Woord en Gees/ Word and Spirit

WOORD EN GEES

Die dissipels het 3 jaar by Jesus praktiese ondervinding opgedoen hoe om die Woord toe te pas. Na Jesus se kruisiging het die dissipels egter weer begin visvang - Johannes 21. Met die uitstorting van die Heilige Gees het die dissipels eers regtig verander - Handelinge 2. Die Heilige Gees bring ‘n geestelike geboorte om ‘n nuwe mens te vorm. Petrus het vroeër die soldaat se oor afgesny en Jesus verloën. Petrus het Jesus, die Woord, geken, maar steeds uit die vlees geleef. Na die uitstorting van die Heilige Gees kon die ongeskoolde visserman met outoriteit praat en sy skaduwee het mense genees. Petrus het ‘n wedergeboorte ondergaan. Hy is gebore uit die lewende water van die Woord en daarna is hy ten volle transformeer deur die Heilige Gees. Ons moet Jesus aanvaar en die Woord lees, maar ons benodig ook Heilige Gees om ons ten volle te transformeer. Ek vind dat ek doelbewus myself moet oorgee aan die Heilige Gees. My vlees staan in die pad van die werking van die Gees. Petrus, die ander dissipels en Paulus het vir ons gewys hoe dit lyk wanneer ‘n mens deur Heilige Gees verander word. Ons benodig die Woord en die Gees om te verander.

“Nikodémus sê vir Hom: Hoe kan 'n mens as hy oud is, gebore word? Hy kan tog nie 'n tweede keer in die skoot van sy moeder ingaan en gebore word nie? Jesus antwoord: Voorwaar, voorwaar Ek sê vir jou, as iemand nie gebore word uit water en Gees nie, kan hy in die koninkryk van God nie ingaan nie. Wat uit die vlees gebore is, is vlees; en wat uit die Gees gebore is, is gees. Moenie jou verwonder dat Ek vir jou gesê het, julle moet weer gebore word nie. Die wind waai waar hy wil, en jy hoor sy geluid, maar jy weet nie vanwaar hy kom en waarheen hy gaan nie. So is elkeen wat uit die Gees gebore is.”
‭‭JOHANNES‬ ‭3‬:‭4‬-‭8‬ ‭AFR53‬‬

“Want ons was ook vroeër onverstandig, ongehoorsaam, op 'n dwaalweg, verslaaf aan allerhande begeerlikhede en singenot; ons het in boosheid en afguns gelewe; ons was haatlik en het mekaar gehaat. Maar toe die goedertierenheid van God, ons Verlosser, en sy liefde tot die mens verskyn het — nie op grond van die werke van geregtigheid wat ons gedoen het nie, maar na sy barmhartigheid het Hy ons gered deur die bad van die wedergeboorte en die vernuwing deur die Heilige Gees wat Hy ryklik uitgestort het op ons deur Jesus Christus, ons Verlosser; sodat ons, geregverdig deur sy genade, erfgename kan word ooreenkomstig die hoop van die ewige lewe.”
‭‭TITUS‬ ‭3‬:‭3‬-‭7‬ ‭AFR53‬‬

“Want die wat vleeslik is, bedink vleeslike dinge, maar die wat geestelik is, geestelike dinge. Want wat die vlees bedink, is die dood, maar wat die Gees bedink, is lewe en vrede, omdat wat die vlees bedink, vyandskap teen God is; want dit onderwerp hom nie aan die wet van God nie, want dit kan ook nie. En die wat in die vlees is, kan God nie behaag nie; julle is egter nie in die vlees nie, maar in die Gees, as naamlik die Gees van God in julle woon. Maar as iemand die Gees van Christus nie het nie, dié behoort nie aan Hom nie. Maar as Christus in julle is, dan is die liggaam dood vanweë die sonde, maar die gees is lewe vanweë die geregtigheid. En as die Gees van Hom wat Jesus uit die dode opgewek het, in julle woon, dan sal Hy wat Christus uit die dode opgewek het, ook julle sterflike liggame lewend maak deur sy Gees wat in julle woon. Daarom dan, broeders, is ons skuldenaars, nie aan die vlees om na die vlees te lewe nie; want as julle na die vlees lewe, sal julle sterwe, maar as julle deur die Gees die werke van die liggaam doodmaak, sal julle lewe. “Want almal wat deur die Gees van God gelei word, dié is kinders van God.”
‭‭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! Die Gees self getuig saam met ons gees dat ons kinders van God is; en as ons kinders is, dan ook erfgename, erfgename van God en mede-erfgename van Christus, as ons naamlik saam met Hom ly, sodat ons ook saam met Hom verheerlik kan word.”
‭‭ROMEINE‬ ‭8‬:‭5‬-‭17‬ ‭AFR53‬‬

WORD AND SPIRIT

The disciples learnt practical applications of the Word when they followed Jesus for 3 years. After Jesus was crucified they went back to being fisherman - John 21. It was only with the pouring out of the Holy Spirit that the disciples were really transformed - Acts 2. The Holy Spirit brings a spiritual rebirth to form a new person. Peter attacked the soldier with his sword and denied Jesus. Peter knew Jesus, the Word, but still lived from the flesh. After the pouring out of the Spirit, Peter spoke with authority and his shadow healed people. Peter experienced a rebirth. He was born through the living water of the Word and totally transformed by the Spirit. We must accept Jesus and read the Word, but we also need the transformation by the Holy Spirit. I find that I have to intentionally surrender myself to the Spirit. Our flesh stands in the way of the Spirit. Peter, the other disciples and Paul showed us what real transformation looks like. We need the Word and the Spirit to be totally transformed.

John 3:3-8 MEV
Jesus answered him, "Truly, truly I say to you, unless a man is born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God." [4] Nicodemus said to Him, "How can a man be born when he is old? Can he enter a second time into his mother's womb and be born?" [5] Jesus answered, "Truly, truly I say to you, unless a man is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God. [6] That which is born of the flesh is flesh, and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit. [7] Do not marvel that I said to you, 'You must be born again.' [8] The wind blows where it wishes, and you hear its sound, but you do not know where it comes from or where it goes. So it is with everyone who is born of the Spirit."

Titus 3:3-7 MEV
We also were once foolish, disobedient, deceived, serving various desires and pleasures, living in evil and envy, filled with hatred and hating each other. [4] But when the kindness and the love of God our Savior toward mankind appeared, [5] not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to His mercy He saved us, through the washing of rebirth and the renewal of the Holy Spirit, [6] whom He poured out on us abundantly through Jesus Christ our Savior, [7] so that, being justified by His grace, we might become heirs according to the hope of eternal life.

Romans 8:5-17 MEV
For those who live according to the flesh set their minds on the things of the flesh, but those who live according to the Spirit, the things of the Spirit. [6] To be carnally minded is death, but to be spiritually minded is life and peace, [7] for the carnal mind is hostile toward God, for it is not subject to the law of God, nor indeed can it be, [8] and those who are in the flesh cannot please God. [9] You, however, are not in the flesh but in the Spirit, if indeed the Spirit of God lives in you. Now if any man does not have the Spirit of Christ, he does not belong to Him. [10] And if Christ is in you, though the body is dead because of sin, the Spirit is alive because of righteousness. [11] But if the Spirit of Him who raised Jesus from the dead lives in you, He who raised Christ from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through His Spirit that lives in you. [12] Therefore, brothers, we are debtors not to the flesh, to live according to the flesh. [13] For if you live according to the flesh, you will die, but if through the Spirit you put to death the deeds of the body, you will live. [14] For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, these are the sons of God. [15] For you have not received the spirit of slavery again to fear. But you have received the Spirit of adoption, by whom we cry, "Abba, Father." [16] The Spirit Himself bears witness with our spirits that we are the children of God, [17] and if children, then heirs: heirs of God and joint-heirs with Christ, if indeed we suffer with Him, that we may also be glorified with Him.