4 thoughts on “Piper on why many pulpits are powerless”
There are other reasons why annihilationism is growing stronger today. Read your Bible from Genesis to Revelation. Mark every passage that speaks about the fate of the wicked. Except for a few passages that are very hard to understand, the overwhelming teaching of Scripture is that the wicked will be destroyed. “Death and hades were cast into the lake of fire. THE LAKE OF FIRE IS THE SECOND DEATH.” I grew up being taught the classical view of hell. I rejected it not in spite of the Bible, but because of it. The fate of the wicked is destruction in the lake of fire.
Tommy, I know that argument is made. There is a part of me that wishes it would hold up. But, the Bible does also say that their worm will not die. I know Stott and others have argued for it. But, I am unconvinced.
Tommy, I would also point you to this sermon by Piper.
I just sent this exact same link to another friend who is embracing annihilationism. I thought this paragraph from Piper was especially compelling:
“I urge you to follow a process of thought about the Bible that is the reverse of the one common today. Instead of coming to the Bible and saying, “I feel that endless suffering cannot be just, and so the Bible cannot be teaching it,” rather say, “Since the Bible teaches it, it must be just and therefore, O how infinitely dreadful sin must be! How infinitely blameworthy it must be to treat the glory of God with contempt! How infinite must be the insult to God when we do not trust his promises! What infinite beauty and glory and purity and holiness God must have, that endless suffering is a just and fitting punishment for disobeying his Word! Annihilationism reduces sin from high treason to a misdemeanor. Hell is meant to fill us with awe at the glory we have scorned.”
There are other reasons why annihilationism is growing stronger today. Read your Bible from Genesis to Revelation. Mark every passage that speaks about the fate of the wicked. Except for a few passages that are very hard to understand, the overwhelming teaching of Scripture is that the wicked will be destroyed. “Death and hades were cast into the lake of fire. THE LAKE OF FIRE IS THE SECOND DEATH.” I grew up being taught the classical view of hell. I rejected it not in spite of the Bible, but because of it. The fate of the wicked is destruction in the lake of fire.
Tommy, I know that argument is made. There is a part of me that wishes it would hold up. But, the Bible does also say that their worm will not die. I know Stott and others have argued for it. But, I am unconvinced.
Tommy, I would also point you to this sermon by Piper.
http://www.desiringgod.org/ResourceLibrary/Sermons/ByDate/1992/800_The_Echo_and_Insufficiency_of_Hell_Part_1/
I just sent this exact same link to another friend who is embracing annihilationism. I thought this paragraph from Piper was especially compelling:
“I urge you to follow a process of thought about the Bible that is the reverse of the one common today. Instead of coming to the Bible and saying, “I feel that endless suffering cannot be just, and so the Bible cannot be teaching it,” rather say, “Since the Bible teaches it, it must be just and therefore, O how infinitely dreadful sin must be! How infinitely blameworthy it must be to treat the glory of God with contempt! How infinite must be the insult to God when we do not trust his promises! What infinite beauty and glory and purity and holiness God must have, that endless suffering is a just and fitting punishment for disobeying his Word! Annihilationism reduces sin from high treason to a misdemeanor. Hell is meant to fill us with awe at the glory we have scorned.”