Levels of Hell

[uvn477]

I've heard arguments going back and forth about this topic. Maybe its been brought up here before but I hope everyone can answer it for my sake anyway. So anyway I've heard about the different levels of hell for what the person did in their lives. Like a murderer would get a harsher punishment than a nonbeliever. I know this has some biblical reference and its not entirely made up. I just want to get the facts straight and I can't do it alone so I'm asking for some help in this. Can anyone explain in detail about this topic? Thanks in advance.

[elkieDannsa' Air An Drochaid]

Dear uvn,

There is heaven and there is hell.

Although there are many mansions in heaven, hell is hell. It is total darkness and eternal damnation for rejecting Christ as Saviour and God in the flesh, crucified and died rose again and assended to God the Father in heaven. The smoke of the torment of this place goes forever. But, God will throw the devil and his demons and all those who have rejected him and are in hell, into the lake of fire, which means eternal destruction, in the end.

God does not send anyone to hell. People choose to go there by rejecting God.

All sins are be forgiven in Christ except the blasphemy of the Holy Spirit, being the cold permanenet rejection of Jesus and the Holy Spirit. As we know there were those who so rejeced God in Christ they said that the work he did was by demons not God. That is the worst! We know that God did not make hell for man. He made it for the devil and his demons. But, men who refuse to make the Christ their own Christ and Saviour, choose to be away from God presense forever.

Christ has made all forgiveness possible for anyone who has the heart to follow Him and belong to Him, remain faithful to Him to the end.

When a believer sins, he is his own accuser and repents, also the Holy Spirit living in us makes us able to live without habitual sinning. Although we are not perfect and do sin, we repent and continue to grow humbly before our God.

The Bible teaches that when we die, believers are present with the Lord when absent from the body, according ot the New Testament teaching. We are told to console one another with this.

It is in God hands, you see HE is the only One who truely knows everyones hearts, be they true or dark.

God bless

[shepherdsgrace]

Yes. The scripture indicates there are different degrees of punishment in hell:

"That servant who knows his master's will and does not get ready or does not do what his master wants will be beaten with many blows. But the one who does not know and does things deserving punishment will be beaten with few blows." (Lk 12:47-48)

"Woe to you, Korazin! Woe to you, Bethsaida! If the miracles that were performed in you had been performed in Tyre and Sidon, they would have repented long ago in sackcloth and ashes. But I tell you, it will be more bearable for Tyre and Sidon on the day of judgment than for you. And you, Capernaum, will you be lifted up to the skies? No, you will go down to the depths. If the miracles that were performed in you had been performed in Sodom, it would have remained to this day. But I tell you that it will be more bearable for Sodom on the day of judgment than for you." (Mt 11:21-24)

According to the above passages (and also Jn 9:41, 15:22, 24), those with greater knowledge of morality and/or greater knowledge of God (via exposure to the Gospel, witnessing of miracles, etc.) will be held more accountable and consequently receive greater punishment than those who are ignorant through no fault of their own.

It's not directly stated that one's degree of punishment is also based on the severity of one's sins, but this is implied in several places, such as Matthew 16:27. It's also implied by the different degrees of punishment given for different sins in the Mosaic Law. One could argue that every sin is sin against God and all sins therefore deserve severe punishment or death, and explain the differing punishments in the Law as God's leniency towards people's hardened hearts (e.g. Mt 19:8). Yet the notion that all sins merit the exact same punishment goes against humanity's instincts; therefore it's something we would need to be taught to us by God. One would think that God would therefore have taught this lesson in the Law by decreeing that all sins receive the same punishment (e.g. exile, or a large fine or sacrifice). Yet not only are there degrees of punishment that precisely match the crime (e.g. Ex 21:23-25), there is a command about not punishing those who deserved to be whipped with more lashes than is right (Dt 25:2-3).

These are quotes from http://www.rationalchristianity.net/hell.html and there is much more there if you are interested.

[Ancient of Days]

do you really believe there are different levels of hell, really?... truth is there is no such teaching in the bible. period. there are however different meanings in the bible sometimes reguarding heaven, but hell... hell has only one meaning in the bible, sleep. Jesus said "sleep". Lazarus is in his tomb... sleep. several places in the bible talk about what is confused with what most people think is hell. revelations says "the lake of fire, which means the second death". the first death is just as Jesus said, simply sleep! the second however is termination without return... the bible also further explains the first death"sleep". its much like, in fact the same as daily rest hense r.i.p.. the bible says "the dead are conscious of nothing at all"(ecclesiastes9:5) among other things proving the point...

[shepherdsgrace]

Hello Ancient of Days,

I totally never enter into strong discussions about topics like this because they are not necessary to salvation. However, you ask me if I truly believed what I wrote and so to answer your question, "yes". But that does not mean I am correct or incorrect. I will say that I am sure glad that I am not going to Hell, by the grace of God, regardless of its degrees or non degrees.

And by the way, Our God is God of the LIVING.......

[Ancient of Days]

I understand... people do mostly want an answer. I see however you do not and there is nothing wrong with that. the scripture does say also that "the living are conscious that they will die". the dead ( if you should die, God forbid) are in hell. hell isnt what most people think though, thats the important part. hell is called hades actually in the bible and was translated to hell. the word hades is defined as sheol or the common grave of mankind in the bible. consequently, the bible again in ecclesiastes Solomon as well as Jesus are harmonious, meaning its just sleep! thats all! sleep...

[Matthitjah]

Grace to you,

Hell is a very real and eternal place.

Mt

[Ancient of Days]

there is only sleep in hell. that is all hell is sleep. find the word hades or sheol in the bible, its origin, its meaning... its just sleep!

Edited May 27, 2006 by Ancient of Days

[Matthitjah]

Grace to you,

What does everlasting fire, prepared for the devil and his angels mean to you?

Peace,

Dave

[Ancient of Days]

its really simple... everlasting fire is merely the name of the second death. scholars have already found this to be so...