1. Waar begin ons?
Die Christen se vertrekpunt is die openbaring van die Drie-enige God in die Bybel. Die “wat” hiervan kan opgesom word as Skepping, Sondeval en Verlossing, soos verwoord in die Apostoliese Geloofsbelydenis. “Hoe” ons in ons lewe daarmee omgaan is in die liefdesgebod saamgevat. Jesus antwoord in Matheus 22:37-40 die vraag van ‘n Fariseër so:
“Jy moet die Here jou God liefhê met jou hele hart en met jou siel en met jou verstand. Dit is die grootste en eerste gebod. En die tweede, wat hiermee gelyk staan, is: Jy moet jou naaste liefhê soos jouself. In hierdie twee gebooie is die hele wet en die profete saamgevat.”
Hoekom het ons dan ‘n gesprek soos hierdie nodig? Sê die Bybel nie vir ons alles wat ons moet weet nie? Die kort antwoord is dat die Bybel vir ons alles sê wat nodig is om ons eie gebrokenheid en sondige natuur te verstaan. Die almag en genade van God, ons verlossing en ons verhouding met Hom word duidelik uiteengesit.
Die Bybel is egter nie ‘n wetenskaplike en alledaagse lewenshandboek nie. Die skrywers en die eerste lesers was mense in ‘n antieke wêreld wat die taal, terminologie en uitdrukkings van daardie tyd gebruik het. Die wêreld het sedertdien op baie terreine verder ontwikkel en daar het nuwe begrippe en denke ontstaan, asook wetenskaplike vooruitgang, ontdekkings en lewensstyle. Dit is dinge wat ons vandag in die lig van Bybelse beginsels moet oorweeg en interpreteer.
1. Where do we begin?
The Christian’s starting point is the revelation of the Triune God in the Bible. The “what” of this can be summarised as Creation, Fall, and Redemption, as expressed in the Apostles’ Creed. “How” we deal with this in our lives is captured in the commandment of love. Jesus answers the question of a Pharisee in Matthew 22:37–40:
“You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. This is the great and first commandment. And a second is like it: You shall love your neighbour as yourself. On these two commandments depend all the Law and the Prophets.”
Why then do we need a conversation like this? Doesn’t the Bible tell us everything we need to know? The short answer is that the Bible tells us everything necessary to understand our own brokenness and sinful nature. The omnipotence and grace of God, our redemption, and our relationship with Him are clearly set out.
The Bible is not, however, a scientific and everyday life manual. The writers and first readers were people in an ancient world who used the language, terminology, and expressions of that time. The world has since developed further in many areas, and new concepts and ways of thinking have emerged, along with scientific progress, discoveries, and lifestyles. These are things that we must today consider and interpret in the light of biblical principles.