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REDDING EN DIE REINIGING VAN ONS GEES – DEEL 1

REDDING EN DIE REINIGING VAN ONS GEES – DEEL 1

Die apostel Paulus het geskryf,

Mag God self, die God van vrede, jou deur en deur heilig. Mag jou hele gees, siel en liggaam onberispelik gehou word by die koms van ons Here Jesus Christus (1 Thessalonicense 5:23).

Is dit net toevallig dat Paulus hierdie drie gebiede – gees, siel en liggaam – in die volgorde noem wat hy doen, of is dit geïnspireer? Toon dit dat genesing by die gees begin, na die siel beweeg en by die liggaam eindig?

Die Griekse woord wat as “liggaam” vertaal word, is soma en verwys na die fisiese struktuur van ons wese, wat vir ons die maklikste is om te identifiseer en onderskei van siel en gees. Die Bybel is gevul met baie instruksies vir die gesondheid van die liggaam – riglyne oor higiëne, dieet, oefening en rus. As ons die metafoor van ‘n rekenaar gebruik, sal die soma ooreenstem met die hardeware, die fisiese komponente van die toerusting waaraan ‘n mens kan raak.

Die Griekse woord vir “siel” is psige, waaruit ons woorde soos “psigiatrie” en “sielkunde” kry, en verwys na ons individualiteit, karakter, unieke persoonlikheid; die psige sal ooreenstem met die sagteware op ‘n rekenaar, wat al die dinge insluit wat ons leer, soos ons taal, en wat ons as waar beskou, ons waardes, sedes en oortuigings – dus, dit is ons verstand.

Die Griekse woord vir “gees” is pneuma en word vertaal in ‘n verskeidenheid engelse woorde, soos wind, gees en asem – soos in die “asem van die lewe”. Die gees, die asem van die lewe, stem ooreen met die energie van ons wese en is in die eerste plek die lewegewende energie van God.

Die HERE God het die mens uit die stof van die aarde gevorm en die asem van die lewe in sy neusgate geblaas, en die mens het ‘n lewende wese geword (Genesis 2:7 NIV 84).

Wanneer ‘n persoon sterf, keer God se skepping hierdie proses om; die liggaam gaan terug na stof en die asem van die lewe, die lewensenergie van God, die “gees”, keer terug na God:

Die stof keer terug na die grond waaruit dit gekom het, en die gees keer terug na God wat dit gegee het (Prediker 12:7 NIV 84).

Die woord “gees” word hier gebruik om die asem van die lewe, die lewensenergie, aan te dui. Maar die woord het bykomende betekenisse wat Paulus toepas wanneer hy aan die Korintiërs skryf:

Al is ek nie fisies teenwoordig nie, is ek by jou in gees … wanneer julle in die Naam van ons Here Jesus bymekaargekom het en ek in die gees by julle is, en die krag van ons Here Jesus teenwoordig is (1 Korinthiërs 5:3, 4 NIV84).

Ons gees, soos Paulus die term hierbo gebruik, verwys na ons geneenthede, houdings van die hart en ware motiewe van optrede, en dit is waar God deur sy Gees werk om ons ontevrede te maak met sonde, om ons ‘n verlange na iets meer te gee, om ‘n oortuiging te skep, ‘n ongemaklike rusteloosheid, wanneer ons van Hom en sy pad vir ons lewens afwyk. Die gees is ons diepste hart se begeertes, voorkeure en belynings – waarmee ons aanklank vind en ook die atmosfeer wat ons skep en verkies deur ons houding. Het ons ‘n gees van liefde of haat, van goedhartigheid of wreedheid, van nederigheid of arrogansie, van sagmoedigheid of brutaliteit, van vrees of moed?

Dink aan jou naaste geliefde, miskien ‘n kind of eggenoot, wat op ‘n gevaarlike reis gaan, miskien na ‘n oorlogsone, en met trane sê jy vir hulle: “Ek sal in die gees by jou wees.” Wat bedoel jy? Sê jy jy sal liggaamlik saam met hulle gaan, persoonlik? Nee, jy sal nie fisies by hulle wees wanneer jy in die gees by hulle is nie. Sê jy dat jy ‘n buite-liggaamlike ervaring gaan hê en langs hulle gaan dryf in een of ander spookagtige verskyning? Natuurlik nie.

Jy sê dat jy by hulle sal wees in hart, simpatie, deernis, houding, begeerte na hul beswil, deel in hul stryd en hartseer, bly wees in hul oorwinnings, hul sukses vier, hul gesondheid, welsyn en goed eerste in jou geneentheid en gebede hou. Jy het jou hart se energie op hulle gerig vir hul beswil. Om by jou kind in gees te wees, is om in harmonie met hulle in jou diepste wese te wees, aanklank te vind en met hulle te verbind langs onsigbare energiebande van die kwantum heelal wat God geskep het. Dit is die belyning van ‘n mens se hart, toegeneentheid, welwillendheid en bedoelings vir ‘n ander se gesondheid en geluk.

Die manier waarop God mense geskep het, nadat Adam die “gees”, die asem van die lewe, van sy Skepper ontvang het, het hy die vermoë gehad om die rigting, vibrasie, karakter, toestand, kwaliteit en suiwerheid van daardie energie te beïnvloed en te vorm, te verander. Net soos ons suiwer water kan besoedel en vuil kan maak, so kan ons ook die suiwer energie wat ons van God ontvang, besoedel. Trouens, deur Adam se sonde het hy die suiwer motivering en lewende energie van liefde met vrees en selfsug besmet, en ons word almal gebore met ‘n lewe, ‘n gees, wat ons van Adam ontvang het wat reeds besmet is met vrees en selfsug wat geestelike reiniging nodig het (Psalm 51:5). Dit is wat Paulus vir ons sê wanneer hy ons inlig dat ons hele wese heiligmaking nodig het – ons motiveringsenergie (geeste, pneuma) moet geheilig word.

 

HOE REDDING WERKLIK WERK

Maar wat beteken dit in praktiese terme? Dit beteken dat verlossing vereis dat die gees gereinig word van die besoedeling van sonde (vrees en selfsug). Verlossing – reiniging, die verwydering van sonde – begin met ons gees (pneuma), beweeg in ons siele/verstand (psige) en eindig met ons liggame (soma) by die Wederkoms.

As ons op die doeltreffendste manier met God wil saamwerk vir die reiniging van ons gees, moet ons verstaan wat ons gees is. Die gees is die deel van ons wese wat met die Gees van God verbind en is die middel waardeur God ons inspireer, energie gee, bemoedig, motiveer en oortuig. Ons gees is waar die genesende energie van God in wisselwerking is met ons dryfkrag, (diepste begeertes en motiverings) om ons te beïnvloed. Die Gees is die lewende krag van God wat lewe bring.

Jesus het gesê, “Die Gees gee lewe; die vlees tel niks” (Johannes 6:63 NIV 84).

Die gees is die oorsprong, die energiebron, die lewegewende krag wat ons wese aanvuur – dit is die asem van die lewe wat deur God aan ons gegee is, maar die Heilige Gees is die onderhoubare, genesende, suiwerende, verkwikkende, inspirerende, transformerende, vernuwende krag van God wat ons gees reinig, ons gedagtes verlig, ons liedjies inspireer, ons harte motiveer, ons gewete reinig, ons verstand veredel en verseël ons tot God se koninkryk van liefde.

En julle het ook God se volk geword toe julle die ware boodskap gehoor het, die Goeie Nuus wat julle redding gebring het. Jy het in Christus geglo, en God het sy stempel van eienaarskap op jou geplaas deur vir jou die Heilige Gees te gee wat Hy belowe het. Die Gees is die waarborg dat ons sal ontvang wat God sy mense belowe het, en dit verseker ons dat God volkome vryheid sal gee aan diegene wat syne is. Laat ons sy heerlikheid prys! (Ef 1:13, 14 GNB).

Dit is die Heilige Gees wat vir ons die nuwe gesonde begeertes, motiewe en teenwoordigheid van Jesus bring. Dit is deur die Heilige Gees dat ons deelgenote van die goddelike natuur word (2 Petrus 1:4). Maar wanneer die Gees op ons harte, in ons diepste wese beweeg, moet ons kies om “ja” te sê vir die leiding van die Gees – om te vergewe, om die ou vleeslike maniere van oneerlikheid, selfsug, bose vermoedens, skinder, jaloesie, wraak te verwerp – en in plaas daarvan ons harte in lyn te bring met die “Gees”, die gesindheid van Jesus self – om ons vyande lief te hê en diegene wat ons vervolg te seën.

Jesus het vir sy dissipels gesê, toe hulle vra of vuur uit die hemel die Samaritane moet verteer,

“Julle weet nie van hoedanige gees julle is nie; want die Seun van die mens het nie gekom om die mense se lewe te verderf nie, maar te red. En hulle het na ‘n ander dorp vertrek” (Lukas 9:55-56 AFR33, beklemtoning myne).

Die dissipels het die gees van God se vyand gekoester, van wraak eerder as ‘n gees van liefde en genade. Hulle het geestelike reiniging nodig gehad!

Terwyl die Heilige Gees vir ons die waarheid, liefde en oortuiging bring, is dit ons besluit om die reinigende energie van God se Gees te aanvaar of te verwerp; as ons, in plaas daarvan om ons gees te reinig, vashou aan wrokke, bitterheid, onvergewensgesindheid, onvriendelikheid, jaloesie, ‘n begeerte na wraak ens., bedroef ons die Gees (Ef 4:30).

Maar soos ons reageer op die werking van die Heilige Gees in ons gees, beweeg ons van bloot fisies lewendig gehou en deur die Heilige Gees gesoek te word, soos die herder wat die verlore skape soek, na werklike voorspoed! Wanneer ons kies om met God verbind te bly in ‘n lewende geloof/vertrouensverhouding, ervaar ons die inspirerende krag van God wat ons gees suiwer. Wanneer ons ons harte en gedagtes in geloof aan Jesus oorgee, dan is dit dat ons die inwonende teenwoordigheid van die Heilige Gees ontvang, wat ons gees vernuwe, ons motiewe, begeertes, harte en houdings herskep, en ons diepste wese reinig met liefde, vreugde, hoop en waarheid deur te neem wat Jesus bereik het en sy gees in ons voort te plant. Soos Paulus geskryf het, “Ek is saam met Christus gekruisig, en ek lewe nie meer nie, maar Christus woon in my” (Galasiërs 2:20 NIV 84).

Maar as ons nie in ‘n lewende geloof/vertrouensverhouding met God bly nie – as ons eerder ons eie gang gaan en ons eie ding doen na ons bekering – sal dit wees soos om ‘n plastieksak oor ons koppe vas te bind en onsself af te sny van lewegewende verfrissende lug. As ons onsself van die Heilige Gees afsny, blaas ons net die geestelike afvalprodukte, vrese, onsekerhede, skuldgevoelens, skaamte, twyfel, foute, misverstande, tekortkominge, ontkennings, rasionaliserings, hartseer, teleurstellings en verkeerde dinge in ons siele terug. Ons gees sal dan stadig die hemelse atmosfeer van vreugde, vrede, geduld, liefde en hoop verloor. Net soos die lug in die plastieksak suurstofarm word, so word ons gees afgerem, tot stilstand gebring – en net soos wat gebeur wanneer ons die ou suurstofarme lug inasem, verloor ons gees uiteindelik energie en dryfkrag, en ons raak moedeloos en kom in die versoeking om op te gee.

Maar wanneer ons ons lewegewende geloofsverbintenis met God behou, ons daaglikse gemeenskap met Hom, dan asem ons daagliks God se Gees in en word gevul met die teenwoordigheid van God, sy lewe, sy energie, sy liefde, sy toegeneentheid, vriendelikheid, goedheid, genade, waarheid en krag.

Ons gees is ons lewensenergie. God se Gees is die volle energie van die goddelike derde Persoon van die Godheid wat met ons verenig met die volle krag van die Godheid, wat vir ons die “Gees” van die Here bring – die nuwe gesindheid van liefde eerder as haat. Soos Paulus aan Timoteus geskryf het,

Want God het ons nie ‘n gees van vrees gegee nie, maar van krag en van liefde en van ‘n gesonde verstand (2 Timoteus 1:7).

Ek moedig jou aan om doelgerig te wees in jou daaglikse roetines, om elke dag in persoonlike gemeenskap met God te begin, om oor sy Woord, sy skepping, sy voorsienigheid te mediteer en met Hom te praat. Nooi die Heilige Gees in jou hart in om jou gees te reinig, te vernuwe, te verkwik en te versterk sodat jy “die vrug van die Gees sal ervaar [wat] liefde en blydskap, vrede, geduld, goedertierenheid, goedheid, getrouheid, sagmoedigheid en selfbeheersing is” (Galasiërs 5:22, 23 NIV 84).

En soos Paulus aan die Filippense geskryf het, sluit ek af met hierdie begeerte vir julle:

Julle lewe in Christus maak julle sterk, en sy liefde vertroos julle. Julle het gemeenskap met die Gees, en julle het goedhartigheid en deernis vir mekaar. Ek moedig julle dan aan om my heeltemal gelukkig te maak deur dieselfde gedagtes te hê, dieselfde liefde te deel en een te wees in siel en verstand (Filippense 2:1, 2 GNB).

 

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