This is the necessary outcome of the denial (in its annihilationist form) of eternal punishment, for if eternal punishment is true, then it follows as a natural sequence that the soul is immortal. If all in Christ pass into eternal blessedness, and all unbelievers into eternal punishment, then certainly the soul is immortal. Those who deny the immortality of the soul generally make the mistake of confounding immortality with eternal life, adducing 1 Tim. 6:1616Who only hath immortality, dwelling in the light which no man can approach unto; whom no man hath seen, nor can see: to whom be honor and power everlasting. Amen. (1 Timothy 6:16) (which speaks of God only having immortality) for proof that the soul is mortal, saying if only God has immortality then mortality must pertain to every creature. But the text clearly affirms immortality as belonging to God inherently, whilst other Scriptures clearly teach that man has immortality derivatively from God. If only God has immortality, as Seventh-Day Adventists press, then it follows the angels in heaven are subject to death. Seeing they have not sinned, this would prove too much. And as to man, he became a living soul when God breathed into his nostrils the breath of life.
The meaning of the word immortality is non-liability to death, and refers to the body in 1 Cor. 15:5353For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality. (1 Corinthians 15:53). At the coming of the Lord the- dead in Christ will be raised incorruptible, whilst the living Christians will put on immortality. It is the body that in death goes to corruption, and in resurrection puts on incorruptibility. It is the living, referring to their bodies, that are mortal, subject to death, that at Christ's coming will put on immortality. " For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality " (1 Cor. 15:5353For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality. (1 Corinthians 15:53)).
It should be observed that the word translated immortality in Rom. 2:7,7To them who by patient continuance in well doing seek for glory and honor and immortality, eternal life: (Romans 2:7) and 2 Tim.: Do should be rendered " incorruptibility," and is so rendered in the Revised Version. Death never means, as applied to man, that the spirit ceases to exist, but refers to the body. The sentence of death as passed upon man in the Garden of Eden carries a fuller thought than merely physical death, terrible as that is, and involves God's judgment on sin and all that this implies.
If God intended to annihilate sinners at the end of the world He would surely have taught us this plainly from Scripture, but Scripture teaches the exact contrary. We have the story of Luke 16 where the rich man dies, is buried, and in hades lifts up his eyes, being in torments. Evidently this is to present the truth, and this clearly proves the conscious existence of the sinner after death.
Moreover, Scripture is plain as to the resurrection. The wicked shall come forth from their graves, body and spirit re-united, to be judged at the great white throne and cast into the lake of fire, but nothing is said of final annihilation. On the contrary, other Scriptures testify as to the fire never being quenched, whilst Mark 3:2929But he that shall blaspheme against the Holy Ghost hath never forgiveness, but is in danger of eternal damnation: (Mark 3:29) speaks of " eternal damnation;" Jude 77Even as Sodom and Gomorrha, and the cities about them in like manner, giving themselves over to fornication, and going after strange flesh, are set forth for an example, suffering the vengeance of eternal fire. (Jude 7) of " eternal fire;" Matthew speaks twice of " everlasting fire," and once of " everlasting punishment;" Heb. 6:22Of the doctrine of baptisms, and of laying on of hands, and of resurrection of the dead, and of eternal judgment. (Hebrews 6:2) tells of " eternal judgment," as connected with the foundation truths, with which all believers must begin.
It follows, then, if Scripture teaches the doctrine of eternal punishment (and it does), that the soul of man must be immortal, for if all in Christ are blessed forever, and all out of Christ are punished forever, then alt exist forever.