The Biblical doctrine at issue is what happens to humans who are tossed into the Lake of Fire following judgement, their names not being found in the Lamb's book of life.
The Eternal Torment crowd believe that humans never succumb, but remain conscious and aware of their ongoing torment.
The Annihilationist crowd believe human existence immediately ends when the person enters the lake of fire, the second death.
A supposed subset of the Annihilationist crowd believes Satan and demons suffer eternally, but humans die immediately. These are the so-called Partial Annhilationists.
The first question then is whether humans suffer torment in the lake of fire, or immediately die? Revelation 14:11 explicitly answers that question, humans suffer torment in the lake of fire and do not immediately die!
So no one who actually believes what the bible says is an Annhilationist or Partial Annhilationist.
Second question, does Revelation 14:11 says the humans are eternally tormented, or only that the smoke of their torment ascends forever and ever? Does this vague phrase require the conclusion that ongoing torment forever and ever is being taught? Why the difference between Revelation 14:11 concerning humans, and Revelation 20:10?
Clearly Satan and his cohorts suffer ongoing torment day and night forever and ever. Just as clearly humans suffer "eternal punishment" as explicitly stated in Matthew 25:46.
Can we equate "Eternal Torment" with "Eternal Punishment?" No, as eternal torment requires the person to remain aware of his or her suffering, whereas if someone is separated from God forever, the punishment of separation is eternal, whether or not the person is aware.
But does this preclude that the phrases were intended to convey the same thing? Nope.
Could the phrase "smoke ascends forever and ever" (see Revelation 14:11 and Revelation 19:3) simply refer to the eternal consequence of God's judgement, rather than ongoing generation of smoke from human torment? Yes.
Clearly the smoke from the lake of fire comes from the eternal fire of the lake. Thus whatever the consequence of being thrown into the lake is the punishment of eternal fire, See Matthew 18:8, Matthew 25:41 and Jude 1:7.
Conclusion of the Matter:
Nothing in scripture precludes "Eternal Torment" of humans in the Lake of Fire. However, the concept that God's punishment fits the crime, some punishment is more tolerable than other, suggests that the torment will be limited so that someone who died in unbelief at an early age will not suffer the same as someone who denied access to God's truth to children. People who take one side or the other are long on dogmatic claims and short on exegetical insight. Recall that the punishment for those who did not see the miracles of Jesus will suffer a more tolerable punishment. Matthew 10:15, Luke 10:14. Eternal torment is a one size fits all dogma, not well supported in scripture. But to claim it is not a possibility is just as dogmatic.
The Eternal Torment crowd believe that humans never succumb, but remain conscious and aware of their ongoing torment.
The Annihilationist crowd believe human existence immediately ends when the person enters the lake of fire, the second death.
A supposed subset of the Annihilationist crowd believes Satan and demons suffer eternally, but humans die immediately. These are the so-called Partial Annhilationists.
The first question then is whether humans suffer torment in the lake of fire, or immediately die? Revelation 14:11 explicitly answers that question, humans suffer torment in the lake of fire and do not immediately die!
So no one who actually believes what the bible says is an Annhilationist or Partial Annhilationist.
Second question, does Revelation 14:11 says the humans are eternally tormented, or only that the smoke of their torment ascends forever and ever? Does this vague phrase require the conclusion that ongoing torment forever and ever is being taught? Why the difference between Revelation 14:11 concerning humans, and Revelation 20:10?
Clearly Satan and his cohorts suffer ongoing torment day and night forever and ever. Just as clearly humans suffer "eternal punishment" as explicitly stated in Matthew 25:46.
Can we equate "Eternal Torment" with "Eternal Punishment?" No, as eternal torment requires the person to remain aware of his or her suffering, whereas if someone is separated from God forever, the punishment of separation is eternal, whether or not the person is aware.
But does this preclude that the phrases were intended to convey the same thing? Nope.
Could the phrase "smoke ascends forever and ever" (see Revelation 14:11 and Revelation 19:3) simply refer to the eternal consequence of God's judgement, rather than ongoing generation of smoke from human torment? Yes.
Clearly the smoke from the lake of fire comes from the eternal fire of the lake. Thus whatever the consequence of being thrown into the lake is the punishment of eternal fire, See Matthew 18:8, Matthew 25:41 and Jude 1:7.
Conclusion of the Matter:
Nothing in scripture precludes "Eternal Torment" of humans in the Lake of Fire. However, the concept that God's punishment fits the crime, some punishment is more tolerable than other, suggests that the torment will be limited so that someone who died in unbelief at an early age will not suffer the same as someone who denied access to God's truth to children. People who take one side or the other are long on dogmatic claims and short on exegetical insight. Recall that the punishment for those who did not see the miracles of Jesus will suffer a more tolerable punishment. Matthew 10:15, Luke 10:14. Eternal torment is a one size fits all dogma, not well supported in scripture. But to claim it is not a possibility is just as dogmatic.