Читать книгу Abba's Own - David R. Lumsden - Страница 21

The author is not writing a report on the rise of Christianity from the birth of Christ to the present. He is writing about what is necessary for Christianity for the new birth, and confidence of Christians concerning God today and, why these foundational truths are important in evangelism and soul-winning for the 21st century, for living the Christian life, and church worship to come. As the church races rapidly toward false teaching and apostasy, it means now is the time to teach seekers how to be known by God in eternity as made complete in Jesus Christ, (Col. 2:10). They need to know that God offers the truth about having not just hope that one has an eternal home in Heaven, but that they may know. God says ‘these things are written’ that you may see that you have an eternal home in a place called Heaven in Judgment Day, (1 Jn 5: 13). Also, you need to know you are worshipping the True God. Jesus, the Savior sent from the Father in Heaven, is the same yesterday, today, forever, (Heb 13: 8).

Thanks to God through Jesus Christ our Lord, we can teach non-believers about being known by God, complete in Jesus Christ, led by His Holy Spirit for confidence in knowing the True God, (Rom.7: 24-25; Jude 20-25). When the righteousness by faith in Jesus is preached, and made available to all who believe, they can rely on God’s Word that they and others are making, correctly, the most critical decision of their life, i.e. To choose life.

Nor does this paper deal with the rise of the Apostles’ Creed and the Nicene Creed, their comparison and importance in the growth of Christianity. Christian tradition and cultures have accepted these two creeds for centuries. In this paper, the author focuses on the fundamentals of the biblical faith, the confessions of Jesus, on one being made complete and known by God in Judgment Day and the relationship of these themes to salvation and soul-winning.

After revealing Himself through the prophets, God showed Himself to humankind through Christ. Jesus Christ is Emmanuel, i.e. God with us. By the inspiration of the Holy Spirit Jesus said to Nicodemus, that a man must be born again to see the Kingdom of God: “Jesus answered and said unto him, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, except one be born anew, he cannot see the kingdom of God,” (Jn 3: 3).

Jesus holds to his teaching today and will hold one accountable for belief in Him in Judgment Day. That is a confession of Jesus that man must believe in Jesus to not die the second death. God inspired John to write: “But as many as received him, to them gave he the right to become children of God, even to them that believe on His name, (John 1: 12). In the Revelation, Jesus had John write, “Behold, I stand at the door, and knock: if any man hears my voice and open the door, I will come into him and will sup with him and he with Me,” (Revelation 3: 20). God says that whosoever believes that Jesus is the Christ is born of God and loves the children of God, (1 Jn 5:1-2). Being born-again spiritually is a requirement, says Jesus, without which no man shall see the Kingdom of God. God knows those who are begotten of Him. Thus, one can know this side of eternity, that one has the right to be a child of God, and have the assurance that he will be welcomed by God into His Kingdom of Heaven, in Judgment Day, if he has made the right decision to become a believer, before he makes the transition into eternity. One becomes an adopted child of God, (Rom 8: 15). God has sent not the spirit of fear, but the Spirit of adoption into the believer’s heart crying, “Abba Father,” making that person one of ABBA’S OWN. Also, God is true and fair to let humankind know what will happen, “... it is appointed unto men once to die, and after this, cometh judgment,” (Hebrews 9:27). So, as you see, everyone will stand before Jesus in Judgment Day. We know there will be a Judgment Day that will occur, as sure as the appointment for one’s death. Therefore, one best pray for the mercy of God to be upon him a sinner that he is known by God and knows God, this side of eternity. Beyond this lifetime on earth, it is too late to make one’s decision to repent of sin, acknowledge and receive Christ. Eternity is a long time and only, but a breath away, for temporal life is a vapour compared to eternal life, for either having received or having rejected Jesus.

This paper is not a scathing review of the Pentecostal-Charismatic movement, the Signs and Wonders movement, nor any neo-movement like the Vineyard movement, or the Alpha Course movement. These movements are experientially based, divisive, non-biblical teachings that have infiltrated the Church. This author proposes to the charismatics that they consider how they intend to fair in Judgment Day for telling people to leave their Bibles at home. Jesus is the Word, and He is God. The Word is the foundation for the salvation of man. Believing God’s Word leads to one’s salvation. The Spirit of God moves upon a person’s heart through the use of the Scriptures, which He inspired for one to know and receive Jesus and His work of salvation. Jesus will be the Judge in Judgment Day. You can repent and believe in Jesus (not some experience supposedly of the power of God in signs, wonders or miracles, but in Jesus Himself) this side of eternity and Jesus promises you that you will not die for your sin, (Jn 11: 26). Will you receive Jesus, if you have not already done so?

God’s business plan of soul winning is about bringing the lost sinners to Christ for salvation, through the power of the Holy Spirit. Soul-winning is not about forcing a person to pray a prayer before that person leaves your meeting with him at a church, or elsewhere. It is about waiting upon the Lord Jesus Christ through prayer for the Holy Spirit to move a seeker to believe God through the Word accurately preached by a Spirit-led preacher. Born of the Spirit, a seeker cries out to God with the confession of sin, forsaking of sin, followed by an expression of faith in Jesus Christ for the salvation. He prays a prayer of thanksgiving for the newness of eternal life, and strength to live the new life God’s way, (Hebrews 9: 28-29). One believes on Jesus for salvation, which is a gift of God by grace through faith in Jesus Christ believing in what Jesus has done, i.e. Completed a substitutionary atonement on man’s behalf, not of any acquisition or work of any man for their own boasting before God, or man, (Acts 16: 31; Ephesians 2: 8-10).

One individual, known to the author, experienced such an aggressiveness, by two individuals in a church, contrary to godly soul-winning, to pray a prayer designed by them before he left the church. They were insistent. After a long experience of this forcefulness, that he was to pray after them, he left the church, went straight to his computer at home and wrote on Facebook; that he would rather be an atheist than ever go back to that church. The comment was heartbreaking for his close but ignorant, friend. A standard theology of historically proven, biblical, Christian, Protestant, conservative, evangelical theology for soul-winning and discipleship for equipping true Christians, to prevent straying, is needed for teaching soul-winners biblical behaviour. The author sets out to develop such a standard theology. A pastor’s theology determines true church growth. Discipleship helps a Christian live a Spirit-led, disciplined and Spirit-controlled Christian life. Only under this kind of control is real happiness and fulfillment in life. Money and alcohol will not build a person up, (Col 2: 7; Eph 5: 18). The case study’s subject faced two brutish pastors who ignorantly approached him, with non-truth, when he was struggling as a Christian. Like the example above, instead of receiving the touch of God, he received a counterfeit, (See Eph. 2:8-9; Col: 2:10; Matt 6. 23; Rom 12: 1-2; Gal. 3: 26; and 4: 6).

According to the Scriptures, one born of the Spirit and, not of the flesh nor, the will of man will be known by God in Judgment Day as complete in Christ, perfectly fit, blameless, and presentable to God for Heaven. God does not know Anyone, who does not come through faith in Jesus Christ, alone, to God as fit for Heaven. One is only made fit for Heaven through Christ. In Christ, a believer can see this side of eternity by reading God’s Word, that God will welcome the believer into His big home in Heaven. Those, who believe the alternative truth, are at risk of Hades (eternal fire and punishment). In one megachurch attended by our subject, he wrote a letter to the pastor saying he could no longer attend the church; the reason being that one could not find Jesus in that church. Two former members cancelled their membership. They were not known to our subject. They came to him, who led them both to faith in Jesus Christ.

During one Sunday morning service, Pastor had delivered and explained a message from the Lord recorded in John 1: 12. In the end, as usual, he gave the altar call for the hearers to come to receive Jesus Christ. One lady came forward after the last hymn and closing prayer. She introduced herself, then uttered, “It is hard to find a church in this city where the true biblical Gospel is being preached. Thank you for preaching the true Gospel.” She went on to explain her deep sense of aloneness, before she found her answer in Jesus Christ, (Christ in her, her cure for aloneness, her hope of glory), when she appropriated (application of God’s word in one’s life), John 1: 12 and 1 John 4: 4 for herself. She found Jesus, as her Savior, Lord, Overcomer, Coming King, and ever-present faithful Friend. She was beaming. God had given her new birth.

Through reading this study, you can find reasons to believe God, discover Jesus, know Him, and be known by Him, now and in Judgment Day; Lord willing, you will understand. You can see the answer to your questions: moral emancipation, freedom from the bondage of sin, willingness to accept God, and new life, complete in Jesus, who prays for the Father to send the Holy Spirit, immediately, into a new believer’s heart, crying “Abba, Father,” to comfort, teach, lead and guide a believer in all truth.