Call Us: 423 661-4734 | Email: requests@comeandreason.com      
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.

Donate online, securely via PayPal using your credit or debit card (no PayPal account needed, unless you want to set up a monthly, recurring payment).


cancel recurring payment

 

Want to use zelle instead?
See how on our
Support and Donations page.

Upcoming Events

calendar

Testimonial Post Slider

Testimony 21

I am absolutly on fire with the message at Come and Reason! I can’t get enough! I’ve read your book, blog, and articles. I’ve listened to your Bible study podcasts, your radio show, and your series – all excellent! It wasn’t until the past couple of years that I have I like I’m becoming “healthy,” with more to share with others than just beasts and commandments! I used to be a Bible worker and preached when the pastors were gone until I had had enough. I didnt realize at the time what the problem was, but i know now… the message wasn’t properly focused. Now my flame is rekindled. All of your little examples are so perfect in explaining something “complicated” and making it easily understood! Now I’m trying to shape it into a life changing evangelistic series! Thank you!

M.T., USA

 

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 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 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 34

I was introduced to Come and Reason Ministries by accident, via a passing comment made in a bible study class we were visiting. I checked this website out and my life was changed. The understanding of the truth of God’s character, and how we apply it, is so right. The tricky part is consistently applying which “lens” to look through. As I began to understand, I started sharing the basics of this understanding with a discussion group I was leading and, suddenly, a lot of things started to make sense that never used to. At the same time, I enjoyed an amazing opportunity. I was able to conduct a full bible study at WORK! What an amazing experience! It is such a joy to share the truth about God and to share how it all fits in the war between God and Satan. So many people benefit when we have a correct understanding about how God works and who He really is! Thank you for this transformational understanding. Keep up the good work! God Bless you!

Tony P., CA, USA

 

Testimony 29

Thank you for all of your work to correct misconceptions about God’s character. So many people that my husband and I have talked to seem to be against the natural law construct and view it as “errant” and “dangerous.” Having learned more about it through your blogs and lessons, I don’t really understand why they view it that way, except that it means they have to relearn theology they have known for their entire lives. But I’m so excited to relearn this. For the past few years I have been questioning how I could trust a God who punishes arbitrarily and is full of wrath for those who don’t obey His commands. That view made me afraid to “mess up” or “not be good enough,” even within my relationship with God. I really appreciated the point you bring out about God not wanting us to serve Him because we are afraid, but because we love Him.

Melissa H., IN, USA

 

Testimony 5

We listen to your bible studies lessons in our class in Montana. You actually were the main reason I decided to get a laptop, so I can go to your site and listen, read, learn, and print the class notes. I am so grateful to learn the correct view of God and his character. Now, to just have others have an interest in knowing, so I can share it with them. Good thoughts your way.

R. N., MT, 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 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.

 

Testimony 62

I would like to express my thanks to the C&R team for creating a platform from which people can learn to trust in God and grow. My life is a witness to the effectiveness of this ministry. Without believing the truth about God as you have shown, I don’t know what my life would be like. I had given up on God helping me with certain sins – it was all useless. Given that the scripture is clear and God is so good, how could I have betrayed him so many times? I was a yo-yo christian; spinning up and down. My faith and enthusiasm was driven by discoveries/threats that prophecy is about to be fulfilled. But when I watched your “Healing the Mind” seminar, it was like a light finally went on. I could see God had no plan to hurt me, the danger came from sin, and that He is working to protect me and strengthen me. Thank you for allowing God to use you. The message God gave C&R saved my life!

Antony N. – Hobart, Australia

 

Testimony 38

Since November 2015, when I started studying Gods word from this God Is Love point of view, my life has been transformed. My troubled marriage of 15 years has been healed and my husband and I are truly happy for the first time in 15 years. Now When I read the word of God I understand it so much better and I can’t help but see Gods love radiating through the pages to humanity. Gods word is living and active and I am blessed beyond measure to be having this amazing experience. God has given me a beautiful understanding of Jn 3:16 that amazes me more and more each day. Thank you again for your ministry.

Helen D., London, England

 

Testimony 35

I am so pleased with the response your message is receiving at my church from the middle-aged to the young adults. I have given out 100 copies of the first two seminars and there are more request every week. One of my [class members] came to me after viewing the series, grateful and impressed with how easy the message was retained. He had been a Seventh-day Adventist in fear all his life, and felt like the scales were removed from his eyes after viewing the seminars. I am so impressed by the change I see in members who have received this message, we are in one accord. However, I am sadden by the negative response of the older people. I am verbally attacked anytime I talk about imposed laws, but I believe my mission is to enlightened everyone I can. I watch your Bible Study Class on YouTube every Friday night and I feel like I am apart of the class. All of you are in one accord and I am so blessed to have found you. I pray that all of you continue to spread this message and I am committed to doing my part.

Clara S., Westfield, MA, USA

 

Testimony 67

I was introduced to Come And Reason by a friend of my mother-in-law, who gave me several CD’s of Dr. Jennings. The clarity of the message and recognition that God’s is a God of love was so clear, advancing beyond Dr. Maxwell’s message. However, grappled with Maxwell saying God used emergency measures for the fallen world. Now after several years of being a regular listener of the Come And Reasoning bible study class and attending Jennings’ meetings in Dallas/Fort Worth, TX, things are becoming clearer for me. Design law versus imposed law has added so much to my personal understanding of theology. This message has really impacted my work in counseling so many people miserable because they are searching for and trusting human governments to create order and peace or believing in a God who says love Me or I will kill you. I am grateful that I have an alternative view to offer my clients that makes sense. I teach a bible study class on a semi-regular basis and I value the materials that Come And Reason so freely offers to aid me in presenting this vital message. Thank you for continuing to provide advancement in our very limited understanding of a Infinite God that is rational and believable.

Dr. Roger D, Arlington, TX, USA

 

Testimony 47

I can’t even begin to thank you and your ministry enough for introducing me to the Truth about a loving and merciful God! I have my daughter and her in-laws to thank for sharing with me “The God-Shaped Brain” as well as your website. I listen to the Bible study class lessons on my daily walk. May God continue to bless your thirst-quenching ministry!

Liz H., Port Angeles, WA, USA