is the everlasting punishment annihilation (cease to exist)?

Answer 1

YES IT IS!!........Do you think God is unfair? Has He predestined some human beings—made in His image—to burn in hell, with no genuine opportunity for salvation? Shockingly, this idea of a cruel and capricious God is commonly taught in the name of "Christianity." But it is wrong! God’s plan will give every human being a genuine opportunity to be saved.
Many who call themselves Christian have been unable to reconcile God’s love, mercy and justice with the idea of eternal hellfire for those who have never heard the message of Jesus Christ. Yet the Bible plainly teaches, "Nor is there salvation in any other, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved" (Acts 4:12).
How can we reconcile this apparent contradiction between God’s mercy and His justice? Your Bible reveals that billions of people will have their very first opportunity for salvation in the White Throne Judgment, described in Revelation 20:11–12. God’s plan of salvation may be difficult for some to believe. But it is very encouraging when you understand the hope it brings to all of humanity. Those who have suffered from their own sins in ignorance, and those who have been innocent victims of war, oppression and genocide will be resurrected to understand the Bible—the Book of Life. They will have their first true opportunity to understand God’s love for all humanity. In the White Throne Judgment, billions of human beings who were previously spiritually blinded will finally learn from the pain of the past, and they will be given the opportunity to truly repent, believe the gospel and eventually inherit the Kingdom of God. As Peter wrote, "The Lord is not slack concerning His promise, as some count slackness, but is longsuffering toward us, not willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance" (2 Peter 3:9).
But what about those who have seared their consciences, and knowingly rejected God’s truth, love, knowledge and forgiveness in favor of rebellion, hatred and sin? These willful sinners will be burned up in a lake of fire! Notice: "Then Death and Hades were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death. And anyone not found written in the Book of Life was cast into the lake of fire" (Revelation 20:14–15).
Here is the second death—the eternal death penalty from which there is no resurrection! Those who have sealed their minds never to repent or surrender to Jesus Christ will be totally burned up—destroyed!
In Luke 16, the parable of Lazarus and the rich man illustrates the torment unrepentant sinners will experience before they are totally burned up. Notice that the rich man is about to be thrown into the lake of fire. Notice also that he is in hades—he is in the grave, not in Gehenna fire. He is resurrected for final judgment, as described in Revelation 20. So what does he ask for? A drop of water to cool his tongue. He did not ask for buckets of water to be poured over him. The rich man was in deep mental torment and anguish just before his destruction. The incorrigibly wicked will suffer the torment of knowing their fate before their final execution. But a loving and merciful God will put them out of their misery for all eternity. They will be totally burned up and destroyed forever, annihilated in the lake of fire—a fire that will spread over the whole earth!
Yes, the whole earth will be purified by fire. "But the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night, in which the heavens will pass away with a great noise, and the elements will melt with fervent heat; both the earth and the works that are in it will be burned up. Therefore, since all these things will be dissolved, what manner of persons ought you to be in holy conduct and godliness" (2 Peter 3:10–11).
Those who have sealed their own fate—who have determined never to repent of their evil attitude and nature—will be totally burned up and will become ashes! They will not be tormented forever. They will receive their eternal punishment, not eternal punishing. Their death, their eternal punishment, will last for eternity!
This is what the Bible teaches. The incorrigibly wicked will be totally destroyed—annihilated. But they will not be destroyed capriciously, or unfairly, or because God predestined them never to hear Christ’s message. As we have seen, no one can be saved without accepting the message of Jesus Christ (Acts 4:12). Through the White Throne Judgment, those human beings who have not previously had their minds opened by God’s truth will have their first genuine opportunity for salvation.
So, who is burning in hell? By now you know the answer. The answer is: "No one!" There is a future lake of fire that will burn up, consume, and annihilate the wicked forever. That fire will purify the earth for the new heavens and earth promised in Revelation 21. We can all be thankful for God’s justice, fairness, and plan of salvation through Christ. There is judgment coming, but there is also hope for many of your friends and relatives you thought may have been lost!

Answer 2

Darcy,to begin with,nowhere within the bible does it say that Satan is a natural spirit and can't be destroyed. Nowhere within the bible does it talk of everlasting punishment in hell (and I presume you're regarding a fiery hell). a million John five:19 refers to Satan as "The depraved one" and that the entire international is mendacity in his energy. Revelation 20:10 states that Satan will probably be thrown into the lake of fireside as an everlasting punishment however the higher side of the guide of Revelation used to be given in indicators and symbolisms. Rev a million:a million. The "lake of fireside" is a logo of permanent destruction from which there's no go back. Rev 21:eight. I have no idea wherein you get the thought that Jehovah's Witnesses say "there's no heaven",due to the fact that's no longer actual. If you perform a little study you are going to uncover that we feel that heaven is the living position of Almighty God,Jehovah and his son Jesus in conjunction with all of the angels. Added to these already in heaven are the one hundred forty four,000 taken from the earth to function Kings and clergymen, Rev 14:three,four. As for "making up our possess bible",The New World Translation of the Holy Scriptures has been scrutinized by means of bible pupils who aren't Jehovah's Witnesses,and has been observed to be essentially the most correct translation of the customary manuscripts that there's. If you desire references to examine that for your self,I will gladly give them. I could endorse that in the event you desire to criticise or remark on some thing,do your homework first.Doing matters that manner prevents embarrassment.

Answer 3

Everlasting punishment is not annihilation. Annihilation means that you cease to exist, but if you are being punished for all eternity in hell, then I would say you are still existing in hell. Those of us who believe in annihilation believe that hell is not eternal, but those in hell will burn until they are no more...until they are ashes. Wouldn't it be cruel of God to keep people in hell alive forever being tortured forever?

Answer 4

Not much of a punishment, you know?

Given a choice between eternal life and a finite life, I'd rather have the finite life.

Anything available in infinite supply is worthless. Toss infinity into the Supply side of the Supply-Demand equation and see what comes back out.

Answer 5

If you call the eternal torment in the lake of fire ceasing to exist, ok

Answer 6

You cannot fail to exist. You are a form of energy, and energy can change form, but it never "goes away".

Answer 7

That would be too easy. Personally, I'd rather Hitler had a bit more suffering than that.

Answer 8

When you die,you cease to exist.The same happens to each and every one of us

Answer 9

Many Christian denominations believe you burn in hell forever. What's the term.....Sadism?