Deur Neels Jackson — Oorspronklik gepubliseer in Beeld
Die Bose is ’n werklikheid. Daaroor is daar instemming in die NG Kerk. Maar of die duiwel ’n persoon is – daaroor is daar meningsverskil.
Dit is kortliks die uitslag van die algemene sinode in Port Elizabeth se hantering van ’n rits besware oor die vorige algemene sinode se besluit oor die duiwel.
Toe is daar gesê daar is ruimte in die kerk vir mense wat meen die duiwel is ’n persoon en mense wat anders dink. Die woorde “daar is ruimte vir” het aangedui dat die kerk amptelik sê albei standpunte is in orde.
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Beswaardes het gekla die siening dat die duiwel nie ’n persoon is nie (hoewel die boosheid werklik is) is in stryd met die Bybel en die kerk se belydenisskrifte. Daar is selfs gesê die siening is godslasterlik.
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Ná ’n informele gesprek eergisteraand en ’n debat gisteraand in die sinode is die besluit herformuleer. Nou word bloot gesê daar is lidmate wat die persoonlike aard van die duiwel en demone aanvaar en lidmate wat die nie-persoonlike aard daarvan aanvaar.
Daarmee erken die sinode die werklikheid van die saak sonder om hom oor die korrektheid van die standpunte uit te laat.
Daar word egter pertinent gesê albei standpunte aanvaar die werklikheid van die Bose.
So churches slide slowly into deception- as predicted in the Scriptures.
It is very alarming to realize that the deception of the devil has even fooled an established church group in pondering about him or even his power to fool them in thinking he is not busy destroying them and their members. One very valid statistic is the very un christianlike statistics of divorce. This is presumably not the devil’s works. Just a thought!
Some of us have obviously not encountered the demonic first hand, in our private lives and/or in the lives of the oppressed and possessed. Otherwise we would know better than to dismiss an intelligent and personal enemy.
Hoe kan jy bely dat jy die Bybel glo en vertrou, maar dit wat in die Bybel is nie glo… Maak nie sin.
There is NO basis in the Scripture to support evil as some nebulous power with no name. On the contrary there are sufficient verses which alert us to be aware of the enemy of our souls also called the prince of the air both in the OT and the NT ( Peter, James). – So whose report do we believe – the opinion of man in order not to rock the comfort zone boat or the Word of the Lord?
If all else fails, consult the Instruction Manual … (the Bible) ! :-)
Is the devil / Satan a person or a force / personification of evil?”
Answer: Although he has persuaded many people that he doesn’t exist, Satan very definitely is a real, personal being, the source of all unbelief and of every kind of moral and spiritual evil in the world. He is called by various names in the Bible, including Satan (meaning “adversary”—Job 1:6; Romans 16:20), the devil (i.e., “slanderer”—Matthew 4:1; 1 Peter 5:8), Lucifer (Isaiah 14:12), the serpent (2 Corinthians 11:3; Revelation 12:9), and many others.
The existence of Satan as a personal being is proved by the fact that the Lord Jesus Christ recognized him as such. Jesus referred to him frequently by name (e.g., Luke 10:18; Matthew 4:10) and called him “the prince of this world” (John 12:31; 14:30; 16:11).
The apostle Paul called Satan the “god of this world” (2 Corinthians 4:4) and the “prince of the power of the air” (Ephesians 2:2). The apostle John said, “The whole world is under the control of the evil one” (1 John 5:19) and that Satan “leads the whole world astray” (Revelation 12:9). These could hardly be descriptions of an impersonal force or a mere personification of evil.
The Scriptures teach that, before man and the world were created, God had created an “innumerable company of angels” (Hebrews 12:22), a heavenly host of spiritual beings of great strength and intelligence. The highest of these beings are the cherubim, who are attendants at the very throne of God, and the “anointed cherub” was originally Satan himself (Ezekiel 28:14). He was “full of wisdom and perfect in beauty.”
God did not create Satan as an evil being, however. The angels, like man, were created as free spirits, not as unthinking machines. They were fully able to reject God’s will and rebel against His authority if they chose.
The basic sin, in both man and angels, is the twin sin of unbelief and pride. Satan said in his heart, “I will ascend into heaven, I will exalt my throne above the stars of God . . . I will be like the most High” (Isaiah 14:13,14). Again, these could hardly be the actions or motivations of an impersonal force.
Jesus also told us of some of the characteristics of Satan. Christ said he was a murderer from the beginning, not holding to the truth, for there is no truth in him, and that when he speaks he lies, he speaks his native language, for he is a liar and the father of lies (John 8:44).
It is crucial that Christians recognize the reality of Satan and understand that he prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour (1 Peter 5:8). It is impossible to overcome sin and temptation from the devil by ourselves, but Scripture tells us how be strong. We need to put on the full armor of God and withstand temptation (Ephesians 6:13).
Read more: http://www.gotquestions.org/devil-Satan-person.html#ixzz2hPDB62ik
and oh how he laughs when we argue about him in this fashion. Our greatest weakness as Christians is to question and argue about God’s word instead of just believing. There is more than enough evidence to show just who and what Satan is.
En so baklei die kerk steeds oor nonsens, hou hulself dae besig met sinnelose sittings en redenasies en om ons sterf mense aan honger en dors hulle na God se liefde wat deur Sy kinders aan die wêreld gegee moet word. En die satan lag hom dood – want hy hou ons so besig met hierdie twak dat ons nie kan doen wat die Woord sê ons moet doen nie! (Mat 25 – Ek was honger, Ek was dors……..!!!!)
Agreed Mariana!