Put this together with "sin will destroy them" and we'll have a problem. Either God's glory is sin, or the truth is not as simple as some would like.

Isaiah 33:14-15 The sinners in Zion are afraid; fearfulness hath surprised the hypocrites. Who among us shall dwell with the devouring fire? who among us shall dwell with everlasting burnings? 15 He that walketh righteously, and speaketh uprightly; he that despiseth the gain of oppressions, that shaketh his hands from holding of bribes, that stoppeth his ears from hearing of blood, and shutteth his eyes from seeing evil;

The light of the glory of God, which imparts life to the righteous, will slay the wicked. {DA 107.4}

Why are they destroyed?
To sin, wherever found, "our God is a consuming fire." Hebrews 12:29. In all who submit to His power the Spirit of God will consume sin. But if men cling to sin, they become identified with it. Then the glory of God, which destroys sin, must destroy them. {DA 107.4}

The same light the gives life to the righteous, destroys the wicked. Why? SIN. Sin destroys them.

God destroys sin. The sinners who have sin are thus destroyed by God along with it.

Simple.

Blessings,

Green Cochoa.

Your question is condescending, but I'll answer, the truth is that if you let God destroy sin in you, then yes, you will live. IF you do not let God destroy the sin in you, if you cling to it, then the sin will destroy you.

To sin, wherever found, "our God is a consuming fire." Hebrews 12:29. In all who submit to His power the Spirit of God will consume sin. But if men cling to sin, they become identified with it. Then the glory of God, which destroys sin, must destroy them. {DA 107.4} The natural consequences of keeping sin, death.

Indeed.

It's a bit like alcohol. Alcohol, like sin, burns in the presence of fire. God's presence consumes sin like fire consumes alcohol.

Now, we are like vessels of water. If we put alcohol into the water, it will be ignitable and burn. Without alcohol, it will not burn.

But the Fire is God. God does the burning.

If we allow God to consume the dross out of our character, yes, there will be nothing left to burn. We are then safe.

Blessings,

Green Cochoa.

And the righteous can live in this fire. Why? No sin.

Absolutely.

As it says in Psalm 1:



Our God is a consuming fire. The chaff are destroyed. The gold is untouched. The same fire that slew the men who threw in the three Hebrew worthies was powerless to touch them. God is the Fire who will destroy sin and sinners in the end and leave only a clean and pure universe for ever after.

Blessings,

Green Cochoa.

So it is not the intrinsic nature of God to kill, but it is sin that causes the death, no sin, no death. It is not an imposed penalty, it is the natural consequences of sin. And there is good science as to why this happens, but I won't go there.

Sin per se doesn't cause death. Satan and his angels would never die if they didn't have to face the glory of God - the light of His holiness and love. (Of course they would die if God ceased to sustain their lives - but the same would happen to the heavenly angels, or to any other unfallen creature.) So the second death isn't caused by a single factor, but by two: the glory of God + sin. Neither of them isolately causes death.

But of course that is not the way God runs the universe. So yes, it is Sin that causes death. No sin, no death.

EGW:God could have destroyed Satan and his sympathizers as easily as one can cast a pebble to the earth; but He did not do this. Rebellion was not to be overcome by force. Compelling power is found only under Satan's government. The Lord's principles are not of this order. His authority rests upon goodness, mercy, and love; and the presentation of these principles is the means to be used. God's government is moral, and truth and love are to be the prevailing power. {DA 759.1}

So blink, we can turn off the sinner, they are gone. But no, we have to go further. We need to punish the sinner, make them suffer, but no longer than they deserve. God inflicts this on sinners? Really? For what purpose. Do scare the rest of the universe into submission? NO. Sin is what causes this. Yes in God's presence, but this is the natural result of sin. Sinners destroy themselves by sin, Hosea 13:9.

Sin is suicide.
Proverbs 8:36 But he that sins against me wrongs his own soul: all they that hate me love death.

Ezekiel 18:20 The soul that sins, it shall die. The son shall not bear the iniquity of the father, neither shall the father bear the iniquity of the son: the righteousness of the righteous shall be on him, and the wickedness of the wicked shall be on him.

Ezekiel 33:10-11 Therefore, O you son of man, speak to the house of Israel; Thus you speak, saying, If our transgressions and our sins be on us, and we pine away in them, how should we then live? 11 Say to them, As I live, said the Lord GOD, I have no pleasure in the death of the wicked; but that the wicked turn from his way and live: turn you, turn you from your evil ways; for why will you die, O house of Israel?

This case is placed on record for our benefit. Just what took place in Pharaoh's heart will take place in every soul that neglects to cherish the light and walk promptly in its rays. God destroys no one. The sinner destroys himself by his own impenitence. When a person once neglects to heed the invitations, reproofs, and warnings of the Spirit of God, his conscience becomes seared, and the next time he is admonished, it will be more difficult to yield obedience than before. And thus with every repetition. Conscience is the voice of God, heard amid the conflict of human passions; when it is resisted, the Spirit of God is grieved. {5T 120.1}

We want all to understand how the soul is destroyed. It is not that God sends out a decree that man shall not be saved. He does not throw a darkness before the eyes which cannot be penetrated. But man at first resists a motion of the Spirit of God, and, having once resisted, it is less difficult to do so the second time, less the third, and far less the fourth. Then comes the harvest to be reaped from the seed of unbelief and resistance. Oh what a harvest of sinful indulgences is preparing for the sickle! {5T 120.2}