Is it really only a 2 way street?

The Bible is pretty direct, and simple. To stay in truth, ignore what men who contradict the Bible all their lives say. (test everything, every message, by Scripture and with constant prayer)

There are not different levels, per se, (not as men say), found in Scripture - so if you ignore things outside Scripture, and seek Yahweh's Wisdom (ask like He says in James) just from Scripture,
I think you will benefit greatly, and simply, and totally in line with all Scripture.

When there are levels in Scripture (levels of anything), Yahweh says so clearly without confusion - He made everything simple. Man came up with many devices (errors, add ons, take-aways from God's Word) ....

What you were taught is true - Everlasting Life, or eternal damnation; do not go far from it. It is easily seen in Scripture.

Milos said:

I was taught there was everlasting life or eternal damnation. But when I went to try and learn on my own I am seeing that it isn't as direct. So there are different levels?
1. Sheol
2. Purgatory
3. Gehenna
From what I learned, Gehenna is the absolute worst and there is no hope. The other 2 aren't necessarily pleasant either but there is hope?

Click to expand...

Sheol isn't around any longer. It was the abode of the "good dead" during the time before Jesus. All who were there have gone to Heaven.

Purgatory isn't so much a "destination" as it is a state. It's where those who are saved but still stained by venial sins and the punishments due for all sins must go before entering heaven. Then there is Hell, where the unsaved reside.

So, there's Heaven and Hell, and you may go through purgatory on your way to heaven.

The visions of some saints suggest that there are different "layers" of Hell, but those would still "just be Hell".

Milos said:

I was taught there was everlasting life or eternal damnation. But when I went to try and learn on my own I am seeing that it isn't as direct. So there are different levels?

1. Sheol
2. Purgatory
3. Gehenna

From what I learned, Gehenna is the absolute worst and there is no hope. The other 2 aren't necessarily pleasant either but there is hope?

Click to expand...

Both Jews and Christians have always held that there is some temporary punishment for sin in the afterlife. Allusion is made to it in Matthew 5:

Mat 5:25 “Settle matters quickly with your adversary who is taking you to court. Do it while you are still together on the way, or your adversary may hand you over to the judge, and the judge may hand you over to the officer, and you may be thrown into prison.

Mat 5:26 Truly I tell you, you will not get out until you have paid the last penny.

Jews hold that purgatory lasts no longer than 12 months. Within Christianity the length of time is unknown. In restating the beliefs of the Orthodox Church, the Confession of Dositheus has it:

And the souls of those involved in mortal sins, who have not departed in despair but while still living in the body, though without bringing forth any fruits of repentance, have repented — by pouring forth tears, by kneeling while watching in prayers, by afflicting themselves, by relieving the poor, and finally by showing forth by their works their love towards God and their neighbor, and which the Catholic Church has from the beginning rightly called satisfaction — [their souls] depart into Hades, and there endure the punishment due to the sins they have committed.

None of the Ekkleisa - Jews nor gentiles, who I know or have heard of believe any kind of purgatory is in the Bible at all, nor is it found anywhere after this life, for anyone, ever.

Milos said:

I was taught there was everlasting life or eternal damnation. But when I went to try and learn on my own I am seeing that it isn't as direct. So there are different levels?

1. Sheol
2. Purgatory
3. Gehenna

From what I learned, Gehenna is the absolute worst and there is no hope. The other 2 aren't necessarily pleasant either but there is hope?

Click to expand...

Sheol in Hebrew is equivalent to Hades in Greek. It was referring to the place of the dead at that time.
Purgatory is a fabrication of Catholics.
Gehenna is the fire of Hades - that part of Hades reserved for the wicked.

Milos said:

I was taught there was everlasting life or eternal damnation. But when I went to try and learn on my own I am seeing that it isn't as direct. So there are different levels?

1. Sheol
2. Purgatory
3. Gehenna

From what I learned, Gehenna is the absolute worst and there is no hope. The other 2 aren't necessarily pleasant either but there is hope?

Click to expand...

I would enjoy seeing your research.

Where in the scriptures or in Jesus' or the NT do you see purgatory mentioned or inferred?

Jesus continually warns about Hell, and appears to suggest it is a place of eternal torment. Although there is some controversy around how long "eternal" is, it can't be good.

Finally, two of three options above represent the same place, Hebrew Sheol is considered identical to Gehenna.

The Greek word geenna is a transliteration of two Hebrew words, גיא gai [H:1516], meaning "valley" and הנם hinnom

And if thy hand offend thee, cut it off: it is better for thee to enter into life maimed, than having two hands to go into hell (geenna), into the fire that never shall be quenched : Mark 9:43 (KJV)

For more info see:
http://www.ancient-hebrew.org/tlw_hell.html

Milos said:

I was taught there was everlasting life or eternal damnation. But when I went to try and learn on my own I am seeing that it isn't as direct. So there are different levels?

1. Sheol
2. Purgatory
3. Gehenna

From what I learned, Gehenna is the absolute worst and there is no hope. The other 2 aren't necessarily pleasant either but there is hope?

Click to expand...

When you sin you feel bad, when you don't sin you don't feel bad. I think that pretty much explains it.

The idea that Purgatory could be a place a person could be rose in the 11th century. Page after page of Paul's writings show there cannot be such a thing as purgatory. There is nothing we can do that helps pay for our sins. Jesus paid the full price for our sin and that is the way our condition is relayed to us in Scripture. The kinsman-redeemer model of Jesus' paying the price provides some detail on what Jesus did. The closest thing in Scripture is that people will "suffer loss" instead of reward for their sinful deeds (1 Corinthians 3:15). See 2 Corinthians 5:6-8 and Philippians 1:23.

As for levels of hell, the only "clear" passage I'm aware of in Scripture is in Luke 12:47-48, which implies the lost will suffer according to their deeds. As for the various bad places that might exist, it, or they, are all temporary until after judgment when everything is thrown into the lake of fire which is the second death and is the final state of those that did not entrust themselves to the Lord Jesus.

(Edited to add some info.)

Milos said:

I was taught there was everlasting life or eternal damnation. But when I went to try and learn on my own I am seeing that it isn't as direct. So there are different levels?

1. Sheol
2. Purgatory
3. Gehenna

From what I learned, Gehenna is the absolute worst and there is no hope. The other 2 aren't necessarily pleasant either but there is hope?

Click to expand...

I'm not sure I'd use the term purgatory. It suggests a medieval concept that I don't think applies. I agree that sheol, hades and gehenna have different implications, with sheol being a fairly neutral term, gehenna closest to what we think of as hell, and hades possibly being temporary.

I don't think the NT gives a single, unified view of what's coming, though the reality of judgement is shared by all of them. So is the reality of eternal life. I agree that Jesus gives the impression of varying degrees of both reward and punishment. Looking at the various ways to synthesize the evidence can only be done in the "controversial theology" forum.

Milos said:

I was taught there was everlasting life or eternal damnation. But when I went to try and learn on my own I am seeing that it isn't as direct. So there are different levels?

1. Sheol
2. Purgatory
3. Gehenna

From what I learned, Gehenna is the absolute worst and there is no hope. The other 2 aren't necessarily pleasant either but there is hope?

Click to expand...

As some Christians have already stated: There is no such thing as "purgatory", which was an invention of the RC religion years ago as a holding place when one dies, so that if one would pay indulgence sums to their religion the priests could pray to get souls free from there to go to Heaven.

Sheol is a word for what the Bible shows as "hades" ---a holding place adjacent to Hell for all who die without the Savior. No one is yet in Hell, as Revelation makes clear. Gehenna is hell fire where souls will suffer forever in the everlasting flames ---since the soul is eternal and will not end. Some believe Hell (gehenna as eternal fire) is probably the same as the "abyss" and in the center of the earth.

You can inquire at the sound site: Biblecounsel.net to learn more on this subject.