Sin and Redemption

Prof.Arnold T. Monera, S.T.D. is our lecturer in this module. I can basically separate this module into two parts as it is the title of this subject, Sin and Redemption.For Sin is the major cause that separates us from God and Redemption is the solution that God initiates for us through his Son, Jesus Christ.Prof.Monera brought us so many kinds of material that he always repeated un in the class to "READ READ READ and READ" as he said it's the only way can help us.
I have been given two assignments. The first one is about interviewing the about their concepts of sin. The second one is an essay about Heaven and Hell. Apart from this I also have contributed the presentations during the classes.
By the end of this module there was a written examination which, I think, it was so demanding and very difficult. Imagine that in 3 hours I have to write the answer for 10 questions with bibilcal support. I couldn't make in on time and I'm the last one who finish the exam at 6 pm. (We began at 2 pm) I hope that I will just past this subject.

An essay on Heaven and Hell

When I am asked whether I believe in Heaven and Hell or not, my perception about both heaven and hell is unclear, but I do believe that there is a life after death and I also trust in the mercy of God that there are ‘many of dwelling places’ (Jn 14:2) for us. As I am studying theology right now, I have to make it more likely a theological aspect about heaven, as we perceive as a kingdom of God, and hell, as a punishment of sin.
Firstly, I would like to begin with ‘heaven’. When I was young, my mom always told me that heaven is up there far beyond the sky. It is the place where God lives with the saints. I always keep it in my mind that one day I would go up high to reach the sky and heaven, and then live a happy life with God.
Let us take a look at the word ‘heaven’. There are many sources explaining the derivation of heaven as ‘heofon’ in Anglo-Saxon, ‘himin-s’ in Gothic or even ‘hem-d’ in German. Here in this essay I would like to emphasize on its derivation from biblical background. In Latin, we found the word ‘coelum’ meaning ‘ceiling’ or ‘roof of the world’. In Greek term, we have ouvrano,j in the Septuagint as a translation of ~yIm;v' in Hebrew term. These terms we can find from the very first book of the scripture, Genesis.
The Hebrew word signifies a Semitic concept about heaven and earth, (cf. Gen 1:20-23) like a sheet spread or a curtain drawn out. This includes all that is visible above the earth, between it and the third heavens: the air, higher, middle, and lower, regions-the celestial globe, and all the spheres and orbs of light above. It reaches as high as the place where the stars are fixed, for that is called here the firmament of heaven and as low as the place where the birds fly, for that also is called the firmament of heaven.
According to the New Testament, We have to ‘repent’ in order to enter the kingdom of heaven. (Mt 3:2; 4:17) In the Gospel of Matthew we also have Jesus’ intensive teaching of the seven parables of the kingdom of heaven, as a man who sowed good seed in his field, (Mt 13:24) as a grain of mustard seed, (Mt 13:34) as leaven, (Mt 13:44) as treasure hidden in a field, (Mt 13:33) as fine pearls that the merchant searching for, (Mt 13:45) as a net which was thrown into the sea and gathered fish of every kind, (Mt 13:47) and as a householder who brings out of his treasure what is new and what is old. (Mt 13:52)
It seems to me that the Good News, which Jesus has proclaimed in his time, echoes in the Gospel of Matthew and even in today’s world. It demands all Christian to have a continual conversion in following Jesus and we will receive “the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord”. (Rom 6:23)
This is what do I believe in God as, my last destination, my all. I do also believe that God has given me already the kingdom of heaven, as I can experience in a temporally happiness through my life in this world. It proves that there is an eternal happiness, which we call it heaven, paradise or even the kingdom of God. The only thing I have to do is to be good, to do well, proving that I am suitable for that free gift. This faith has been proclaiming in the Church at least every Sunday after the homily as “We look for the resurrection of the dead and the life of the world to come, Amen”.
Let us then, turn to the general concept of Hell. The word ‘hell’ is derived from ‘hole’ (cavern) and ‘hallow’. In Latin, we have the term ‘occulre’ and ‘celere’. These two verbs mean ‘to hide’. In Greek, we found the term ‘ge,enna’ explaining the hell as the place of the future punishment call ‘Gehenna’ or ‘Gehenna of fire’. This was originally the valley of Hinnom, south of Jerusalem, where the filth and dead animals of the city were cast out and burned; a fit symbol of the wicked and their future destruction.
The ancient Greek mythology tells us that hell is the ill-favored goddess of the underworld. Those who fall in battle can enter Valhalla and the rest go down to hell in the underworld. This is the place of punishment of criminals.
I also found another Greek term of hell as ‘tartaro,w’ but it appears only in 2Peter2:4. It is the name of the subterranean region, doleful and dark, regarded by the ancient Greeks as the abode of the wicked dead, where they suffer punishment for their evil deeds. It answers to Gehenna of the Jews. Those who commit sin will be thrusted down to Tartarus and hold captive in Tartarus.
Before going to another point of view, I would also like to present the word ‘hell’ in Hebrew term as lAav or laov... These two words can be transliterated as sheol meaning underworld, grave, hell, pit. The Old Testament has a designation for the abode of the dead which is a place can not return, without praise of God. The wicked are sent there for punishment. It is also known as the place of exile.
Now we have a rough concept of hell like a state that is symbolized as down underworld. It seems to me that no one, or even me, wants to go there. Then I found a problem that if there is no one wants to go to the hell, does the hell exist?
I got the best counselor as Karl Rahner, S.J. who gives me the definition of hell and also his theological approach in preaching on hell which is very useful for me. For Rahner, Hell is the punishment of the unbelief and refusal to repent. (Mt 5:29) Jesus speaks of hell as a place where unquenchable fire burns. (Mt 5:22; 13:42,50; 18:9)
I would like to express the summarized idea of Karl Rahner on Hell taken from Encyclopedia of theology, A Concise Sacramentum Mundi, page 602-604. He said that we have to be careful when given an interpretation of hell and not to emphasize on its literary meaning as we found Jesus uses the image of hell as eternal fire, worm, darkness etc. These words are taken from the mental furniture of contemporary apocalyptic. They are only spoken of “in images” For instance, when it is said “fire” it does not mean as fire in this world. It is just only a metaphorical expression for something radically not of this world.
We must maintain side by side and unwaveringly the truth of the omnipotence of the universal salvific will of God, the redemption of all by Christ, the duty of all humanity to hope for salvation and also the possibility of eternal loss.
Rahner suggests that when preaching on sin, the preacher can say something about the possibility of hell as perpetual, but on the other hand, he should emphasize on the eternal salvation and give hope to the listener to rely with confidence on the infinite mercy of God.

“The just God is active in the punishment of hell only insofar as he does not release man from the reality of the definitive state which man himself has achieved on his own behalf, contradictory though this state be to the world as God’s creation. So that the notion of vindictive punishment, such as inflicted by political society on those who infringe social order, is not at all suitable to explain the doctrine of hell.” (Karl Rahner, 1975:604)

He also gives a consideration of the punishment of sin as the persistent objectivations of the bad moral decision, being themselves hurtful because contrary to the true nature of the free subject, and being also the means through which the resistence of the order of the world.

“The punishment of sin appears as the penalty inflicted by God as guardian of the moral order, since the hurtful structure of man and his world which sin inevitably sets in motion are created by God and hence are objectivations and expression of His holy will, God punishes through the good world which he created and whose structures he still upholds when they are abused by infinitive freedom in an evil act. They operate to cause pain of loss and pain of sense ” (Karl Rahner, 1975:1587)

The teachings of the Church give a distinction between those who loss the vision of God as in Latin term ‘poena damni’. It completely separates the souls from God that it cannot find Him even the last peace and rest. The pain of sense ‘poena sensus’ is the natural consequence of that inordinate turning to creatures which is involved in every mortal sin. This is idea about the hell of fire still arguable which Rahner also suggested not to make a literary interpretation.
At last, we now come to the contemporary issue about ‘Freedom’, which is the cause that can lead us to God and make us refuse to Him. I would like to conclude this essay with the quotation from Karl Rahner that “God’s judgment is unknown to us”. But for me, I will trust in God whom I believe and who has given eternal merciful forgiveness of sins to those converse to Him.