Kirk Cameron Denies 'Eternal Conscious Torment,' Is Now An Annihilationist? - Protestia
For the time is coming when people will not endure sound teaching, but having itching ears they will accumulate for themselves teachers to suit their own passions.. (2 Timothy 4:3).
Those who support the heresy of annihilationism must face the chilling fact that they are directly contradicting unequivocal scriptural evidence that hell is eternal conscious torment.
And they shall go out and look on the dead bodies of the men who have rebelled against me. For their worm shall not die, their fire shall not be quenched, and they shall be an abhorrence to all flesh.” (Isaiah 66:24 cf. Mark 9:44)
Study Bible: "The 'worm' and 'fire' are metaphors for unending decay and punishment. Isaiah chooses decay imagery to stress unending shame. A maggot-consuming corpse normally finishes its work; here the process 'never' ends. Jesus cites this phrase verbatim for Gehenna (Mark 9:47-48), affirming eternal, conscious punishment.
The incongruity of the two images shows that they are not to be understood literally; but both alike imply everlasting continuance, and are incompatible with either of the two modern heresies of universalism or annihilationism."1
Bible Hub: "No hint of annihilation appears; the torment is ongoing, not terminated.
Fire in Scripture pictures God’s wrath (Hebrews 12:29). It is 'unquenchable,' meaning no outside force can lessen or end it (Matthew 25:41; Revelation 20:10).
The permanence of the fire matches the never-dying worm—dual metaphors underscoring one reality.
This affirms the literal, eternal nature of hell, a place prepared for the devil and his angels yet shared by all who persist in rebellion."2
And these will go away into eternal punishment, but the righteous into eternal life.” (Matthew 25:46) .
Bengel's Gnomen: "The Bible has no metaphysical distinctions, therefore it has no one word to express eternity; this it expresses by long periods joined with one another indefinitely. Αἰῶνες = עו̇לָמִים, æva: very long periods, which, multiplied indefinitely, give the only notion we can form of eternity. Ὡρα (Th. ὃρος, terminus), a definite space of time: καιρὸς, the time, the fit time: χρόνος, time, in its actuality, marking succession: αἰὼν, an indefinite course of time, without the notion of an end. See Tittm. Syn. Gr. Test. Ἀπʼ αἰώνων = from all eternity, a parte ante. Εἰς τοὺς αἰῶνας = to all eternity, for ages, for ever, a parte post. As these phrases are applied to the eternity of God Himself, and as, moreover, αἰώνιος is applied to ζωὴ, which none deny to mean everlasting life, no objections (such as have been lately raised), from the meaning of αἰὼν, will hold good against the everlasting duration of punishment."3
And the devil who had deceived them was thrown into the lake of fire and sulfur where the beast and the false prophet were, and they will be tormented day and night forever and ever. (Revelation 20:10)
“Then he will say to those on his left, ‘Depart from me, you cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels. (Matthew 25:41).
And the smoke of their torment goes up forever and ever, and they have no rest, day or night, these worshipers of the beast and its image, and whoever receives the mark of its name.” (Revelation 14:11).
They will suffer the punishment of eternal destruction, away from the presence of the Lord and from the glory of his might. (2 Thessalonians 1:9)
“There was a rich man who was clothed in purple and fine linen and who feasted sumptuously every day. And at his gate was laid a poor man named Lazarus, covered with sores, who desired to be fed with what fell from the rich man's table. Moreover, even the dogs came and licked his sores. The poor man died and was carried by the angels to Abraham's side. The rich man also died and was buried, and in Hades, being in torment, he lifted up his eyes and saw Abraham far off and Lazarus at his side. (Luke 16:19-31).
As unpalatable as we may find the doctrine of eternal torment, the only way around it is to deny the scriptures. Those who choose this course may find themselves facing the very fate they seek to deny! (Galatians 6:7; Job 4:8; Hosea 8:7; Romans 2:6).
Mike Winger: "I'm open to the possibility of annihilationism or conditional immortality."4
Ray Comfort (Living Waters) is a longstanding associate of Kirk Cameron, although strangely, he denies having had any "official involvement" with him for over ten years. Comfort has consistently denied annihilationism, maintaining that the traditional doctrine of eternal conscious torment is the correct biblical view. He has publicly addressed Cameron's recent comments on annihilationism, emphasising that Cameron's views do not align with Living Waters' long-held position.5 Comfort regularly appears on the apostate channel TBN, and he and Cameron hosted a joint fundraiser on TBN last year.6 😞
Cameron previously supported the pretrib rapture view and starred in the "Left Behind" film, which was released in 2000. "Left Behind" pretribulational theology is not biblically accurate and has been widely criticised and debunked by various bible teachers. Cameron subsequently changed his view from pretribulationism to posttribulationism following discussions with Joe Schimmel (Blessed Hope Chapel). Once again, Cameron did not do his due diligence and he failed to recognise the flaws in Schimmel's posttribulational eschatology. (1 John 4:1). More recently, Cameron has promoted a more world-and-life view, focusing on family, history, and cultural renewal rather than "apocalyptic fear". He now claims that the rapture may not happen for millennia.7 This view aligns more with postmillennialism, although Cameron has not formally identified with any particular tradition. Cameron's disjointed history indicates that he is not a reliable source and is unqualified to teach theology. (2 Timothy 2:15). The scriptures state that no one knows the day or the hour, and we should watch rather than speculate about the time of Jesus' Parousia. Therefore, stay awake, for you do not know on what day your Lord is coming. (Matthew 24:36,42,25:13). Furthermore, the scriptures do not hold out an optimistic eschatological view; in fact, just the reverse.
I suggest that we take the advice of the apostle and mark and avoid Kirk Cameron. (Romans 16:17-18).
1. Isaiah 66:24 Commentaries: "Then they will go forth and look On the corpses of the men Who have transgressed against Me. For their worm will not die And their fire will not be quenched; And they will be an abhorrence to all mankind."
2. Isaiah 66:24 "As they go forth, they will see the corpses of the men who have rebelled against Me; for their worm will never die, their fire will never be quenched, and they will be a horror to all mankind."
3. Matthew 25:46 Commentaries: "These will go away into eternal punishment, but the righteous into eternal life."
Trust in the LORD with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding. (Proverbs 3:5).
2. Isaiah 66:24 "As they go forth, they will see the corpses of the men who have rebelled against Me; for their worm will never die, their fire will never be quenched, and they will be a horror to all mankind."
3. Matthew 25:46 Commentaries: "These will go away into eternal punishment, but the righteous into eternal life."
Treena, do you have recommendations for who are godly teachers in this age. Thank you.
ReplyDeleteThere are a few that I listen to. I like Chris Quintana, Old Path Theology, Alan Kurschner (Eschatos Ministries), Chris White, Baruch Korman (LoveIsrael), Holly Pivec and Doug Geivett, John Collins (LeavingtheMessage), Charles Paisley (The Gospel Church), Andrew Schumacher (TheBeginningofWisdom). I may not agree with them on every detail and not all of them agree with the prewrath rapture. As always, test the spirits (1 John 4:1).
ReplyDeleteGod bless.