Are There Degrees of Sin and Punishment in Hell?

Reader Question: Will Sin Be Judged and Punished by Degree of Severity?

I received this question from a reader in Japan:

Dear Mary,

I wonder if you could help me with a question raised in a conversation at church the other day?

There are two sinners (both unsaved).

One is a boy, 10 years old, who recently died of cancer.

The other is a 90-year-old lifelong pedophile with nearly 1,000 victims.

Will one be judged and dealt a harder punishment in hell?

In Jesus our Lord and Savior,

Tom Bickel


Are There Degrees of Sin and Punishment in Hell?

That’s a tough question. For believers, it stirs up doubts and concerns about the nature and justice of God. But that’s precisely why it’s a great question to consider.

The 10-year-old boy in the scenario brings up a topic known as age of accountability, however, for this discussion we’ll deal with the question as stated and save that for another study.

The Bible gives us only limited information about heaven, hell and the afterlife. There are some aspects of eternity we’ll never fully understand, at least on this side of heaven. God simply has not revealed everything to us through Scripture.

Yet, the Bible does seem to suggest varying degrees of punishment in hell for unbelievers, just as it speaks of different rewards in heaven for believers based on deeds done here on earth.

Degrees of Reward in Heaven

Here are a few verses indicating degrees of reward in heaven.

Greater Reward for the Persecuted

Matthew 5:11-12

“Blessed are you when others revile you and persecute you and utter all kinds of evil against you falsely on my account. Rejoice and be glad, for your reward is great in heaven, for so they persecuted the prophets who were before you.” (ESV)

Luke 6:22-24

“Blessed are you when people hate you and when they exclude you and revile you and spurn your name as evil, on account of the Son of Man! Rejoice in that day, and leap for joy, for behold, your reward is great in heaven; for so their fathers did to the prophets.” (ESV)

No Reward for Hypocrites

Matthew 6:1-2

“Beware of practicing your righteousness before other people in order to be seen by them, for then you will have no reward from your Father who is in heaven. Thus, when you give to the needy, sound no trumpet before you, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and in the streets, that they may be praised by others. Truly, I say to you, they have received their reward.” (ESV)

Rewards According to Deeds

Matthew 16:27

For the Son of Man is going to come in his Father’s glory with his angels, and then he will reward each person according to what they have done. (NIV)

1 Corinthians 3:12-15

If anyone builds on this foundation using gold, silver, costly stones, wood, hay or straw, their work will be shown for what it is, because the Day will bring it to light. It will be revealed with fire, and the fire will test the quality of each person’s work. If what has been built survives, the builder will receive a reward. If it is burned up, the builder will suffer loss but yet will be saved—even though only as one escaping through the flames. (NIV)

2 Corinthians 5:10

For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, so that each one may receive what is due for what he has done in the body, whether good or evil. (ESV)

1 Peter 1:17

And if you call on him as Father who judges impartially according to each one’s deeds, conduct yourselves with fear throughout the time of your exile … (ESV)

https://www.thoughtco.com/degrees-of-sin-and-punishment-in-hell-701955