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Annihilationism and the Biblical Doctrine of Hell: A Response to Kirk Cameron
Episode Summary
In this episode, Justin Peters is joined by Dr. Ed Romine to respond to Kirk Cameron’s recent public rejection of eternal conscious torment and his embrace of annihilationism the view that the wicked ultimately cease to exist instead of enduring everlasting punishment in hell. This conversation is not a personal attack on Kirk Cameron, but a careful, pastoral examination of what Scripture teaches about hell, God’s justice, and the seriousness of sin. Justin and Ed walk through key passages, common arguments for annihilationism, and the historic Christian position on eternal punishment.
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Key Scriptures
- Matthew 10:28 – God who can destroy both soul and body in hell.
- Matthew 25:31–46 – Eternal punishment and eternal life.
- Luke 16:19–31 – The rich man and Lazarus.
- John 5:28–29 – Resurrection of the just and the unjust.
- Acts 24:15 – Resurrection of both the righteous and the wicked.
- Revelation 14:9–11 – Tormented in the presence of the Lamb.
- Revelation 20:11–15 – The final judgment and the lake of fire.
- 2 Thessalonians 1:5–10 – Eternal destruction away from the Lord’s blessed presence.
Show Notes
Justin and Ed explain that historic Christianity has consistently affirmed eternal conscious punishment, not because believers enjoy the thought, but because Scripture clearly teaches it and because it is bound up with God’s holiness, justice, and love.
They address the claim that the language of “immortality” was imported from Greek philosophy, show how both Testaments speak of ongoing punishment for the wicked, and highlight the parallelism in passages like Matthew 25:46 where the same word “eternal” describes both punishment and life.
The episode also warns against reshaping God’s character around our emotions. To deny or soften eternal punishment ultimately diminishes the gravity of sin and the glory of Christ’s atoning work on the cross. If hell is less serious than Scripture reveals, then the cross is less glorious than Scripture proclaims.
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Responding to This Episode
If you are not sure where you stand with the Lord Jesus Christ, we urge you to flee from the wrath to come and trust in Him. Repent of your sin and believe on Christ alone, who bore the full weight of God’s judgment for all who come to Him in faith. If this episode helped you, please share it with others, pray for those being influenced by false teaching, and continue to study what Scripture says about the character of God and the realities of heaven and hell.
This episode first appeared at Justin’s YouTube and is posted here with his permission.
Born and reared in Vicksburg, Mississippi, Justin earned his undergraduate at Mississippi State University (1995) and then a Master of Divinity and Master of Theology (2000, 2002) from Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary in Fort Worth, Texas.
Justin met his bride, Kathy, at an evangelism conference near Los Angeles, California, in 2009. They were married in August of 2010. From 2014 until 2019, they lived in Sandpoint, Idaho, and were members of Kootenai Community Church.
They now reside outside of Billings, Montana, along with their little dog, Mia. They are members of Laurel Bible Church, where Justin currently serves as an elder.
