Why does God allow evil?

Why does God allow evil? 

The Bible describes God as holy (Isa. 6:3), righteous (Ps. 7:12), full of justice (Deut. 32:4) and sovereign (Dan. 4:17-25). These characteristics of God tell us that: (a) God is able to prevent evil, and (b) God desires that evil be eradicated.  But if both of these statements are true, why does God allow evil?

 

1. The problem 

Some call this issue the 'Achilles' heel' of Christianity because they believe it invalidates our faith. However, there is a logical and biblical answer to this question for anyone who is willing to listen. 

The question 'Why does God allow evil?' has been asked in various ways, but ultimately it comes down to the same question. Some ask, for example: If God knew Adam and Eve were going to sin, why did He put the tree in the Garden of Eden? Or, if God is loving, why does He allow bad things to happen to good people? Or, if God is all-powerful, why doesn't He do something about the suffering in the world? But it ultimately remains the same question: Why does God allow evil? And it's not just unbelievers who struggle with this question, even believers sometimes ask about it. 

Many people ask the question and many even use it to reject Christianity, but in reality it is not such a complex question to answer. It is certainly not the 'Achilles' heel' of Christianity!

 

2. What is evil? 

Both Augustine and C.S. Lewis make a strong case that evil is not something tangible or physical, but rather a contamination (corruption) of something that is actually essentially good. When God made everything it was indeed very good, just as He said (Gen. 1:31). 

When God made 'the tree of knowledge of good and evil' He was not the author of evil. Like all the other trees and indeed all of creation, God made everything good. However, in His sovereignty, God allowed the possibility for the existence of evil. This does not make Him the cause or author of evil. 

The word 'evil' (evil) is first found in Genesis 2:17 "But of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil you shall not eat, for in the day that you eat of it you shall surely die.” Here God instructs Adam not to eat of the tree's fruit, because otherwise he will surely die. Adam also delivered this message to Eve, so they knew that eating this fruit was against God's will and would have bad consequences. 

God's goodness is seen in that it is not the fruit that is evil, but disobedience to His good will that is evil. His love is seen in the fact that He clearly warned man of the danger, but man chose of his own free will that which is sinful and evil and ate its fruit. 

The evil was not caused by the fruit or the command, but by the disobedience to God's command. The result is Genesis 3 and here we see how evil entered this world: through the disobedience of Adam and Eve. Despite God's clear warning, they chose wickedness, or sin, rather than obedience to God.

 

3. Why does God allow evil? 

So why didn't God wipe out Adam and Eve immediately after they sinned? He said that if they ate of it they would 'certainly' die? Why did God keep them alive? The logical answer is that the whole of humanity would have to be annihilated, not just an Adam and Eve. Every man, like them, also does evil by sinning. When God said that they would 'certainly' die, He did not say that they would die immediately, but that they would surely die eventually if they sinned. Those who disobey God sin and will therefore eventually die as a result of their sinfulness. 

Yet there is a degree to which we 'die' immediately when we sin. At that moment we die spiritually, which is a precursor to our eventual physical death. Sin makes man worthy of a double death, first spiritual and then also physical. This is the tragedy of evil. 

4. Why does God not prevent evil? 

Since God, as the almighty God, has the power to prevent evil, why does He not prevent it? 

a.The issue of 'free will'

If God were to change the personality of every human being so that it was impossible for them to sin, it would put an end to all the evil in the world, but it would mean that man no longer has a free will to choose as he will. This would mean that man could no longer choose for himself between right and wrong. This would turn man into a programmed robot that goes around and does everything that is right. This would make a reasonable relationship between God and man impossible because we would automatically do everything He wants. 

Through a free will, God gave man the ability to choose between good and bad. This causes believers to now want to honour Him out of love because they want to trust His goodness and therefore want to obey rather than disobey. However, Adam and Eve, and every person after them, chose disobedience to God. So we live in a real world with real choices and real consequences. Adam and Eve's sin had consequences for us, just as our sin also has consequences for our descendants. 

Our sin also has consequences for ourselves, it ultimately leads to our own physical death. At the same time, it has consequences for our offspring who are conceived and born from us in sin and are therefore prone to sinful desires for which they are responsible. 

This is one reason why God does not change our personalities so that we cannot sin, because by giving us free will God does not make us robots. While this free will, as a result of sin, tends to evil, man is perfectly capable of choosing what is right, and indeed many times chooses that way. 

b.The Proposition of 'Divine Interventions'

Because God is omnipotent, why does He not supernaturally intervene in every case of evil to stop its evil consequences? God can stop a drunk driver before he causes an accident. God can take away a lazy employee who frustrates others. God can prevent the alcohol or drug addicted parent from hurting his spouse and causing the children to end up in the children’s home. God can put the school bully in his place so he doesn't hurt anyone. God can stop the thief before he breaks in. So why doesn't God do this? 

This would mean that God intervenes and prevents the evil person from doing what he wants. This is against the idea of ​​free will. But more than that, the necessary consequences for the evil person would also be nullified. This may sound like a good thing, but it isn’t, because for many the consequences of evil actions are precisely the deterrent for doing more evil. Thus, if God were to intervene and stop the effects of evil, it would encourage evil and not destroy it. The consequences of people's evil actions are exactly there in order to curb evil. 

Think, for example, of national laws that specifically punish evildoers' evil and the consequences of their evil with the aim of combating it. Evil deeds must have consequences. So God does not intervene supernaturally to neutralize the consequences of evil deeds, because that would encourage evil. 'Real' actions lead to 'real' consequences. 

We are conceived and born in sin, and there will come a day when, not the government, but God will act against all evil (Rom. 5:12). His promise is that on that day He will make everything new, but in the meantime He delays this promise in order to give people the opportunity to repent of their sin and find salvation in Christ (2 Pet. 3:9). 

c. The idea of ​​'mass extermination of evil people'

Why doesn't God just destroy all evil people immediately? This would mean that God would have to wipe out all people, because we are all evil. God's definition of evil is: Anything that is against His holy will. This means that it is not only murder, rape, theft, torture that is evil to God, but also selfishness, anger, unwillingness to forgive, dishonesty, infidelity and all other sins that are considered 'small'. This is clear from Romans 3:23: "For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God." 

The standard of what is evil is not determined by us, but by God Himself, and He does not distinguish between great and small evil, but everything that is against His holy will deserves eternal death. So God would have to wipe us all out!

 

5. God's solution to evil 

Does this mean we are now stuck with evil forever? No! God has an exceptional plan through which He will finally rid the universe of all evil. However, the perfect time for the fulfilment of God's plan has not yet arrived, the first part of it has however already been put into effect: It is Jesus Christ. 

1 Corinthians 15:45 calls Jesus the 'last Adam' and shows that He came to solve the problem of sin that the 'first Adam' started. The 'first Adam' became a living soul, but the 'last Adam' is a life-giving Spirit. 

The reason why God did not wipe out Adam and Eve and the rest of mankind is because He knew that His Son would one day come to pay the price of sin and evil. The reason why God allowed evil humanity to continue is so that Christ could be born from a human being to be the solution to sin and evil. 

Notice what Romans 3:25 says “[Jesus Christ] whom God put forward as a propitiation by his blood, to be received by faith. This was to show God's righteousness, because in his divine forbearance he had passed over former sins." The verse says that God in forbearance postponed the punishment of sin because Christ would come to make reconciliation through His blood and give justice so that sin would remain unpunished on all who come to Him by 'faith'. It is not reconciliation and justice with accompanying unpunished sin for everyone, but for those who come to Christ 'through faith'. 

In the days of the Old Testament there were the sacrificial systems that were not a sufficient sacrifice, but through this sacrificial system the people of the Old Testament could look forward to the perfect sacrifice, the Messiah, Jesus Christ (Heb. 10:4 & 10) 

But the believer has even more, we have the Holy Spirit in us who drives us away from sin and disobedience and inclines our hearts to obedience to God and His will. Yet we still do not achieve perfect sinlessness, because we will always remain dependent on Christ for the forgiveness of sin and access to eternal rest. Never in this life will we be able to stand before God in our own righteousness, but only in the righteousness of Christ. All people, believers too, remain sinners all their lives. 

We wait for the fulfilment of God's plan when Jesus comes again on that last day and will judge each person according to his works, our good and evil works. On that day every man will receive the payment for what he deserves for his sin. However, the believer will not receive it, because the price for their sin was paid by Christ and therefore they receive, in Christ, eternal life. However, those who have rejected God's solution to sin and evil (namely Jesus Christ) will receive the necessary consequence of their sin which is eternal hell.

 

6. Our response to evil 

a.Sympathy

We are all sinners and will be sinners until the day we die. Therefore we should have sympathy with fellow sinners. This does not mean we must approve of their sinfulness or sin, but by sympathy we show that we are no better than they are, like them we also deserve hell. 

b.Gratitude

The awareness of our own unworthiness and the fact that we still, although unwillingly, sin, must drive us to have hearts full of thanksgiving to God in Christ Jesus. In Christ we are not only delivered from eternal hell, but also delivered from our natural desire for sin, so that we no longer desire sin, or find joy in it. We are also grateful for the Holy Spirit who guides and teaches us on God's way of justice so that we desire it. 

c. Concern

Those who have found salvation from sin in Christ want to lead others to Christ. We should have a serious concern for people who are lost. That is why we must pray for them and testify to them that Jesus Christ is the only hope. 

d.Resistance

Those who have received salvation in Christ do not sin carelessly and unthinkingly. The believer hates the path of sin on which he once walked and resists it with all he can. The Spirit in us helps us in this struggle by reminding us that we are God's children with a new heart and new desires. 

It also further calls for us to oppose and combat evil in this world. We seek justice and we desire accountability. Through the Word and in deed we live as enemies of this evil world for God's glory.

  

The answer to the question of why God allows evil is ultimately centred on Christ. God allows this so that Christ can be the Saviour who save people from their own evil and ultimately from this evil world in which we live. What we see is that God uses even evil for His own glory and for the good of everyone who believes in Jesus Christ.

ds. Leon Harmse

Pastor of Sunward Park Baptist Church

Waarom laat God boosheid toe?

 

Waarom laat God boosheid toe? 

Die Bybel beskryf God as heilig (Jes. 6:3), regverdig (Ps. 7:12), vol geregtigheid (Deut. 32:4) en sowerein (Dan. 4:17-25).  Hierdie karakterseienskappe van God vertel ons dat: (a) God in staat is om boosheid te verhoed, en (b) God begeer dat boosheid uitgewis sal word.  Maar as albei hierdie stellings waar is, waarom laat God boosheid toe?

 

1. Die probleem 

Sommige noem hierdie kwessie die ‘Achilles’ heel’ van Christenskap omdat hulle reken dit ons geloof ongeldig verklaar.  Daar is egter ‘n logiese en Bybelse antwoord op hierdie vraag vir elkeen wat gewillig is om te luister. 

Die vraag ‘Waarom laat God boosheid toe?’ is al op verskeie maniere gevra, maar uiteindelik kom dit by dieselfde vraag uit.  Sommige vra byvoorbeeld: As God geweet het Adam en Eva gaan sondig, waarom het Hy die boom in die tuin van Eden gesit? Of, as God liefdevol is, hoekom laat Hy toe dat slegte dinge met goeie mense gebeur? Of, as God almagtig is, hoekom doen Hy nie iets aan die lyding in die wêreld nie?  Maar dit bly uiteindelik dieselfde vraag: Hoekom laat God boosheid toe? En dis nie net ongelowiges wat met hierdie vraag sukkel nie, selfs gelowige het soms vra oor dit. 

Baie mense vra die vraag en talle gebruik dit selfs om Christenskap te verwerp, maar in werklikheid is dit glad nie so komplekse vraag om te antwoord nie.  Dis verseker nie die ‘Achilles’ heel’ van Christenskap nie! 

 

2. Wat is boosheid?

Beide Augustinus en C.S.Lewis maar ‘n sterk saak daarvoor dat boosheid nie iets tasbaar of fisies is nie, maar erder ‘n besoedeling (korrupsie) is van iets wat eintlik in wese goed is.  Toe God alles gemaak het was dit alles inderdaad baie goed, net soos Hy gesê het (Gen. 1:31).  

Toe God ‘die boom van kennis van goed en kwaad’ gemaak het was Hy nie die outeur van boosheid nie. Soos al die ander bome en inderdaad die hele skepping, het God alles goed gemaak.  In Sy soewereiniteit, het God egter ‘n geleentheid vir die bestaan van boosheid toegelaat.  Dit maak Hom nie die oorsaak of outeur van boosheid nie. 

Die woord ‘kwaad’ (boosheid) word die eerste keer in Genesis 2:17 gevind “Maar van die boom van die kennis van goed en kwaad, daarvan mag jy nie eet nie; want die dag as jy daarvan eet, sal jy sekerlik sterwe.” Hier gee God aan Adam die opdrag om nie van die boom se vrugte te eet nie, want anders sal hy sekerlik sterwe.  Adam het hierdie boodskap ook aan Eva oorgelewer, so hulle het geweet dat die eet van hierdie vrugte is teen God se wil en het slegte nagevolge.  

God se goedheid word gesien daarin dat dit nie die vrug is wat boos is nie, maar ongehoorsaamheid aan Sy goeie wil wat boos is.  Sy liefde word gesien daarin dat Hy die mens duidelik gewaarsku het oor die gevaar, maar die mens het uit sy eie vrye wil gekies wat sondig en boos is en die vrug daarvan geeet. 

Die boosheid was nie veroorsaak deur die vrug of die opdrag nie, maar deur die ongehoorsaamheid aan God se opdrag.  Die gevolg is Genesis 3 en hier sien ons hoe boosheid in hierdie wêreld in gekom het: deur die ongehoorsaamheid van Adam en Eva.  Tenspyte van God se duidelike waarskuwing het hulle boosheid, of sonde, gekies, eerder as gehoorsaamheid aan God.

 

3. Waarom laat God boosheid toe? 

So, waarom het God Adam en Eva nie dadelik uitgewis nadat hulle gesondig het nie?  Hy het tog gesê dat hulle daarvan sou eet sou hulle ‘sekerlik’ sterf?  Waarom het God hulle nog in die lewe gehou?  Die logiese antwoord is dat die totale mensdom tot niet gemaak sou moes word, nie net ‘n Adam en Eva nie. Elke mens, soos hulle, doen ook boosheid deur te sondig.  Toe God gesê het dat hulle ‘sekerlik’ sal sterf het Hy nie gesê hulle sou onmiddelik stref nie, maar dat hulle verseker uiteindelik sou sterf as hulle sondig.  Hulle wat ongehoorsaam is aan God sondig en sal daarom uiteindelik sterf asgevolg van hulle sondigheid. 

Tog is daar ‘n mate waarin ons inderdaad onmiddelik ‘sterf’ as ons sondig.  Op daardie oomblik sterf ons geestelik, wat ‘n voorloper is van ons uiteindelike fisiese dood.  Die sonde maak die mens ‘n dubbele dood waardig, eers geestelike en daarna ook fisies. Dis die tragedie van boosheid.

 

4. Waarom verhoed God nie boosheid nie? 

Aangesien God, as die almagtige God, die mag besit om boosheid te verhoed, waarom verhoed Hy dit nie? 

a.Die kwessie van ‘vrye wil’

As God die persoonlikheid van elke mens so verander dat dit onmoontlik vir hulle is om sonde te doen, sou dit inderdaad ‘n einde bring aan al die boosheid in die wêreld, maar dit sou beteken dat die mens nie meer ‘n vrye wil het om te kies soos hy wil nie.  Dit sou beteken dat die mens nie meer self kon kies tussen reg en verkeerd nie.  Dit sou van die mens ‘n geprogrameerde robot maak wat rondgaan en alles goed en reg doen. Dit sou ‘n redelike verhouding tussen God en die mens onmoontlik maak want ons sou outomaties alles doen wat Sy wil is. 

Deur ‘n vrye wil het God die mens die vermoë gegee om self te kies tussen goed en sleg.  Dit veroorsaak dat gelowiges Hom nou uit liefde wil eer omdat hulle Sy goeie wil vertrou en daarom eerder gehoorsaam wil wees as ongehoorsaam.  Adam en Eva, en elke mens daarna, het egter self ongehoorsaamheid aan God gekies.  Ons lewe dus in ‘n werklike wêreld met werklike keuses en werklike nagevolge.  Adam en Eva se sonde het nagevolge vir ons gehad, net soos ons sonde ook nagevolge het vir ons nageslagte. 

Ons eie sonde het ook nagevolge vir onsself, dit lei uiteindelik tot ons eie fisiese dood.  Terselfdetyd het dit nagevolge vir ons nageslag wat uit ons in sonde ontvang en gebore word en daarom geneig is tot sondige begeertes waarvoor hulle verantwoordelik is. 

Dit is dan een rede waarom God nie ons persoonlikhede so verander sodat ons nie kan sondig nie, want om vir ons ‘n vrye wil te gee maak God nie van ons robots nie.  Terwyl hierdie vrye wil, asgevolg van die sonde geneig is tot boosheid, is die mens heeltemal instaat om te kies wat reg is, en kies inderdaad baie kere so. 

b.Die voorstel van ‘Goddelike ingrype’

Omdat God almagtig is, hoekom gryp hy nie bonatuurlik in in elke geval van boosheid om sodoende die bose nagevolge daarvan te stop nie? God kan ‘n dronk bestuurder stop voor hy ‘n ongeluk maak.  God kan ‘n lui werknemer wegneem wat ander frustreer. God kan die drank of dwelm verslaafde ouer verhoed om sy huweliksmaat seer te maak en te veroorsaak dat die kinders in die kinderhuis beland.  God kan die skoolbolie op sy plek dit sodat hy niemand seermaak nie.  God kan die dief stop voor hy inbreek.  So hoekom doen God dit nie? 

Dit sou beteken dat God inmeng en die bose persoon verhoed om dit te doen wat hy graag wil.  Dit staan teen die gedagte van vrye wil.  Maar meer nog, die noodwendige nagevolge vir die bose persoon sou dat ook tot niet gemaak word.  Dit mag na ‘n goeie ding klink, maar dit is nie, want vir baie is die nagevolge van bose aksies juis ‘n afskrikmiddel tot meer boosheid. Sodoende, as God sou ingryp en die nagevolge van boosheid stop, sou dit boosheid aanmoedig en nie tot niet maak nie.  Die gevolge van mense se bose aksies is juis daar om boosheid die hok te slaan. 

Dink byvoorbeeld aan landswette wat juis boosdoenders se boosheid en die nagevolge van hulle boosheid straf met die doel om dit so te bekamp. Vir bose dade moet daar nagevolge wees.  God gryp dus nie bonatuurlik in om die gevolge van bose dade te neutraliseer nie, want dit sou boosheid aanmoedig.  ‘Werklike’ dade lei tot ‘werklike’ nagevolge. 

In sonde word ons ontvang en gebore, en daar sal ‘n dag kom waarop, nie die regering nie, maar God self sal optree teen alle boosheid (Rom. 5:12).  Sy belofte is dat Hy op daardie dag alles sal nuut maak, maar dat Hy intussen hierdie belofte vertraag om sodoende geleentheid aan mense te gee om te bekeer van hulle sonde en verlossing in Christus te vind (2 Pet. 3:9). 

c. Die gedagte van ‘massa uitwissing van bose mense’

Waarom vernietig God nie net al die bose mense onmiddelik nie?  Dit sou beteken dat God alle mense sou moes uitwis, want ons is almal boos.  God se definisie van boosheid is: Enige iets wat teen Sy heilige wil is.  Dit beteken dat dit nie net moord, verkragting, diefstal, marteling, is wat boosheid vir God is nie, maar ook selfsug, kwaadheid, onvergifnis, oneerlikheid, ontrouheid en alle ander sonde wat as ‘klein’ gereken word.  Dit is duidelik uit Romeine 3:23: “Want almal het gesondig en dit ontbreek hulle aan die heerlikheid van God.” 

Die standaard van wat boos is, word nie deur ons bepaal nie, maar deur God self, en Hy onderskei nie tussen groot en klein boosheid nie, maar alles wat teen Sy heilige wil is, verdien die ewige dood.  God sou ons dus almal moes uitwis!

 

5. God se oplossing vir boosheid 

Beteken dit ons is nou vir ewig opgeskeep met boosheid? Nee!  God het ‘n uitsonderlike plan waardeur Hy uiteindelik die heelal totaal van boosheid sal bevry.  Die volmaakte tyd vir die volbringing van God se plan het egter nog nie aangebreek nie, maar die eerste deel is wel reeds in werking gestel: Dit is Jesus Christus. 

1 Korintiërs 15:45 noem Jesus die ‘laaste Adam’ en wys dat Hy gekom het om die probleem van sonde wat die ‘eerste Adam’ begin het, op te los.  Die ‘eerste Adam’ het ‘n lewende siel geword, maar die ‘laaste Adam’ is ‘n lewendmakende Gees. 

Die rede waarom God nie Adam en Eva en die res van die mensdom uitgewis het nie, is omdat Hy geweet het dat Sy Seun eendag sal kom om die prys van sonde en boosheid te betaal.  Die rede waarom God die bose mensdom laat voortbestaan het is sodat Christus uit ‘n mens gebore kon word om so die oplossing vir sonde en boosheid te wees. 

Let op wat Romeine 3:25 sê “Hom (Christus) het God voorgestel in Sy bloed as ‘n versoening deur die geloof, om Sy geregtigheid te bewys deurdat Hy die sondes ongestraf laat bly het wat tevore gedoen is onder die verdraagsaamheid van God.” Die vers sê dat God in verdraagsaamheid die straf van sonde uitgestel het omdat Christus sou kom om deur Sy bloed versoening te maak en geregtigheid te gee sodat die sonde ongestraf sou bly vir almal wat deur ‘geloof’ na Hom te kom. Dis nie versoening en geregtigheid met gepaardgaande ongestrafde sonde vir almal nie, maar vir die wat ‘deur die geloof’ na Christus toe kom. 

In die dae van die Ou Testament was daar die offerstelses wat nie ‘n genoegsame offer was nie, maar deur hierdie offerstelsel kon die mense van die Ou Testament voorentoe kyk na die volmaakte offer, die Messias, Jesus Christus (Heb. 10:4 & 10) 

Maar die gelowige het ook meer, ons het die Heilige Gees in ons wat ons wegdryf van sonde en ongehoorsaamheid en ons harte neig na gehoorsaamheid aan God en Sy wil. Tog bereik ons nog nie perfekte sondeloosheid nie, want ons sal altyd afhanklik bly van Christus vir die vergewing van sonde en toegang tot die ewige rus.  Nooit in hierdie lewe sal ons kan voor God kan staan in ons eie geregtigheid nie, maar net in die geregtigheid van Christus.  Alle mense, gelowiges ook, bly hulle lewe lank sondaars. 

Ons wag vir die volbringing van God se plan wanneer Jesus op daai laaste dag weer kom en elke mens ooreenkomstig sy werke sal beoordeel, ons goeie en bose werke.  Op daardie dag sal elke mens die antwoord ontvang vir wat hy verdien vir sy sonde.  Die gelowige sal dit egter nie ontvang nie, want die prys vir hulle sonde is deur Christus betaal en daarom ontvang hulle, in Christus, die ewige lewe.  Die wat egter God se oplossing vir sonde en boosheid verwerp het (naamlik Jesus Christus), sal die noodwendige gevolg van hulle sonde ontvang wat die ewige hel is.

 

6. Ons reaksie teenoor boosheid 

a.Simpatie

Ons almal is sondaars en sal sondaars wees tot die dag van ons dood toe.  Daarom behoort ons simpatië met mede sondaars te hê.  Dit beteken nie ons moet hulle sondigheid of sonde goedkeur nie, maar deur simpatie toon ons dat ons niks beter as hulle is nie, soos hulle verdien ons die hel.  

b.Dankbaarheid

Die bewustheid van ons eie onwaardigheid en die feit dat ons steeds, hoewel onwillig, sondig, moet ons dryf tot harte vol dank tot God in Christus Jesus.  In Christus is ons nie net verlos van die ewige hel nie, maar ook verlos van ons natuurlike begeerte tot sonde, sodat ons die sonde nie meer begeer, of ‘n vreugde vind nie.  Ons is ook dankbaar vir die Heilige Gees wat ons rig en leer op God se weg van geregtigheid sodat ons dit begeer. 

c. Besorgdheid

Die wat verlossing van sonde in Christus gevind het, wil ander na Christus lei.  Ons behoort ‘n ernstige besorgdheid te hê oor mense wat verlore gaan.  Daarom moet ons vir hulle bid en teenoor hulle getuig dat Jesus Christus die enigste hoop is. 

d.Weerstand

Die wat verlossing in Christus ontvang het sondig nie onbesorgd en onnadenkend voort nie. Die gelowige haat die weg van sonde waarop hy eens gewandel het en weestaan dit met alles wat hy kan.  Die Gees in ons help ons in hierdie stryd deur ons te herinner dat ons God se kinders is met ‘n nuwe hart en nuwe begeertes.  

Dit vra ook verder dat ons boosheid in hierdie wêreld moet teëstaan en bekamp.  Ons soek geregtigheid en ons begeer aanspreeklikheid.  Deur die Woord en in daad leef ons as vyande van hierdie bose wêreld tot God se eer.

 

 

Die antwoord op die vraag waarom God boosheid toelaat is uiteindelik gesetel in Christus.  God laat dit toe sodat Christus as Verlosser kan optree om mense te verlos van hulle eie boosheid en uiteindelik van hierdie bose wêreld waarin ons leef.  Wat ons sien is dat God selfs boosheid gebruik vir Sy eie eer en vir die goed van elkeen wat in Jesus Christus glo.

ds. Leon Harmse

Leraar van Sunward Park Baptiste Kerk

Wat beteken dit om die Here te vrees?

 

Wat beteken dit om die Here te vrees?

Wanneer ons die Bybel lees, lees ons gereeld hierdie woorde: “Die vrees van die Here is die beginsel van wysheid”.  Die feit dat ons dit, en soortgelyke stellings so gereeld in die Skrif vind, getuig daarvan dat dit belangrik is.  Die punt is nie om te sê dat vrees vir God is waar wysheid begin, asof dit maar net die begin punt van wysheid is nie.  Die bedoeling is dat vrees die fondasie is waarop wysheid gebou is.  Ons het almal wysheid nodig.  Ons leef in ‘n wêreld waarin ons nie net moet weet wat die waarheid is nie, maar ook moet weet hoe hierdie waarheid toegepas word in verskeie situasies.  Dit vereis volwassenheid en wyse oordeel, en hiervoor is die vrees van die Here krities noodsaaklik, leer die Skrif ons.  Vrees vir God is die grond waarop ware wysheid gebou is. 

Maar wat beteken dit om God te vrees?  Daar is twee verskillende tipes vrees wat in die Skrif uitgelig word en ons moet dit begryp voor ons kan verstaan wat van ons verwag word as ons, wat gelowiges is, die Here moet vrees.

 

1. Slawe vrees 

Ek noem dit slawe vrees omdat slawerny miskien vir ons die beste voorbeeld gee van hierdie tipe vrees.  Dink aan ‘n soldaat wat deur ‘n vyandige land gevange geneem is.  Hy word deur hulle geslaan, in kettings geboei, in die tronk gegooi en geforseer om soos ‘n slaaf te werk.  Hy haat sy meesters, maar om straf te vermy moet hy werk.  Dis is wat slawe vrees is. 

a.Dis die vrees wat Satan en sy demone het

Slawe vrees is die tipe vrees wat Satan en die demone vir God het.  Ons sien byvoorbeeld in Markus 1:23-24 “En daar was in hulle sinagoge ‘n man met ‘n onreine gees; en hy het uitgeskreeu en gesê: Hou op! Wat het ons met U te doen, Jesus, Nasaréner? Het U gekom om ons te verdelg? Ek ken U, wie U is: die Heilige van God!”  Ons sien wat hierdie bose gees tot vrees dryf: Dit is dat Jesus hom iets gaan aandoen, dat Jesus gekom het om hom te verdelg.  Jakobus 2:19 praat ook van hierdie tipe vrees wat by duiwels gevind word as dit sê “Jy glo dat God een is.  Jy doen goed; die duiwels glo dit ook, en hulle sidder.”

b.Dis die vrees wat ongelowiges moet hê

Slawe vrees is ook die vrees wat ongelowiges vir God behoort te hê.  Vir hulle behoort die vrees van God, ‘n vrees van oordeel en ewige straf te wees. Jesus praat oor die vrees wat ongelowiges moet hê vir God in Lukas 12:4-5 “Moenie vrees vir die wat die liggaam doodmaak en daarna niks meer kan doen nie; maar Ek sal julle wys wie julle moet vrees: vrees Hom wat, nadat Hy doodgemaak het, by magte is om in die hel te werp; ja, Ek sê julle, vrees Hom!”  Hierdie vrees is ook dit waaroor Hebreërs 10:31 praat as dit sê “Vreeslik is dit om te val in die hande van die lewende God.”

c. Dis nie die vrees wat gelowiges moenie hê nie

Slawe vrees is die tipe vrees wat Romeine 8:15 sê die gelowige nie ontvang het nie “Want julle het nie ontvang ‘n gees van slawerny om weer te vrees nie, maar julle het ontvang die Gees van aanneming tot kinders, deur wie ons roep: Abba Vader!”  Ons moet nie hierdie tipe vrees te hê nie:  Ons vrees God nie as ons vyand nie; ons vrees nie dat God ons soos slawe sal hanteer nie, want ons is sy kinders.

 

Augustinus lewer kommentaar oor 1 Johannes 4:18 “Daar is geen vrees in liefde nie; maar die volmaakte liefde dryf die vrees buite, want die vrees sluit straf in, en hy wat vrees, het nie volmaak geword in liefde nie.”.  Augustinus sê dat die vrees waarvan ons hier lees is ‘n slaafse, vreesaanjaende angs dat God ons jag sodat Hy Sy oordeel op ons kan laat val.  Maar omdat ons verenig is met Christus en God ons daarom liefhet, ondervind die gelowige nie hierdie tipe vrees nie.  As hierdie tipe vrees oor ons kom, sê Augustinus, is dit net reg dat ons predikant of medegelowige ons sal herinner aan die waarheid van die evangelie, en die belofte van hierdie vers wat sê dat God se volmaakte liefde hierdie vrees na buite dryf. 

Die vrees wat die beginsel van wysheid is, is nie ‘slawe vrees’ nie.  Dit is nie die tipe vrees wat die Woord die gelowige aanmoedig om te hê vir God nie.  Ons hoef nie bang te wees vir God nie. 

En tog is die Bybel duidelik dat ons die Here moet vrees, so hoe moet ons Hom vrees?

 

2. Vaderlike vrees 

Die vrees vir die Here by gelowiges word nie gedryf deur vrees vir oordeel en hel nie. Maar die gelowige begeer om God te eer deur te doen wat reg is in sy oë. Ons vrees God omdat ons Hom eer, ons vrees Hom omdat ons Hom wil behaag, ons vrees God omdat ons Hom liefhet en probeer om Hom eer te bring in alles wat ons doen. 

a.Dit is eerbied vir God

Die gelowige se vrees is eerbied vir God.  Hebreërs 12:28-29 praat hiervan “Daarom, omdat ons ‘n onwankelbare koninkryk ontvang, laat ons dankbaar wees, en so God welbehaaglik dien met eerbied en vrees. Want onse God is ‘n verterende vuur.”  Dis eerbied en ontsag wat ons dryf om oor te gee aan die Skepper van die Heelal.  Ek noem dit Vaderlike vrees want dis die gesonde tipe vrees wat ‘n kind vir sy ouers behoort te hê, as hy ongehoorsaam was aan sy ouers.  Dis nie ‘n vrees wat gedryf word deur angs dat hy gestraf gaan word nie, alhoewel dit wel ‘n rol speel, maar ‘n vrees wat gedryf word deur die feit dat hy sy ouers teleurgestel het.  Dis ‘n vrees wat gedryf word deur ‘n ontvredenheid dat hy hulle liefde terugbetaal het deur ongehoorsaamheid.

b.Dit vereis ‘n begrip van God se heiligheid

‘n Korrekte vrees vir God kan slegs ontwikkel word as ons ‘n korrekte begrip het van wie Hy is.  Tensy ons die heiligheid van God begryp kan ons Hom nie korrek vrees nie.  Deuteronomium 10:12, 20-21, praat hiervan: “En nou, Israel, wat eis die HERE jou God van jou as net om die HERE jou God te vrees, in al sy weë te wandel en Hom lief te hê en die HERE jou God te dien met jou hele hart en met jou hele siel… Die HERE jou God moet jy vrees, Hom moet jy dien en Hom moet jy aanhang en by sy Naam sweer. Hy is jou lof, en Hy is jou God wat hierdie groot en vreeslike dinge wat jou oë gesien het, aan jou gedoen het.” In hierdie vers sien ons dat die vrees van God dit is wat ons dryf om te wandel in Sy weë, wat ons dryf om Hom te dien en ons ook dryf om Hom lief te hê.

 

Terwyl respek vir God ‘n deel uitmaak van hierdie vrees is ware vrees van God ook ‘n behoorlike begrip van hoeveel God sonde haat.  Die gelowige wat in sonde val sal die dissipline van God smaak en daarom sluit vrees ook ‘n mate van dit in.  Hebreërs 12:5-11 praat juis oor die tugtiging van die gelowige wat in sonde val. Daarom sê die skrywer “Ons het ons vaders na die vlees as kastyders gehad, en ons het vir hulle ontsag (vrees) gehad; moes ons nie veel meer aan die Vader van die geeste onderworpe wees en lewe nie?” (v9).  Maar die tugtiging van die gelowige is nie ‘n verwerping deur God nie.  Dis ook nie ‘n ewige straf soos in die geval van die ongelowige nie.  Dis ‘n tydelike straf met die doel om ons te lei tot bekering. Dit sien ons in vers 11 “Nou lyk elke tugtiging of dit op die oomblik nie ‘n saak van blydskap is nie, maar van droefheid; later lewer dit egter ‘n vredevolle vrug van geregtigheid vir die wat daardeur geoefen is.”  

So terwyl die vrees wat die gelowige vir die Here het, nie primêr gedryf word deur vrees nie, maar deur ontsag en eerbied vir God wat soek om God se wil te doen, bevat dit wel ‘n mate van vrees omdat die afwerp van sonde in sy lewe soms bewerk word deur tugtiging wat ons bang behoort te maak om op daardie weg voort te gaan.  Maar dis nie ‘n vrees wat primêr gedryf word deur hierdie vrees nie, want die kind van God vrees nie dat God hom finaal of geheel en al sal verwerp en weggooi nie.  Ons vrees word nie primêr gedryf deur angs vir straf nie, maar word gedryf deur ‘n teleurstelling dat ons God, wat sonde haat, onteer het en nie gedien het nie.  Ons behoort sy dissiplinering te vrees, maar nie omdat ons vrees dat dit ons ongedaan sal maak nie, maar omdat ons weet dit wat ons gedoen het behaag Hom nie. 

Gelowiges is nie bang vir God nie, ons het geen rede om vir Hom bang te wees nie.  Ons het die belofte dat niks ons kan skei van die liefde van God nie (Romeine 8:38-39).  Ons het ook die belofte dat Hy ons nooit sal begewe of verlaat nie (Hebreërs 13:5).  Ons vrees stam vanuit ‘n heilige ontsag vir Hom wat op die manier waarop ons lewe beinvloed.  Ons vrees lei tot gehoorsaamheid, tot onderdanigheid, tot aanbidding tot Hom.  Dit lei ons tot ‘n God gesentreerde lewe waarin ons Sy wil soek in alles wat ons doen en in alle omstandighede waarin ons onsself mag bevind. 

 

Inderdaad is die vrees van die Here die beginsel van wysheid, want een wat begryp wat ware vrees vir die Here is beleef nie ‘n slaafse vreesanjaende angstigheid waardeur ons bang is vir sy oordeel nie.  Dis ‘n heilige ontsag en eerbied vir Sy heilige karakter wat sonde haat en geregtigheid liefhet.  Dit dryf die gelowige nie om bang te wees vir God nie, maar om hom te bekeer van sonde en te soek na die weg wat God eer.  So God verwag van die gelowige om Hom te vrees, maar nie met slawe vrees nie, maar vaderlike vrees, wat ons lei om Hom te behaag. 

 

ds. Leon Harmse

Leraar van Sunwardpark Baptistekerk.

What does it mean to fear the Lord?

What does it mean to fear the Lord? 

When we read the Bible, we often read these words: "The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom". The fact that we find this, and similar statements so often in Scripture, attests to its importance. The point is not to say that fear of God is where wisdom begins, as if it is only the starting point of wisdom. The point is that fear is the foundation upon which wisdom is built. We all need wisdom. We live in a world in which we must not only know what the truth is, but must also know how this truth is applied in various situations. This requires maturity and wise judgement, and for this the fear of the Lord is critically necessary, the Scriptures teach us. Fear of God is the ground on which true wisdom is built. 

But what does it mean to fear God? There are two different types of fear which are highlighted in the Scriptures and we must understand them before we can understand what is expected of us if we, who are believers, are to fear the Lord.

 

1. Slavish fear 

I call it slavish fear because slavery perhaps gives us the best example of this type of fear. Think of a soldier who has been captured by a hostile nation. He is beaten by them, handcuffed in chains, thrown into prison and forced to work like a slave. He hates his masters, but to avoid punishment he must work.  This is what slavish fear is. 

a.It’s the fear that Satan and his demons have

Slavish fear is the type of fear that Satan and the demons have for God. We have an example of this in Mark 1:23-24 “And immediately there was in their synagogue a man with an unclean spirit. And he cried out, ‘What have you to do with us, Jesus of Nazareth? Have you come to destroy us? I know who you are—the Holy One of God.’” What drives these demons to fear? It is that Jesus is going to do something to them, that Jesus has come to destroy them. James 2:19 also shows that this fear is found in the demons when it says “You believe that God is one; you do well. Even the demons believe—and shudder!” 

b.It’s the fear that unbelievers should have

Slavish fear is also the fear that unbelievers should have for God. For them, the fear of God should be a fear of judgment and eternal punishment. Jesus speaks about the fear that unbelievers must have for God in Luke 12:4-5 “Do not fear those who kill the body, and after that have nothing more that they can do. But I will warn you whom to fear: fear him who, after he has killed, has authority to cast into hell. Yes, I tell you, fear him! ” This fear is also what Hebrews 10:31 is talking about when it says "It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God." 

c. It isn’t the fear believers should have

Slavish fear is the type of fear that Romans 8:15 says the believer should not have. “For you did not receive the spirit of slavery to fall back into fear, but you have received the Spirit of adoption as sons, by whom we cry, ‘Abba! Father!’” We should not have this type of fear: We do not fear God as our enemy; we do not fear that God will treat us like slaves, because we are his children. 

Augustine comments on 1 John 4:18 “There is no fear in love, but perfect love casts out fear. For fear has to do with punishment, and whoever fears has not been perfected in love.” He says that the fear we read about here is a slavish, fearful anxiety that God might be after us, that His judgement may fall on us. But we are united to Christ and God loves us because of it, therefore the believer does not experience this type of fear. If this type of fear comes over us, Augustine says, it is only right that our pastor or fellow believer should remind us of the truth of the gospel, and the promise of this verse which says that God's perfect love drives this fear out.

 

The fear that is the foundation of wisdom is not 'slavish fear'. This is not the type of fear that the Word encourages the believer to have for God. We don't need to be afraid of God. 

And yet the Bible is clear that we should fear the Lord, so how should we fear Him?

 

2. Fatherly fear 

The fear of the Lord in believers is not driven by fear of judgement and hell.  But the believer seeks to honour God by doing what is right in His sight.  We fear God because we honour Him, we fear Him because we want to please Him, and we fear God because we love Him and seek to bring Him glory in all that we do. 

a.It is reverence for God

The believer's fear is reverence for God. Hebrews 12:28-29 speaks of this “Therefore let us be grateful for receiving a kingdom that cannot be shaken, and thus let us offer to God acceptable worship, with reverence and awe, for our God is a consuming fire.” It is a reverence and awe that drives us to surrender to the Creator of the Universe. I call it fatherly fear because it is the healthy type of fear that a child should have for his parents, if he disobeyed them. Not a fear driven by anxiety that he will be punished, although that does play a role, but a fear driven by the fact that he has disappointed his parents. It's a fear driven by a dissatisfaction that he repaid their love with disobedience. 

b.It requires an understanding God’s holiness

A correct fear of God can only be understood if we have a correct understanding of who God is. Unless we understand the holiness of God we cannot fear Him correctly. Deuteronomy 10:12, 20-21, speaks of this: “And now, Israel, what does the LORD your God require of you, but to fear the LORD your God, to walk in all his ways, to love him, to serve the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul,… You shall fear the LORD your God. You shall serve him and hold fast to him, and by his name you shall swear. He is your praise. He is your God, who has done for you these great and terrifying things that your eyes have seen.” In this verse we see that it is the fear of God what drives us to walk in His ways, what drives us to serve Him and also drives us to love Him. 

While respect for God is part of this fear, true fear of God is also a proper understanding of how much God hates sin. The believer who falls into sin will experience the discipline of God and therefore fear also includes something of a fear for discipline. Hebrews 12:5-11 speaks precisely about the discipline of the believer who falls into sin. That is why the author says “Besides this, we have had earthly fathers who disciplined us and we respected (feared) them. Shall we not much more be subject to the Father of spirits and live?” (v9). But the discipline of the believer is not a rejection by God. It is also not an eternal punishment as in the case of the unbeliever. It is a temporary punishment with the intention of leading us to repentance. We see this in verse 11 “For the moment all discipline seems painful rather than pleasant, but later it yields the peaceful fruit of righteousness to those who have been trained by it.” 

 

So while the fear that the believer has for the Lord is not primarily driven by being afraid, but by awe and reverence for God and seeks to do God's will, it does contain a degree of being afraid because the casting off of sin in his life is sometimes wrought by discipline, and this should make us afraid to continue in that way. But it is not a fear that is primarily driven by this kind of being afraid, because the child of God does not fear that God will finally or completely reject and throw him away. Our fear is not primarily driven by a fear of punishment, but is driven by a disappointment that we have dishonoured and have not served God, who hates sin. We should fear his disciplining, but not because we fear it will destroy us, but because we know what we have done does not please Him. 

Believers are not afraid of God, we have no reason to be afraid of Him. We have the promise that nothing can separate us from the love of God (Romans 8:38-39). We also have the promise that God will never leave us or forsake us (Hebrews 13:5). Our fear stems from a holy awe of Him which influences the way we live. Our fear leads to obedience, to submission, to worshiping Him. This leads us to a God-centred life in which we want to please Him in everything we do and in all circumstances we may find ourselves in. 

 

Indeed, the fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom, because the one who understands what true fear of the Lord is does not experience a slavish fearful anxiety by which he fear God’s judgment. It is a holy awe and reverence for His holy character who hates sin and loves righteousness. It does not drive the believer to be afraid of God, but to repent of sin and seek the way that honours God. So God expects the believer to fear Him, but not with slavish fear, but fatherly fear, which leads us to please Him. 

ds. Leon Harmse

Pastor of Sunward Park Baptist Church.