“Truly I say to you, it will be more tolerable for the land of Sodom and Gomorrah in the day of judgment than for that city,” (Matthew 10:15).

Before I tackle this verse as a relates to annihilationism, let me say that not all annihilationists believe the exact same things. Some affirm that upon death, the wicked face immediate nonexistence. Some assert that upon death, the person enters a state of soul sleep and is later awakened to face judgment. Others say that upon being resurrected and facing God, there is an immediate cessation of existence upon God’s judgment, while others affirm that the wicked will face a degree of punishment before being annihilated. It is to this last position that I’m addressing this article – the idea that the wicked will face a degree of punishment before being annihilated.

Jesus said that it would be more tolerable for the land of Sodom and Gomorrah on the Day of Judgment than for those cities that reject the disciples’ gospel message. If the annihilationist assumes the position that there will be degrees of punishment, then we would have differences in degrees of what is “more tolerable” for Sodom and Gomorrah over those other cities. This implies a degree of punishment.

Now, we know that there are different degrees of punishment spoken about in Scripture.

• “And that slave who knew his master’s will and did not get ready or act in accord with his will, shall receive many lashes, 48 but the one who did not know it, and committed deeds worthy of a flogging, will receive but few,” (Luke 12:47-48).
• “Jesus answered [Pilate], ‘You would have no authority over Me, unless it had been given you from above; for this reason he who delivered Me up to you has the greater sin,’ ” (John 19:11).
• “How much severer punishment do you think he will deserve who has trampled under foot the Son of God, and has regarded as unclean the blood of the covenant by which he was sanctified, and has insulted the Spirit of grace?” (Hebrews 10:29).

There are degrees of punishment, and according to Matthew 10:15, the implication is that on the Day of Judgment, there are degrees of punishment. But how can this be if someone is annihilated? There would be no degrees of punishment since all of them would be equal since every wicked person is simply annihilated. That would make no sense. So since there certainly is the implication of degrees of punishment in Matthew 10:15, we must address the idea that the wicked will face degrees of punishment before their annihilated. But there’s a problem with this position.

If they face a degree of punishment, then it must mean that they are doing so because of their sins. This further means that the punishment complies with the Law of God. But if they face different degrees of punishment before they are annihilated, then why aren’t they saved afterward since they have completed the requirement of the Law in a punishment?

Conclusion

There are problems with the annihilationist position that the wicked are resurrected to face degrees of punishment before God annihilates them. Why would God bring the wicked through different levels of punishment, and once that requisite amount of punishment is accomplished, they are then punished again via annihilation? This is double jeopardy. Think about it. In this particular position, the wicked are punished according to their sins. They suffer for a while until they have completed the punishment due to the Law. But once the Law has been satisfied by them completing their punishment requirement, why then would they be annihilated? Why aren’t they saved since they have satisfied the requirements of the Law? This annihilationist position makes no sense and even implies that God is unrighteous. It should be abandoned.