Jonathan Edwards on the final state of the lost
Eternal conscious punishment
Eternal punishment is not eternal annihilation. Surely they will not be raised to life at the last day only to be annihilated.
THE POSITION
The punishment is eternal in the strictest sense, conscious, and of the same kind and duration as the devil's — Revelation 20:10 "thus expressing both the kind of misery and the duration." He refutes the two alternatives separately. A scheme of long punishment ending in annihilation gains nothing, since on that reading the scriptural language would not measure duration at all. A scheme of purgative punishment ending in restoration "overthrows itself," because whatever reason requires a second long period requires a third, and so without end.
31 Therefore I tell you, every sin and blasphemy will be forgiven men, but the blasphemy against the Spirit will not be forgiven. 32 Whoever speaks a word against the Son of Man will be forgiven, but whoever speaks against the Holy Spirit will not be forgiven, either in this age or in the one to come.
20 OTHERS HOLD THIS
See all 23 figures on the final state of the lost →ABOUT THIS FIGURE
New England pastor, revival theologian and philosopher of the First Great Awakening, dismissed from his Northampton pulpit in 1750 over who may come to the Lord's Table. This entry rests on Freedom of the Will (1754), Original Sin (1758), Religious Affections (1746), An Humble Inquiry (1749), Distinguishing Marks (1741), Some Thoughts on the Revival (1742), An Humble Attempt (1747) and A History of the Work of Redemption, read in the Hickman edition.
Cite this page
"Jonathan Edwards on the final state of the lost", Examined Doctrine, July 2026 edition, https://examineddoctrine.com/position/edwards/final-state (archived at https://examineddoctrine.com/editions/2026-07/position/edwards/final-state).