E-church heresies

In one of his recent comments on the e-church website, “Sin-warriors – far too many church goers! Stephan Joubert proves once more that he is one of the most distinguished and sought-after religious leaders in our country — most distinguished for spreading the cancer of heresy and most sought-after in winning the “Andrew Murray Prize” for his distinguished heresies. His newest prize-winning story goes like this. After having done a thorough Google search on the words “sin” (904 million hits in 13 seconds) and “grace” (131 million hits in 12 seconds) he comes to the wonderful conclusion that:-

Far too many churches focus all their energy on the game plan of the opposition, instead of on spreading God’s amazing grace. In this process many believers have turned into bigger experts on sin than on God. Some church people even have their own list of the ‘Top Ten’ sins of the day. From sunrise till sunset they fight against the latest sins and the most recent signs of moral decay in society. Public outbursts against sin have had limited success throughout history. It probably only appeased the sentiments of the fully convinced, but in terms of life changing impact the results haven’t been promising. It didn’t draw throngs of new converts back to church, or radically change the value systems of society for the good. Isn’t it time then for a new term, one that really aligns with God’s latest moves? In other words, isn’t it time for a grace revival?

It is entirely impossible to understand and appreciate the profundity of God’s grace without a thorough knowledge of sin and its consequences. In fact, lost sinners who have been convicted and repented of their sins against God and Him alone are the only ones who have come to know and understand and experience God’s unmerited grace. Those who have not been convinced of their sins and its devastating consequences in hell cannot appreciate God’s grace until they repent and plead for forgiveness for their sins. Paul notably says in the book of Romans.

Romans 5:20 But then Law came in, [only] to expand and increase the trespass [making it more apparent and exciting opposition]. But where sin increased and abounded, grace (God’s unmerited favor) has surpassed it and increased the more and super abounded,

Wow! Isn’t that the most wonderful expression of God’s grace? It is evident that God’s grace (unmerited favour) is inexorably linked to sin, even to the extent that where sin has increased God’s grace has increased superabundantly. Nonetheless, Paul warns in the following chapter that we dare not continue in sin so that God’s grace may abound. God’s children have died to sin and therefore can no longer live therein. Furthermore, it is a proven fact that those whose sins abound to overflowing learn to love the Lord more when they receive forgiveness for their sins. To explain this phenomenon, Jesus once told a Pharisee the following story.

Luke 7:35-50 And one of the Pharisees desired him that he would eat with him. And he entered into the Pharisee’s house, and sat down to meat. And behold, a woman who was in the city, a sinner; and when she knew that he was sitting at meat in the Pharisee’s house, she brought an alabaster cruse of ointment, and standing behind at his feet, weeping, she began to wet his feet with her tears, and wiped them with the hair of her head, and kissed his feet, and anointed them with the ointment. Now when the Pharisee that had bidden him saw it, he spake within himself, saying, This man, if he were a prophet, would have perceived who and what manner of woman this is that toucheth him, that she is a sinner. And Jesus answering said unto him, Simon, I have somewhat to say unto thee. And he saith, Teacher, say on. A certain lender had two debtors: the one owed five hundred shillings, and the other fifty. When they had not wherewith to pay, he forgave them both. Which of them therefore will love him most? Simon answered and said, He, I suppose, to whom he forgave the most. And he said unto him, Thou hast rightly judged. And turning to the woman, he said unto Simon, Seest thou this woman? I entered into thy house, thou gavest me no water for my feet: but she hath wetted my feet with her tears, and wiped them with her hair. Thou gavest me no kiss: but she, since the time I came in, hath not ceased to kiss my feet. My head with oil thou didst not anoint: but she hath anointed my feet with ointment. Wherefore I say unto thee, Her sins, which are many, are forgiven; for she loved much: but to whom little is forgiven, the same loveth little. And he said unto her, Thy sins are forgiven. And they that sat at meat with him began to say within themselves, Who is this that even forgiveth sins? And he said unto the woman, Thy faith hath saved thee; go in peace.

Now fancy that, Stephan. Where an abundance of sin is forgiven, the love of the much forgiven is greater than the love of those to whom little is forgiven. Ah! but Stephan Joubert, together with his Pied Piper Ron Martoia, have invented “a new term, one that really aligns with God’s latest moves.” It is called a “grace revival.” In order to verify the validity of the Joubert term “grace revival” we must ask ourselves whether the revivals in the passed were anything other than “grace revivals.” As far as I can recall there wasn’t a single revival in the past that was brought about without the grace of God. Perhaps Stephan Joubert may want to clarify his new term and tell us whether the revivals in the past were brought about without God’s grace. If they were indeed the product of God’s grace then we cannot leave sin out of the equation because, as the woman in Jesus’ narrative in Luke 7 clearly demonstrates, God’s grace abounds where there is forgiveness of an abundance of sins. Who is Stephan Joubert following — Jesus Christ, the Son of the living God or the Pied Piper, Ron Martoia? . . .  who said:

Despite decades of tweaking evangelistic methods, there is little evidence that many Christians are experiencing true life change, Ron Martoia told church leaders Jan. 29. Perhaps . . .  that failure is because Christians in the Western world have been prone to think of salvation as a “point-of-sale” transaction that focuses on getting to heaven instead of appreciating that Jesus came to fulfil the Old Testament promise of shalom, a concept that suggests wholeness, wellness, and peace. Preaching about forgiveness from sin becomes increasingly ineffective in a postmodern world where a sense of guilt and obligation is less often operative. In contemporary American culture, one can no longer assume that people identify themselves as sinners in need of grace. “People may not think of themselves as sinners going to hell, but they seek wholeness and recognize they’re not there,” he said. (Read the entire article here.) (Emphasis added)

Anyone who wilfully ignores or downplays the devastating effect of sin and its consequensces on the lives of people are openly and publically putting Jesus Christ and his cross to shame. Oh yes, do not be mistaken, they love to talk about the crucifixion, the burial and resurrection of Jesus Christ, and how to follow Him but very subtly reject the things they profess to believe. Gentlemen (Stephan Joubert and Ron Martoia) how many times do we have to remind you that the cross of Jesus Christ was God’s only way to satisfy his holiness, his love, his righteousness and at the same time his magnanimous hatred of sin? In Psalm 85 the psalmist describes how these attributes of God were perfectly satrisfied when he says: “Mercy and truth are met together; Righteousness and peace have kissed each other.” God had to prepare a body for his Son so that your and my sins and the rest of the world’s sins could be judged in his flesh on the cross. His body was rent asunder for the forgiveness and remission of our sins and only those who receive it by faith are saved and will be in heaven with Him some day. So Stephan, the bottomline is: If you want to be a bigger expert on God and his grace, you will necessarily have to become a bigger expert on sin and its consequences for the people you want to reach for Christ.

GOD’S GRACE (UNMERITED FAVOUR) ABOUNDS

WHERE SIN INCREASED AND ABOUNDED AND WHERE LOST SINNERS

(LIKE THE WOMAN IN LUKE 7) IN MOURNFUL AND TEARFUL SORROW FOR THEIR

SINS BOW DOWN TO KISS THE NAIL PIERCED FEET OF

JESUS CHRIST THE SON OF GOD.

Psalm 2:12  Kiss the son, lest he be angry, and ye perish in the way, For his wrath will

soon be kindled. Blessed are all they that take refuge in him.

Stephan Joubert, I beg of you, stop following the Pied Piper Ron Martoia and begin to follow Jesus Christ, the Son of the living God.

Ek staan in verwondering voor God

’n Kritiek deur Tom Lessing op “Ek staan in verwondering voor God” geskryf deur Prof Sakkie Spangenberg van die Departement Ou Testament aan Unisa (Die kerkbode, 20 September 2002)

Ek het met verwondering Prof. Sakkie Spangenberg se brief onder die opskrif “Ek staan in verwondering voor God.” (Die Kerkbode van 20 September 2002) gelees. Wat my veral verbyster, is sy uitspraak:

“dat ons verwaand en arrogant is om te dink dat ons God met woorde kan omskryf. God is ‘n misterie oor wie ons ten beste maar moet swyg. Dis wanneer ons uitsprake begin maak oor presies wie en hoe God is dat krisisse ontstaan. Wanneer ons die misterie van God met tong en tand verpulp tot ‘n braaksel van stellings en dekrete (apologie aan Elisabeth Eybers) begin ons verby Hom leef.”

Dit is mos gans onmoontlik om “in verwondering voor God te staan” as Hy vir jou ’n misterie is en jy nie weet “wie of hoe” Hy is nie. Die emosie van verwondering oor iemand kan alleenlik in ’n mens se binneste opwel wanneer jy daardie persoon leer ken het; wanneer die intrinsieke karaktereienskappe van daardie persoon vir jou kenbaar geword het. Hoe kan ’n man bevoorbeeld met verwondering praat oor die skoonheid van sy aanstaande vrou as hy haar nog nie gesien het nie, en hoe kan hy haar innerlike skoonheid (persoonlikheid) bewonder as hy nog nie met haar kennis gemaak het nie?

Om sy “verwondering voor God” verder te omskryf haal Prof. Spangenberg met groot nederigheid vir Job aan om sy vlietende lewensbestaan te midde van die ewigheid van die kosmos te omskryf, “Volgens hoorsê het ek van U te wete gekom." Let baie fyn daarop dat Prof. Spangenberg slegs die eerste gedeelte van Job se uitroep van verwondering aanhaal. Ag! dit is tog so ooglopend kenmerkend van iemand wat ander mense minag wat “Bybelse uitsprake begin omvorm tot ewige waarhede,” maar sy eie uitsprake met groot bravade tot ewige waarhede verklaar wanneer hy lustig uit dieselfde Bybel aanhaal. Maar wag so ’n bietjie, om sy eie standpunt rotsvas in die gemoedere van mense te sementeer, onderskryf hy slegs ’n halwe waarheid deur net die eerste helfte van Job se uitroep aan te haal. Dit is darem nie mooi van hom nie. Om die waarheid te sê, hy is “downright” oneerlik.

Kom ons wend ons eerder tot Job om te sien wat hy gesê het. As Prof. Spangenberg die eerste gedeelte van Job se uitroep van verwondering as die waarheid beskou, dan moet die tweede helfte daarvan tog sekerlik ook waar wees. Wat het Job dan werklik gesê? Dié is seker! Hy het een van die merkwaardigste dinge gesê wat nog ooit uit die mond van ’n Ou Testamentiese figuur gekom het, “Volgens hoorsê het ek van U gehoor; maar nou het my oog U gesien.” Gesien! Job het God GESIEN?

In hierdie paar eenvoudige dog manjefieke woorde, vind ons die hart van wat dit beteken om God te kan ken. Dit is duidelik dat God Sy heerlikheid, Sy almag en Sy onaanvegbare soewereinteit aan die hand van Sy skepping aan Job geopenbaar het (Job 38, 39 en 40). Niemand kan God werklik “sien” nie (ken nie), tensy Hy Homself openbaar (Romeine 1:18-20). Is dit nie vreemd nie?—Job het nog altyd midde in die natuur gelewe; leeus, kraaie, steenbokke, takbokke, lammertjies, wilde-esels, buffels, krokodille, seekoeie ens. was vir hom alledaags gewees en tog kon hy op daardie stadium net bely dat “hy op hoorsê van God gehoor het.” Eers toe die Here self Sy majesteit, heerlikheid, almag, soewereiniteit en heiligheid aan hom geopenbaar het en hy self tot ’n gemoed van absolute nederigheid gebring is, kon Job met verwondering uitroep, “nou het my oog U gesien.” Is dit nie maar wat die meeste mense vandag nog doen nie. Hulle is letterlik omring deur God se wonderlike skepping, maar hulle ken Hom nie, — en waarom dan nie? Dit is eenvoudig! — hulle weier om hulle onder Sy magtige hand te verneder en Sy openbaringe in die natuur, in Sy Woord en deur Sy Seun, Jesus Christus te aanvaar. “Wie in die Seun van God glo, het die getuienis in homself. Hy wat God nie glo nie, het Hom tot leuenaar gemaak, omdat hy die getuienis nie geglo het wat God aangaande sy Seun getuig het nie.” (1 Johannes 5:10).

Knap vóór God Sy majesteit in die natuur aan Job geopenbaar het, het Hy hom aangeraai om sy heupe soos ’n man te omgord (38:3). In die antieke tye het twee opponente in ’n stoeiwedstryd probeer om mekaar se gordels (lyfbande) af te ruk. Die verloorder moes dan gewoonlik in skaamte die aftog blaas omdat sy onderkleed afgeval en hy naak was. Naaktheid in die Bybel simboliseer dikwels die sonde, m.a.w. Job het eers tot sy sinne gekom toe sy sonde aan hom geopenbaar is; eers toe hy homself (sy eie naaktheid) in God se lig gesien het.

Wat was hierdie sonde waaraan Job skuldig was? Vers 2 van hoofstuk 38 sê dit baie duidelik, “Wie maak die raadsbesluit daar tot duisternis met woorde sonder kennis?” Dit sluit ook baie mooi aan by wat Paulus in Romeine 1:18 sê:-

”Want die toorn van God word van die hemel af geopenbaar oor al die goddeloosheid en ongeregtigheid van die mense wat in ongeregtigheid die waarheid onderdruk, . . .”

Job het sy dwaashede herroep en in stof en as berou gehad. Is die hedendaagse redetwisters bereid om hulle heupe soos mans te omgord en te erken dat hulle nog altyd verkeerd was, liederlik mislei is en besig is om ander mense te mislei? Nee wat Prof., u stelling dat u in verwondering voor God staan, is ongeloofwaardig omdat u self ruiterlik erken dat HY ’n misterie is wat u nie ken nie, en waarskynlik ken u Hom nie omdat u Sy openbaringe in die natuur, Sy Woord en deur Sy enigste Seun verwerp. ’n Mens kan alleenlik in verwondering voor God staan wanneer jy Hom en Sy werke ken, veral Sy verlossingswerk deur Sy Seun, Jesus Christus. Die Here openbaar hom net aan diegene wat Sy gebooie (Woord) liefhet (Johannes 14:21).

Jesus Christus het gesê:-

Johannes 17:3  En dit is die ewige lewe, dat hulle U ken, die enige waaragtige God, en Jesus Christus wat U gestuur het.

Worthy art thou, our Lord and our God, to receive the glory and the honor and the power, for evermore and unto all eternity. Amen!

Japie Grobler, a very good friend and brother of mine in Christ Jesus sent me a powerpoint slideshow not long before he passed away to be with the Lord.

To enjoy the awesome satellite photos of the earth, download the powerpoint file “Our Planet Earth” in the Box in the left hand upper corner of my blog and give God the honour and the glory. (When the slideshow opens, click the down arrow on your keyboard twice to go to the next slide and then continue to click it only once.)

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Rev 4:11 ASV Worthy art thou, our Lord and our God, to receive the glory and the honor and the power: for thou didst create all things, and because of thy will they were, and were created.

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Psa 19 ASV  For the Chief Musician. A Psalm of David. The heavens declare the glory of God; And the firmament showeth his handiwork. Day unto day uttereth speech, And night unto night showeth knowledge. There is no speech nor language; Their voice is not heard. Their line is gone out through all the earth, And their words to the end of the world. In them hath he set a tabernacle for the sun, Which is as a bridegroom coming out of his chamber, And rejoiceth as a strong man to run his course. His going forth is from the end of the heavens, And his circuit unto the ends of it; And there is nothing hid from the heat thereof. The law of Jehovah is perfect, restoring the soul: The testimony of Jehovah is sure, making wise the simple. The precepts of Jehovah are right, rejoicing the heart: The commandment of Jehovah is pure, enlightening the eyes. The fear of Jehovah is clean, enduring for ever: The ordinances of Jehovah are true, and righteous altogether. More to be desired are they than gold, yea, than much fine gold; Sweeter also than honey and the droppings of the honeycomb.  Moreover by them is thy servant warned: In keeping them there is great reward. Who can discern his errors? Clear thou me from hidden faults. Keep back thy servant also from presumptuous sins; Let them not have dominion over me: Then shall I be upright, And I shall be clear from great transgression. Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart Be acceptable in thy sight, O Jehovah, my rock, and my redeemer.

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Rev 5:12-14 ASV  . . . saying with a great voice, Worthy is the Lamb that hath been slain to receive the power, and riches, and wisdom, and might and honor, and glory, and blessing. And every created thing which is in the heaven, and on the earth, and under the earth, and on the sea, and all things are in them, heard I saying, Unto him that sitteth on the throne, and unto the Lamb, be the blessing, and the honor, and the glory, and the dominion, for ever and ever. And the four living creatures said, Amen. And the elders fell down and worshipped..

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Rev 19:7 ASV  Let us rejoice and be exceeding glad, and let us give the glory unto him: for the marriage of the Lamb is come, and his wife hath made herself ready.

AMEN 

Stand up and be counted

I am 100% in favour of people who inspire men, women and children to seek the Lord with all their heart but I am not in favour of the ways and means some have adopted to seek the Lord that are not in tune with the Word of God.

I must admit at first I didn’t know what to think of Angus Buchan’s YouTube video series “Seek the Lord” which he delivered in the wake of the terrible murder on Eugene Terreblanche and the subsequent threats of revenge. Is it a motivational speech like any other by Tony Robbins or is it a Godly inspired sermon to inspire the Christians in South Africa to remain steadfast in times of austere peril? Or is it a clever mixture of both?

First we need to ask ourselves: “What is a motivational speech?” What is it that motivates people in motivational speeches? The ultimate goal of motivational speeches may be summed up as follows:

• To make an appeal to peoples’ inherent goodness, expertise and creativity and to awaken these often slumbering virtues through positive speech and positive thinking. One of the most often quoted clichés that pop up ever so frequently in motivational speakers speeches is “Stand up and be counted.”
• To make an appeal to your self-esteem. Pep-talk is one of the quickest ways to win peoples’ confidence and to get them on your side. The natural inclination of man’s self-esteem is to avoid all kinds of negativity and to embrace positivity. Who wants to be negative anyway, so let’s follow and support the guys who give us hope and do everything in their power for peace and prosperity in our country, our homes and our businesses.
• To make an appeal to your natural inclination for safety, security, happiness and success.

Many preachers, including Angus Buchan, who have been moulded by the Transformational, Manifest Sons of God, Dominionist  movement will always refer you to the positive promises in Scripture and very often twist Scripture to suit their agenda. They do this not by telling you an outright lie but by changing the context in which biblical truths are embedded. Allow me to give you an example by quoting Angus Buchan.

You know the Bible is very clear when it says in Romans chapter 8 verse 19 that all creation is waiting with expectation for the manifestation of the sons, and the daughters, of God. So I don’t know where you really stand with the Lord at the moment but my dear friend this is a very serious message. I have never before; I have never in my life been so challenged as I am at the moment that we as believers need to stand up and be counted. [Thomas' comment: Jesus never told his disciples to "stand up and be counted." He said: "Behold, I send you forth as sheep in the midst of wolves." Paul said that Jesus' true disciples are "defamed . . . and  are treated as the filth of the world and are the offscouring of all things unto this day." - 1 Corinthians 4:13.] Our nation of South Africa is 90 % Christian, maybe only in name, maybe in different degrees; not maybe, we know there are. [Thomas' comment: What in the name of sanity does Angus Buchan mean by "different degrees?" Are you a 20% degree Christian, or a 40% or an 85% degree Christian?" Are these "degree Christians" also the "manifest sons and daughters of God?" ] But every person who knows Jesus Christ as Lord and Saviour needs to stand up and be counted. You say to me: What do you mean by that Angus? Well, at the moment there is a move going through our nation of fear, of desperation. People are angry. People don’t know what to do. We  need to stand up and say: Thus says the Lord! because in the heavenlies nothing has changed. OK! but we as ambassadors for Christ need to stand firm; we need to call those things that aren’t as if they were; we need to walk by faith and not by sight. We need to turn our backs on negative talking. Right? Jesus Christ came to give us hope, and love and joy and peace and He wants to give it to us,. We have it. (Emphasis added)

That’s a lie! Jesus did not come to this earth to give whole nations and countries such as South Africa peace and joy just because 90% of the population is supposedly Christian of which some are “degree Christians.”. Jesus said:

Matthew 10:34-37 Think not that I am come to send peace on earth: I came not to send peace, but a sword. For I am come to set a man at variance against his father, and the daughter against her mother, and the daughter in law against her mother in law.  And a man’s foes shall be they of his own household. He that loveth father or mother more than me is not worthy of me: and he that loveth son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me.

He only gives HIS peace to his true disipcles or followers.

John 14:27 Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you: not as the world giveth, give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid.

He cannot possibly give his peace and joy to those who reject his cross because it was through his cross that He makes peace.

1 Corinthians 1: 18 For the preaching of the cross is to them that perish foolishness; but unto us which are saved it is the power of God.

In fact, God says there is no peace and joy for the wicked.

Isaiah 57: 20-21 But the wicked are like the troubled sea, when it cannot rest, whose waters cast up mire and dirt. There is no peace, saith my God, to the wicked.

The main reason why Jesus came to this earth was to seek and to save those that are lost.

Luke 19:10 For the Son of man is come to seek and to save that which was lost.

If we were to say “Thus says the Lord” we must be very sure of what He is actually saying and I’m afraid that oom Angus is not telling the truth about what God is saying to us in Romans 8:19. But before I continue we must briefly look at the so-called “Manifest Sons of God” doctrine. You can read the entire article here.

• The charismatic dominionist movement which is expressed mainly in the spiritual warfare and signs and wonders movement had its origin in the Manifest Sons of God doctrine which in turn was birthed by the Latter Rain Movement in the late 40’s. John Robert Stevens, who like Paul Cain and others was a William Branham disciple, established “The Walk,” one of the two sects that came out of the original Manifest Sons of God movement. The other splinter group from the movement was called “The Body of Christ.”
• Eschatology or end time prophecies have no place in dominianst doctrine, mainly because of their “Replacement Theology” that says the church has replaced Israel. Hence their erroneous interpretation of many end time passages in Scripture such as Romans 8:19.  Its main agenda is the restoration of the Church, restoration of the 5 fold ministry with the offices of apostles and prophets, having authority through its leaders by strong shepherding and discipleship. A perfection of the saints, immortalization, and the attainment of being Christ as we become just like Christ in nature and ability. The Manifest Sons of God doctrine has an eschatology of Dominionism through the perfecting of the saints under the leadership guidance of the latter-day prophets and apostles. They mostly deny a rapture in the classic sense. Some replace it with individual raptures, a collective transformation to immortality on earth, or none at all. This quote is representative of the teaching “the doctrine of the Rapture was a great and effective ruse of the enemy to implant in the Church a retreat mentality … already this yoke has been cast off by the majority in the advancing church, and it will soon be cast off by all.” (Rick Joyner, THE HARVEST 1989 /1990 revised booklet on pg.121)
• The transformational Spiritual warfare practice that is an attachment to the signs and wonders movement finds its roots in the Latter Rain as well. The revival will come by the Church being led by these leaders in defeating demonic spirits through spiritual warfare prayer, fasting. The spiritual warfare conducted through intense worship and praise, and by spiritual mapping, identifying strongholds, rebuking demonic powers and binding territorial spirits.

“God’s people are going to start to exercise rule, and they’re going to take dominion over the Power of Satan. They’re going to bring diabolical princes down. The dark powers that hover over the Parliament buildings of the nations are going to be paralyzed by the corporate prayer of an authoritative community. As the rod of His strength goes out of Zion, He’ll change legislation. He’ll chase the devil off the face of God’s earth, and God’s people together, doing the will of God, will bring about God’s purposes and Gods reign. “ (Ern Baxter, National Men’s Shepherds Conference, Kansas City, Missouri,  1975)

• The apostles will rule the Church through establishing independent churches, unaffiliated with the corrupt denominations (Branham’s teaching). The exception which is currently underway, is that denominational churches would abandon being separate, join the movement coming under their leadership. It is essential to the Latter Rain movement for the church to be unified as one, under a central leadership.  Otherwise Christ cannot be incarnated (manifested) in the Church and give his power to conquer the world for Christ.

Angus Buchan’s interpretation of Romans 8:19, as it is with that of the Manifest Sons of God, is distorted and unbiblical and must therefore be rejected. The verb for “eagerly awaits” (apekdechomai) is used seven times in the New Testament and in every single instance it refers to Christ’s return, not at the Rapture, but at his Second Advent to the earth when He is going to establish his Millennium Kingdom on earth and restore the entire earth to an Edenic Garden of peace and prosperity (Romans 8:19, 23, 25; 1 Corinthians 1:7; Galatians 5:5; Philippians 3:20; Hebrews 9:28). Nature (animate and inanimate) is waiting with great anticipation and expectation for this magnanimous event. So, oom Angus, the sons and daughters of God are not going to be manifested at your Mighty Men Conference in April of 2010 when 400 000 men are going to come together on your farm and stand to be counted. Neither will it happen at any of Graham Power’s transformational rallies in Cape Town or any other city in our beloved country.

What Angus Buchan fails to convey to his Mighty Men and all the people who listen to him is that the believers are presently prone to much suffering and tribulation for they “know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose” (Romans 8:28), and because of their present sufferings (Romans 8:18) they are eagerly waiting, like the Creation, for that day.

But we shouldn’t be that negative, should we?. No! of course not because oom Angus says: “We need to turn our backs on negative talking. Right? Jesus Christ came to give us hope, and love and joy and peace and He wants to give it to us.” What is oom Angus actually promulgating? Positive confession? Well Yes! “we need to call those things that aren’t as if they were; we need to walk by faith and not by sight.” How sure are you, oom Angus, that Jesus never spoke negative things to his disciples? Maybe we should just tear out the following passages from Scripture in order to be positive in our religion.

John 15:18 If the world hate you, ye know that it hated me before it hated you.

Romans 8:36 As it is written, For thy sake we are killed all the day long; we are accounted as sheep for the slaughter.

Matthew 24: 9-12 Then shall they deliver you up to be afflicted, and shall kill you: and ye shall be hated of all nations for my name’s sake. And then shall many be offended, and shall betray one another, and shall hate one another. And many false prophets shall rise, and shall deceive many. And because iniquity shall abound, the love of many shall wax cold.

Revelation 2:10 Fear none of those things which thou shalt suffer: behold, the devil shall cast some of you into prison, that ye may be tried; and ye shall have tribulation ten days: be thou faithful unto death, and I will give thee a crown of life. (Emphasis added throughout).

Ah! but never fear when oom Angus is near. We only “need to call those things that aren’t as if they were; we need to walk by faith and not by sight. We need to turn our backs on negative talking. Right?” and Jesus’ words in the above quoted passages will be changed from negative to positive in a jiffy.

Not only does oom Angus and his Manifest Sons and Daughters of God have an erroneous view of the end-times; he also has a strange view of what hope, joy and peace are in the lives of God’s children. Joy is when you can sing a song of praise to God at midnight after you had been beaten 49 lashes on your bare back. Peace is when you have the peace that surpasses all understanding while the world is in utter chaos and turmoil around you. Hope is to turn your eyes upward from whence your redemption is and to long for the soon return of Jesus Christ because He and He alone is a believer’s hope.

Luke 21:28 And when these things begin to come to pass, then look up, and lift up your heads; for your redemption draws near.

I would like to draw your attention to Angus Buchan’s statement “We  need to stand up and say: Thus says the Lord! because in the heavenlies nothing has changed.” The intimation here is that because nothing has changed in the heavenlies and God desires that the things in heaven should be manifested on earth, the things that have changed here below because of negative confessions and negative thinking must and can be changed by faith and particularly spiritual warfare. In the third video of this series Angus Buchan took authority over the anarchy, crime, blood shedding and murder in our country.

God is waiting to visit this nation  . . . Negativity! we have to stop it, gentlemen, ladies, we have to stop it. It doesn’t matter what you think; its what God says that counts from now on. And when a young person comes to you and says: But God said that we can have life abundantly, who are you to say: Well I’ve seen this all before. No you haven’t because it’s never happened before, not in the way that God’s going to do it. . . . God is going to move sovereignly in this nation.

We’ve got people coming from Australia, people coming from Britain, people coming from America. What are they coming for? To come and hear my preaching? No! To come and see what God is going to do in two weeks time. This is our greatest opportunity and we need to use it. I’m not talking about a church camp. This is not a church camp. This is coming before the Lord, hey! Falling on our faces before God and saying: Lord we will not leave you, we will not let you go until you bless us and our nation. We are calling anarchy and we’re calling murder and we’re calling blood shedding, we are calling it to nought in the Name of Jesus Christ. We are calling it to nought. We are cutting across all those negative comments in Jesus Name. We are calling the things that God says into being today. We are talking about love and hope and faith in this nation. There is enough in this nation for everybody. There is enough in this nation for the whole continent of Africa.

Oom Angus never once mentioned the things God said which he claims to call down upon South Africa. Was he calling down the things Jesus said in John 15:18, Romans 8:36, Matthew 24:9-12 and Revelation 2:10? I would like to suggest that oom Angus go to places like the Sudan where Christians are murdered in droves because they truly love the Man from Galilee and to “call those things that aren’t as if they were” so as to alleviate or even “bring to nought” their intense suffering. As Bugs Bunny would say: “What’s up Doc?” What’s up with Doc Angus who seems to think the heinous murders, especially of farmers in South Africa, are brought about by our negative talks and thoughts. How many farmers who may have attended his Mighty Men Conferences in the passed have since been murdered? Has oom Angus ever declared his solidairty with the farmers who are constantly under siege or is he just trying to be positive in a vastly negative South Africa who is mourning for the producers of our bread and butter?

While listening to Angus, I began to surmise how the twelve apostles and Paul would have reacted to his words: “And when a young person comes to you and says: But God said that we can have life abundantly, who are you to say: Well, I’ve seen this all before. No you haven’t because it’s never happened before, not in the way that God’s going to do it. . . .” If God had never worked in the way He is allegedly going to work at the Mighty Men Conference from 16-18 April, then the poor apostles and many men of God in the past have missed something that only oom Angus and his mighty men are going to experience.

The abundant life of which the apostle John speaks in John 10:10 does not refer to a life of material abundance and prosperity; he speaks of the glorious and blessed life and all those exalted means of felicity which are prepared for God’s children in the world of glory. Material abundance and prosperity are temporal and not safe because Satan can easily rob you of it and that is precisely why we are admonished not to Lay up for ourselves treasures upon earth, where moth and rust doth corrupt, and where thieves break through and steal:  But to lay up for ourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust doth corrupt, and where thieves do not break through nor steal: For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also (Matthew 6:19-21). Satan and his host cannot rob God’s children of the abundant life (eternal life) they have in the Lord. Paul and the apostles experienced this life in abundance despite the many hardships, blood, sweat and toil and the fiercest persecution they so very often endured. And yet they never convened  a crowd to call to nought the anarchy, murder and blood shedding in Rome in the Name of Jesus and neither did they call into being the things God says in his Word. In fact, the hardship and persecution they endured was very often the stepping stone God used to spread the Gospel amongst the heathen so that they too may receive the abundant life through Jesus Christ.

The realties in the heavenlies must be called down upon the earth by speaking into existence (“rehma”) peace, joy, hope and prosperity. This is akin to the New Age maxim “As above, so below.” It is nothing else than a grossly distorted rendition of our Lord’s Prayer: “Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven.” Ultimately this will  only happen when Jesus returns to set up his Millennial Kingdom on earth.

How does Angus Buchan and his Mighty Men aim to bring the realities in the heavenlies down to earth or to speak into being God’s Word on earth?. Listen carefully to the piece de resistance in his short message.

We need to come together. We have to put our petty differences aside. I’m talking about doctrinal issues. We need to put them aside. We need to come as a people of God.

The call to put our petty differences, our doctrinal issues aside is a very dangerous thing to do. First of all, there are no petty (trivial) doctrines in the Bible and anyone who disregards God’s doctrines are showing their true colours. It proves that they are not true disciples or followers of Jesus Christ. Jesus said: “If ye continue in my word, then are ye my disciples indeed;”  John, the apostle of love, wrote:

2 John verse 9 Whosoever transgresseth, and abideth not in the doctrine of Christ, hath not God. He that abideth in the doctrine of Christ, he hath both the Father and the Son.

Some may argue that Angus Buchan’s reference to petty doctrines relates to the non-essential doctrines. What are the non-essentials? I’m very sure that all will agree that salvation and sanctification are the two most important doctrines in Scripture. God very distinctly warns that no one will see Him without sanctification (Hebrews 12:14) and the latter can only be followed by salvation. No one can be sanctified without first having been born from above. There are those who believe that baptism by immersion is an integral part of salvation which makes it extremely difficult for them to divorce baptism from salvation and sanctification. It is obvious that they will never regard baptism as a petty doctrine but just as important as salvation. In the March 1995 edition of The Berean call, Dave Hunt wrote:

The Council of Trent (1545-63) stated that while Christ “merited for us justification by His most holy passion . . . the instrumental cause [of justification/regeneration] is the sacrament of baptism . . . If anyone says that baptism is . . . not necessary for salvation, let him be anathema.”¹ Vatican II (1962-65) reconfirms all of Trent² and reiterates the necessity of baptism for salvation,³ as does the universal Catechism of the Catholic Church released by the Vatican in 1993: “Baptism is necessary for salvation . . . the Church does not know of any [other] means . . . that assures entry into eternal beatitude . . .” ⁴

Whether we want to believe it or not, the Protestant Reformation has to this very day never discarded some of the Roman Catholic doctrines; baptismal regeneration is one of them. Many Charismatic and Pentecostal churches still strongly believe that baptism by immersion is necessary for your salvation.

Similarly the doctrine of speaking in tongues is regarded in some circles as the evidence for having the Holy Spirit. Will they be prepared to discard this doctrine as a petty thing in favour of union with other denominations? Angus Buchan boasts that 90% of South African citizens are Christians although he admits that many of them are only Christian in name. To whom is he referring? Most of them belong to a church. Below are the most reliable statistics on trends in religion in South Africa according to the national censuses held in 1996 and 2001.

It shows that there was a steady decline in membership numbers between 1996 and 2001 in all the denominations with the exception of “other churches.” What these other churches are, is not stipulated but one can with reasonable assurance say it refers to churches such as the Mormon Church or the Later Day Saints Church and the Seventh Day Adventists who believe they are the one true church in these end-times. Many disillusioned people in the Reformed Churches have joined the Seventh Day Adventist Church in the past few years, simply because they take a firm stand against Roman Catholicism and the many unbiblical doctrines that have overtaken the Reformed Churches. How Angus Buchan and his Mighty Men conferences are going to bring these churches together as a unified army of manifest sons and daughters of God is an open book. Four hundred thousand men from every conceivable denomination in South Africa may indeed come together on Buchan’s farm to listen to him and perhaps even witness some miracles (such as a heart-shaped cloud in the sky which supposedly evidences God’s love for his sons and his daughters). The fact remains, the outcome of his Mighty Men Conferences is not going to be determined by the huge numbers who attend these conferences but by the hierarchical institutions who authoritatively determine what doctrines their congregants should adhere to. In other words, after an euphoric weekend of “great preaching,” praise and worship and “miracles” and “signs and wonders” most of the men will return to their churches only to continue upholding their own pet doctrines. It is precisely what happened in the days of Billy Graham’s mass rallies – the folk (men and women) were sent back to their respective churches (including the Romans Cahtolic Church)  after the so-called great revivals.

Preachers who go around promising people that we are smack bang in the midst of a revival are not teaching the true counsels of God. The so-called  mighty revivals popping up everywhere are not revivals but the result of motivational strategies to unify all the churches (including the non-Christian religions) with very little or no regard for God’s doctrines. The buzz word is transformations — the transformation of whole cities and nations, a movement that is gaining momentum throughout the world under the auspices of people like C. Peter Wagner and George Otis. For more information on this subject please read here.

The Bible is very explicit in its description of the end-times. It never mentions any great revivals for the end-times. In fact it warns that there will be a great falling away from the faith.

1 Timothy 4:1 Now the Spirit speaketh expressly, that in the latter times some shall depart from the faith, giving heed to seducing spirits, and doctrines of devils;

2 Timothy 4:3 For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but after their own lusts shall they heap to themselves teachers, having itching ears;

2 Thessalonians 2:3 Let no man deceive you by any means: for that day shall not come, except there come a falling away first, and that man of sin be revealed, the son of perdition;

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1 H. J. Schroeder, trans., The Canons and Decrees of the Council of Trent (Tan Books, 1978), 33, 53.

2 Vatican Council II, The Conciliar and Post Conciliar Documents, ed. Austin Flannery, O.P., (Costello Publishing Company, 1988), rev. ed., 412.

3 Ibid, 365.

4 Catechism of the Catholic Church (The Wanderer Press, 1994), 224, 320.

Please change the name “The Andrew Murray Prize” to “The Dalai Lama Prize”

Brian McClaren wrote a book entitled “Everything Must Change: Jesus, Global Crisis, and a Revolution of Hope” If there is one thing that needs to be changed it is the title of the award for the best South African Christian book. Please change it to “The Dalai Lama Prize”.”

But first we need to take a brief glimpse of what Stephan Joubert wrote on his blog recently so that you may get my gist.

This murder [on Eugene Terreblanche] is disgusting, to say the very least. That freedom song is also bad, no doubt about that. But why people choose to draw a very straight line between murders and this song baffles me. I grew up in church singing the same religious hymns week after week, with little effect! The Ten Commandments was also read in services every single Sunday morning. When older people ask me nowadays why we stopped reading Exodus 20 in church on Sundays, I just ask them to recite the Ten Commandments right there on the spot. Up to date nobody could do this, in spite of hearing this very text 52 times a year for 20-30 years! Little effect, I say!

Stephan Joubert says: “Little effect, I say.” God says:

Colossians 3:16 Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom; teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord.

“Me thinks” Stephan Joubert is guilty of the very same thing of which he accuses others. He is drawing a straight line between the alleged ineffectiveness of a song that calls for the murder and destruction of the “boer” and “farmer” in South Africa and the alleged ineptitude of the Ten Commandments and Christian hymns to change lives in South Africa.

Stephan Joubert may have been reared in a church where the singing of hymns and the routine reading of the Ten Commandments had very little effect on the lives of their congregants, but has he forgotten that God never gave his Ten Commandments to change lives? In fact, Paul very clearly declared that the Law, although it is holy, just and good, brings about death in stead of life for it is the very Law that proves how exceedingly sinful mankind’s sins really are. If there hadn’t been any Law we would never have known what sin was but now that we do know and hitherto brazenly continue to break God’s Law we are bringing death and destruction upon ourselves.

Everyone, including Stephan Joubert, who does not acknowledge that the song “Kill the boer, kill the farmer” is a hideous violation of God’s Law will quite naturally sit back in their lazy boy arm chairs and say in an air of hauteur: The song ‘Kill the boer, kill the farmer,” is as impotent and ineffective as Christian hymns and the Ten Commandments. It has “Little effect, I say!”  I would therefore earnestly like to remind Stephan Joubert that God’s Law is “our schoolmaster to bring us unto Christ, that we might be justified by faith.” The Law of God serves merely as a mirror in which we may see ourselves and acknowledge how filthy we have been contaminated by our sins in our beloved country, and that we all desperately need to come to Christ, the only Saviour of the world.

How on God’s earth did Stephan Joubert manage to win the prestigious Andrew Murray Prize when he has so little regard for God’s Law? (Matthew 5:19). Have we become so corrupt in our Christian religiosity that we applaud, praise and prize men who have apostatised from the faith? One of the main reasons why our country is in such a mess, is not because our government has supposedly lost the ability to curb the hideous crimes, but because “The wicked shall be turned into hell, and all the nations that forget God.” (Psalm 9:17)

What are the signs of a nation who has forgotten God? Read the following God-dishonouring quotes from the lips of one of our most distinguished religious prize-winning leaders and you will see what the signs are.

The strange thing about Christian one liners/slogans is that you often find the words “turn back…” in them.

“Turn back to God.”

“Turn back to the Bible.”

It makes me wonder why: turn back?

Shouldn’t it rather be: “Go forward?”

Leonard Sweet, world renowned futurist, theologian, author, speaker and the guru of those who seek God’s plans in new, meaningful ways, including myself, refuses to use the term retraite or retreat. He’ll immediately tell you that Christians never retreat. We advance. Therefore, the gatherings that he hosts at his island and mountain homes are called advances!

Christians shouldn’t turn back to the Bible or the church. Then we’re heading in the wrong direction. We move forward to God. We advance. (Emphasis added) – Stephan Joubert

The most dangerous deceivers are those who claim to be Christians but have no qualms in asserting that there are truths in religions other than the Christian faith. E-church and e-kerk, engineered by Stephan Joubert, Dries Lombaard, Dries Cronjé and others, have openly supported Rob Bell’s claim that there is truth in other religions such as Buddhism.

He (Rob Bell) says you must engage the culture. I must listen to the Buddhists. You must hear what those guys have to say. Then Christians get a big fright because they do not hear clearly what Rob Bell says. He does not say, become like them; he says, read their stuff, find out why they are so important. They too might have truth. Truth is not only in Christianity. Truth can be found in Judaism. You can find truth in atheism. You can find truth in whosoever. God’s general revelation is a little wider, but you say Jesus is Lord.

We must find new ways. We must give form to new ways. We must find new partners. We must listen when the biggest growing spirituality in the world is presently not Christianity. And then we musk ask, why not? Why does Buddhism grow the fastest? Why do they have what we don’t have? Why does the American Neurological Society, when 40 000 of the world’s neurologists come together, invite the Dalai Lama to address them? Why do they get the Dalai Lama, the head of the Buddhists? – Stephan Joubert in a sermon he gave at the Kemptonkruin DRC on 1st March 2009.

South Africa and especially the Afrikaner church community are ecstatic over Stephan Joubert’s prize-winning book and yet he doesn’t know what the difference is between the ecclesia (church) of God and Buddhism? Now fancy that! Joubert, previously professor in New Testament at the University of Pretoria, formerly a pastor of the Afrikaans Christian Church in Auckland, New Zealand and presently a tent maker pastor of the DRC congregation Kempton-Kruin in Kempton Park and an innovator in the field of electronic service . . . does not know why the Buddhists have what the Christian Church does not have? Well, I must admit that I too do not know why the Buddhists have what we don’t have but I do know what the Christians have what they don’t have. We, all the blood cleansed children of God (not all in the Christian fold are saved) have Jesus Christ whom they don’t have. They do not have Jesus Christ, not because He does not want them to have Him, but because they themselves shun HIm and his cross.

In an interview James A. Beverley had with the Dalai Lama some very interesting insights about the Lama’s view of Jesus Christ came to light.

I reminded him of his belief that Jesus is “a fully enlightened being” and asked, “If Jesus is fully enlightened, wouldn’t he be teaching the truth about himself? Therefore, if he is teaching the truth, then he is the Son of God, and there is a God and Jesus is the Savior. If he is fully enlightened, he should teach the truth. If he is not teaching the truth, he is not that enlightened.”

As the Dalai Lama felt the momentum of the question, he laughed more than at any other time in the interview. He obviously understood the argument, borrowed from C. S. Lewis’ Mere Christianity. 

“This is a very good question,” he said. “This is very, very important, very important.” Even in Buddha’s case, he said, a distinction must always be made between teachings that “always remain valid” and others that “we have the liberty to reject.” 

He argued that the Buddha knew people were not always ready for the higher truth because it “wouldn’t suit, wouldn’t help.” Therefore, lesser truths are sometimes taught because of the person’s ignorance or condition. This is known in Buddhist dharma as the doctrine of uppayah, or ‘skillful means.’ The Dalai Lama then applied this to the question about Jesus. 

“Jesus Christ also lived previous lives,” he said. “So, you see, he reached a high state, either as a Bodhisattva, or an enlightened person, through Buddhist practice or something like that. Then, at a certain period, certain era, he appeared as a new master, and then because of circumstances, he taught certain views different from Buddhism, but he also taught the same religious values as I mentioned earlier: Be patient, tolerant, compassionate. This is, you see, the real message in order to become a better human being.” He said that there was absolutely no lying involved since Jesus’ motivation was to help people.

 Do you follow his argument? Due to my own lack of “uppayah” or “skillful means” I decided to list it in the following way so  that I may understand it in a more structural way in my non-”uppayah” brain.

1. Jesus Christ was a fully enlightened being who reached a high state, either as a Bodhisattva or an enlightend person through Buddhist practices [such as meditation] or something like that .
2. However, the Buddha explained that people were not always ready for the higher truth [which of course the Buddhists alone possess] because it would’nt suit or help them [which is rather strange because truth can only essentially be truth when it sets you free of all the lies you have believed]. Therefore,  lesser truths [which apparently are lesser potent than the higher truths in Buddhism and therefore cannot set you free] are sometimes taught because of a person’s ignorance or condition [ for instance bad karma?].
3. Although Jesus had reached a higher level of enlightenment, He had to tone down his Bodhissattva wisdom when He appeared as a new master [in the guise of the Son of God as the Christians believe]. Because of different circumstances [aka "a different and primitive worldview" as our dear friends in the DRC Seminary at the Univerisity of Pretoria believe] He was compelled to teach certain views different from Buddhism [such as that He was crucified, was buried, was raised from the dead, ascended into heaven and will return again to judge the world in righteoussness].
4. However, Jesus remained faithful to the core teachings of Buddhism because He continued to teach “the message of compassion, forgiveness, tolerance, contentment, simplicity, then self-discipline.” In fact, He was only faithfully upholding with valour the truth all religions supposedly adhere to.

James A. Beverley brilliantly responded to the Dalai Lama’s semi Buddhist-Christian ramblings as follows:

 While the Dalai Lama’s claim that Jesus is a fully enlightened being offers some common ground with Christian faith, he does not seem to grasp the difficulties inherent in his position.

In the four gospels the integrity of Jesus’ moral teaching is intimately linked with the accuracy of his self-identity, not only by the opponents and disciples of Jesus, but also by Jesus himself. It is impossible to picture an enlightened Jesus once a Buddhist perspective is used to evaluate his truth claims. For example, Jesus praised Peter for his belief that Jesus is the Messiah, the Son of the living God. Jesus said God revealed this to the disciple. From a Buddhist perspective, there is no God to reveal anything. If there is no God, then Jesus is not the Son of God, and Peter’s confession is false. What does this suggest about the integrity of Jesus as a teacher? 

Furthermore, why is it that humans in Jesus’ day could not be given the same Buddhist message delivered by Gautama Buddha just a few centuries earlier in India? The Dalai Lama rightly recognizes that good teaching modifies itself to the audience to some degree. Was the karma so bad in Israel to require withholding the Buddha’s teachings on reincarnation, the Four Noble Truths, the Eightfold Path, and the nature of enlightenment? 

Finally, claims that Jesus is really a Buddha in disguise are no compliment to Jesus or Buddha. How would Buddhists feel if Christians claimed that Gautama was really a Christian figure ahead of his time?

 But then again, who needs Jesus Christ when you do not even need Buddha?

In terms of his own faith, the Dalai Lama drew a parallel between emotional love for Buddha and Christian love for Jesus. He said that his reflection on Buddha’s teaching and sacrifice has led him to tears at times. Does he thank Buddha for the good things in his life?

“Frankly speaking, my own happiness is mainly due to my own good karma,” he said. “It is a fundamental Buddhist belief that my own suffering is due to my mistakes. If some good things happen, that is mainly due to my own good actions, not something related to a direct connection with Buddha.” 

I have it on good authority that the Mosaic Church in Johannesburg where Stephan Joubert appears regularly as a preacher and teacher occasionally show statues of Buddha on their overhead screens during church services.

Can it really be possible that a prize-winning laureate does not know why a religion such as Buddhism is one of the fastest growing religions in the world and why Christianity is dwindling? If Stephan Joubert would only retract his foolish assertion that “Christians shouldn’t turn back to the Bible or the church” and repentantly and contritely return to God and his Word, he would have known and acknowledged what Jesus said about the last days.

1. BUT THE [Holy] Spirit distinctly and expressly declares that in latter times some will turn away from the faith, giving attention to deluding and seducing spirits and doctrines that demons teach, (1 Timothy 4:1)
2. And then many will be offended and repelled and will begin to distrust and desert [Him Whom they ought to trust and obey] and will stumble and fall away and betray one another and pursue one another with hatred. And many false prophets will rise up and deceive and lead many into error. And the love of the great body of people will grow cold because of the multiplied lawlessness and iniquity, (Matthew 24:10-12)
3. Herald and preach the Word! Keep your sense of urgency [stand by, be at hand and ready], whether the opportunity seems to be favorable or unfavorable. [Whether it is convenient or inconvenient, whether it is welcome or unwelcome, you as preacher of the Word are to show people in what way their lives are wrong.] And convince them, rebuking and correcting, warning and urging and encouraging them, being unflagging and inexhaustible in patience and teaching. For the time is coming when [people] will not tolerate (endure) sound and wholesome instruction, but, having ears itching [for something pleasing and gratifying], they will gather to themselves one teacher after another to a considerable number, chosen to satisfy their own liking and to foster the errors they hold, And will turn aside from hearing the truth and wander off into myths and man-made fictions. (2 Timothy 4:2-4)
4. But the gate is narrow (contracted by pressure) and the way is straitened and compressed that leads away to life, and few are those who find it. (Matthew 7:14)
5. If the world hates you, know that it hated Me before it hated you. (John 15:25).
6. Nevertheless when the Son of man cometh, shall he find faith on the earth? (Luke 18:8b)

The above few passages from Scripture prove beyond any doubt that Jesus Christ, the Son of the living God, is completely incompatible with Buddhism and why no truly born-again and Spirit-filled child of God would ever be invited to speak at a gathering of the American Neurological Society where 40 000 neurologists hung on the lips of the Dalai Lama. Does Stephan Joubert, our revered winner of the Andrew Murray Prize, really think Jesus Christ whom he claims to follow will listen to a man whom the Buddhists claim is a reincarnated god? Says who? Dave Hunt wrote the following article some years ago

The recent stunning events in Eastern Europe have probably moved the world closer to the “peace” that precedes Antichrist’s rise to power. The partnership between Gorbachev and the Pope could play an important role. When the world imagines it has achieved “peace and safety,” sudden destruction will come (1 Thess 5:3). A powerful spiritual “peace” delusion seems to be gathering momentum.

Take for example a peace poster popular in North America and Europe. Its full-color replica was the front cover of the December 1989 issue of Whole Life Times, a major New Age monthly. The scene offers a magnificent view of the sprawling eleven-story, gilt-roofed “Palace of the Gods” in Lhasa, Tibet, ancient residence of the Dalai Lamas. Towering in the background are the snow-capped Himalayas overarched with a dazzling rainbow—all mirrored perfectly on the glassy surface of a lake.

Superimposed upon the breathtaking landscape is a head-and-shoulders picture of Tenzin Gyatso, “His Holiness the Dalai Lama of Tibet,” smiling most benignly. His huge image rises out of the palace, dwarfing it and blocking the view of a portion of the majestic mountains behind. In large print at the bottom of the poster/magazine cover are the words, “Peace on Earth.” The blasphemous implication is clear: The promise of the angels at the birth of Christ will be fulfilled through the Dalai Lama!

This was the December issue, but it contained no mention of Christmas or of Jesus Christ. The entire magazine was devoted to “Peace on Earth” and how to attain it—yet the “Prince of Peace” (Is 9:6), through whom comes “peace with God …through the blood of his cross” (Rom 5:1; Col 1:20), was not mentioned even once in its pages. His gospel has been replaced by the human potential gospel of self-help and self-esteem that occupies each issue of Whole Life Times and has even invaded the church.

This poster and magazine represent an attitude that permeates society and is growing. That Jesus Christ alone can bring peace to this earth is considered an intolerably dogmatic statement and is rejected out of hand—not because it can be shown to be false, but because it is too narrow-minded for today’s pluralistic world.

Christianity is called a religion. Those representing it are limited to what they can say or do in the public arena. It is considered improper, even illegal in some places such as the public schools, to offer Jesus Christ as a solution to the moral problems that plague society, much less as the hope for world peace.

Not so with Buddhism. The Dalai Lama is immune to criticism, given access to all levels of government, education and society, and respected as the ambassador of religious tolerance. Yet he engages in the most blatant missionary activity, initiating tens of thousands around the world into occultic Tibetan Buddhist beliefs and practices. He is also associated with the World Hindu Congress, which has as its goal the neutralization of Christianity and the establishment of a Hindu-Buddhist belief system as the world religion. So much for “religious tolerance.”

The Dalai Lama taught in Santa Monica that it was possible for all human beings to eventually become a Buddha, a being of the highest wisdom and compassion and power…[through] a method called Deity Yoga….Deity Yoga…is a special conscious act of…visualizing the illusion that we are already…god-like…[able] to create our own reality…[that we] are Buddhas.

Do we realize to what extent our so-called Christian leaders who call themselves Christ-followers have drifted from the Word of God and yet dr. Pieter van Niekerk, Elize Parker and Christo van der Rheede award him the prestigious Andrew Murray Prize? Murray is probably already tired of turning in his grave over and over again having noticed how many times his namesake prize has been awarded to writers who have openly and unashamedly turned their backs on God and his Word. Stephan Joubert has no intention to obey Jesus Christ’s command to go into all the world and to make disciples of all the nations and to teach them to observe everything He commanded us. While he bravely and audaciously encourages everyone to engage other religions, particularly Buddhism because it too supposedly holds truth in its bosom, he brazenly admits that he would never try to convince Buddhists and Hindus to receive Jesus Christ as their only Saviour. Here are his own words:

It [the Emergent Church] involves people who have a passion to say [that] the world and its culture in our generation need to be won back to Christ. And therefore I am not going to criticise their culture but I’m going to engage it. Therefore, I’m not going to take on their spirituality and postulate my truths. I’m going to listen to what they have to say because I can prove [to them] the truth ad infinitum as I did in the 1960’s, and I can debate with a Buddhist or a Hindu and sit there with them and say ‘here is my truth, here are my stuff.’ But now as an Emerging Church guy I will say [to them], let us listen . . . I’m not going to try and change you but you also have the right to hear how I feel and I’m not going to make any excuses for who I am. I’m not going to force my religion down your throat.

Stephan Joubert assertively promised never to shove his faith down a Buddhist’s or a Hindu’s throat which implies that he deems the alleged truth in other religions to be as potent as the truth in Christianity. Consequently he would not want to evangelize people in other religions when their own truths are able to redeem them? Brian McLaren echoes his sentiments.

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

Let me remind Stephan Joubert that the truth in Christianity is not an abstract concept; it is a Person. Jesus Christ is not only the very essence and embodiment of love, but also of compassion, righteousness, longsuffering, grace, mercy and truth. Some of the other religions may endorse and even try to practice all these virtuous truths but it means nothing because Jesus Himself once said “ . . . without me you can do nothing” (John 15:5b). No man, no matter what religion he belongs to, is capable of knowing and practicing the truth, love, compassion, justice, peace etc. without Jesus Christ. How can they when they reject Him and his cross of reconciliation? Therefore, to say or even imply that there is truth in other religions and even atheism is an affront to Jesus Christ and his Word. It suggests that we need to tap into the alleged truths in other religions so that we may enhance and fill up that which is lacking in the Truth, Jesus the Christ.

I agree with Stephan Joubert that “That freedom song is also bad” but does he realize that there is something even worse and far more dangerous? Yes! you have guessed it — deception, false doctrine, and doctrines of demons.

1 Timothy 4:1 BUT THE [Holy] Spirit distinctly and expressly declares that in latter times some will turn away from the faith, giving attention to deluding and seducing spirits and doctrines that demons teach,

Is the notion that there are truths in other religions, equal to those in Christianity, a doctrine of God?

Allow me to quote to you once again what Alice Bailey wrote in one of her books:

Your spiritual goal is the establishing of the Kingdom of God.  . . .

“It is time that the church woke up to its true mission, which is to materialize the kingdom of God on earth, today, here and now.… People are no longer interested in a possible heavenly state or a probable hell. They need to learn that the kingdom is here, and must express itself on earth … The way into that kingdom is the way that Christ trod. It involves the sacrifice of the personal self for the good of the world, and the service of humanity…” — Alice Bailey (Cited in chapter 15 of “In The Name of Purpose”).

What shall we sing? . . . A dirge of death or a hymn to life?

Please follow the links as you read this comment.

Singing is one of the most natural ways of expressing our deepest and most heartfelt emotions. The very first song a new-born baby hears is that of a mother who hushes her baby to sleep with the sweet sounding words of a lullaby. I can only imagine how beautiful Mary’s lullaby must have sounded when she first sang it to her Son, Jesus. Yes, I know the Bible does not tell us that she sang Him a lullaby. What we do know is that she sang her Magnificat when the angel Gabriel told her that she would bring forth a Son and she must call Him Jesus because He would save sinners.

My soul doth magnify the Lord,
And my spirit hath rejoiced in God my Saviour.
For he hath regarded the low estate of his handmaiden: for, behold, from henceforth all generations shall call me blessed.
For he that is mighty hath done to me great things; and holy is his name.
And his mercy is on them that fear him from generation to generation.
He hath shewed strength with his arm; he hath scattered the proud in the imagination of their hearts.
He hath put down the mighty from their seats, and exalted them of low degree.
He hath filled the hungry with good things; and the rich he hath sent empty away.
He hath holpen his servant Israel, in remembrance of his mercy;
As he spake to our fathers, to Abraham, and to his seed for ever.

(Luke 1:46-55)

So profoundly great was the salvation He, the Son of God, wrought on the cross of Calvary that two of his disciples were able to sing at midnight after they had been brutally beaten in prison. This song eventually led to the life-giving salvation of the prison ward who fearfully wanted to take his own life when an earthquake opened the prison gates. We have no idea what the song sounded like but it may just as well have been something that sounded like “Amazing Grace.”

When I was a kid we were taught that cowboys never cry but I couldn’t contain my tears when I listened to Nana Mouskouri singing the well-known hymn Amazing Grace by John Newton. Here’s a portion of the Wikipedia entry on the original lyrics of Amazing Grace:

Amazing grace! (how sweet the sound)
That saved a wretch like me!
I once was lost, but now I’m found,
Was blind, but now I see.

‘Twas grace that taught my heart to fear,
And grace my fears relieved;
How precious did that grace appear,
The hour I first believed!

Through many dangers, toils and snares,
I have already come;
‘Tis grace has brought me safe thus far,
And grace will lead me home.

The Lord has promised good to me,
His word my hope secures;
He will my shield and portion be,
As long as life endures.

Yes, when this flesh and heart shall fail,
And mortal life shall cease;
I shall possess, within the veil,
A life of joy and peace

The earth shall soon dissolve like snow,
The sun forbear to shine;
But God, who call’d me here below,
Will be forever mine.

Some versions of the hymn include an additional verse:

When we’ve been there ten thousand years,
Bright shining as the sun,
We’ve no less days to sing God’s praise
Than when we’d first begun.

The tears I shed were tears of gratitude for His great salvation. However, the tears I shed when I recently read an article on the blog of one of our most revered and distinguished South African clergy brought tears of shame, anger and disgust to my eyes. You can read the entire article here. As you can see Zonja Gerber and JC voiced their concern over his article. I too commented on his blog but as with all the other comments I wrote the past month, he deleted it without giving the slightest explanation. My comment he deleted read as follows:

I agree with you Zonja.

Apparently Stephan does not know what the difference is between the song “Amazing grace” and “Kill the boer, kill the farmer.”

South Africa, please listen: We have no need to shed the blood of our fellow South Africans (black, white or brown). And we have no need to sing songs of death and destruction. Jesus Christ has already shed his precious blood on the cross for us all and He has already conquered death when He was raised from the grave. What He wants for you is to LIVE unto all eternity. His invitation still stands today. You only need to come to Him:

Matthew 11:28-30 Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.

His grace is indeed AMAZING and AWESOME.

Stephan, I have often pleaded with you to return to Jesus Christ and his immutable Gospel. I do so again. Please return to Him. He will never turn you away.

Gebrokenheid

Ons het so pas die afgelope naweek die dood en opstanding van ons Here Jesus Christus herdenk. Maar wat beteken dit vir ons in ons alledaagse lewe? Hoe raak dit ons daaglikse lewe? Dit is sekerlik goed om sy dood en opstanding jaarliks te vier maar as dit nie in ons lewens uitkristaliseer nie, beteken dit net mooi niks nie. Die vraag is: Hoe moet Jesus Christus se dood en opstanding in ons lewens uitkristaliseer?

Galasiërs 5:14-17 Want die hele wet word vervul in een woord, naamlik: Jy moet jou naaste liefhê soos jouself. Maar as julle mekaar byt en opeet, pas op dat julle nie die een deur die ander verteer word nie. Maar ek sê: Wandel deur die Gees, dan sal julle nooit die begeerlikheid van die vlees volbring nie; want die vlees begeer teen die Gees, en die Gees teen die vlees; en hulle staan teenoor mekaar, sodat julle nie kan doen wat julle wil nie.

As daar een ding is wat die mens graag wil beskerm, pamperlang, verdedig en voorop stel dan is dit sy eie vleeslike natuur, sy eie “ek” soos ons dikwels daarna verwys. Maar, is dit wat God graag wil hê ons moet doen? Is dit sy wil dat ons eie “ek” voorrang moet geniet? Nee! hoegenaamd nie want soos ons hierbo sien, stry die vlees teen die Gees. Die natuurlike begeertes van die vlees blus die Gees (1 Thessalonicense 5:19).

Dit is die soewereine wil van God dat my gees en siel en liggaam geheel en al onder die heerskappy van die Heilige Gees moet staan, sodat Hy die lewe, gesindheid en karakter van die Here Jesus Christus in en deur my kan voortbring.

My eie selflewe in die siel, met al sy natuurlike eienskappe van selfgesentreerdheid, staan in God se pad. Die gevolg is dat Sy lewe, wat in my innerlike mens of gees woon, as’t ware gevange gehou word deur die harde dop van my eie selflewe. Eers wanneer hierdie harde dop deur God self gebreek is, d.w.s. wanneer my siel nie meer onafhanklik of op eie inisiatief (impulsief) funksioneer nie, maar die instrument word van en ondergeskik gemaak is aan die Heilige Gees, kan Sy lewe (die lewende water) vanuit my gees en deur my gebroke sielslewe na ander vloei.

In ons tuin groei daar ‘n Lemon Verbena wat vreeslik lekker en skoon ruik. Elke keer wanneer ek daar verbyloop, pluk ek een van die blaartjies, vryf dit hard tussen die palms van my hande en ruik dan met ‘n diep teug daaraan. Eers dan kan jy die ryk en vol geur daarvan ruik en waardeer. Christene is veronderstel om die geur of reuk van die Here Jesus te versprei oral waar hulle hul bevind, en dit gebeur alleenlik wanneer hulle so ‘n bietjie gepars word.

Efesiërs 5: 1 en 2 Wees dan navolgers van God soos geliefde kinders; en wandel in liefde, soos Christus ons ook liefgehad het en Hom vir ons oorgegee het as ‘n gawe en offer aan God tot ‘n lieflike geur.

Van al die offers wat in Levitikus beskrywe word, is die Brandoffer die enigste offer wat geheel en al verbrand is. Dit dui op Jesus Christus se volkome oorgawe aan die volmaakte wil van sy Vader wat vir Hom ‘n lieflike geur was (wat Hom volkome tevrede gestel het). So-ook moet Christene, net soos hulle Meester, hulle volkome oorgee aan die Vader tot ‘n lieflike geur vir Hom. Maar, soos met die Here Jesus, verg dit ook ‘n offer.

Romeine 12:1 Ek vermaan julle dan, broeders, by die ontferminge van God, dat julle jul liggame stel as ‘n lewende, heilige en aan God welgevallige offer–dit is julle redelike godsdiens.

In die Ou Testament is die offers doodgemaak. Van ons word dit egter verwag om die vlees aan die dood (kruis) af te gee sodat ons vir God kan lewe.

Romeine 6: 11 en 13 So moet julle ook reken dat julle wel vir die sonde dood is, maar lewend is vir God in Christus Jesus, onse Here. En moenie julle lede stel tot beskikking van die sonde as werktuie van ongeregtigheid nie, maar stel julleself tot beskikking van God as mense wat uit die dode lewend geword het, en julle lede as werktuie van geregtigheid in die diens van God.

WAT IS GEBROKENHEID?

Gebrokenheid is dié toestand waarin God my bring:-

1. nadat ek deur middel van omstandighede myself en die afskuwelikhede van my “ek” in Sy lig raakgesien het.
2. nadat ek onder die oortuiging van die Heilige Gees tot die diepe besef gebring is dat die “self” of die “ek” alleenlik vir één ding goed is – die kruis (die dood).
3. nadat ek met heelhartige oorgawe die “ek” aan die kruis (die dood) afgegee het en die dood van die Here Jesus aan die kruis deur die geloof as my eie aanvaar het . . . SODAT
4. die heerlike opstandingslewe van die Here Jesus tot oorvloedige volheid in my kan kom.

Anders gestel, gebrokenheid word op elke terrein van my lewe bewerk (godsdienstige lewe, huwelikslewe, arbeidslewe, private lewe, huislike lewe of wat ook) wanneer God d.m.v. die kruis van Jesus (die krag van God) en met my heelhartige toestemming en gewilligheid klaarspeel met my ou lewe sodat die nuwe lewe (die lewe van Jesus) in my lewe ingeburger kan word.

Gebrokenheid is verder ‘n tydstip in my lewe waartydens ek ‘n keuse moet maak tussen my wil en die wil van die Here. Kom ons kyk so ‘n bietjie aan die hand van ‘n voorbeeld of ‘n situasie, wat hierdie keuse tussen my wil en God se wil behels. As u so voel kan u self korresponderende tekse in die Bybel gaan soek om ‘n beter prentjie hiervan te vorm.

Sê nou maar iemand beskuldig my valslik van allerhande dinge en dit loop naderhand uit op ‘n onhoudbare situasie waarin selfs van my Christen broers en susters die rug op my keer. Ek kan een van twee dinge doen:-

1) Ek kan my eie vrye wil uitoefen wat in hierdie spesifieke verband uiting vind in,

A) SELFREGVERDIGING

Dit is wanneer ek alles in my vermoë doen om te bewys dat ek reg en hulle verkeerd is, al moet ek dieselfde metodes gebruik wat hulle aangewend het om my te beswadder of by ander in ‘n slegte lig te stel.

B) SELFVERDEDIGING

Dit is wanneer ek alles in my vermoë doen om my beeld wat deur die onregverdigheid van die ander geskaad is, deur selfregverdigmakende metodes weer in ere te herstel, al beteken dit ook dat die beeld van die ander wat my beswadder het, ook nou daardeur in die gedrang mag kom.

C) SELFBEJAMMERING

Wanneer sulke dinge met ons gebeur, bid ons gewoonlik soos volg “Ag! Here, waarom moes hierdie ding nou juis met my gebeur? Wat het ek gedoen om so-iets te verdien?” Ons gaan sit dan op ‘n ashoop van selfingekeerdheid, met die gevolg dat ons heeltemal blind en afgestomp raak vir die eintlike wil, doel en plan van God wat heel dikwels agter hierdie omstandighede verskuil lê.

D) BITTERHEID

‘n Galbitter gesindheid of houding is heeltemal onversoenbaar met die Heilige Gees. Bitterheid besoedel nie net die gees van die Christen self nie maar ook die Christen atmosfeer waarin hy beweeg. Bitterheid is die resultaat van ‘n onvergewensgesinde hart (Hebreërs 12:15).

E) KWADE GEVOELENS

Geen Christen sal ruiterlik erken dat hy al ooit kwade gevoelens teenoor ander wat hom benadeel het, geopenbaar het nie. Hy sal hierdie gevoelens van hom nie openlik wys nie maar dit eerder in ‘n aggressiewe godsdienstige gebedskleed toewikkel en die Here vra om maar self met hierdie of daardie persoon se gal te werk.

F) TRAAK-MY-NIE-AGTIGHEID WAT MY GEBEDSLEWE KNIEHALTER

Ag! wat maak dit nou in elk geval saak. Dit is nie die eerste keer dat hulle so-iets doen nie en ek betwyfel dit baie sterk of hulle ooit sal kan verander. Dit help nie eens om vir hulle te bid nie. Redeneer ons nie ook soms so nie?.

OF

2) Ek kan my wil geheel en al aan God oorgee sodat Hy my wil deur die werking van die kruis van Jesus totaal in harmonie met Sy soewereine wil mag bring. Sodra ek dit doen, sal ek hoegenaamd geen behae meer daarin hê om myself te verdedig nie, myself te regverdig nie, myself te bejammer nie, om bitter te word nie, om kwade gevoelens in my hart te koester nie, of om traak-my-nie-agtig te word nie. Waarom sal ons nie hierdie bogenoemde gesindhede meer langer in ons harte koester nie? Omdat ons weet dat dit, soos alle ander eienskappe van die self, die Heilige Gees blus of bedroef, m.d.g. dat Hy die Here Jesus nie in my lewe kan verheerlik of tot volle vergestalting kan bring nie.

Selfbehoud blus en bedroef die Heilige Gees want dit is ‘n vyand van die wil van God. Selfbehoud verloën die krag van God (die kruis van Jesus). Selfbehoud is kenmerkend van die lewe van die natuurlike mens wat lynreg in opposisie staan teen die lewe wat God ons wil bied – daardie heerlike opstandingslewe en voortdurende oorwinningslewe in en deur onse Here Jesus Christus.

In hierdie voorbeeld wat aan u voorgehou is, moet ons daarop let dat die belastering of beswaddering as sodanig nie die wil van God is nie. Die wil van God kan en mag nooit in verband gebring word met die sonde van ‘n mens nie. Maar God gebruik soortgelyke omstandighede om Sy wil in my lewe te bereik. God is dus, met eerbied gesê, ‘n opportunis wat elke omstandigheid en geleentheid sal gebruik om Sy wil in my lewe te bereik. Die keuse lê by my – óf ek kan myself verloën, my kruis opneem en Jesus volg (God se wil) óf ek kan die kruis wat oor my pad gelê word ignoreer, daaroor loop en voortgaan om my selflewe te behou (my wil). Dit is ‘n keuse wat ek daagliks moet maak. Ek moet dus waaksaam wees om die geleenthede wat God my bied om my “selflewe” ter wille van die Here Jesus en Sy Evangelie te verloor, met albei hande aan te gryp. Dit is ‘n geval van die een of die ander – óf ek verloën myself en verloor my lewe ter wille van die Here Jesus, óf ek verloën die Here Jesus en behou my “selflewe” wat niks anders as ‘n stinkende lyk is wat aan my vaskleef nie. “Wie sal my verlos van die liggaam van hierdie dood?” (Romeine 7:24 en 25)

Sodanige omstandighede maak ‘n mens baie seer en soms is dit uiters vernederend, maar dit is die enigste manier om Christus tot Sy reg in my lewe te laat kom. Die pad van God se plan vir my lewe is via die kruis.

Gebrokenheid word ook gesien as die pad van Heiligmaking in my lewe. Die doel daarvan is om die dood van die Here Jesus gelykvormig te word deurdat ons daartoe gelei word om die ou sondige natuur wat nog nie gekruisig is nie en nog nie aan die Heilige Gees onderwerp is nie, af te sterwe, sodat ons vir die Here bruikbaar kan wees en vir Sy koninkryk vrug kan dra. Heiligmaking is ‘n proses van verruiling of uitruiling. Daarmee word bedoel dat die weefwerk van my eie egoïstiese lewenspatroon stelselmatig deur die Heilige Gees uitgerafel moet word sodat die lewenspatroon van die Here Jesus in my lewe ingeweef kan word. So byvoorbeeld -

1) word die draad (thread) van selfliefde vervang met liefde vir God, my broers en susters in die Here en ook vir my medemens. Dit sluit ook my vyande in.

2) word die draad van trots en hoogmoed vervang met nederigheid.

3) word die draad van selfvertroue vervang met vertroue in God.

4) word die draad van onafhanklikheid vervang met afhanklikheid (Sonder Jesus kan ons niks doen nie).

5) word die draad van eiesinnigheid en eiewilligheid vervang met die soewereine wil van God vir my lewe.

6) word die draad van ongeduld vervang met geduld (lankmoedigheid).

Dit sigself beteken net één ding – my selfbehoudende lewe moet vervang word met die selfopofferende lewe van onse Here Jesus Christus.

Anders gestel, ek lê my selflewe af of handig dit oor vir kruisiging en Hy vervang dit met Sy eie lewe.

HOE WORD GEBROKENHEID BEWERK?

Die selflewe is so diep in ons ingebed dat dit soms nodig is om die fondamente daarvan te skud alvorens ons die gruwel daarvan kan raaksien. Niks is so bedrieglik soos die mens se hart nie en alleen God se intense helder lig kan die ware toestand van ons harte blootlê. Die vraag is nou net, hoe gebeur dit?

BY WYSE VAN OMSTANDIGHEDE WAT GOD OOR ONS PAD TOELAAT.

Die kinders van God moet onthou dat daar niks in hulle lewens gebeur sonder dat die Here dit toelaat nie (Romeine 8:28). Omstandighede, en veral dies waarin die skroef so ‘n bietjie stywer aangedraai word, kan altyd op ‘n heerlike seën uitloop. Dit hang totaal van myself af hoe ek daarna kyk en hoe ek daarop reageer. Die ou mens in my (die vlees) sal hom altyd blind staar teen die omstandighede self, m.d.g. dat die voor-die-handliggende situasies of omstandighede die natuurlike mens in my (die vlees) daartoe sal provokeer om altyd op die enigste manier wat dit ken, te reageer en op te tree. Die ou mens in my sal dus altyd op die algemeen aanvaarbare maniere soos dit deur die wêreld voorgeskryf word, optree. Dit kan hoegenaamd nie anders reageer nie, omdat daar hoegenaamd niks goeds in die vlees is nie. Kom ons wees eerlik met onsself en noem sommige van hierdie maniere weer eens by die naam. Daar is natuurlik baie ander eienskappe van die self wat na vore kom wanneer die omstandighede so ‘n bietjie moeiliker word, maar ons gaan hier net na enkeles van hulle kyk. Hulle volg bykans altyd in ‘n spesifieke patroon op mekaar, omdat hulle op mekaar teer. Hulle voed mekaar as’t ware. Gewoonlik word ek eers ongeduldig dan kwaad, daarna word ek humeurig (loop dikmond rond en almal moet net padgee), en wanneer ek nie my sin kry nie, dan volg die selfbejammering. Selfs die sodanige “goeie eienskappe” van die “self” soos die vermoë om hierdie genoemde eienskappe te onderdruk of in toom te hou, is net so sleg, indien nie slegter nie, want ek is dan besig om myself en ander te bedrieg.

Maar, dank die Here! Hy los ons nie aan onsself oor nie. Hy is lankmoedig en getrou. Hy sal voortdurend omstandighede oor my pad stuur totdat ek op daardie spesifieke terrein van ongebrokenheid, gebreek het. Daarna sal Hy selfs weer eens soortgelyke omstandighede oor my pad stuur om seker te maak dat ek wel op daardie spesifieke terrein gebroke is.

Onthou! die Bybel sê ons word daagliks as slagskape gereken. Het u al gewonder waarom die Bybel ons spesifiek slagskape noem? As kind het ek elke jaar met die lang Desember-skoolvakansies op my oom se plaas in die Vrystaat gaan kuier. Daar het ek so ‘n ietsie oor skape geleer. As ek reg onthou, is daar twee soorte skape – stoetskape en slagskape. Stoetooie en stoetramme word behoorlik gepamperlang. Die boer skenk spesiale aandag aan hulle, veel meer as aan al die ander skape, hoofsaaklik omdat hy hulle in top kondisie moet hou vir die jaarlikse skou. Niks word ontsien om hulle teen ongure weer en ander gevare te beskerm nie. Sodra die onweerswolke dreig, word die volk gestuur om hulle so gou as moontlik onder dak te kry omdat hulle pragwol en veral ook hulle lewens bewaar moet word. Daarteenoor word die slagskape nie op dieselfde wyse gepamperlang nie. Ja, dit is ook so dat wanneer ‘n slagskaap deur weerlig getref word, die boer groot skade ly, maar nooit in die mate wanneer hy ‘n stoetooi of stoetram verloor nie. Daarom sal die boer nie juis uit sy pad gaan om slagskape ook onder dak te kry wanneer onweerswolke dreig nie.

Die naam van die skaap sê in elk geval waarvoor hy goed is – ‘n stoetskaap is goed vir luisterryke geleenthede soos ‘n skou of ‘n boeredag (‘n “Show”), terwyl ‘n slagskaap net goed is vir een ding – die slagpale. Ons is nie stoetooie of stoetramme nie. Die Bybel sê ons is slagskape. ‘n Dooie stoetooi of stoetram beteken niks nie. Netso beteken ‘n lewende slagskaap ook niks nie. ‘n Slagskaap kry eers sy ware betekenis en funksie wanneer hy geslag is. So-ook kan ons eers werklik iets vir God en Sy koninkryk beteken en ons ware funksie in die liggaam van onse Here Jesus vervul wanneer ons onsself as slagskape oorgee om daagliks geslag te word. Die ou-mens moet daagliks afgelê word, sodat die nuwe mens die plek daarvan kan inneem en oorneem.

Maar nouja, soos die boer sy stoetooie en stoetramme haastig onder dak bring wanneer onweerswolke of gevare dreig, netso hardloop ons ook onder die “dak van selfbehoud” in wanneer die dinge na ons mening ‘n bietjie te warm word. Pleks dat ons skuiling soek in die Gekliefde Rots van alle eeue, onse Here Jesus Christus, d.w.s. in die dood van onse Here Jesus, wanneer omstandighede soos onweerswolke om ons koppe saampak, peil ons blindelings op ons selfgemaakte “skuiling van selfbehoud” af omdat ons nie seer wil kry nie, en omdat ons vasgekluister is in die koninkryk van die “self”. Groot is die ontnugtering, wanneer ons mettertyd tot die besef kom dat, terwyl ons ten alle koste ons selflewe probeer behou, ons in werklikheid besig is om ons lewens te verloor. Die lewende water waarvan die Bybel praat vloei nie uit ons nie en die vrug waarvan die Bybel praat kom nie in heerlike oorvloed in ons lewens na vore nie. Trouens, ons gaan geestelik verder en verder agteruit, hoe meer ons die selflewe wil behou. Eers wanneer ons tot die daadwerklike stap oorgegaan het om onsself daagliks as slagskape te reken, om daagliks elke tekentjie van die selflewe wat na vore kom wanneer die omstandighede dreigend om ons koppe saampak aan die kruis (die dood) af te gee, ontdek ons dat die ware lewe eintlik maar net te vinde is in die dood van onse Here Jesus. Hoe dieper ons in Sy dood skuil (verlore raak), hoe heerliker kom die ware lewe na vore – Sy eie kragtige opstandinslewe.

DIE KWALITEITE VAN ‘N GEBROKE LEWE

1) TOEGANKLIKHEID (Genaakbaarheid, approachability).

Ander kan nou die vrymoedigheid neem om my te nader. Hulle kan nou makliker kontak maak met my, veral ook wanneer dit nodig is dat ekself tereggewys moet word. Ek probeer nou nie meer soos voorheen om myself te verdedig nie, maar om alle teregwysings in ‘n gees van sagmoedigheid en nederigheid te aanvaar, al sou daardie teregwysings nie op die waarheid gegrond wees nie. Wanneer dit egter wel gegrond is, kan ek my foute manmoedig erken en hulle onvoorwaardelik regstel.

2) MEDEDOëNDHEID (Meelewendheid, deelnemendheid, medelydendheid, compassion)

Ek is nou hoogs sensitief, nie meer vir my eie behoeftes en belange nie, maar vir die nood en die behoeftes van ander. Die Heilige Gees stel my in staat om ander te kan bystaan in hulle nood sodat ek ook op hierdie wyse die evangelie van Jesus Christus aan hulle kan bring.

3) VERBONDENHEID (‘n Verenigde lewe met my broers en susters; gemeenskap, fellowship)

Onafhanklikheid is een van die duidelikste tekens van iemand wat ‘n onverbonde, afgesonderde lewe lei. Hy wat homself afsonder, soek sy eie belang. Onafhanklikheid is dus ‘n kenmerk van die selflewe en kniehalter die Christen in sy verhouding met ander Christene. My verbondenheid aan ander Christene word gemeet aan my afhanklikheid. Net soos die oog nie vir die hand kan sê, ek het jou nie nodig nie, netso kan ek nie afsydig en onafhanklik van ander Christene lewe nie. Verbondenheid groei vanuit die Christene se liefde vir mekaar. Dit bevorder eenheid, eensgesindheid en dissipelskap sodat die wêreld kan sien dat die Vader Jesus gestuur het.

4) BEVATLIKHEID (Leerbaarheid, easily edified, teachability)

Ek is nou ontvanklik en vatbaar vir die lering (vermaning, stigting, geestelike opheffing) van ander terwyl ek dit nog steeds doen in die gees van ‘n ware Bereaan.

5) SAGMOEDIGHEID/NEDERIGHEID

Sagmoedigheid moet nie met saggeaardheid verwar word nie. ‘n Geaardheid is ‘n veelsydige en hoogs-veranderlike eienskap van die “self”, m.a.w. dit is ‘n inherente of ingebore eienskap van die “self” wat na gelang van omstandighede en na eie goeddunke kan verander. Ek kan byvoorbeeld ‘n vriendelike geaardheid hê, maar sodra ongewensde of ongevraagde omstandighede opduik, kan so ‘n vriendelike geaardheid eensklaps verander in ‘n norse, onvriendelike en onaangename geaardheid. Daarteenoor is sagmoedigheid onveranderlik en net die Here Jesus kan dit vir ons gee. Dit is onveranderlik omdat die Here Jesus self onveranderlik is. Omstandighede van watter aard of omvang kan dit nie verander nie. Anders as ‘n geaardheid wat by ons natuurlike geboorte langs die weg van die biologiese gene van ons ouers in ons ingeplant word, word sagmoedigheid en nederigheid eers ons deel wanneer ons natuurlike “selflewe” gesterf het (gekruisig is).

Die volgende gedeeltes is geneem uit “When I saw Him” van Roy Hession en is vryelik vertaal deur Hannes Hattingh.

Gebrokenheid kan nie maklik gedefinieer word nie, maar kan duidelik gesien word in die reakies van Jesus, veral voor Sy kruisiging. Ek dink dit kan soos volg op ons eie lewens van toepassing gebring word.

1) Wanneer ons die wil van God doen, selfs al sou my Christen broers en susters nie verstaan nie, moet ons onthou dat ook Sy broers en susters nie in Hom geglo het nie (Johannes 7:5). Soos Hy moet ons voor die wil van God buig en Hom onvoorwaardelik gehoorsaam wees, en die waninterpretasie aanvaar. Dit is gebrokenheid.

2) Wanneer ‘n ander een bo my verkies word en ek oorgeslaan of op die agtergrond geskuif word, moet ons onthou dat die skare geskree het “Weg met Hom, en los vir ons Barabbas” (Luk. 23:18). Soos Hy moet ons voor die wil van God buig en die verwerping aanvaar. Dit is gebrokenheid.

3) Wanneer my planne opsy geskuif word en ek jare se werk, weens die ambisies van ander, tot niet sien gaan, moet ons onthou dat Jesus deur hulle weggelei is om geskruisig te word (Matt. 27:31). Soos Hy moet ons voor die wil van God buig en die onreg sonder bitterheid aanvaar. Dit is gebrokenheid.

4) Wanneer vernedering, belydenis en restitusie die weg is waarlangs ek moet wandel om in die regte verhouding met God te lewe, moet ons onthou dat “Jesus Homself verneder het tot die dood toe, ja die dood van die kruis” (Fil. 2:7,8). As Jesus wat sonder sonde was, die skande verdra het, hoeveel te meer nie ons nie. Soos Hy moet ons voor die wil van God buig en die skande aanvaar. Dit is gebrokenheid.

5) Wanneer ander my en my eiendom misbruik, moet ons onthou dat “hulle Sy kleed geneem en die lot daaroor gewerp het” (Mattheus. 27 : 28, 35). Soos Hy moet ons voor die wil van God buig en die vernieling daarvan aanvaar. Dit is gebrokenheid.

6) Wanneer iemand op ‘n onvergeeflike wyse teenoor my optree, moet ons onthou dat toe Hy gekruisig is, Hy gebid het “Here, vergewe hulle want hulle weet nie wat hulle doen nie” (Luk. 23:30). Soos Hy moet ons voor die wil van God buig en enige verkeerde of slegte gedrag teen ons aanvaar. Dit is gebrokenheid.

7) Wanneer mense die onmoontlike van my verwag, meer as wat tyd of menslike inspanning kan verduur, moet ons onthou dat Jesus gesê het “Dit is My liggaam wat vir julle gegee is” (Luk. 22:19). Soos Hy moet ons buig voor die wil van God en onsself oorgee vir die welsyn van ander. Dit is gebrokenheid. (Einde van vertaling)

Die kern van die saak is dat, wanneer ons gewillig is om te bely dat ons verkeerd opgetree het in omstandighede waarin ons juis dood moes wees vir die dinge wat oor ons pad gekom het, God ons weer eens regstel in Sy oë, so reg soos alleen die bloed van die Here Jesus ons kan maak. Wanneer ons dus misluk in omstandighede waarin ons onsself as dood moes reken vir die sonde (my oorgeërfde Adamnatuur), bring God ons weer in die regte verhouding met Homself deur die bloed van onse Here Jesus, nie om weer in soortgelyke omstandighede te gaan staan en misluk nie, maar om te leer uit die foute wat ons begaan het. Dit sigself beteken net één ding. Ons mislukkings en die voortdurende foute wat ons begaan, word juis toegelaat sodat ons gedryf kan word tot ‘n toestand van absolute wanhoop aan onsself; sodat ons in wanhoop kan uitroep – “Here, ek is verkeerd! Daar is hoegenaamd niks goeds in myself nie! Selfs my beste werke is ‘n besoedelde, vuil kleed voor U heilige aangesig! Here, verlos my van myself! Hier is ek, kruisig my want ek wil sterf aan die vlees in my wat voortdurend stryd voer teen U Heilige Gees! Amen!

Lord, bend that proud and stiff-necked I,

Help me to bend the neck and die,

Beholding Him on Calvary,

Who bowed His head for me.