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LERAARS WAT GETROU IS AAN JESUS, DINK VIR HULSELF

LERAARS WAT GETROU IS AAN JESUS, DINK VIR HULSELF

Oor die jare het ek baie gesprekke gehad met leraars van ‘n wye verskeidenheid genootskaplike agtergronde, en ek het ontdek dat hulle, net soos almal, in twee algemene groepe val: diegene wat getrou is aan Jesus en diegene wat getrou is aan iets anders.

Terwyl leraars menslik is en dus onderhewig is aan presies dieselfde versoekings, stryde en konflikte wat elke ander persoon ervaar, fokus ek op hulle in hierdie blog omdat hulle in ‘n plek van godsdienstige leierskap is, ‘n plek waar hulle onder-herders van die Groot Herder is en die verantwoordelikheid aanvaar om groepe Christene te lei, en omdat baie mense na hul leraars kyk vir antwoorde en voorbeelde oor wat om te doen en hoe om te lewe. As ‘n leraar dus verkeerd is of verkeerde beginsels beoefen, sal hul invloed versprei en baie ander op ‘n dwaalspoor lei.

In die Skrif sien ons dit gebeur met die godsdienstige leiers van Israel van Christus se tyd toe hulle die mense beïnvloed het om Jesus te betwyfel en te wantrou (Johannes 7:13, 45-49; 9:22).

Waaraan kan ‘n leraar getrou wees anders as Jesus? Aan leerstellings, geloofsbelydenisse, tradisies, organisasies, denominasies of kerkowerhede. Ons sien dit in die geskiedenis van die Christendom toe verskeie priesters en kerkleiers lojaliteit aan hul organisasies bevorder het eerder as om die waarheid te volg soos God dit geopenbaar het.

God het enigiemand wat die rol aanneem om namens Hom te praat, die rol om mense van Hom te leer, om die kudde vir Hom te lei, vooraf gewaarsku dat hulle lojaal aan Hom moet bly bo hul seniors of leiers in die werk. Ons vind die verhaal in 1 Konings 13, waarin ‘n jong profeet deur God opdrag gegee is om ‘n boodskap aan die koning te gee en dan terug te keer huis toe sonder om kos en drank te aanvaar. Maar die jong profeet is ontmoet deur ‘n ander profeet van die Here – nie ‘n valse profeet nie, nie iemand van ‘n ander godsdiens nie, nie ‘n Baälaanbidder nie, nie iemand wat ontrou was aan die saak nie – wat die jong profeet na sy huis genooi het vir kos en verkwikking. Toe die jong profeet verduidelik dat die Here hom beveel het om nie te stop vir enige kos of drank nie, het

“Die ou profeet geantwoord: Ek is ook ‘n profeet, soos jy. En ‘n engel het vir my gesê deur die woord van die HERE: “Bring hom saam met jou terug na jou huis, sodat hy brood kan eet en water kan drink” (Maar hy het vir hom gelieg.) (1 Konings 13:18 NIV 84).

Die senior profeet het vir die junior gelieg, en die jonger profeet, eerder as om vir homself te dink, eerder as om die bewyse vir homself te ondersoek, eerder as om te kies om die waarheid te volg hoe hy verstaan het wat God hom beveel om met sy lewe te doen, in plaas daarvan het hy hom onmiddellik aan sy senior onderwerp, sy oordeel oorgegee aan iemand met meer ervaring en tyd in die bediening, en het na sy huis gegaan vir verkwikking. Die Bybel gaan voort met die storie,

“Toe het die man van God saam met hom teruggekeer en in sy huis geëet en gedrink. Terwyl hulle aan tafel gesit het, het die woord van die HERE tot die ou profeet gekom wat hom teruggebring het. Hy het uitgeroep na die man van God wat uit Juda gekom het: ‘So sê die HERE: “Jy het die woord van die HERE uitgedaag en die bevel wat die HERE jou God jou gegee het, nie onderhou nie. Jy het teruggekom en brood geëet en water gedrink op die plek waar hy vir jou gesê het om nie te eet of te drink nie. Daarom sal jou liggaam nie in die graf van jou vaders begrawe word nie”’” (1 Konings 13:19-22).

Op pad huis toe is die jong man deur ‘n leeu doodgemaak. Tog het die donkie waarop hy gery het en die leeu saam langs die liggaam gestaan – ‘n manifestasie dat dit nie natuurlike jag van prooi was nie (1 Konings 13:24, 25).

Hoekom is hierdie storie in die Bybel? Omdat God mense waarsku, veral diegene wat sy roeping aanvaar het om sy agente, bedienaars, herders, priesters, profete, leraars, sendelinge te wees – enigiemand wat die rol aanneem om Jesus aan ander te verteenwoordig – dat ons vir onsself moet dink, ons moet die waarheid vir onsself verstaan, ons moet in die eerste plek lojaal aan God wees, en oor sake van waarheid, plig teenoor God, die evangelieboodskap en God se roeping in ons lewens. Ons moet nooit ons denke oorgee aan diegene in senior leierskap, kerklike gesag, tradisie of organisatoriese hiërargie nie. Dit is wat die apostel Paulus gedemonstreer het toe hy nie die waarheid en sy denke aan die Joodse leierskap of selfs aan Petrus wou oorgee, toe Petrus dwaling voorgestaan het nie (Galasiërs 2:11). Hy het geskryf dat elke mens ten volle oortuig moet wees in sy eie verstand (Romeine 14:5).

Ek ken soveel pragtige, goedhartige leraars wat Jesus liefhet en die waarheid leef en leer, maar ek het gesien hoe ander die rol van die jong profeet aanneem, met alle goeie bedoelinge, sonder enige opstandigheid teenoor God in hul hart, verraai hulle die waarheid in ‘n poging om lojaal te wees aan die saak, die organisasies, die tradisies, die geloofsbelydenisse, of hul seniors in die werk deur ‘n ander leier se advies, aanwysings, gevolgtrekkings of institusionele instruksies te volg, ten spyte daarvan dat hulle oortuig is dat die waarheid voortdurend ontvou en dat hulle verby beweeg het waar die huidige leierskap of organisasie funksioneer.

Soos ons die finale gebeure voor Christus se wederkoms nader, sal ons ‘n skudding onder die mense sien – en dit sal leraars en kerkleiers insluit. En net soos in Christus se dag, sal daar baie getroue mense en leiers (Nikodemus, Josef van Arimatea) wees wat van hul organisasies en hul hardkoppige leiers sal wegbreek om getrou aan Jesus te bly. Maar ongelukkig sal baie ander kies om getrou te wees aan die stelsel, die geloofsbelydenisse, die tradisies, die organisasie en weg stap van die waarheid af.

Dit is ‘n pynlike feit van die geskiedenis, ‘n pynlike ervaring wanneer dit gebeur, maar die getroue leraars sal die waarheid volg waarheen dit lei, selfs al lei dit weg van die kerke waaraan hulle hul lewens gewy het en wat hulle liefhet. Een Bybelkommentaar stel dit so:

“Soos die lig en lewe van die mens deur die kerklike owerhede in die tyd van Christus verwerp is, so is dit nog in elke daaropvolgende geslag verwerp. Keer op keer is die geskiedenis van Christus se onttrekking uit Judea herhaal. Toe die Hervormers die woord van God verkondig het, het hulle geen gedagte gehad om hulself van die gevestigde kerk af te skei nie; maar die godsdiensleiers wou die lig nie duld nie, en dié wat die lig gedra het, is gedwing om hulle na ‘n ander klas te wend wat na die waarheid verlang het. Vandag word min van die erkende volgelinge van die Hervormers deur hulle gees besiel. Min luister na die stem van God en is bereid om die waarheid aan te neem in watter vorm dit ook aangebied word. Dikwels word diegene wat in die voetspore van die Hervormers volg, gedwing om die kerke wat hulle liefhet te verlaat, sodat hulle die duidelike leer van die Woord van God kan verkondig. En dikwels word mense wat na die lig soek deur dieselfde leer verplig om die kerk van hul vadere te verlaat, sodat hulle God kan gehoorsaamheid” (Koning van die Eeue, bl. 232, beklemtoning myne).

Ek nooi elke persoon, leraar, priester, kerkleier en gemeentelid uit om jou Godgegewe individualiteit te ontwikkel en altyd vir jouself te dink, vir jouself te studeer en die waarheid en stem van God vir jouself te ken. En wanneer dit kom by sake van waarheid, plig en gewete, moet jy jouself nooit aan enigiemand anders as Jesus Christus oorgee nie, maar bied die waarheid in liefde aan en laat ander toe om te verskil en jou selfs te verwerp en te beledig (soos die gelowiges deur die hele geskiedenis ervaar het) solank jy getrou is aan ons Verlosser en sy waarheid.

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Testimony 64

I’ve been reading the bible and walking with Jesus since I was around 16. I’m 42 now. I’ve mostly been alone in my walk although I went to several churches in different denominations. For the past 3 years God has been showing me His character of agape. It’s been a blessing and changed how I view God and my walk with Jesus. About a year ago I came across the power of love and the principles of design law. These teachings changed how I read scripture and have been such a beautiful blessing. I’m very excited and grateful for these truths. We share these truths of agape, design law and the reality of the principles of the two trees in the garden of Eden with people on Facebook and YouTube. People all over are learning to trust God and His agape design law which makes life possible. Thank you for everything you shared with me. May God continue to bless your ministry and lives.

Bradley M., Hinsdale, NY, 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 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 37

Hearing Dr. Jennings’ presentations in person came at a pivotal moment in my spiritual journey that began about nine months ago, when the fault lines inherent in my belief system began to crack under questions that most reasonable people end up asking about God and His nature. These were questions I couldn’t find answers to, and they shook my faith. I was unable let it go any longer and be satisfied. My Christian experience became distant. I was afraid; the fear in me rose like thorns, pushing me away from Jesus. And then someone heard my questions and introduced me to this ministry, and my life has totally changed.

I can tell you that this new, “present truth” message is far grander and life-changing than when I shifted from being an agnostic and then a nominal Christian. It has radically altered my worldview, because it reveals a God that makes sense. It is a revolution. I believe that Dr. Jennings’ message is the final message that must go to the world. If any message could be called “righteousness by faith,” as abused as that term is by the right and the left, this is that message, because Jennings’ biblical message identifies a God who is different, whose character isn’t an impossible contradiction.

I walk this path now without fear. I see people differently, and the Holy Spirit burns in my heart. Many call Dr. Jennings’ message false and compromising, but it isn’t false, because I’ve seen the fruits within my mind and body. It is not compromising, because in this message is the only road to holiness that makes any sense. No longer do I behold a pagan god who is always angry and suspicious. Instead, I behold a God who is freeing and loving, always working for our good, and giving me every reason to love my enemy even to my own death, just as Jesus pleads with us. God is good.

Anthony L., CA, USA

 

Testimony 14

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

Anonymous

 

Testimony 9

I really enjoy with you the view of a gracious God. Thank you for sharing the work you are allowing the Lord to do in you.

L., Queensland, Australia

 

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

 

Testimony 72

I am blown away by the truth that you present. God’s Design Law makes so much sense! You have validated my impression that, if God is love, He would not kill those who don’t want to know him. If God gives us choice, then how can He destroy us if our choice is not to follow him. Thank you for opening my eyes and heart to the pure love of God seen through Jesus. The love I now have for Jesus is deeper and free from condemnation. My heart has been opened to love others as Jesus loves me. May God continue to bless your God-given insight into His word and your ministry. The truth has set me free!

H. Miller, Centereach, NY

Testimony 11

I would love to have a copy of “Healing the Mind” DVDs to have in my therapy office. I enjoy having clients check out materials to enhance their therapy experience. I have sat under Dr. Jennings’ teaching at an American Association of Christian Counselors convention and respect his work greatly.

K.B., LA, USA

 

Testimony 13

I borrowed “Healing The Mind” DVDs from a friend and showed them at my home for a small gathering of women friends. Neither of my friends are Adventist, but they both enjoyed and embraced the messages you taught. In fact, one of the ladies prayed out loud in our group and that was the first time she had ever had public prayer.

J.B. ,Dalles, OR, USA

 

Testimony 53

I was so blessed by a friend who gave me your book, “The God Shaped Brain,” while I was sitting in church asking God to please help me learn more about Him and help me not to be so confused and scared. That was about 2 years ago. Your books have helped me to love God even more. I’m not confused or scared anymore! I have listened to all of your bible study classes and feel like I know the wonderful people that attend every week. Thank you for all that you’re doing in spreading the true message about God and His law of love. God bless you and your whole class.

Elssy P., Modesto, CA, USA

 

Testimony 31

It was very touching to hear the testimony of your class share how viewing God’s true character has changed their lives. My feelings are the same – there is so much freedom in knowing that God LOVES me – regardless of my… just, REGARDLESS! I’m still blown away by the true gospel, the fact that God is not ready to strike us when we fail. He is not arbitrary. He simply loves us and warns of the natural consequences because He can’t stand to see us suffer. I AM IN LOVE WITH THIS GOD!!!

Ceil V.,  UT, 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 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 27

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.