One of the weaker arguments proposed by those who hold to annihilation/conditionalism deals with the phrase “eternal fire.” Since Jesus speaks of eternal fire, as does Jude, and since people are cast into eternal fire, how does the annihilationist interpret this? After all, if someone is cast into eternal fire, then the implication is they are eternally conscious and suffering. The response that I’ve read is that the “eternal fire” is not about the fire itself. Instead, it’s in reference to God being eternal, and since God is a consuming fire (Heb. 12:29), then the phrase “eternal fire” is about God and not the fire. Therefore, the eternal fire is not really eternal. Is such an argument sound? No, it is not.
The phrase “eternal fire” occurs three times in the entire Bible in English: Matt. 18:8; 25:41; Jude 7. In Greek, the phrase is two words: “eternal” is αἰώνιος, aiōniŏs and “fire” is πῦρ, pur.
Let’s take a look at the three instances of the couplet “eternal fire” and then I will respond to their argument.
- Matthew 18:8, “If your hand or your foot causes you to stumble, cut it off and throw it from you; it is better for you to enter life crippled or lame, than to have two hands or two feet and be cast into the eternal fire.”
- Matthew 25:41, “Then He will also say to those on His left, ‘Depart from Me, accursed ones, into the eternal fire which has been prepared for the devil and his angels;”
- Jude 7, “just as Sodom and Gomorrah and the cities around them, since they in the same way as these indulged in gross immorality and went after strange flesh, are exhibited as an example in undergoing the punishment of eternal fire.”
We see that in Matthew 18:8 Jesus warns about being cast into the eternal fire. If the eternal fire is a reference to God being eternal, then how is it that someone can be cast into it? Are they cast into God? Of course not. It would make no sense to say that someone is cast into the eternality of God, or that it is the fire that was supposed to exist from God’s eternal past decision, or that the fire is from an eternal source, but will go out with the body is consumed. See the article, Annihilationism and Matthew 18:8-9, it is better to enter heaven lame, then cast into hell whole.
In Matthew 25:41 the accursed ones are cast into the eternal fire which “has been prepared for the devil and his angels.” If the eternal fire is something that emanates out of God because God is eternal, then the eternal fire was there forever in order to burn the devil and his angels. But that would not fit with the idea that God is a consuming fire.
Conclusion
The notion that the phrase “eternal fire” is in reference to God being eternal because he is called a consuming fire (Hebrews 12:29) makes no sense. In each of the three instances where the phrase occurs in the Bible (Matt. 18:8; 25:41; Jude 7) we see that it deals with being cast into this fire and suffering the punishment of this fire. This is an experience undergone by the wicked and is not a reference to the fire being figuratively related figuratively to God and thus making the eternal fire nonexistent.
Return to Annihilationism Page
