Reformed soteriology and the Malawian context

Abstract

Reformed soteriology according to the teaching of Calvin, Barth and Berkouwer attributes salvation to God. It is mediated to man through faith in Christ by the work of the Holy Spirit. Faith is significant in man's salvation especially in the teaching of Calvin and Berkouwer. It occurs in man through the work of the Word and the Holy Spirit. They work together in enabling man to believe in Christ. Man on his own cannot believe, for faith is acquired through God's grace. Justification and sanctification occur simultaneously when man believes. He is justified by faith alone apart from works of the law. Works of mercy do not justify man; however, a justified man should produce them as an indication of his being justified. Justification occurs in time, although election occurred before the foundation of the world. Calvin and Berkouwer view election as based on the decree of God, while Barth sees it as grounded in Christ Calvin teaches that election and reprobation issue from God's decree while Berkouwer regards reprobation as occasioned by man's sin. Barth views reprobation as removed for man by Christ in His death, ranking all people elect. Full salvation is attained after resurrection of the body and judgment. Barth agrees with this view but he teaches that only God, who is immortal, lives for man after his death. African traditional religion understands the notion of salvation differently from the Reformed teaching. It takes salvation to mean the preservation of man's physical life. Saving man from illness, famine, drought, death etc. is regarded as the full meaning of salvation. This is evident in the study of Malawian traditional beliefs where diviners and medicine men are concerned mainly with the finding and eridication of man's enemies, which are magic, sorcery and witchcraft. The assertion put forward by some African theologians that African traditional religion mediates salvation, is rejected because it neglects the spiritual aspect of man. Reformed teaching takes into consideration both the physical and spiritual aspect of man in its view of salvation. Thereby it obviates a one-sided approach to soteriology. Mbiti says that the African Christian tradition does not have a clear notion of salvation although it understands faith in its biblical meaning. This is due to poor communication that occurred between the early missionaries and the Africans. According to Mbiti, eschatology in particular gives the African a big problem. Symbolical language is understood literally and Christ' s second coming is expected any time. His view of eschatology tends toward a universalistic view of salvation. Mbiti agrees with the three Reformed theologians on the notion that salvation involves the whole man and that eschatological terms such as fire, hell and the like, should be understood symbolically. His views that salvation is attained through various ways and his universalistic trend are rejected. Reformed teaching of salvation is put forward as an acceptable one since it agrees with the biblical teaching and it is generally applicable anywhere else. The Reformed view of salvation avoids the two extremes of thought which emphasise either the physical or the spiritual aspect of salvation.

Volgens die leer van Calvyn, Barth en Berkouwer skryf die gereformeerde verlossingsleer verlossing toe aan God. Dit word in die mens bewerk deur geloof in Christus deur die werking van die Heilige Gees. By sowel Calvyn as Berkouwer is geloof dus van beslissende belang vir die verlossing van die mens. Geloof kom in die mens tot stand deur die werk van die Woord en die Heilige Gees. Hulle werk saam om die mens in staat te stel om in Christus te glo. Die mens kan nie deur eie toedoen glo nie, want geloof word deur die genade van God verkry. Regverdigmaking en heiligmaking vind gelyktydig plaas wanneer die mens glo. Hy word geregverdig deur geloof alleen, sonder die werke van die wet. Werke van barmhartigheid regverdig nie die mens nie, hoewel 'n geregverdigde persoon dit behoort te doen as 'n aanwysing daarvan dat hy regverdig gemaak is. Regverdigmaking vind in die tyd plaas, terwyl uitverkiesing voor die grondlegging van die wereld geskied het. Calvyn en Berkouwer beskou uitverkiesing as gebaseer op die verordening van God, terwyl Barth dit sien as gegrond in Christus. Calvyn leer dat verkiesing en verwerping uit die verordening van God spruit, terwyl Berkouwer verwerping beskou as deur die sonde van die mens teweeg gebring. Barth beskou verwerping as weggeneem vir die mens deur Christus in sy dood, wat alle mense die uitverkorenes van God maak. Volle saligheid word na die opstanding van die liggaam en die oordeel bereik. Barth stem met hierdie siening saam, maar hy leer dat alleen God, wat onsterflik is, vir die mens na sy dood lewe. Die tradisionele godsdiens van Afrika verstaan die begrip verlossing anders as die gereformeerde leer. Hiervolgens beteken verlossing die behoud van die mens se fisiese lewe. Die verlossing van die mens van siekte, honger, droogte, dood, ens. word as die volle betekenis van verlossing beskou. Dit is duidelik in die studie van Malawiese tradisionele geloof, waar waarseers en kruiedokters hoofsaaklik besig is met die vind en uitwissing van die vyande van die mens, wat bestaan uit magie, towery en heksery. Die bewering deur sommige teoloe van Afrika na vora gebring dat die tradisionele godsdiens van Afrika verlossing bewerk, word verwerp omdat dit die geestelike aspek van die mens verwaarloos. Die gereformeerde leer neem beide die fisiese en geestelike aspekte van mens in sy beskouing van verlossing in aanmerking. Daardeur voorkom dit 'n eensydige benadering van die soteriologie. Mbili se dat die Christelike tradisie van Afrika geen duidelike begrip van vorlossing besit nie, hoewel dit geloof in sy Bybelse betekenis verstaan. Dit is die gevolg van swak kommunikasie tussen die vroee sendelinge en die mense van Afrika. Volgens Mbiti verskaf die eskatalogie in die besonder 'n groot probleem vir die mens van Afrika. Simboliese taal word letterlik verstaan en die wederkoms van Christus word enige oomblik verwag. Sy beskouing van die eskatologie neig na 'n universele beskouing van verlossing. Mbiti stem saam met die drie gereformeerde teoloe oor die opvatting dat verlossing die hele mens insluit en dat eskatologiese terme soos vuur, hel, ens. simbolies verstaan moet word. Sy beskouings dat verlossing langs verskillende wee verkry kan word en sy universele neiging word verwerp. Die gereformeerde leer van die saligheid word as 'n aanvaarbare gestel, aangesien dit met die Bybelse leer ooreenstem en dit ook elders algemeen toepaslik is. Die gereforweerde beskouing van die verlossing vermy twee uiterste gedagtegange wat of die fisiese of die geestelike aspek van verlossing benadruk.