According to 1 Corinthians 3:9-15, there will be different degrees of reward in heaven......praise God.
With that said, do you also believe that in hell, there will be different degrees of torment as well?
I've never seen specific Scripture regarding this.....so this is really an opinion question.
Thanks,
Primo
2007-11-26 02:24:57 · 27 answers · asked by primoa1970 7 in Society & Culture ➔ Religion & Spirituality
Yes. There are different "degrees" of torment.
Mt 18:6 But if anyone causes one of these little ones who believe in me to sin, it would be better for him to have a large millstone hung around his neck and to be drowned in the depths of the sea.
And I'm having trouble finding it but there is also a reference to teachers and pastors being more accountable if they lead one astray.
If there are "rewards" heaven, why wouldn't the opposite be true as well.
2007-11-26 15:44:43 · answer #1 · answered by Jan P 6 · 2⤊ 0⤋
Actually, I think there is some pretty clear statements regarding this. Scoffers presume that hell will be the same amount of torment for the nice guy without Christ as the pedophile. One of the reasons I believe there are levels is because Revelation points out that the books of people's works will be opened and reviewed...
Revelation 20:12
And I saw the dead, small and great, stand before God; and the books were opened... and the dead were judged out of those things which were written in the books, according to their works.
If they are not written in the Lamb's Book of Life and destined for hell (which is the destination of not being written therein), then why the need to open their personal book of works? Jesus, in rebuking the city of Capernaum, said in Matthew 11:24,
"But I say to you that it shall be more tolerable for the land of Sodom in the day of judgment than for you.”
Jesus was saying that the sin of Capernaum was more severe because they had more revelation than Sodom. They had the actual Messiah come and preach there, whereas Sodom had no such input. This also applies to the individual as well. Jesus condemned the actions of the Pharisees in Matthew 23:14 saying,
"Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you devour widows’ houses, and for a pretense make long prayers. Therefore you will receive greater condemnation."
If hell were the same for everyone, then what would be considered a greater condemnation? We are not talking time period here, because hell is eternal, so it must result in a level issue just as Jesus alluded to in Luke 12:35-48.
It may just be that hell is a void of darkness where all you have for company is your memories and regrets. The many times you heard the gospel and rejected, or the many times you scoffed Christians and thought it good sport. This then would lead you to gnaw at your own tongue, just to feel something--the regret just may be the maggot that eats at your flesh, and yet is never consumed. 2 Peter 2:17 alludes to this in regard to the "blackness" or "gloom" of darkness. It is not just darkness alone, but includes the Greek modifier "zophos", or "darkness upon darkness". The curse of the anathema as given by Paul carries this degree of torment. This was pronounced twice on those that change or add to the Gospel of Christ in Galatians 1:8-9.
Regarding all this. The real answer lies in not focusing on coming in second to last in the race, but rather first, and obtaining reward of eternal life. And all it takes is a bent knee and a prayer of repentance. As God laments in Ezekiel 33:11...
"As I live," says the Lord GOD, "I have no pleasure in the death of the wicked, but that the wicked turn from his way and live. Turn, turn from your evil ways!"
2007-11-26 06:18:51 · answer #2 · answered by Anonymous · 3⤊ 0⤋
Two points here: 1 Cor 3 is not talking about degrees of bliss. It refers to rewards for 'building' on earth with a view to eternity, compared with futile works and only being saved by the skin of the teeth. Heaven will be bliss for all who enter it and all the blessings of Rev. 22 will be enjoyed by everyone.
Second, there may be degrees of torment if 2 Peter 2:17 and Jude 13 are correctly translated, 'blackest darkness has been reserved for them', hinting at degrees of darkness. But some translations say 'the gloom of darkness' or 'the blackness of darkness'. So it's not clear. No matter in my opinion - any degree of bliss is infinitely preferable to even the slightest torment.
2007-11-26 02:44:37 · answer #3 · answered by Annsan_In_Him 7 · 2⤊ 1⤋
Good question! My husband brought this up one time and he believes there is-- that there are different places in hell for different judgments. Because we were thinking of just some horrible things that happened in the past times, and we do know there will be harsher judgment according to how a person lived their lives as it says in Revelation 20. So I believe there may be. I do believe as the bible explains the lake of fire as a place of torment day and night-- that no matter who is there, it will be this way. But for those who lived their lives in complete hate against God and did things to show that hate against God-- I do believe their judgment will be much worse.
Ezekiel 24:14
I am the LORD. I have spoken; it shall come to pass; I will do it. I will not go back; I will not spare; I will not relent; according to your ways and your deeds you will be judged, declares the Lord GOD."
p.s what annsan said above>" No matter in my opinion - any degree of bliss is infinitely preferable to even the slightest torment."
-I AGREE COMPLETELY!
2007-11-26 04:46:23 · answer #4 · answered by Mandolyn Monkey Munch 6 · 2⤊ 0⤋
You're right that their aren't any specific verses supporting it. This is one of the closest ones:
"If they have escaped the corruption of the world by knowing our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ and are again entangled in it and overcome, they are worse off at the end than they were at the beginning. It would have been better for them not to have known the way of righteousness, than to have known it and then to turn their backs on the sacred command that was passed on to them."
Likewise, there are several other verses that say similar things such as "It will be better for Sodom and Gommorah on the day of judgement than for him." But most of them refer to judgement day, not eternity in Hell.
I guess my answer would be no, I don't really believe in degrees of punishment. A sin is a sin, in God's eyes. I suppose when you are facing eternal torment, there isn't much you can do to make it worse.
2007-11-26 02:33:16 · answer #5 · answered by Anonymous · 2⤊ 0⤋
Primo,
There are so many things that we are not privy to that will be answered later. I do not believe that we need to know all things but I believe it is highly possible that there will be different degrees of torment as well. Have a wonderful week!
Thanks,
Eds
.
2007-11-26 02:33:21 · answer #6 · answered by Eds 7 · 2⤊ 0⤋
There are not different degrees of reward
thats untrue
and no there is not different degrees of torment either
God is NOT a respecter of persons and to say that thier are different degrees of heaven or hell makes Gods Word a lie..
and GOD doesnt lie....
you need to reread that again cause thats False statement......
He who is first shall be last and he who is last shall be first..
and when the owner paid his hire....
He paid the last same as the first.........
and there is NOne esteemed above another in Christ...
Jesus and Him alone is lifted up....
no one else above another.........
And the scipture you gave is about a mans faith and what he does with the word God gave him to do...and we ALL shall be tried as by fire....and we will stand if its built on the True foundation which is Christ...HIM being the chief cornerstone...
and JESUS as it is written is our exceeding Great reward !!!
Thst what the bible says...
2007-11-26 02:35:42 · answer #7 · answered by hghostinme 6 · 0⤊ 1⤋
wow,I have never thought about that before. I imagine the degree of hell, is bad enough, and I have heard taught that there are no degrees to sin, I don't know where this verse is at. I don't recall reading about different degrees in hell, so I don't know, but I will look into the matter.
2007-11-26 05:53:53 · answer #8 · answered by Jesus is the best. 3 · 1⤊ 0⤋
The degree of punishment will be commensurate with one's sin against the light which one has received.
One good passage that indicated degrees of punishment is Luke 12:47-48: "That servant who know 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. From everyone who has been given much, much will be demanded; and from the one who has been entrusted with much, much more will be asked". Other verses on this issue include MAT 10:15; 16:27; Rev. 20:12,13; 22:12.
Jesus affirmed that the wicked "will go away to ETERNAL punishment, but the righteous to ETERNAL life" (Mat 25:46)
2007-11-26 02:29:44 · answer #9 · answered by Freedom 7 · 5⤊ 1⤋
i do no longer understand if the torment of the wicked is eternal, yet I do have faith they are going to adventure some style of punishment. i will admire and adore such an entity, because of the fact suggested entity went to great lengths to furnish reconciliation to a race that had independently traded existence for loss of life, and righteousness for wickedness. The human concern is hopeless without God.
2016-11-12 20:34:59 · answer #10 · answered by ? 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋