Page:The Annihilation Theory Compared with Holy Scripture.pdf/11

Rh Objection IV. There are passages that tell us that the wicked shall be destroyed, and that the sinning soul shall die.

In dealing with this objection, which appears to be the strongest, we must begin by getting a clear understanding of the Bible use of the terms death and life. Death and life have each two meanings. Death means, 1st, the end of earthly existence; and 2ndly, existence in a state of sinfulness. Life means, 1st, mere existence; and 2ndly, existence in a state of holiness. Hence we frequently find that those who in the ordinary sense of the term are living, are described as dead, and those whom we term dead are said to be alive. We have an illustration of this in John v., “He that heareth My word, and believeth on Him that sent Me, hath everlasting life, and shall not come into condemnation; but is passed from death into life” (verse 24). Here a state of condemnation (defined in verse 29 as a state in which men do evil) is described as a state of death from which men pass, by hearing and believing, into a state of life. This passing from death to life is further explained in the following verse, “The hour is coming, and, when the dead shall hear the voice of the Son of God, and they that hear shall live.” This verse has often been supposed to refer to the general resurrection of dead bodies at some future day, but it seems to us much more reasonable to suppose that it refers to the change wrought in human souls, who emerge from their states of carnality at the sound of the voice of Jesus (at the