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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!

M.K., USA

 

Testimony 49

I came into the church at 21, but that is as far as it went. I was so confused about what love is. I couldn’t find it in the bible, because I am not a person that can read between the lines. I have no logic. I have read many, many books; trying to figure out the crux of the matter. They were helpful, but something was still missing. I have become very frustrated to the point of crying out to God, “Where can I go?”  I needed some basics.

I found two books, written by Timothy Jennings, MD, to be very helpful. God showed me that I had lived my whole life in fear. I didn’t even see it. Now, I do. God is so good.  I discovered the “The Remedy”  Dr. Jennings new book, “The God-Shaped Heart!” Oh, I was so excited, I purchased them right away.

I can get rid of most of my books, because “The Remedy” brings the Love of God out so clearly, even I can’t miss it. Now, I want to sit and read my Bible. Wow, what a revelation! It is just simply Awesome! I am so grateful to Jehovah Almighty for hearing my prayer for more understanding! I am so encouraged!

Jackie S.

 

Testimony 68

Your message of design law vs imperial law is so uplifting and makes so much sense- it is a game changer for me. The fact that Jesus’s death is not a big payment by an angry God is , quite frankly, a relief.

Laura G., London, Ontario, Canada

 

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 17

The blessings of clarity and understanding you and your class inspire me to take from the word of God have impressed upon me so greatly the true, loving character of our Creator. I have found amazing freedom and joy through building a stronger, more intentional relationship with Him. What is new is that this is now a relationship built on love, reverence and respect rather than fear and obligation, and as such my eyes have been slammed OPEN as I am continually impressed by the manifestations of God’s true character in His provisions for fallen man.

T.E.H., Salt Lake City, UT, 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

 

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Your teachings about our heavenly Father have changed my life. Thank you sooooooo very very much! I know He’s doing some serious healing in my heart and life and I look forward to each new day to learn something new about Him and to just hear you speak about Him. Thank you, forever.

Nancy S.

 

Testimony 32

The message [of Come And Reason Ministries is] for all Christians (and those who may become Christians) and not just Adventists or any other group. It is difficult to imagine why any [anyone] with intellectual and spiritual honesty could find fault with the way you explained the healing substitution concepts and the truth about God’s character, though I know some will reject and criticize. On behalf of those in our group near Tacoma, WA, thank you and your staff for all of the hard work and for sharing the Gospel in this manner. God’s message of healing love will be carried to the whole world and then Jesus will come – He promised it.

Terry U., Tacoma, WA, USA

 

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I have been really blessed reading your response to the various questions on your site.

K.C., OH, USA

 

Testimony 54

I had a lot of pressure, as a pastor’s kid, to conform and be “good.” I was good at being “good.” I thought my life was going along well until it all started falling apart and I could not figure out why! In my search for “why is this happening to me, God?” I came across your book, “Could it be this Simple,” and God started revealing to me the many distortions I held about His character, His principles, and how He has designed His universe to operate. I remember thinking, “Wow, I have had this all backwards.” I was happy and angry all at the same time. Happy to have the light of truth break through the darkness, revealing a wonderful, beautiful way of understanding God and His plan for His children, and angry, because I felt deceived and cheated by the church, my family, and myself!

My heart thrills when I listen to your bible study lessons. Literally I have gone from death to life. It is a journey I look forward to every day, as God reveals areas this distortion affects. Praise GOD! I will ever be grateful to God for this ministry and your cooperation with the Spirit!

Karen S., Portal, AZ, USA

 

Testimony 69

After reading your book, ‘Could It Be This Simple,’ someone was explaining Christianity in a way that made sense to me for the first time in my life. One morning, I simply prayed “I’m sorry and I love you.” As soon as I silently said that, I could literally feel God’s presence and light flood down on me from above and fill me up with love and joy. I sat there crying my eyes out, because I was so overpowered with this feeling of love and joy. It was just so incredible. I hope that more people can read this book and get a blessing from it. It’s really amazing.

Rachael H.

Testimony 18

The Healing the Mind DVD set tarted me on a journey that has changed my relationship with our loving God more significantly than any other study, and brought me to your book and Bible study podcasts, which I now listen to daily, thanks to the availability of archived content on your site and on iTunes.

Anonymous

 

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 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 55

I was born [into the church], then I left it for many years. 10 years ago, I came back, but I could not take the hypocrisy and the lack of answers to the missing pieces. I struggled, but I did not abandon my commitment to know the truth. God is leading me to the simple understanding of his relevance and I am relearning what the church taught me as a youth… that he loves me, that he has led me to a knowledge of him such as I have never known. He is using Dr. Jennings to connect the dots that are now so apparent and hiding in plain sight!

Dean P., Arlington, TX, USA