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DIE DOOD: ‘N STRAF WAT DEUR GOD TOEGEDIEN WORD OF ‘N NATUURLIKE GEVOLG VAN SONDE?

DIE DOOD: ‘N STRAF WAT DEUR GOD TOEGEDIEN WORD OF ‘N NATUURLIKE GEVOLG VAN SONDE?

Die Bybel sê:

“Want die loon van die sonde is die dood, maar die gawe van God is die ewige lewe in Christus Jesus, onse Here” (Romeine 6:23 NIV 84, beklemtoning myne).

“Hy wat saai om sy sondige natuur te behaag, sal uit daardie natuur verderf maai” (Galasiërs 6:8 NIV 84, beklemtoning myne).

As die sonde volgroeid is, gee dit geboorte aan die dood” (Jakobus 1:15 NIV 84, beklemtoning myne).

Uit hierdie tekste blyk dit duidelik dat die dood die direkte gevolg van sonde is, nie ‘n toediening deur God nie, en die Bybel sê elders dat die mag van die dood Satan se krag is, nie God s’n nie:

“Aangesien die kinders, soos hy hulle noem, mense van vlees en bloed is, het Jesus self soos hulle geword en hulle menslike natuur gedeel. Hy het dit gedoen sodat hy deur sy dood die duiwel, wat die mag oor die dood het, kon vernietig (Hebreërs 2:14 GNB, beklemtoning myne).

Op grond van hierdie tekste het ek onlangs ‘n artikel bespreek wat op 7 Desember 2023, in Adventist Review gepubliseer is om die volgende te stel:

Om ons te spaar, het God sy toorn uitgestort oor die oortreding van sy wet (sonde), nie op die oortreders van sy wet (sondaars) nie, maar op die sondelose Jesus, die enigste manier waarop God “regverdig kon wees en die regverdiger van die een wat geloof in Jesus het” (Rom. 3:26). Kortom, eerder as om ons dood te maak omdat ons sy wet oortree het, het die Vader Jesus eerder doodgemaak. … Of, om dit grof te stel, die Vader het Jesus doodgemaak sodat Hy ons nie hoef dood te maak nie (Goldstein, C. “Law, Freedom, Love.” Adventist Review aanlyn uitgawe, 8 Desember 2023, klem myne).

Ek het beweer dat die skrywer die krag van die dood aan God toeskryf, wat volgens die Bybel eintlik ‘n mag van Satan is. Met ander woorde, die skrywer beskryf God as Een wat gebruik maak van Satan se mag. Ek het ook opgemerk dat om God in die rol van die een te plaas wat die dood bring, die onvermydelike gevolg is van mense wat die leuen aanvaar dat God se wet soos menslike wet funksioneer – ‘n stelsel van opgemaakte reëls wat eksterne toepassing vereis. Wanneer mense glo dat God se wet opgelê word soos ons wette is, kom hulle altyd tot die gevolgtrekking dat geregtigheid beteken om straf op te lê en dat die minimum straf vir sonde die dood is, so hulle kom tot die gevolgtrekking dat God die dood moet toedien om geregtigheid te bewerkstellig. Verder, omdat Jesus ons plaasvervangende Verlosser geword het, leer hulle dat God die onskuldige Jesus in ons plek doodgemaak het. Dit is baie hartseer om dit te sien, maar dit is wat die een leuen oor God se wet doen.

 

OM MOEILIKE GEDEELTES TE VERSTAAN

As ek reg is, dat die mag van die dood die duiwel se mag is en dat God nie die dood toedien as straf vir sonde nie, wat doen ons dan met tekste soos hierdie?

Aanskou nou dat dit Ek is en dat daar geen god naas My is nie; Ek maak dood en maak lewend, Ek het verbrysel en Ek genees; en daar is niemand wat uit my hand red nie (Deuteronómium 32:39 AFR33).

Weerspreek die Bybel homself? Gebruik God Satan se krag? Is God die bron van lewe en dood? Word die dood deur God toegedien? Is ek verkeerd oor die Review berig?

Hoe ons die Bybel en alle teologiese vrae verstaan, word direk bepaal deur ons begrip van hoe God se wet funksioneer. As ons glo dat God se wet funksioneer soos menslike wette, opgelegde reëls wat wetlike toesig en afdwinging vereis, dan kom ons tot die gevolgtrekking, soos die Review berig doen, dat God die bron is van die toegediende dood as straf vir sonde – en ons sal tekste soos Deuteronomium 32:39 aanhaal om hierdie valse gevolgtrekking as waar te “bewys”.

Maar wanneer ons terugkeer na ontwerpwette, en verstaan dat God die Skepper is en dat al sy wette die protokolle is waarop Hy die werklikheid en lewe gebou het om op te werk – soos die wette van fisika, gesondheid en die morele wette – dan besef ons dat God nie die bron van die dood is nie, maar dat die dood die gevolg is van wegbreking vanaf God en sy ontwerpprotokolle vir die lewe,  soos om die wet van asemhaling te oortree deur ‘n plastieksak oor ‘n mens se kop vas te bind.

Wat doen ons dan met Deuteronomium 32:39? Ons kan nie hierdie teks ignoreer nie, so hoe verstaan ons dit?

Soos ons met die hele Skrif doen, plaas ons dit in die omgewing van die hele geïnspireerde rekord, die agtergrond van die Groot Stryd, en ons baseer nie ons begrip net op een teks nie. En met net ‘n bietjie meer Bybelondersoek, vind ons hierdie verduidelikende teks:

“Die HERE bring die dood en maak lewendig; Hy daal neer na die graf en wek op” (1 Samuel 2:6 NIV 84).

In hierdie gedeelte kan ons die antwoord sien deur Hebreeuse parallelisme, waarin die tweede frase uitbrei op die eerste – en wat leer ons? Dat God in beheer is van wat die Bybel die eerste dood noem, nie die tweede dood nie; dat God die eerste dood veroorsaak, maar nie die tweede dood nie en dat Hy mense uit die eerste-dood-ervaring sal opwek.

 

DIE BYBEL EN DIE DOOD

In die Skrif word die woord “dood” toegepas op twee verskillende en afsonderlike toestande van wese/bestaan:

  • Die eerste dood, wat die Bybel as ‘n “slaap” beskryf (Matthéüs 9:23,24; Johannes 11:11-14; 1 Thessalonicense 4:13-17), is ‘n toestand waarin die liggaam ophou funksioneer en weer tot stof verval (Genesis 3:19), maar die siel, die individualiteit, “slaap” in afwagting op die opstanding. Dit is soos ‘n rekenaar waarvan die battery “doodgaan” sodat die rekenaar “slaap” totdat dit weer aangeskakel word. Die groot Hervormer Martin Luther het geskryf, “Dit is genoeg vir ons om te weet dat siele nie hul liggame verlaat om deur die pyniging en strawwe van die hel bedreig te word nie, maar ‘n voorbereide slaapkamer binnegaan waarin hulle in vrede slaap” (Weimarer Ausgabe, 43, 360, 21-23 (tot Genesis 25:7-10); ook Exegetica opera latina, Vol 5-6 1833 bl. 120 en die Engelse vertaling: Luther’s Works, Amerikaanse uitgawe, 55 vols. (St. Louis: CPH), 4:313).

Die eerste dood is nie die einde van die lewe nie; Dit is ‘n pouse in ‘n mens se lewe – die lewe sal voortgaan by die opstanding.

  • Die tweede dood is die dood waar die “loon van die sonde” dood is (Romeine 6:23); dit is die dood waarin beide liggaam en siel vernietig word. Hierdie dood gebeur met niemand tot na die oordeel nie – na die tweede opstanding aan die einde van die 1,000 jaar. Dit is die dood wat plaasvind wanneer ‘n mens heeltemal en permanent afgesny is van God, wat die bron van lewe is. En die tweede dood het geen mag oor die regverdiges nie, net oor die goddeloses (Openbaring 2:11; 20:6).

Deur hierdie twee tipes dood te verstaan, kan ons Deuteronomium 32:39 en 1 Samuel 2:6 verstaan hoe die duiwel, nie God nie, die mag van die dood het.

God is die bron van die eerste dood – die slaapdood, wat ‘n kunsmatige toestand van opgeskorte lewe is wat deur God se genade aangevuur en veroorsaak word om die vernietiging van sonde te beperk en tyd toe te laat vir die verlossingsplan om uitgevoer te word. As dit nie vir God se genade was om die uiteindelike gevolge van sonde (tweede dood) vir ‘n tyd op te skort nie, sou daar geen eerste dood gewees het nie, slegs die tweede dood. Maar die Bybel sê vir ons dat God in “sy verdraagsaamheid die sondes wat vooraf gepleeg is, ongestraf gelaat het” (Romeine 3:25 NIV 84). God het ingegryp om hierdie kunsmatige toestand van slaap-dood te skep sodat Jesus se missie as ons plaasvervangende Verlosser om te kom en te oorwin, vervul kon word.

Die Bybel sê dus tereg vir ons dat God in beheer is van die slaapdood, en dit is God se krag om hierdie slaapdood te bring en mense daaruit wakker te maak. Maar die slaapdood is nie die dood wat die loon van sonde is nie! Die dood wat die loon van sonde is, is die dood wat Satan veroorsaak – en wat Jesus kom vernietig het:

“Die laaste vyand wat vernietig moet word, is die dood” (1 Korinthiërs 15:26 NIV 84).

“Christus Jesus, wat die dood vernietig het en lewe en onsterflikheid aan die lig gebring het deur die evangelie” (2 Timoteus 1:10 NIV 84).

So, ons het twee sterftes wat in die Skrif beskryf word. Die eerste dood, die slaapdood, wat glad nie die dood is nie, maar ‘n tydperk van opgeskorte lewe waarin ‘n persoon op die opstanding wag. Dit is die kunsmatige toestand van genade wat deur God beheer word met die doel om die mensdom van sonde te red.

Maar die tweede dood, die ewige dood, wat ‘n toestand van uitwissing is en waaruit daar geen opstanding is nie, is nie van God nie – dit is die gevolg van onherstelde sonde en is die vrug van Satan se krag om mense van God, die bron van lewe, te vervreem.

En die tweede dood vind nie plaas wanneer God krag gebruik om dit toe te dien nie, maar wanneer Hy ophou om sy krag te gebruik om dit te voorkom. Met ander woorde, God het mag gebruik om terug te hou wat sonde doen, maar in die finale einde, laat God “los” en gee die koppige opstandiges oor om die volle gevolge te pluk van dit waarop hulle aangedring het, afsondering van Hom, die bron van lewe, en hulle sterf vir ewig. Net soos Galasiërs sê: “Hy wat saai om sy sondige natuur te behaag, sal uit daardie natuur vernietiging maai” (6:8 NIV 84).

God is die bron van lewe; Satan en sonde is die bron van die dood!

 

VERTRAGING VAN DIE MISSIE

Ons sal nie in staat wees om ons missie te voltooi om die evangelie na die wêreld te neem, solank ons ‘n god aanbied wat die bron is van die dood wat as straf vir sonde aan mense toegedien word nie. Ons moet die leuen verwerp dat God se wet soos menslike wet afgedwing word. En ons moet die straf-/regsteologieë verwerp wat God in die rol van die kosmiese laksman plaas wat Satan se mag van die dood uitoefen.

In plaas daarvan, moet ons terugkeer na die aanbidding van God as die Skepper, die bron van lewe, die geneser van ons siele, die een wat die hemele, aarde, seë en fonteine van water gemaak het en wat al sy werkinge onderhou.

Ek nooi jou uit om die straf-vervangende bedrog, wat gebaseer is op die leuen dat God se wet soos menslike wet funksioneer, te verwerp en God in sy ware lig te aanbid as Skepper, Geneser, Verlosser en Onderhouer van die hele werklikheid – die God wie se wette ontwerpwette is.

 

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Thank you for the ministry you are sharing with us, it is a real blessing to us and especially to my husband and myself! You are encouraging us to think for ourselves and not just to except everything, without thinking it through, with God’s word!

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I have been confused for years about what [christianity] calls [its] most disgusting teaching. It has never made much sense to me and for that reason has been evermore empty. I have listened to your class off and on and have struggled determining what is truth, because of the resistance design law encounters in the church. So, I thank God for your ministry. What you teach makes sense. It’s logical and backed up by the power of love. I have never seen that in Christ until now. I am astounded by the insight that is found when we look at God’s ministry through design law. All strength to this message, as I believe it to be the power of God.

Brendon S.

 

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I truly believe that to know who God really is the first step to understand ourselves in a balanced and kind way, so the healing can take place. Your approach really makes sense – Thank you for your ministry!

A.M., Pittsburg, PA, USA

Testimony 57

You have helped make sense of thirty two years of confusion. The material you freely provide reorganized so much of my life into such a beautiful pattern that has always been hinted at from within, but misguided with my training and what I was experiencing externally. My filipno parents, who were converted from Catholicism to SDA, were sincere and did their best to raise me the right way and I have deep respect for them. However, being immigrants and not understanding the language made for a difficult transition as I was growing up, which also applied to my spiritual growth as I learned the patterns of religion. I have been listening to as many bible study classes and reading blog posts as my time in a work truck will allow, searching for the practical applications of where spirituality and reality meet, and I thank you for helping me find that. You have helped me reach a point in which I can truly say that I love God, that I believe He loves me, and, like David, I delight in His law. God bless.

Emmanuel V., Calgary, AB Canada

Testimony 28

I have been following your Bible study class for about a year now. I must say I am impressed with how your ministry has grown. I took it upon myself to listen to all your lesson podcasts from the past and they have both enriched me physically, mentally, emotionally and spiritually. I have learnt a lot from this class. I have also noticed how the class has grown in spiritual strength. One of the things that benefited me is that now I am not afraid of God. I use to be, but now it has melted away. The second thing is that you helped me to have a real life relationship with God. Now He is my friend that was always there and I love having him with me all the time. Thirdly, because of this class, it inspired me to take over and lead a class. I have called it “Let Us Reason Together,” adapting your inquisitive style and creating a class of free thinkers.

T. Banda, Malawi, Africa

 

Testimony 65

I have been tuning into your weekly study classes for a while now and wanted express my appreciation for the teachings that ha been a huge blessing in opening up the true message of the word. Viewing scripture under an imposed law theory always, without fail, raised more questions, concerns, and conflicting scripture interpretations that were discouraging at the very least. Looking at scripture through the design law lens has brought more truth to light for me personally and an understanding of our Heavenly Father that places Him “above all others,” where I am now more than thrilled to witness and serve Him.  I “stumbled” across this ministry a year or so ago and would only watch a few minutes at a time. But the more I listened and the longer I paid attention, the more my spiritual eyes were opened to the ever present truths of scripture. The comprehension of the great controversy and it’s origin by the lies perpetrated and perpetuated throughout the Bible on the attack of God’s character and government is truly priceless. Keep up the Good Work! Your servanthood is desperately needed in such a time as this!

Jeff D., Reading, MA, USA

 

Testimony 14

We really appreciate your views on the judgment and they make good sense considering our free choice.

Anonymous

 

Testimony 61

I grew up in a prominent protestant church and had what I like to call religious anxiety. I’ve always had questions about God and Salvation that no one could seem to answer.  I didn’t know how to find resolution. During 2020, at the height of my anxiety, I fell to my knees and begged God to show me truth and light and to give me the hope that I’ve been longing for. Days later, I stumbled upon your online videos and it was like a veil was lifted and EVERYTHING made sense! For the first time in my almost 39 years of life, my religious/spiritual anxiety has lessened. I feel a sense of freedom and peace I’ve NEVER had before… and it’s all because my view of God has changed. Thank you!

Ashleighn C.

 

Testimony 46

Over the past couple of years God has been expanding my view of Himself and His character. Along my approximately 40-year journey, I have often had questions, but was hesitant to voice these and step outside the traditionally accepted thinking, for fear of admitting that I may in fact be eternally lost. In the recesses of my thinking has been the thought – if one blindly accepts (which is widely regarded as “real faith”) and does not question, is this really ‘truth?’ I often find it challenging to grapple with very theological ‘speak,’ but Dr. Jennings has a real gift of explaining spiritual concepts with clear practical examples. The weekly discussions are growing my Christian experience and slowly changing my view of how to live as a child of God in today’s complex world. Finally the whole Old Testament sanctuary teaching moved in my mind from fantasy to reality!

Beverly S., South Africa

 

Testimony 51

I Love This Ministry!!!!!!! I see first hand how this message is desperately needed, how erroneous beliefs about God and His Character negatively affect humanity at every level. I thank God for your ministry, as I was searching on my own and was discovering some of your same beliefs and was blown away when I found your ministry. I know you hear it all the time, but it is truly life changing. May God continue to reveal His Will to you and Bless you!

Eric S., Sanford, FL, USA

 

Testimony 41

I have been blessed by your ministry. I have experienced personally, and deeply resonate with, the God of love and the beautiful picture of God’s character that you present. I have seen your seminar series on YouTube, read ‘The Journal of the Watcher’ book, used your mobile app, and also listen/study the bible study lesson with you each week. I concur with many of the thoughts and perspectives that you share. I understand your conclusions on natural laws vs imposed law and the legal/penal substitution (incorrect diagnosis). This makes perfect sense to me.

Bless you for all you do.

Melissa L.

 

Testimony 3

My husband is a pastor and I listen to your lesson almost every week. Thank you for helping me in my study life and to help me love the “real” God more.

C. F., NC, USA

 

Testimony 60

Just watched watched lesson 10 in the 1st quarter 2021 bible study classs on Isaiah. I want to thank you for your intellectual spirituality; it’s not an oxymoron! From the point of view of a teacher I also enjoy seeing how much personal pleasure you clearly take in not just tasting, but feasting on God’s word – it reminds me of Jeremiah not being able to hold it in! It makes me smile that your cup is so full and overflowing that you make it to Tuesday’s lesson (on a good day). It just goes to show the richness of God’s Word.

God bless the Come and Reason Team from our church here in Great Britain.

Andrew H., Great Britain

 

Testimony 20

I just wanted to personally thank you for your teachings and insight into scripture. I came across your website via my cousin who suggested I look into “Healing the Mind” information. My youngest daughter has been struggling over the last couple of years and it all came to a head this spring. When I started listening to the “Healing the Mind” lectures my own life began to be transformed. I began sharing with all my daughters the concepts you laid out so clearly. I ordered your book and soaked it up. I just want to say “Thank You!” My walk with the Lord has been refreshed and renewed. Your obedience to the Lord is a blessing to so many.

R. K., Anderson, SC, USA

 

Testimony 23

I would just like to add my voice to the many people who, I believe, must have contacted you to express their appreciation for the “Healing the Mind” DVDs. I’ve been listening to your Bible study class discussions for many years and I’ve been personally blessed by your research and teaching about the character of God.

L. G., Oakland, MI, USA