9Marks Journal: Hell (29期：地獄——記住這可怕的現實)

Remembering the Awful Reality

Embracing the reality of hell means setting aside moderation. It means admitting that our sin is dark and heinous to the point of eternal damnation; that the white light of God’s character and glory justly destroys those who have fallen short of his glory; and that that our non-Christians friends have nothing greater to fear. That’s tough to do when you have moderate views of your sin, your friend’s sin, and of God’s glory. Embracing the reality of hell also means going against the fallen cultural structures and belief systems of this world, all of which conspire together with our own hearts to repeat the serpent’s promise of a moderate outcome, “You will surely not die.” As hard as it is to stare at the doctrine of hell, surely it must be salubrious to our faith to do so from time to time. It forces us to once again reckon with who God is and who we are. We hope this issue of the 9Marks Journal will help all of us to do just that.

生活中的智慧常常體現在「適度」方面。吃東西適度、講話中庸、情感平穩是明智的，有人甚至會說信仰上的「適度」也是聰明的。

但是關於地獄的教義則沒有「適度」這個概念的容身之處。其在每個方面都是「極致」的。對思想而言是極致的概念。對內心的挑戰也是極致的。它也與世界上的成規背道而馳。

持守「地獄」的教義意味著拒絕中庸。這使得我們要承認罪的黑暗與永恆咒詛的可憎；承認神本體所發的光輝與榮耀會毀滅那些虧缺他榮耀的人；也要承認沒有什麼比地獄這個事實更應該讓我們非信徒的朋友害怕的。你對自己的罪、你朋友的罪以及神的榮耀的妥協會使情況很糟。

相信「地獄」的實在也意味著抵擋這世界墮落的文化與價值觀體系，它們一直共謀向我們的心重複那古蛇讒毀人的謊言：「你不一定死」。

鑑於有關「地獄」的教義容易令人遺忘，時常談論它對我們的信心有益。其迫使我們再次思想神是誰以及我們是誰。我盼望本期九標誌期刊能夠在這一點上幫助你。