Does the Bible Teach that Hell is Eternal or Temporal for Unbelievers?

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Guest: Todd Friel, host Wretched TV and Radio Programs

There are many fiery situations in the world right now. In Iran, millions have been on the streets protesting with thousands killed by the Shia Islamist regime led by Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, who is on the brink of being ousted due to economic decline and repressive rule. This situation has significant ramifications for stability in the Middle East and even the end times.

Here in my home state of Minnesota, violent confrontations continue against ICE agents by protesters and paid agitators and rioters, as agents search for and arrest illegal immigrants. President Trump has stated he is considering employing the Insurrection Act to use military force to quell the obstruction and violence which has been incited by MN Governor Tim Walz and Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey.

There are other fires—in Venezuela after the U.S. captured their Communist narco-terrorist president Nicolas Maduro; in England and Australia which are threatening and arresting their own citizens for social media content against Islam; in Ukraine where the intractable, deadly war with Russia continues.

And yet all these fires at home and abroad are far less significant and lasting than what the Bible describes as the “unquenchable fire” of hell.

Hell is an issue that is almost unspeakable, and rightly so, because of the horror of what it is—eternal conscious torment for all who have rejected God by not believing in His Son’s substitutionary death and resurrection on the sinner’s behalf. In fact, the final destination for non-believers is described this way in Revelation 20: “if anyone’s name was not found written in the book of life, he was thrown into the lake of fire.”

Because hell is so horrific and never ending, there are many who question God’s character in sending people there. They say, “I know sin offends the holy God, but punishment for eternity in hell is disproportionate to the crime.”

Kirk Cameron, actor and Christian influencer and author, who has worked and associated with many sound Christians like Ray Comfort, Ken Ham, and John MacArthur, announced on his podcast recently that he no longer believes that hell is eternal conscious torment but rather that an unbeliever is eventually annihilated. In other words, unbelievers do go to hell for punishment but at some point they go out of existence.

This is certainly not the first time the eternality of hell has been challenged and it won’t be the last. Todd Friel, pastor of Alpharetta Bible Church in Georgia and host of Wretched, which produces radio and TV programs, joins us this weekend to examine what the Bible teaches about hell. Is hell being eternal an important doctrine to stand firm on? Is there a biblical basis that unbelievers are annihilated in hell, in light of what Jesus said in John 10, “fear Him who is able to destroy both soul and body in hell”?

We hope you join us for this important discussion.