Degrees of Punishment

In this part of the sermon: Degrees of punishment do not mean less than perfect misery for anyone in hell, nor does it negate hell's eternal duration. Instead, it implies some will have a greater capacity…

The analogy of electrical wires with different thicknesses carrying varying amounts of current, yet both being 'perfectly charged,' illustrates how some in hell may have a greater capacity for suffering or bear a more fierce measure of God's wrath while all experience perfect misery.

Some of you who work with electricity know that certain wires in terms of their thickness and in terms of the materials of which they are made are able to carry more electrical current than others. You may have one strand of wire a certain thickness of a certain material that is as it were perfectly charged with electricity. It's flowing through the entirety of that wire. But another wire of greater thickness and of a different material may be carrying ten times as much electricity in terms of voltage in terms of other measurements and yet we may say of both wires that they are perfectly charg...

14:53 - 15:33 Read in full sermon

In this part of the sermon: Degrees of punishment do not mean less than perfect misery for anyone in hell, nor does it negate hell's eternal duration. Instead, it implies some will have a greater capacity…

The concept of differing rewards and degrees of blessedness for saints in heaven (e.g., talents parable) is used as a parallel to help understand how there can be degrees of suffering in hell while all experience perfect bliss/misery.

One has a greater capacity to bear a greater measure of electrical current. I know it's a human illustration but in some way it's this concept. You have the parallel with the saints in heaven. It's obvious that if we will be judged as God's people there are going to be differences of reward.

15:34 - 15:51 Read in full sermon

In this part of the sermon: The reason for degrees of punishment is God's justice, which demands that the degree of punishment be measured by the nature of the offense, as seen in Old Testament civil laws…

Examples from Old Testament civil laws (premeditated vs. unpremeditated murder, careless possession vs. theft of a cow) illustrate how the nature of a crime, including motive, determined the measure of punishment or restitution, reflecting God's justice.

Premeditated murder was to be punished in a different way than what? Unpremeditated murder. If you're out in the field and just through a little bit of carelessness, your buddy loses a leg, you're not treated in the same way as if you're jealous and angry with him and you plot a way to get his leg taken off. What is this?

19:13 - 19:29 Read in full sermon

In this part of the sermon: The second basis is the extent to which one leads others to sin through example and influence. Jesus' warning about causing 'little ones' to stumble is central, and Martin applies…

John Bunyan's interpretation of the rich man's prayer for his brothers in hell (Luke 16) is quoted, suggesting the man's motivation was self-love, fearing his brothers' presence would intensify his own suffering due to his influence.

I have been reading this passage and I'm reading John Bunyan's works. The section in which he expounds Luke 16 and he calls it Sighs from Hell. And in commenting upon the words you remember the prayer of the man in hell was this. Father Abraham send someone to my brothers lest they also come to this place of torment.

32:19 - 32:41 Read in full sermon

The point: May God grant that you'll not be cursed with the curse which will come in that degree of highest intensity because of light and privilege abused. Seek the Lord while he may be found.

A Lowell Thomas production about a remote, pagan New Guinea tribe is described to contrast their total darkness with the light available in Western society, arguing that the 'nice cultured American' who abuses gospel privilege will face a far worse judgment.

did some of you see that Lowell Thomas production of about a week and a half ago Lowell Thomas was able to get into a section of New Guinea by the auspices of the Australian government to track down a tribe to which no outsider has ever come in all the history the millenniums if possible hundreds of years of the existence of that tribe can't go into the details of the thing it would be interesting to do so but it wouldn't serve the point of the message but here's a tribe utterly given over to those characteristics of paganism demon worship demon possession the witch doctor there with his breat...

46:21 - 47:50 Read in full sermon

The point: May God grant that you'll not be cursed with the curse which will come in that degree of highest intensity because of light and privilege abused. Seek the Lord while he may be found.

The example of an American man spending Sunday watching TV and drinking beer, contrasted with a churchgoer who is not truly converted, illustrates how abusing the privilege of hearing the Word leads to greater judgment than mere pagan ignorance.

will rise up to condemn him now let's even narrow it down further take in our own society picture that man who stayed up all hours of the night last night watching the late late late late show no thought that tomorrow was the Lord's day no preparation of his heart and mind he's still sound asleep about another half an hour he's going to come out and shake himself loose from his partial hibernation go to the door and get his Sunday paper light up his pell-mells kick his feet up and half asleep look at his paper during the commercials and watch his TV all afternoon have a few beers watch his fav...

47:50 - 49:17 Read in full sermon

The point: May God grant that you'll not be cursed with the curse which will come in that degree of highest intensity because of light and privilege abused. Seek the Lord while he may be found.

The example of rebellious high school kids involved in drugs and immorality is contrasted with young people who have praying parents and church privileges, arguing that the latter will face greater judgment if they remain unconverted due to abused light.

you've heard it for weeks and months and years some of you that pagan who's there just now coming out of the land of Nod and waking up to the abuse of this the Lord's day maybe he's never once had a preacher look him in the eye and tell him about heaven and hell maybe never once has he ever seen anyone whose eyes have been wet with tears of concern he's never heard a bible preached and expounded listen my friend you go to the day of judgment and stand alongside that fellow you'll wish for anything you could trade places with him you'd give anything to trade places with him beer breath and ciga...

49:17 - 50:47 Read in full sermon