Hoe kan ek seker wees dat ek ‘n Christen is

 

Miljoene volgelinge van Jesus is steeds onseker oor hulle saligheid

 

SEKERHEID VAN SALIGHEID

 

Is jy onseker van jou verhouding met die Here ?

 

Onsekerheid laat baie gelowiges twyfel

 

Ek het oor die jare besef dat miljoene kerk gangers Jesus in hulle lewens in genooi het , baie van hulle by meer as een geleentheid , maar selfs dan nog nie seker was van hulle saligheid nie. Die feit is dat hulle goeie mense is. Dat hulle vir jare getrou in die kerk gedien het . Maar steeds geen versekering van Jesus se inwonede teenwoordigheid in hulle lewens het nie., geen versekering dat indien hulle vandag sou sterf by die Here in die Hemel sal wees nie.

 

Waarom vind ons hierdie hartverskeurende onsekerheid by so baie toegewyde godsdienstige mense? Ek het tot die gevolgtrekking gekom dat hul onsekerheid is as gevolg van verkeerde inligting of ‘n gebrek aan inligting oor wie God werklik is . Dit sluit in n besf van die Goddelikheid van Christus , die betekenis van die kruiseging en die optanding van ons Here, en ook wat dit beteken om Jesus Christus as verlosser te aanvaar.

 

Kan ek jou hierdie persoonlike, baie belangrike, vraag vra, Wat van jou? As jy vandag moet sterf, is jy absoluut seker dat jy sonder enige twyfel hemel toe sal gaan.

 

Om jou Christenskap te verstaan is die eerste stap

 

Ek dink daar is vandag ontsettend baie mense wat onseker is oor hulle verhouding met God weens ‘n gebrek aan kennis en inligting daaroor. Ons moet hulle help om te verstaan dat om ‘n Christen te wees nie net ‘n filisofie,’n etiese kode of lewens standard is wat jy wetties moet handhaaf nie. Om ‘n Christen te wees , beteken om in ons lewes ‘n persoonlike verhouding met ons lewende en almagtige Skepper God te he, deur geloof in Sy enige gebore Seun, ons Here Jesus Christus .

 

As ons Budah uit Budisme neem, Mohammed uit Islam, en die leiers of uitvinders van ander godsdienste sal weinig verander. Maar neem ons Jesus uit Christenskap uit dan bly daar niks oor om in te glo nie net ‘n vormlose godsdiens sonder betekennis. Om ‘n Christen te wees beteken om ‘n persoonlike verhouding met die lewende Christus te kan he, hy het uit die dood opgestaan, nie Budah of Mohammmed of enige van die ander kan aanspraak maak dat hulle uit die dood opgestaan het nie, net Jesus kan. Om Christen te wees beteken om ‘n blywende verhouding met die lewende Jesus te kan he.

Maar hoe kan ek met sekerheid ‘n persoonlike verhouding met Christus he? Ek vra weer die baie belangrikke vraag , “as jy nou moet sterf weet jy verseker waar jy die ewigheid gaan deurbring”?

 

Daar is ‘n moontlikheid dat jy net onlangs Christus aangeneem het en nog nie besef het wat werklik met jou gebeur het nie – nie heeltemal oortuig is van waar jy staan tov. jou verhouding met God nie.

 

Ek will ‘n paar belangrike, basiese beginsels met jou deelwat jou sekerheid sal kan gee.

 

Om ‘n Christen te word moet jy die geskenk van God se liefde en Sy vergifnis nl. Jesus Christus , Sy seun ontvang, dit in geloof aanneem sonder dat jy dit enigsins verdien .

Deur ‘n drievoudige besluit wat jou verbintenis met Jesus sal verseker wat jou verstand,jou emosies en jou wil insluit.

 

 

Besluit 1: Verstand

 

Bewyse gebaseer op Jesus se geboorte Sy lewe, sterwe en opstanding.

 

Jou Christenskap is gegrond op suiwer bybels en historiese feite en om die Christen boodskap te verstaan hoef jy nie ‘n geloofsprong te neem nie.

Die waarhede van ons Christelike geloof is opgeteken deur eeu oue historiese feite, studies en navorsing . Baie mense het hulle lewens toegewy aan volgehoue ondersoeke wat Jesus van Nasaret se geboorte, lewe, wonderwerke, kruisiging, opstanding asook die invloed wat Hy op mense gehad het tydens Sy tyd hier op aarde . Die resultaat was oorweldigende historiese bewyse wat dit bevestig het.

 

Die bewyse sluit in geskrifte van Jesus se tydgenote wie se lewens vir altyd verander het agv. hulle intieme vriendskap met Hom. Selfs Sy vyande het Sy opstanding probeer stil hou deur ooggetuies te betaal om nie die werklike waarheid te vertel van waarom Jesus se graf leeg was nie, hulle moes vertel dat Sy liggaam uit die graf gesteel was.

As gevolg van hierdie en nog baie meer oortuigende bewyse , weet ons dat Jesus weklik op aarde geleef het, dat Hy werklik gesterf het, en dat Jesus werklik uit die dood opgestaan het, en toe opgevaar het na die Hemel.

 

Wat ander van Christus gese het.

In the last years of his life, the German dramatist Johann Wolfgang von Goethe wrote, “If ever the Divine appeared on earth, it was in the person of Christ.”

The Russian novelist and philosopher Fyodor Dostoevsky said, “Even those who have renounced Christianity and attack it, in their inermost being still follow the Christian ideal, for hitherto neither their subtlety nor the ardor of their hearts has been able to create a higher ideal of man and of virtue than the ideal given by Christ of old. When it has been attempted, the result has been only grotesque.”

Dr. Charles Malik of Lebanon, former president of the United Nations General Assembly, said, “I really do not know what will remain of civilization and history if the accumulated influence of Christ, both direct and indirect, is eradicated from literature, art, practical dealings, moral standards and creativeness in the different activities of mind and spirit.”

Napoleon Bonaparte, the famous French general, said during his exile, “I know men; and I tell you that Jesus Christ is no mere man. Between him and every other person in the world, there is no possible term of comparison. Alexander, Caesar, Charlemagne, and I have founded empires. But on what did we rest the creations of our genius? Upon force. Jesus Christ founded his empire upon love; and at this hour millions of men would die for him.”

Thomas Jefferson, third president of the United States of America and principal author of the Declaration of Independence, said, “Of all the systems of morality, ancient and modern, which have come under my observation, none appear to me so pure as that of Jesus.”

 

Wat die Bybel van Christus gese het.

 

Dit is van groter belang wat die Bybel van Jesus se as wat die wereld van Hom se of dink.

 

Jesus Christus was God in flees en bloed. Hy het aarde toe gekom om in ons plek te terf . Hy het die dood wat ons verdien het op Hom geneem deur in ons plek te sterwe. Deur sy dood en opstanding het Jesus verseker dat ons die ewige lewe kan he asook vrye toegang tot God die almagtige.

 

Bill Bright skryf die volgende en ek sluit dit in as ‘n baie goeie voorbeeld van hoe om iemand te benader wat glad nie in die Bybel glo nie glo nie :

Years ago a brilliant young student came to talk to me following one of my lectures at a major university. He was the head of the Communist movement on the campus. He accused me of trying to brainwash the students because I was more mature than they. And he resented me for presenting my Christian views to them, views which were obviously diametrically opposed to his Marxist beliefs.

Instead of arguing with him, I invited him to my home for dinner. We had a good conversation about many topics as we ate. After we had finished dessert, I reached for my Bible.”I would like to read something to you from the Bible,” I said.

He reacted strongly. “I don’t believe the Bible!” he declared. “I don’t want to hear anything you read. I’ve read the Bible from cover to cover, and it’s filled with contradictions and myths. I don’t believe a word of it.” I responded by saying, “If you don’t mind, I’ll read a few portions anyway.” So I turned to the first chapter of the Gospel of John and read:

Before anything existed, there was Christ, with God. He has always been alive and is himself God…Eternal life is in him, and this life gives light to all mankind. His life is the light that shines through the darkness – and the darkness can never extinguish it.

To all who received him, he gave the right to become children of God. All they needed to do was to trust him to save them. All those who believe this are reborn! – not a physical rebirth resulting from human passion or plan – but from the will of God.

And Christ became a human being and lived here on earth among us and was full of loving forgiveness and truth. And some of us have seen his glory – the glory of the only Son of the heavenly Father.

“Let me read that,” he said eagerly. “I don’t remember reading it.” He went over the passage thoughtfully and handed the Bible back to me without comment.

Then I turned to Colossians 1, beginning with the 13th verse, and read:

For he (God) has rescued us out of the darkness and gloom of Satan’s kingdom and brought us into the kingdom of his dear Son, who bought our freedom with his blood and forgave us all our sins.

Christ is the exact likeness of the unseen God. He existed before God made anything at all, and, in fact, Christ himself is the Creator who made everything in heaven and earth, the things we can see and the things we can’t…all were made by Christ for his own use and glory. He was before all else began and it is his power that holds everything together.

It was through what his Son did that God cleared a path for everything to come to him – all things in heaven and on earth for Christ’s death on the cross has made peace with God for all by his blood.

Again, he asked if he could read that passage for himself. Then I turned to Hebrews 1 and read verses 1 through 3.

Long ago God spoke in many different ways to our fathers through the prophets… telling them little by little about his plans.

But now in these days he has spoken to us through his Son to whom he has given everything, and through whom he made the world and everything there is.

God’s Son shines out with God’s glory, and all that God’s Son is and does marks him as God. He regulates the universe by the mighty power of his command. He is the one who died to cleanse us and clear our record of all sin, and then sat down in highest honor beside the great God of heaven.

By this time, the young man was very sober. His whole attitude of belligerence and antagonism had changed. So I read 1 John 2:22, 23:

Who is the greatest liar? The one who says that Jesus is not Christ. Such a person is antichrist, for he does not believe in God the Father and in his Son. For a person who doesn’t believe in Christ, God’s Son, can’t have God the Father either. But he who has Christ, God’s Son, has God the Father also.

When I finished reading, he was obviously moved. We chatted a bit. After a while he stood and prepared to leave. I asked if he would write in our guest book. He nodded.

After he wrote his name and address, he penned these words, “The night of decision.”

Here was a young man who had come with fire in his eyes, full of resentment for anything Christian. However, through the simple reading of God’s holy, inspired Word, the Holy Spirit brought this young man to the point of not only being able to intellectually accept what he heard, but to believe and receive it.

An Experience with a Hindu Scholar

Following one of my talks about the uniqueness of Jesus, a brilliant Indian Hindu scholar with a double doctorate – one in physics and one in chemistry – came to me angry and impatient.

“I resent you Christians,” he said. “I resent the arrogance with which you say you have the only way to God. I believe Christianity is one way, but only one way. Hinduism is another. Buddhism, Shintoism and other religions are all ways to God.”

As we talked and examined the Scripture together, he began to see that Christianity is uniquely different from other religions or philosophies. Christianity alone makes provision for man’s basic need – the forgiveness of sin. He admitted that his diligent reading of the sacred Hindu writings and dutiful observance of the rites and rituals had never enabled him to find God personally. Finally, we got down on our knees together, and this young Hindu intellectual asked Jesus to forgive his sins and become his Savior.

To become a Christian you must squarely face the claims of Christ and believe intellectually that Jesus is God and died for your sins, was buried and rose again. You must believe He wants to come into your life to be your Savior and Lord.

Besluit 2: Emosionele besluit

 

Emosie speel ook ‘n belangrikke rol om Jesus as Here en verlosser aan te neem

Ons lees in die Bybel dat God ook emosie het . Hy voel liefde, blydskap, droefheid, medelye, teleurstelling,Hy word ook kwaad, asook baie ander emosies. Die Bybel leer ons dat ons in die beeld van God geskape is, en as deel van Sy beeld het Hy ons die vermoe gegee om emosie te beleef. Feitlik alles wat jy beleef van die oomblik wat jy jou oe in die oggend oopmaak tot dat jy weer gaan slaap sluit verskillende emosies in.

Nie almal wat Jesus as verlosser aanneem sal dieselfde emosinele ervaring beleef nie. Paulus se ontmoeting met Jesus op die Damaskus pad was dramaties . Timotius weer het in ‘n Christelike huis groot geword waar hy van kleins af van Jesus geleer het, en sy geloof het geleidelik gegroei.

Mens hoor gereeld van Christene wat getuig van hoe hulle lewens dramaties verander het, dat hulle genees was van ‘n onsedelike lewensstyl, dwelm afhanklikheid , of een of ander ellendige problem oorkom het nadat hulle Jesus ontmoet het. Die blote feit dat hulle lewens verander het dien as bewysse van dit wat hulle getuig.

Maar dan kry jy ook diegene wat stil in die privaatheid van hul eie kamer, dalk op ‘n vreemde plek of kerk, vir Christus in hul lewens aangeneem het sonder enige emosionele ervaring.

Waarde van werklike emosie

Die afwesigheid van ‘n emosionele ervaring tyden jou bekering kan misleidend wees,want dit kan jou aan God se betrokkenheid laat twyfel aangesien jy niks noemenswaardig ervaar het tydens jou oorgawe nie. Daar saltye kom wanneer jy blydskap, entusiasme of dalk ‘n geestelike ervaaring sal beleef. Jy sal dalk tye beleef van terneergedruktheid of teleurstelling, maar jy moet waak dat dit nie die eenheid tussen jou en God bepaal nie, mens se emosies kan baie bedrieglik wees . Jou omstandighede en emosies mag nie jou verhouding met God bepaal nie , Hy het nie gese jy moet voel soos Sy kind nie, tenspyte van jou gevoel of emosie moet jy jou Christenskap en die beloftes in die woord in geloof uitleef. Die woorde in Romeine se dat “Die regverdige sal uit die geloof lewe.Sien dit so, daar is plek vir emosie maar eerder as ‘n resultaat van jou geloof en gehoorsaamheid. Jesus het gese “ Die een wat my gehoorsaam, is die een wat My lief het en omdat jy My lief het sal My Vader jou ook lief he, en daarom sal Ek jou ook lief he deur My aan jou te openbaar “ ..

Daar is plek vir emosie in jou verhouding met die Here maar waak daar teen om nie altyd ‘n emosionele ervaaring te wil beleef, of om dit wat jy in die verede ervaar het na te jaag nie, maar terselfdeertyd moennie werklike emosies ignoreer nie. Wat meer belangrik is, is dat jy jouself moet herinner dat jy met geloof in God en Sy beloftes moet leef en nie na emosionele ervarings moet soek nie. .

Nog ‘n voorbeeld van Bill Bright

“I’ve Been Waiting for Such an Experience.”

An acquaintance brought his friend to see me, hoping that he might receive Christ, which he did. But in the course of our conversation, it became apparent that my friend, despite his concern for his friend, was himself not a Christian. So I asked him, “When did you become a Christian?”

“I’m not really sure that I am a Christian,” he replied.

“Do you believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God?”

“Yes.”

“Do you believe that He died on the cross for your sins?”

“Yes.”

“Do you believe that if you receive Jesus Christ as your Savior, He will come into your life and make you a child of God?”

“Yes.”

“You would like to receive Him, wouldn’t you?”

“Yes, I would. But I’m waiting for an experience. When my mother became a Christian, she had a dramatic emotional experience, and I’ve been waiting all these years for God to give me such an experience.”

Although he was a professing Christian and active in his church, the thing that kept him from assurance of salvation was the wrong emphasis on emotions. I was able to explain to him that he did not have to look for an emotional experience, but could believe God’s Word. Finally we bowed in prayer, and as a simple expression of faith, he received Jesus Christ as his Savior and Lord and rejoiced in the certainty that Christ was in his life.

Besluit 3: Wils besluit

Om jou geloof in Jesus te plaas verg ook ‘n wils oorgawe

Om ‘n Christen te word verg nie net jou verstand en emosie nie dit moet ook jou wil insluit . Jy moet eerstens gewillig wees om gehoorsaam te wees aan God en Sy Woord

Jesus het beklemtoon dat ons wil belangrik is tenopsigte van ons geloof sekerheid en daarom het Hy gese:

If anyone chooses to do God’s will, he will find out whether my teaching comes from God or whether I speak on my own. He who speaks on his own does so to gain honor for himself, but he who works for the honor of the one who sent him is a man of truth.

Party mense is bang om ‘n wilsbesluit te neem want dalk moet hulle iets prysgee indien hulle so ‘n besluit moet maak en sodoende die lewe nie meer sal kan geniet nie.

Example of Choosing to Obey (Nog voorbeelde van Bill Bright)

One student with whom I counseled and prayed hesitated to receive Christ because he enjoyed his life of parties and sex. But through the prayers of fellow students and friends, this young man decided to obey Christ. He discovered that what he thought was an exciting life was nothing compared to the abundant life which the Lord Jesus gives. He became one of the most vital and fruitful Christians on campus.

This student had fought against God’s will for his life until he realized the truth of Jesus’ words:

If any of you wants to be my follower, you must put aside your own pleasures and shoulder your cross, and follow me closely. If you insist on saving your life, you will lose it. Only those who throw away their lives for my sake and for the sake of the Good News will ever know what it means to really live.

And how does a man benefit if he gains the whole world and loses his soul in the process? For is anything worth more than his soul? And anyone who is ashamed of me and my message in these days of unbelief and sin, I, the Messiah, will be ashamed of him when I return in the glory of my Father, with the holy angels.

Let me assure you that no one has ever given up anything – home, brothers, sisters, mother, father, children, or property – for love of me and to tell others the Good News, who won ‘t be given back, a hundred times over, homes, brothers, sisters, mothers, children, and land – with persecutions!

A leading athletic coach held in high esteem by millions of people, a man of sterling character and tremendous ability, shared with me his reluctance to surrender his life fully to Christ. He feared God would ask him to become a minister and to give up the joy and love of his life – teaching

Baie suksesvolle mense het geweier om Jesus aan te neem want hulle het gedink Hy sal wil dat hulle van hulle besittings moet verkoop en die geld vir die armes gee soos wat Jesus aan die ryk jong man gese het . Soms sal God jou lei om van jou besittings prys te gee , maar Hy sal dalk ook weer van jou verwag om jou invloed te gebruik op ander maniere.

Twyfel van saligheid kan kom weens ‘n onwilligheid om te Vertrou

As jy in geloof lewe en jou wil ‘n daad van gehoorsaamheid aan God is deur Hom toe te laat om jou lewe te verander sal jou verhouding met Hom versterk..Jy sal ondervind dat Hy deur jou werk want jy sal in staat wees om hoogtes te bereik wat jy in jou eie krag nooit sou kon gedoen het nie – soos om iemand lief te he wat jou sleg behandel het ,om ‘n gees van vrede te ervaar temidde van probleme en beproewings, deur ‘n begeerte te ontwikkel om ander mense met die liefde van Jesus te bereik.

Maar as jy vir God en Sy plan vir jou lewe nie vertrou nie en Sy opdragte nie uitvoer nie sal jy heelwaarskeinlik begin twyfel oor jou sekerheid

Ander weier om Christus aan te neem agv. Trots of eie wil

Die meeste mense wat Jesus nie wil aanneem nie doen dit nie omdat hulle verstand dit nie wil doen nie maar omdat die hart nie wil toegee nie , dit is ‘n wils besluit en word gedoen met hulle wil nie met hulle intellek nie. Hulle gebruik intellektuele verskonings as ‘n rookskerm vir die dieper sake van die hart.

 

Nog ‘n voorbeeld van Bill Bright

Experience with Seminary Professor

Many years ago I met with a famous professor of a very prestigious seminary. He did not believe that Jesus is God, even though he had taught thousands of young students who became ministers. One day I was invited to visit this great scholar by a friend who was getting his doctorate under his supervision.

My friend explained, “He does not believe that the Bible is the Word of God, but he is a good man. I like him. He is personable and warm-hearted, and I think you might be able to communicate with him.”

The professor’s first words to me after I was introduced to him were, “Mr. Bright, when you talk to students about becoming a Christian, what do you tell them?”

Knowing his reputation, I wanted to weigh my words carefully, but before I could reply, he asked a second question. “Better still, what would you tell me? I would like to become a Christian.”

He went on to explain that he had recently been reading the Word of God with a new understanding. For a couple of years he had also been studying the writings of the church fathers and biographies of great heroes of the faith. As a result, he had become intellectually convinced that Jesus is the Son of God. But he did not know Him as his personal Savior.

I drew a circle on a piece of paper explaining, “This circle represents your life.” In the circle I drew a throne and on the throne I wrote the letter “S” for self. I explained, “In order to become a Christian you must receive Christ into your life as your Savior from sin and the Lord and Master of your life. You must surrender the control of your life to Him.”

“That’s my problem,” he said. “Intellectual pride has kept me from doing this. I’ve received many honors in the academic world, and I haven’t been willing to humble myself before God. For years I have denied the deity of Christ and have taught thousands of young men to do the same.”

At that moment we were interrupted by a telephone call, and due to other scheduled appointments, we were unable to finish our conversation. He asked us to return two days later. When we returned, he took us into an office with no phones and, locking the door behind us, said, “I want you to know that I went this morning to one of the local churches, took communion, and prepared my heart for your coming. I have been meditating on the third chapter of John, and I want you to pray for me that I may know Jesus as my personal Savior.”

First I prayed; then he prayed, and then my friend prayed, and that day this man of international renown, like a little child, received Christ by faith as an act of his will. His whole life was changed. His teachings changed, his philosophy of life changed, and he became a new creation in Christ. Basically his problem was not intellectual; it was a problem of pride and self-will.

Nog ‘n bron van twyfel is deur misleiding

Nog ‘n rede waarom mense nie hulle harte vir Jesus wil gee nie is omdat Satan hulle mislei het. Jesus het so oor Satan se karakter gepraat

He was a murderer from the beginning, not holding to the truth, for there is no truth in him. When he lies, he speaks his native language, for he is a liar and the father of lies.

Nog ‘n praktiese voorbeeld van Bill Bright

Some years ago I was invited to meet with a well-known military leader. He was a most cordial and gracious person. As we talked, he said he wanted to become a Christian but somehow couldn’t make the decision.

We talked together for more than an hour, and finally I felt impressed to share with him a passage from Colossians 1:13, 14. I asked him to read it aloud. “God has rescued us out of the darkness and gloom of Satan’s kingdom and brought us into the kingdom of his dear Son, who bought our freedom with his blood and forgave us all our sins.”

Then I explained, “There are only two kingdoms in the world – God’s kingdom and Satan’s kingdom. Which one are you in?” After some thoughtful moments of silence, he said, “I guess I’m in Satan’s kingdom.”

I then asked him, “What would you like to do about it?”

He replied, “I would like to move over to God’s kingdom.”

Then this great general, whose influence was felt over the world, entrusted his life to Christ and moved from the darkness and gloom of Satan’s dominion into the kingdom of God‘s dear Son.

Verseker jou verbindenis met Jesus deur ‘n wilsdaad

Het jou vyand Satan jou mislei? Het jy gedink dat jy eers ‘n beter mens moet word voordat God jou sal aanvaar? Het Satan jou laat twyfel of God werklik lief is vir jou? Het hy jou laat begin gemaklik voel terwyl jy besig is om nie gehoorsaam aan Godte wees aan nie.

Dit maak nie saak wat die rede is wat jou van Jesus af weg hou nie , ek wil jou aanmoedig om weg te draai van daardie invloed, na Jesus toe, maak ‘n 180 grade omkeer.

Om te verseker dat jy ‘n Christen is, moet jy bewus wees van basiese waarhede in die Bybel. Jy moet nie net hierdie waarhede op ‘n intellektuele vlak glo nie maar jy moet ‘n wils besliut neem om dit te aanvaar en dit so doende die middelpunt van jou lewe maak .

Dit begin deur te besef dat God jou lief het en dat Hy ‘n wonderlike plan vir jou lewe het , dat God al jou belange op die hart dra. Dat Hy besorgd is oor jou behoeftes en het voorsien dat jy Sy liefde en plan vir jou lewe sal ondervind .

Maar jy is sondig en van Hom geskei daarom kan jy nie die liefde van God en Sy plan ervaar tensy daar iets merkwaardigs gebeur nie

Jy was geskape om gemeenskap met God te he, maar as gevolg van eie wil het jy net soos ons almal gekies om ons eie pad te loop. Hierdie eie wil wat ons mee worstel word geopenbaar deur aktief in opstand teen God te kom of passief ‘n traak my nie agtige houding in te neem teenoor Hom. Die Bybel noem hierdie eie wil “sonde”. Hierdie sonde het ons geestelik dood gemaak en van God geskei

God is heilig en die mens is sondig, ‘n groot kloof skei ons van mekaar , oor die eeue heen het die mens probeer om God en ‘n oorvloedige lewe te bereik deurmiddel van sy eie pogings , soos om ‘n goeie lewe te lei, of te filisofeer, of om ‘n godsdiens te beoefen. Geen menslike poging kan dit moontlik maak vir iemand om God te bereik nie.

Bill Bright het nog ‘n voorbeeld

The Marriage Illustration

Suppose you meet a certain young man or woman about whom you have heard many fine compliments. You like what you see – looks, personality and many other qualities. Would this be enough on which to launch a marriage?

No. There is more to marriage than mutual respect and admiration.As you become better acquainted, you soon fall in love. Is this sufficient for marriage?

No. There is more to marriage than the intellect and the emotions.

Then you become engaged, and the wedding day arrives. How exciting! Intellectually you believe he or she is the most wonderful person in the whole world. Emotionally, your heart beats twice as fast when you are together.

But now something even more important is about to take place. As you stand before the minister or priest to exchange your vows, you commit your wills one to the other. The marriage is not a true marriage if there is no mutual giving of one to the other.

So it is when you become a Christian. When you commit yourself to Christ, you must give yourself wholly to Him in a commitment of your intellect, emotions and will.

Two Kinds of Lives

Your life may be pictured in one of two ways. If you are living a self-directed life, you control your interests. This kind of life always results in discord and frustration.

If you are living a Christ-directed life, you are yielding to Christ, and your interests are controlled by Him, resulting in harmony with God’s plan for your life.

Our lives parallel that of a caterpillar crawling in the dust – an ugly, hairy worm. One day this worm weaves a cocoon about its body. From this cocoon emerges a beautiful butterfly. We do not understand fully what has taken place. We realize only that, where once a worm crawled in the dust, now a butterfly soars in the air.

So it is in the lives of Christians. Where once we lived on the lowest level as sinful, self centered individuals, now as we trust and obey God, we dwell on the highest plane, experiencing full and abundant lives as children of God. This life begins by receiving Christ into your life as your Savior and Lord.

“No One Has Ever Told Me.”

Some years ago, a woman who had just received Christ through the witness of a staff member asked me to talk to her father about Christ. He was the founder of one of the largest corporations in the world at that time. I visited him in his beautiful home. He was truly a great man. His bearing, his manner, everything about him suggested he was truly a statesman.

He showed me trophy room after trophy room filled with plaques and photographs of him with kings, presidents and all kinds of celebrities. He was a great philanthropist who had given hundreds of millions of dollars to very worthwhile causes.

After awhile he said, “My daughter tells me you have something important to share with me.”

With this invitation, I began to talk with him about his relationship with Christ. He was very gracious, very warm, very open and responsive. I shared with him the words of our Lord in His discussion with Nicodemus, a Jewish religious leader who was deeply religious, moral, ethical and above reproach. I read from the Gospel of John, chapter 3:

Jesus told him, “I tell you the truth, unless a man is born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.”

“How can a man be born when he is old?” Nicodemus asked. “Surely he cannot enter a second time into his mother’s womb to be born!”

Jesus answered, “I tell you the truth, unless a man is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God. Flesh gives birth to flesh, but Spirit gives birth to spirit. You should not be surprised at my saying, ‘You must be born again.'”

At this point this dear, gracious man in his middle eighties said to me, “Mr. Bright, I’ve been the chairman of the board of my church for fifty years, and no one has ever told me that I have to receive Christ as my Savior or that I have to be born again! Do you think, in the light of all of the good things I have done through the years, that I must be born again?” I explained, “The need for you to be born again is not my suggestion. It is Jesus who said, ‘You must be born again’ to Nicodemus, who was also a fine leader and very religious.”

Then I asked him, “Would you like to be born again?”

“Yes, I would,” he replied.

Verduidelik aan die persoon wat jy na Jesus toe wil lei die volgende

God het voorsiening gemaak as jy graag sy kind wil word maar daar is vier beginsels (of wette)wat jy moet verstaan

1. Jy moet verstaan :

. God het jou LIEF en het ‘n wonderlike PLAN vir jou lewe. ……God se Liefde …“God het die wêreld so liefgehad dat Hy Sy enigste Seun gegee het, sodat die wat in Hom glo, nie verlore sal gaan nie maar die ewige lewe sal hê.“…(Johannes 3:16). ……God se Plan…[Jesus sê] “…Ek het gekom sodat hulle die lewe kan hê, en dit in oorvloed” [dat hulle lewe vol en betekenisvol kan wees] (Johannes 10:10). ……Waarom ervaar die meeste mense nie ‘n oorvloedige lewe nie?…Omdat…

2.As gevolg van die sondeval is ons van God geskei:

 

Die mens is SONDIG en van God GESKEI daarom kan hy nie God se liefde en plan vir sy lewe ken en ervaar nie. ……Die Mens is Sondig…“Almal het gesondig en is ver van God af” (Romeine 3:23). Die mens is geskape om ‘n verhouding met God te hê, maar kies om sy eie kop te volg en om onafhanklik van Hom te leef.  Hierdie eiewilligheid wat lei tot opstandigheid teen God of ‘n algemene gebrek aan belangstelling in God, is ‘n bewys van wat die Bybel sonde noem. 

……Die Mens is van God Geskei…“Die loon wat die sonde gee, is die dood…” [geestelike skeiding tussen God en mens] (Romans 6:23).

……Hierdie diagram illustreer dat sonde soos ‘n diep kloof is wat ‘n heilige God en sondige mens van mekaar skei.  Die mens probeer gedurig om God deur sy eie pogings soos ‘n mooi lewe, goeie werke, filosofieë of godsdiens te bereik, maar al hierdie pogings is tervergeefs. ……Die derde wet verduidelik hoe hierdie kloof oorbrug word…

3.God het aan ‘n oplossing gedink:

Jesus Christus is God se ENIGSTE oplossing vir die mens se sonde.  Alleen deur Hom kan jy God se liefde en plan vir jou lewe ken en ervaar. ………Hy het in ons plek gesterf…“Maar God bewys Sy liefde vir ons juis hierin dat Christus vir ons gesterf het toe ons nog sondaars was” (Romeine 5:8). ……Daarna het Jesus uit die dood opgestaan…“Na sy dood het Hy aan hulle met baie onbetwisbare bewyse ook getoon dat Hy lewe.  In die loop van veertig dae het Hy by verskeie geleenthede aan hulle verskyn en met hulle oor die dinge van die koninkryk van God gepraat” (Handelinge 1:3). …Hy is die enigste weg …“Jesus het vir hom gesê, Ek is die weg en die waarheid en die lewe.  Niemand kom na die Vader toe behalwe deur My nie” (Johannes 14:6).

…Hierdie diagram illustreer dat God Sy Seun, Jesus Christus, na die wêreld gestuur het om die kloof van die sonde, wat ons van Hom skei, te oorbrug.  Hiervoor moes Jesus aan die kruis sterf om vir ons sonde te betaal.……Dit is nie genoeg om net van hierdie  drie wette te weet nie…

4. Ons moet besluit en die stap neem iemand anders kan dit nie vir of namens ons doen nie:

Ons moet Jesus Christus persoonlik AANNEEM as Verlosser en Here.  Slegs dan kan ons God se liefde en plan vir ons lewens ken en ervaar. ………Ons moet Christus Aanneem …“Maar aan almal wat Hom aangeneem het, dié wat in Hom glo, het Hy die reg gegee om kinders van God te word” (Johannes 1:12).……Ons moet Christus deur Geloof Aanneem…“Julle is inderdaad uit genade gered, deur geloof.  Hierdie redding kom nie uit julleself nie; dit is ‘n gawe van God.  Dit kom nie deur julle eie verdienste nie, en daarom het niemand enige rede om op homself trots te wees nie” (Efesiërs 2:8,9). ……Wanneer ons Christus Aanneem, Ervaar ons Wedergeboorte…(Lees Johannes 3:1-8). ……Ons Neem Christus aan deur Homin ons Lewens in te Nooi…[Christus sê] “Kyk, ek staan by die deur en ek klop.  As iemand my stem hoor en die deur oopmaak, sal Ek by hom ingaan…”…(Openbaring 3:20). ……Wanneer jy Christus aanneem, kies jy om jou eiewilligheid te los en God se wil te doen (bekering).  Jy glo dat Christus in jou lewe inkom, jou sondes vergewe en jou verander soos Hy wil.  Om net te weet dat Jesus Christus die seun van God is en dat hy aan die kruis vir ons sondes gesterf het, is nie genoeg nie.  Dit is ook nie genoeg om ‘n emosionele ervaring te hê nie.  Jy neem Christus deur geloof aan.  Dit is ‘n wilsbesluit.

 

 

 

……Hierdie twee sirkels stel twee soorte lewens voor: