Journal: Masters Seminary Journal
Volume: TMSJ 09:2 (Fall 1998)
Article: Eternal Punishment In John’s Revelation
Author: Trevor P. Craigen

MSJ 9:2 (Fall 98) p. 191

Eternal Punishment In John’s Revelation

Trevor P. Craigen

Associate Professor of Theology

Church history has witnessed many challenges to the traditional doctrine of eternal punishment, but John’s Revelation—particular chapters 14 and 20—emphasizes the effect of this life’s belief or unbelief on afterlife consequences. The angelic warning in Revelation 14 speaks of the eternal penalty resulting from the wrath of God in concert with Revelation 20 and its apostolic announcement that describes the same in terms of the lake of fire and the second death. The two passages specifically contradict recent claims that future punishment is remedial, not retributive. They also point out that God’s righteousness and holiness will prevail over His love, mercy, and grace in dealings with the lost after this life ends. Neither do they allow for the idea that the punishment is not conscious torment. They teach that the unsaved will experience the same fate as Satan, the beast, the false prophet, and demons. These chapters in John’s Revelation do not constitute an empty threat that God will not implement. They instill a fear that is justified in light of the irreversible consequences of divine judgment.

* * * * *

The reality and validity of eternal punishment in hell has been called into question frequently throughout church history.1 Such questioning also stands

MSJ 9:2 (Fall 98) p. 192

attested as one of the hallmarks of different cults and sects.2 When proposing a position that quite obviously sounded different from the propositions of the biblical text, then the literal words of that text had to be explained in another way in order to maintain that new proposition.3 Either (1) the hermeneutic was deliberately faulty, (2) the proposer redefined his bibliology to warrant challenging the text and altering the meaning of different terms, or (3) he used inferential reasoning from the character of God, His love, mercy, and grace to establish the total unreasonableness of eternal punishment.4 Of course, all of this happened alongside fervent declarations of letting the Word of God speak for itself, so that it would be appropriate thereafter to assert that hell is indeed a grim prospect, and the proposer intended nothing to lessen it.5

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