THE ANTICHRIST - Who or What is the Antichrist

THE ANTICHRIST

Who or What is the Antichrist

Stes de Necker

Eschatology

The Antichrist is primarily a Christian concept based on interpretation of passages in the New Testament in which the term "antichrist" occurs five times in 1 John and 2 John, once in plural form and four times in the singular.

In some Christian belief systems, Jesus the Messiah will appear in his Second Coming to Earth to face the emergence of the Antichrist figure, who will be the greatest false messiah in Christianity.

Just as Christ is the saviour and the ideal model for humanity, his opponent in the end time will be a figure of concentrated evil.

In Islamic eschatology, Masih ad-Dajjal (the False messiah in Islam) is an anti-Messiah figure (similar to the Christian concept of Antichrist), who will appear to deceive humanity before the second coming of "Isa", as Jesus is known by Arabic-speaking Muslims.

In Jewish eschatology, a similar anti-Messiah figure is called Armilus.

The word "antichrist" is made up of two roots: αντί (anti) + Χριστός (Khristos). "Αντί" can mean not only "against" and "opposite of", but also "in place of", "Χριστός", translated "Christ", is Greek for the Hebrew "Messiah". Both literally mean "Anointed One", and refer to Jesus of Nazareth within Christian, Islamic and Messianic Jewish theology.

Whether the New Testament contains an individual Antichrist is disputed.

The five uses of the term "antichrist" or "antichrists" in the Epistles of John do not clearly present a single latter-day individual Antichrist. The articles "the deceiver" or "the antichrist" are usually seen as marking out a certain category of persons, rather than an individual.

1 John 2:18 KJV - ‘....it is the last time: and as ye have heard that antichrist shall come, even now are there many antichrists; whereby we know that it is the last time.’

2 John 1:7 NRSV (1989) - ‘Many deceivers have gone out into the world, those who do not confess that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh; any such person is the deceiver and the antichrist.’

1 John 2:22 NRSV (1989) - ‘Who is the liar but the one who denies that Jesus is the Christ? This is the antichrist, the one who denies the Father and the Son.’

1 John 4:2–3 NRSV (1989) - ‘By this you know theSpirit of God: every spirit that confesses that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is from God, and every spirit that does not confess Jesus is not from God. And this is the spirit of the antichrist, of which you have heard that it is coming; and now it is already in the world.’

Consequently attention for an individual Antichrist figure focused on the second chapter of 2 Thessalonians. However, the term "antichrist" is never used in this passage:

2 Thessalonians 2:1–4 NRSV (1989) - ‘As to the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ and our being gathered together to him, we beg you, brothers and sisters, not to be quickly shaken in mind or alarmed, either by spirit or by word or by letter, as though from us, to the effect that the day of the Lord is already here. Let no one deceive you in any way; for that day will not come unless the rebellion comes first and the lawless one is revealed, the one destined for destruction. He opposes and exalts himself above every so-called god or object of worship, so that he takes his seat in the temple of God, declaring himself to be God.’

2 Thessalonians 2:7–10 NRSV (1989) - ‘For the mystery of lawlessness is already at work, but only until the one who now restrains it is removed. And then the lawless one will be revealed, whom the Lord Jesus will destroy with the breath of his mouth, annihilating him by the manifestation of his coming. The coming of the lawless one is apparent in the working of Satan, who uses all power, signs, lying wonders, and every kind of wicked deception for those who are perishing, because they refused to love the truth and so be saved.’

Although the word "antichrist" (Greek antikhristos) is used only in the Epistles of John, the similar word "pseudochrist" (Greek pseudokhristos, meaning "false messiah") is used by Jesus in the gospels:

Matthew 24:24 and Mark 13:22 NRSV (1989) - ‘For false messiahs and false prophets will appear and produce great signs and omens, to lead astray, if possible, even the elect.’

The Beast from the earth, according to the Book of Revelation and also referred to as the False Prophet, has often been equated with an individual Antichrist.  

Revelation 13:11–17 NRSV (1989) - ‘Then I saw another beast that rose out of the earth; it had two horns like a lamb and it spoke like a dragon. It exercises all the authority of the first beast on its behalf, and it makes the earth and its inhabitants worship the first beast, whose mortal wound had been healed. It performs great signs, even making fire come down from heaven to earth in the sight of all; and by the signs that it is allowed to perform on behalf of the beast, it deceives the inhabitants of earth, telling them to make an image for the beast that had been wounded by the sword and yet lived; and it was allowed to give breath to the image of the beast so that the image of the beast could even speak and cause those who would not worship the image of the beast to be killed. Also it causes all, both small and great, both rich and poor, both free and slave, to be marked on the right hand or the forehead, so that no one can buy or sell who does not have the mark, that is, the name of the beast or the number of its name.’

Revelation 16:13–14 NRSV (1989) - ‘And I saw three foul spirits like frogs coming from the mouth of the dragon, from the mouth of the beast, and from the mouth of the false prophet. These are demonic spirits, performing signs, who go abroad to the kings of the whole world, to assemble them for battle on the great day of God the Almighty.’

Revelation 19:19–20 NRSV (1989) - ‘Then I saw the beast and the kings of the earth with their armies gathered to make war against the rider on the horse and against his army. And the beast was captured, and with it the false prophet who had performed in its presence the signs by which he deceived those who had received the mark of the beast and those who worshiped its image. These two were thrown alive into the lake of fire that burns with sulphur.’

Revelation 20:10 NRSV (1989) - ‘And the devil who had deceived them was thrown into the lake of fire and sulphur, where the beast and the false prophet were, and they will be tormented day and night forever and ever.’

Medieval commentators, however, more readily identified the figure of the Beast from the sea as an individual Antichrist.

So, although the Bible does not specifically name who the antichrist will be, it does give us some clues as to what he will be like.

Speculation about the Antichrist

There exist a great many speculations of who the Antichrist is or might be.

Many Protestant reformers, including Martin Luther, John Calvin, Thomas Cranmer, John Thomas, John Knox, and Cotton Mather, even identified the Roman Papacy as the Antichrist!

In calling the pope the "antichrist," the early Lutherans stood in a tradition that reached back into the eleventh century.

Not only dissidents and heretics but even saints had called the bishop of Rome the "antichrist" when they wished to castigate his abuse of power.

Even I have been accused of being an antichrist by a few of my readers who don't agree with a biblical perspective I've written!  (Die Verborge Waarhede van die Bybel = (Eng.) ‘The Hidden Truths of the Bible’)

The NIV makes it clearer that a time of rebellion will come prior to Christ's return and then the "man of lawlessness, the man doomed to destruction" will be revealed.

The antichrist eventually will exalt himself above God to be worshiped in the Lord's Temple, proclaiming himself to be God. Verses 9 and 10 say that the antichrist will do counterfeit miracles, signs and wonders, to gain a following and deceive many.

The antichrist will gain political power and spiritual authority over every nation on the earth.

He will most likely begin his rise to power as a very influential, very charismatic, political or religious diplomat. He will rule the world government for forty-two months. According to many eschatologists, this time frame is understood to be during the latter half (3.5 years) of the tribulation. 

During this period, the world will endure a time of unprecedented trouble.

In Daniel's prophetic vision of the end of days we see "a little horn" described in chapters 7, 8 and 11.

In the interpretation of the dream, this little horn is a ruler or king, and speaks, of the antichrist.

Daniel 7:24-25 says, "The ten horns are ten kings who will come from this kingdom. After them another king will arise, different from the earlier ones; he will subdue three kings. He will speak against the Most High and oppress his saints and try to change the set times and the laws. The saints will be handed over to him for a time, times and half a time." (NIV)

According to many end times Bible scholars, Daniel's prophecy interpreted together with verses in Revelation, specifically point to a future world empire coming from a "revived" or "reborn" Roman Empire, like the one in existence at the time of Christ. They predict that the antichrist will emerge from this race.

Joel Rosenberg, author of fiction (Dead Heat, The Copper Scroll, Ezekiel Option, The Last Days, The Last Jihad) and non-fiction (Epicenter) books about Bible prophecy, bases his conclusions about the antichrist on extensive Scripture study including Daniel's prophecy, Ezekiel 38-39, and the book of Revelation. He says that at first, the antichrist won't appear to be evil, ‘but rather a charming diplomat.’  

   

Rosenberg goes on to say, "No commerce can be done without his approval. He will be ... seen as an economic genius, a foreign policy genius. And he will emerge out of Europe. Because Daniel chapter 9 says, the prince, who is to come, the antichrist, will come from people who destroyed Jerusalem and the Temple ... Jerusalem was destroyed in 70 A.D. by the Romans.

In the Gospels (Mark 13, Matthew 24-25, and Luke 21), Jesus warned his followers of the terrible events and persecution that will occur before his second coming. Most likely, this is where the concept of an antichrist was first introduced to the disciples, although Jesus does not refer to him in the singular:

Matthew 24:24, NKJV - "For false christs and false prophets will rise and show great signs and wonders to deceive, if possible, even the elect."

Conclusion

Is the Antichrist alive today? He could be.

Will we recognize him? Perhaps not at first.

However, the best way to avoid being deceived by the spirit of the antichrist is to know Jesus Christ and be ready for his return.

With Jesus in your heart, you have nothing to fear.

KRUISDOOD - Wat dit beteken om gekruisig te word

KRUISDOOD


Wat dit beteken om gekruisig te word

Stes de Necker

                                                                                        Skrywer  Dr. Coen Slabber

“Dit was nege-uur die môre toe hulle Hom gekruisig het (Markus 15:25). Jesus het daardie selfde dag - ongeveer drie-uur - gesterf. Johannes vertel vir ons dat die twee misdadigers wat saam met Jesus gekruisig is toe nog gelewe het. Die soldate het hulle bene gebreek.  Toe hulle egter by Jesus kom en sien dat Hy al klaar dood is, het hulle nie sy bene gebreek nie (Johannes 19:33).

Ons moet aanvaar dat Jesus se fisiese toestand voor sy gevangeneming goed was - Hy het immers groot afstande te voet afgelê. Tussen sy aankoms by Getsémané en die aanvang van die kruisiging het Jesus egter erge emosionele spanning ondervind. Ons lees van Jesus se stryd in Getsémané, die herhaalde verhore, sy vriende (die dissipels) wat Hom in die steek gelaat het, die geseling deur die Jode, ens. Waarskynlik het Hy nie daardie Donderdagnag geslaap nie. Hy moes tussen 2,5 en 3 km geloop het van die een verhoor na die ander. Dit het Hom baie kwesbaar gemaak vir die geseling van die Romeinse soldate.

Daar is drie aspekte van Jesus se dood wat vir medici kontroversieel is:

(1)        Wat was die oorsaak van Jesus se dood?

(2)        Hoekom is Jesus so gou dood? Volgens Markus was die totale duur van Jesus         aan die kruis ses uur. Dit is baie kort vir ʼn jong man. Hoekom?

(3)        Wat was die aard van die wond in Jesus se sy?

Ons begin met ʼn oorsig van Jesus se kruisiging. 

Wat weet ons van Jesus se kruisiging?

Daar is min besonderhede van Jesus se kruisiging in die evangelies. Waarskynlik was dit omdat geseling en kruisiging so algemeen was dat die evangeliste dit as onnodig beskou het om meer hieroor te sê. Ek gaan niks sê oor die psigiese en geestelike lyding wat Jesus as gevolg van die losprys wat Hy vir ons sondes betaal het, ondervind het nie. Ek gaan slegs die fisiologiese en anatomiese aspekte van sy lyding en dood hanteer.

Vir ons doeleindes wil ek sekere aspekte beklemtoon.

1.         Die Middeleeuse en Renaissance skilders het altyd vir Jesus geskilder waar hy die hele kruis gedra het. Die vertikale paal van die kruis was meestal permanent in die grond ingeplant. Die veroordeelde moes net die dwarshout (= patibulum) gedra het - van die tronk tot by die plek van teregstelling. Dit word bereken dat hierdie dwarshout tussen 35 en 50 kg geweeg het.

2.         Meeste skilderye toon dat die spykers in Jesus se hande ingeslaan is. Spykers in die handpalms sou egter uitgeskeur het as die volle liggaamsgewig aan hulle gehang het. Die spykers is gewoonlik tussen die beentjies van die polsgewrig of net bokant die polsgewrig ingeslaan. Waar kom hierdie misverstand vandaan?

Waarskynlik van Jesus se woorde aan Tomas: Bring jou vinger hier en kyk na my hande (Johannes 20:27).

Anatome - veral in die antieke tyd - het die polsgewrig as deel van die hand beskou.

Kom ons probeer nou chronologies vasstel wat met Jesus gebeur het gedurende sy laaste 24 uur.

(a)        Die fisiese lyding van Jesus het nie by Golgota begin nie, maar reeds in Getsémané. Dit is interessant dat Lukas, die geneesheer, die enigste een is wat Jesus se sweet beskryf: Sy sweet het soos bloeddruppels geword wat op die grond val (Lukas 22:44). Vooraf lees ons dat Jesus in doodsangs geraak het en dat Hy nog ernstiger gebid het. Kan ʼn mens bloed sweet? Hematidrose (bloed sweet) is ʼn baie seldsame verskynsel en is gewoonlik die gevolg van erge emosionele spanning. Klein bloedvaatjies in die sweetkliere bars. So word bloed en sweet gemeng.

(b)        Daardie aand verskyn Jesus voor Annas, Kajafas en die Joodse Raad. Reeds hier begin sy fisiese trauma: Een van die wagte klap Hom, want hy het nie gehou van Jesus se antwoord op die hoëpriester se vraag nie. Die manne wat Jesus bewaak het, het met Hom die spot gedryf en Hom geslaan. Hulle het Hom geblinddoek en gesê dat Hy as profeet moet sê wie dit is wat Hom slaan.

(c)        Die oggend vroeg verskyn Jesus voor die Joodse Raad. Teen hierdie tyd was Hy al gekneus en waarskynlik gedehidreer. Hy het nie baie geslaap nie. Hy word vroeg die oggend van die Praetorium na Burg Antonia, Pontius Pilatus se setel, geneem. As gevolg van die oproepe van die skare het Pilatus vir Jesus oorgegee om gegesel en gekruisig te word.

(d)        Tydens geseling is al Jesus se klere uitgetrek, sy hande is aan ʼn paal bokant sy kop vasgemaak en Hy is geslaan. Die Joodse wet het ʼn beperking op die aantal houe geplaas - veertig. Dit is twyfelagtig of die Romeinse soldate hulle aan hierdie beperking gesteur het. Jesus is met die sogenaamde flagrum geslaan. Dit was ʼn kort sweep met verskeie swaar leerrieme. Naby die punte van hierdie rieme is of klein lood balletjies of stukkies been ingevleg. Die lood balletjies in die sweep veroorsaak erge kneusings. Die rieme en beentjies skeur die vel. Later sou selfs die onderliggende spiere beseer en geskeur word. Die vel op die rug hang in lang repe. Pyn en bloedverlies was erg. Die hoeveelheid pyn en bloedverlies het bepaal hoe lank so ʼn slagoffer aan die kruis sou oorleef. As die soldaat dink dat die slagoffer naby aan dood is, word die slanery gestaak.

(e)        Daarna is Jesus losgemaak. Die soldate trek vir Hom ʼn pers mantel aan, sit ʼn doringkroon op sy kop en gee vir Hom ʼn stok in sy regterhand. Die soldate spoeg op Jesus en slaan Hom met die stok oor sy kop. Hierdie mag die dorings dieper in sy kopvel ingedryf het. Almal van ons weet dat die kopvel baie bloedryk is en erg kan bloei.

(f)        Nadat die soldate Jesus klaar gespot het, het hulle die pers mantel uitgetrek en weer Jesus se eie klere vir Hom aangetrek. Op hierdie stadium het die mantel reeds aan Jesus se rug vasgesit as gevolg van die gestolde bloed. Om dit uit te trek, moes baie seer gewees het. Dit het ook die bloeding weer laat begin.

(g)        Daarna kry Jesus sy kruis om na Golgota te dra. Die kruis is gewoonlik op die slagoffer se skouers met toue vasgebind. Nou begin die optog langs die Via Dolorosa. Jesus kon egter nie die kruis dra nie, en Simon van Sirene word opgekommandeer om te help dra. Ons moet aanvaar dat die dra van die kruis Jesus se wonde weer oopgemaak het en verdere bloeding veroorsaak het.

(h)        By Golgota bied die soldate vir Jesus ʼn mengsel van wyn en mirre (gal) aan. Hierdie mengsel het ʼn matige pynstillende effek. Jesus weier egter om dit te drink. Hierna word Jesus gekruisig. Die normale prosedure is dat die twee hande/polsgewrigte eers vasgespyker word. Daarna word die dwarshout opgelig en aan die vertikale paal vasgemaak. Daarna word die voete aan die vertikale paal vasgespyker.

(i)         Geleidelik sak die slagoffer laer. Meer gewig word op die spykers in die polsgewrig geplaas. Verskriklike pyne skiet af in die hand en op in die arm, want daar word drukking geplaas op die groot senuwees wat deur die polsgewrig loop. Om dit te verhoed, lig die slagoffer hom op, maar nou plaas hy sy volle gewig op die spykers in sy voete.

(j)         Soos die arms moeg word, ontwikkel erge krampe in die spiere. Op hierdie stadium kon Jesus Hom nie meer opdruk nie. Die spiere tussen die ribbes kan nie meer funksioneer nie. Lug kan ingeasem, maar nie uitgeasem word nie. Jesus moet Hom oplig om uit te asem. Elke keer as Hy dit doen skaaf sy rou rug teen die paal van die kruis. Dit veroorsaak erge pyn en bloeding. Dit is gedurende hierdie tyd wat Hy die sewe kort kruiswoorde uiter.

(k)        Nou kom daar ʼn verdere pyn - ʼn drukkende pyn soos die hartsak stadig gevul word met vloeistof en geleidelik drukking op die hart plaas. Dit laat ʼn mens dink aan Psalm 22:15: Ek is soos uitgestorte water, al my bene het uitmekaar geval, my hart het soos was geword, dit smelt weg in my.

(l)         Ons nader nou die einde. Die verlies aan bloed en vog bereik nou kritieke vlakke; die hart sukkel om te pomp; die longe kan skaars meer lug inasem. Weereens herinner dit ons aan Psalm 22:  Ek is so min werd soos ʼn potskerf, my tong kleef aan my verhemelte, U laat lê my asof ek dood is (Psalm 22:16). Dit is toe dat Jesus sê: Ek is dors. Die soldate maak ʼn spons vol suur wyn, sit dit op ʼn hisoptakkie en gee dit vir Jesus.

(m)      Jesus besef dat die dood naby is: Dit is volbring. Met ʼn groot inspanning kry Jesus sy laaste woorde uit: Vader, in u hande gee Ek my gees oor. Sy sending is afgehandel. Hy sterf.

(n)        Om seker te maak dat Jesus wel dood is, het een van die soldate ʼn spies in sy gesteek -  en daar het dadelik bloed en water uitgekom. “

Quilt Holes - When there is nothing left but God, that is when you find out that God is all you need.

Quilt Holes

                                                                                                                  Stes de Necker

As I faced my Maker at the last judgment, I knelt before the Lord along
with all the other souls.

Before each of us laid our lives like the squares of a quilt in many
piles; an angel sat before each of us sewing our quilt squares together
into a tapestry that is our life.

But as my angel took each piece of cloth off the pile, I noticed how
ragged and empty each of my squares was. They were filled with giant
holes. Each square was labelled with a part of my life that had been
difficult, the challenges and temptations I was faced with in everyday
life. I saw hardships that I endured, which were the largest holes of all.

I glanced around me. Nobody else had such squares. Other than a tiny hole
here and there, the other tapestries were filled with rich colour and the
bright hues of worldly fortune. I gazed upon my own life and was
disheartened.

My angel was sewing the ragged pieces of cloth together, threadbare and
empty, like binding air.

Finally, the time came when each life was to be displayed, held up to the
light, the scrutiny of truth. The others rose, each in turn, holding up
their tapestries. So filled their lives had been. 

My angel looked upon me and nodded for me to rise.

My gaze dropped to the ground in shame. I hadn't had all the earthly
fortunes. I had love in my life and laughter. But there had also been
trials of illness and wealth, and false accusations that took from me my
world, as I knew it. I had to start over many times. I often struggled
with the temptation to quit, only to somehow muster the strength to pick
up and begin again. I spent many nights on my knees in prayer, asking for
help and guidance in my life.. I had often been held up to ridicule, which
I endured painfully, each time offering it up to the Father in hopes that
I would not melt within my skin beneath the judgmental gaze of those who
unfairly judged me.

And now, I had to face the truth.. My life was what it was, and I had to
accept it for what it was.

I rose and slowly lifted the combined squares of my life to the light.

An awe-filled gasp filled the air. I gazed around at the others who stared
at me with wide eyes.

Then, I looked upon the tapestry before me. Light flooded the many holes,
creating an image, the face of Christ. Then our Lord stood before me, with
warmth and love in His eyes. He said, 'Every time you gave over your life
to Me, it became My life, My hardships, and My struggles.

Each point of light in your life is when you stepped aside and let Me
shine through, until there was more of Me than there was of you.'

May all our quilts be threadbare and worn, allowing Christ to shine
through!

God determines who walks into your life...it's up to you to decide who you
let walk away, who you let stay and who you refuse to let go.'

When there is nothing left but God, that is when you find out that God is all you
need.

Romanticizing the Birth of Jesus

Romanticizing the Birth of Jesus

Stes de Necker

What does this picture remind you of?

Of course, Christmas and the birth of our Lord Jesus Christ.

But do we actually understand the amount of pain and suffering that lie hidden in this well known nativity scene?

Nowhere in the Bible do we find another woman with which so much praise and respect is spoken about. In Luke. 1: 28 we read: "And the angel came unto her, and said:" I greet you, favored one! The Lord is with you " and in Luke. 1: 42 "Blessed are you among women and blessed is the fruit of thy womb."

Most nativity scenes are depicted and romanticized as that of a mother who has given birth to her firstborn child in a stable near the town of Bethlehem, with Angels singing and the stars that were shining.    

The truth is that the story of the birth of Christ was written in blood and deep suffering written.

In the eyes of the Jewish people of that time, Jesus' birth was in fact the result of one of the greatest sins that a Jewish girl could commit, and that was being with a man before marriage.

In Luke 2: 5 we read: "... Mary, his fiance, who was pregnant, went with him to enroll themselves".

Now see this against the backdrop of what is written in Deuteronomy 22: 21.  “.... She should die because she committed an outrageous thing in Israel, when she had sexual intercourse with a man while she was still unmarried. " 

In the Old Testament it is clear that any sex outside marriage was a heinous sin in the sight of the God.

In the New Testament in Matthew 1: 18 we read:  "When His mother was betrothed to Joseph, before they were married, it turned out that she was pregnant. The pregnancy came of the Holy Spirit. Her fiance, Joseph, who was faithful to the Law of Moses, did not want to be shamed in public and resolved to end the engagement.”

According to the factual analysis between Luke 2: 5 and Matthew 1: 18, it appears that Joseph and Mary were married after they arrived in Bethlehem, but before Jesus was born. Although Jesus therefore illegitimate conceived, he was born within wedlock.

Joseph knew it was not his child because he was obedient to God and never had sex with Mary before. That is also confirmed by the fact that she was still a virgin at the time of Jesus’ birth.

In Biblical times, engagement had a much more significant meaning than what is the case today.

Joseph could not see his betrothal to Mary as justification to break God's command.

Although there exist no confirmation in the Bible that Mary did fear for her life, it is only natural to believe that both Josef and Mary had to fear for Mary’s life in view of the Mosaic laws that made premarital intercourse between a man punishable by death.

We can safely assume that Mary must have felt like an outcast because how does a young Jewish girl explain to the orthodox elders of that time, that a "spirit" made ​​her pregnant!

The flight of Josef and Mary to Egypt took place within the two years period following Jesus' birth.

According to Matt. 2: 16, Herod ordered that all male children two years and younger, had to be killed.

The birth of our Lord Jesus, did not take place in the peaceful and tranquil setting as most of our Christmas cards would have it.

For Josef and Mary, Jesus’ birth must have been one of the most traumatic experiences the couple had to endure.  

And for the people of Israel, the birth of Jesus resulted in one of the gravest times in Israel's  history.

The death of all male children under the age of two.

Testimony of a Muslim who converted to the Christian Faith - Ex-Hezbollah Iranian Muslim

Testimony of a Muslim who converted

to the Christian Faith

Ex-Hezbollah Iranian Muslim  

Stes de Necker

Ex-Hezbollah Iranian Muslim Saw Jesus and Jesus told him who He was.

    

This is his testimony

“GOD's plan, as written in the Bible is not for humans to establish utopia on Earth. GOD's plan for us is salvation and eternal life by Faith in Christ Jesus.

GOD is bringing this Earth to an end... in His time. Once that happens, GOD establishes Heaven on Earth, lives with His Church (i.e. believers), and banishes Satan, Demons and all people who reject Him in the Lake of Burning Sulfur.

Either we die, meet GOD and receive judgement, or we live during the right time to witness His second coming.

This is what is written and promised in the Bible.

That's why I know world peace is not possible. We are in a spiral downward to destruction because humans, in general, are evil, irresponsible, greedy, and without true love.

Humans have become poor managers for GOD's Earth as we have severely overgrown our resources, water sources, and land.

Too many humans are gluttons and sexually immoral, adding to the World population problem.

 Scientists have predicted that we only have less than 100 years of resources left on Earth based on our population growth.

GOD will judge, Jew, Gentile, Muslim, or whoever, based on our hearts and by His rules.

For those who complain about GOD's rules, consider this: It's His universe so it's His House, His Rules.

Many claim that numerous paths lead to GOD. I also agree with this assumption. However, when someone truly seeks GOD, they will find GOD, which I know is Christ Jesus, for He claimed to be GOD, was crucified for it, and then rose from the dead to establish His claim.”

I encourage everyone to read this testimony with great intent and to consider the deeper meaning of this revelation.    

Christianity in Exile - South Africa and Israel during the time of the Judges

Christianity in Exile

South Africa and Israel during the time of the Judges

Stes De Necker

During the time of the Judges, the Israelites lived for five periods of forty years each in peace and tranquillity, and one period of forty years, under the oppression of the Philistines.

During the forty years of oppression, the Israelites had certainly enough time to think about the forty years their ancestors spent in the wilderness because of their sins. But faithful to their tradition, the Israelites still could not (or didn’t want to) accept God's message in the Old Testament.

But God is a merciful God, and repeatedly forgave His children. During the period of the Judges, God pardoned His people seven times and saved them from the hands of their oppressors.

In Matthew 18: 21 Peter asked Jesus, "Lord, how many times must I forgive my brother when he sins against me? Up to seven times?” Then in verse 22 Jesus answered him, "I tell you, not seven times, but seventy times seven.”

How much more will God not forgive ‘seventy times seven’ times. God is merciful and longsuffering, but that does not mean that His grace will always continue indefinitely!

In the last chapters of the Book of Judges it is clearly stated that "in those days, there was no king in Israel, and every man did what was right in his own eyes" (Judges. 17: 6, 21: 25; 8: 1 and 19: 1). This view, to do "what is right in his own eyes", caused the time of the Judges in the history of Israel to be the most wicked period in their history. 

   

In South Africa today, people are also doing whatever seems right in their own eyes. This misconception is surely the biggest reason why we today have to deal with so much crime and corruption in this country. Because everyone can do ‘what is right in his or her own eyes.

Not a day goes by that the media do not report on murder; robbery; rape; assault; abortion; fornication; prostitution; corruption; fraud; theft, and the list goes on.

Barbarism; blasphemy; social ills; homosexuality; attacks on Christianity and openly challenging the authority of God, is the order of the day. And these evils come from across the total spectrum of the population regardless of race, religion or creed.

It has absolutely nothing to do with racial discrimination, skin colour, political ideology or soci-economic status. It is an endemic rot that has infiltrated and infected almost all levels and facets of society.

If we, living in South Africa, will truthfully evaluate ourselves against the criteria of God's demands for an obedient and God fearing society, we must admit that the situation today in South Africa is a mirror image of the Israelites during the time of the Judges.

In a country like South Africa which claims that 80% of its population are Christians, there must be something seriously wrong if South Africa’s Constitution, does not recognise God as the only true God. 

Legislatures, at national and provincial level, are too "sensitive" to open their sittings in the name of the Lord, because they don’t want to ‘upset’ the other religions.

The petition in South Africa’s Constitution that “God will bless and protect its citizens”, means nothing as long as He is not recognised in all levels and in all facets of society, as the true and only God.  

What many people do not realize, is that South Africa is still governed by a minority government! The only difference is that it is no longer a minority based on racial lines, but a minority based on religious belief. Christianity, which is by far the largest and the majority of the population, are governed by a minority elite which is not only socialist inspired, but a minority that fosters a the popular worldview of secular humanism and radical liberalism.

People have become more important than God.

In 1990, when the South African government's apartheid policy reached its ultimate summit, the white population of South Africa was 3.6 million people; exactly the same number of people as the Israelites in the time of the Judges!

Through the policy of apartheid, millions of people, the vast majority Christians, were marginalized and disadvantaged. Before 1994, even the Church, like many other non-governmental bodies and institutions, vigorously supported the National Government’s policies of racial discrimination and segregation.  Many of these policies were regarded as scripturally warranted! 

The election of 1994, when South Africa was handed over to a black communistic and socialistic inspired government, should, for every Christian believer in South Africa, have a much greater and deeper religious meaning than purely a political meaning. 

Disobedience and religious deterioration, rather than race colour or political ideology, was defeated at the ballot box in 1994. 

Christians in South Africa find themselves today again in exile. In exile in their own country!

The question is: How long will it take before God will once again send a ‘judge’ to free all Christians in South Africa, regardless of race and colour, from its foreign oppressors.   

ZIONISM AND JUDAISM - DIFFERENCES IN MEANING AND ORIGIN

ZIONISM AND JUDAISM

DIFFERENCES IN MEANING AND ORIGIN

Stes de Necker

ZIONISM

The term "Zionism" itself is derived from the word Zion (Hebrew: ציון, Tzi-yon‎), referring to Jerusalem. Throughout Eastern Europe in the late 19th century, there were numerous grassroots groups promoting the national resettlement of the Jews in what was termed their "ancestral homeland", as well as the revitalization and cultivation of Hebrew. These groups were collectively called the "Lovers of Zion."

The first use of the term is attributed to the Austrian Nathan Birnbaum, founder of a nationalist Jewish students' movement Kadimah, who used the term in 1890 in his Journal ‘Selbstemanzipation’ (Self Emancipation). 

Readings of the founders of Zionism shows that they lived in the same Europe which spawned fascism and Nazism, and they adopted the anti-Jewish view that Jews did not belong in Europe as the core of their ideology.

Zionism is the belief that the Jewish people have a right to a political state whose territory they occupied in Biblical times, i.e. the Promised Land.

It doesn't imply any religious beliefs. 

Also, not all religious Jews are Zionist. Some of them believe the state of Israel won't exist until after the Messiah comes. However, there is a big overlap between the religious and the political beliefs.

ZIONISM AND THE APARTHEID SYSTEM OF SOUTH AFRICA

In December 1973, the UN passed a series of resolutions condemning South Africa and included a reference to an "unholy alliance between Portuguese colonialism, Apartheid and Zionism."

At the time there was little cooperation between Israel and South Africa, although the two countries would develop a close relationship during the 1970s. Parallels have also been drawn between aspects of South Africa's apartheid regime and certain Israeli policies toward the Palestinians, which are seen as manifestations of racism in Zionist thinking.

In 1975 the UN General Assembly passed Resolution 3379, which said "Zionism is a form of racism and racial discrimination". According to the resolution, "any doctrine of racial differentiation of superiority is scientifically false, morally condemnable, socially unjust, and dangerous."

The resolution named the occupied territory of Palestine, Zimbabwe, and South Africa as examples of racist regimes. Resolution 3379 was pioneered by the Soviet Union and passed with numerical support from Arab and African states amidst accusations that Israel was supportive of the apartheid regime in South Africa.

The resolution was robustly criticized by the US representative, Daniel Patrick Moynihan, as an 'obscenity' and a 'harm ...done to the United Nations'. 

“The United States ...does not acknowledge, it will not abide by, it will never acquiesce in this infamous act… The lie is that Zionism is a form of racism. The overwhelmingly clear truth is that it is not.”  (Moynihan 1975)

In 1991 the resolution was repealed with UN General Assembly Resolution 46/86, after Israel declared that it would only participate in the Madrid Conference of 1991 if the resolution were revoked.

Arab countries sought to associate Zionism with racism in connection with a 2001 UN conference on racism, which took place in Durban, South Africa, which caused the United States and Israel to walk away from the conference as a response. 

The final text of the conference did not connect Zionism with racism. A human rights forum arranged in connection with the conference, on the other hand, did equate Zionism with racism and censured Israel for what it called "racist crimes, including acts of genocide and ethnic cleansing".

The problem with the Zionist ideology, as in the case of South Africa’s apartheid system, idea is twofold:

1) Most Jewish people are thoroughly intermingled with other races and cultures. So much so, that Israel requires only proof of one Jewish grandparent.

2) Zionism inevitably means that the native peoples of the holy land, the Palestinians, are displaced even though they have more of a right to be there in the first place.

JUDAISM

Judaism (from the Latin Iudaismus), is derived from the Greek Ἰουδαϊσμός, and ultimately from the Hebrew יהודה, Yehudah, "Judah".

Yahadut, the distinctive characteristics of the Judean ethos, is the religion, philosophy and way of life of the Jewish people.

Judaism is a monotheistic religion, with the Torah as its foundational text (part of the larger text known as the Tanakh or Hebrew Bible), and supplemental oral tradition represented by later texts such as the Mishnah and the Talmud.

Judaism is considered by religious Jews to be the expression of the covenantal relationship God established with the Children of Israel.

JUDAISM AND THE LAWS OF MOSES

The basis of Jewish law and tradition (halakha) is the Torah (also known as the Pentateuch or the Five Books of Moses). According to rabbinic tradition there are 613 commandments in the Torah.

In my article ‘The Laws of Moses’ (My blog dated 30 may 2012) all the Mosaic Laws are listed.

Some of these laws are directed only to men or to women, some only to the ancient priestly groups, the Kohanim and Leviyim (members of the tribe of Levi), some only to farmers within the Land of Israel.

Many laws were only applicable when the Temple in Jerusalem existed, and fewer than 300 of these commandments are still applicable today.

Judaism claims a historical continuity spanning more than 3,000 years.

Judaism has its roots as a structured religion in the Middle East during the Bronze Age.

Of the major world religions, Judaism is considered one of the oldest monotheistic religions.

The Hebrews (Israelites) were already referred to as "Jews" in later books of the Tanakh such as the Book of Esther, with the term Jews replacing the title "Children of Israel".

Judaism's texts, traditions and values strongly influenced later Abrahamic religions, including Christianity, Islam and the Baha'i Faith. Many aspects of Judaism have also directly or indirectly influenced secular Western ethics and civil law.

Jews are an ethno-religious group and include those born Jewish and converts to Judaism. 

SUMMARY

Nowadays the deliberate blurring of the distinction between Zionism and Judaism, which includes a re-writing of ancient as well as modern history, is exploited to stifle any criticism of Israel's policies and actions, however extreme and inhuman they may be. This, incidentally, also plays directly into anti-Semitic prejudices by equating Israeli arrogance, brutality and complete denial of basic human rights to non-Jews with general Jewish characteristics.

JUDAISM is a religion and a tradition.

ZIONISM is a political ideology.

Judaism refers to the values, rites and beliefs of the Jewish people.

Zionism refers to the idea that the Jewish people must relocate from the Diaspora to their ancestral homeland. 

OORDEEL EN VEROORDEEL - DIE OËNSKYNLIKE PARADOKS

OORDEEL EN VEROORDEEL

                                                                                               

DIE OËNSKYNLIKE PARADOKS

  Stes de Necker

1. Jy mag nie oordeel nie

In Matteus 7:1-2 sê die apostel: “Moenie oordeel nie, sodat julle nie geoordeel word nie; met dieselfde oordeel waarmee julle ander oordeel, sal oor julle geoordeel word en met dieselfde maat waarmee julle vir ander meet, sal vir julle gemeet word.”

Daar bestaan verskeie verwysings in die Bybel wat vir ons sê dat ons nie oor ander mag oordeel nie. So byvoorbeeld lees ons in  Luk. 6:37, “Moenie oordeel nie en oor julle sal nie geoordeel word nie. Moenie veroordeel nie en julle sal nie veroordeel word nie. Spreek vry en julle sal vrygespreek word.” Ook in Rom 2:1 sê Paulus: “Daarom is daar vir jou geen verontskuldiging nie, vir jou, mens wat ’n  ander veroordeel, wie jy ook al is. Deurdat jy oor ’n  ander ’n  oordeel uitspreek, veroordeel jy jouself, want jy wat oordeel, doen dieselfde dinge.”

As gevolg van hierdie skrif waarhede, is daar talle gelowiges wat baie ernstig voel oor die feit dat ons nie oor ander mense mag oordeel nie en daarom nie vir ʼn ander mens kan sê dat hy/sy verkeerd is nie.

Volgens die Bybel is dit 'n voldonge feit dat ons nie mag oordeel nie, maar wat beteken dit prakties? Wat mag of moet ons as Christene dan doen en wat mag ons nie doen nie? Net soveel verwysings as wat daar in die Bybel bestaan wat sê ons mag nie oordeel nie, net soveel verwysings bestaan daar wat vir sê ons moet ons medemens teregwys as ons sien dat hulle verkeerd doen.

2. Jy moet oordeel

In Esegiël lees ons verskeie kere waar dit voorkom asof God ons in werklikheid beveel om te oordeel:

Esegiël 20: 4 “Oordeel jy oor hulle, mens, oordeel jý. Vertel vir hulle van die afskuwelike dinge wat hulle voorvaders gedoen het.”

Esegiël 22: 2 “Mens, wil jy hom oordeel, wil jy oor die stad van bloedvergieting oordeel? Vertel dan vir hom van sy afskuwelike dade.”

Esegiël 23: 36 “Die Here het vir my gesê: ‘Mens, oordeel jý oor Ohola en Oholiba. Vertel vir hulle van hulle afskuwelike dade.”

Esegiël 23: 45 “Regverdige manne moet oor dié vrouens oordeel volgens die bepaling oor owerspel en die bepaling oor bloedvergieting, want hulle het owerspel gepleeg en daar is bloed aan hulle hande.”

Ook in die Nuwe Testament is daar voorbeelde waarvolgens dit lyk of God van ons verwag om oor sonde te oordeel. Joh. 7: 24, “Moenie op die oog af oordeel nie, oordeel regverdig.”

In  Matt. 18: 15 sê die apostel: “As jou broer verkeerd opgetree het teen jou, gaan wys hom tereg waar julle eenkant alleen is. As hy na jou luister, het jy jou broer teruggewen.”  Vêrder in verse 16 en 17 sê die apostel: ⁽¹⁶⁾ “Maar as hy nie luister nie, neem nog een of twee met jou saam, sodat alles wat gesê word, deur die woord van twee of drie getuies bevestig kan word. ⁽¹⁷⁾  En as hy na hulle nie luister nie, sê dit vir die gemeente. As hy ook na die gemeente nie luister nie, moet jy hom as ’n  heiden en ’n  tollenaar behandel.”

In Levitikus 19:15 staan daar: “Jy mag nie onregverdig wees in die regspraak nie: jy mag nie partydig wees vir dié wat geen aansien het nie of die vooraanstaande bevoordeel nie. Oordeel regverdig oor jou naaste.” In Eseg. 3: 18 sê God self: “Wanneer Ek vir ’n  goddelose sê hy gaan sterwe en jy waarsku hom nie, jy praat nie en jy waarsku nie die goddelose teen sy bose optrede om hom so in die lewe te hou nie, dan sal hy deur sy sonde sterwe, maar Ek sal van jou rekenskap eis vir sy dood.” en dan in vers 21: “As jy hom waarsku om nie te sondig nie en hy sondig nie, sal hy bly lewe omdat hy hom laat waarsku het en jy sal jou eie lewe behou.”

Volgens die Ou- en Nuwe Testament blyk dit dus baie duidelik dat ons ’n  verantwoordelikheid het om ander mense reg te help. God sê vir ons baie duidelik dat as ons dit nie doen nie, Hy ons verantwoordelik sal hou. Ons het dus die plig om sonde te oordeel. Die groot voorbehoud in die Ou- en Nuwe Testament is egter dat ons dit regverdig moet doen.

WAAR IS DIE VERSKIL

Die groot vraag is nou: Hoe rekonsilieer ons God se opdragte om wel te oordeel, met die verbieding daarvan in byvoorbeeld Matteus en  Lukas?

Eerstens lê die verskil in die wyse waarop ons die Bybel lees en interpreteer. Wanneer ons die verbiedinge van die apostels en God se opdragte noukeurig lees, kom ons agter dat God ons nie die reg gee om oor die “méns” te oordeel nie, maar die sondige praktyk, wat gepleeg word!

Ons weet dat God die sonde haat en dat ons alleen in Jesus Christus vergewing van die sonde kan ontvang. Maar omdat God ook van óns verwag om die sonde te haat, beteken dit geensins dat ons die “mens” agter die sonde, ook moet haat en veroordeel nie! Ons het nog altyd die plig om ons naaste lief te hê. Wat God van ons verwag is dat ons die sondige daad en die mens van mekaar moet skei.

Ons moet die sonde oordeel en veroordeel; nie die mens nie! 

Tweedens lê die verskil in ons interpretasie van die Bybel vanuit ons huidige lewensbeskouing. 

Humanisme.

Wat word met “humanisme” bedoel? Hierbo het ek gesê dat ons ook soms slagoffers van die post-modernesisme is. Elkeen is geregtig op sy/haar eie waarheid, aangesien daar nie iets bestaan soos ’n  absolute waarheid nie. Hierdie standpunt is die gevolg van humanistiese denke. “Die mens het nie die reg om iemand anders voor te skryf hoe sy/haar lewe moet lyk nie! “

Humanisme is ’n  onbybelse, mens georiënteerde ideologie wat alreeds in die verlede groot inbreuk op die Christelike teologie gemaak het deur duidelike Bybelse leerstellings af te verwater ten einde die voorskrifte van die Bybel by die behoeftes van die moderne beskawing aan te pas. Nie alleen word die gesag van die Skrif daardeur ondermyn nie, maar word Bybelse konstantes, wat deur die eeue heen nog altyd gegeld het, bloot verwyder of vervang met dogmatiese teorieë  wat aan die vereistes van die samelewing kan voldoen. 

In sy artikel, “Die  Bybel bekoor met eenvoud” skryf Prof. Piet Strauss, vorige Moderator van die NG Kerk: “Die teks van die Skrif word oorwoeker deur maatstawwe van buite. By sommige praat hul eie verstaan van die omstandighede of konteks van 'n  teksgedeelte harder as die teks of die kern van die Boodskap. Vir die modernis is dít wat die toets van sy verstand of rede slaag beslissend. By die post-modernis is ruimte vir verskille oor kernsake van die Bybel, omdat elk se storie ’n  plek moet hê en die  Bybel volgens hulle geduldig daarby inval.”

Vêrder in dieselfde artikel sê Prof. Strauss: “Daar is moderne teoloë wat die Bybeltekste oor homoseksualiteit so oorspeel met die destydse konteks, dat hulle aflei die Bybel gee nie ’n  mening oor moderne homoseksualiteit nie.”

Die mens het eenvoudig belangriker as die Bybel geword!

Homoseksualiteit.

Homoseksualiteit is seker een van die mees omstrede onderwerpe waaroor daar vandag in Suid-Afrika en in die res van die westerse wêreld, hewig gedebatteer word. So byvoorbeeld het die sogenaamde “Gay Rights Movement” in Suid-Afrika alreeds gegroei tot ʼn sosio-politieke beweging wat openlike optogte en demonstrasies hou om homoseksualiteit in die samelewing goedgekeur en aanvaarbaar te maak. Selfs die Kerk word nie gespaar in hierdie mense se strewe na erkenning en aanvaarbaarheid nie. In Australië behoort selfs prostitute aan ’n  erkende vakbond!

Homoseksualiteit is sekerlik een van die belangrikste dimensies van geestelike oorlogvoering waarby die kerk vandag betrokke is.

Die Bybel spreek tot ons in geen onduidelike terme nie. In Levitikus 18:22-30 word homoseksualiteit vyf keer ’n  gruwel genoem. Dit was só afstootlik in die oë van die Here dat dit die doodstraf deur steniging gedra het. In Lev. 20:13 staan daar: “Twee mans wat homoseksueel verkeer, doen ’'n afskuwelike sonde. Hulle moet doodgemaak word. Hulle verdien die dood.”

Selfs in die Nuwe Testament sê Paulus: “Of weet julle nie dat mense wat onreg doen, geen deel sal kry aan die koninkryk van God nie. Moenie julleself mislei nie: geen onsedelikes of afgodsdienaars of egbrekers of mense wat homoseksualiteit beoefen of diewe of geldgieriges of dronkaards of kwaadpraters of bedrieërs sal deel kry aan die koninkryk van God nie.”

Die ou vertaling het gepraat van sodomiete. Hiermee het Paulus beslis nie na die inwoners van die stad Sodom verwys nie! Sodomie beteken presies wat die Afrikaanse Verklarende Woordeboek sê dit is: “Teennatuurlike ontug; geslagtelike omgang tussen mens en dier, of ook homoseksuele omgang”.

Die woord sodomie is afkomstig van die Latynse “peccatum Sodomiticum” wat in Afrikaans vertaal kan word as “Die sonde van Sodom”.

In die Griekse vertaling van die Bybel (Septuagint) word die woord “ekporneuō” gebruik wat na alle vorme van immorele seksuele praktyke verwys. Vandaar die woord “pornografie”.

Selfs met die heel mooiste en edelste bedoelings kan die praktyk van homoseksualiteit NOOIT geregverdig of gekondoneer word nie. Dit beteken egter nie dat ons die “mens” wat homoseksualiteit beoefen, of deur homoseksuele begeertes geteister word, ook mag veroordeel nie!

Net God kan ʼn “mens” oordeel. In Heb. 10: 30 staan daar: “Ons weet tog wie Hy is wat gesê het: “Dit is mý reg om te straf; Ek sal vergeld;” en verder: “Die Here sal oor sy volk oordeel.” Presies dieselfde vermaning vind ons in Rom. 12: 19 “Dit is mý reg om te straf; Ék sal vergeld, sê die Here.”

Die vraag is: hoekom word homoseksualiteit spesifiek, vandag uitgesonder om soveel aandag te kry. Gesien teen die agtergrond van die Skrif, wat maak die homoseksuele persoon na alles, enigsins verskillend van byvoorbeeld 'n alkoholis, of dief, of bedrieër, (alle vorme van bedrog), of lasteraar of selfs ’n  moordenaar!?

MENSEREGTE

Soms wil dit voorkom of Suid-Afrikaners oor die algemeen té gou, té veel “menseregte” bekom het. Wat niemand, waarvan ek weet, egter ooit gesê het nie, is dat daar vir elke reg wat daar bestaan, ʼn resiproke “teen-verantwoordelikheid” bestaan. Almal het die reg op vrye beweging, maar dan moet jy jou binne die voorskrifte van die land se wette gedra.  Almal het die regop grondbesit, maar dan moet jy jou stukkie grond binne die neergelegte voorskrifte bekom. Almal het die regop vryheid van spraak, maar dit beteken nie jy kan iemand vrylik loop en ander belaster nie.

Hoe dikwels het ons al gehoor:  “Dit is my reg om lief te hê wie ek wil en niemand kan vir my voorskryf wie ek mag liefhê en wie ek nie mag liefhê nie!” of  “Dit is my lewe en ek het die reg om te drink soveel as wat ek wil en niemand kan vir my sê wanneer ek moet ophou drink nie!” “Dit is my reg om grond te besit, daarom kan ek vir my grond vat soos ek wil!”  “Ek het die reg tot vryheid van spraak, daarom kan ek sê wat ek wil!”  Wat is die verskil tussen sommige van hierdie regte en “Gay” regte?

Stel jouself voor; wat sal ons sê as al die alkoholiste, of diewe of bedrieërs of moordenaars vandag ’'n “Alcoholics Rights Movement” of “The Stealers Rights Movement” of “The Corrupt Rights Movement” of “The Killers Rights Movement” sou begin!?  Wat sal die Staat (en my en jou) se reaksie wees as hierdie klomp die dag in die strate begin demonstreer vir die erkenning van húlle regte?

Ek sal my kop op ’n  blok sit dat hulle nie soveel simpatie as die “Gay” aktiviste gaan kry nie!

Prostitusie en aborsie word alreeds in Suid-Afrika nie meer as misdade beskou nie, terwyl ons wéét dat die Bybel dit ten sterkste verbied.

Hoekom word prostitusie, aborsie, homoseksualiteit, Godslastering ens. vandag nie meer as misdade gereken nie?

Vroeër het ek gesê dat humanisme ’'n onbybelse, mens georiënteerde ideologie is wat alreeds groot inbreuk op die Christelike teologie gemaak het.

In die post-moderne “verligte” humanistiese ideologieë, op politieke sowel as teologiese terryn, word die mens se sogenaamde “vryheid” as baie meer belangrik as die mens se Godgegewe verantwoordelikhede, beskou. By die geringste aanduiding dat die mens se “vryheid” in gedrang gebring kan word, word enige moontlike verwysing na die sondigheid daarvan, luidkeels aangeval.

Onder die dekmantel van menseregte en demokrasie, kan enige sonde regverdig word!

ETIKETTERING

ʼn Verdere belangrike oorsaak vir die mistastings in die Evangelie is die geneigdheid van die mens om alles en almal om hom te etiketteer (te “label”). 

Kom ons lees weer die verhaal in Johannes Hoofstuk 9 wat gaan oor die man wat sedert sy geboorte, blind was:

⁽¹⁾  “Terwyl Jesus wegstap, sien Hy ’n  man wat van sy geboorte af blind was.

⁽²⁾ Sy dissipels vra Hom toe: “Rabbi, deur wie se sonde is dit dat hierdie man blind is: sy eie of sy ouers s’n?”

⁽³⁾ En Jesus antwoord: “Dit is nie deur sy eie sonde nie en ook nie deur sy ouers s’n nie, maar hy is blind sodat die werke wat God doen, in hom gesien sal kan word.”

Jesus se dissipels het reeds aanvaar dat die man se blindheid as gevolg van sonde was. Al wat hulle wou weet is: wie se sonde was dit; syne of sy ouers s’n. Hulle het klaar die blinde geëtiketteer as 'n “sondaar”. Die feit dat hierdie man ’n  bedelaar was wat hulp nodig gehad het, het nie by hulle getel nie.

Ons almal is vandag nog skuldig hieraan. Wanneer iemand op straat bedel is dit omdat hy te lui is om te werk; As iemand meer besit as jyself, is dit omdat hy/sy of ryk geërf het of omdat hy/sy hulle ryk gesteel het; As jou vel wit is, is jy ’n  rassis; As jou vel swart is, is jy korrup; As jy vir die Vryheids Front stem is jy konserwatief, as jy vir die SAKP stem is jy radikaal!  Vir alke moontlike optrede het ons ’n  naambordjie.

Die volgende aanhaling van Moeder Teresa som dit miskien die beste op:

People are often unreasonable, illogical and self-centered;

Forgive them anyway.

If you are kind, people may accuse you of being selfish, or having ulterior motives;

Be kind anyway.

If you are successful, you will win some false friends and some true enemies; Succeed anyway.

If you are honest and frank, people may cheat you;

Be honest and frank anyway.

What you spend years building, someone could destroy overnight;

Build anyway.

If you find serenity and happiness, they may be jealous;

Be happy anyway.

The good you do today, people will often forget tomorrow;

Do good anyway.

Give the world the best you have, and it may never be enough;

Give the world the best you’ve got anyway.

You see, in the final analysis, it is between you and God. It was never between you and them anyway.

Jesus het altyd die “mens” raakgesien. Toe Sy dissipels hom vra: “Deur wie se sonde is dit dat hierdie man blindgebore is”, antwoord Hy hulle: “Dit is nie deur sy eie sonde nie en ook nie deur sy ouers s’n nie, maar hy is blind sodat die werke wat God doen, in hom gesien sal kan word.”  

Vir Jesus was hierdie man nie ’n  slagoffer van sonde nie; Hy was ʼn wonderwerk wat gewag het om te gebeur.  

Wanneer mense jou verwerp, aanvaar Jesus jou. Wanneer mense jou verlaat, bly Jesus by jou. Wanneer iemand anders nie tyd vir jou het nie, sal Jesus altyd vir jou tyd hê. Wanneer ander ván jou praat, sal God mét jou praat.

In Matt. 7: 1 sê Jesus: “Moenie oordeel nie, sodat oor julle nie geoordeel word nie; met dieselfde oordeel waarmee julle oor ander oordeel, sal oor julle geoordeel word en met dieselfde maat waarmee julle vir ander meet, sal vir julle gemeet word.” en vêrder in vers 3: “Waarom sien jy die splinter raak wat in jou broer se oog is, maar die balk in jou eie oog merk jy nie op nie.”  In Rom. 2: 1-3 sê Paulus: “Daarom is daar vir jou geen verontskuldiging nie, vir jou mens, wat ’'n ander veroordeel, wie jy ook al is. Deurdat jy oor ’n  ander ’n  oordeel uitspreek, veroordeel jy jouself, want jy wat veroordeel, doen dieselfde dinge. ⁽²⁾ Ons weet dat God regverdig handel wanneer Hy mense wat sulke dinge doen, veroordeel. ⁽³⁾ Maar jy, mens, wat ander veroordeel wat sulke dinge doen en jy doen dit self, verbeel jy jou dat jy aan die oordeel van God sal ontkom?” 

GOD SE WIL

Hoe weet ek en jy wat God se doel met die lewe van ʼn mens is? Wat sou ons oordeel byvoorbeeld gewees het oor die lewe van Paulus voordat hy tot bekering gekom het?

In Hand. 22 vanaf vers 6 lees ons die verhaal van Paulus se bekering. “Terwyl ek op reis was en naby kus gekom het, het daar teen die middag skielik ’n  sterk lig uit die hemel op my gestraal. ⁽⁷⁾ Ek het op die grond neergeval en ’n  stem vir my hoor sê: “Saul, Saul, waarom vervolg jy My? ⁽⁸⁾ ‘Wie is U Here?’ het ek gevra. ‘Ek is Jesus van Nasaret’, het Hy my geantwoord. ‘Dit is vir My wat jy vervolg.”

In Hand. 22: 4 vertel Paulus self wat hierdie vervolging werklik behels het. “Ek wou die mense wat die leer van Christus volg, totaal uitroei. Mans sowel as vrouens het ek gevange geneem en in tronke laat stop.” Later, in sy brief aan die Galasiërs, skryf Paulus: “Julle het immers gehoor van my optrede toe ek destyds nog ’n  aanhanger van die Joodse leer was. Ek het die kerk van God tot die uiterste vervolg en dit probeer uitroei.” (Gal. 1: 13)

Stel jou vir een oomblik voor dat ons Regering vandag ʼn Wet uitvaardig wat die Christendom in Suid-Afrika verbied en bepaal dat alle Christene vervolg en in die tronke gestop moet word!

Ons sou nie net hulle wat aangestel word om die vervolging uit te voer, maar sekerlik ook die hele Regering daarmee saam, tot in die aller ewigste verdoemenis veroordeel het!

Die verhaal van Paulus se bekering is sekerlik die beste voorbeeld in die Bybel hoe min ons weet wat God se plan nie alleen vir ons eie lewe is nie, maar ook vir die lewe van 'n ander.

God vergewe Paulus nie net al sy onmenslike handelinge nie, maar maak hierdie “satan”, Paulus, die grootste dissipel van Jesus waarvan ons in die Bybel kan lees.

Wanneer ons oordeel moet ons uiters versigtig wees om nooit die persóón self te veroordeel nie.

DIE ROL VAN DIE HEILIGE GEES 

In Matt. 12: 31 sê Jesus: “Daarom sê Ek vir julle: Elke sonde en lastering kan die mense vergewe word maar die lastering teen die Heilige Gees kan nie vergewe word nie.” 1 Joh. 5:16 sê “As iemand sy broer sonde sien doen wat nie tot die dood lei nie, moet hy bid en God sal die broer die ewige lewe gee. Dit geld dié wat sonde doen wat nie tot die dood lei nie. Daar is sonde wat tot die dood lei; daarvoor sê ek nie dat hy moet bid nie.”

Ek het al voorheen gesê dat die Heilige Gees daardie stil stem in jou binneste is wat gewoonlik moet skreeu om gehoor te word.

Wanneer jy, teen jou beter wete in, iets doen wat verkeerd is en desnieteenstaande die berisping van die Heilige Gees, voortgaan met jou verkeerde dade, verwerp jy nie die teregwysing van mens nie, maar verwerp jy die teregwysing van God self. Dan maak jy God tot leuenaar!

Elke persoon wat voorgee dat hy of sy ʼn Christen is en terselfdertyd openlik wil loop en verkondig dat hy of sy homoseksueel is, behoort vir hulleself die volgende saak uit te maak:

Wanneer jy bely dat jy ’n  kind van God is, bely jy dat jy in God se Woord ( Bybel) glo en wanneer jy die Bybel bevraagteken, bevraagteken jy God se Woord. Wanneer ons nie glo wat die Bybel sê nie, glo ons nie wat God self sê nie!  Of anders gestel; Hoe kan jy beweer dat jy in God glo, maar jy glo nie in Sy Woord nie?

Dit geld ook vir enigeen wat bely dat hy/sy ’n  Christen is, maar terselfdertyd hom/haar skuldig maak aan prostitusie, aborsie, diefstal, korrupsie, moord  ens.

In Joh. 12: 48 sê Jesus: “Wie My verwerp en nie my woorde aanneem nie, het reeds iets wat hom veroordeel: die woorde wat Ek gespreek het, sal hom op die laaste dag veroordeel.”  

DIE BYBEL IS NIE “VEROUDERD” OF “ONDUIDELIK” NIE.

In 2 Tim. 3: 16 staan daar: “Die hele Skrif is deur God geïnspireer en het groot waarde om in die waarheid te onderrig, dwaling te bestry, verkeerdhede reg te stel en ’n  regte lewenswyse te kweek.” 

Die boek Openbaring handel oor die visioene wat Jesus aan die apostel Johannes openbaar het op die eiland Patmos. Hierdie openbaring was veel meer as ’n  blote inspirasie van die apostel, dit is die skriftelike getuienis van die apostel oor die visioen wat Jesus hom fisies laat sien het. Jesus was só ernstig oor die korrekte weergawe van hierdie gebeure dat Hy in Op. 22: 18 sê “As iemand iets hieraan byvoeg, sal God vir hom die plae byvoeg waarvan in hierdie boek geskrywe is; en as iemand een van die woorde van hierdie profetiese boek wegneem, sal God sy deel aan die boom van die lewe en aan die heilige stad wegneem waarvan in hierdie boek geskrywe is.”

As Jesus so ernstig gevoel het oor die korrekte weergawe van hierdie gebeure, kan ons met groot veiligheid aanneem dat Jesus net so ernstig is oor die korrektheid van die res van die Bybel se inhoud.

Óf ons aanvaar die  Bybel in sy geheel, of ons aanvaar niks wat daarin staan nie!

SLOT

Die Bybel is duidelik. As Christene is dit ons plig om die sonde te oordeel en te veroordeel, maar onder geen omstandighede mag ons die “mens” agter die sonde veroordeel nie! 

Liewe vriend of vriendin, laat eerder die oordeel aan God oor. Maar as jy dan moét oordeel, oordeel die mens se dade en nie die mens self nie. En selfs dan moet ons altyd onthou, is daar nog altyd twee voorbehoude; Eerstens moet ons regverdig oordeel en tweedens moet ons baie seker maak dat ons eie lewens reg is, voordat ons oor iemand anders se lewe oordeel. Met die maat waarmee ons meet, sal ook vir ons gemeet word.

 Luk. 6: 37 “Spreek vry en julle sal vrygespreek word.”