BAVINCK OOR ONS KINDERS SE “AFLEGGING VAN BELYDENIS VAN GELOOF”
“Laat ons dan gedurig deur Hom aan God ’n lofoffer bring, dit is die vrug van die lippe wat sy Naam bely.” (Hebr. 13:15)
Herman Bavinck is natuurlik baie bekend vir sy standaardwerk, Gereformeerde Dogmatiek, x4 dele (beskikbaar in Nederlands en Engels), en verskeie ander werke. Hy is bekend daarvoor dat hy saam met Abraham Kuyper en Klaas Schilder as’t ware die vader was van die ‘neo-calvinisme‘ van die 19de/20ste eeu in Nederland wat natuurlik orals oor die wêreld versprei het (let wel: nié die latere ‘new-calvinism’ bewegings van die Gospel Coalition groepe van die 2de helfte van die 20ste eeu en daarna nie, alhoewel daar natuurlik raakpunte is, lees meer daaroor hier. Beste onlangse inleidende boek om te lees, is: Neo-Calvinism: A Theological Introduction, Cory C. Brock & N. Gray Sutanto)
Daar is deur al die dekades verskeie ander kleiner maar netso belangrike werke van Bavinck uitgegee, in beide Nederlands en Engels, o.a. Magnalia Dei (een volume uitgawe van sy sy vierdelige Dogmatiek), Het Christelijke Huisgezin, Welsprekenheid (oor prediking, in Afrikaans beskikbaar), ens. maar die een wat ek vandag aanbeveel, is netso kosbaar: The Sacrifice of Praise.
Inteendeel, as iemand nog niks van Bavinck gelees het nie, sal ek hierdie werkie aanbeveel as ‘n goeie inleiding om te hoor hoe passievol klop sy hart vir die eer van God Drie-enig, sy Woord, sy kerk, vir die gereformeerde belydenis, die Koningskap van Christus op alle lewensterreine, ens.
Soos met o.a. Calvyn, Owen, Kuyper, Totius, en baie ander teoloë, kyk baie lidmate bloot vas in die massiewe bydraes wat hul gemaak het oor so baie groot onderwerpe op so baie terreine van die lewe, in beide ‘kerk en staat’, en dan veral die ontwikkeling van die gereformeerde dogmatiek, dat die ‘kosbare goud’, ja die ‘kosbaarste goud’ wat hul geleer het, hul Skrifoordenkings en besinnings oor konkreet prakties gelowig en kerkwees elke dag, heeltemal vergete of agterweë gelaat word.
Sodoende is dit eintlik nie hulle opsigself nie, die vorige ‘dogma geslagte’ nie, maar ons moderne geslag, wat baiemaal totaal wangebalanseerd is oor beide hul teologie en piëteit, oor ware leer én ware lewe, oor dogma en lewenspraktyk, oor die gesonde leer en gesonde lewe, ens.
Dieselfde met die ‘dogma reus’, Herman Bavinck, se werke. Na my mening, saam met Calvyn en a’Brakel, die belangrikste ‘dogma teoloë’ om te lees vir die Gereformeerdes in Afrika.
Die volledige titel van sy werk, gebaseer op die woorde van Hebr. 13:15, is:
De Offerande des Lofs:
Overdenking voor en na de toelating tot het Heilige Avondmaal
Die boek is gratis hier in Engels beskikbaar: Monergism.
Hier is ‘n nog ‘n onlangse engelse vertaling in gedrukte kopie te koop: Reformation Heritage Books.
Dit is ook elektronies by Kindle en Logos beskikbaar.
Nederlandse weergawes kan gesoek word hier: Neo-Calvinisme
Weereens, dit sal baie kosbaar wees as die werk ook in Afrikaans vertaal kan word, en ons gereformeerde Afrikaners nie net tevrede sal wees om alles net in Engels te lees nie.
Sien hier twee resensies van Bavinck se boek ‘Lofoffer’, ter bevestiging van die kosbare waarde van die werk:
Review: The Sacrifice of Praise: Meditations Before and After the Lord’s Supper (Herman Bavinck)
Book Review: The Sacrifice of Praise, Herman Bavinck
Hier is die inhoudsopgawe en voorwoord, om te sien al die kosbare onderwerpe aangaande ons belydenis van geloof en alles wat daarmee saamgaan, wat Bavinck aanspreek, vanuit verskillende Skrifgedeeltes en oordenkings:
I. The Basis or Foundation of Confession
II. The Training or Bringing up unto Confession
III. The Rule of Confession
IV. The Essence of Confession
V. The Contents of Confession
VI. The Diversity of Confession
VII. The Universality of Confession
VIII. The Obligation to Confession
IX. The Opposition to Confession
X. The Strength for Confession
XI. The Reward of Confession
XII. The Triumph of Confession
Dit kan as ‘n kosbare geskenk dien vir verbondskinders wat oppad is, of gaan belydenis van geloof aflê, maar ook vir elke ouer, kategeet, predikant om hierdie tema beter te verstaan en te leer vir ons en ons kinders.
“Preface: “Meditations before and after receiving access to the Table of the Lord
It is our humble and happy task to commend “The Sacrifice of Praise” in its second and carefully revised edition to our churches, especially to the Reformed Church in America. We can do this most cheerfully because it is our personal conviction that Dr. H. Bavinck was, by the grace of God, the Prince of recent Reformed theologians. Among the three, above named, he easily holds first place for depth of thought and accurate research. His scholarly attainments were indeed rare, as abundantly shown by the copious quotations and references in his “Reformed Dogmatics” and other works.
This book is of an intensely practical nature. The subject, as the headings of the twelve chapters indicate, is “Confession.” We do not hesitate to say that in practical church life there is still considerable misunderstanding as to confessing Christ. Ministers and elders frequently hear such questions as these: Is it really necessary to make public confession? Why should I take that step? What does it mean to confess Christ? What is the relation between Holy Baptism and the Lord’s Supper? Does God demand that one should unite with the Church? What rewards may the sincere confessor expect? These and other questions are answered by the author in plain and Scriptural language. Throughout the book the fundamental significance of the Covenant of Grace with its attendant promises, conditions, and blessings is clearly set forth.
In a word, “The Sacrifice of Praise” is a masterpiece on the subject of confessing Christ, both for instruction and comfort to those who intend to unite with the Church and to members in full communion. Because of its unique character, consistories would do well to procure this book in quantities and present a copy to every person who appears before them to make confession of faith.
May the Holy Spirit accompany this book on its journey to the intent that our baptized young men and maidens may “offer the sacrifice of praise to God continually.” – John Bovenkerk
Bavinck self oor die genadige troos van die genadeverbond:
“But the covenant of grace, which was announced for the first time in the maternal promise, has its basis and security only in the divine counsel of grace. Although the word covenant does not appear in this promise, still the matter represented by this word is fully contained in it. For, before man through transgression has made a covenant of friendship with Satan, God intervenes, puts enmity in the room of the effected friendship and in the seed of the woman once more brings man over to his side.
The covenant of grace therefore has proceeded entirely from God, He himself brings it about; therefore it does not rest in man nor is it in any way dependent upon his will and work. It is eternal, unchangeable, immovable, even as God himself.
For the mountains shall depart and the hills be removed, but my kindness shall not depart from thee, neither shall the covenant of my peace be removed, saith the Lord that hath mercy on thee. (Is. 54:10)
In this covenant, God is the First and the Last, the Beginning and the End, the Alpha and the Omega. In the most beautiful way it maintains the absolute sovereignty of God in the whole work of salvation. For from the very beginning to the very end nothing of man is added or introduced. Redemption is specifically a divine work, the work of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. All boasting is excluded, the honor and glory is entirely and only due unto God, who is not only the Creator but also the Recreator of all things.
On this account is it a covenant of grace, of pure grace. In the divine virtue of grace this covenant has its origin; in the gifts of grace it finds its contents; and in the glorification of grace lies its end and purpose.”
Laastens: tolle lege!
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Verdere inligting oor Bavinck:
Bavinck se enigste opgetekende preek (oud-pres Paul Kruger was in daardie erediens om die preek te hoor):
Herman Bavinck preek vir Paul Kruger: Die wêreldoorwinnende krag van geloof (1 Joh. 5:4)
Verdere Pro Regno artikels van of oor Bavinck
Meer oor Bavinck: The Bavinck Institute
Reformed Forum: Bavinck
PRO REGNO 
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