Are there degrees of punishment in Hell?

[rlvaughn]

Some people believe there are degrees or differences of punishment in Hell (or the Lake of Fire), based on certain Scriptures listed below and perhaps others. What do you think?

And whosoever shall not receive you, nor hear you, when ye depart thence, shake off the dust under your feet for a testimony against them. Verily I say unto you, It shall be more tolerable for Sodom and Gomorrha in the day of judgment, than for that city. - Mark 6:11 (see also Matt 10:15ff & Luke 10:11-15)

And that servant, which knew his lord's will, and prepared not himself, neither did according to his will, shall be beaten with many stripes. But he that knew not, and did commit things worthy of stripes, shall be beaten with few stripes. For unto whomsoever much is given, of him shall be much required: and to whom men have committed much, of him they will ask the more. - Luke 12:47,48

Beware of the scribes, which desire to walk in long robes, and love greetings in the markets, and the highest seats in the synagogues, and the chief rooms at feasts; Which devour widows' houses, and for a shew make long prayers: the same shall receive greater damnation. - Luke 20:46,47

Then began he to upbraid the cities wherein most of his mighty works were done, because they repented not: Woe unto thee, Chorazin! woe unto thee, Bethsaida! for if the mighty works, which were done in you, had been done in Tyre and Sidon, they would have repented long ago in sackcloth and ashes. But I say unto you, It shall be more tolerable for Tyre and Sidon at the day of judgment, than for you. And thou, Capernaum, which art exalted unto heaven, shalt be brought down to hell: for if the mighty works, which have been done in thee, had been done in Sodom, it would have remained until this day. But I say unto you, That it shall be more tolerable for the land of Sodom in the day of judgment, than for thee. - Matthew 11:20-24

If I had not come and spoken unto them, they had not had sin: but now they have no cloke for their sin. He that hateth me hateth my Father also. If I had not done among them the works which none other man did, they had not had sin: but now have they both seen and hated both me and my Father. - John 15:2-24

Of how much sorer punishment, suppose ye, shall he be thought worthy, who hath trodden under foot the Son of God, and hath counted the blood of the covenant, wherewith he was sanctified, an unholy thing, and hath done despite unto the Spirit of grace? - Heb 10:29

Are there differences in the amount and/or intensity of eternal punishment one receives? If so, why? If not, why not?

 

[Brother Ian]

I am certainly no expert on this, but I think when Jesus judges the lost at the Great White Throne of judgment (Rev 20:11-12), he looks at their works. This seems to indicate a degree of punishment, but I cannot conclude that from those versus.

 

[Johnv]

Originally posted by rlvaughn:
What do you think?

I don't think it really matters. Hell is an eternity in the absence of God. Compared to that, any supposed degrees are superflous.

Kind of like being sentenced to prison and wondering if the cells come in different colors.

 

[Brother Ian]

Good point JohnV.

 

[Hope of Glory]

If it's important enough to be in the Bible, isn't it important enough to think about it?

 

[Johnv]

Originally posted by Hope of Glory:
If it's important enough to be in the Bible, isn't it important enough to think about it?

Not any more than the context implies. For example, the Bible mentions a Peter in a boat. But it's unimportant as to the details of the boat. Yet there's no shortage of Christians who will make a scriptural mountain out of such molehills.

 

[Hope of Glory]

So, if it is determined that Scripture states that there are varying degrees of punishment for the lost, then it is unimportant?

How do we pick and choose which parts are important?

I wonder why the Holy Spirit had it included if it is unimportant?

 

[Scott J]

Probably no more degrees than there are degrees in human ability to jump to the moon. Michael Jordan gets much closer than I do... but relatively speaking he isn't really any better off than I am.

 

[Johnv]

Scott J speaks my mind.

 

[donnA]

Hell is eternal aeperation from God. What can be more punishment then that?

 

[rlvaughn]

I suppose my mind has a turn the same way - it's so bad how can it get any worse? Kind of like discussing whether a Chevy S-10 can pull a 100,000,000 lb. or 110,000,000 lb. load, when it can't pull either. Plus it seems all are sinners equally in the sight of God, and unbelievers equally.

But surely these scriptures mean something. They are not unimportant or the Lord would not have included them. So, if not degrees of punishment, then what do terms like "more tolerable", "many stripes...few stripes", "greater damnation", and "sorer punishment" mean in reference to judgment/punishment?

 

[robycop3]

I would suppose Hitler will receive more punishment than a "good" man who never comes to Christ. None will be pleasant, but just as JESUS will reward the good that the righteous have done, the wicked shall be "rewarded" according to their works.

 

[cojosh]

If there are degrees of rewards for the saints, then there could be degrees of punishment for sinners. Not a subject that is looked into much, because of limited reference in scripture. Since that is the case, God may not want us to dig too deep into it. We can only know what He reveals and on this subject He doesn't reveal much. After all, it isn't relevant to the saints because they'll spend eternity with God. It isn't that relevant to the lost because the fact that they'll spend eternity in torment, without God gets the message across without needing to go into detail about who is a worse sinner.

 

[Hope of Glory]

Since that is the case, God may not want us to dig too deep into it.

Exactly. It's important to know, but not important to study.

It's like common salvation; there's very little of it in the Bible. It's important, but God doesn't want you dwelling on it.

Most of the Bible concentrates on our behavior after being saved. It exhorts us, it warns us, etc.

 

[Robert J Hutton]

Hell is not simply eternal seperation from God but eternal conscious torment, let us not forget that, and redouble our efforts to reach the lost.

Kind regards to all.

Bob

 

[Aaron]

Originally posted by Robert J Hutton:
Hell is not simply eternal seperation from God but eternal conscious torment, let us not forget that, and redouble our efforts to reach the lost.

Kind regards to all.

Bob

Good point, Bob.

The answer to rl's OP is, yes. There are degrees of punishment as there are degrees of reward. Nothing else can be concluded from the Scriptures you've posted.