Many believe it. Perhaps you do too. Ridiculous? Does God's word promise Eternal Life to those who ultimately defy, deny, and disobey him? You would be hard pressed to find a confessing Christian who would say that it does. However, many, if not most of these well-intentioned believers are believers in eternal life for the righteous and the wicked. Why is this? God's word does not teach it. Immortality is the reward of the saved, those that endure to the end. (Matt.24:13) Whether that be the end of your life or the end of the age. Many people are taught from childhood that the reward of the unsaved and the wicked is eternal torment in the fires of hell. That satan the devil is it's keeper. That he is competing with God for our souls. If the devil wins, you spend eternity writhing and screaming, while he laughs and pokes you with his trident or pitchfork. You'll wish to die and death will not come. How close does this come to describing what you have been taught to believe about the destiny of the unsaved or unredeemed? If it's close, your belief is not biblical. You'll be the one to decide for yourself whether or not that is an important factor. Consider Psalm 37:20, "But the wicked shall perish, and the enemies of the LORD [shall be] as the fat of lambs: they shall consume; into smoke shall they consume away." Doesn't sound as though there is anything left. But that verse doesn't mention hell specifically. Fair enough. Let's move on to Malachi 4:1. "For, behold, the day cometh, that shall burn as an oven; and all the proud, yea, and all that do wickedly, shall be stubble: and the day that cometh shall burn them up, saith the Lord of hosts, that it shall leave them neither root nor branch." These verses give us terms like consumed and burned up. Little doubt as to what will be left. Still not convinced that we're reading about hell? Maybe Christ' own words can add some clarity. Matthew 10:28. "And fear not them which kill the body, but are not able to kill the soul: but rather fear him which is able to destroy both soul and body in hell." What's left after the soul and body are destroyed? And He left little room for doubt about where the destruction takes place. You can decide for yourself. What stands the test? Training and tradition or the Word? "Prove all things; hold fast that which is good." (I Thess. 5:21) An eternal life, even in agony, is not what awaits those who ultimately reject God.
