Bogoslovska smotra, Vol. 76 No. 4, 2006.
Review article
Some Aspects to Realise Sin, Guilt and Punishment in the Scriptures of the Old Testament
Irena Avsenik Nabergoj
; Catholic Faculty of Theology, University of Ljubljana, Ljubljana, Slovenia
Abstract
The Bible manifests two main theological concerns involving Israel and men and women in general and in their relation to themselves, to the world, and to God: human sin and salvation from it by God. Therefore sin, guilt, punishment, and forgiveness are intrinsically connected at all levels and present universal theological concepts that embrace evervthing involving authentic nature of human beings and of the world. Throughout biblical writings it is evident that writers were not interested in offering a theoretical definition of these concepts, they strove to reflect personal experience of the profundity and widespread effects o fgood or bad state of human soul. They also strove to use rich and vivid terminology, images, stylistic devices and universal literary forms. Sin is perceived as some kind of alienation between human being and God, consequently it is presented in a definite correlation to threat, feeling of guilt, and the diminishment or even extinction of life, all representing various kinds of punishment. The inner relationship between sin, guilt, and punishment determines so profoundly the existence of men and women that in the Bible personal and moral ways of thinking became much stronger than universal and cosmic ideas cultivating by other ancient cultures and resulting in predominantly fatalistic, moralistic, cultic, and juridical approaches that shake the very foundations of forgiveness and reconciliation.
Keywords
law; faith; sin; guilt; conscience; responsibility; punishment; repentance; forgiveness; mercy; grace; salvation; personal perception
Hrčak ID:
23697
URI
Publication date:
4.4.2007.
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