Levels of Hell

[apothanein kerdos]

Ovedya, I think HAZARD is stating that there are different degrees of punishment and seperation in hell...not that there are certain times of it (as if we could be released).

This is a belief that I hold to (different levels of punishment). I do believe that people will feel more pain for eternity than others (though no level is tolerable). As for scriptures, mainly what HAZARD has brought forth....this is also not something that i live and die on. It is merely an opinion on scripture.

[RND]

I do believe that people will feel more pain for eternity than others (though no level is tolerable).

When one believes that the soul lives forever and is eternal, then they are saying that Satan was right, and that Jesus' death was in vain.

Genesis 3:4

And the serpent said unto the woman, Ye shall not surely die:

Luke 18:18

And a certain ruler asked him, saying, Good Master, what shall I do to inherit eternal life?

John 3:1

For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.

Eternal life is a gift from God that we do not deserve. The opposite of eternal life is eternal death, separated from the Father and his Son forever.

[Ovedya]

Neither of those verses describe "levels of hell."

Sorry. They just don;t. I don't know any other way to put it.

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If a man will be judged according to his workes is out of your mindsett then that is your problem not anyone elses.

If a man stole a loaf of bread he will be punished accordingly.

If a man raped and mutilated a small child he will be punished accordingly.

Can you not see the difference???? God said we will be punished according to our works.

I would not want to get a life sentance for stealing a loaf of bread. I would expect one for raping a small child.

There is a difference between punishment and two-fold punishment, thats why two fold is mentioned in Scripture.

Now I cant draw a picture for you to explain this any clearer, so lets hope you have enough maturity to understand this much? God expects this of His followers. We are not to be fairly land whispy believers in all is good and all is righteous according to fundamental Christianity. He has laid down strict laws and He expects His followers to adhere to them.

I see. So for some people hell will only be temporary punishment for minor sins. Can you support that with Scripture?

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Hell is not temporary, it is eternal. I never said Hell is a temporary place of punishment? You are infering this.

Jesus taught that it would be more tolerable for some in the day of judgment than for others (Matt. 11:20-24); that some would be found to be twofold more a child of Hell than others, and will recieve "greater damnation" (Matt. 23:14-15); and that every man will be judged according to his works (Rev. 20:11-15). Whats so hard to understand about his? Why do Christians have to nit pick everything to pieces and try to make it fit their pet theories?

Saints will be rewarded according to their works (Matt. 10:41-42; 16:27; Romans 14:10-12; 2 Cor. 5:10-11; Rev. 22:12). So these Scriptures show that there will be degrees of punishment in Hell according to sins comitted, and rewards in Heaven according to our works, the good things done in our lives.

Is it so hard to understand that some will be punished more serverly for the major sins than those who comitted lesser sins. And some will recieve greater reward for the way they lived their lives than others. All unrepented sin will be punished in eternal hell. Would God punish a thief as serverly as a murdering dictator such as Hitler?

Your belief is that some will suffer more than others....yet you also state that hell is eternal. Therefore, by your rationale, a person who steals a loaf of bread will suffer eternally just as a man who comits murder. I have found no verse or passage in the bible which supports "minor suffering for minor crimes" in the lake of fire.

In fact, your theory regarding "major sins" and "minor sins" really relies on your own morality and not upon what the Word of God says. Take a look at a few verses and you'll see what I mean:

"Or do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be led astray; neither fornicators nor idolaters nor adulterers nor effeminate nor homosexuals Nor thieves nor the covetous, not drunkards, not revilers, not the rapacious will inherit the kingdom of God. (1 Cor. 6:9-10)

"But know this, that in the last days difficult times will come. For men will be lovers of self, lovers of money, boasters, arrogant, revilers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy, Without natural affection, implacable, slanderers, without self-control, savage, not lovers of good, Traitors, reckless, blinded with pride, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God," (2 Tim. 3:1-4)

In 1 Cor. 6:9-10) there is a short list of sinful conditions which Paul is saying will not be a part of the kingdom. Among such things as sexual immorality, Paul lists two types of theft - real theft and the "theiving thoughts" (Which is the desire to posess that which is not yours - covetousness); he also includes drunkards, revilers and the rapacious. A reviler is one who commits mischief - a troublemaker, and a rapacious person is someone who uses bribery and other means of extortion.

In 2 Tim. 3:1-4 Paul describes the sinful condition of the world in the last days - which may as well be today. When we look at this list it is not hard to see the wicked condition which humanity has fallen to. But take note of a few things from this list and the one from 1 Corinthians. In the 1 Corinthians list we may not consider a thief to be as sinful as a homosexual or an adulterer. We also may not consider an idolater or a drunkard on the same "sinful level" as someone who is effeminate. Also, it's hard to imagine that a disobedient child could be included in a list of persons whose sins include savagery, mischief, recklessness, and lovers of pleasure. But there they are. All those sins are equal in God's eyes. And all of them have their part in perdition equally.

Nowhere have I ever read in the bible God prescribing a smaller punishment for a "smaller sin." The idea that one sin is greater than another only exists in the human mind. It does not exist in God's eyes. God is righteous, pure, holy, and just. He could no more tolerate a "little white lie" than He could the mass execution of thousands of people.

[Ovedya]

Ovedya, I think HAZARD is stating that there are different degrees of punishment and seperation in hell...not that there are certain times of it (as if we could be released).

This is a belief that I hold to (different levels of punishment). I do believe that people will feel more pain for eternity than others (though no level is tolerable). As for scriptures, mainly what HAZARD has brought forth....this is also not something that i live and die on. It is merely an opinion on scripture.

Frankly, I just don't see it.

Not that I think this is crucial matter to bicker over, it's just that I tend to look at things more in black and white. Christ died one substitutionary death. He died an all-inclusive death. He died for the sins of the little boy who sassed his parents and the man who murdered his wife. Christ didn't die a certain type of death for one man and another type for another. His blood is the same for all, and is applied the same way.

So if God's righteousness is satisfied by the one death of Christ, then His justice on that basis is also equal to all. But in terms of punishment being metted out to those of God's household as opposed to those without, I believe that the "greater punishment" has more to do with the knowledge of what has been sacrificed in terms of blessing. Those without God's household are punished by God's wrath, which is a consuming fire. Those disobedient servants within God's household are punished dispensationally in outer darkness, which is a place of regret and disapointment.

[EricH]

The ultimate punishment for sin is of couse separation from God. All sinners, regardless of the brand of sin they chose< will be separated from God.