to articulate human experiences in a state of consciousness and unconsciousness.” [1]
In criticizing my figurative interpretation of Luke Chapter 16 Verses 19 to 31, Lessing claims, that such an interpretation would “suggested that Jesus was an illiterate ignoramus” [1], who was “completely oblivious to the meaning of” [1] various literal expressions, found throughout Luke Chapter 16 Verses 19 to 31.
In other words, these ‘literal expression’ preclude Luke Chapter 16 Verses 19 to 31 from being a parable.
Yet, contrary to Lessing’s claim, similar ‘literal expressions’ can also be found in other parables, including:
➢ The Parable of the Sower (Mt. 13v2-9, v18-23) speaks of ‘a farmer [who] went out to sow his seed’ (v3), ‘he was scattering the seed’ (v4), ‘some fell along the path’ (v4), ‘the birds came and ate it up’ (v4); ‘fell on rocky places’ (v5), ‘much soil’ (v5), ‘sprang up quickly’ (v5), ‘the soil was shallow’ (v5), ‘the sun came up’ (v6), ‘the plants were scorched’ (v6), ‘they withered because they had no root’ (v6), ‘other seed fell among thorns’ (v7), ‘choked the plants’ (v7), ‘other seed fell on good soil’ (v8), and ‘produced a crop – a hundred, sixty or thirty times what was sown’ (v8).
➢ The Parable of the Wheat and Tares (Mt. 13v24-30, v36-43) speaks of ‘a man who sowed good seed in his field’ (v24), ‘everyone was sleeping’ (v25), ‘his enemy came and sowed weeds among the wheat, and went away’ (v25), ‘the wheat sprouted and formed heads’ (v26), ‘the weeds also appeared’ (v26), ‘the owner’s servants came to him and said’ (v27), ‘sow good seed in your field’ (v27), ‘an enemy did this’ (v28), ‘the servants asked’ (v28), ‘while you are pulling the weeds, you may uproot the wheat with them’ (v29), ‘grow together until the harvest’ (v30), ‘I will tell the harvesters’ (v30), ‘collect the weeds and tie them in bundles to be burned’ (v30), and ‘gather the wheat and bring it into my barn’ (v30).
➢ The Parables of the Mustard Seed and the Yeast (Mt. 13v31-35) speaks of ‘a mustard seed’ (v31), ‘planted in his field’ (v31), ‘it grows’ (v32), ‘becomes a tree’ (v32), ‘the birds come and perch in its branches’ (v32), ‘yeast that a woman took and mixed into about sixty pounds of flour’ (v33), ‘the dough’ (v33)
➢ The Parable of the Workers in the Vineyard (Mt. 20v1-16) speaks of ‘a landowner who went out early in the morning to hire workers for his vineyard’ (v1), ‘he agreed to pay them a denarius for the day’ (v2), ‘sent them into his vineyard’ (v2), ‘about nine in the morning’ (v3), ‘he went out and saw others standing in the marketplace doing nothing’ (v3), ‘he went out again about noon and about three in the afternoon and did the same thing’ (v5), ‘about five in the afternoon’ (v6), ‘he went out and found still others standing around’ (v6), ‘standing here all day long doing nothing’ (v6), ‘when evening came’ (v8), ‘the owner of the vineyard said to his foreman’ (v8), ‘call the workers and pay them their wages’ (v8), ‘the workers who were hired about five in the afternoon came and each received a denarius’ (v9), ‘when those came who were hired first, they expected to receive more’ (v10), ‘each one of them also received a denarius’ (v10), ‘they began to grumble against the landowner’ (v11), ‘these who were hired last worked only one hour’ (v12), ‘who have borne the burden of the work and the heat of the day’ (v12), ‘he answered one of them’ (v13), ‘agree to work for a denarius’ (v13), ‘take your pay and go’ (v14), ‘do what I want with my own money’ (v15), and ‘are you envious because I am generous’ (v15).
➢ The Parables of the Hidden Treasure and the Pearl (Mt. 13v44-46): speaks of a ‘treasure hidden in a field’ (v44), ‘a merchant looking for fine pearls’ (v45), and ‘he went away and sold everything he had and bought it’ (v46)
When applying Lessing’s own hermeneutic to the above-mentioned passages, those ‘literal expressions’ should immediately disqualify Matthew Chapter 13 Verses 2 to 9, Matthew Chapter 13 Verses 24 to 30, Matthew Chapter 13 Verses 31 to 35, and Matthew Chapter 20 Verses 1 to 16, as parables.
BUT, the same are explicitly identified as “parables” in Matthew Chapter 13 Verse 3, Matthew Chapter 13 Verse 18, Matthew Chapter 13 Verse 24, Matthew Chapter 13 Verse 31, Matthew Chapter 13 Verse 33, and Matthew Chapter 13 Verse 34 – the figurative meaning of which, had to be explained by Jesus himself, in Matthew Chapter 13 Verses 18 to 23 and Matthew Chapter 13 Verses 36 to 43!
Not only is Lessing’s hermeneutic proven false, but just five paragraphs later, he contradicts himself, by figuratively interpreting selective portions of the VERY SAME passage:
“Neither the rich man’s tongue nor the water could have been literal. The disembodied soul of the rich man in hell did not have a tongue and therefore literal H20 could never have quenched his thirst. The unquenchable fire (Matthew 3:12; Luke 3:17) and the worm that never dies (Mark 9:44, 46 and 48), are not physical because a literal fire cannot burn and literal worms cannot gnaw away at a disembodied soul. In any case how are worms going to survive in a literal lake of fire? Therefore, the suffering must be something far more painful, gnawing away at the souls of unbelievers for an eternity, than a literal fire.” [1]
Finally, Lessing continues to explain, that “the purpose of [his] article is to discuss with you [the reader] the dangers and consequences of the atrocious doctrine of annihilationism” [1], namely:
Annihilationism’s Supposed Denial of Jesus Christ’s Substitutionary Suffering and Death on the Cross
According to Lessing, annihilationism constitutes a denial of Christ’s Substitutionary Atonement:
EXTRACT: “IT DENIES JESUS CHRIST’S SUBSTITUTIONARY SUFFERING AND DEATH ON THE CROSS. Need I say that the abominable doctrine of total annihilationism is very dangerous because it is an outright denial of the suffering and death of Jesus Christ on the cross. If it were true that the wicked are going to be completely annihilated after their resurrection, then Jesus Himself, who suffered the pangs of hell on the cross in behalf of all mankind, should have been completely annihilated as well. To what do I owe a corollary such as this, you may rightly ask. For Jesus’ substitutionary suffering and death on the cross to have been a genuine substitutionary one, His Father had to pass the exact same judgment on Him than the one He is going to adjudicate upon unrepentant unbelievers in hell, …” [1]
This seems to be a new trend with Lessing lately, an attempt to discredit everything he doesn’t understand, or agree with, as ‘denying the substitutionary death of Christ’.
Now, let us follow Lessing’s logic to it’s logical conclusion: IF Jesus’ suffering had to be exactly the same, as the one He is going to adjudicate upon unrepentant unbelievers in hell, ‘to have been a genuine substitutionary one’: Why isn’t He still suffering eternal torment? Wouldn’t He have multiple eternities worth of suffering to endure?
Like usual, Lessing didn’t think this one through.
On the other hand, if Jesus paid the penalty of all our sin, committed during a finite lifetime, then it would be quite understandable why He didn’t suffer perpetually.
Regarding the Wicked’s Supposed Eternal CONSCIOUS Separation from God
According to Lessing, the wicked will be consciously separated from God for all eternity:
EXTRACT: “For Jesus’ substitutionary suffering and death on the cross to have been a genuine substitutionary one, His Father had to pass the exact same judgment on Him than the one He is going to adjudicate upon unrepentant unbelievers in hell, which is absolute separation from Him and his life-giving Living Water (the Holy Spirit). Jesus’ own personal experience as God/Man on the cross, when He was forsaken by his Father, is the ultimate proof of what unbelievers are going to experience in hell – not annihilation but separation from God and his Living Water for all eternity… God’s own absence and the absence of his Living Water from hell is the direct result of the unbelievers’ refusal to have Him live in their spirits when they were yet alive on earth? Those who refuse to have Him abiding in their spirits through the new birth here on earth, will graciously be granted their wish to live without his presence for an eternity, the exact way they wanted it when they were yet alive on earth… Might I add that atheists have managed to understand something more about hell than most Christians, although they do not believe in its existence. They ridicule the idea of an outer darkness (Matthew 25:30) in the light of an unquenchable fire and in so doing have unwittingly proven that the fire cannot be literal because a literal fire lights up and illumines darkness. Darkness is the complete absence of light and God being Light causes the darkness by not being eternally present with those who are eventually going to be detained in hell for an eternity.” [1]
AGREED. According to Scripture, the wicked “will suffer the punishment of eternal destruction, AWAY FROM THE PRESENCE OF THE LORD AND FROM THE GLORY OF HIS MIGHT“ (2 Thess. 1v9)
BUT, as I have already explained in my rebuttal of the neo-Christian Doctrine of Eternal Conscious Torment [3], the only possible separation from an allegedly omnipotent and omnipresent God, would be complete and utter annihilation from existence, since by definition an omnipotent and omnipresent God would be everywhere, upholding everything – including the fires of hell.
Regarding the Supposed Spiritual Death of Christ
According to Lessing, Jesus died spiritually during His atonement:
EXTRACT: “It was for this very reason that Jesus had to die spiritually (suffer the pangs of hell by being completely separated from his Father and not by being annihilated) so that whosoever believes in Him could/can be reconciled to God.” [1]
Did he just say, that Jesus died spiritually?! GOD died spiritually?! Do I really have to explain the implications of that?!
For a supposed “discernment ministry”, “Discerning The World” surely peddles a lot of rubbish.
This belief, that Jesus somehow ‘died spiritually’ and ‘suffered in hell’, comes straight from the Word-Faith pulpits of Charles Capps [5], Frederick Price [5], Kenneth Copeland [5], Kenneth Hagin [5], and Joyce Meyer [5].
Yet, contrary to Lessing’s claim, John Chapter 19 Verse 30 tells us, “that Jesus FINISHED the atoning work on the cross” [5].
And according to Colossians Chapter 2 Verse 14, it was on the cross, that our ‘certificate of debt’ was cancelled.
In other words, after falsely accusing annihilationists of denying the substitutionary death of Christ, Lessing himself proceeded to deny the Sufficiency of the Cross!
For more on this subject, please review “Did Jesus die spiritually?” [5], by Matt Slick, and “Did Jesus Die Spiritually, His Spirit Become Re-Created, And He Become Born Again?” [6], by Neil Rivalland.
Regarding Supposed Separation of Father and Son
According to Lessing, Jesus was in hell, completely separated from His Father:
EXTRACT: “It was for this very reason that Jesus had to die spiritually (suffer the pangs of hell by being completely separated from his Father and not by being annihilated) so that whosoever believes in Him could/can be reconciled to God… Jesus agonized over the fact that His Father with whom He lived in the closest loving relationship since eternities past was going to forsake Him on the cross (which amounts too spiritual death). The eternal bond of love was going to be broken for a time and it was this and this alone over which Jesus agonized in the garden.” [1]
Lessing seems to believe, that between Christ’s death and resurrection, He was separated from His Father, descended into hell, and then suffered excruciating torture at the hand of Satan.
This belief is based on a misreading of Ephesians Chapter 4 verses 8 to 10, Psalms Chapter 16 Verses 10, Matthew Chapter 12 Verse 40, First Peter Chapter 3 Verses 18 to 20, Matthew Chapter 27 Verse 45 to 46, and Mark Chapter 15 Verse 34.
➢ Ephesians Chapter 4 Verses 8 to 10, “This is why it says: ‘When He ascended on high, He took many captives and gave gifts to His people.’ (What does ‘he ascended’ mean except that He also descended to the lower, earthly regions? He who descended is the very one who ascended higher than all the heavens, in order to fill the whole universe.)” (NIV), cannot [by any stretch of the imagination], serve as proof, that Christ descended to Hell. The passage clearly speaks of Christ’s descend “to earth” (ESV) [at His Incarnation], and His ascend to the Heavens [at His Ascension], followed by the outpouring of the Gift of the Holy Spirit upon His people. (Acts 1v3-11, 2v1-11)
➢ Psalms Chapter 16 Verses 10, “For thou wilt not leave my soul in HELL; neither wilt thou suffer thine Holy One to see corruption.” (KJV), cannot [by any stretch of the imagination], serve as proof, that Jesus entered hell before His resurrection. The original Hebrew word “Sheol”, often mistranslated as “hell” (AKJV/KJV/MSG), “is a general reference to the grave, not a particular place in the afterlife” [7], which would explain why most modern translations, either renders it in the original Hebrew, “Sheol” (AMP/ASV/CJB/DARBY/ESV/LEB/NASB), or as “the realm of the dead” (NIV), “the place of death” (ERV), or “the grave” (CEB/CEV/EXB/GNV/GW/NCV/TLB).
➢ Matthew Chapter 12 Verse 40, “For as Jonah was three days and three nights in the belly of a huge fish, so the Son of Man will be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth.” (NIV) If we compare Matthew Chapter 12 Verse 40 to Acts Chapter 2 Verse 31 were it is said, that Jesus spent this time in “Hades” (ASV/DARBY/ERV/ESV/HCSB/ISV/JUB/Kj2000/NASB/NET/WEB/YLT), often mistranslated as “hell” (AKJV/DRB/KJB/WBT), we quickly discover, that “the heart of the earth” here refers to “Hades”, the Greek equivalent of “Sheol” [12], namely “the grave”. Which would explain why the God’s Word Translation (GWT) and the New Living Translation (NLT) renders Acts Chapter 2 Verse 31 as referring to “the grave”; while the Aramaic Bible in Plain English (ABPE) renders it as referring to the Hebrew “Sheol”.
➢ First Peter Chapter 3 Verses 18 to 20, “For Christ also suffered once for sins, the righteous for the unrighteous, to bring you to God. He was put to death in the body but made alive in the Spirit. After being made alive, He went and made proclamation to the imprisoned spirits – to those who were disobedient long ago when God waited patiently in the days of Noah while the ark was being built. In it only a few people, eight in all, were saved through water” (NIV). Note, this is what Jesus did “AFTER being made alive” (v19) at His resurrection, NOT between His death and resurrection. It was only AFTER His resurrection, that Christ proclaimed His victory over the demonic spirits (1 Cor. 15v55-57), previously bound in the Abyss. (Lk. 8v31; Jude 1v6; Rev.9v11)
➢ Matthew Chapter 27 Verse 46 and Mark Chapter 15 Verse 34, “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?”, cannot [by any stretch of the imagination], serve as proof, that Christ was abandoned in Hell. These words were uttered by Jesus around three in the afternoon, while still on the cross (Mt. 27v46; Mk. 15v34), before He exclaimed, “Father, into your hands I commit my spirit”, as He breathed his last breath. (Lk. 23v46)
His atonement was successfully accomplished and completely on the cross. (Jn. 19v28-30) His suffering came to an abrupt conclusion at His death. The price was paid. There was nothing more needed for salvation. His body may have been in the grave for three days, but according to the Bible, Jesus was NEVER abandoned in the caverns of hell to be tortured by Satan. Not even for a moment.
Not only is this belief, that Jesus was somehow separated from His Father, completely foreign to Scripture (Jn. 10v30, 17v21; Col. 2v9), but it completely undermines the doctrine of the Divinity of Christ.
In the words of Nathaniel McCallum:
“How convincingly can one hold the consubstantiality of Christ with the Father (ὁμοούσιον τῷ Πατρί) when such a profound separation can exist between the Father and the Son?” [8]
No wonder the Arians used this very belief to argue against the Divinity of Christ, as confirmed by the church father, St. Athanasius (293-373 AD), in his third discourse “Against The Arians”, Chapter 26, Section 26:
“This too [the Arians] urge; ‘How can He be the own Word of the Father, without whom the Father never was, through whom He makes all things, as ye think, who said upon the Cross ‘My God, My God, why hast Thou forsaken Me?’ … If the Son were, according to your interpretation, eternally existent with God, He [could not have] been forsaken [since he was] coexistent …” [8|9]
To this Athanasius offered a profoundly biblical response in Chapter 29, Section 56, stating:
“If then He wept and was troubled, it was not the Word, considered as the Word, who wept and was troubled, but it was proper to the flesh; and if too He besought that the cup might pass away, it was not the Godhead that was in terror, but this affection too was proper to the manhood. And that the words ‘Why hast Thou forsaken Me?’ are His, according to the foregoing explanations (though He suffered nothing, for the Word was impassible), is notwithstanding declared by the Evangelists; since the Lord became man, and these things are done and said as from a man, that He might Himself lighten these very sufferings of the flesh, and free it from them. Whence neither can the Lord be forsaken by the Father, who is ever in the Father, both before He spoke, and when He uttered this cry. Nor is it lawful to say that the Lord was in terror, at whom the keepers of hell’s gates shuddered and set open hell, and the graves did gape, and many bodies of the saints arose and appeared to their own people. Therefore be every heretic dumb, nor dare to ascribe terror to the Lord whom death, as a serpent, flees, at whom demons tremble, and the sea is in alarm; for whom the heavens are rent and all the powers are shaken. For behold when He says, ‘Why hast Thou forsaken Me?’ the Father shewed that He was ever and even then in Him; for the earth knowing its Lord who spoke, straightway trembled, and the vail was rent, and the sun was hidden, and the rocks were torn asunder, and the graves, as I have said, did gape, and the dead in them arose; and, what is wonderful, they who were then present and had before denied Him, then seeing these signs, confessed that ‘truly He was the Son of God.'” [8|9]
St. Athanasius absolutely rejected the notion that this cry implies any actual separation between the Father and Son. As far as he was concerned, everything else in the crucifixion account evidences this continuing union. For him, the cry was made according to the human nature of Christ.
Unfortunately, St Athanasius never explained precisely what it was in Christ’s humanity that caused Him to cry out. Yet, while responding to the very same Arians, St. Ambrose of Milan, offered the following insight:
“As being man, therefore, He doubts; as man He is amazed. Neither His power nor His Godhead is amazed, but His soul; He is amazed by consequence of having taken human infirmity upon Him. Seeing, then, that He took upon Himself a soul He also took the affections of a soul, for God could not have been distressed or have died in respect of His being God. Finally, He cried: My God, My God, why have You forsaken Me? As being man, therefore, He speaks, bearing with Him my terrors, for when we are in the midst of dangers we think ourself abandoned by God. As man, therefore, He is distressed, as man He weeps, as man He is crucified.” [8|10]
For St Ambrose, human suffering bears with it a certain character of estrangement. In the words of novelist, David Foster Wallace, “We all suffer alone”.
We never feel as lonely, as we feel, when we are suffering. This has been the experience of King David (Ps. 22v1-2). This has been the experience of Israel. (Is. 49v14)
Yet, God NEVER abandons the righteous man. (Ps. 9v10, 16v10, 55v22)
To Israel He says, “Can a mother forget the baby at her breast and have no compassion on the child she has borne? Though she may forget, I will not forget you! See, I have engraved you on the palms of my hands; your walls are ever before me.” (Is. 49v15-16)
In conclusion, not only did Lessing falsely accuse annihilationists of denying the substitutionary death of Christ, but he himself then proceeded to undermine the Divinity of Christ!
For more on this subject, please consider “Did Jesus go to hell between His death and resurrection?”, and “Did the Father Abandon Christ on the Cross?”, by Nathaniel McCallum.
Regarding the Effect of Hell-fire on Disembodied Souls
According to Lessing, the Lake of Fire couldn’t possibly refer to a physical fire, since a physical fire would have no effect on disembodied spirit beings:
EXTRACT: “Might I add that atheists have managed to understand something more about hell than most Christians, although they do not believe in its existence. They ridicule the idea of an outer darkness (Matthew 25:30) in the light of an unquenchable fire and in so doing have unwittingly proven that the fire cannot be literal because a literal fire lights up and illumines darkness. Darkness is the complete absence of light and God being Light causes the darkness by not being eternally present with those who are eventually going to be detained in hell for an eternity… The Lake of Fire, we learn from Matthew 25:41, was prepared for the devil and his angels who are spirit beings and, as I’ve already pointed out earlier, physical fire has no effect on bodiless spirit beings.” [1]
Yet, contrary to Lessings claim, Matthew Chapter 10 Verse 28 makes it very clear, that God can, in fact, “destroy both SOUL AND BODY in hell” (ESV/NIV/NLT).
That is, because the Lake of Fire is no ordinary fire, as Lessing presumed, but ‘the fire of God that falls from heaven’ (2 Kgs. 1v12; Job 1v16) “upon all ungodliness” (Rom. 1v18); for “God is a consuming fire” (Heb. 12v29), that will consume His enemies.
“‘I have seen these people,’ the LORD said to Moses, ‘and they are a stiff-necked people. Now leave me alone so that MY ANGER MAY BURN AGAINST THEM AND THAT I MAY DESTROY THEM. Then I will make you into a great nation.'” (Ex. 32v9-10, NIV)
“Now Nadab and Abihu, the sons of Aaron, took their respective firepans, and after putting fire in them, placed incense on it and offered strange fire before the LORD, which He had not commanded them. And FIRE CAME OUT FROM THE PRESENCE OF THE LORD AND CONSUMED THEM, and they died before the LORD.” (Lev. 10v1-2, NASB)
“Now the people became like those who complain of adversity in the hearing of the LORD; and when the LORD heard it, HIS ANGER WAS KINDLED, AND THE FIRE OF THE LORD BURNED AMONG THEM AND CONSUMED SOME OF THE OUTSKIRTS OF THE CAMP.” (Num. 11v1, NASB)
“And FIRE CAME OUT FROM THE LORD AND CONSUMED THE 250 MEN who were offering the incense.” (Num. 16v35, NIV)
“In my distress I called to the LORD; I cried to my God for help. From His temple He heard my voice; my cry came before Him, into His ears. The earth trembled and quaked, and the foundations of the mountains shook; THEY TREMBLED BECAUSE HE WAS ANGRY. SMOKE ROSE FROM HIS NOSTRILS; CONSUMING FIRE CAME FROM HIS MOUTH, BURNING COALS BLAZED OUT OF IT. He parted the heavens and came down; dark clouds were under his feet.” (Ps. 18v6-9, NIV)
“For A FIRE WILL BE KINDLED BY MY WRATH, ONE THAT BURNS DOWN TO THE REALM OF THE DEAD BELOW. IT WILL DEVOUR THE EARTH AND ITS HARVESTS AND SET AFIRE THE FOUNDATIONS OF THE MOUNTAINS.” (Deut. 32v22, NIV)
“Then the man of lawlessness will be revealed, but THE LORD JESUS WILL KILL HIM WITH THE BREATH OF HIS MOUTH and DESTROY HIM BY THE SPLENDOR OF HIS COMING.” (2 Thess. 2v8, NLT)
This would explain, why hell-fire is said to be “unquenchable” (Mk. 9v43, ESV/NLT) and “never goes out” (Mk. 9v43, NCV/NIV), because God Himself is said to be eternal.
As for the allegedly ‘atheistic argument’, that the Lake of Fire couldn’t possibly be a literal fire, since it would illuminate the darkness into which the wicked were cast (Mt. 25v30): I must confess, that I have never, in my whole life, heard a more ridiculous argument.
Even if the Lake of Fire were large enough to consume a 100 billion souls, it could hardly illuminate the whole universe.
Furthermore, recent studies by the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA), have shown that droplets of fuel burned in microgravity [space, that is “outer darkness”] can “burn WITHOUT FLAMES” [13].
In the words of John Milton (1608-1674), “Yet from those flames NO LIGHT, but rather darkness visible”.
There is, therefore, nothing contradictory in being cast into “outer darkness”, into a Lake of Fire. (Mt. 25v30-41)
“Claiming to be wise, they became fools” (Rom. 1v22, ESV)
For someone previously so adamant, that literal expressions demand a literal interpretation, Lessing surely offers a lot of figuratives?!
Annihilationists’ Supposed Denial of Jesus’ Agonizing Moments in the Garden of Gethsemane
According to Lessing, Annihilationism constitutes a denial of Christ’s Anguish in the Garden of Gethsemane:
EXTRACT: “IT DENIES JESUS CHIRST’S AGONIZING MOMENTS IN THE GARDEN OF GETHSEMANE WHEN HIS SWEAT BECAME LIKE DROPS OF BLOOD. There are some who wrongfully believe that Jesus’ agonizing moments in the Garden of Gethsemane, when his sweat became like great drops of blood (Luke 22:44), were triggered by his fear of his looming suffering through the inhumane whipping and scourging, the crown of thorns and the nails that were driven through his hands and feet. Jesus was no wimp who feared to be beaten and treated the way He was. If that were so He would have had to live in the shadow of many martyred saints who ‘overcame him [Satan] by the blood of the Lamb, and by the word of their testimony; and … loved not their lives unto the death.’ (Revelation 12:11). No! Jesus agonized over the fact that His Father with whom He lived in the closest loving relationship since eternities past was going to forsake Him on the cross (which amounts too spiritual death). The eternal bond of love was going to be broken for a time and it was this and this alone over which Jesus agonized in the garden.” [1]
In other words, IF Jesus was troubled by His imminent suffering on the cross, He was a ‘whimp’!
Lessing’s logic fails him, AGAIN.
Matthew Chapter 26 Verses 36 to 46, Mark Chapter 14 Verses 32 to 42 and Luke Chapter 22 Verses 39 to 44, makes it very clear, that Jesus were indeed “in anguish” (Lk. 22v44), “troubled” (Mt. 26v37; Mk. 14v33), and “overwhelmed with sorrow to the point of death” (Mt. 26v38; Mk. 14v34), as a result of foreseeing His suffering on the Cross.
According to all three passages of Scripture, Jesus begged the Father, to spare Him “this cup” (Mt. 26v39, v42, and v44; Mk. 14v36; Lk. 22v42); itself a reference to the suffering He would endure, and the blood He would shed, on the Cross (Mt. 20v22, 26v26-28; Mk. 14v22-24; Lk. 22v17-20; Jn. 18v11; 1 Cor. 10v16, 11v25-28); which would explain why the New Century Version (NCV) renders it as “this cup of suffering” (Mt. 26v39).
Don’t believe me? Read the whole of Matthew 26, Mark 14, and Luke 22, for yourself.
Finally, Christ’s suffering and death were said to be unlike that of ANYONE, before or after Him.
He literally suffered the penalty of ALL our sin. Agonizing over that certainly didn’t make Him a “whimp”, nor did it diminish His suffering to that of any other martyr.
In other words, after falsely accusing annihilationists of denying the agony of Christ in Gethsemane, Lessing himself did not ONLY, proceed to deny the agony of Christ as a result of the Cross, but also managed to insult Him as a ‘whimp’.
“Lucy, you got some splainin’ to do!”
Regarding Annihilationism’s Supposed Denial of the Wicked’s Fearful Suffering and Torment
According to Lessing, Annihilationism affords the wicked an escape from suffering and torment:
EXTRACT: “The thought of annihilation from existence and thus an escape from a fearful suffering and torment in a place like hell…” [1]
It may come as a surprise to Mr Lessing, but no annihilationist EVER denied the suffering and torment of the wicked. At least not, those I met.
The only difference between those who believe in Eternal Conscious Torment, and those who believe in Final Destruction, is this: Tormentists believe it is perpetually eternal, while annihilationists believe it will be completed forever, while there is yet ‘day and night’. (Rev. 14v11, 20v10)
Regarding Annihilationism’s Supposed Demeaning of God’s Holiness and Righteousness
According to Lessing, Annihilationism demeans God’s holiness and righteousness:
EXTRACT: “Listen up; I have no joy in the eternal suffering and torment of the wicked in hell. I too rather would have it all obliterated into non-existence, but that would do God and his holiness and righteousness no justice. It degrades and demeans his holiness and righteousness.” [1]
How exactly annihilationism would demean the holiness and righteousness of God, I do not know. Lessing doesn’t seem to either, since he made this claim without offering any kind of explanation as to how exactly that would be accomplished.
Regarding My Supposed Denial of the Fact that Man was Created in the Image of God
According to Lessing, God created us in His image, and therefore we share in His immortality:
EXTRACT: “IT DENIES THAT MAN IS MADE IN THE IMAGE OF GOD. When God said ‘Let us make man in our image’ (Genesis 1:26) He was obviously not referring to something physical. God alone has immortality in his own essence (1 Timothy 6:16); His immortality is not constituted by the will or the doing of someone else. He is the self-existent One who has been, is and shall be the same forevermore. As such He is the only One who can give and sustain life. In order for this life to have been created in man in accordance with God’s own image, man’s soul has to be infinite as well. God, being infinite in the essence of his being, made the souls of his creatures to be equally infinite. If He hadn’t made them thus, they could not have been made in his image.” [1]
The moment I read the heading, “IT DENIES THAT MAN IS MADE IN THE IMAGE OF GOD”, I already knew where Lessing was heading with this, since I already refuted the very same argument, in my rebuttal of the Doctrine of Universal Immortality. [14]
IF we are, or ‘had to be‘, innately immortal, because we were ‘created in God’s image’: Then why are we not also omnipotent, omniscient, and omnipresent? Why should only one of the Attributes of God, that of immortality, be singled out for comparison?
Being ‘created in the image of God’, has nothing to do with His attributes.
Regarding Matthew Chapter 10 Verse 28 in Light of Revelation Chapter 14 Verse 11
EXTRACT: “A key passage in Scripture to be considered very seriously is Matthew 10:28: ‘And do not fear those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. Rather fear him who can destroy both soul and body in hell.’ Assuming that the word ‘destroy’ in this verse conveys the meaning of total annihilation, it would be difficult to construe why Matthew warns his readers to rather fear God who is capable of destroying body and soul in hell. There is nothing to fear in nothingness, the state to which the wicked are allegedly consigned after their resurrection, as E.J. Hill asserts. In fact, atheists make it very clear that there is nothing nightmarish in total annihilation and complete nothingness… If it were true that the wicked are going to be annihilated into sheer nothingness, Matthew had no reason to warn his readers to fear God. As I explained earlier, there is no pain, suffering, torment, consciousness, regret or distress in nothingness. Such a disposition does not give rise to fear but gratitude. Matthew 10:28 unmistakably says that God is going to ‘destroy’ the unbelievers’ bodies and souls in hell. There is no indication whatsoever that ‘destroy’ means He is going to annihilate the wicked subsequent to their resurrection. Had it been so there wouldn’t have been a single unbeliever’s soul and body left to destroy in hell, making Matthew who was inspired by the Holy Sprit an infamous liar. The very fact that their souls and bodies are going to be destroyed in hell proves that the destruction is not a once-off occurrence but an eternal on-going one. If it had not been an eternal on-going occurrence hell itself and the devil and his angels for whom it was made will also have to be annihilated into oblivious nothingness. What does the Bible say? ‘The same shall drink of the wine of the wrath of God, which is poured out without mixture into the cup of his indignation; and he shall be tormented with fire and brimstone in the presence of the holy angels, and in the presence of the Lamb: And the smoke of their torment ascendeth up for ever and ever: and they have no rest day nor night, who worship the beast and his image, and whosoever receiveth the mark of his name.’ (Revelation 14:10-11)” [1]
Let me recap.
According to Lessing, Matthew Chapter 10 Verse 28 “unmistakably says that God is going to ‘destroy’ the unbelievers’ bodies and souls in hell”. Yet, “destroy” here cannot possibly refer to “annihilation”, because of Revelation Chapter 14 Verses 10 to 11, and must therefore refer to ‘an eternal on-going destruction’.
There’s just one minor [or rather major] problem with Lessing’s exegesis.
Revelation Chapter 14 Verse 11 makes it very clear, that this torment will continue “day and night forever”.
Yet, according to the Bible, there will be no night in the world to come. (Isa. 60v19-20; Rev. 21v25, 22v5)
And finally, when the term “forever” is used, it often refers to something effected once forever. (Jude 1v3-7)
In other words, after falsely accusing me of turning Matthew into a liar, Lessing himself proceeded to slate the very same Matthew, as well as Isaiah and John, as liars?!
Conclusion
In conclusion, Lessing’s attempted “rebuttal” has done nothing, but to misrepresent Calvinism and Annihilationism, undermine the Divinity of Christ, deny the Sufficiency of the Cross, twist the Scriptures beyond recognition, slate many ‘inspired men of God’ as liars, and Christ as both, an ‘illiterate ignoramus’ and ‘whimp’.
I must confess: I’m glad I live more than a thousand kilometers from Lessing, because if God does exist, he’s in deep shit.
BIBLIOGRAPHY
1. Tom Lessing. “E.J. Hill – The Strange, Strange World of Calvinism” (Discerning The World; 15 October 2013)
2. Luke 16 Parallel Chapters (Bible Hub; 28 June 2014) ✔
3. EJ Hill. The Doctrine of Eternal Torment (Hillside; 29 June 2014) ✔
4. EJ Hill. The Doctrine of Total Depravity (Hillside; 29 June 2014) ✔
5. Matt Slick. Did Jesus die spiritually? (Christian Apologetics and Research Ministry; 30 June 2014) ✔
6. Neil Rivalland. Did Jesus Die Spiritually, His Spirit Become Re-Created, And He Become Born Again? (Deception In the Church; 30 June 2014)
7. Did Jesus go to hell between His death and resurrection? (Compelling Truth; 30 June 2014)
8. Nathaniel McCallum. Did the Father Abandon Christ on the Cross? (Orthodoxy Heterodoxy; 18 April 2014)
9. St. Athanasius. Discourse 3 Against the Arians (New Advent; 30 June 2014) ✔
10. St Ambrose. Exposition of the Christian Faith II.7.56 ✔
11. EJ Hill. Conditional Immortality Throughout History (Hillside; 1 July 2014) ✔
12. Christian Views on Hades (Wikipedia; 2 July 2014) ✔
13. VIDEO: Megan Garber. Here’s What Happens When You Light a Fire in Space (The Atlantic Video; 17 June 2013) ✔
14. EJ Hill. Doctrine of Universal Immortality (Hillside; 4 July 2014) ✔
REVISIONS
28-30.06.2014 / 01-05.07.2014 / 08.08.2014 / 05.02.2015