FEEDBACK: GOD FORGETS THE UNSAVED. DOES THIS TEACH
ANNIHILATION?
5/2/11
We
appreciate feedback on the studies posted on this website. It helps us to see
if there is anything on this website that does not agree with the Bible.
Below IS A QUESTION ABOUT WHAT IT MEANS THAT GOD
FORGETS THE UNSAVED.
THE READER’S QUESTION IS IN ITALICS. OUR RESPONSE FOLLOWS.
Hello,
Lamentations 5:20 has been offered as a verse that shows that the unsaved cease
to exist, and that God simply forgets about them. Not sure if this is on your
website.
There are verses that say that God forgets the
unsaved. Lamentations 5:20 is one example. We read there:
Wherefore dost thou forget us for ever, and
forsake us so long time?
People read language about God forgetting the
unsaved and they assume that this means that the unsaved cease to exist. However,
as in all areas of Bible study, the Bible defines what it means by words and
phrases. We have to search the Bible to understand what it means that God
forgets someone. Let's consider two verses that define what it means that God
"forgets" someone:
We read in Psalm 13:1-2:
1
¶ <<To the chief Musician, A Psalm of David.>> How long wilt thou
forget me, O LORD? for ever? how long wilt thou hide thy face from me?
2 How long shall I take counsel in my soul,
having sorrow in my heart daily? how long shall mine enemy be exalted over me?
We read in Psalm 42:9:
I will say unto God my rock, Why hast thou forgotten
me? why go I mourning because of the oppression of the enemy?
These are two example verses. More verses are given
in the study below. In both cases, the Psalmist is complaining that God has
forgotten him. Has the Psalmist ceased to exist? No. Rather, God is not
responding to his cry for mercy. This is the Biblical definition of God
"forgetting" someone. In this world, God provides some degree of
mercy to even the most rebellious sinner.
However, when the unsaved are cast into the lake of
fire, God will not respond to their cries for mercy, like just He was not
responding to the cries of the Psalmist in the two verses above.
That is the Biblical definition of God
"forgetting" the unsaved. It is not that they cease to exist. Rather,
God will "forget" about them in the sense that He will not respond to
any of their cries for mercy at Judgment Day.
There is more information and more verses on this
subject in the link below:
http://www.isannihilationtrue.com/forgotten.htm
I think this is a good illustration of how the
Biblical rule to compare Scripture with Scripture from 1 Corinthians 2:13 is
not being used by many people Today.
Thank
you for the feedback.