Dictionary of terms related to Annihilationism

Annihilationism – Annihilationism is the term used to describe what ultimately happens to the wicked. They will cease to exist.
Conditionalism – Conditionalism is the position that immortality is conditioned upon God’s granting it to those who trust in Christ as Savior. Those who do not trust in Christ will not have this immortality and will be annihilated.
Death – Annihilationists teach that death is the cessation of biological life and that simultaneous with that death is either nonexistence of the soul or soul sleep.
Destruction – Biblically, destruction has a variety of meanings. In the context of annihilationism, destruction means nonexistence when it is related to unbelievers.
Eternal Conscious Torment – The traditional view held by the Christian church that those who have not trusted in Christ will forever experience torment as punishment for their sins.
Eternal Life – Eternal life is the gift of God given to those who trust in Christ and his atoning work, by whom they escape the righteous judgment due to them for their sins. This includes the glorification of the body in its final resurrection.
Eternal Punishment – Eternal punishment as understood by most annihilationists is the judgment of God upon a person where he is annihilated for eternity.
Gehenna – Is also known as the Valley of Hinnom which was outside of Jerusalem, to the south. It was a garbage heap that continually smoldered.
Hades – Hades is equivalent to sheol in the Old Testament. It is the place of the dead. is thrown into the lake of fire (Revelation 20:14).
Hell – The place of complete and eternal destruction. Annihilationists say this is separation from God.
Immortality – in annihilationist thought, immortality is the gift that God gives to those who are saved through faith in Christ. They alone receive immortality.
Intermediate State – the state of the individual between his physical death and resurrection to judgment.
Lake of Fire – The final abode of Satan, the beast, and the false prophet (Rev. 20:10). Annihilationists teach that the Lake of Fire is the place of the final consuming and extinction of the unsaved individual.
Punishment – The experienced consequence of one’s sins where God executes a judgment upon the person who is broken his law.
Second Death – According to annihilationists, the second death is annihilation.
Soul – The essence of the person that includes his identity, will, self-awareness, etc. Annihilationists teach the soul is not inherently immortal in that it will not naturally continue on forever. The soul has its existence in relationship to the human body.
Soul Sleep – According to annihilationists, soul sleep is the position that the person who was died physically is in a state of unconsciousness, yet still retains existence. This state his prior to the physical resurrection.