Different Punishments, Different Rewards

Q

I was reading your article “Case for Eternal Punishment” and found it very interesting. Though when you get down to the brass tacks of it all we as believers will really not know what Eternal Punishment will be like. I for one cannot even imagine how terrible it would be to be separated from my LORD and my GOD.

But the human nature in us all makes us so curious. I was of the mind that there would be different punishments merited out in hell along with the major punishment of separation.

I have read that once we are with the LORD and he puts the refining fire to our works what is left will show what position of authority we would have in his kingdom. The author put it that once saved always saved but we all will be doing different things when we are in the kingdom.

He was always talking vaguely of the different amounts of rewards (treasures) that each person would build up in heaven.

That got me thinking that if a person is to have eternal punishment then there would be different levels of that punishment, just as eternal life has different levels of rewards.

A

The general idea concerning the eternal destinies of both saved and unsaved is outlined in the Bible. Rewards for believers and punishment for unbelievers are both clearly intended. But when it gets to specifics, that’s a different matter. Ideas like punishment to fit the crime for unbelievers, and a believer’s relative station or position of authority are purely conjecture on our part. But this one thing is clear. There is no promise that either an unbeliever’s regret or a believer’s joy will be mitigated in any way because of their behavior, good or bad, here on Earth.