CHAPTER ONE. In the Old Testament we meet with the problem of suffering and reward, and the attempts made to resolve it. It becomes the one great problem after the time of the Exile. Most commentators are agreed that it grew to hold that place in relation to the increase of importance of the individual in Hebrew thinking. While certain aspects of the problem are presented in Jeremiah, Ezekiel, Isaiah, and Psalm 73, the most important contributions are made by the Deuteronomist and the poet who wrote the Book of Job. The Deuteronomist theory presents the belief that there is a rigid correspondence between the sins of the individual and his suffering. The reply in Job makes it clear that this is not so. Job himself passes through the desperate situation of feeling deserted by God to a certain faith that whatever happens to him, God is faithful. CHAPTER TWO. Jesus' teaching on "discipleship". Basically Jesus's teaching centres around Mark 8 : 34, "Whosoever will come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross, and follow me". The cost of discipleship from this point of view means, then, that even as Jesus Himself bears the cross for the salvation of the world, so the disciple is called upon to bear that cross in association with his Lord. Jesus offers the reward of both a present foretaste and a future consummation of eternal life, as the disciple shares in His resurrection. St. Paul's teaching of "Life in Christ". The central teaching of Paul is found in Romans 6 : 11, "Likewise reckon ye also yourselves to be dead indeed unto sin, but alive unto God through Jesus Christ our Lord." The cost of discipleship is death, the death of self- will. It means being crucified with Christ. The reward of the righteous man is both a present and future participation in the risen life of Christ. CHAPTER THREE The need of man. Because man is a sinner, being estranged from God in whose image he was created, he stands in need of being reconciled to God. This he cannot do himself because, to his sin, he is not able to make the full sacrifice of his self-will. "Man requires to be put right with God because as a matter of fact he is not right." The Christ. Only in the person of the God-man is God able to effect man's resolution. Jesus, the Christ, who alone of all men did not participate in the sinfulness of man, is this God-man, realising in Himself the fact that salvation can only be wrought by one who is both God and man. The necessity of the Cross. The death of the Christ is seen to be necessary both from the side of man and from that of God. It was essential that the Christ should give His life for man; everything for His purpose of salvation turns on the will to die. He must give himself to reconcile man to God. The sacrifice of the Cross. Seen in the context of the Old Testament sacrificial system, what is important about the sacrifice of the Christ is that on the cross He offered up His life for man. The sacrifice of the Christ is both in the category of divine revelation and that of human response. It is the love of God in its utter self-offering making a way whereby the sinner might be reconciled to Him. The use of the Ransom Theory of the atonement is regarded as inadequate for expressing this cost. Basically it is a costly sacrifice because it is the self-offering of the Son of God upon the cross. CHAPTER FOUR The New Testament picture. A closer analysis is made of the New Testament teaching of discipleship, where it is seen that it is required of men that he should make, like the Christ, the costly sacrifice of himself. Soren Kierkegaard. This existential thinker felt the need of awakening men to a full recognition of the costliness of life. Despair. Man, due to his state of sinfulness is in despair, for "sin can be defined as despair at not willing to be oneself or not willing to be oneself before God." It is necessary to make the leap of faith to pass from this despair. The Three Stages. These are the aesthetical, ethical and religious stages. The individual must enter the last by making the leap of faith out of his despair; and this leap means the costly commitment of the self to the Christ. "Purify your hearts." In this book, Kierkegaard analyses man's double-mindedness. He comes to two conclusions. "If anybody would will the Good truly, then he must with knowledge of himself be ready to renounce all double-mindedness. If anybody would will the Good truly, then he must be ready to do all for the Good, and suffer for for the Good." His teaching on the cost of discipleship could be summed up thus : "The negating of one's finite self, or the negating of one's finitude means for him nothing less than the conscious sacrifice of all that is finite." Paul Tillich. Tillich deals with the ultimate problem of being and non-being, and in the "Courage to be" he develops the reactions of the individual when he is faced with the possibility of his non-being. The individual can either lose himself in his world by the courage to be as a part, or lose his world in himself by the courage to be as himself. These two forms of courage are transcended by the courage to accept acceptance, which is the ultimate courage to be, in which the individual accepts the fact that though he is sinful, yet God accepts him. This courage is the outcome of faith, which is found in an encounter with the New Being, in which the self is lost in the Christ, being found also in the Christ. The disciple surrenders himself that he may be made more truly himself. CHAPTER FIVE In this chapter an attempt is made to analyse the reward of righteousness. This reward is firstly seen to be the outcome of the life of discipleship and not its motive. Basically it is found in the new quality of life which is called eternal life. It is a reward both in the future and in the present. In the future it is the fullness of life in communion, peace and joy in the presence of God. In the present it is a foretaste of that life which is to come, a present possession in the midst of finitude of communion, peace and joy with God. Ultimately this means participation in the resurrection of the Christ. CHAPTER SIX We can conclude from this thesis, then, that Jesus the Christ is the prototype of the Christian. Discipleship is costly because it means participation in His utter self-offering of Himself; and the righteous man, who is the one who by faith commits himself to and in the Christ, is rewarded with the new quality of eternal life. The death and resurrection of Jesus the Christ are the criteria of the cost of discipleship and the reward of the righteous man.

No abstract / New Testament / D.Th.

M.A. / Die skrywer van hierdie evangelie stel die doel daarvan as om mense voor 'n keuse te plaas, 'n keuse vir of teen Jesus die Seun van God. My doel is dan om die evangelie meer verstaanbaar te maak deur te poog om die lewe waaroor dit in die evangelie gaan, te verklaar. Omdat die evangelie ook dien as 'n teologiese verklaring, sal ek ook probeer aandui wat die toelogie van die Johannesevangelie is. Oor die dood sal daar nie breedvoerig gehandel word nie, aangesien hierdie evangelie bekend staan as die evangelie van lewe.

ABSTRACT RECONSIDERDING ETERNAL LIFE IN THE OLD TESTAMENT: THE IDEA OF RESURRECTION ROOTED IN THE TORAH Eun-Jung Kim, Ph.D. The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary, 2015 Chair: Dr. Russell T. Fuller This dissertation reconsiders the historical, scriptural and theological grounds for the early presence of the hope of resurrection and eternal life in the OT. Chapter 1 reviews the critical view of late development of the resurrection hope in the OT which has significant exgetical and theological defects. Chapter 2 surveys the history of exegetical tradition regarding the idea of resurrection of the dead in the OT. The survey includes the ancient translations of the Hebrew Bible, intertestamental apocrypha and pseudepigrapha, the rabbinic literature, and Christian writers from early church Fathers. Jewish and Christian interpretative traditions consistently support the presence of the idea of resurrection in the OT. Chapter 3 examines scriptures in the Torah where the idea of resurrection of the dead and eternal life is found. Although the Torah does not employ the wordings “resurrection” and “eternal life,” these concepts are found in the promises of life and the land. Contrary to the major scholarly view, these promises do not merely reflect the corporate nature. Rather, they foreground individuality of the hope of eternal life and bodily resurrection. Chapter 4 examines Scriptures in the Prophets and the Writings where the idea of resurrection of the dead and eternal life is found. This examination shows that the hope of resurrection and eternal life had been already firmly rooted and fully bloomed into maturity in the Prophets and the Writings. Chapter 5 presents the life-death-life structure embeded in the Torah and the rest of the OT by applying the ANE philological scope of the meaning of life to the meaning of life in the OT. The entire OT leads people to hope for the victory over death and the restoration of life eternal. The paper concludes with the importance of the argument for the early presence of the concept of resurrection and eternal life in the OT. The argument is evaluated by its scriptural, theological, and ethical consequences.

No abstract / New Testament / D.Th.

M.A. / The focus of this dissertation is based on the Biblical and Pauline perspectives of life and death. If the Christian is to believe abortion is wrong, he should do so for sound Biblical reasons. Scripture places a deep personal concern toward human beings. The Judeo-Christian tradition has always held that all men and women are created in God's image and that every life is to be considered of value. The Bible does not place less value on people who are of a lower standard or age because it does not question their right to live and this is the main reason the church can never become anything else but pro-life. Of importance is also the fact that the innocent human life needs to be protected and if it is not, this would be inviting God's judgement. Man has no right to take another person's life because this would be failing to acknowledge God as Creator of life. Death is seen in Scripture as an enemy and the Bible says there is hope for deliverance in the face of death. With the coming of Christ, the power of God's reign on earth can be experienced in "new life" as described by Paul. Looking at what Scripture had to say about when does human life begin, it was discovered that Scripture places a high value on conception. It was also evidenced that conception is a gift from God and a fulfilment of His promises found in Scripture. A fundamental unity exists between body and soul and death is not an alternative even in the face of suffering. No Scripture supports abortion; on the contrary, God is viewed as overseeing all of life from the moment of conception. By examining the five major faiths in South Africa, namely Buddhism, Islam, Judaism, Hinduism, and Christianity, it was realised that all five of these faiths take the unborn child into consideration. Only in extreme circumstances do some of these faiths allow abortion, e.g. rape, incest. It must also be said that these circumstances are in an abnormal situation and are not regarded as regular practices. It was necessary to discuss the application and effects of abortion in the final chapter in order to determine what happens in an abortion. Medical facts were presented about abortion and this was helpful in order to deal with the moral questions more intelligently. A description was given of the more common procedures used in performing abortions. It was evidenced that the medical staff participating in the performance of abortions are affected psychologically and recognise that abortions are destructive and violent. From all the specialised medical equipment available and all the modern medical advances being made daily, abortion is seen as unnecessary. Even the "hard cases" such as rape, incest and genetic defects did not permit support for abortion. Ethical considerations were also taken into account with more value being placed on innocent human lives. A number of questions were then addressed concerning the role of the law and abortion. The South African Abortion and Sterilisation Act of 1975 was discussed and it was necessary to look at two other countries with similar constitutions, namely Ireland and the United States of America, in order to see how they have ruled on abortion. Ireland has interpreted its constitution to favour the right to life of the unborn child while the Untied State of America preferred the right to privacy of the mother. A brief summary was given of the legal changes recommended by the Ad Hoc Select Committee on Abortion and Sterilisation with a number of figures being given on abortion in South Africa. A number of both surprising, and shocking facts were discovered about the New Constitution and its responses to the public. It was also necessary to refute a number of "pro-choice" arguments submitted to the Ad Hoc Select Committee on Abortion and Sterilisation as it seems the "pro-life" arguments were not even considered. A lengthy discussion was then given about the Post-Abortion Syndrome (PAS). It is evident that South Africa is not yet familiar with this term although many suffer from it already. The defence mechanisms were listed as well as the symptoms of this syndrome. The final chapter ended with a number of tasks of healing of the Post- Abortion Syndrome. It was concluded that the Bible is pro-life and that it does not seem that the New Constitution, which seems to be pro-choice, did not even consider Biblical morals in its deliberations. It is acknowledged that it is the task of the church , and even the other faiths in South Africa, that will need to continue in this battle to protect the life of the unborn and the mother.

D.Litt.et Phil. / The world in which the Christian community finds themselves today, is a world that has in many ways spiritually lost its way. This has led to the ethical and moral decay that has as a result, social problems, as well as social and political corruption. The Church is also experiencing a crisis. The Church, until recently was the centre of many people‟s existence, but now increasingly people are removed from the church and churchless. Is there an antidote to counteract this assault on the Christian faith? As per the argument in this dissertation, the answer lies in the lifestyle of the faithful, according to their confession. A way of life that confirms and not renounces the Biblical truths is the only way in which the Church‟s credibility can be restored in a post modern milieu. It is also one of the most important ways in which the decay in society can be counteracted; a Church that can yet again, as a bride of Christ perform her missiological duty as the salt and light of the world. This conclusion has forced the relevance of this research to the forefront. Paul describes the Corinthians as the holy temple of God in which the Holy Spirit resides (1 Cor 3:16-17). Two questions immediately arise: what relevance does this metaphor have on a Christian lifestyle and can a metaphor, applied 2000 years ago to the Christians in Corinthians, have any hermeneutical value, today? Can it serve as an ethical core moment in the post-modern time in which we find ourselves? These are some of the questions addressed in this research. The temple motif is a central theme found throughout the Bible. This is born through God‟s desire to live amidst his people. He instructs Moses to build a tent tabernacle, so that He “can live in their midst” (Ex 25:8). This tabernacle moved with the Israelites, everywhere they went. This was the place where God revealed his special presence, where daily offerings were made as atonement for the people‟s sins and where, once a year on the Great Day of Reconciliation the high priest went into the Most Holy to atone for the sins of the people as well as his own. Everything in and around the tabernacle was characterized by holiness.

No abstract provided. Please read the Conclusion (Chapter 11) in 06chapter10-11 of this document / Thesis (PhD (NT Studies))--University of Pretoria, 2007. / New Testament Studies / unrestricted

Thesis (MPhil (Old and New Testament. Bible Interpretation))--University of Stellenbosch, 2006. / This study deals with discipleship as a challenge to the church in the twenty first century, with the Gospel of Mark as a starting-point. Discipleship is after all the heart of the Gospel of Jesus Christ. It embraces the whole of the church’s existence; identity and integrity. Evans (2001:30) exclaims: “To be a true disciple, one must accept the fate of the Master; and the Master’s fate is inextricably bound up with his identity, purpose, and mission. True Discipleship cannot emerge in isolation from true Christology.”

D.Litt. et Phil. / In the words of du Rand (1997:1), ' ... theology is the primary unifying thread in the narrative of the Apocalypse'. The reason for this is the God who occupies centre-stage in the book. God hold the entire book in His hand. Everything is linked to Him. The next step is to appreciate how God gives both a particular perspective and then a resultant thrust to the book. This perspective on life, history and salvation is called the world-view (Weltanschauung) in this thesis. It's the view from the position of transcendence. Yet unlike deists or the pagan helpless gods, the God of the Bible (which is also the God of the Apocalypse) is directly involved in the affairs of this world. This is true from creation in the past, the sustaining process, the saving reality and ultimately the terminating of history. It's at this point that this thesis chose the word 'influence' to be part of its title. It is God who initiates, sustains and terminates matters in the theological thrust. The theological thrust is not a mere evolutionary development or a dialectical process. God in His transcendence enters the process and thus becomes 'immanent'! 'The reader gets the impression that the whole drama originates with God on his throne, coming to earth through the Lamb, as God's agent, and concludes with God on his throne'. (Du Rand, 1997:4). Crucial to God's influence is the agency of the 'Lamb'. 'Christ's sacrificial death belongs to the way God rules on earth. What has been accomplished in heaven, namely God's reign, is visibly manifested on earth through the slaughtering of the Lamb' (Du Rand, 1997:11). The method is that of triumph through suffering, first - with apparent defeat. Then comes resurrection at the hands of God - an intervention of God as He accomplishes His purposes. This mode was demonstrated in the death and resurrection of Jesus. In turn - this becomes the model to the Church as it triumphs through suffering (See Rev.11:1-11).