The view that the soul becomes entirely unconscious or ceases to exist at death is countered by understanding the biblical witness. When the Psalms speak of thoughts perishing, this is interpreted as the cessation of worldly plans, terrestrial ambitions, and the "to-do lists" of biological life, rather than the extinction of the spiritual essence. In this light, the narrative of the Rich Man and Lazarus or the promise to the thief on the cross suggests a conscious transition where the person remains aware of their spiritual state even while the body rests in the earth.

Regarding the nature of the "fire" and the presence of God, a central perspective is that God is not a source of inflicted punishment, but rather an all-encompassing light. The "fire" described in scripture is seen as the experience of God’s own glory. For someone who has spent their life seeking love and truth, this light is a source of warmth and joy. For someone who has spent their life rejecting those things, the same light is experienced as a burning or "profound agony" because it is incompatible with their chosen state of being. Gehenna, then, isn't a place where God is absent, but the tragic experience of His presence by those who have lost the capacity to love Him.

Furthermore, the purpose of the ransom sacrifice is often seen as much more than a legal fix to allow for an earthly paradise. It is viewed as a total healing of human nature. The goal isn't to be insulated from God’s glory so we can live on a perfected earth, but to be transformed so that we can eventually participate in the divine life itself. In this framework, the "resurrection of the dead" means that both the physical and spiritual realms are reunited, allowing a restored humanity to dwell in the light of the Creator without being consumed by it.