The following appendices offer further discussion of specific issues that have been more briefly touched upon in the main text:

Klik hier om terug te keer na Hell to Win of Heaven to Pay, of oor enige van die sub-onderwerpe hieronder:

• Aanhangsel A – Hoe lank is 'n Aeon?

  ‘Aeon,’ or ‘Eon,’ is a translation of the Hebrew word, ‘olam’; the original meaning of which was ‘an unknowably remote period in the past or future’ or ‘in perpetuity.’ And this is the sense in which it is used throughout the Old Testament; met die moontlike uitsondering van 'n baie min tekste in die laaste O.T. boeke wat geskryf moet word. Maar in latere Rabbynse besprekings en liturgie, dateer uit die middel of laat Tweede Tempel tydperk (c.300BC of later), dit het begin gebruik word in die sin van 'die eeu' of 'wêreld',

  Ons sukkel om die konsep van oneindige tyd te begryp; even whilst finding ourselves forced to admit that, vir God, dit moet 'n onvermydelike aspek van sy aard wees. Die vooruitsig van nimmereindigende geluksaligheid klink wonderlik: maar die omgekeerde, met geen vooruitsig op verligting nie, sounds so awful that we instinctively resist such an idea. As the English ‘aeon’ derives from the Greek ‘aion’ (the meaning of which has varied more over time) many commentators tend to favour translations which downplay either the eternal significance of ‘olam’ or else its punitive associations.

  The question that concerns us here is how these gradual changes in word use should affect our understanding of the New Testament texts.

• Bylaag B – Die Bok stop Waar?

  We live in a world that is so complex we can mostly only guess the consequences of our actions. And when we consider the possibility of an unending chain of events, strek van nou tot in ewigheid, we begin to realize the possibility of an unlimited liability for the devastating consequences of what may have seemed to us, destyds, om geringe dade van nalatigheid of eiebelang te wees.

  Faced with such a possibility, might we not prefer instant annihilation? But would it be OK for someone to inflict unspeakable pain and suffering on others, en dan hierdie lewe verlaat sonder om ooit die gevolge in die gesig te staar? Would that be ʻjusticeʼ?

  So where does the buck stop and how can we find freedom from the penalty we deserve and our legacy of guilt? By die kruis! Dit is die punt waarop God, in die persoon van Jesus, het formeel die uiteindelike verantwoordelikheid op Homself geneem en die gevolge verduur vir al die boosheid wat ooit gepleeg is. Dit is die enigste plek waar almal veroordeel word, alles kan vergewe word; en niemand kan teen enige ander oordeel nie.

• Bylaag C – Is die dood vir ewig?

  We all know that normal human death usually takes time, and the degree of suffering involved may vary considerably. Maar Jesus’ teaching is founded on the revelation that bodily death is not the end; and that all who die will ultimately face God’s judgement. At that point it will be determined whether a person will be admitted to God’s heavenly kingdom, the beauty of which will be beyond imagination.

  Maar, for those who are not, there will come the shocking realization that they have wasted their life seeking their own fulfilment, net om dit nou alles te verloor en vir ewig uit die hemel uitgesluit te word. These will be condemned to ‘Outer Darkness’ in the ‘Lake of Fire’; also known as the ‘Second Death’. The Lake of Fire will continue to exist as a permanent memorial to the effect of evil. ‘The Devil and his angels’ will suffer there for ever. So also will those humans who deliberately sided with ‘the Beast’ against God in the final years of his reign. But for the rest of sinful humanity their fate is described as ‘destruction.’ How complete that will be and how long it will take is not defined. But is it is not reasonable to expect that its duration or intensity will depend on the suffering they themselves have caused?

• Bylaag D – Die Onvergeeflike Sonde

  Alhoewel dit selde onder Christene bespreek word, Satan hou daarvan om ons harte te vul met die vrees dat, op een of ander manier, ons was skuldig aan 'n 'onvergeeflike sonde'; en is daarom vir ewig tot die hel veroordeel. baie, insluitend groot manne en vroue van God, soos John Bunyan (van 'Pilgrims Progress'-faam) sowel as beginner Christene (soos myself) het in hierdie spesifieke strik geval; wat kan manifesteer in verskeie vermommings om diegene van 'n teer gewete te vang, die onverskillige oorvertroue en al die tussenin.

  Satan is die uiteindelike kenner in die misbruik en verdraaiing van God se Woord. Sy gunsteling taktiek is om selfs die waarhede wat deur God self gepraat is subtiel verkeerd aan te haal en toe te pas; om nie te praat van die woorde wat gespreek is deur godvresende mans en vroue wat net onvolmaak verstaan ​​het wat hulle van God gehoor het nie. He is devious and determined; terwyl ons dikwels kwesbaar is vir sy dreigemente en misleidings. Maar ons hoef nie ooit in vrees te leef dat ons sal misluk as gevolg van ons swakheid of gebrek aan geloof nie. Die hele Drie-eenheid – Vader, Seun en Heilige Gees – is daartoe verbind om ons tot die einde toe deur te sien.

  As ons ons sondes bely, Hy is getrou en regverdig om ons die sondes te vergewe, en om ons van alle ongeregtigheid te reinig. (1 John 1:9)