“How Low Can You Go?”

Tuesday, October 06, 2015

Relating to your post, "Judas in a Handbag", you state that there are various degrees of judgment in hell. I was under the impression that hell is hell. Am I right in interpreting this as: someone that had the opportunity to obey the gospel and doesn't will be punished more than someone that had never been exposed. Isn't it our own responsibility to seek the truth for ourselves? Can you elaborate on these verses a little more?

Sincerely, Equality For All

Dear Equality For All,

There are varying degrees of judgment in hell. That is the only way to interpret the idea of ‘heavier judgment’. Jas 3:1 talks about the idea of heavier judgment for teachers. Heb 10:29 talks about those who fall away from the gospel receiving a ‘sorer punishment’. Heb 6:8 states that saints who have fallen away are rejected and ‘cursed’. The general principle seems to be that if someone has had more opportunity to obey the gospel, they will be all the more condemned if they still fail to turn to God. This matches the principle Jesus lays forth in Lk 12:47-48.

Everyone is without excuse on the Day of Judgment, for all have sinned (Rom 3:23). Also, every human has evidence of God in His creation (Rom 1:20). All those who go to hell will be there rightfully… but how much greater the suffering if you had opportunity after opportunity to serve God, and you chose rebellion instead?

Share