Great White Throne Judgment Disproves Annihilation

Why the Great White Throne Judgment if people will not exist?

What would be the purpose of the judgment if all unbelievers are annihilated? Why bother holding these people accountable for their actions if they cease to exist?

The Bible is clear. People are not annihilated but judged according to their works.

Revelation 20:11–15 states, “Then I saw a great white throne and Him who sat on it… And I saw the small and great, standing before God, and books were opened. And another book was opened, which is the Book of Life. And the dead were judged according to their works, by the things which were written in the books. The sea gave up the dead who were in it, and Death and Hades delivered up the dead who were in them. And they were judged, each one according to his works. Then Death and Hades were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death. And anyone not found written in the Book of Life was cast into the lake of fire.”

Notice it says that unbelievers exist in the current hell, or Hades, and will be delivered up to be judged by God. They are judged according to their works, which implies they will experience different degrees of punishment. The wicked leaders of the world, such as Hitler, will receive greater damnation than some others. There are degrees of punishment for everyone, thereby proving that people will not cease to exist.

Listen to what Jesus said in these next three verses:

Matthew 23:14, “Therefore, you will receive the greater damnation.”

This implies a lesser degree of damnation for others.

Matthew 10:15, “It will be more tolerable for the land of Sodom and Gomorrah in the day of judgment than for that city.” (This infers a less tolerable punishment.)

Luke 12:47–48, “And that servant who knew his master’s will, and did not prepare himself or do according to his will, shall be beaten with many stripes. But he who did not know, yet committed things deserving of stripes, shall be beaten with few.”

How many stripes? “Of how much worse punishment, do you suppose, will he be thought worthy, has trampled the Son of God underfoot…”

Just think about it; there cannot be degrees of annihilation. You must have degrees of punishment to administer justice. Shouldn’t those who have committed rape, murder, and child abuse receive a greater punishment than those who led a basically decent life?

Now remember, leading a good life will not get us into heaven. Our self-righteousness is sin and a complete slap in the face to Jesus Christ’s sacrifice on the cross.

The Bible says there is no one who is good (Romans 3:10, 12, 23; Ephesians 2:8–9; Titus 3:5).