Does the Bible teach that there will be degrees of punishment and rewards? ~ Don Puryear
There are a few topics of which the Bible speaks, but about which the pages of inspiration say very little. Yes, the Bible does teach that there will be degrees of punishment and reward, though not much is said regarding either. We must content ourselves with the Bible’s affirmation, howbeit perhaps in passing, regarding punishments and rewards. Likewise, we must not concern ourselves overly with the details that may not be attainable in this life. “The secret things belong unto the LORD our God: but those things which are revealed belong unto us and to our children for ever, that we may do all the words of this law” (Deuteronomy 29:29).
One passage that seems to suggest degrees of punishment is 2 Peter 2:20-22. It reads:
“For if after they have escaped the pollutions of the world through the knowledge of the Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, they are again entangled therein, and overcome, the latter end is worse with them than the beginning. For it had been better for them not to have known the way of righteousness, than, after they have known it, to turn from the holy commandment delivered unto them. But it is happened unto them according to the true proverb, The dog is turned to his own vomit again; and the sow that was washed to her wallowing in the mire.”
Those who ‘escape the pollutions of the world (i.e., the state of being lost in sin) through the knowledge of the Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ (i.e., John 8:32)’ are Christians. To be ‘again entangled therein, and overcome’ equates to apostatizing. Contrary to popular Calvinistic dogma, a child of God can sin so as to be lost (eternally lost if he remains in that condition). The phrase that says ‘the latter end is worse with them than the beginning’ teaches that somehow it is worse for a Christian who apostatizes than being in the condition in which he was before he became a Christian (i.e., lost). This expression is reinforced with the statement that reads “For it had been better for them not to have known the way of righteousness, than, after they have known it, to turn from the holy commandment delivered unto them.”
In what sense is that so? One might argue that the awareness alone (as one experiences eternity away from God in) that once he was saved and enjoyed the prospect of spending eternity in heaven with God sufficiently explains the reference under review in this passage. Yet, it may well be that what we have here is a passing reference to degrees of punishment in. It is difficult to imagine from this side of eternity how differing degrees of punishment matter. Certainly, suffering some lesser degree of punishment in than what others may experience will be no consolation at all.
Elsewhere, the Bible seems to suggest degrees of reward. It seems reasonable to suppose that if there are degrees of punishment that there also would be degrees of reward (and vice versa). Notice the following passage.
“For other foundation can no man lay than that is laid, which is Jesus Christ. Now if any man build upon this foundation gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, stubble; Every man’s work shall be made manifest: for the day shall declare it, because it shall be revealed by fire; and the fire shall try every man’s work of what sort it is. If any man’s work abide which he hath built thereupon, he shall receive a reward. If any man’s work shall be burned, he shall suffer loss: but he himself shall be saved; yet so as by fire” (1 Corinthians 3:11-15).
The apostle Paul wrote about his labors or the labors of others in the Gospel, namely evangelism. Paul illustrated the fruits of his work for the Lord, converts, with the series ‘gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay and stubble.’ According to the illustration, each convert is assayed with fire to determine purity, much like metals are purified by fire to extract the impurities. It is clear that one’s converts are discussed here rather than the salvation of the evangelist or personal worker. “If any man’s work abide which he hath built thereupon, he shall receive a reward.”
The summary of the passage is that the evangelist whose labors result in the salvation of several souls (who continue to be obedient) will receive a greater eternal reward than the evangelist some whose converts do not remain faithful. Both personal workers in the above scenario receive the eternal reward of heaven, though the one in some way receives an added reward. Again, one might argue that one’s awareness (while enjoying the bliss of heaven) that other souls in heaven are there due one’s efforts is sufficient to explain the passage. However, the passage may well be a reference, though without the extent of detail we might prefer, to degrees of reward in heaven.
Both the 2 Peter 2:20-22 and 1 Corinthians 3:11-15 passages contain biblical principles that are valuable to Christian living and service irrespective of whether we concur or disagree regarding degrees of punishment and reward. I tend to favor interpretations that embrace degrees of punishment and reward. However, the subject of degrees of punishments and rewards is not something over which the children of God need to be dogmatic. It is not something critical to our redemption, worship, Christian living or Christian service which without agreeing upon will rob us of our eternal heritage. There are several other biblical topics which deserve greater attention, especially due to their gravity and their frequent abuse today.
