The Judgment – A Deeper Dive – Is It Just Heaven and Hell, or is Their More?

1 Corinthians 15:40-41 (KJV)

“There are also celestial bodies, and bodies terrestrial: but the glory of the celestial is one, and the glory of the terrestrial is another.
There is one glory of the sun, and another glory of the moon, and another glory of the stars: for one star differeth from another star in glory.”

This is the only passage in the KJV that uses the terms celestial and terrestrial. Some scholars interprets this metaphorically:

• Celestial = Sun = Highest degree of glory
• Terrestrial = Moon = Middle degree
• Telestial = Stars = Lowest degree

However, the Bible itself doesn’t elaborate on these “glories” as separate kingdoms or destinations in the afterlife. Traditional Christian interpretation sees this passage as symbolic of different kinds of resurrected bodies, not different levels of heaven.

The concept of different “glories” or outcomes after death can be related to judgment, but the interpretation depends heavily on your theological lens.

Let’s break it down based on what the KJV Bible says about judgment, and whether that could imply different outcomes like “degrees” or levels in the afterlife.

📖 What the KJV Teaches About Judgment

1. There is one Final Judgment for all:

“And as it is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment”
— Hebrews 9:27

2. The judgment separates the righteous from the wicked:

“And these shall go away into everlasting punishment: but the righteous into life eternal.”
— Matthew 25:46

3. Degrees of reward or punishment?
   Some verses suggest that judgment is not strictly binary (heaven or hell), but that there may be differing levels of reward or punishment:
   • Jesus said:

“But I say unto you, It shall be more tolerable for the land of Sodom in the day of judgment, than for thee.”
— Matthew 11:24

This implies some kind of scale or degrees of punishment.

3. Paul said:

“For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ… that every one may receive the things done in his body… whether it be good or bad.”
— 2 Corinthians 5:10

Suggests personal accountability and different outcomes based on actions.

So, could the “glories” in 1 Corinthians 15 be tied to the Judgment?

That’s plausible if you read Paul’s mention of celestial and terrestrial glories in the context of resurrected bodies and combine that with the idea that each person is judged according to their deeds.

But again — Paul does not explicitly say these glories are destinations or kingdoms. His primary point in 1 Corinthians 15 is about the resurrection, emphasizing how our resurrected bodies will differ in glory, much like the sun, moon, and stars differ.

What Does This All Mean?

• The KJV supports the idea of judgment and differences in reward or punishment.
• The idea of three degrees of glory as specific heavenly destinations is plausable doctrine, not clearly taught in the Bible.
• But if someone wanted to build a case from the Bible alone, they might argue that:
  • Judgment leads to different eternal outcomes.
  • The imagery in 1 Corinthians 15 supports the concept of differing “glories.”
  • Therefore, judgment could result in different levels of glory.

That’s a fair argument, but it’s inferred, not explicitly taught in Scripture.

One thing certain, there is only one truth, and it has already been established by God. It doesn’t even come down to what one person believes vs the other. Truth is not influenced by popularity. Even with the scriptures, there are things that we do not know for certainty yet, but will come to know when we pass on into the next life.

Could the Judgment Rewards that we discussed in my last post contribute to a varying “level” of Glory that a person receives from the judgment? It sounds true to me. How does this thought feel to you?

If this concept weighs heavily upon your mind, I invite you to take it to our Father in Heaven for additional guidance.