Article by: Kenneth J. Ester
Do the Unsaved Suffer Eternal Punishment?
Matthew 10:28 (NASB)
28 And do not be afraid of those who kill the body but are unable to kill the soul; but rather fear Him who is able to destroy both soul and body in hell.
Many read this scripture and believe it means that when God casts the souls of the unsaved into the Lake of Fire, they are burnt up and destroyed. As always, I cannot emphasize enough how important it is to pay attention to what scripture actually says and not what you expect it to say. Matthew never says God destroys the souls. He simply says to fear the one who "can" destroy the soul. He was just clarifying that we should not fear other humans who can harm the body, but we should fear the one who can harm both body and soul. Men can do a lot of harm to our bodies and can kill them, but no man can harm your soul. God is all powerful. God can destroy both your body and your soul. He is the one you should fear. It doesn't say God does destroy our souls, but only that He can and that makes Him the one to respect.
Matthew 25:46 (NASB)
46 These will go away into eternal punishment, but the righteous into eternal life.”
It does not say they will go into a place of eternal punishment, but they will go into eternal punishment. It is clearly saying the punishment is eternal.
Revelation 20:10 (NASB)
10 And the devil who deceived them was thrown into the lake of fire and brimstone, where the beast and the false prophet are also; and they will be tormented day and night forever and ever.
It doesn't say just the devil will be in torment forever and ever, but "they" will be in torment forever and ever. They would include all three of them. The devil, the antichrist and the false prophet. Two of these three were human.
Revelation 14:11 (NASB)
11 And the smoke of their torment ascends forever and ever; they have no rest day and night, those who worship the beast and his image, and whoever receives the mark of his name.”
And a third time it clearly says the smoke of their torment ascends for ever and ever. Now some will say it is only the smoke of their torment that rises forever and ever, but that clearly is not what this means. Right after that it plainly says they will have no rest day and night. It is talking about their torment being forever. Not just the residue of their torment.
It is obvious when you really look at scripture that God can destroy your soul so He is clearly the one we should have the most respect for. But nowhere does it ever say God "does" destroy our souls. Three times it clearly shows the torment of the unsaved being forever.
28 And do not be afraid of those who kill the body but are unable to kill the soul; but rather fear Him who is able to destroy both soul and body in hell.
Many read this scripture and believe it means that when God casts the souls of the unsaved into the Lake of Fire, they are burnt up and destroyed. As always, I cannot emphasize enough how important it is to pay attention to what scripture actually says and not what you expect it to say. Matthew never says God destroys the souls. He simply says to fear the one who "can" destroy the soul. He was just clarifying that we should not fear other humans who can harm the body, but we should fear the one who can harm both body and soul. Men can do a lot of harm to our bodies and can kill them, but no man can harm your soul. God is all powerful. God can destroy both your body and your soul. He is the one you should fear. It doesn't say God does destroy our souls, but only that He can and that makes Him the one to respect.
Matthew 25:46 (NASB)
46 These will go away into eternal punishment, but the righteous into eternal life.”
It does not say they will go into a place of eternal punishment, but they will go into eternal punishment. It is clearly saying the punishment is eternal.
Revelation 20:10 (NASB)
10 And the devil who deceived them was thrown into the lake of fire and brimstone, where the beast and the false prophet are also; and they will be tormented day and night forever and ever.
It doesn't say just the devil will be in torment forever and ever, but "they" will be in torment forever and ever. They would include all three of them. The devil, the antichrist and the false prophet. Two of these three were human.
Revelation 14:11 (NASB)
11 And the smoke of their torment ascends forever and ever; they have no rest day and night, those who worship the beast and his image, and whoever receives the mark of his name.”
And a third time it clearly says the smoke of their torment ascends for ever and ever. Now some will say it is only the smoke of their torment that rises forever and ever, but that clearly is not what this means. Right after that it plainly says they will have no rest day and night. It is talking about their torment being forever. Not just the residue of their torment.
It is obvious when you really look at scripture that God can destroy your soul so He is clearly the one we should have the most respect for. But nowhere does it ever say God "does" destroy our souls. Three times it clearly shows the torment of the unsaved being forever.