What's So Bad About 'Perishing'?

'Death' is the biblical penalty for sin, yet many Christians seem to think it would be insufficient for sinners to suffer and die. Let's take a closer look.

Many have argued that if the Bible really does mean 'an end to life' in the words 'perish' or 'death', that would not be a punishment to be feared. It doesn't take a genius to figure out that ceasing to live is incomparable with unceasing suffering. When one has believed, with little to no doubt, that God's judgment is an eternal torment of the immortal soul, they would consider the death of the wicked as good news in comparison. Yet the problem with this understanding is only found in the extremity of their former belief. Let me illustrate this for you. There is a jellyfish known as the immortal jellyfish because it can revert to an earlier stage of development. Imagine for a moment that its sting was believed to inflict incurable diseases and prevent the possibility of death. Now suppose that lifeguards across the country were alerted to swarms of these jellyfish invading the shores. They'd be sweating buckets and would hardly have a moment to blink. Now imagine that, following a few stings that summer, their theory regarding the immortal jellyfish was proven false. Soon thereafter, however, it came to the attention of the lifeguards that a school of great white sharks were roaming the shallow waters of the coast. Would this bring a sigh of relief? I think not.

People often ask the question, "What's the worst that can happen?" The most obvious answer to that question is 'death'. Thus, one's belief in the immortal soul is the only reason one might assume that 'death' is a weak punishment. Biblically, 'death' has always been the punishment and has never, by God or man, been deemed a minor one. From the judgment of the flood through to the last judgment of the lake of fire, not excluding the death of Jesus Christ for the sins of His people, 'death' will never be a small punishment.

I doubt the need to spell out all the reasons why 'death' is so bad. Our very fight for survival each day, seeking an income for the food and drink we require for life, shows that life is the most fundamental foundation of any blessing we can enjoy. I will therefore close by clarifying that this 'death' is not an instant annihilation of existence. It wasn't an instant annihilation for the world in Noah's day, nor for Sodom and Gomorrah, nor for our glorious, gracious Redeemer, nor will it be for those who die without Him. The lake of fire will be a place of suffering and those who are cast therein will know 'weeping and gnashing of teeth' (Matthew 13:42). I do not write this lightly. Each person will be judged according to their own works (as seen in 2 Corinthians 5:10). I do believe, therefore, that this judgment will be one of varying degrees – by God's good justice. Thus, while I always wondered why Jesus went through such suffering before He died on the cross, and did not choose some means of sudden death, it is clear from Scripture that suffering always precedes and is part of the biblical judgment.

Therefore, we cannot dumb down the biblical judgment of 'death'. We must see it for what it is. But first many of us must, sadly, have to learn afresh what it is not. It is not an unceasing experience of suffering. Now we must no longer look upon what it is from that vantage point, but from the ground up, seek our Lord's revelation as to the nature and seriousness of the coming fiery judgment. The Bible is the same. The phrases which speak of 'weeping and gnashing of teeth' are just as true as they always have been. We simply add no 'forever' to phrases such as this. The eternality is found in the finality of this 'death'. Yet we should also focus on the 'good news' – God's gift of everlasting life granted to whoever believes in God's only Son. When we carry this good news to a lost and dying world, we acknowledge that those around us will miss out on eternal blessing in the life to come if they do not receive this free gift. Thus, the missing out (which Jesus spoke of in Luke 13:28) coupled with the nature of the fiery judgment give reason enough to share the good news in love and fervour.