Dross is an Old English word that means the scum produced when smelting metals. Dross is impure. Dross is removed from precious metals such as silver by the process of smelting with intense heat and fire.
The wickedness and sin are equated with dross in the following verses.
Proverbs 26:23 Like an earthen vessel overlaid with silver dross are burning lips and a wicked heart.
Psalm 119:119a, You have removed all the wicked of the earth like dross…
The lake of fire is the eternal destination of people who are not written in the book of life. Their sins have not been paid or taken away. They are impure like dross. Eternal fire and smelting will never remove the impurity of sin from humanity. An eternity of fire and Hell cannot cleanse sin from humanity.
Revelation 20:14-15 Then death and Hades were thrown into the lake of fire. This is the second death, the lake of fire. And if anyone’s name was not found written in the book of life, he was thrown into the lake of fire.
Only the blood of Christ can wash away humanity’s dross and impurities. Christ’s shed blood is more powerful and cleanses better than fire. He is the one who purifies and refines. He removes the scum and the dregs.
1 John 1:7b …and the blood of Jesus His Son cleanses us from all sin.
Titus 2:14 who gave Himself for us to redeem us from every lawless deed, and to purify for Himself a people for His own possession, zealous for good deeds.
Revelation 1:5 and from Jesus Christ, the faithful witness, the firstborn of the dead, and the ruler of the kings of the earth. To Him who loves us and released us from our sins by His blood—
