Difficult Divine Decrees: Afterlife or Afterdeath

This question came in from someone in our congregation.

Oh, won’t this be fun today!

As usual, we won’t have time to delve deeply into each of these, but I think it is worth discussion.

Generally, there are four views of the afterlife:

Unbeliever: Eternal Conscious Torment (ECT)

Believer: Eternal Paradise with God

Unbeliever: Annihilationism

Believer: Eternal Paradise with God

All: Purgatory Purification

All: Universalism

These approaches are different answers to the question of how divine justice and mercy are manifested in the afterlife.

Comparing and contrasting the four approaches to the afterlife—Eternal Conscious Torment (ECT), Annihilationism, Universal Salvation, and Purgatory leading to Universalism—reveals distinct perspectives on divine justice, the nature of punishment, and the ultimate outcome for humanity. Here’s a detailed look:

Eternal Conscious Torment (ECT)

Concept: ECT posits that the wicked will undergo endless suffering in hell, where they remain conscious of their torment eternally.

Theological Implication: Reflects a view of divine justice as retributive, emphasizing punishment for sin.

Isaiah 66:24 (Hebrew Bible) - Describes the corpses of those who have rebelled against God, where "their worm will not die, nor will their fire be quenched," implying an ongoing, unending disgrace rather than conscious torment.

Daniel 12:2 (Hebrew Bible) - Mentions the resurrection of some to everlasting life and others to "shame and everlasting contempt," suggesting a state of eternal dishonor.

Matthew 25:41, 46 (New Testament) - Jesus tells of the final judgment where the cursed are sent into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels, with the wicked going away to eternal punishment, but the righteous to eternal life.

Mark 9:43-48 (New Testament) - Jesus warns against sin, using the imagery of Gehenna, where the fire is not quenched and the worm does not die, emphasizing the unending nature of the punishment.

2 Thessalonians 1:9 (New Testament) - Describes the fate of those who do not know God and do not obey the gospel of Jesus as suffering the punishment of eternal destruction, away from the presence of the Lord.

Revelation 14:11 (New Testament) - Depicts the torment of those who worship the beast and its image, stating that "the smoke of their torment goes up forever and ever and they have no rest day or night."

Revelation 20:10, 14-15 (New Testament) - The devil, the beast, and the false prophet are thrown into the lake of fire where they are tormented day and night forever and ever. This is also the fate of anyone not found in the Book of Life.

Contrasts:

- With Annihilationism: ECT involves ongoing suffering, while annihilationism sees the wicked as ceasing to exist.

- With Universal Salvation: Contrasts starkly, as ECT views some souls as irredeemable, whereas universal salvation believes all souls will eventually be reconciled to God.

- With Purgatory leading to Universalism: Differs as ECT sees punishment as an end in itself, whereas purgatory views punishment as a means to purification.

Annihilationism

Concept: Annihilationism suggests that the wicked are ultimately destroyed or cease to exist rather than suffering forever.

Theological Implication: Portrays divine justice as terminal, focusing on the removal of sin and sinners from creation, which restores cosmic order without eternal suffering.

Psalm 37:20 (Hebrew Bible) - Describes the wicked perishing and vanishing like smoke, suggesting total obliteration rather than unending torment.

Obadiah 1:16 (Hebrew Bible) - Foretells that the wicked will be as though they had never been, emphasizing the idea of complete annihilation.

Matthew 10:28 (New Testament) - Jesus warns that God can destroy both soul and body in hell, implying a total destruction rather than perpetual suffering.

2 Thessalonians 1:9 (New Testament) - Mentions that those who do not obey the gospel will suffer the punishment of eternal destruction, away from the presence of the Lord, suggesting a final and complete end.

1 Corinthians 3:17 (New Testament) - Warns that if anyone destroys God's temple, God will destroy that person, which can be interpreted as the ultimate end of existence.

Philippians 3:19 (New Testament) - Describes the end of enemies of the cross of Christ as destruction, contrasting with the salvation offered to believers.

2 Peter 3:7 (New Testament) - The heavens and earth are reserved for fire, leading to the destruction of the ungodly, reinforcing the theme of complete annihilation rather than eternal torment.

Not to mention there is a unifying theme in Isaiah and Paul that references the ‘Death of Death.’

Contrasts:

- With ECT: Rejects the idea of eternal suffering, emphasizing a finite end to existence.

- With Universal Salvation: Divides sharply as annihilationism ends existence rather than restoring all to God.

- With Purgatory leading to Universalism: Differs as annihilationism does not incorporate a process of purification leading to salvation.

Universal Salvation

Concept: Universal salvation teaches that all souls will eventually be reconciled to God, often through a process that includes correction but ultimately leads to salvation.

Theological Implication: Emphasizes God’s love and mercy, underpinned by the belief in God’s ultimate victory over evil and sin through the universal acceptance of Christ.

Isaiah 25:6-8 (Hebrew Bible) - Depicts a vision where God will prepare a feast for all peoples and will swallow up death forever, which can be interpreted as a hint toward the eventual victory over death for all.

Luke 3:6 (New Testament) - Refers to the prophecy from Isaiah that "all flesh shall see the salvation of God," suggesting a universal revelation of God’s saving power.

John 12:32 (New Testament) - Jesus states that when he is lifted up from the earth, he will draw all people to himself, indicating a universal aspect to his salvific work.

Acts 3:20-21 (New Testament) - Speaks of a time of restoration of all things, which God has spoken by the mouth of all his holy prophets since the world began.

Romans 5:18 (New Testament) - Paul states that just as one trespass led to condemnation for all men, so one act of righteousness leads to justification and life for all men.

1 Corinthians 15:22 (New Testament) - Paul explains that as in Adam all die, so in Christ all will be made alive, suggesting a universal restoration through Christ.

1 Timothy 2:4 (New Testament) - Expresses that God desires all people to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth, supporting the idea of a universal will toward salvation.

2 Peter 3:9 (New Testament) - Peter mentions that the Lord is not willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance, further underscoring the theme of universal opportunity for salvation.

Contrasts:

- With ECT: Completely opposes ECT's view of irrevocable damnation.

- With Annihilationism: Contrasts by affirming the eternal existence and eventual salvation of all, rather than destruction.

- With Purgatory leading to Universalism: Similar but differs in that universal salvation does not necessarily involve a purgatorial state.

Purgatory leading to Universalism

Concept: This view combines the notion of purgatory (a state of purification for souls who die in God’s grace but are not yet pure) with the belief that all souls will eventually achieve salvation.

Theological Implication: Combines aspects of justice (via purification) and mercy (ultimate reconciliation).

Malachi 3:2-3 (Hebrew Bible) - Describes God as a refiner's fire, purifying the Levites like gold and silver, which can be viewed metaphorically as purifying souls.

1 Corinthians 3:12-15 (New Testament) - Paul describes how each person's work will be tested by fire on the Day of the Lord. If anyone’s work is burned up, he will suffer loss, though he himself will be saved, but only as through fire. This has been interpreted by some as an allegorical reference to a purgatorial process.

Matthew 12:32 (New Testament) - Jesus mentions that anyone who speaks against the Holy Spirit will not be forgiven, either in this age or in the age to come, suggesting the possibility of sins being forgiven in the next life.

2 Maccabees 12:44-46 (Deuterocanonical Texts) - Although not included in the Protestant canon or Jewish Tanakh, this passage shows an early Jewish practice of praying for the dead to be freed from sin, reflecting a belief in some form of afterlife purification.

Contrasts:

- With ECT: Sees punishment as temporary and purifying, leading to salvation, unlike ECT’s view of permanent torment.

- Annihilationism: Opposes the idea of ceasing to exist, instead suggesting all souls will be purified and saved.

- With Universal Salvation: Shares the end goal but posits a transitional state of purification not necessarily present in all universalist views.

Where do faith traditions line up on these?

Eastern Orthodox theology: Universal Salvation and Purgatory Leading to Universalism:

Emphasizes the profound mercy and love of God and holds that God desires the salvation of all, and it does believe in a process of purification after death. Eastern Orthodox understanding of God’s uncreated energies, human free will, and the nature of sin and salvation. These views are molded by a strong emphasis on God’s mercy and the transformative power of divine love.

Roman Catholic Church: ECT and Purgatory leading to Universalism:

They traditionally teach that Hell is a state of eternal separation from God for those who die in a state of mortal sin and do not repent. Also, they firmly the doctrine of Purgatory, which is described as a purifying fire for those who die in a state of grace but still need to undergo purification.

Lutheranism, Reformed, & Protestant: ECT:

These traditions align most closely with the concept of Eternal Conscious Torment (ECT).

Hebrew Thought: None:

Judaism, both historically and in its modern forms, tends to focus more on life here and now rather than detailing the conditions of the afterlife. The concepts of ECT and Annihilationism are largely foreign to Jewish thought, which traditionally sees the afterlife more in terms of a temporary purification process or the eternal existence of the soul in a non-punitive state.

Conclusion

Generally, there are four views of the afterlife:

Unbeliever: Eternal Conscious Torment (ECT)

Believer: Eternal Paradise with God

Unbeliever: Annihilationism

Believer: Eternal Paradise with God

All: Purgatory Purification

All: Universalism

These approaches are different answers to the question of how divine justice and mercy are manifested in the afterlife.

Difficult Divine Decrees: Afterlife or Afterdeath