WesleyGospel Ministries

In this podcast, the guys at Living Waters respond to Kirk Cameron’s challenge to address the heresy of Annihilationism. They have as their guest Dr. Denny Burk, who contributed to the “Eternal Conscious Torment” section in the Zondervan Counterpoints book Four Views on Hell. For the first twenty minutes or so, some discussion is made about whether Baptists should or shouldn’t disfellowship other Baptists who hold to the Annihilationist belief. Living Waters leans in the direction of calling Hell a secondary issue like baptism; and honestly I think this was just because of Burk’s influence on the conversation, because he expressed the same sentiment on the Todd Friel and Alisa Childers podcasts. I think this is just his political correctness. Dr. Burk (ECT) and Dr. Schreiner (rejects literal hell fire) are both employed as professors at the same Southern Baptist Theological Seminary in Louisville, Kentucky. It goes to show me the level of theological compromise within the Southern Baptist Convention (SBC), at the academic and pastoral level, concerning what the Bible teaches about Hell.

My position, which is the same as the independent Baptists (IFB) and Church of God (COG), would be to absolutely disfellowship any Bible teacher who rejects the literal Hell and its eternal lake of fire: “Everyone who goes on ahead and does not abide in the teaching of Christ, does not have God. Whoever abides in the teaching has both the Father and the Son. If anyone comes to you and does not bring this teaching, do not receive him into your house or give him any greeting, for whoever greets him takes part in his wicked works” (2 John 9-11, ESV). John Stott’s books continue to hold sway with Baptist pastors, because of his writings on the cross and the resurrection–but he was an Annihilationist that rejected Hell! So I say throw away Stott’s books and replace them with John Wesley and Jonathan Edwards. Hell is just too important of a doctrine, and has too many far reaching implications on evangelism and personal spirituality, to be treated as anything other than a top cardinal doctrine in the Church. The nature of the eternal state vs the mode of baptism? There’s no comparison. –J.B.

Great job brother Kerrigan.
This sermon made me feel a compassion for the lost.
–J.B.–

The works of the flesh are manifest, which are these; adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lasciviousness, idolatry, witchcraft, hatred, variance, emulations, wrath, strife, seditions, heresies, envyings, murders, drunkenness, revellings, and such like: of the which I tell you before, as I have also told you in time past, that they which do such things shall not inherit the kingdom of God.
–Galatians 5:19-21 (KJV)–

The fearful, and unbelieving, and the abominable, and murderers, and whoremongers, and sorcerers, and idolaters, and all liars, shall have their part in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone: which is the second death.
–Revelation 21:8 (KJV)–

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Charles Finney, Lectures on Revivals of Religion (Revell, 1868), chs. 2, 3, 12, 14, 15, 17.

Dr. John R. Rice, Why Preach Against Sin? (Sword of the Lord, 1985), pp. 26-30.

David Wilkerson, Hey, Preach…You’re Comin’ Through! (Revell, 1968).

—. “What Happens to the Church When Preachers No Longer Preach Against Sin?”

—. Written version of the audio sermon above. January 17, 2005.

Paul Washer, The Gospel’s Power and Message (RHB, 2012), chs. 6, 15.