Hutt Dir e Problem mat der Iddi vun engem léiwen Gott, deen d'Leit zu enger Éiwegkeet an der Hell veruerteelt? Gutt, du solls. Well kee méi e gréissere Problem mat dëser Iddi hat wéi Gott selwer. In this series of articles we will examine Jesus’ teaching on this subject, in an effort to understand the nature of this problem. Have we misunderstood and exaggerated what Jesus said, or have we seriously under-estimated the near-impossibility of eradicating evil without eliminating ourselves?

This is a highly controversial and, in places, speculative subject; and we are not claiming to know all the correct answers. We ask only that you prayerfully weigh the evidence presented, whilst seeking fresh insights into the nature and ways of God that may surprise your current understanding. Space has been included for comments at the end of each chapter: so it is hoped that these will lead in time to further insights from which we may all learn.

The following is a brief summary of the topics covered. We have attempted to organize these so that you can either read them ‘book-fashion’, from beginning to end, or else dive directly into the topics that most interest you.

Click hei to start at the beginning, oder op ee vun den Themen hei drënner:

Mënschlech Perspektiv

It is clear that what we choose to believe will radically affect how we value both our own lives and those of others. In these opening chapters we will start by examining what part our human experience and perspectives have played in shaping our understanding of the Biblical teaching on this subject.

• Wat seet Gott, oder Wat Mir denken?
  If there is no supreme justice, how can the powerful be held to account? But if there is, then we should recognize that our limited human viewpoints are prone to serious bias.
• Den historeschen Hannergrond
  De Mënsch huet ugefaang mam Gott ze kennen: mee de Glawen gebrach huet hien den Doud konfrontéiert net wousst wat duerno geschéie géif. Gott versprach Restauratioun: mä wéi Hien et géif maachen, blouf e Geheimnis.
• De Vocabulaire vum Jesus
  Wéi de Jesus komm ass, waren e puer Konzepter gutt am jiddesche Gedanken etabléiert; but their contemporary meanings did not always tally with the explanations that Jesus gave…

D'Relatioun tëscht Léift a Béis

We humans can also be surprisingly naïve concerning the nature of the relationship between ‘good’ and ‘evil.’ In these chapters we explore the real nature and interrelationships of goodness, Léift, freedom, selfishness and corruption to help us grasp why these moral issues are of such huge consequence in the light of eternity.

• Firwat ass Gott sou streng?
  So much is said about Jesus’ love and forgiveness that we often suppose Jesus has a more liberal attitude towards sin than God had in the past. Tatsächlech, his standards are much tougher.
• D'Onméiglechkeet vun der obligatorescher Léift
  No English word has ever been more dangerously devalued than ‘love.’ To ask, 'Wann Gott allmächteg ass, why can’t He make us more loving?’ turns out to be a logical self-contradiction.
• Evil's Vicious Spiral
  Firwat, Zäit ginn, kënne mir net verbesseren? Don’t most of us really want to simply love and be loved? So why does evil tend to multiply in a downward spiral?

De Message vum Jesus

We now take an in-depth look at Jesus’ own descriptions of what will happen when we die and how God will ultimately intervene to put a stop to all the evil in this world.

• War de Jesus iwwerdriwwen? Rabbiner Léierpersonal hunn dacks bewosst Iwwerdreiungen benotzt fir e Punkt ze maachen. Huet de Jesus net einfach datselwecht gemaach?
• Wat Wësse Mir Bis elo?
  Ier Dir weider geet fir d'Léier iwwer dëst Thema soss anzwousch am Neien Testament ze berücksichtegen, et wier hëllefräich ze resüméieren wat mir definitiv op der Basis vu Jesus senger eegener Léier soen kënnen.
• De Kampf fir ze verstoen
  Dem Jesus seng eege Behaaptungen, plus e puer ongeléiste Froen iwwer seng exakt Bedeitung, Loosst eis mat engem intellektuellen an emotionale Kampf fir säi Message ze verstoen an ze akzeptéieren.

Gottes Dilemma

No-one ever had a bigger problem with the idea of condemning people to eternal destruction than God himself. In these final chapters we will consider the extremes of pain which He has endured so that none of us need suffer such a fate.

• D'Trauer vu Gott
  Before drawing this study to a conclusion I want us to make an attempt to comprehend God’s own perspective on the wrongs we have done.
• Hell ze gewannen?
  D'Spann vun der Geschicht ass mat de Ruine vun eemol grousser a scheinbar oniwwersiichtlecher Zivilisatiounen verwinnt. Bis elo huet d'Mënscheliewen iwwerlieft. Awer ass eist "Gléck" amgaang ze lafen?
• Oder Himmel ze bezuelen?
  We are accustomed to being told that if we fail to “win through” there will be “hell to pay!” But the truth is that we can never win or earn a place in heaven, no matter how hard we try.

Anhang

• Anhang A – Wéi laang ass en Aeon?
  Huet d'Éiwegkeet ëmmer en Enn?
• Anhang B – De Buck hält Wou?
  Wéi kann et e permanenten Enn vu Schold a Schimmt ginn?
• Anhang C – Ass den Doud fir ëmmer?
  Kann et en Enn vun engem Leed vun enger Persoun an der Hell ginn?
• Anhang D – Déi onvergiesslech Sënn
  Wat ass dat, a firwat ass et onvergiesslech?