Annihilationism is the false teaching that the wicked will not suffer eternal conscious punishment, but will instead be destroyed or cease to exist after judgment. Its modern appeal lies in its supposed solution to the emotional difficulty of eternal punishment, making it attractive to those who wish to soften the severity of Hell, and reconcile God's justice with human notions of fairness. It appeals to a sentimental age that recoils at the thought of eternal wrath, framing annihilation as more compassionate than eternal torment. Yet in reality, this teaching strips the cross of its weight, diminishes the seriousness of sin, and ultimately undermines the holiness and justice of God, portraying Him as less than infinitely righteous, and His judgment as less than perfect.

Scripture utterly exposes the error of Annihilationism. Jesus Himself describes Hell as "eternal punishment" in contrast to "eternal life" (Matthew 25:46), showing that the same word "eternal" applies equally to both destinies. In Revelation 14:11, the smoke of the torment of the wicked "goes up forever and ever; they have no rest day and night"--language that utterly denies the possibility of annihilation. Likewise, Jesus repeatedly warns of "unquenchable fire" and a worm that "never dies" (Mark 9:43-48), emphasizing ongoing suffering, not cessation of being. Paul testifies that the wicked "will suffer the punishment of eternal destruction, away from the presence of the Lord" (2 Thessalonians 1:9), a destruction not of annihilation but of separation from God's favorable presence in conscious ruin. To deny these plain words is to deny Christ's own testimony, and to empty God's eternal justice of its holy dread. Annihilationism, then, is not mercy but deception--a lie that soothes the sinner's conscience while paving the way to the very eternal ruin it denies!