An Ecumenical Post Modern, Post Apartheid Missional Church

Since the Conference hosted by the Faculty of Theology at the University of Stellenbosch and Communitas from 18-20 May 2009 on the theme “What can we learn from the book of Acts about being a Missional Church?” the Book of Acts has suddenly become the new Magna Carta for the missional church in South Africa. Several questions ensue from the Dutch Reformed Church’s unexpected interest in Acts. If Acts is a trailblazer in regard to effective local and global missionary work, why has the church delayed its imperatives to study and implement what Jesus Christ’s apostles taught and practiced in Acts? What has motivated the DRC to embark at this late stage in the history of the church on a research programme that will work on seven themes in the Book of Acts over a period of three years? Are they aiming to reach the lost with the unadulterated Gospel of Jesus Christ so that as many lost sinners as possible may be saved? Or, is she working toward the inauguration of the Kingdom of God on earth in which every conceivable religious ragtag and bob-tail is welcome? Why is the DRC’s younger generation clergy obsessed with the ancient practices and experiential theology and disciplines of the so-called Desert Fathers, i.e. contemplative prayer, centering prayer, labyrinths, breath prayers, the silence, solitude etc., when these disciplines do not feature in the book of Acts? To find some answers to these questions it might be feasible to pay attention to the names of distinguished missiologists who keep on popping up in the ongoing discussions on the blogs of DRC pastors and students on the internet.

A name that seems to be on every “Acts-orientated” follower of Jesus’ lips is David Jacobus Bosch. He was a missiologist in South Africa who died in 1992 in a tragic car accident only a year after he published his monumental book, Transforming Mission. He formulated the concept of AC, the “Alternate Community” in South Africa which was born out of  his strong aversion to the Apartheid system. In his book “Mission and the Alternative Community,” pp. 8-9. Bosch wrote:

“The church has tremendous significance for society precisely because it [exists] as a uniquely separate community . . . . We have to work consistently for the renewal of the church—the alternative community—and precisely in that way at the renewal of society.” (Emphasis added)

Bosch’s definition of the church as a uniquely separate community seems to contradict his strong aversion to the Apartheid system. Wasn’t it the “doctrine of separateness” of the Apartheid system that led the politicians to believe that they could change and renew society? And yet, Bosch advocated an alternative community (the church) as precisely the entity to renew society. How can a uniquely separate community (embodied in the church) renew the society when today’s society advocates unity in diversity, centralization and globalization? Either the church needs to transform into a unified society or the society needs to be transformed into a uniquely separate church community. Having seen the direction the emergent church is going it is obvious that the missional church is opting for a unified and centralized community or society. As soon as the ecclesiae flirt with politicized methods (such as social action or activism) to transform, renew or refurbish society in order to stamp out social injustices, disparities between the rich and the poor and other communal discrepancies, they inevitably need to shift and even erase boundaries so as to engage different cultures and religions in an effort to find joint ways to reform society. In some instances it inadvertently and in others deliberately leads to a compromise of one’s beliefs and principles. To illustrate, I would like to quote to you what Lesslie Newbigin said in an interview in 1988. Newbigin hailed Bosch’s book Transforming Mission as “a kind of Summa Missiologica” that “will surely be the indispensable foundation for the teaching of missiology for many years to come.” (This endorsement is found on the back cover of the paperback version of Transforming Mission). Andrew Walker interviewed Bishop Lesslie Newbigin in 1988.

WALKER: How do you answer people when they say to you, ‘Why, Bishop Newbigin, do you believe in the incarnation and the resurrection of Christ?’ I mean, how would you suggest to a modern world that such a belief is credible?

NEWBIGIN: Well, ultimately, of course (and here we see my Reformed background), I come to the doctrine of election. I mean that by his mysterious grace God took hold of me, an unbelieving, pondering person, and put me in a position where the reality of Jesus Christ, crucified and risen, became for me the one clue that I could follow in making sense of a very perplexing world.

The test, of course, can only come at the end. I would want to claim that that clue ultimately gives one a kind of rationality that is more inclusive of the whole of human experience than the real, though limited, rationality of the reductionist and rationalist scientific point of view. But at the end of the day, we have to wait for the day of judgment. There is an element of risk, there is an element of commitment involved, where you don’t pretend to have something – that is, if there were some way by which I could prove the authority of Jesus Christ from outside, then that would be my authority and not Jesus Christ. I can only point to him.

WALKER: Given that you can point to him, do you think it reasonable or unreasonable to suggest that to be a Christian does involve some minimal amount of beliefs?

NEWBIGIN: Oh yes, surely it does.

WALKER: I mean, if somebody was to come here, put you into a corner and say, ‘Now look here Bishop, what have you got to believe to be a believing Christian?’, what would you say were the basics?

NEWBIGIN: I would simply say, ‘Jesus Christ, the final and determinative centre around which everything else is understood.’ If that is there, I am not enthusiastic about drawing exact boundaries. I think you can define an entity by its boundaries or by its centre. I think that Christianity is an entity defined by its centre. So provided a person is, as it were, ‘looking to Jesus’, and seeing him as the central, decisive, determinative reality in relation to which all else is to be understood, then even if his ideas are weird or off-beat, I would regard him as a brother in Christ. (Emphasis added)

According to Lesslie Newbigin and his rendering of the doctrine of election,  Jesus Christ is apparently merely the one clue which all men can follow to make sense of a very perplexing world. His statement fits in perfectly well with the emergent perspective of being a follower of Christ. Jesus Christ is no longer the unique Way, Truth and Life because such an exclusive assertion stifles a working relationship between the church and the non-Christian religions who find it very offensive. Christ is seen merely as the epitome of sacrificial living which He demonstrated in His sacrificial death on the cross, motivating his followers to follow his example, to topple the walls of social injustices and make sense of a very perplexing world. The  problem is that this is not the Gospel of Jesus Christ. Nowhere between the two covers of the entire Bible are Christians given a mandate to renew or change society. Their mandate is to go into all the world, make disciples of individuals within every society (nation) and to teach them to observe everything He commanded them to do.

To see Jesus Christ as the epicentre of one’s existence is a very noble and honourable thing to do, but what significance does the epicentre have, if any, when it is stripped of exact boundaries? (i.e. exact doctrines such as “I am the Way the Truth and the Life, no one comes to the Father but through Me.”) Surely, the entrenchment of Jesus Christ as the epicentre of your life involves obedient submission to His doctrines and His calling to herald the unadulterated doctrines of His grace (2 John verse 9). Before I continue, it is of the utmost importance to articulate very carefully what is meant by the drawing or setting up of doctrinal boundaries. First of all, it does not entail a separation or exclusion of people from the mercies of God (Titus 2:11). God extends His grace to all people, no matter what their present position with regard to their creed, race, and ethnicity may be. Consequently, these exact doctrinal boundaries are not drawn to exclude people who are presently confined within the boundaries of other faiths but to break through those boundaries, and to translate the confined within those boundaries out of their present position in the kingdom of darkness into the Kingdom of His dear Son (Colossians 1:13). The translation is thus a transference from without the confines of one set of kingdom boundaries into the confines of another set of Kingdom boundaries where bound sinners are set free in Jesus Christ. In essence it an individualistic salvivic experience through faith in Jesus Christ and obedience to the demands of His Gospel, by which each and every individual repentant sinner is placed on the Rock within the boundaries of the Kingdom of God, the boundaries being the sovereign will of God as expressed in His eternal doctrines. The post modern missionary model has shifted from an individualistic salvivic experience to a communal, transformational and reconciliatory missional paradigm which finds its niche in the emergent church’s view of the Kingdom of God — an all inclusive universalistic  Kingdom which is perhaps defined best by Rob Bell’s statement “a giant resurrection rescue” in one of his Nooma videos. Both the Reformed en Emergent fraternities have a keen interest in the establishment and progression of God’s Kingdom on earth, Lesslie Newbigin states:

The church is the bearer to all the nations of a gospel that announces the kingdom, the reign, and the sovereignty of God. It calls men and women to repent of their false loyalty to other powers, to become believers in the one true sovereignty, and so to become corporately a sign, instrument, and foretaste of that sovereignty of the one true and living God over all nature, all nations, and all human lives. It is not meant to call men and women out of the world into a safe religious enclave but to call them out in order to send them back as agents of God’s kingship. – Lesslie Newbigin, Foolishness to the Greeks

Newbigin’s call to repentance is not based on the individual’s need to confess his own personal sins to a holy and righteous God who extends His arm of unlimited grace through the finished work of His Son on the cross to every single human being, but on the need for a corporate change of loyalties, i.e. a corporate and  societal transformation. David Bosch had a similar view of the Kingdom.

As we call people (back) to faith in God through Jesus Christ, we must help them to articulate an answer to the question ‘What do we have to become Christians for?’ At least part of the answer to this question will have to be: ‘In order to be enlisted into God’s ministry of reconciliation, peace, and justice on earth.’ It should be natural for Christians to be committed to these values. In a sense . . . there is already very much believing in Western society. What we do not need, then, is to introduce more religion. The issue is not to talk more about God in a culture that has become irreligious, but how to express, ethically, the coming of God’s reign, how to help people respond to the real questions of their context, how to break with the paradigm according to which religion has to do only with the private sphere.” — David J. Bosch, Believing in the Future (Emphasis added)

Here again the communal transformational and reconciliatory missional model as opposed to the individualistic salvivic model comes to the fore. In his book “Transforming Mission” Bosch wrote:

Even so, personal conversion is not a goal in itself. To interpret the work of the church as the ‘winning of souls’ is to make conversion into a final product, which flatly contradicts Luke’s understanding of the purpose of mission. Conversion does not pertain merely to an individual’s act of conviction and commitment; it moves the individual believer into the community of believers and involves a real — even a radical — change in the life of the believer, which carries with it moral responsibilities that distinguish Christians from ‘outsiders’ while at the same time stressing their obligation to those ‘outsiders’. (David Bosch: Transforming Mission, pg. 117)

Jesus’ mission was first and foremost to the individual sinner. He came to seek and to save the lost sinner (Luke 19:10). This is borne out by his salvivic encounters with individuals like Nicodemus, Zacchaeus,, the Samaritan Woman, Mary (Lazarus’ sister) who washed his feet with her tears and dried them with her hair, the blind man on whose eyes the Lord put clay to heal him, Peter, Paul and many others. Hadn’t personal conversion been uppermost in Jesus’ mind, He wouldn’t have given so much of his time to talk to and present His Gospel to individual persons. Missiology would indeed have been a non sequitur if it was not focused on the salvation of the lost individual which, to reiterate, was the main purpose for Jesus’ incarnation and not the transformation or renewal of whole societies. In fact, Jesus Himself said that very few people are being saved because the majority do not find the strait gate and the narrow way (Matthew 7:13 & 14). One of the reasons why so many are not finding the strait gate and narrow way is because it is so fundamentally and inexorably narrow-minded. It is too exclusive and condescending according to the emergent adherents. By the by, in another virulent attack on fundamentalists, Cobus van Wyngaard said the following on his blog recently:

In his [Scot McKnight’s] book Finding Faith Loosing Faith he talks about a number of crisis that leads to deconversion. I’ll order the book sometime, and will mention them more when I get the book, but form [sic] today’s talk Scot confirmed one thing: Fundamentalism creates extremely good soil for atheism to flourish in. I’ve been saying this for a long time now. The crisis that fundamentalism creates is that an expectation on infallability [sic] of the Bible is created that cannot be met, and the text never intended to meet, when that realisation dawn on someone, it has the potential of leading to atheism.

It appears that rev. Cobus van Wyngaard welcomes Scot McKnight’s attack on fundamentalism as an ex cathedra announcement of pure infallibility. Today’s emergent de-converted “saints” are strangely prone to an infallible choice of making fallible men the epicentre of their lives while claiming to be followers of Jesus Christ who once uttered the most fundamental truth in the history of mankind — “no one comes to the Father but through me.” The apostle Luke penned down an equally fundamental truth in the book of Acts that echoes Jesus’ words in John 14:6: “Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is no other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved.” Is Luke’s missionary dictum in Acts 4:12 fallible? If Cobus is correct in saying that God’s Word is fallible and that any claim to infallibility breeds atheists, why do the DRC clergy want to learn from Acts about how to be a missional church? It is preposterous to think that you will be able to proclaim Luke’s missionary dictum while you have doubts about the infallibility of God’s Word, unless of course you want to convert fundamentalist bred atheists to your own status of so-called de-converted Jesus-followers.

To reiterate: Jesus Christ is no longer the Way, the Truth and the Life because the non-Christian religions with whom the post modern missional church aims to work together to bring about an ethical transformation in society, find that doctrine highly offensive. Jesus Christ’s sacrificial death on the cross is merely an example of sacrificial living in behalf of the poor and the destitute and the means to take on social injustices, poverty, crime and violence. There are several examples of this of which the most recent is Rick Warren’s PEACE PLAN. To accomplish a global transformational paradigm shift He suggests that we need to have a critical mass and in order for that to happen there must be a crossing of all barriers – unity is a must! “Critical mass” is a scientific term which, used in a societal frame, refers to “an explosion in global consciousness capable of ‘touching’ or transforming all of humankind.” The idea is that when a certain critical number of people all share the same awareness, then change can come to all people’s thinking because of the critical mass.”

From Rick Warren’s website (pastors.com) “This is a time, which calls for a critical mass of transformational leaders who will commit to creating a synergy of energy within their circle of influence so new level of social, economic, organizational and spiritual success can be reached. We have not, however, developed the leaders we need for this noble task. To reach such heights, we will need to un-tap the leadership potential of skillful leaders who are successfully directing various organizations and systems. Some of these men and women, knowledgeable and committed, to there profession, will be the transformational leaders we need to create the needed synergy of energy.” (Emphasiss added)

Are the DRC leaders’ efforts to birth a new missional strategy in South Africa focused on achieving this critical mass? The DRC clergy are already talking about “Mission as reconciliation” (Klippies Kritzinger) and “Acts being a book about crossing boundaries.” (Cobus van Wyngaard, My Contemplations). Here’s what Cobus and so many other DRC reverends believe:

Our group worked on Acts 15-20. Between 11:00 and 12:00 today, we identified the following as the most important theological thread for South Africa today:

Looking at our text, but also at the whole of Acts, we notice that Acts tell the story of boundries that was crossed. Of course, we didn’t notice this first, the scholars that introduced he discussion also pointed us to this. However, what we believe is important is that the boundry crossing always caused the Jerusalem church to change their theology. When Peter visit Cornelius, the theology change. At the meeting in Jerusalem, the fact that boundries have been crossed changes the theology.

That we need to cross boundries is commonly accepted in South Africa today. But crossing boundries need to change the theology of those on the inside. (Emphasis in the original text).

It is rather sad to hear learned men of the cloth say that the church at Jerusalem in the book of Acts always changed it’s theology and that when Peter visited Cornelius the theology also changed. The fact of the matter is that their theology never changed. If Peter’s, all the other apostles’ and the Jerusalem church’s theology needed change every time they crossed boundaries it would mean that their original theology was erroneous and that their conversion experience was false. What was their theology? The apostle Peter received their theology from the Holy Spirit on the Day of Pentecost when he encapsulated it as follows:

1) Jesus Christ was crucified and slain. (. . . this Man, delivered over by the predetermined plan and foreknowledge of God, you nailed to a cross by the hands of godless men and put Him to death (Acts 2:23).

2) Jesus Christ was raised from the dead. (But God raised Him up again, putting an end to the agony of death, since it was impossible for Him to be held in its power (Acts 2:24)

3) His resurrection was prophesized in advance according to the Scriptures. (And so, because he [David] was a prophet and knew that God had sworn to him with an oath to seat one of his descendants on his throne, he looked ahead and spoke of the resurrection of the Christ, that He was neither abandoned to Hades, nor did His flesh suffer decay (Acts 2: 30, 31).

4) His sacrificial death and resurrection demands a response through faith unto the remission of sins. Repent, and each of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins; and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit (Acts 2: 38)

Paul proclaimed the very same message much later in his first letter to the Corinthians.

1 Corinthians 15:1-5 Now I make known to you, brethren, the gospel which I preached to you, which also you received, in which also you stand, by which also you are saved, if you hold fast the word which I preached to you, unless you believed in vain. For I delivered to you as of first importance what I also received, that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, and that He was buried, and that He was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures, and that He appeared to Cephas, then to the twelve.

It was not the early church’s theology that changed or needed to change but some of the Jewish Christians’ perceptions in regard to God’s dealings with the gentiles. Peter’s vision of a great sheet being let down from heaven, containing clean and unclean animals, was not to teach him that he needed to alter his theology but to discard his Hebraic version of “Apartheid” which led him to believe that he would become unclean if he supped and dined with gentiles. He was rather slack in his understanding of Jesus’ words “Behold, I stand at the door, and knock: if any man hear my voice, and open the door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with me.” ”Any man” to him seemed to have referred to the Jews only, in much the same way the Calvinists regard “any man” or “the world” as a reference to the predestined elect only. Peter’s mind and attitude, not his theology, was changed when he came to the following conclusion :

Acts 15:9-11 “He made no distinction between us and them, for he purified their hearts by faith. Now then, why do you try to test God by putting on the necks of the disciples a yoke that neither we nor our fathers have been able to bear? No! We believe it is through the grace of our Lord Jesus that we are saved, just as they are.” (Emphasis added)

Have you noticed the profundity of Peter’s statement?  Peter said in effect: “We, the Jews, are saved in the very same way they, the gentiles are saved — by faith and faith alone in the finished work of Jesus Christ on the cross” He did not say that they, the Gentiles, are saved the same way as we, the Jews are. Peter’s statement of faith reached back into history 430 years before the Law was given and when Abraham, then still a Gentile, was made righteous through his faith in Jesus Christ (Galatians 3;17, 18). Gone was Peter’s exclusive brand of Hebraic Apartheid between Jewish and Gentile Christians who believed the same way. Does that imply that Christians have the right to change their theology or to compromise their faith when cultural boundaries are crossed? By no means, for if they do they cannot claim to believe the same way as Peter or the Gentile Christians in Acts to whom he referred.

Now, let us return to Newbigin’s doctrine of election. The question is, how do you reconcile two apparently irreconcilable opposites — the one, a system which draws exact boundaries between the elect and the non-elect (reprobate) and contained one of the building bricks in the wall of Apartheid, and the other, a system which promotes and works toward an all inclusive universalistic spirituality? How can someone like Lesslie Newbigin hold to the doctrine of election and simultaneously regard someone with weird and off-beat ideas as a brother in Christ? Hadn’t Newbigin categorically stated that he believes in the doctrine of election, his testimonial that “even if his ideas are weird or off-beat, I would regard him a a brother in Christ,” could have been contributed to Brian McLaren who made the following weird and off-beat statement:

“I must add, though, that I don’t believe making disciples must equal making adherents to the Christian religion. It may be advisable in many circumstances to help people become followers of Jesus and remain within their Buddhist, Hindu, or Jewish contexts.” (A Generous Orthodoxy, p. 260) (Emphasis added).

Lighthouse Trails had this to say about McLaren’s weird and off-beat antics.

Is Brian McLaren becoming an enemy of the Cross of Jesus Christ? While his signature and endorsement on the back of such books as Tony Campolo’s “Speaking My Mind” and Dave Fleming’s “The Seeker’s Way,” was horrible enough, that was mild compared to what he has now done.

In the midst of the Purpose Driven craze and an apparently sleeping church, Brian McLaren has endorsed a book that calls the doctrine of the Cross a vile doctrine. (p. 168, Reimagining Christianity – Alan Jones) (Emphasis added).

You may want to take me to task for making a connection between Lesslie Newbigin and Brian McLaren but before you do that I would like to draw your attention to an even more shocking notion that is making headway in the ranks of our new generation of South African pastors, one that needs to be taken very seriously, and that is the view that David Bosch is having a major influence on the emergent church in South Africa. The following very telling statement appears on Cobus van Wyngaard’s blog My Contemplations

For I believe a growing group of us, the work of David Bosch is becoming key to the emerging conversation in South Africa. He’s had an important influence on thinkers such as Alan Hirsch and Brian McLaren, he is South African, he wrote brilliantly, and on the questions that we are currently asking. So in attempting to answer the question I’ll refer to my own and other’s interpretation of Bosch, and show where I believe Bosch is guiding us at the moment. (Emphasis added)

If David Bosch is one of Brian McLaren’s major influences, he was indeed far ahead of his time but that certainly does not mean it is something to be admired. In fact, the church as a whole should be very concerned about the DRC’s apparent interest in the book of Acts while they are actually promoting the contemplative spiritualities of the Desert Fathers and their disciples. Of even greater concern is the fact that David Bosch adopted Hans Kung’s “Paradigm Theory” in his book “Transforming Mission” in an attempt “to demonstrate the extent to which the understanding and practice of mission have changed during almost twenty centuries of Christian missionary history.” (For a critique of Bosch’s use of paradigm theory, see Gerald Pillay, “Text, Paradigms, and Context: An Examination of David Bosch’s Use of Paradigms in the Reading of Christian History,” in Mission in Creative Tension, ed. J. N. J. Kritzinger and W. A. Saayman (Pretoria: Southern African Missiological Society, 1990), pp. 109-23.). To get a better insight into Hans Kung’s missiological paradigms I suggest you read here. it gives you an idea of the direction the missional or “sent churches” in South Africa are taking and it does not look good —  not good at all.

Deut 13: 1-3 If a prophet or a dreamer of dreams arises among you and gives you a sign or a wonder, and the sign or the wonder comes true, concerning which he spoke to you, saying, Let us go after other gods (whom you have not known) and let us serve them,’ you shall not listen to the words of that prophet or that dreamer of dreams; for the Lord your God is testing you to find out if you love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul. (Emphasis added)

Die Nederduits Gereformeerde Kerk se [Versnelde] Afwaartse Spiraal na Geloofsversaking

READ THE ENGLISH VERSION OF MY COMMENTARY HERE

Iemand vra my onlangs “Hoe is dit moontlik dat enigeen wat eens op ‘n tyd ‘n vaste geloof in Jesus Christus bely het skielik van dié geloof afvallig kan word en ‘n ander Jesus begin navolg terwyl hulle vas oortuig is dat hulle die regte Jesus volg?” Eers daarna het ek besef my antwoord was toe nie so oortuigend nie en ek het gevoel om my eie bas te skop omdat ek nie ‘n beter antwoord op ons postmoderne siekte van kroniese geestelike afval kon gee nie. Ek moet erken ek het baie beter gevoel toe ek besef dat toe Paulus met die fenomeen van afvalligheid geworstel het, hy maar ook net sy verbasing oor die ernstige en baie gevaarlike ontrouheid aan gesonde Bybelse leerstellings in die kerk in Galasië kon uitspreek sonder om enige goeie redes te gee. Die skokkendste ding van hulle afvalligheid was dat dit so skielik gebeur het. Dit het sedert Paulus se laaste sendingbesoek aan hulle en kort na die valse leraars se dreigende dwaalleerstellige infiltrasie van hulle kerk teen ‘n geweldige vinnige tempo toegeneem. Dit dui daarop dat wanneer dwaalleerstellings nie dadelik in die kiem gesmoor word nie en toegelaat word om sy gang te gaan dat dit baie vinnig soos ‘n kanker van liggaamsel tot liggaamsel versprei totdat die hele liggaam besmet word en uiteindelik doodgaan (2 Timotheus 2:13-19). Terloops, ds. Attie Nel van die NG Gemeente, Bergsig het op Sondag 10 Mei 2009 oor hierdie teksgedeelte gepreek, maar pleks daarvan om sy gemeentelede teen die menigvuldige dwaalleraars van ons tyd te waarsku, het hy die “whistle-blowers” as die sondebokke en kankerdraers uitgesonder en sy gemeentelede aanbeveel om eerder die webtuiste www.bible.org te lees indien hulle soliede Bybelmentors of leermeesters nodig het om hulle op hulle geestelike reis te begelei. Hy het gesê:

“Vandag is daar drie persone wat ‘n baie groot invloed op my lewe het: N.T. Wright, SCOT McKNIGHT Eugene Peterson. In Suid Afrika: Stephan Joubert en Jan van der Watt en selfs Adrio König. Elkeen van ons behoort in ons lewe ‘n leermeester te hê, of twee, verkieslik meer as een [en] sê: ‘ek sal graag by jou wil leer.’ Maar mense leer op verskillende maniere. Sommige leer deur te lees; ander leer deur te luister; ander leer deur te praat, te gesels. Ek hou nie van die gesels ding nie want ek dink te stadig. Maar, ek lees graag en ek luister graag. Nou! ek gaan vir jou ‘n webwerf se naam gee waar al drie hierdie goed gaan gebeur. Daar’s baie leesstof; dis baie goeie leesstof en behoudende teoloë; hulle publiseer elke dag op daardie webwerf en dan’s daar ook preke waarna jy kan luister en dan’s daar ‘n plek waar jy in gesprek kan gaan met ander ouens. Die adres is baie eenvoudig, www.bible.org. Gaan kyk daar; jy kan daardie persone maar ook jou leermeesters maak.”

Teen die einde van sy preek sê ds. Nel.

Maak God die eerste liefde, die enigste liefde in jou lewe. As ek dit alles gesê het, dan wonder mens nou maar, maar hoe leef ek dit uit? En juis een van die manne na wie ek in dié week geluister het hieroor, die Engels sê dit so maklik, hy sê “Just love Jesus.” Dis al. Wees net lief vir die Here. As jy die Here liefhet en as jy Hom meer liefhet as enigiets anders dan val die ander goed in plek. ‘Just love Jesus.” So maklik. So makklik. Dis nie ‘n emosie nie. Ek kies nie om iets te voel nie. Ek kies om iets te wees. Hoe voel dit om jou vrou life te hê? Ek weet nie. . . . Al wat ek weet, is ek wil niks doen wat haar seermaak nie. Hoe voel dit om jou vrou lief te hê? Ek weet nie. . . . Ek weet nie hoe voel dit nie. Al wat ek weet, is dat as ek ons kinders veilig kan hou; dis wat my vrou wil hê . . . ‘Just love Jesus.’”

Dit is inderdaad voortreflike woorde, maar voortreflike woorde skilder ongelukkig nie altyd vir ons die volledige prentjie nie. Jesus Christus wil ook hê dat ds. Attie Nel en al die ander herders in die NG Kerkfamilie God se kinders veilig moet hou, netsoos sy vrou wil hê hy hulle kinders veilig moet hou. Het Jesus dan nie juis gesê dat ons liefde vir Hom gespieëlbeeld word in die wyse waarop ons sy skape en lammers voed en oppas nie? (Johannes 21:15-17). Om Hom lief te hê is dus veel meer as net die versugting “just love Jesus.” Trouens, die Skrif sê nêrens dat ons net lief moet wees vir die Here nie. Liefde vir God vind neerslag in die wyse waarop jy sy Woord (leerstellings) hanteer en beoefen (Joh 14:21; 2 Joh 9) en ook in die wyse waarop jy sy kinders voed en oppas. Om God se kinders veilig te hou beteken in die eerste plek om hulle binne die omvang en parameters van sy Woord te voed en te bewaar sodat hulle geestelik mag groei en om hulle te beskerm teen die gewetenlose aanvalle van valse leraars. Doen ons herders dit? Nee, sê ek, want hulle is besig om die skape en die lammertjies oor die te gee aan leermeesters wat geheel en al ander dinge sê en doen as ons groot Leermeester, Jesus Christus. Hulle lei die skape en veral die lammers langs weë wat reg lyk maar in werklikheid weë van die dood is (Spreuke 14:12)

N.T. Wright, een van ds. Attie Nel se invloedryke leermeesters, is ‘n biskop in The Church of England wat Christene die war instuur met sy boek “What Saint Paul Really Said.” Hy is ook een van die medeskrywers van ‘n boek wat opslae maak in die kerk, genaamd “Stricken By God, Nonviolent Identification & the Victory of Christ deur Brad Jersak en Michael Hardin. Verskeie toonaangewende leiersfigure in die Ontluikende Kerk, o.a. Brian Mclaren, is gaande daaroor. Biskop Wright geniet hoë aansien in die geledere van die ontluikende kerk. Op bladsy 119 van sy boek “What Saint Paul Really Said” skryf hy die volgende oor die leerstelling van “regverdigmaking.”

“‘Regverdigmaking’ in die erste eeu het nie gegaan oor hoe iemand in die regte verhouding met God kom nie. Dit het gegaan oor God se eskatalogiese definisie van wie, beide toekomstig en teenswoordig, ‘n lid was van sy volk.”

Met hierdie konkoksie word van die leser verwag om nuut te dink oor die konsep van regverdigmaking. Volgens Wright word “regverdigmaking” nie meer omskryf in terme van God wat sondaars deur die toegesegde regverdigheid van sy Seun red nie, maar bloot as ‘n uitdrukking of spreekwyse (metafoor) van God se getrougheid t.o.v. sy verbond om Israel in die aangesig van die nasies te verdedig. G’n wonder Paulus het gesê nie:

Galasiërs 1: 6:7 Ek verwonder my dat julle so gou afvallig word van hom wat julle deur die genade van Christus geroep het, na ‘n ander evangelie toe, terwyl daar geen ander is nie; behalwe dat daar sommige mense is wat julle in die war bring en die evangelie van Christus wil verdraai. (Klem bygevoeg)

Die apostel Johannes was netso verbaas toe hy in ‘n visoen die apokaliptiese VERBORGENHEID, DIE GROOT BABILON, DIE MOEDER VAN DIE HOERE EN VAN DIE GRUWELS VAN DIE AARDE gesien het:

Openbaring 17:6 En ek het die vrou gesien, dronk van die bloed van die heiliges en van die bloed van die getuies van Jesus, en ek het my uitermate verwonder toe ek haar sien. (Klem bygevoeg)

Om die waarheid te sê, dieselfde woord vir “verwondering,” “thaumazo { thou-mad’-zo},” word in albei hierdie teksgedeeltes gebruik. Ongelukkig het verbasing (verstomming, verbystering en skok) plek gemaak vir bewondering en waardering, in so ‘n mate dat die eens ontoelaatbare en afkeurenswaardige leerstellings van die Rooms Katolieke Kerk met toenemende ywer en verwondering in Protestantse kringe geassimileer word. Diegene wat nie die globaal georkestreerde en onverbiddelike pogings van sommige van die mees gerespekteerde geestelike leiers in die Rooms Katolieke en Protestantse kerke om die Reformasie om te keer, raaksien nie, hoef net vir ‘n uur lank op die internet rond te snuffel om agter te kom hoe ver hulle gevorder het om die skeidslyn tussen die twee uit die weg te ruim. Tydens my navorsing op die internet het ek op ‘n webuiste met die naam PBS afgekom wat via hulle televisiestasies en internet-beriggewing op die voorpunt staan in die verskaffing van nuus en menings. Hulle maak aanspraak op ‘n gehoor van oor die 65 miljoen kykers en luisteraars wat die wêrelde van die wetenskap, geskiedenis, die natuur en openbare aangeleenthede in hulle binnekamers kan ervaar; diverse menings hoor en die voorste sitplek aanbiedinge van wêreldklas dramas en opvoerings kan geniet. Ek het veral belanggestel in hulle blad genaamd RELIGION AND ETHICS en hulle voorbladberig onder die titel “Protestant Mary” wat op 17 Desember 2004 verskyn het. Kim Lawton, Hoofredakteur/Korrespondent en bekroonde verslaggewer en skrywer wat al amper 20 jaar lank in die uitsaai- en drukkersbedryf werk en aangeleenthede rondom die godsdiens, die etiek en die kultuur aanraak, het onderhoude met verskeie bekende kerklui en akademici gevoer. Sy het Prof. Timothy George, “Southern Baptist” en deken van die Evangelical Divinity School in Birmingham, Alabama, voorgestel as ‘n voorbeeld van een van die toenemende aantal teoloë en skrywers wat evangeliese Christene en ander Protestante dringend versoek om op te hou om Maria te ignoreer. Sy het ook ‘n onderhoud gevoer met Professor BEVERLEY ROBERTS GAVENTA (Princeton Teologiese Kweekskool) wat aandring op ‘n nuwe Protestantse beskouing van Maria. Sy sê:

So even in order to understand fully what those Gospels are about, which is so much what Protestants prize, we have to pay more attention to her. We can’t just bring her out for Christmas Eve and put her back away on the 26th.

Kan u agterkom hoedat die postmoderne obessie met die herverwoording, herinkleding, herinterpretasie vaan die Rvanelie besig is om elke faset van die kerk te deursuur en te verkanker? Ons moet nou kwansuis meer aandag aan moeder Maria skenk sodat ons die vier evangelies en natuurlik ook die boek Handelinge volledig te kan verstaan. Watse nonsens is dit? . . . en tog nooi die NG Kerk sulke mense om ons te kom leer hoe om die boek Handelinge te gebruik vir die vestiging van n missionale strategie in die Suid-Afrikaanse konteks.

Waarom moet ons meer aandag gee aan Maria terwyl sy nouliks of ooit bygedra het tot die bevordering of beligting van die Evangelie? Daardie taak is aan die twaalf apostels opgedra van wie Jesus eenmaal gesê het: “Dáár is my moeder en my broers. Want elkeen wat die wil doen van my Vader wat in die hemele is, dié is my broer en suster en moeder.” Ons durf nie partydig wees nie terwyl Christus self elke persoon wat die wil van sy Vader in die hemel doen, uitgesonder het as sy broer en suster en moeder. Maria wat haarself aan God oorgegee het sodat Hy sy wil t.o.v. die vleeswording van God die Seun kon bereik, was inderdaad geseënd maar so-ook is die armes van gees, hulle wat treur oor hulle sondes en oortredinge, die sagmoediges, die wat honger en dors na God se geregtigheid, die barmhartiges, die wat rein van hart is, die vredemakers en hulle wat ter wille van die geregtigheid vervolg word. Niemand kan ontken dat Maria die geseënde verkose instrument van God was, want as Hy dit nie gedoen het nie sou ons geseënde Heer en Verlosser nooit vlees en bloed deelagtig kon word nie en sou ons sondes en oortredinge nooit in sy geslane en bebloede liggaam aan die kruis geoordeel kon word nie. Die maagdelike en uitverkore instrument was voorwaar geseënd maar nie meer as enige ander man, vrou en kind wat die wil van sy Vader in die hemel doen nie. Sodra ons Maria op ‘n troontjie plaas om haar vir spesiale aandag bo alle ander mense wat God se wil doen, uit te sonder, is ons gevaarlik na-aan die Maria-verering van die Rooms Katolieke kerk. Maria-verering in die Rooms Katolieke tradisie gaan nie maar net daarom om Maria op ou-Kersaand en kersfees tevoorskyn te haal nie en om haar betekenis te re-evalueer sodat ons die Evangelies beter en vollediger kan verstaan nie. Die uiteindelike doel van Maria-verering is om Maria as Mede-verlosser saam met en gelyk aan Jesus Christus te verklaar. Die volgende definisie van die woord “Mede-verlosser” verskyn in Wikipedia.

Mede-verlosser in Rooms Katolieke Maria-verering verwys na die rol van die Geseënde Maagd Maria in die verslossingsproses. Dit is ‘n ander konsep as Bemiddelaarster [Mediatrix]. Die konsep van Mede-verlosser verwys na ‘n indirekte of ongelyke maar belangrike deelname deur die Geseënde Maagd Maria in die verlossing. Sy het vryelik ingewillig om die lewe te skenk aan die verlosser, om sy lewe te deel, om saam met hom onder die kruis te ly en om hom vir die doel van die redding van die mensdom te offer. Mede-verlosser is nog nie formeel as ‘n dogma geformuleer nie, hoewel petisies vir die verklaring daarvan (tesame met Bemiddelaarster [Mediatrix]) tot dogma deur verskeie Kardinale aan die Pous oorhandig is. Dit sal ‘n Vyfde Maria-dogma word as dit deur die Heilige Stoel goedgekeur word.

Miljoene Rooms Katolieke het reeds ‘n petisie opgetrek en dit aan die Pous oorhandig waarin hulle by hom pleit om Maria tot Mede-verlosser, Bemiddelaarster en Advokaat vir alle Christene te verklaar. Op 9 April 1997 het die afgestorwe Pous Johannes Paulus II tyens een van sy oudiënsies
verwys na die rol van Maria in die kruisiging.

“Maria . . . het in die rol van moeder in die gebeurtenis self deelgeneem; dus omhels haar deelname die totaliteit van Christus se reddingswerk. Sy alleen was op hierdie wyse geassosieer met die verlossingsoffer wat die redding van die mensdom verdien het. In harmonie met Christus en in oorgawe aan hom, het sy meegewerk in die verkryging van die genade van verlossing vir alle mense. . . . In God se plan is Maria die ‘vrou’ (cf. Johannes 2:4; Johannes 19:26), die Nuwe Eva wat verenig is met die Nuwe Adam om die mensdom tot sy oorspronklike staat van waardigheid te herstel. Haar samewerking met haar Seun word vir alle tye voortgesit in die universele moederskap wat sy in die rang van genade geniet. Deur te vertrou op hierdie maternale samewerking , laat ons ons tot Maria wend, terwyl ons haar smeek om ons te help in al ons node (Klem bygevoeg).

Die onheilspellende realiteit van die groeiende en wêreldwye versoek om Maria tot Mede-verlosser, Bemiddelaarster [Mediatrix] en Advokaat vir alle Christene te verklaar is dat dit ‘n toenemend bonatuurlike dimensie met die talle Maria-verskynings dwarsoor die wêreld aangeneem het. In baie van hierdie Maria-verskynings maak sy daarop aanspraak dat sy inderdaad die Mede-verlosser, Bemiddelaarster, Advokaat, Verlosser (Vredesark) en alomteenwoordige is; alles titels wat aan God alleen toegedig kan word. Haar mees ontstellende aanspraak is dat sy die Mede-verlosser van die wêreld is. Die volgende aanhalings kom regstreeks uit die mond van die “Maria” wat baie mense oor die wêreld heen gesien het.

“Ek staan hier as Mede-verlosser en Advokaat. Alles moet daarop gekonsentreer word. Sê agter my aan: Die nuwe dogma sal die dogma van die Mede-verlosser wees. Ek sal nie in staat wees om my mag in die ewige werk van Mede-verlosser en in die universele bemidddeling van genades te kan doen nie, nie voordat erkenning aan my verleen word nie, dáár waar die allerheiligste Drie-eenheid my wil hê.”

Sy maak daarop aanspraak dat sy saam met Christus vir die sondes van die wêreld gely het.

Ek het julle lief al is jy ver van my en my seun. Ek vra julle om nie toe te laat nie dat my hart trane van bloed stort vir die siele wat vanweë hulle sondes verlore gaan.

Ek het vir ‘n lang tyd vir julle gely. Ek word gedwing om self sonder ophou tot hom te bid omdat ek nie wil hê hy moet julle verlaat nie. Julle gee nie ag nie. Wat julle ookal doen, julle kan nooit die pyn wat ek namens julle verdra het, vergoed nie.

Ek verklaar met oortuiging dat sy lyding my lyding geword het omdat sy hart myne was. En net soos Adam en Eva die wêreld vir ‘n appel verkoop het, so het ek en my seun in ‘n sekere sin die wêreld met een hart verlos.

Ek is sy wat verwant is aan die goddelike Drie-eenheid. Ek is die maagd van Openbaring.

My kinders, ek is die Deur van die hemel en ‘n hulp op aarde.

Sy moedig haar kinders aan om haar beelde te vereer.

As moeder wil ek julle vertel dat ek hier met julle is in die beelde wat wat julle hier het. Elkeen van my beelde is ‘n teken van my teenwoordigheid en herinner julle aan julle hemelse moeder. Daarom moet dit vereer word en in plekke van groot eerbied geplaas word. Julle moet met liefde na elke beeld van julle hemelse moeder kyk.

Sy moedig haar volgelinge ook aan om heilige plekke en tempels in haar eer te bou.

Ek begeer vuriglik dat ‘n tempel vir my gebou word waar ek al my liefde, barmhartigheid, hulp en beskerming kan toon en offer want ek is julle genadige moeder.

In 1999 is sy nie net as die Mede-verlosser in Amsterdam vereer nie maaar ook vir die eerste keer as die Die Vrou van al die Nasies.

In een van haar verskynings het sy die volgende gesê:

Wanneer die dogma, die laaste dogma in Maria se geskiedenis aangekondig is, sal Die Vrou van al die Nasies vrede, ware vrede op aarde gee. Die nasies moet ewewel my gebed in eenheid met die kerk opsê. Hulle moet weet dat Die Vrou van al die Nasies gekom het as Mede-verlosser, Mediatrix en Advokaat.

Die Maria-verskynings maak nou dus ook daarop aanspraak dat sy nie meer net die Moeder van God is nie maar ook die Vrou van al die nasies en sodra die Pous haar amptelik tot die Mede-verlosser saam met Christus verklaar, sal sy die nuwe era van vrede inlei.

Praat van die moeder van die eucharistie want die moeder van die eucharistie sluit die geskiedenis af. Al die boodskappe kom van God en oral waar ek verskyn, praat ek oor dieselfde dinge. Vanweë die triomf van die eucharistie, wil die moeder hê dat al die kerke verenig word sodat daar net een kerk vir alle mense moes wees.

Miskien het julle al begin wonder waarom ek u hierdie dinge meedeel en hoedat hulle inpas by die NG Kerk se afwaartse spiraal van afvalligheid. Die kerk is nie net besig om stormderhand oorgeneem te word deur die mistieke spirituatliteit van die Desert Fathers en ander persoonlikhede in die Roomse tradisie nie (o.a. kontemplatiewe gebed, sentreergebede, lectio divina, lectio continua, enneagramme, labirinte, afsondering, die stilte, meditasie, asemgebede, die Jesusgebed, kontemplatiewe retraits, twaalf kruisstasies, Jesuskerse, ikone, Ignatius kontemplasie, ens.) maar is ook besig om haar ware kleure en doelstellings te toon, nl. Om die Protestante terug te lei na die Rooms Katolieke Kerk.

Die Teologiese Fakulteit aan die Universiteit van Stellenbosch en Communitas bied gesamentlik ‘n driedaagse konferensie aan van 18 tot 20 Mei 2009 met die tema “Wat kan ons uit die boek Handelinge oor Missionêre Gemeente-wees leer?” Die konferensie sal navorsgroepe op dreef kry om sewe temas in die boek Handelinge oor ‘n periode van drie jaar te bestudeer. Die projek het dit ten doel om twee hoof diskussies binne die konteks van die teologie en kerkpraktyk te versoen. BEVERLY GAVENTA (Princeton Teologiese Kweekskool) wie ek reeds flussies aan julle bekend gestel het as iemand wat ‘n nuwe Protestantse navorsing oor Maria aanmoedig en SCOT McKNIGHT (North Park Universiteit, Chicago) is die hoofsprekers op die konferensie. Soos Prof. Gaventa, moedig McKnight Protestantse kerke aan om Maria te vereer. Die volgende uittreksel het in een die webtuiste Lighthouse Trails Research se Nuusbriewe verskyn.

In die ontluikende kerkleier, Scot McKnight, se boek, “The Real Mary: Why Evangelical Christians Can Embrace the Mother of Jesus, sê McKnight dat die Protestantse Christene die enigste Christene is wat Maria nie eer nie. Hy stel voor dat Protestantse kerke almal ‘n “Dag van Maria-verering” (p144) vier en sê dat sy “lei ons na Jesus wat verlossing bring . . . Om na Maria te luister is om die boodskap van Jesus se dood en opstanding as ‘n mega-gebeurtenis te hoor waardeur God ‘n nuwe soort krag, ‘n nuwe soort familie en ‘n nuwe soort koninkryk (p.145) gevestig het. McKnight beskryf hierdie groot gebeurtenis as’n tyd waarop die wêreld bymekaar sal kom om Maria te aanbid.

McKnight wat reeds ‘n groot impak het op die ontluikende kerk is ook hartstogtelik besig om die Eucharisiese Jesus in Protestantse kringe te bevorder. Hy sê dat “die Eucharistie dit moontlik maak om die genade van God met al sy glories en seëninge te ontvang.” (Scot McKnight, Turning to Jesus, Louisville, KY Westminister Johh Knox Press, 2002, p. 7).

Dit is duidelik dat die NG Kerk se drie-daagse konferense met die tema “Wat kan ons uit die boek Handelinge oor Missionêre Gemeente-wees leer?” niks anders as ‘n baie goed-gekamofleerde poging is om die Roomse Katolieke Kerk se Nuwe Evanglisasie program te bevorder. Baie jong NG kerk predikante is besig om hulle toenemend vir ‘n missionale stategie om die koninkryk van God op aarde te bring te beywer en om hulle lidmate aan te moedig om volgelinge van Jesus te word. Die Jesus wat hulle volg is stadig maar seker besig om in die Eucharistiese Jesus te verander wat herhaaldelik op die altare van Rooms Katolieke katedrale dwarsoor die wêreld geoffer word. Vir meer inligting hioeroor lees gerus hier.

Jeremia 44:15-25 Die mans, wat almal geweet het dat hulle vrouens vir ander gode offer, en al die vrouens wat teenwoordig was, ‘n hele menigte, trouens, almal wat daar in Egipte in Patros gewoon het, het toe vir Jeremia gesê: “Ons gaan nie luister na wat jy vir ons sê in die Naam van die Here nie. Ons sal bly doen wat ons beloof het: ons sal vir die hemelkoningin wierookoffers bring en drankoffers uitgiet net soos ons, ons voorvaders, ons konings en ons amptenare in die stede van Juda en op die strate van Jerusalem gedoen het. Ons het daardie tyd genoeg te eet gehad, ons was voorspoedig, en geen ramp het ons getref nie. Dit is vandat ons opgehou het om vir die hemelkoningin wierookoffers te bring en drankoffers uit te giet dat ons aan alles gebrek het en dat ons sterf deur oorlog en deur hongersnood.” Die vrouens het bygevoeg: “Dink jy ons het sonder die medewete van ons mans vir die hemelkoningin wierookoffers gebring en drankoffers uitgegiet en vir haar offerkoekies gebak wat soos sy lyk?” Toe sê Jeremia vir al die mense, vir die mans en die vrouens, vir almal wat hom so geantwoord het: “Het die Here nie juis gedink aan die wierookoffers wat julle in die stede van Juda en op die strate van Jerusalem gebring het nie, julle en julle voorvaders, julle konings en julle amptenare, het Hy nie juis dít in ag geneem nie? Hy kon julle gruweldade, die afskuwelike dinge wat julle gedoen het, nie langer verdra nie. Daarom het julle land ‘n puinhoop geword, iets wat mense met afgryse vervul en wat as voorbeeld genoem word wanneer mense ander iets slegs toewens, ‘n land sonder inwoner, soos dit vandag is. Dit is omdat julle die wierookoffers gebring het en teen die Here gesondig het, omdat julle ongehoorsaam was aan die Here en nie geleef het volgens sy wet, sy voorskrifte en sy verordeninge nie, dat die ramp julle getref het soos dit vandag is!” Jeremia het verder vir al die mense, ook vir al die vrouens, gesê: Hoor die woord van die Here, alle Judeërs in Egipte! So sê die Here die Almagtige, die God van Israel: Julle en julle vrouens het gedoen wat julle beloof het. Julle het gesê julle sal bly by julle belofte om vir die hemelkoningin wierookoffers en drankoffers te bring. Hou by julle belofte, hou daarby, doen wat julle beloof het, doen dit!

Wanneer ‘n kerk, sy leiers, hulle landgenote en hulle land weier om te luister na God se waarskuwings in sy Woord, gee Hy hulle oor aan hulle eie begeertes en laat hulle begaan om selfs dieper in hulle selfopgelegde, afvalligheid en afgodiese leefstyle te versink. Soos Israel van ouds het hulle ook hulle redes vir hulle ongehoorsaamheid. Ons land is reeds lank in die greep van misdaad en geweld verstrengel en ten spyte van die baie waarskuwing uit verskeie oorde dwarsoor die land, gaan kerkleiers en in die besonder ons jonger geslag kerklui onverpoos en verbete voort om hulle eie “nuwe-hart” en “labirinte” weë te volg om vrede en versoening in die hand te werk. Ook hulle sê: “Ons en ons vaders, ons konings en ons amptenare — in al die stede van Suid-Afrika — sal vrede, voorspoed en geluk bewerkstellig deur ons eie pogings en metodes. Ons het die ou weë beproef, maar dit het nie gewerk nie. Laat ons die Evangelie herbedink en konteksualiseer; laat ons luister na die volgelinge van ander geloofsoortuigings en in eenheid en harmonie met hulle saamwerk om ons geliefde land te red.” God sê vir hulle nes Hy vir Israel gesê het: “Bly by julle beloftes om vrede en kwansuis My Koninkryk op aarde met julle verfoeilike metodes in te bring; bring eer aan die hemelkoningin soos my volk dit in die ou dae gedoen het — bevestig dan nou maar julle geloftes, ja, hou nou maar julle geloftes!”

1 Korinthiërs 9:10-11 Laat ons Christus nie uittart nie, soos sommige van hulle Hom uitgetart het, en hulle het deur slange omgekom. En moenie teen God in verset kom nie, soos sommige van hulle in verset gekom het, en hulle het deur die engel van die dood omgekom. Hierdie dinge het oor hulle gekom as ‘n voorbeeld vir ons en is opgeskryf as ‘n waarskuwing vir ons wat die einde van die tye al beleef.

The Dutch Reformed Church’s [Accelerated] Downward Spiral into Apostasy

Someone recently asked me “How is it possible that anyone who once proclaimed a steadfast faith in Jesus Christ can apostatize from the truth and begin to follow another Jesus, and yet still believe that they are following the real Jesus?” In hindsight I knew my answer was rather flimsy at the time and I felt like kicking my own rear-end for not having provided a better reason for our postmodern malady of chronic apostasy. I must admit I felt much better when I realized that when Paul grappled with the phenomenon of apostasy he could only express his astonishment at the serious and very dangerous defection from sound biblical doctrine in the church at Galatia without giving any sound reasons. The most amazing thing about their apostasy was that it happened so quickly. It accelerated at an alarming rate since Paul’s last missionary journey to Galatia and very soon after the false teachers began to infiltrate the church with their menacing heresies. It indicates that when doctrinal error is allowed to continue unabated and is not immediately nipped in the bud it will quickly spread like a cancerous tumour, spreading rapidly from body cell to body cell until the entire body is infected and eventually killed (2 Timothy 2:13-19). Incidentally, rev. Attie Nel of the DR Church Bergsig delivered a sermon on this passage but instead of warning his congregants against the manifold false teachers of our time, he singled out the “whistle-blowers” as the whipping-boys and cancer carriers and advised his congregants to rather surf the site http://bible.org if they needed solid biblical mentors or teachers to guide them on their spiritual journey. He said:

“Today there are three persons who’ve had a very significant influence on my life: N.T. Wright, SCOT McKNIGHT and Eugene Peterson. In South Africa: Stephan Joubert and Jan van der Watt, and even Adrio König. Everyone of us should have a teacher or two in our lives, preferably more than one [and] say: ‘I am eager to learn from you.’ However, people learn in different ways. Some learn through reading; others though listening; yet others learn though talking, discussion. I do not like to talk because I am a slow thinker, but I’m an avid reader and listener. Now, I’m going to give you a website’s name where all three of these things occur. There’s a lot of reading-matter, very good reading-matter and conservative theologians; they publish daily on that site and there is also sermons you may listen to, and there’s a place where you can chat with others. The address is very simple, www.bible.org. Pop in there; you can also make those persons your teachers.”

Toward the end of his sermon rev. Nel says:

“Make God the first love, the only love in your life. Having said that, one wonders, ‘but how do I live it?’ And one of the persons I heard speaking about this, this week, he said ‘Just love Jesus.’ That’s all. Only love the Lord. If you love the Lord and if you love Him more than anything else everything falls into place. Its so easy. Its so easy. Its not an emotion. I do not choose to feel something. I choose to be something. How does it feel to love your wife? I don’t know . . . All I know is that I would do nothing to hurt her. How does it feel to love your wife? I don’t know . . . I do not know what it feels like. All I know is that when I keep my children in safety, that is what my wife wants of me . . . ‘Just love Jesus’”

These are indeed precious words but unfortunately precious words do not always paint the full picture. Jesus Christ also wants rev. Attie Nel and all the other pastors in the Dutch Reformed Church family to keep God’s children safely, just as his wife wants him to keep their kids in safety. Didn’t Jesus say that our love for Him will be mirrored in the way we feed and keep his sheep and lambs? (John 21: 15-17). To love Jesus is therefore much more than a mere pious wish to “just love Jesus.” In fact, Scripture never says that we should “just love Jesus.” Love for God finds its highest expression in the way you handle and practice His Word (doctrines) (John 14:21; 2 John 9) and also in the way you feed and keep his children. In the first place, to keep God’s children safely means to preserve and feed them within the constraints and parameters of His Word so that they may grow spiritually and to protect them against the unscrupulous attacks of false teachers. Are our pastors doing that? No, say I, because they are delivering up the sheep and the lambs to teachers who are saying and doing things contrary to our Great Teacher, Jesus Christ. They are leading the sheep and especially the lambs along ways that seem right but the ends thereof are the ways of death (Proverbs 14:12).

N.T. Wright, one of rev. Attie Nel’s influential teachers, is a bishop in The Church of England who are confusing God’s children with his book “What Saint Paul Really Said.” He is also one of the co-writers of a book that is causing an uproar in the church, called “Stricken By God, Nonviolent Identification & the Victory of Christ edited by Brad Jersak en Michael Hardin. Several distinguished leaders in the Emergent Church, amongst them Brian McLaren, have endorsed it with gusto. Bishop Wright is an highly esteemed person in the Emergent Church. On page 119 of his book “What Saint Paul Really Said” he wrote the following on the doctrine of justification.

“‘Justification’ in the first century was not about how someone might establish a relationship with God.  It was about God’s eschatological definition, both future and present, of who was, in fact, a member of his people.”

With this concoction readers are expected to rethink the concept of justification. According to Wright “justification” cannot be interpreted in terms of God’s imputed righteousness of His Son to save sinners, but merely as an expression or locution (metaphor) of God’s covenant faithfulness in vindicating Israel in the face of the nations. No wonder Paul lamented:

Galatians 1:6-7 I am surprised and astonished that you are so quickly turning renegade and deserting Him Who invited and called you by the grace (unmerited favor) of Christ (the Messiah) [and that you are transferring your allegiance] to a different [even an opposition] gospel. Not that there is [or could be] any other [genuine Gospel], but there are [obviously] some who are troubling and disturbing and bewildering you with a different kind of teaching which they offer as a gospel] and want to pervert and distort the Gospel of Christ (the Messiah) [into something which it absolutely is not].

The apostle John was equally astonished when he was shown the apocalyptic MYSTERY BABYLON, THE MOTHER OF HARLOTS AND ABOMINATIONS OF THE EARTH and the woman who was drunken with the blood of the saints, and with the blood of the martyrs of Jesus (Revelation 17:6). In fact, the very same word “thaumazo { thou-mad’-zo}” is used in both these passages. Unfortunately astonishment (amazement, bewilderment and shock) have been replaced by admiration and appreciation, even to the extent that the once disallowed and disavowed doctrines of the Roman Catholic Church are being assimilated in Protestant circles with accelerated zeal and wonderment. Those who fail to notice the globally orchestrated and unrelenting efforts of some of the most revered spiritual leaders in both the Roman Catholic and Protestant churches to reverse the Reformation need to surf the internet for only a few hours to see how far they have progressed to eradicate the divide between the two. During my research on the internet I happened to stumble on a site entitled PBS that seems to be on the forefront of providing international news and views via their television stations and internet content. They claim to reach more than 65 million people every week and invite their viewers and listeners to experience the worlds of science, history, nature and public affairs; hear diverse viewpoints; and take front row seats to world-class drama and performances. I was particularly interested in their page called RELIGION AND ETHICS and its cover story “Protestant Mary” which appeared on December 17, 2004. Kim Lawton, Managing Editor/Correspondent and award winning reporter, producer, writer and editor who has worked in broadcast media and print for nearly 20 years covering religion, ethics, and culture, interviewed several well-known clergy and academics. She introduced Prof. Timothy George, Southern Baptist and dean of the evangelical Beeson Divinity School in Birmingham, Alabama, as one of a growing number of theologians and writers urging evangelicals and other Protestants to stop ignoring Mary. She also interviewed Professor BEVERLY ROBERTS GAVENTA (Princeton Theological Seminary) who is calling for a new Protestant examination of Mary.

So even in order to understand fully what those Gospels are about, which is so much what Protestants prize, we have to pay more attention to her. We can’t just bring her out for Christmas Eve and put her back away on the 26th.

Why do we need to pay more attention to Mary when she hardly or ever contributed to the advancement or illumination of the Gospel? That task was given to the twelve apostles of whom Jesus once said: “Behold my mother and my brethren! For whosoever shall do the will of my Father which is in heaven, the same is my brother, and sister, and mother.” We dare not show any partiality when Christ himself singled out every person who does the will of His Father in heaven to be his brother and sister and mother. Mary who presented herself to God so that He may accomplish His will in regard to the incarnation of God the Son, was indeed blessed but so are the poor in spirit, they that mourn over their sins, the meek, the hungry who thirst after the righteousness of God, the merciful, the pure in heart, the peacemakers and those who are persecuted for righteousness’ sake. No one can deny that Mary was a blessed chosen vessel of God, for had He not done so our blessed Lord and Saviour could never have partaken of flesh and blood so that our sins and transgressions could be judged in His torn and bloodied body on the cross. The virgin vessel was blessed but no more than every man, woman and child who do the will of His Father in heaven. As soon as we place Mary on a pedestal to single her out for special attention above all the others whom Jesus Christ referred to as his brothers and sisters and mothers, we are dangerously close to the Mariology of Roman Catholicism. Mariology in the Roman Catholic tradition is not just about bringing Mary out of Christmas Eve and examining her position for a better and fuller understanding of the Gospels. The ultimate goal of Mariology is to proclaim Mary Co-redemptrix with Jesus Christ. The following definition of the word “Co-redemptrix” appears on Wikipedia.

Co-Redemptrix in Roman Catholic Mariology refers to the role of the Blessed Virgin Mary in the redemption process. It is a separate concept from Mediatrix. The concept of Co-redemptrix refers to an indirect or unequal but important participation by the Blessed Virgin Mary in redemption. She gave free consent to give life to the redeemer, to share his life, to suffer with him under the cross and to sacrifice him for the sake of the redemption of humankind. Co-Redemptrix has not been formally defined as a dogma, although petitions for declaring it (along with Mediatrix) a dogma have been submitted to the pope by various Cardinals and bishops. It would become a fifth Marian dogma if approved by the Holy See.

Millions of Roman Catholics have signed and submitted a petition to the Pope, pleading with him to declare Mary Co-redemptrix, Mediatix and Advocate for all Christians. On April 9, 1997 the late Pope John Paul II referred to the role of Mary in the crucifixion during an audience as follows:

Mary … co-operated during the event itself and in the role of mother; thus her co-operation embraces the whole of Christ’s saving work. She alone was associated in this way with the redemptive sacrifice that merited the salvation of all mankind. In union with Christ and in submission to him, she collaborated in obtaining the grace of salvation for all humanity…In God’s plan, Mary is the ‘woman’ (cf. John 2:4; John 19:26), the New Eve, united to the New Adam in restoring humanity to its original dignity. Her cooperation with her Son continues for all time in the universal motherhood which she enjoys in the order of grace. Trusting in this maternal cooperation, let us turn to Mary, imploring her help in all our needs. (Emphasis added)

The ominous reality about the growing world-wide appeal to proclaim Mary the Co-redemptrix, Mediatrix and Advocate for all Christians is that it has taken on an increasingly supernatural dimension with the many Marian apparitions throughout the world. In many of these Marian apparitions she claims to be the Mediatrix, Advocate, Saviour (Ark of peace) and ever-present, titles which belong to Christ alone. Her most alarming claim is that she is the Co-Redemptrix or Co-redeemer of the world. The following quotes are directly from the lips of the “Mary” many people have seen in her apparitions throughout the world.

I stand here as the Co-redemptix and Advocate. Everything should be concentrated on that. Repeat after me: The new dogma will be the dogma of the Co-Redemptrix. Until I’m acknowledged, there with the most holy Trinity, has willed me to be, I will not be able to exercise my power fully in the eternal work of co-redemption and in the universal mediation of graces.”

She claims to have suffered with Christ for the sins of the world.

I love you even if you are far away from me and my son. I ask you not to allow my heart to shed tears of blood because of the souls who are being lost through sin.

For a long time I have suffered for you. If I don’t want my son to abandon you, I am forced to pray to him myself without ceasing. You pay no heed. However much you would do, you can never recompense the pain I have taken for you.

I boldly assert that his suffering became my suffering because his heart was mine. And just as Adam and Eve sold the world for an apple, so in a certain sense my son and I redeemed the world with one heart.

I am she who is related to the divine Trinity. I am the virgin of Revelation.

My children, I am the Door of heaven and a help on earth.

She encourages her children to venerate her statues.

As mother I want to tell you that I am here with you represented by the statues you have here. Each of my statues is a sign of a presence of mine and reminds you of your heavenly mother. Therefore, it must be honored and put in places of greater veneration. You should look with love at every image of your heavenly mother.

She also encourages her followers to build shrines and temples to her honour

I ardently desire a temple built for me here where I can show and offer all my love, compassion, help and protection, for I am your merciful mother.

In 1999 in Amsterdam she was not only hailed as the Co-Redemptrix but also for the first time as The Lady of all Nations. In one of her apparitions she said the following-

When the dogma, the last dogma in Mary’s history has been proclaimed, the Lady of Nations will give peace, true peace to the world. The nations, however, must say my prayer in union with the church. They must know that the Lady of all nations has come as Co-Redemptrix, Mediatrix and Advocate.

The Marian apparition now claims that she is not only Mary the mother of God but also Lady of all the Nations and as soon as the Pope declares her to be the Co-Redeemer with Christ she will usher in a new era of peace.

Speak about the mother of the Eucharist because the mother of the Eucharist closes history. All the messages come from God and everywhere that I am appearing I am speaking about the same things. Because of the triumph of the Eucharist, the mother wants all the churches to be reunited so that there will be only one church for all the people (Emphasis added).

You may have begun to wonder why I am telling you these things and how they tie in with the Dutch Reformed Church’s downward spiral into apostasy. Not only has the emerging mystical spirituality (contemplative prayer, centering prayer, lectio divina, lectio continua, enneagrams, labyrinths, solitude, the silence, meditation, breath prayers, the Jesus prayer, contemplative retreats, twelve cross stations, Jesus candles, icons, Ignatian contemplation, the Desert fathers etc.) taken the church by storm, it is beginning to show its true colours and purpose which is to bring Protestants back into the Roman Catholic fold.

The Faculty of Theology at the University of Stellenbosch and Communitas will be hosting a three-day conference on the theme “What can we learn from the book of Acts about being a Missional Church?” from 18-20 May 2009. The conference will launch research groups that will work on seven themes in the Book of Acts over a period of three years. The project aims at bringing together two major discussions within the context of theology and church practice. Proff. BEVERLY GAVENTA (Princeton Theological Seminary) who I have already briefly introduced to you as a promulgator for a new Protestant examination of Mary and SCOT McKNIGHT (North Park University, Chicago) will be the main speakers at the conference. Like Prof. Gaventa, McKnight urges Protestant churches to honour Mary. The following excerpt appeared in one of the site Lighthouse Trials Research’s newsletters:

In emerging church leader, Scot McKnight’s book, The Real Mary: Why Evangelical Christians Can Embrace the Mother of Jesus, McKnight says that Protestant Christians are the only Christians who do not honor Mary. He recommends that Protestant churches all practice an “Honor Mary Day” (p. 144), saying she “leads us to a Jesus who brings redemption … To listen to Mary is to hear the message of Jesus’ death and resurrection as a mega-event whereby God established a new kind of power, a new kind of family, and a new kind of kingdom” (p. 145). McKnight describes this great event as a time when the world will come together and worship Mary (Emphasis added).

McKnight who is already having a great impact on the emerging church is also passionately promoting the Eucharistic Jesus in Protestant circles. He says that “the Eucharist profoundly enables the grace of God to be received with all its glories and blessings.”(Scot McKnight, Turning to Jesus, (Louisville, KY: Westminister John Knox Press, 2002 edition, p. 7).

It is evident that the Dutch Reformed Church’s three-day conference on the theme “What can we learn from the Book of Acts about being a Missional Church” is nothing but a well-disguised effort to promote the Roman Catholic Church’s New Evangelization programme. Many young Dutch Reformed Church clergy are progressively opting for a missionary strategy to establish the Kingdom of God on earth and are urging people to become followers of Jesus. The Jesus they are following is slowly but surely morphing into the Eucharist Jesus who is repeatedly sacrificed on the altars of Roman Catholic cathedrals throughout the world. For more information on this subject read here.

Jeremiah 44:15-25 Then all the men who knew that their wives were burning incense to other gods, and all the women who stood by – a great assembly – even all the people who dwelt in Pathros in the land of Egypt, answered Jeremiah: As for the word that you have spoken to us in the name of the Lord, we will not listen to or obey you. But we will certainly perform every word of the vows we have made: to burn incense to the queen of heaven and to pour out drink offerings to her as we have done – we and our fathers, our kings and our princes – in the cities of Judah and in the streets of Jerusalem; for then we had plenty of food and were well off and prosperous and saw no evil. But since we stopped burning incense to the queen of heaven and pouring out drink offerings to her, we have lacked everything and have been consumed by the sword and by famine. [And the wives said] When we burned incense to the queen of heaven and poured out drink offerings to her, did we make cakes [in the shape of a star] to represent and honor her and pour out drink offerings to her without [the knowledge and approval of] our husbands? Then Jeremiah said to all the people – to the men and to the women and to all the people who had given him that answer – The incense that you burned in the cities of Judah and in the streets of Jerusalem – you and your fathers, your kings and your princes, and the people of the land – did not the Lord [earnestly] remember [your idolatrous wickedness] and did it not come into His mind? The Lord could no longer endure the evil of your doings and the abominations which you have committed; because of them therefore has your land become a desolation and an [astonishing] waste and a curse, without inhabitants, as it is this day. Because you have burned incense [to idols] and because you have sinned against the Lord and have not obeyed the voice of the Lord or walked in His law and in His statutes and in His testimonies, therefore this evil has fallen upon you, as it is this day. Moreover, Jeremiah said to all the people, including all the women, Hear the word of the Lord, all you of Judah who are in the land of Egypt, Thus says the Lord of hosts, the God of Israel: You and your wives have both declared with your mouths and fulfilled it with your hands, saying, We will surely perform our vows that we have vowed to burn incense to the queen of heaven and to pour out drink offerings to her. [Surely] then confirm your vows and [surely] perform your vows! [If you will defy all My warnings to you, then, by all means, go ahead!] (Emphasis added).

When a church, their leaders, their countrymen and their country refuse to listen to and heed God’s warnings in His Word, He leaves them to their own devices and allows them to fall even deeper into their self-inflicted, apostatized and idolatrous lifestyles. Like Israel of old they too have their pious reasons for their disobedience. Our country has been in the grip of crime and violence for a very long time and despite the many warnings from various corners throughout the country, church leaders, and especially our younger generation church clergy, have unremittingly and obstinately followed their own “new-hearty” and “labyrinthy” ways to bring peace to our land. They too say “we and our fathers, our kings and our princes – in all the cities of South Africa – will bring peace, prosperity and happiness through our own efforts and methods. We have tried the old ways but it didn’t work. Let us therefore rethink the Gospel; let us listen to the followers of other religious persuasions and work in union and in harmony with them to save our beloved country.” God  says to them “[Surely] then confirm your vows and [surely] perform your wishes to usher in peace on earth by supposedly bringing My Kingdom on earth with your abominable ways; honour the queen of heaven as my people have done in olden times. If you will defy all My warnings to you, then, by all means, go ahead! But!  remember what I have said through my apostle Paul:”

1 Corinthians 10:9-12 We should not tempt the Lord [try His patience, become a trial to Him, critically appraise Him, and exploit His goodness] as some of them did – and were killed by poisonous serpents; Nor discontentedly complain as some of them did – and were put out of the way entirely by the destroyer (death). Now these things befell them by way of a figure [as an example and warning to us]; they were written to admonish and fit us for right action by good instruction, we in whose days the ages have reached their climax (their consummation and concluding period).

Om die Voorhangsel van Onder na Bo te Skeur

READ THE ENGLISH VERSION OF MY COMMENTARY HERE.

Matteus 27:51

En kyk, die voorhangsel van die tempel het in twee geskeur, van bo tot onder (Klem bygevoeg)

Wat reken u sou die uitslag wees as ons ‘n steekproef sou doen en mense die vraag vra: “As u die belangrikste en mees rewolusionêre gebeurtenis in die ganse geskiedenis van die mensdom kon meebring, wat sou dit wees?” Die meerderheid sou waarkynlik ‘n geneesmiddel vir VIGS of kanker wou uitvind of miskien blywende wêreldvrede inlui. Ander sou miskien armoede vir eens en altyd wou uitwis. Glo dit as u wil, dit is nie die belangrikste dinge wat die postmoderne en “ontluikende” denkers beoog nie, al sê hulle ook so. Wat hulle in werklikheid in gedagte het, is om “nuwe” maniere te vind om in die teewoordigheid van God te kom. Sedert die Sondeval het baie probeer om die koninkryk van die hemel met geweld (hulle eie pogings) te gryp omdat hulle God se manier verwerp het. Moenie geflous word deur hulle manifeste van “om armoede te verlig,” “om hulle met die armes te assosieer deur saam met hulle te gaan woon,” en “om in die voetspore van Jesus te volg om sy voorbeeld na te volg” nie. Dit is alles mooi geplaveide kliptrappies (eie pogings en goeie werke) om hulle in die teenwoordigheid van God te bring.

In die antieke tye was dit lewensgevaarlik om ‘n koning sonder sy toestemming te nader. Selfs vandag nog, in sommige dele van Afrika, word jy nie toegelaat om ‘n stat of gehuggie sonder die hoof se toestemming binne te gaan nie. Die normale prosedure is om eers die hoof se persoonlike assistent te nader en hom te vra of jy hom mag besoek. Hy sal dan na gelang hy die hoof se toestemming verkry het, jou inlig of en wanneer jy die hoof mag sien. Sodra ‘n aanvaarbare besoektyd bepaal is, ontmoet jy die assistent by die ingang en hy begelei jou dan na die hoof se huis in die middel van die stat. Moet nie eers daaraan dink om aan sy deur te klop nie. Dis slegte maniere. Die assistent gaan alleen in die huis en dan eers mag jy die hoof se huis betree — dis te sê as die hoof nie intussen besluit het om sy afspraak met jou op diie laaste nippertjie uit of af te stel nie. Frustrerend . . .? Dis uiters frustrerend, maar dis die manier waarop jy jou respek en waardering teenoor die hoof as jou meerdere in sy huis en stat betoon. Nie net dit nie; dit toon aan die assistent en sy hoof dat jy gewillig is om jouself nederig te gdra in hulle teenwoordigheid. Daar is ‘n soortgelyke narratief in die Ou Testement. Toe Mordegai, koningin Ester se oom, Haman se komplot om al die Jode uit te wis aan haar meegedeel het, het hy by haar gepleit om haar man op sy troon te nader om hom oor die komplot in te lig. Sy was aanvanklik onwillig omdat dit lewensgevaarlik was om haar man, Ahasvéros, ongevraagd in sy troonkamer te nader. Hier’s hoe Ester haar oom geantwoord het:

Ester 4:11 Al die dienaars van die koning en die volk van die provinsies van die koning weet dat vir elke man of vrou wat na die koning in die binneste voorhof ingaan, sonder dat hy geroep is, een en dieselfde wet geld: hy moet gedood word; behalwe wanneer die koning sy goue septer na hom uitsteek, dat hy mag lewe; en ek is nou al dertig dae lank nie geroep om by die koning in te kom nie. (Klem bygevoeg)

Die uitkoms van hierdie gebeure is alombekend. Toe Ester die koning nader, het hy sy goue septer as ‘n gebaar van toegeeflikheid na haar toe uitgehou en sy het die punt van die septer aangeraak waardeur sy sy gesag oor haar as haar koning en heer erken het. Het sy dit nie gedoen nie sou Haman se komplot om haar volk, die Jode, uit te wis nie gestuit kon word nie. As die koninklike protokol so streng was in daardie dae hoe kan ons straks verwag dat die Koning van die konings en die Here van die here mensgemaakte weë om Hom in sy allerheiligste troonkamer in die hemel te nader moet aanvaar? Desnieteenstaande, wend die aanhangers van die Ontluikende Kerk hulle toenemend tot mensgemaakte maniere om hulleself in die teenwoordigheid van God te bring. HUlle is inderdaad besig om die voorhangsel met geweld van onder na bo te skeur. In hulle pogings om dit te doen, vereis die nuwe geslag “Christen” predikante, pastore, spostels, dissipels en leermeesters dat ons op nuwe en vars maniere oor ons spiritualiteit moet nadink en ook in die besonder oor die manier waarop ons ons Christenheid ervaar.

Die voorvoegsel “re” (in Engels) het een van die kragtigste taalfoefies in ons postmoderne tyd geword. Ten spyte van sy twee-letter omvang het dit ‘n geweldige potensiaal om jou lewe te verander. Woorde soos “think,” “imagine,” “construct,” “define,” en “paint” (met dank aan Rob Bell in sy “Velvet Elvis”) kry ‘n algeheel nuwe betekenis wanneer die voorvoegsel “re” bygevoeg word. ‘n Vinnige “google”-soektog op die internet het my stomgeslaan toe ek die volgende resultate sien:

• Rethinking the world (1 300 000 results)
• Rethinking leadership (2 020 000 results)
• Rethinking the future (1 340 000)

Die idee om die wêreld, leierskap en die toekoms te “her”-interpreteer (“rethink”) is nie tot die sekulêre wêreld beperk nie maar word toenemend in die kerk bepleit. Een van die toonaangewende voorspraakmakers van die “possibility thinking” of “positive thinking” kulte, Robert Schuller, het verlede jaar ‘n “Rethink” Konferensie in sy Crystal Cathedral aangebied. ‘n Konferensie was vir hierdie jaar geskeduleer maar is uitgestel tot 2010. Baie van die sprekers by verlede jaar se konferensie, waaronder Erwin McManus, Kay Warren (Rick Warren se vrou) en Dan Kimball bevorder kontemplatiewe mistisisme en meditasie. Vyf e-kerk lede uit Suid-Afrika, insluitende Stephan Joubert, en Dries Lombaard, het die konferensie in 2008 bygewoon en skouers gevrywe met hierdie gesiene denkers wat daarop ingestel is om die aangesig van die Christendom vir ewig te verander. Hulle maak ‘n geweldige impak op ons jonger Suid-Afrikaanse kerklui wat op hulle beurt baie jongmense beïnvloed en bekendstel aan kontemplatiewe mistisisme. Die e-kerk webtuistes (Afrikaans en Engels), wat onder die beheer staan van Stephan Joubert en Dries Lombaard onderskeidelik, propageer met flinke oorgawe die kontemplatiewe spiritualliteit onder die dekmantel van “Jesliefhebbers en volgelinge van Jesus.” Om die waarheid te sê alle volgelinge van Jesus is welkom om op hulle webtuistes kommentaar te lewer en om deel te neem aan hulle “verhoudings-gesprekke” mits jy ook ‘n vurige navolger is van hulle gurus Rob Bell, Leonard Sweet, Nelus Niemandt, Erwin McManus, Doug Pgitt en baie ander kontemplatiewe mistieke Christene. Diegene wat in harmonie is met Stephan Joubert en Rob Bell dat waarheid ook in ander godsdienste soos die Bhoeddisme, Judaïsme en selfs ateïsme te vind is, is meer as welkom op hulle webtuistes maar jy word summier verban sodra jy hulle teen hulle kontemplatiewe maatjies waarsku.

Ek wil graag in orreenstemming met die “her-interpretasie (“rethinking”) kultuur van die kontemplatiewes ten minste ‘n enkele gedeelte uit die Skrif (Matteus 7:22-23) her-interpreteer, herverwoord en rekonstrueer om te illustreer hoedat hulle die voorhangsel van onder na bo skeur.

Here, Here, kyk net wat het ons vir U gedoen! Ons het voorwaar opreg eerbare en goeie baanbrekersweg gedoen deur die gemors en puinhope in die bosveld op te ruim en ‘n pragtige labirint in die plek daarvan te bou. Ons weet werklik nie hoe ons Afrikaanse jeug sal reageer wanneer ons hulle aan ons labirint blootstel nie maar ons probeer hard om hulle ware volgelinge van Jesus te maak. Miskien is dit iets van wat ons probeer om te doen as volgelinge van Jesus. Om die puinhope in die wêreld skoon te maak sodat ons plekke kan skep waar mense vrede en harmonie kan vind en met transendensie kan konnekteer. Toe het die “Labirint-Jesus” wat hulle met soveel liefde en oorgawe volg geantwoord: “Ek het julle nog altyd geken. Julle het my Weg (labirint) getrou, liefdevol en met vuur bewandel. Kom in die teenwoordigheid van my vader.

Verbaas . . .? Geskok . . . ? Dink u miskien . . . .? Hoe vermetel van hom om die Woord van God op so ‘n godslasterike wyse te verander en te herinterpreteer! Voordat u besluit om my te stenig met die klippies waarmee julle jul labirinte bou, lees gerus eers baie noukeurig hier. Wat makeer die ouens? Lees hulle nooit hulle Bybels om te leer wat die regte Jesus te sê het oor blywende vrede, harmonie en verbondenheid met God nie? Het hulle so blind geword vir die waarheid dat hulle met domastrantheid hulle wend tot die moddermeul en stowwerige weë van hulle eie maniere om God se vrede en teenwoordigheid te smaak? Het hulle dan vergeet wat Jesus gesê het?

Johannes 14:27 Vrede laat Ek vir julle na, my vrede gee Ek aan julle; nie soos die wêreld gee, gee Ek aan julle nie.

Dit is beslis nie die “Labirint-Jesus” wat hier praat nie. Maar wie is in elk geval die “Labirint-Jesus?” Om ‘n gepaste antwoord te kry moet ons so ‘n bietjie teruggaan in die heidense geskiedenis. Wikipedia voorsien ‘n deeglike gesdkiedkundige agtergrond van die labirint wat bewys dat dit gewis nie van God kom nie. Roger Oakland omskryf die betekenis van die labirint soos volg in sy boek “Faith Undone.”

Die labirint is ‘n doolhof-agtige struktuur wat in gewildheid toeneem en tydens tye van kontemplatiewe gebede gebruik word. Die deelnemer loop deur hierdie stuktuur tot in die middel daarvan en weer terug. Anders as die doolhof wat verskeie paaie het, het die labirint net een paadjie. Dikwels word gebedstasies (met kerse, ikone, prente, ens.) langs hierdie paadjie besoek. Die labirint het in vroeë heidense gemeenskappe ontstaan. Die gewone scenario vereis dat die bidder ‘n soort van ‘n meditasie moet doen, wat hom in staat stel om te sentreer (d.w.s. om in God se teenwoordigheid te kom) terwyl hy die middel van die labirint bereik (Uit die Engels vertaal. Klem bygevoeg)

Wat lê aan die hart van kontemplatiewe praktyke soos die labirint, die stilte, asemgebede, eensaamheid, Jesus-kerse, ikone, die Jesus-gebed, lectio divina, lectio continua, 12 kruisstasies, wat jou na bewering in die allerheiligste teenwoordigheid van God bring. Dit het alles by Kain se bloedlose offer begin. Pa Adam en ma Eva het hom, nes vir hulle seun Abel, geleer dat God se onmeetbare heiligheid vereis het dat Hy op geen ander manier genader mag word as deur die storting van die bloed van ‘n onskuldige slagoffer nie. Kain, daarenteen, het God se slagting van ‘n onskuldige slagoffer om hulle naaktheid (sondes) te versoen (te bedek) verag en besluit om Hom met sy eie pogings en goeie werke tevrede te stel en te versadig. Sedertdien is sy weg, wat in die Bybel bekend staan as die weg van Kain (Judas 1:11) deur die eeue heen voortgesit deur mans en vroue wat God se oplossing vir ons sondes met gelyke argwaan bejeen. Brian McLaren se onbeskaamde ontkenning van die ware betekenis van die kruis is simptomaties van die ontluikende beweging. Hy skryf:

“Miskien is ons ‘inwaarts-gekeerde, individuele-verlossing-georiënteerde, nie-aanpasbare Christenheid’ ‘n kolossale en tragiese misverstand, en miskien moet ons weer luister na die ware lied van verlossing wat goeie nuus is vir die hele skepping. Dus is dit miskien die beste om dit, indien enigiets, oor boord te gooi wat jy ‘weet’ aangande wat dit beteken om Jesus jou ‘Verlosser’ te noem en om die saak rondom verlossing weer nuut te oordink. Kom ons begin gewoonweg. In die Bybel beteken verlossing ‘redding,’ of “heelmaking’ [‘genesing’]. Dit beteken beslis nie om ‘uit die hel gered te word’ of ‘om die ewige lewe na die dood te ontvang’  soos sommige leraars preek na preek verkondig nie. Die betekenis daarvan wissel eerder van teks tot teks, maar in die algemeen, in enige konteks, beteken verlossing ‘om uit die moeilikheid te kom.’ Die moeiliheid kan siekte, oorlog, politieke intrige, verdrukking, armoede, tronkstraf of enige ander tipe gevaar of boosheid wees.” (A Generous Orthodoxy, Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 2004, p. 93) (Uit die Engels vertaal).

Die kruisdood van Christus is vir McLaren niks meer en niks minder nie as ‘n tydelike verligting van die mensdom se lyding wat deur siektes, politieke intriges, verdrukking, armoede, gevangenisstraf (ongeag die redes vir ‘n misdadiger se tronkstraf) of enige ander soort gevaar of euwel meegebring word. Rob Bell se filosofie van verlossing hou ook verband met die tydelike in hierdie wêreld en nie soseer met ‘n plek (hemel of hel) waarheen jy gaan wanneer jy te sterwe kom nie.  Sy probleem lê nie by Jesus wat alle mense wil red en alles in Hom weer nuut wil maak nie, maar met dié mense wat daarop aandring dat net sekere mense hemel toe gaan. Tydens sy Mars Hill Konferensie in Januarie 2007 het hy enkele tersaaklike maar baie gevaarlike vrae gevra — gevaarlik vir almal wat hom glo.

Gaan jy hemel toe? . . .  Is dit al?  Die beste wat ons kan doen is om iets soos net ‘n versekering teen brand aan te bied? Ons het nodig om net siele te red? Is dit ‘n boodskap vir die wêreld? Dit is wanhoop.  . . . Is dit die beste wat God kan doen? Ek het vandag hulp nodig . . . Is dit wat Jesus voor mense se neuse gehou het?

Party Jesusse moet verwerp word. . . . Die Jesus wat mense inhok en doodmaak moet verwerp word. Glo julle in ‘n God wat biljoene mense geskape het net om te kyk hoe hulle brand met geen kans op enige ander soort toekoms nie? In wat se soort God glo julle?

Indien iemand julle sou vra “Hoe word ‘n persoon gered, bekeer, verlos ens?” en julle het net die Bybel gehad om die vraag te antwoord, sou daar baie antwoorde tot julle beskikking wees. [Dit] behels handelinge van liefde wat ‘n hartsverandering en lastige uitruilings demonstreer; dit is oral . . . Mense kom na Jesus op allerhande soorte maniere. As ons kon sê “dis hoe dit gebeur” – sou dit wonderlik wees, maar die probleem is dat dit nie so is soos ons dit insien nie. Mense gaan op allerhande maniere al struikelend die koninkryk in. Verlossing is holisties van aard. Jesus wil ons almal red. Jesus wil jou red van jou verlede, van jou vrese, van jou verlammende bekommernisse, jou haat, van die mite van ‘n verlossende geweld, van rassisme, armoede, enigiets wat die volledige shalom wat God vir hierdie wêreld geskep het, verhinder. (Klem bygevoeg)

Bell se evangelie van hoop (in teenstelling met God se Evangelie van wanhoop) wat verklaar dat Jesus almal van ons wil red, selfs van die klad van armoede, is seker die onmenslikste, oppervlakkigste en mees destruktiewe stukkie eksegeses wat ek nog ooit gehoor het. Tydens sy 2007 Leraarkonferensie het hy gewaarsku dat sommige Jesusse verwerp moet word maar hy het hoegenaamd geen gewetenswroeginge om ‘n ander Jesus te omhels wat die armes van hulle armoede wil red nie. Sy Jesus is beslis nie die Jesus wat gesê het:  “Want die armes het julle altyd by julle, maar My het julle nie altyd nie (Johannes 12:8). Daar is biljoene desperate arm mense op die planeet. Wat moet hulle dink van ‘n Jesus wat hulle almal van hulle armoede wil red maar dit nie doen nie? Ek is bewus van ‘n “Christus” wat belowe het om die benarde toestand van die armstes onder die armes hok te slaan en selfs uit te wis. Sy naam is Maitreya. Hoor ‘n bietjie wat sê sy “wegbereider,” of “Johannes die Doper,” Benjamin Creme:

Al die hoofstroom godsdienste verwag ‘n goddelike boodskapper, hoewel onder verskillende name, sê Creme, en Maitreya het gekom om die profesieë van elkeen te vervul. Hy het weens die dringendheid van die tye vroeër gekom as wat baie religieuse groepe verwag het om sy raad aan ‘n wêreld in krisis te bied. Sy prioroteite is eenvoudig: voedsel, skuiling, gesondheidsdienste en opleiding as gewaarborgde regte vir almal. Sy raad aan die mensdom is netso eenvoudig. Wees mededeelsaam en red die wêreld. Wanneer die dilemma van die armes en die honger-sterwende miljoene verlig is, sal die herwinning van die omgewing eerste prioriteit geniet (Benjamin Creme op ‘n perskonferensie op 15 Augustus 2006) (Klem byegevoeg).

My taak is om vir julle te wys hoe om as broers in vrede saam te woon. Dit is eenvoudiger as wat julle dink, my vriende, want dit verg net ‘n gesindheid van mededeelsaamheid. Hoe kan julle tevrede wees met die omstandighede waarin julle tans lewe terwyl miljoene sterwe en in ellende omkom; terwyl die rykes hulle rykdom voor die armes paradeer; terwyl elkeen sy broer nie vertrou nie? Laat my toe om julle die pad vorentoe na ‘n eenvoudiger lewe waar niemand gebrek ly nie, aan te dui; waar niemand dieselfde is nie; waar die vreugde van Broederskap deur alle mense geopenbaar word. Neem jou broer se behoeftes as die meetsnoer vir jou optrede en los die probleme van die wêreld so op (“The Christ is Now Here”, advertensie in die Rand Daily Mail, 24 April 1982)

Is die bogenoemde die Jesus waarna Rob Bell verwys? Dit moet wees want die ware Jesus van die Bybel is in staat om mense van die regverdige oordele van God te red deur selfs gebruik te maak van die haglikste omstandighede wat deur ekstreme armoede veroorsaak word. In lande soos China het baie mense verlossing in Jesus gevind nadat hulle alles verloor het — hulle wonings, hulle vrouens, hulle mans, hulle besparings, ens. Hulle het geleer om tevrede te wees met wat hulle het ten spyte van hulle buitengewone armoede. (Hebreërs 13:5).

Die prediking van die Evangelie ter wille van die redding van siele vanuit die regverdige oordele van God is vir Rob Bell ‘n evangelie van wanhoop. Nee, sê Rob Bell, die boodskap van die Evangelie is dat God nooit biljoene mense sou maak net om te sien hoe hulle in die hel brand sonder enige kans op ‘n ander soort toekoms nie. Sy aanname dat mense op allerhande maniere na Jesus kom vir hulle verlossing maak die deur wawyd oop vir mense van ander geloofsoortuigings om hulle in die kontemplatiewe mistisisme te begewe.  Dit is daarom geen wonder nie dat so ‘n lae dunk van Christus se offer aanleiding gegee het tot die siening dat labirinte en ander kontemplatiewe praktyke misties gemagtig is om enigeen, ongeag hulle mening van die kruis, in die teenwoordigheid van God te bring. In ‘n aflaaibare PDF dokument van Rob Bell se Mars Hill Kerk word die volgende raad in die sesde fase van die mistieke praktyk van “lectio divina” voorsien.

Kontemplasie

Eindig deur jou aandag te fokus op die feit dat jy in God se teenwoordigheid is. Indien jy, terwyl jy op God se teenwoordigheid probeer fokus, ‘n behoefte het om die teks weer te lees, om voort te gaan met jou meditasie, of om eenvoudig net aan te hou om met God te praat, gun jouself dan die kans om dit te doen. Terwyl jy dit doen, weet dat jy in die teenwoordigheid van God is (Klem bygevoeg).

Siedaar! Jou eie doen (werke) van “lectio divina” bring jou in die teenwoordigheid van die Almagtige God. Hulle is maar net besig om Kain se weg om die voorhangsel van onder na bo te skeur, voort te sit. Dit is die manne na wie ons mees geëerde en gerespekteerde geetelike leiers soos Stephan Joubert, Dries Lombaard en Dries Cronjé opkyk vir geestelike leiding. Dries Cronjé, ‘n geestelike boetie van Dries Lombaard en Stephan Joubert het die volgende te sê gehad oor Rob Bell op hulle e-kerk webtuiste:

Ek was onlangs bevoorreg genoeg om my hande (en oë) te lê op Everything is Spiritual van Rob Bell.

Jy vra “Waarom weer Rob Bell? Het jy sy materiaal nie verlede keer bespreek nie?” Wel, ek is besig om nogal heelwat by hierdie mees-geniale dissipel van Jesus te leer en ek wil my opgewondenheid met julle deel. My volgende pos sal oor iets anders wees . . . Belowe.

“Die mees geniale dissipel van Jesus?” Werklik? Die een wat onbeskaamd die Evanglie van verlossing verdraai? Die een wat ‘n soort universele verslossing verkondig? Ek weet nie van u nie, maar ek verkies om die lof te besing van die vernaamste sondaars onder die dissipels van Jesus Christus. Sy naam was Paulus wat op ‘n dag gesê het:

1Timotheus 1:15 Dit is ‘n betroubare woord en werd om ten volle aangeneem te word, dat Christus Jesus in die wêreld gekom het om sondaars te red, van wie ek die vernaamste is. (Klem bygevoeg)

Paulus, my arme broer, hoe kon jy met soveel minagting van jouself praat? Dis jammer dat jy nie vandag nog hier saam met ons kan wees nie want dié is seker, as jy vandag nog gelewe het, sou Dries Cronjé jou voorstel aan een van die mees geniale dissipels van ons tyd — Rob Bell, wat jou “self-esteem” en “self-image” ‘n geweldige hupstoot sou gee.  Het ons so gewoond geraak aan ons moedswillige afvalligheid dat ons eiesinniglik weier om die gees van die  antichris in diegene wat ons as volgelinge van Jesus beskou, raak te sien?

In my inleiding het ek na Ester verwys wat bang was om haar man, koning Ahasvéros, te nader omdat sy nie seker was of hy sy septer van outoriteit en goedkeuring na haar toe sou uithou nie. Hoewel ons vermaan word om God te vrees omdat dit ‘n verskriklike ding is om in die hande van die lewende God te val (Hebreërs 10:31), het alle gelowiges wat van hulle sondes gereinig  is deur die bloed van Christus die vrymoedigheid en die vertroue om in sy teenwoordigheid in die allerheiligste heiligdom in die hemel te gaan. Hulle mag enige tyd en enige plek vir die res van hulle lewe hier op aarde voor Hom verskyn totdat hulle Jesus van aangesig tot aangesig ontmoet.

Hebr 10:19-22: Terwyl ons dan, broeders, vrymoedigheid het om in die heiligdom in te gaan deur die bloed van Jesus op die nuwe en lewende weg wat Hy vir ons ingewy het deur die voorhangsel heen, dit is sy vlees, en ons ‘n groot Priester oor die huis van God het, laat ons toetree met ‘n waaragtige hart in volle geloofsversekerdheid, die harte deur besprenkeling gereinig van ‘n slegte gewete en die liggaam gewas met rein water (Klem bygevoeg).

Wat meer as dit wil ons hê? Wat meer as dit het ons nodig? Almal wat meen hulle kan in die teenwoordigheid van God kom d.m.v. hulle stowwerige en vuil labirinte in die bosvled of selfs op die stowwerige marmervloere van verhewe katedrale en ander mistieke kontemplatiewe monderings is mislei en is besig om ander te mislei, veral ons jeug. Hulle volg nie vir Jesus Christus, die Seun van die lewende God nie, maar ‘n ander Jesus. Hou op met julle nonsens en keer terug na die kruis van Jesus Christus. Die bloed van die kruis is God se septer wat na almal uitgereik word wat gewillig is om die kruis in geloof aan te raak vir hulle redding sodat hulle in sy teenwoordigheid mag kom met blydskap en ewige danksegging.

Rending the Veil from the Bottom to the Top

Matthew 27:51 And at once the curtain of the sanctuary of the temple was torn in two from top to bottom; (Emphasis added)

What do you think the result would be if we were to do a survey asking people the question: “If you were able to bring about the most important and revolutionary event in the entire history of mankind, what would you do?” The majority would probably want to find a cure for AIDS or cancer, or usher in a lasting global peace. Some would probably want to eradicate poverty once and for all. Believe it nor not, these are not the the most important things the post modern and “emergent” thinkers are aiming to do, although they may say so. What they do have in mind is to seek “new” ways and means of entering into the presence of God. Since mankind’s Fall many have tried to take the kingdom of heaven by force (their own efforts), simply because they have rejected God’s way. Don’t be hoodwinked by their manifestos of “wanting to alleviate poverty,” “associating with the poor by living amongst them,” “following in the footsteps of Jesus by exemplifying his example.” These are all stepping stones (own efforts and good works) to bring them into the presence of God.

In ancient times it was a very dangerous and a life threatening experience to approach a king without his permission. Even today, in some parts of Africa, you are not allowed to enter a village without the resident chief’s permission. The normal procedure is to first request the chief’s personal assistant to convey your wish to visit him. He would then inform you if and when you may meet with the chief. When an appropriate time is set the envoy meets you at the entrance of the village and accompanies you to the chief’s house in the centre of the village. Don’t even think to knock on his door. That’s bad manners. The envoy enters the chiefs house alone, informs him of your arrival and only then may you enter his home — provided that the chief does not decide to reverse his initial invitation and turn you away at the last moment. Frustrating . . . ? Very frustrating, but that’s the way you need to express your respect and appreciation for the chief as your superior in his village. Not only that; it also proves to the envoy and his chief that you are prepared to humble yourself in their presence. There is a similar narrative in the Old Testament. When Mordecai, queen Esther’s uncle disclosed Haman’s plot to destroy all the Jews, he begged her to approach her husband, king Ahasuerus, on his throne and to inform him of the murderous plot. She was at first reluctant because it was too dangerous for her to do so uninvited. Here’s how Esther answered her uncle.

Esther 4:11 “All the king’s servants and the people of the king’s provinces know that for any man or woman who comes to the king to the inner court who is not summoned, he has but one law, that he be put to death, unless the king holds out to him the golden scepter so that he may live. And I have not been summoned to come to the king for these thirty days.” (Emphasis added)

The outcome of this event is well-known. When queen Esther approached the king he held out his golden sceptre as a gesture that she may come closer and she touched the top of his sceptre, acknowledging thereby his supreme authority over her as her king and her lord. Had she not done so a multitude of her brethren, the Jews, would have been murdered in a plot which had been orchestrated by Haman. If royal protocol in those days were adhered to so strictly how can we possibly expect the King of kings and the Lord of lords to accept manmade ways to approach Him in His most holy sanctuary in heaven? However, adherents to the Emerging Church are increasingly turning to manmade ways to usher themselves into the presence of God. Indeed, they are forcefully trying to rend the veil from the bottom to the top. In their endeavors to accomplish this the new breed of “Christian” ministers, pastors, apostles, disciples and teachers are demanding a complete change in the way we think about our spirituality, and particularly in the way we experience Christianity.

The prefix “re” has become one of the most potent lingo doohickeys in our postmodern society. Despite it’s two-lettered confines it has a vast potential to revolutionize your life. Words like “think,” “imagine,” “construct,” “define,” and “paint” (with due thanks to Rob Bell in his “Velvet Elvis”) have taken on a whole new meaning when the prefix “re” is added. By doing a quick google search of the words “rethink” and “rethinking” on the internet I was dumbfounded to see the following results:

• Rethinking our world (1 300 000 results)
• Rethinking leadership (2 020 000 results)
• Rethinking the future (1 340 000 results)

The idea of rethinking our world, leadership and the future is not limited to the secular world but is also increasingly and aggressively advocated in the church. One of the leading proponents of the “possibility thinking” or “positive thinking” cult, Robert Schuller, hosted a “Rethink Conference” in his Crystal Cathedral last year. A conference was scheduled for this year but has been postponed to 2010. Many of the speakers at last year’s conference, amongst them, Erwin McManus, Kay Warren (wife of Rick Warren) and Dan Kimball are proponents of contemplative mysticism and meditation. Fifty e-church members in South Africa, including Stephan Joubert and Dries Lombaard attended the conference in 2008 to rub shoulders with these most distinguished thinkers who are bent on changing the face of Christianity for evermore. They have made a great impact on our younger South African church clergy who in  turn are influencing many young people and introducing them to contemplative mysticism. The e-church websites (Afrikaans and English), engineered by Stephan Joubert and Dries Lombaard respectively, are vigorously promoting the contemplative spirituality under the guise of “loving and following Jesus.” In fact, all the followers of Jesus are welcome to comment on their sites and to participate in a relational conversation provided that you are also an avid follower of their gurus, Rob Bell, Leonard Sweet, Nelus Niemandt, Erwin McManus, Doug Pagitt and many other contemplative Christian mystics. Those in agreement with Stephan Joubert and Rob Bell that truth may be found in other religions such as Buddhism, Judaism and even atheism are more than welcome on their websites but you will be summarily ostracized as soon as you sound a warning against their contemplative buddies.

In accordance with the “rethinking” culture of the contemplatives, I have decided to rethink, re-imagine, and reconstruct at least one passage from Scripture (Matthew 7: 22-23) to illustrate how they are trying to rend the veil from the bottom to the top.

Lord, Lord, look what we have done for you! We have done some real honest-to-good bundubashing by clearing away some trash and debris in the bushveld and built a beautiful labyrinth. We really do not know how our Afrikaans Reformed youth will react when we introduce them to our labyrinth but we are trying to make them genuine followers of you. Maybe this is something of what we are trying to do as followers of Jesus. To clean out the rubish [sic] in the world in order to create places where people can find peace, harmony, and connect with transcendence. Then the “Labyrinth Jesus” who they follow with so much love and commitment answered: “I have always known you. You have trod my way (labyrinth) faithfully, lovingly and with gusto. Enter into the holy presence of my father.”

Amazed? . . . . Shocked . . .? Thinking . . .? What nerve does he have to change and rethink the Word of God in such a blasphemous way? Before you decide to stone me with some of the “klippies” you used to build your labyrinths, read here very carefully. What’s up with these guys? Don’t they ever read their Bibles to learn what the real Jesus has to say about lasting peace, harmony and connectedness with God? Have they become so blind to the truth that they are mindlessly resorting to all kinds of dredge and dust-filled ways to seek after God’s peace and presence? Have they forgotten what Jesus said?:

John 14:27 Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you: not as the world giveth, give I unto you.

This is definitely not the “labyrinth-Jesus” speaking here. Who is this “labyrinth-Jesus, anyway? To find a suitable answer we need to go back into pagan history. Wikipedia provides an elaborate history of the origins of the labyrinth which proves that it is not of God. Roger Oakland explains the meaning of the labyrinth as follows in his book “Faith Undone.”

The labyrinth is a maze-like structure that is growing in popularity, used during times of contemplative prayer. The participant walks through this structure until he comes to the center, then back out again. Unlike a maze, which has several paths, the labyrinth has one path. Often prayer stations (with candles, icons, pictures, etc.) can be visited along the way. The labyrinth originated in early pagan societ­ies. The usual scenario calls for the prayer to do some sort of medi­tation practice, enabling him or her to center down (i.e., reach God’s presence), while reaching the center of the labyrinth. (Emphasis added)

What lies at the heart of contemplative practices such as the labyrinth, silence, breath prayers, solitude, Jesus candles, icons, the Jesus prayer, lectio continua, lectio divina, 12  stages of the cross, which allegedly usher you into the holy presence of God? It all started with Cain’s bloodless sacrifice. Dad Adam and mom Eve taught him, as they did their son Abel, that God’s infinite holiness demanded no other way to approach Him but through the shedding of an innocent victim’s blood. Cain, however, despised God’s slaughtering of an innocent victim to cover up (atone for) their nakedness (sins) and decided to appease and satisfy Him with his own efforts and good works. Since then his way, in biblical terms known as the way of Cain (Jude 1:11), has been perpetuated throughout the ages by men and women who equally despise God’s remedy for our sins. Brian McLaren’s outright denial of the true meaning of the cross is symptomatic of the emergent movement.

“Perhaps our ‘inward-turned, individual-salvation-oriented, un-adapted Christianity’ is a colossal and tragic misunderstanding, and perhaps we need to listen again for the true song of salvation, which is ‘good news to all creation.’ So perhaps it’s best to suspend what, if anything, you ‘know’ about what it means to call Jesus ‘Savior’ and to give the matter of salvation some fresh attention. Let’s start simply. In the Bible, save means ‘rescue’ or ‘heal’. It emphatically does not mean ‘save from hell’ or ‘give eternal life after death,’ as many preachers seem to imply in sermon after sermon. Rather its meaning varies from passage to passage, but in general, in any context, save means ‘get out of trouble.’ The trouble could be sickness, war, political intrigue, oppression, poverty, imprisonment, or any kind of danger or evil.” (A Generous Orthodoxy, Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 2004, p. 93).

The crucifixion to McLaren is nothing more and nothing less than a temporal alleviation of mankind’s suffering caused by sickness, political intrigue, oppression, poverty, imprisonment (regardless of the reasons for a criminal’s incarceration) or any kind of danger or evil. Rob’ Bell’s philosophy of salvation is also related to the temporal in this world and not so much a place (heaven or hell) you go to in the afterlife after you’ve died. His problem is not with Jesus who wants to save all people and restore all things to Himself but with those who affirm that only certain people go to heaven. At his Mars Hill Pastor’s Conference held in January 2007 he asked some pertinent but very dangerous questions — dangerous for those who believe him.

Going to heaven? .  . . “That’s it?” The best we can do is some other just fire insurance? Just have to save  souls? That’s message to the world? That’s despair. . . . Is that the best God can do? I need help today. . . . Is this what Jesus waved in front of people?

Some Jesus’ should be rejected.  . . . The Jesus who herds people in and kills them should be rejected. Do you believe in a God who would create billions of people only to watch them burn with no chance for any other sort of future? What kind of God do you believe in?

If you were asked the question “How does a person get saved, converted, in, redeemed, etc.?” and you only had the Bible to answer the question . . . you would have lots of answers. [It] Involves acts of love that demonstrate a change of heart, awkward exchanges, it’s all over the place . . . People come to Jesus in all sorts of ways. When we say “this is how it’s done” – it would be nice, but the problem is it’s not the way we see it. People stumble into the kingdom in all sorts of ways. Observations based on passages – how does a congregation move forward, how do you move forward, how do you proclaim? Salvation is holistic in nature. Jesus wants to save all of us. Jesus wants to save you from your past, from fear, from crippling worry, hatred, the myth of redemptive violence, from hating, racism, poverty, anything that hinders the full shalom that God created for the entire world. (Emphasis added)

Bell’s gospel of hope (in contrast with God’s Gospel of despair), declaring that Jesus wants to save all of us even from the scourge of poverty, is the most unkind, frivolous and destructive bit of exegeses I have ever heard. During his 2007 pastor’s Conference he warned that some Jesus’ ought to be rejected but he has no qualms whatsoever to embrace another Jesus who claims he wants to save the poor from their poverty. His Jesus is definitely not the Jesus who said: “You will always have the poor with you” (John 12:8). There are billions of desperately poor people on the earth. What are they supposed to think of a Jesus who wants to save them from their poverty but fails to do so? I am aware of a “Christ” who has  promised to alleviate and even eradicate the plight of the poorest of the poor. His name is Maitreya.

All major religions are expecting a divine messenger, albeit under different names, says Creme, and Maitreya has come in fulfillment of the prophecies of each. He has come earlier than anticipated by many religious groups because of the urgency of the times, in order to offer his counsel to a world in crisis. His priorities are simple: food, shelter, health care and education for everyone as guaranteed rights. His advice to humanity is just as simple. Share and save the world. When the plight of the poor and starving millions is alleviated then the recovery of the environment will become the first priority (Benjamin Creme during a press conference on 15 August 2006) (Emphasis added).

My task will be to show you how to live together peacefully as brothers. This is simpler than you imagine, My friends, for it requires only the acceptance of sharing. How can you be content with the modes within which you now live: when millions starve and die in squalor; when the rich parade their wealth before the poor; when each man is his neighbor’s enemy; when no man trusts his brother? Allow me to show you the way forward into a simpler life where no man lacks; where no two are alike; where the Joy of Brotherhood manifests through all men. Take your brother’s needs as the measure of your action and solve the problems of the world. (The Christ is Now Here, advertisement in the Rand Daily Mail, 24 April 1982).

Is this the Jesus Rob Bell is referring to? It must be because the real Jesus of the Bible is quite capable of saving people from the righteous judgments of God even by utilizing the dire circumstances caused by extreme poverty. In countries like China many people have found salvation in Jesus Christ after they had lost everything — their homes, their wives, their husbands, their savings, etc. They have learnt to be content with what they have despite their extreme poverty (Hebrews 13:5).

The preaching of the Gospel in order to save souls from the righteous judgements of God is to Rob Bell a Gospel of despair? Its just a fire insurance? No! says Rob Bell, the message of the Gospel is that God would never have created billions of people only to have them burn in hell with no chance for any other sort of future. His inference that people come to Jesus in all sorts of ways for their salvation opens the door wide for people of all religious persuasions to indulge in contemplative mysticism. It is therefore no wonder that such a low estimate of Christ’s sacrifice has lead to the notion that labyrinths and other contemplative practices are mystically empowered to bring anyone, regardless of their opinion of the cross, into the presence of God. In a downloadable PDF document of Bell’s Mars Hill church the sixth phase of the mystic practice of “lectio divina” the following advice is given.

Contemplation
Finish by focusing your attention on the fact that God’s presence is with you. If as you try to focus on God’s presence you sense a need to read the text again, to continue meditating, or to simply continue talking with God, allow yourself to do so. As you do, know that you are in the presence of God. (Emphasis added).

Voila! Your own doing (works) of “lectio divina” brings you into the holy presence of Almighty God. They are merely perpetuating Cain’s way of rending the veil from the bottom to the top. These are the men some of our most revered and respected spiritual leaders, amongst them Stephan Joubert, Dries Lombaard, Dries Cronjé and many other young pastors, are looking up to for spiritual guidance. Dries Cronjé, a spiritual buddy of Dries Lombaard and Stephan Joubert had the following to say about Rob Bell on their e-church site:

Recently, I was privileged enough to get my hands (and eyes!) on Everything is Spiritual by Rob Bell.

You ask “Why Rob Bell again? Didn’t you review his material last time?” Well, I’m learning quite a bit from this most-genial disciple of Jesus and I want to share my excitement. My next post will be on someone different… Promise.

“The most-genial disciple of Jesus?” Really? The one who unashamedly distorts the Gospel of salvation? The one who promotes a kind of universalistic redemption?  Have we grown so accustomed to our wilful apostasy that we wilfully refuse to discern the spirit of antichrist in those whom we regard as followers of Jesus?

In my introduction I mentioned Esther who was afraid to approach her husband, king Ahasuerus, because she feared that he may not extend his sceptre of authority and approval to her. Although we are admonished to fear God, for it is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God (Hebrews 10:31), all believers who have been cleansed of their sins in the blood of Christ have the confidence and boldness to enter into his presence in the most holy of holies in heaven. They may do so anytime and anywhere for the rest of their lives here on earth until they meet with Jesus face to face.

Hebrews 10:10-22 Therefore, brethren, since we have full freedom and confidence to enter into the [Holy of] Holies [by the power and virtue] in the blood of Jesus, By this fresh (new) and living way which He initiated and dedicated and opened for us through the separating curtain (veil of the Holy of Holies), that is, through His flesh, And since we have [such] a great and wonderful and noble Priest [Who rules] over the house of God, Let us all come forward and draw near with true (honest and sincere) hearts in unqualified assurance and absolute conviction engendered by faith (by that leaning of the entire human personality on God in absolute trust and confidence in His power, wisdom, and goodness), having our hearts sprinkled and purified from a guilty (evil) conscience and our bodies cleansed with pure water. (Emphasis added)

What more do we want? What more do we need? Those who believe they may enter into the presence of God by means of their dusty and filthy labyrinths in the bushveld or even on the dusty marble floors of lofty cathedrals and other mystical contemplative paraphernalia are deceived and are deceiving others, especially our youth. They are not following Jesus Christ, the Son of the living God, but another Jesus. Stop your nonsense and return to the cross of Jesus Christ. The blood of His cross is God’s sceptre He extends to everyone who is willing to touch the cross in faith for their salvation so that they may enter into His presence with rejoicing and eternal thanksgiving.