4. Hoe word die Christelike geloof vandag uitgedaag?
Dit vind op beide direkte en indirekte wyse plaas. Selfs die psigologiese behoefte aan sekuriteit speel ‘n rol. As dit met ‘n mens goed gaan dan voel jy meer in beheer en die besef van ‘n gebroke wêreld, die behoefte aan genade en ‘n goddelike beskerming kan vervaag. Gelowiges moet altyd die regte perspektief behou oor sake soos welvaart, vrede en gemak.
Sekere mense het so beïndruk geraak met die ontwikkeling van die wetenskap dat hulle alle antwoorde daar soek. Ontdekkings t.o.v. die uitdyende heelal waar die son en die aarde ‘n onindrukwekkende plek beklee asook die ontwikkeling van lewensvorme het nie net letterlike en fundamentalistiese Skrifinterpretasies onder druk geplaas nie, maar selfs talentvolle teoloë na ongeloof verlei.
‘n Baie belangrike aspek van die konflik tussen gelowiges en ongelowiges vandag is die oënskynlike onversoenbaarheid van ‘n liefdevolle God met Kwaad en Lyding in die wêreld. Die verwoesting wat Israel in Kanaän in opdrag van God moes uitvoer word gereeld opgehaal.
Ander mense se geloof vervaag as gevolg van hulle daaglikse ervarings. Hulle beleef niks bewustelik van God nie. Hulle ervaar die lewe en die wêreld bloot as iets wat deur natuurwette en sosiale strukture beheer word. ‘n Lewe ná die dood is vir hulle onwerklik en ondenkbaar.
Wat is die rede vir die geloofsvervlakking van die gemiddelde persoon, Suid-Afrikaner, Afrikaanssprekende? Daar is sekerlik meer as een verklaring. Een ooglopende verklaring het te doen met die invloed van sosiale interaksie. En dit werk verskillend vir verskillende ouderdomsgroepe. Dit is ‘n onderwerp vir baie nadenke en gesprekke. Kortliks net die volgende:
As almal met wie jy daagliks omgaan, ‘n ooglopend aktiewe geloofslewe lei en dit ook met jou deel, versterk dit die vertrouenskomponent van jou eie geloof. As jy voortdurend in ‘n neutrale sosiale omgewing verkeer, dan kan (nie noodwendig sal nie), dit jou eie geloofslewe laat verskraal. En as jy deurlopend blootgestel word aan die skeptisisme of sinisme van ongelowiges, raak die kans groter dat jyself kan begin twyfel, of jou ingesteldheid teenoor geloof kan verander. Sosiale ondersteuning speel dus ‘n belangrike rol.
Dink na oor die waarde van Bybelstudiegroepe, geloofsfamilies en van die jeugverenigings van vroeër. Die bymekaarkom op ‘n Vrydagaand was deel van die jongmense se sosiale lewe. En hulle het dikwels ander vriende saamgebring.
Om oor na te dink: Die Wederkoms van Christus mag vir iemand onwerklik en ondenkbaar ver klink van waar ons nou is. Maar ‘n mens se eie dood is nie ondenkbaar ver van hierdie oomblik af nie. Dink aan jou grootouers, ouers en ander mense wat jy nog as aktiewe en gesonde mense ervaar het en uiteindelik as bejaardes oorlede is. Die tyd vlieg. Dink aan jong en middeljarige mense wat onverwags oorlede is. Elke mens se dood is ‘n beslissende moment vir sy ewige bestemming. As niks anders in hierdie boekie jou tot nadenke stem nie, gaan dink hieroor na. Dit kan vandag met jou gebeur. Lees weer die verhaal van Lazarus (Lukas 16:19-31).
4. How is the Christian faith challenged today?
This happens in both direct and indirect ways. Even the psychological need for security plays a role. When things are going well, you feel more in control, and the awareness of a broken world, the need for grace, and for divine protection can fade. Believers must always maintain the right perspective on matters such as prosperity, peace, and comfort.
Some people have become so impressed with the development of science that they seek all answers there. Discoveries regarding the expanding universe — where the sun and the earth occupy an unremarkable place — as well as the development of life forms have not only placed pressure on literal and fundamentalist interpretations of Scripture, but have even led talented theologians into unbelief.
A very important aspect of the conflict between believers and unbelievers today is the apparent irreconcilability of a loving God with Evil and Suffering in the world. The destruction that Israel had to carry out in Canaan at God’s command is regularly raised.
Other people’s faith fades as a result of their daily experiences. They experience nothing of God consciously. They experience life and the world merely as something governed by natural laws and social structures. A life after death is for them unreal and inconceivable.
What is the reason for the shallowing of faith among the average person, South African, Afrikaans-speaker? There is surely more than one explanation. One obvious explanation has to do with the influence of social interaction. And it works differently for different age groups. This is a topic for much reflection and conversation. Briefly, the following:
If everyone you interact with daily leads a visibly active life of faith and shares it with you, it strengthens the trust component of your own faith. If you constantly find yourself in a neutral social environment, then it can (not necessarily will) cause your own faith life to shrink. And if you are continually exposed to the scepticism or cynicism of unbelievers, the chance grows that you yourself may begin to doubt, or your attitude towards faith may change. Social support therefore plays an important role.
Think about the value of Bible study groups, faith families, and the youth associations of the past. Getting together on a Friday evening was part of young people’s social lives. And they often brought other friends along.
Something to reflect on: The Return of Christ may sound unreal and inconceivably far from where we are now. But one’s own death is not inconceivably far from this moment. Think of your grandparents, parents, and other people whom you knew as active and healthy individuals and who eventually passed away in old age. Time flies. Think of young and middle-aged people who passed away unexpectedly. Every person’s death is a decisive moment for their eternal destiny. If nothing else in this booklet gives you pause for thought, go and reflect on this. It could happen to you today. Read again the story of Lazarus (Luke 16:19–31).