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

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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).