The Bible shows us how God has provided mankind with salvation from eternal death which was the penalty for sin. Salvation has always been bestowed by the Grace of God through Faith (Eph 2:8).Those of the OT times expressed their Faith by following the provisions of the OT law, which was ultimately obedience to God (Heb 11). Since the advent (1st coming) of Christ, those who trust in Him are saved at the moment of their confession of faith and are no longer slaves to sin. Through the presence of Christ and the Holy Spirit in their lives they can now have a personal relationship with God.Have you ever asked yourself one/more of the following questions?
Can salvation be earned?
1. Can one lose your salvation?
2. Is it a process or an immediate change in one’s life?
3. Is salvation obtainable through someone/something other than Christ?
4. Is salvation for all people?
Wednesday, January 2, 2008
Salvation
Water Baptism
Let’s have a look at Baptism, mainly water Baptism:
What is Baptism? Someone is baptized when they are immersed (completely under water). The first baptism took place in the NT and was performed by John (the Lord is Gracious) the Baptist as a sign of repentance. Later on apostles baptized new converts in the name of Jesus (Christ, the Lord saves, Anointed One, Messiah).
Baptism is also viewed as a symbol of identification with Christ in His death, burial and resurrection according to Rom 6:1 “What then shall we say? Shall we persist in sin that grace may abound? Of course not! 2 How can we who died to sin yet live in it? 3 Or are you unaware that we who were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death? 4 We were indeed buried with him through baptism into death, so that, just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, we too might live in newness of life. 5 For if we have grown into union with him through a death like his, we shall also be united with him in the resurrection. 6 We know that our old self was crucified with him, so that our sinful body might be done away with, that we might no longer be in slavery to sin.”
Tuesday, October 30, 2007
Die NG kerk en die spreekwoordelike Trojaanse perd
Die berigte, briewe en besluite ten opsigte van ’n sekere morele inklinasie, wat die NG Kerk se Algemene Sinode sitting van 2007 voorafgegaan het en daarna, het betrekking. Die grondslag vir die finale besluit oor homoseksualiteit is geplavei nie net die afgelope paar weke nie, maar dit kom al sedert 2002. Die NG Kerk het nou besluit 2007-06-08, dat die Woord van God nie sentraal is in hulle handel en wandel met God nie.
Dit is duidelik dat die bakens verskuif is van redelike hermeneutiek (Skrifuitleg) tot baie swak hermeneutiek. Professore van vooraanstaande teologiese fakulteite plaas hul handtekeninge op ’n dokument wat vra dat daar teen die gesag van die “Woord” van die Here in beweeg word deur te eis dat openlik homoseksuele predikante toegelaat moet word op die kansel. Duidelik weet hulle nie van beter nie omdat hulle reeds die gesag van die Woord van die Here ondermyn het. Nog erger, die wat van beter weet en toelaat dat hulle dit doen en daarmee wegkom is nog meer aanspreeklik.
Wat vir ’n voorbeeld is dit vir die gewone lidmaat wat hard werk en dan maar net in die kerk se banke wil gaan sit en ’n bietjie verademing ontvang vir ’n moeë siel. Daar is geen onderskeiding nie. Dit nie net van die universiteite se kante af nie maar ook uit die kerk se geledere as ons die 2 keuses beoordeel wat voor die sinode gestaan het na “deeglike” oorweging deur die taakgroep oor homoseksualiteit. Nie eers die 2 de keuse sou staan voor die Skrif, wat hulle hulle so geredelik op beroep nie. Die gesagsliggaam van die NG Kerk het gepraat, 299 teenoor 66, so wat staan die lidmate wat nou uitgelewer is te doen?
Sunday, October 7, 2007
Hoe sal ons nou die Trojaanse Perd fnuik?!
1. Dit is belangrik wat ons sê. Hoe toets ons die indringers? Sjibbolet was die uitspraak van die goeie ouens en Sibbolet die uitspraak van die indringers! Dit is baie naby aan mekaar, net soos vandag. Daar is egter net een regte uitspraak! Hulle sal baie woorde hê wat so reg klink, maar luister en toets mooi. Baie ironies dat hulle almal Israeliete was. Hier is baie wat hulle Christene noem maar laat hulle net ‘n bietjie praat.
Tuesday, August 21, 2007
Jonah and the Fish
We recently had an interesting enquiry regarding the truth about Jonah and the fish. Should this passage be interpreted figuratively and seen as a story or as a historical fact? Before we answer this question, we need to agree on the authenticity of the Bible. One also needs to be able to interpret scripture correctly through exegeses. Scripture needs to be interpreted or explained through the use of other scriptures in the Bible (the same way Jesus did).
If you agree with the above, there is no way that you can question the truth about Jonah and his time in the belly of the fish. The book of Jonah starts off by confirming in verse one that "The word of the LORD came to Jonah the son of Amittai ...". This simply means that God Himself spoke to Jonah, telling him to go to Nineveh.
The question still remains, whether he really was in belly of the fish. This is confirmed, without a doubt in Matt 12:40, where Jesus Himself speaks to the scribes and pharisees, saying"... for just as JONAH WAS THREE DAYS AND THREE NIGHTS IN THE BELLY OF THE SEA MONSTER, so will the Son of Man be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth..."
What more do we need to believe that this really happened? The fact remains, the Word of God is true...
Saturday, August 18, 2007
The Christian Walk
The Christian Walk is filled with trials and tribulations, as all true, Bible believing Christians will know... No where in the Bible are we promised a prosperous life, once we accept Christ and turn away from our sinful nature. It is written that we will be persecuted for His Name sake and Christians from all over the World can testify to that.
Our testimonies are discredited by the prosperity preachers, promising health and wealth to all those who give their lives to the Lord Jesus Christ. Needless to say, in most cases, if this "promise" is not fulfilled and does not come to pass, most people give up their faith, due to the fact that they have put their trust in men who only look after their own interest.
Be warned, there are many false prophets who have come into this world, Wolves in Sheep clothing, ready to devour the innocent, taking everything from them, while giving false hope in these "empty promises". The Bible is very clear about the Christian Walk - DO NOT be deceived by anyone, even an angel of the Lord, coming with a different Gospel, than that of Jesus Christ our only Lord and Saviour.
The Bible is God's inspired Word. It is absolutely true. It cannot change and will not change, because God is true to His Word. In the past, the Bible WAS, at present, the Bible IS and in the future, the Bible WILL BE the only way to know God, the one and only true God, the Holy one of Israel, Yahweh.
