Scripture says that Hell is thrown into the Lake of Fire. The same fire that destroys the ungodly is the fire that burns the heavens and earth.
2 Peter 3:7
By the same word the present heavens and earth are reserved for fire, being kept for the day of judgment and destruction of the ungodly.
And then this promise is given:
But do not forget this one thing, dear friends: With the Lord a day is like a thousand years, and a thousand years are like a day. The Lord is not slow in keeping his promise, as some understand slowness. Instead he is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance.
So the wicked will perish and we see that this fire is so consuming that it also destroys the elements.
But the day of the Lord will come like a thief. The heavens will disappear with a roar; the elements will be destroyed by fire, and the earth and everything done in it will be laid bare
But then after everything is destroyed in this way, God creates a new Heavens and Earth where righteousness and the righteous dwell.
Since everything will be destroyed in this way, what kind of people ought you to be? You ought to live holy and godly lives as you look forward to the day of God and speed its coming.b That day will bring about the destruction of the heavens by fire, and the elements will melt in the heat. But in keeping with his promise we are looking forward to a new heaven and a new earth, where righteousness dwells.
But then some argue that the human soul cannot be destroyed because he made man as an eternal creature. Thus his soul cannot be destroyed and this fire and will instead, perpetually burn and the soul of a wicked man will suffer the flame for all eternity. But scripture teaches differently to this idea of eternal suffering in Hell. Besides contradicting what we just read about the destruction of the ungodly in the above verses, it is clear from this verse that everything is destroyed and a new creation comes into being. However, even more condemning for the ‘eternal soul’ view is the following scripture. It clearly shows that God in his mercy spared man the fate of living forever because of his sin.
And the Lord God said, “The man has now become like one of us, knowing good and evil. He must not be allowed to reach out his hand and take also from the tree of life and eat, and live forever.” So the Lord God banished him from the Garden of Eden to work the ground from which he had been taken. After he drove the man out, he placed on the east side of the Garden of Eden cherubim and a flaming sword flashing back and forth to guard the way to the tree of life.
Clearly God the merciful stopped man from eating the tree of life after he sinned, thus sparing him from living forever. Besides merciful act by God, surely you can see that God is able to destroy a man’s soul and that he will indeed do this very thing. This is all written. We either accept it or doubt the scriptures that clearly show this.
Do not be afraid of those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. Rather, be afraid of the One who can destroy both soul and body in hell.
& The soul that sinneth, it shall die.
Do you believe now, that God can and will destroy the wicked forever? Do you believe that he spared the wicked from existing for all eternity? You should believe that if you believe the scriptures.
GeneBalthrop.
