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Now if Scripture taught that at death the believer went immediately either to glory, or
to an intermediate state of some degree of blessedness, though in a disembodied
condition, how could the word "perished" be a fitting word to use? Should any object
that this is ignoring the teaching of the Lord concerning "hell fire", we refer such to
Matt. 10: 28:--
"And fear not them which kill the body, but are not able to kill the soul, but rather fear
Him which is able to DESTROY both soul and body in HELL."
"Hell" (or rather, as the word is here, "Gehenna") destroys, and the destruction
extends to soul and body. How those who hold to their tradition of a "never-dying soul"
can make it agree with the Word of truth we cannot understand.
As the word apollumi (perish) occurs some ninety times or more it is not possible to
turn to all the references here. We give, however, the various ways in which the word is
translated in the A.V. to help any who may wish to investigate the matter further. The
number after the word indicates the number of occurrences of that particular translation:--
Destroy (23); Lose (28); Be destroyed (3); Be lost (3); Be marred (1); Die (1);
Perish (38). We read of lost sheep, lost money, lost life, lost reward, a lost son. We
read of being destroyed by flood, and by fire and brimstone. We read of perishing by
hunger, by storm, by being cut off and cast away. These and other usages focus the light
of truth upon John 3: 16, and show the state of man by nature and the doom that lies
ahead. The blessed alternative is "age-abiding life", life because Christ Himself lives,
because He is the Resurrection and the Life.
These, then, are the alternatives: perishing or having age-abiding life (John 3: 16);
death or life (5: 24); the wages of sin, death, or the gift of God, age-abiding life
(Rom. 6: 23); alienation from the life of God, or reconciliation (Eph. 4: 18; 2: 16).
The issues are plain and unambiguous:--
"He that hath the Son hath LIFE; and he that hath not the Son of God hath NOT
LIFE" (I John 5: 12).
Whoever you may be that read these solemn words, weigh them over before God
before you dare to trifle with them.
May these simple notes be a "word in season" to some who are engaged in preaching
to others.