9. Hoe loop die pad na geloof … of na ongeloof?
Dit volg nie vir almal dieselfde roete nie. En al die argumente, debatte en inligting het nie dieselfde uitwerking op almal nie. Paulus (Saulus) het voor sy bekering waarskynlik reeds al die getuienis oor Jesus se koms na die aarde gehoor. Tog het hy dit nie aanvaar nie en het hy die Christene probeer uitroei.
Handelinge 9:1 sê:
“Intussen het Saulus soos ‘n besetene voortgegaan om die volgelinge van die Here met die dood te dreig.”
Hy het die moord op Stefanus deur die Joodse Raad goedgekeur. Maar tydens ‘n reis na Damaskus om nog meer Christene gevange te laat neem, is hy deur ‘n openbaring van Jesus Christus gekonfronteer en daarna met die Heilige Gees vervul.
Vir ander mense volg die reis na ‘n ware en aktiewe geloofslewe ‘n ander roete. Net so met die reis na ongeloof. Daar is heelwat voorbeelde van bekende mense in die kerkgemeenskap, ook predikante, wat na ‘n lang periode van groeiende twyfel ‘n bestemming van ongeloof bereik het, of bloot onverskillig oor geloof geraak het.
Die dryfkrag van ‘n reis na ongeloof is nie eerstens argumente vir of teen die geloof nie. Dit is eerder die bestemming wat vir die persoon wink - ‘n geloofsbestemming of ‘n ongeloofsbestemming. Soos wat ‘n mens meer van daardie bestemming bewus word, leun jy oor na die getuienis en argumente wat dit steun.
Die gesag van logiese denke in plaas van aanvaarding is ‘n kernkomponent van die argumente van ongelowiges en veral van ateïste. Maar daar is baie voorbeelde van ongelowiges wat inkonsekwent en onlogies te werk gaan as hulle oor geloofskwessies praat. Dit is eintlik opvallend. Hulle fokus egter so sterk op die ongeloofsbestemming dat dit hulle denke oorheers.
Die twee aspekte wat gelowiges kan verlei is eerstens die argument dat daar geen bewys van ‘n Skeppergod is nie en tweedens die onversoenbaarheid van ‘n liefdevolle God met die wreedheid en lyding wat deur die geskiedenis plaasgevind het.
Aan die ander kant is daar gelowiges wat dalk nie die ingesteldheid of die vermoë het om al die logiese beredenerings rondom geloof te verstaan en te verwerk nie, maar vir wie die geloofsbestemming, vertroue en aanvaarding opsigself genoeg is.
Dit toon duidelik vir ons dat ‘n geloofsreis futiel is as dit sonder gebed, genade en die werking van die Heilige Gees plaasvind.
9. How does the road to faith — or to unbelief — run?
It does not follow the same route for everyone. And all the arguments, debates, and information do not have the same effect on everyone. Paul (Saul), before his conversion, had probably already heard all the evidence about Jesus’ coming to earth. Yet he did not accept it and tried to destroy the Christians.
Acts 9:1 says:
“Meanwhile, Saul was still breathing out murderous threats against the Lord’s disciples.”
He had approved of the murder of Stephen by the Jewish Council. But during a journey to Damascus to have yet more Christians arrested, he was confronted by a revelation of Jesus Christ and afterwards filled with the Holy Spirit.
For other people, the journey to a true and active life of faith follows a different route. The same applies to the journey to unbelief. There are many examples of well-known people in the church community, including ministers, who after a long period of growing doubt reached a destination of unbelief, or simply became indifferent towards faith.
The driving force of a journey to unbelief is not primarily arguments for or against the faith. It is rather the destination that beckons the person — a destination of faith or a destination of unbelief. As one becomes more aware of that destination, you lean towards the evidence and arguments that support it.
The authority of logical thinking instead of acceptance is a core component of the arguments of unbelievers and especially of atheists. But there are many examples of unbelievers who proceed inconsistently and illogically when they talk about matters of faith. It is actually striking. However, they focus so strongly on the destination of unbelief that it dominates their thinking.
The two aspects that can lead believers astray are firstly the argument that there is no proof of a Creator God, and secondly the irreconcilability of a loving God with the cruelty and suffering that have occurred throughout history.
On the other hand, there are believers who may not have the inclination or ability to understand and process all the logical reasoning surrounding faith, but for whom the destination of faith, trust, and acceptance is enough in itself.
This shows us clearly that a faith journey is futile if it takes place without prayer, grace, and the working of the Holy Spirit.