Are their different levels of punishment in hell?

[missmuffet]

Revelation 20-11-13

 Then I saw a great white throne and Him who sat on it, from whose face the earth and the heaven fled away. And there was found no place for them. ¹² And I saw the dead, small and great, standing before God,^[a] and books were opened. And another book was opened, which is the Book of Life. And the dead were judged according to their works, by the things which were written in the books. ¹³ The sea gave up the dead who were in it, and Death and Hades delivered up the dead who were in them. And they were judged, each one according to his works.

 

 

 

What do you think?I have often wondered if the judgment is to determine how severe the punishment will be.

[John S]

1. The verse that you gave describes the Judgment Day - which has nothing to do with the question that you asked.

2. Why would there be different levels of punishment in hell?

Once a soul goes to hell, why would it be punished by Satan? He will welcome his new follower with open arms - for example Adolf Hitler's soul.

[Fez]

Amen to that!

Bopeep, just an observation. You are asking quite a lot of questions about levels of heaven and levels of hell of late. Any specific reason this might be?

God Bless,

Fez.

[missmuffet]

Amen to that!

Bopeep, just an observation. You are asking quite a lot of questions about levels of heaven and levels of hell of late. Any specific reason this might be?

God Bless,

Fez.

Just my own curiosity.That has always been an area that I find interesting and I wanted to gain even more opinions on the subject.Why do you ask?

[missmuffet]

1. The verse that you gave describes the Judgment Day - which has nothing to do with the question that you asked.

2. Why would there be different levels of punishment in hell?

Once a soul goes to hell, why would it be punished by Satan? He will welcome his new follower with open arms - for example Adolf Hitler's soul.

Why do you think the Judgment Day has nothing to do with my question?I did not make any reference about a soul being punished by satan.  Satan does not have control of hell like the Far Side cartoon portray.

[WIP]

Hmmm this is something Ive though about several times. .. because I believe that those in heaven will not all have the same measure of joy. ...

I see it this way ..if a person lives their life as murderer/liar/drunkard/wife beater/abuser of children ..how can they suffer in same hell as someone who has done none of these things. There are many who live exemplary lives doing good to others etc but who are not saved.....just my thoughts.

[missmuffet]

Hmmm this is something Ive though about several times. .. because I believe that those in heaven will not all have the same measure of joy. ...

I see it this way ..if a person lives their life as murderer/liar/drunkard/wife beater/abuser of children ..how can they suffer in same hell as someone who has done none of these things. There are many who live exemplary lives doing good to others etc but who are not saved.....just my thoughts.

Yes,I find that an interesting thought.That with God's Grace and Mercy that He still does not want anyone to suffer any more than possible. Even if they are not a believer.I am sure that God does grieve when someone has to be sent to such a torture.

[JustinM]

I believe Hell is so agonizing that it doesn't matter what people did in their life to get there, they are there and left to suffer and endure in that torment forever.

They are judged by their works, because that's all they have since they weren't purified by Christ's blood.  Instead of accepting Christ's gift of salvation, they decided to earn their way to Heaven, so God will judge them by that.

 

As for Lucifer welcoming them into hell, it is not his domain, he will not be welcoming anyone there.  It was a prison created specifically for Him and his rebels.  He will be suffering in eternal torment just like everyone else there.

[Walt1093]

Jesus said that the servant who does not know his master's will will be beaten with fewer stripes than the one who does. I've seen several other passages in scripture that suggest this, and I think that your point has some merit. Do a study on it. 

[B3L13v3R]

 bopeep, the same verses you brought up and others not mentioned, have me believing that are varying degrees in Hell. After God's righteous "judgment" comes eternal "punishment" for those without Christ.

And I saw a great white throne, and him that sat on it, from whose face the earth and the heaven fled away; and there was found no place for them. And I saw the dead, small and great, stand before God; and the books were opened: and another book was opened, which is the book of life: and the dead were judged out of those things which were written in the books, according to their works. And the sea gave up the dead which were in it; and death and hell delivered up the dead which were in them: and they were judged every man according to their works. And death and hell were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death. And whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire.
(Rev 20:11-15)

Can you imagine, every idol word  spoke by the lost judged by God? All sins, "written in the books." Wow.

O generation of vipers, how can ye, being evil, speak good things? for out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaketh. A good man out of the good treasure of the heart bringeth forth good things: and an evil man out of the evil treasure bringeth forth evil things. But I say unto you, That every idle word that men shall speak, they shall give account thereof in the day of judgment.
(Mat 12:34-36)

There will be rewards in heaven for those in Christ as a number N/T verses indicate, here are four:

"Now if any man build upon this foundation gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, stubble; Every man's work shall be made manifest: for the day shall declare it, because it shall be revealed by fire; and the fire shall try every man's work of what sort it is. If any man's work abide which he hath built thereupon, he shall receive a reward. If any man's work shall be burned, he shall suffer loss: but he himself shall be saved; yet so as by fire."
(1Co 3:12-15)

Equally it makes Biblical sense from "the dead were judged out of those things which were written in the books, according to their works" that with harsher judgments come harsher punishment for those going to Hell.
A few verses that reflect the harsher judgment, in these two "Pilate" being told" he that delivered me unto thee hath the greater sin."

"Then saith Pilate unto him, Speakest thou not unto me? knowest thou not that I have power to crucify thee, and have power to release thee? Jesus answered, Thou couldest have no power at all against me, except it were given thee from above: therefore he that delivered me unto thee hath the greater sin."
(Joh 19:10-11)

Just as as good Judge here would give a murderer either life in prison or capital punishment for his heinous crime, likewise the man who is drunk and disorderly may only spend the night in a cell. Larger sin in this life receives larger punishment.

That being said, the "cell" of eternal "Hell" in the next life will be eternal...

Rev 14:11  And the smoke of their torment ascendeth up forever and ever: and they have no rest day nor night, who worship the beast and his image, and whosoever receiveth the mark of his name.