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life. Christ came that the sheep "might have life and might have [it] abundantly" (John 10:10). Whatever the sheep had before, Christ gave them eternal life. Old Testament saints did not have what Christ now gave though clearly they will have part in the resurrection (Matthew 22:31/32). Christ was not telling people that they would not exist after death nor have part in the resurrection unless they had eternal life. That both the righteous and unrighteous exist after death is shown by the case of the rich man and Lazarus (not just a parable for actual persons such as Abraham are spoken of) (Luke 16:19-31). Further as to resurrection, Christ said: "For an hour is coming in which all who are in the tombs shall hear his voice, and shall go forth; those that have practised good, to resurrection of life, and those that have done evil, to resurrection of judgement" (John 5:28/29). Note that it is all who are in the tombs, not just those that have eternal life. Note further that persons go forth. In order to do so they must exist, as the dead do as we have seen.

4. Only those who have eternal life will exist after the final judgement

This doctrine differs from that above, inasmuch as it is admitted that the wicked dead will be raised as will the righteous, but after the final judgement the wicked (all those who do not have eternal life) will die in an absolute way and, in effect, cease to exist. This is not what Scripture teaches. Matthew 25:41 speaks of the cursed going into eternal fire and verse 46 speaks of their eternal punishment; this latter in contrast to life eternal. If eternal does not mean eternal then eternal life is not eternal ! 2 Thessalonians 1:9 speaks of everlasting destruction from the presence of the Lord. Perhaps the idea of banishment is what is to be conveyed here as set forth in the case of Cain who went out from the presence of Jehovah (Genesis 4:16). See also Revelation 14:9-12; 21:8 and 22:15. What is conveyed in these latter passages is not termination of existence, but existence in a certain condition. Chapter 14 11 speaks of no respite for the wicked; chapter 21:8 of persons having part in the Lake which burns with fire and brimstone and chapter 22:15 speaks of persons being without; nothing about persons ceasing to exist. We should however bear in mind in speaking of eternal judgement (Hebrews 6:2) that we are talking about a state of things when time has ceased to be. We are not talking about interminable time but a state of things which differs from what we are used to and which probably we cannot properly conceive. Eternity is an ever existing NOW, rather than something going on and on and continually changing. The world today is passing (1 Corinthians 7:31; 1 John 2;17); eternity is an abiding state. Time passes but not eternity. It is not a long eternity; it is simply eternity: a state of things that has no end.

The idea of eternal fire does not necessarily convey the idea that all that is cast into it is burnt up. Some things are not flammable (burnable). In Exodus 3:2 the thorn-bush burned with fire but was not being consumed. It is true that our God is a consuming fire (Deuteronomy 4:24), but this only emphasises the remarkable fact that the bush was not being burnt up. However, the rich man in Luke 16 spoke of suffering in this flame (verse 24) but there is no idea that he was being burnt up. The fire spoken of by Christ (Matthew 25:41) and in Revelation 20:15 is not to be thought of as physical fire for in other places the judgement of the wicked is described as banishment into outer darkness (Matthew 8:12; 22:13; 25:30). Fire suggests thirst (see Luke 16:24) and darkness the absence of light, a terrible condition to be in eternally. Christ suffered both on the cross: thirst (John 19:28) and darkness (Matthew 27:45/46). The idea of burning in a spiritual sense conveys the idea of thirsting as Paul says: "It is better to marry than to burn." (1 Corinthians 7:9).

5. Those who have died are conscious and in a disembodied condition

Scripture does not dwell on the condition after death of those who are not the Lord's people. Contrary to what appears to be often assumed they are not all lumped together. Scripture speaks of the lowest Sheol (Psalm 86:13). It speaks of such an one as Judas going to his own place (Acts 1:25). It speaks of angels being cast down to the deepest pit of gloom (i.e. Tartarus) . They are delivered to chains of darkness to be kept for judgement (2 Peter 2:4) See also Jude 6. Effectively all are what we would call today in custody on remand. Judgement day has not yet come. The rich man in Luke 16 was not in the Lake of Fire, but in Hades. Death and Hades will ultimately be cast into the Lake of Fire so we should not confuse these places (Revelation 20:14). Because the rich man speaks of suffering in this flame it is sometimes assumed that he was in the Lake of Fire. However, this cannot be so though he was not in a restful condition, as Scripture says elsewhere: "The wicked are like the troubled sea, which cannot rest" (Isaiah 57:20). This is in contrast to the condition of the Lord's people whose condition after death is one of rest (Daniel 12:13; Revelation 6:11; 14:13). The Lord's people are not actually in heaven, but we may say are in a heavenly condition, being present with the Lord (2 Corinthians 5:8). The wicked dead are not actually in Gehenna but are in that kind of condition, as was the rich man in Luke 16. The Old Testament does not tell us much about the condition of the souls of those who have died, but so far as the Lord's saints are concerned they are presented as being in a state of repose. Samuel said to Saul: “Why hast thou disquieted me, to