The Tribulation is an event referred to in the New Testament of the Bible, is a relatively short period of time where people who follow God will experience world-wide persecution and be purified and strengthened by it. The Tribulation is generally thought to occur before the second coming of Jesus and the end of the world.
Premillenialism is the view that Jesus will soon return, defeat the Antichrist and establish a thousand years reign of peace. The post tribulation view brings Christ's "appearing" and His "coming" together in one all- encompassing, great event.
The strenght is the day when the Master appears, He will be honoured and recognised by all. The day of the display for the "King of Kings" is the day of joy for His bride.
The weakness is that there is a claim that we are already in the Millennium, have being since A.D.70- which makes those thousand years already well-over 1900 years and counting..
God Bless
Tuesday, October 21, 2008
Tuesday, October 7, 2008
What is the universal Church? How should the church reflect her unity to the world?
The concept that the church is universal in nature enables us to understand certain New Testament passages more clearly. Believes about the nature about the universal church vary amongst the different branches of Christendom. Evangelical Protestant teach that the universal church is a body of believers stretching across thousand of years of time, from Pentecost to the Rapture, including the dead and many not yet born, that its membership includes believers all over the earth and cut across denominational lines, that the membership are somehow organically related to one another in an undefined, mystical way though they never meet and that this vast collection of believers is one and the same with the Body of Christ which Paul refer ed to in his epistles.
In order to reflect unity to the world, we need to realise that the church of Jesus Christ is one church, Christians of all types should work together whenever possible and cooperation among Christians gives a common witness to the world. Christians who regard church as a unity as essentially spiritual in nature usually emphasise purity of doctrinal belief and lifestyle as criteria for membership. The spiritual unity of believers should show itself or come to expression in goodwill, fellowship and love for one another.
In conclusion, practical expressions of Christian unity have appeared more in organisations or causes that have brought Christians together, without denominational identities.
GOD BLESS!
In order to reflect unity to the world, we need to realise that the church of Jesus Christ is one church, Christians of all types should work together whenever possible and cooperation among Christians gives a common witness to the world. Christians who regard church as a unity as essentially spiritual in nature usually emphasise purity of doctrinal belief and lifestyle as criteria for membership. The spiritual unity of believers should show itself or come to expression in goodwill, fellowship and love for one another.
In conclusion, practical expressions of Christian unity have appeared more in organisations or causes that have brought Christians together, without denominational identities.
GOD BLESS!
Tuesday, September 16, 2008
What is the rightful model of church governance?
Christ establish the church, but people create and operate its institutional form. A church is an autonomous spiritual body under the leadership of Christ and governance must provide for ascertaining the mind of Christ. All members have equal rights and privileges in a church, therefore the church government must not obscure the unit of the body of Christ by allowing superior/ subordinate relationship in the structure. Organisation but relate persons to persons and persons to tasks in orderly ways that meets needs, helps persons grow, and facilitate achievement of a church's mission. Church government must provide for both long term and short term activities. Considering the principles and application stated above with regard to church governance, the congregational model of church government would seem to work best and most effectively in the local church.
Congregational church government stresses the role of the individual christian and makes local congregation the seat of authority. At the heart of the model is the belief that the local congregations are to govern their own affairs and this stands in contras to both Episcopacy and Presbyterianism. Two concepts are basic to the congregational model i.e. autonomy and democracy whereby the local congregation is independent, self-governing and has a voice in its affair.
Congregational church government stresses the role of the individual christian and makes local congregation the seat of authority. At the heart of the model is the belief that the local congregations are to govern their own affairs and this stands in contras to both Episcopacy and Presbyterianism. Two concepts are basic to the congregational model i.e. autonomy and democracy whereby the local congregation is independent, self-governing and has a voice in its affair.
Monday, September 1, 2008
The Role of the Church in a Pluralistic Soceity
"When an alien lives with you in your land, do not mistreat him. The alien living with you must e treated as one of your native-born. Love him as yourself, for you were aliens in Egypt. I am the Lord your God". (NIV- Lev19:33-34)
Today's church is surrounded by a plurality of races, languages, custom, cultures, colors and religions. A pluralistic society is one in which diverse ethnic, racial, religious and social groups live and maintain an independent participation in and development of their culture within the confines of a common civilization.
The purpose of the church is that of reaching people of all nationality which is the great commission of our Lord. We as a church must rise above color of a man's skin, is language and accept him as an equal brother in the church that reveals the love of Christ. God's purpose throughout all human history is that forming a new people of all ethnicities, culture and nationalities under Christ's sovereignty. The instrument God uses are us of all cultures working together for this one purpose, thereby uniting and enriching the church.
To be the effective church in a pluralistic society means that we rise above the nationalism, the ethnicity, the language and cultural church separates and that we deliberately incorporate people of divest ethnicities into our fellowship- "Be a church to the world".
The call to evangelise is a command. Having accepted Jesus as Lord, the disciples had brought themselves under His rule and obligated to do whatever He asked. If we truly love the Lord, we should carry out His call to evangelise. Therefore, if a church is to be faithful to the Lord and bring joy to His heart, it must be engaged in bringing the Gospel to all people. It is no more an option but a must for a church to evangelise to everyone.
God Bless...
Today's church is surrounded by a plurality of races, languages, custom, cultures, colors and religions. A pluralistic society is one in which diverse ethnic, racial, religious and social groups live and maintain an independent participation in and development of their culture within the confines of a common civilization.
The purpose of the church is that of reaching people of all nationality which is the great commission of our Lord. We as a church must rise above color of a man's skin, is language and accept him as an equal brother in the church that reveals the love of Christ. God's purpose throughout all human history is that forming a new people of all ethnicities, culture and nationalities under Christ's sovereignty. The instrument God uses are us of all cultures working together for this one purpose, thereby uniting and enriching the church.
To be the effective church in a pluralistic society means that we rise above the nationalism, the ethnicity, the language and cultural church separates and that we deliberately incorporate people of divest ethnicities into our fellowship- "Be a church to the world".
The call to evangelise is a command. Having accepted Jesus as Lord, the disciples had brought themselves under His rule and obligated to do whatever He asked. If we truly love the Lord, we should carry out His call to evangelise. Therefore, if a church is to be faithful to the Lord and bring joy to His heart, it must be engaged in bringing the Gospel to all people. It is no more an option but a must for a church to evangelise to everyone.
God Bless...
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