Living Waters evangelist Ray Comfort, whose ministry involves distributing tracts and engaging passersby with the law and the gospel at the Huntington Beach pier, recently addressed comments made by his long-time friend and frequent collaborator Kirk Cameron, who questioned the traditional doctrine of unbelievers facing eternal conscious torment, expressing openness to annihilationism.
Cameron and Comfort are well known for their television show The Way of the Master, an evangelism training series focused on reaching the lost, in which Kirk frequently taught and referenced eternal conscious torment (ECT).
Seeking to reassure and reaffirm his ministry’s position, Comfort shared:
Kirk Cameron has been a dear friend of mine for decades. I’ve known him to be a godly man, a man who loves the Lord, his family, and the church. In a world filled with phonies and make-believe, especially in Hollywood, I think Kirk’s the real deal. He’s not only been a friend of Living Waters for nearly 25 years, but we’ve served in ministry together for a good portion of that time.
Some of you are aware of the fact that Kirk recently shared his questions and developing thoughts about the biblical nature of hell and the fate of the wicked.
On his show, his son asked him a question and Kirk gave his honest thoughts, indicating that he finds the view known as conditional mortality or annihilationism to be both compelling and possibly biblically supported.
While it certainly seemed from some of the things Kirk said on his podcast that he was indicating that this is now his official view, when I spoke with him personally on the phone, he told me that while he believes the Bible appears to point in the direction of this view, he’s not settled on the matter and has asked for further discussion.
Comfort continues:
Some of you have been asking whether or not Living Waters holds its position, and whether or not Kirk still works with us in an official capacity.
The answer is no.
While we believe Kirk is sincere, we believe that conditional mortality and annihilationism are erroneous views, and that the Bible’s clear teaching on hell is known as eternal conscious torment. We firmly believe that this is the only correct biblical view.
He concludes:
Once again, we’re releasing this video because we want to reaffirm that Living Waters does indeed hold to the biblical and historic orthodox doctrine of conscious eternal torment.
With regard to Kirk working with Living Waters, while we’ve written books and made television shows together, Kirk has not officially worked here for well over 10 years.
While the purpose of this video is not to defend the doctrine of conscious eternal punishment, but rather briefly reaffirm our theological position, we do plan to offer a thorough defense of the doctrine.
Ray Comfort responds to Kirk Cameron's recent drift towards annihilationism:
— Protestia (@Protestia) December 10, 2025
"He has been a dear friend of mine for decades….when I spoke to him personally on the phone, he told me…he's not settled on the matter." pic.twitter.com/pSdkYqwdPm
12 responses to “Evangelist Ray Comfort Addresses Kirk Cameron Hell Controversy: ‘he’s not settled on the matter’”
How convenient that Kirk would think there is no hell. I thought you were a Bible believing Christian, Kirk.
Kirk better figure this out before long. If he dies while teaching it he may eternally regret it! The Bible is very specific on this matter. It’s eternally conscious punishment. God’s grace is active right now by us living in the beautiful world even though it’s still sin filled. God’s grace abounds! God’s fury toward sin is given in hell if you did not believe Jesus Christ died on the cross for your sin while you were alive on earth!
The Bible says Kirk will go to hell if he believes in annihilationism? Where? What are you talking about?
Not believing in ECT has no bearing whatsoever on one’s justification. That is eternal. Neither does it constitute a “disowning” of the gospel.
This is quite a different take on hell I have not heard of. Though compelling, it does not seem right. Kirk did not say he does not believe in hell, nor is he settled on this matter. Ray Comfort states in this article Kirk is not settled on this topic. Both men are very credible resources.
I love Kirk as a brother-in-Christ and I will not be critical of his questions concerning eternal damaging in Hell, but I am fully convinced that God’s word clearly teaches that for every unbeliever who refuses to repent to God is then destined for that awful place, separated from the Lord for all eternity. No question in my heart.
And yet Jesus Himself calls the Great White Throne’s judgement’s punishment: “the second death”. Actually, much can be said for either argument…so, go back to the Greek. However, this is not an issue for castigation either way. In the end, it doesn’t really matter. Believers won’t be in that situation and non-believers aren’t going to suddenly repent upon learning whether or not hell is eternally suffered.
The idea of Annihilationism is not new. It used to be called SOUL SLEEP. I personally believe and trust the hermeneutical principle that SCRIPTURE INTERPRETS ITSELF. It is plain to me that the Scriptures do teach that consciousnesses is in every person that is in Hell. Here is a link that may help. Unfortunately,the church will experience a great falling away…an Apostasy. Many will NO LONGER ENDURE sound DOCTRINE and follow after doctrines”teachings” of devils and demons as Scripture states. In many churches today there is a deep hatred of the word “doctrine” and those who say EXPERIENCE over DOCTRINE or LIVING THE LIFE over doctrine are many that will fall away from Christ. Here is a great link to maybe help sort this out…
https://www.monergism.com/annihilationism
I was certainly stunned at this news…and I am certain many other Bible believing Christians are as well. Glad to see that Kirk had the integrity to declare where his convictions lie, but it saddens me to hear that the clear teaching of Scripture has been skewed by whatever confusion or erred views he has been tempted to believe. I will weep ((and)) pray for him that he will forsake such errors and return to the whole counsel of God. I know that this wasn’t an easy decision for you (Ray). I know also that your heart was rent asunder when this came to light for you. I am so grateful that I was privileged to have you visit our church in California City years ago, and how we were able to support you and the ministry when I was pastor there… Bless you!
Making just a plain logical argument. We know God is just. Now, consider the worst of men to have ever lived. Is merely ceasing to exist enough consequence and punishment? There is more to what makes sin sin than just eating a fruit He told you not to eat. If there were a finite punishment, then our sin debt would be payable, in which case we wouldn’t need Jesus. Even an eternity in the torment of Hell cannot pay that sin debt.
Only an all-knowing God can know and understand the harm, damage, and ramifications of sin. A rock in the water in one spot could make a wave somewhere else. There are consequences we cannot begin to fathom. Even sin as seemingly harmless as eating a fruit. Our tiny minds cannot comprehend it all. A perfectly holy God, when He looks at the most “good” of the wicked, He sees what we see when we look at the worst and most wicked of men in the history of mankind. Only all-knowing God can know and understand what truly constitutes a cruel and unjust punishment. Who are we to question Him? Our debt is infinite. That’s why we need Jesus. As the debt is infinite, so is the consequence.
How can he not be settled on the matter? And no, there is NO Biblical support for conditional mortality. Our Lord Joshua taught plainly and clearly on the lake of fire in Gehenna and taught is as EVERLATING TORMENT, PUNISHMENT! In fact, Christ taught 3 times more about hell than He did Heaven. I watched Kirk’s interview with Amir Tsarfati and becomes sadly obvious that Kirk doesn’t believe the Scriptures and is just another misinformed individual concerning Israel and replacement theology. But most calvinists and reformed theologians are in the same boat.