"I have not hidden Your righteousness within my heart; I have declared Your faithfullness and Your salvation; I have not concealed Your lovingkindness and Your truth ..." (Ps. 40:10, NKJV)
In view from ancient times how can man possibly set nest among the stars like a space lab, but
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Last Feb 4 ay nagkaroon kami ng Museum & Gallery Tour sa Central with
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from wikipedia
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stem cell research
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Published in Pasugo, Jan 2002
It may seem odd to some people that a
non-theologian and a man of science like
Newton would express such faith and confidence
in the veracity of the Holy Book since, to them,
science and the Bible simply do not blend. They
point out that what the Scriptures explains every
phenomenon in the context of the power of the unknown,
science makes conclusions from carefully tested
hypotheses derived from a series of systematic
procedures known as the scientific method.
Such perception – that there is no harmony
between science and the Bible – is not by any means
new. Scientist during Newton’s time criticized him
for his explanation concerning the apparent irregularities
in the movement of the planets. Newton’s conclusion
– that God must be intervening every now and then to
correct such irregularities – had been dismissed by his
peers as a “desperate hypothesis” because it was “outlawed
by the nature and principles of science” (The Story of
Civilization: The Age of Napoleon, p 324).
Indeed many are inclined to believe that science
and the Bible are irreconcilable and that once science
reaches the “ultimate truth” it aims to discover, the biblical word
would be contradicted and disproved. Even worse, there
are those who have placed more confidence in science and
have rejected the Bible as an obsolete, if not mythical, book.
So we ask this question: Is there really no
compatibility between science and the Bible? Which of the two
is more credible and can offer the ultimate truth? Before we
make any sweeping judgment, we must first establish the foundation
upon which each is based. What must we understand concerning the
foundation of science? A chemist, John W. Hill, admitted:
“Scientists, like other human beings, use intuition and
generalize from few facts. Sometimes they are wrong.”
(Chemistry of Changing Times, p. 6)
Science, it should be noted, is anchored on human
experience and knowledge and, therefore, is subject to error.
What further proves that science is not infallible and cannot
be the supreme arbiter on the “ultimate truth”? In his book
entitle. “Science, God and You”, Enno Wolthvis states:
“The history of science clearly shows that what is
considered scientifically true today may not be so tomorrow.” (p. 47)
Hence, it is not an exaggeration to say that today’s
scientific facts may be tomorrow’s myths. John W. Hill added
that science, as a theoretical framework, is constantly changing,
“ for scientific models are constantly being reevaluated and revised
as new data is obtained” (Chemistry for Changing Times, p. 8)
What conclusion can we draw from the above statements
about science? That science is not as reliable as others may
wish or claim it to be. Science, as history attests,
has always been subject to change and revision.
On the other hand, how dependable are the words of
God written in the Bible? Jesus Christ, in His prayer to the Father, said:
“Sanctify them by the truth; your word is truth.”
(Jn. 17:17, New International Version)
God’s word itself is the truth. Is His pronouncement
true only for a particular time and does it change when circumstances
do? Isiah 40:8 states:
“The grass withereth, the flower fadeth: but the word of
our God shall stand for ever.” (King James Version)
The words of God can withstand all scrutiny; they are
error-proof and are surely bound to happen. How strong and powerful
are God’s words? Christ said:
“I tell you the truth, until heaven and earth disappear,
not the smallest letter, not the least stroke of a pen, will by any
means disappear from the Law until everything is accomplished.”
(Mt. 5:18, NIV)
Hence, God’s word is the ultimate truth. Unlike science
which is founded on the uncertainty of human experience, the Bible
rests on the unlimited power and wisdom of the Almighty.
The Ultimate Truth
How was it proven in the long history of man’s
quest for knowledge that while scientific facts vary through
the ages, God’s word had always confirmed the truth? In his
book, “Why We Believe the Bible”, author George W. Dehoff notes:
“When the Bible was written it was universally
believed that the earth was flat. It was argued that should
one go too far toward the edge he would fall off. … Finally,
Magellan and his men sailed around the earth and thus proved
it to be spherical in shape.” (p. 49)
For hundreds of years prior to Magellan’s
circumnavigation of the earth, the general perception was that
the earth was flat. It was then accepted as a scientific truth
despite the great strides man has taken in the fields of science
since the birth of civilization. Only after Magellan sailed
the seas was it established and confirmed that the
earth is not flat but spherical in shape.
But do you know that hundreds of years before
Magellan, it was already pronounced by God through His prophet,
Isaiah, that the earth is round or spherical in shape?
In the Book of Isaiah, this is recorded:
“It is he that sitteth upon the circle of the earth.”
(Isaiah 40:22, KJV)
What else was accepted as scientific truth before
its actual discovery and confirmation? Dehoff continued:
“The ancient Greeks and Romans were the most
advanced peoples of their time, yet they believed that
the earth was held in place by poles or by the neck of Atlas.
Others believed that Atlas had the earth on his shoulders.”
(Why We Believe the Bible, pp. 49-50)
The Greeks and the Romans of old had the most advanced
civilizations during their time. Yet, they believed in something
which today would be considered absurd, if not funny. But had
the ancient Greeks and Romans consulted the Books of the Books,
they would not have embraced such peculiar concept of the earth.
The old testament book of Job, which Bible scholars estimated to
have been written between 600 and 400 B.C. (New Bible Dictionary, p. 598),
has spoken of this ultimate truth:
“He stretched out the north over the empty place,
and hangeth the earth upon nothing.” (Job 26:7, KJV)
God had already stated before-hand what man discovered
hundreds of years later: that nothing supports the earth
contrary to man’s earlier beliefs.
What else was considered in the past as scientifically
correct, only to be refuted by later research and discovery?
Dehoff states:
“The ancients believed that there were only a very
few stars in the heavens. In 150 B. C. Hipparchus said that
there were less that three thousand. In A. D 150 Ptolemy said
there were not more than three thousand. … After the middle ages
and the invention of the telescope, men discovered that the stars
are innumerable.” (Why We Believe the Bible, p. 56)
Did man need to wait for a Galileo to invent the telescope
for him to know that the stars are countless? The Bible states
the following:
“And as the stars cannot be counted nor the sand upon the
seashores measured..” (Jer. 33:22, Living Bible)
What other scientific fact was established only after the
telescope was invented by Galileo? Dehoff continues to say:
“Astronomers have discovered that there is a great empty
space in the North. It contains no moving planets and shining stars.
By turning their telescope to the South, the East, and the West,
men may behold countless millions of stars invisible to the naked eye
but when the telescope is set exactly to the North there is a great
empty space. For this astronomers have been unable to account.
They did not know until recently that there was such and empty space.”
(p. 50)
Did it really require a telescope to know this phenomenon?
The Bible offers this explanation:
“He stretch out the north over empty space.” (Job 26:7, KJV)
Again, God had spoken of the ultimate truth long
before man has discovered it.
Thanks to modern archaeology – another branch of science
– many people who used to dismiss the Bible as nothing but a
book of magical tales are beginning to change their perception.
Recent significant discoveries made by archeologists have contributed
to the growing perception that the Bible is indeed the ultimate truth.
The biblical account of the Great Flood (Gen. 6: 8), the reign of the
great kings of Israel like David (I Sam. 16; I Kings 2), and the life
of Christ(the gospels) were all confirmed to be historically true by
these findings. A journalist, Werner Keller, who took interest in the
results of modern science and research, said in his book, “The Bible
as History”:
“These breathtaking discoveries, whose significance it is
impossible to grasp all at once, make it necessary for us to revise our
views about the Bible. Many events which previously passed for
‘pious tales’ must now be judged to be historical.” (p. 23)
In the face of all these data gathered through scientific
research, Keller concluded:
“In view of the overwhelming mass of authentic and
well-attested evidence now available, as I thought of the skeptical
criticism which from the eighteenth century onwards would fain have
demolished the Bible altogether, there kept hammering on my
brain this one sentence: ‘The Bible is right after all!’”(Ibid., p. 24)
Confirming biblical truths
So we go back to our question: Is there any contradiction
between science and the Bible? We have shown you the many mistakes
of science. However, we can say without doubt or fear or contradiction
that as long as science arrives at the ultimate truth, it will always be
compatible with the Bible. Science only confirms what had long been
established as absolute truth through biblical pronouncements. Hence,
as far as the ultimate truth is concerned, the Bible is supreme and is
second to none.
What then should we realized now that it had been established
that the words of God written in the Bible are the truth? The Scriptures
states:
“But the LORD is the true God, he is the living God, and an
everlasting king: at his wrath the earth shall tremble,and the nations
shall not be able to abide his indignation. … He hath made the earth
by his power, he hath established the world by his wisdom, and hath
stretched out the heavens by his discretion.”(Jer. 10:10, 12 KJV)
Everyone should acknowledge that there is one true living God
who created the heavens and earth and who sustains our life and strength.
What, therefore, is our fundamental obligation to Him, our Maker?
In Pslams 100:2-3, this is written:
“Serve the LORD with gladness: come before his presence with singing.
“Know ye that the LORD he is God: it is he that hath made us,
and not we ourselves; we are his people, and the sheep of his pasture.”
(Ibid.)
Reference:
Dehoff, George W. “Why We Believe the Bible”, 5th edition. Murfreesboro,
Tennessee:
Dehoff Publications, 1962.
Durant, Will and Ariel. “The Story of Civilization: The Age of Napoleon”.
New York:
Simon & Schuster, Inc., 1975.
Helley, Henry H. “Halley’s Bible Handbook”. Grand Rapids, Michigan:
Zondervan
Publishing House, 1965.
Hill, John W. “Chemistry for Changing Times.” New York: MacMillan, 1988.
Keller, Werner. “The Bible As History”. New York: Barnes & Noble, Inc.,
1995.
“New Bible Dictionary”. London: The Inter-Varsity Fellowship, 1962.
Wolthvis, Enno. “Science, God & You.” Grand Rapid, Michigan: n. p., 1966.
posted by candy @ 5:32 PM
IN ALL CREATION, there is but one human race. But humans have sub-classified their own race, for instance, according to the color of skin or to the community of the nation to which one belongs. In his epistle, Apostle Peter introduces one blessed race, the chosen race, the holy nation – God’s own people (I Pt. 2:9). It is the same race Apostle Paul mentions in Ephesians 2:19 as members of the household of God. This is the race of God’s children.
On the other hand, the Lord Jesus Christ calls a particular group of people as “snakes and sons of snakes” (Mt. 23:33, Today’s English Version). He says that they are of their father, the father of liars whom the Bible describes as “that serpent of old, the devil and satan, who deceives the whole world” (Jn. 8:44; Rev. 12:9, Ibid.). According to Christ, these people are “condemned to hell” (Mt. 23:33, Ibid.).
Theologian John Calvin (1509-1564) held that God ordains some to everlasting life and others to everlasting punishment not because of the good or evil He sees or foresees in men, but because that is according to His sovereign will. This corresponds to some degree to the fifth-century Catholic Church Father Augustine’s definition of predestination “that God predestinates from all eternity the number of elect, that He bestows the grace needed to obtain eternal life without any respect to merits on their part, either before or after the grace is conferred” (Catholic Dictionary, p. 668).
However, the predestination that the Bible mentions is that among all creatures, men alone were predestined by God to be His own children (Eph. 1:4-5). This has been God’s will and plan since the beginning. Indeed, the Bible calls Adam, the first man created in His image, son of God (Lk. 3:23-38; Gen. 1:27-28). The Almighty Father created all men to be His and for the purpose of knowing and serving Him (Ps. 100:2-3).
Why then are there people who belong to the devil when in truth God created them? They became of the devil because they were deceived by him, just as the first couple was deceived and corrupted by his craftiness.
This corruption is made manifest in many people’s conception regarding the Divine Being. Apostle Paul teaches that “since we are God’s offspring, we should not think that the divine being is like gold, or silver or stone – an image by man’s design and skill” (Acts 17:29, New International Version). Apostle Paul points out that such manner of thinking is ignorance (Acts 17:30). While those who think that God is like gold, silver, stone, or wood are ignorant, those who bow down and pray to or worship graven images are absurd (Is. 46:5-7).
Since nobody would ever want to be counted among the devil’s minions, the devil uses guile to deceive and turn man away from the true knowledge about the Creator, making him believe in graven images. Apostle Paul warns that the wicked one comes with the power of satan, performs all kinds of false miracles and wonders, and uses every kind of deceit on those who will perish (II Thess. 2:9-10).
People who call themselves Christians look down at pagans as the ones misled into worshiping idols. But there are certain groups of people who, nevertheless, introduce themselves as Christians yet adore graven images, too. They even claim that their metal, stone, and wooden statues perform miraculous signs. They claim that their so-called “saints” have wept and shed tears of blood, or suddenly appeared on trees, or have rained flowers. The undiscerning who were swayed to believe these claims or, more aptly, deceived, continue to worship these images.
But the Holy Scriptures is very explicit on its stand against idolatry, condemning it as a grave sin punishable by death in the lake of fire (Exo. 20:3-5; Rev. 14:10). In spite of this, many people refuse to listen to the words of God written in the Bible.
The devil also uses people to perform his evil tricks. Hence, one should beware of people who may claim to be iconoclasts or idol-haters but would attract people with miracles and wonders. More often than not, they also are false religious preachers.
The reason God allows people of this world to be deceived was explained by Apostle Paul:
“Because they did not welcome and love the truth so as to be saved. And so God sends the power of error to work in them so that they believe what is false.” (II Thess. 2:10-11, TEV)
God allows people to listen and follow deceitful lies because they do not love the truth. For this, they will surely perish.
Every living person can be restored to his original race and become a member of God’s household according to His plan. This is because God invites man to return to Him (Mal. 3:7) by following Christ in the regeneration (Mt. 19:28).
Christ recognizes those who follow Him in the regeneration as being united in Him. Apostle Paul explains that among the sons of God, there “is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is neither male or female; for you are all one in Christ Jesus” (Gal. 3:26-28, New King James Version). Oneness in Christ transcends cultural, political, and socio-economic barriers. There is only one race in Christ – His race – the race of God’s children. This is the regeneration: from being of the devil to being reborn or becoming God’s child through Christ.
The people who follow in the regeneration become one in Christ because they “are one body in Christ, and individually members of one another” (Rom. 12:4-5, Ibid.). This body of Christ is the Church of which Christ is the head (Col. 1:18). Thus, those who follow Christ in the regeneration are the members of His Church. They do not simply profess faith in Christ. Their faith moves them to obey Christ’s commandment of entering the Church which He built. Christ said during the early part of His ministry:
…I will build My church.” (Mt. 16:18, NKJV)
This is the Church of Christ (Rom. 16:16). Thus, it is of utmost importance that man join the Church of Christ or Iglesia ni Cristo. To whom do the members of the Church of Christ belong? Apostle Paul made this conclusion:
“Now, therefore, you are no longer strangers and foreigners, but fellow citizens with the saints and members of the household of God, having built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ himself being the chief cornerstone, in whom whole building, being fitted together, grows into a holy temple in the Lord, in whom also are being built together for a dwelling place of God in the Spirit.” (Eph. 2:19-22, NKJV)
The members of Christ’s Church have become God’s children and members of His household. They have been chosen from the world and taken away from the devil when they followed Christ in the regeneration. Thus, if man wants to belong to the chosen race of God in these last days, he must join the true Church of Christ. By doing so, he will be fortunate to be freed from punishment on the day of Judgment when this world and its ungodly people shall face their inevitable end (II Pt. 3:7, 10). On that fateful day, the cursed race – those who belong to the devil – shall be utterly destroyed; hence, only one race will remain (Mt. 25:31-34, 41). In hopeful encouragement to all who belong to God’s children, Apostle Paul asserts:
“We, however, are citizens of heaven, and we eagerly wait for our Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ, to come from heaven. He will change our weak mortal bodies and make them like his own glorious body, using that power by which he is able to bring all things under his rule.” (Philip. 3:20-21, TEV)
While it is the unchanging policy of God to choose people for Himself (Rom. 9:11), we humans have been given the gift of free will. But we should remember that we can never escape from the consequences of our choice because God is a just God. The ungodly who reject the will of God will receive His vengeance, that is, eternal punishment (II Thess. 1:8-9). But the righteous or obedient will receive the crown of righteousness – the everlasting life.
We are to choose whether or not to be in accord with God’s will. God’s will is to gather all men in Christ as members of one body, the Church of Christ (Eph. 1:9-10; Rom. 12:4-5; Col. 1:18). We are given two choices, whether to join the chosen race by following Christ in the regeneration – by joining His Church – or forever let go of the chance God has given everyone before He puts and end to evil.
God has chosen, let us opt for His choice.
posted by candy @ 9:22 AM
Published in Pasugo, May 2002
Having a thirst for knowledge is one of the most admirable qualities of people. Because of this thirst, inventions have been made, uncharted territories have been explored, and different philosophies and schools of thought have developed. Indeed, knowledge is potentially beneficial for man, and usually, the people who acquire knowledge are the first to reap its reward.
However, if a person strives to gain worldly knowledge, he must understand that there is a particular body of knowledge that he should all the more strive to acquire and thirst for with all his being. The Bible teaches concerning this knowledge:
“That people may know skillful and godly Wisdom and instruction, discern and comprehend the words of understanding and insight.” (Prov. 1:2, Amplified Bible)
Godly wisdom and instruction should be sought after above worldly wisdom. While the benefits of education and worldly knowledge cannot be denied, godly wisdom offers rewards far greater than recognition, honors, high paying jobs, or positions of power in the community and in the business world. In fact, godly wisdom offers the greatest reward. It gives man life and places him in God’s favor:
“Now therefore, listen to me, my children, For blessed are those who keep my ways. Hear instruction and be wise. And do not disdain it. Blessed is the man who listens to me, Watching daily at my gates, Waiting at the posts of my doors. For whoever finds me finds life, And obtains favor from the LORD.” (Prov. 8:32-35, New King James Version)
Blessed is the person who receives and obeys God’s instruction, for he finds favor from the Lord.
Many desire to get education from prestigious schools and universities because they realize its benefits in fulfilling their career and financial goals. They cite reasons such as “the higher the education, the higher the salary.” Even after people have left school, many still strive to gain knowledge in their chosen fields, realizing the importance of knowledge as a means to move up the corporate ladder.
It must be acknowledged, however, that a college education does not guarantee success and wealth. Ironically, after finishing college, some even find themselves jobless or underemployed and in debt because of their college loans and bills. The business world does not also guarantee instant wealth and much more a worry-free life. On the contrary, some have experience greater anxieties and dissatisfaction instead of contentment after entering the business world. And in extreme cases, some have even committed suicide because of pressures brought about by school and work.
What we should understand is that God has the power to provide us with true prosperity and success. The Lord may bless the family and one’s education, career, or status in life if he hears God’s commands and lives by them. Thus, if one is earnest in succeeding in life, it is vital that he attains wisdom that comes from the Lord.
By attaining godly wisdom, a person can triumph over all obstacles that may prevent him from succeeding. This is the Lord’s promise:
“I have taught you in the way of wisdom; I have led you in right paths. When you walk, your steps will not be hindered, And when you run, you will not stumble. Take firm hold of instruction, do not let go; Keep her, for she is your life.” (Prov. 4:11-13, Ibid.)
If a person takes hold of God’s instructions, his steps will not be hindered – he will run and will not stumble. This does not mean, however, that a righteous person will no longer experience disappointments and difficulties. The fact is, everyone experiences ups and downs in life. But those who have received God’s wisdom coupled with His favor rise to any challenge. They continue even when times get rough:
“Do not lie in wait, O wicked man, against the dwelling of the righteous; Do not plunder his resting place; For a righteous man may fall seven times And rise again, But the wicked shall fall by calamity.” (Prov. 24:15-16, Ibid.)
The righteous will never be left alone by the Almighty. Each time they fall or experience disappointments, God will be ready to help them rise and continue in their endeavors.
The words of God are the means for a person to become righteous or holy:
“Make them pure and holy through teaching them your words of truth.” (Jn. 17:17, Living Bible)
God’s words are written in the Holy Scriptures:
“And you remember that ever since you were a child, you have known the Holy Scriptures, which are able to give you the wisdom that leads to salvation through faith in Christ Jesus.” (II Tim. 3:15, Today’s English Version)
The words of God written in the Holy Scriptures is God’s wisdom that leads man to salvation. For this reason, one who receives godly wisdom or God’s words written in the Bible and makes them his guide in life will receive life.
The life awaiting the righteous is the true life in the Holy City:
“Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth. The first heaven and the first earth disappeared, and the sea vanished. And I saw the Holy City, the new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared and ready, like a bride dressed to meet her husband. I heard a loud voice speaking from the throne: ‘Now God’s home is with mankind! He will live with them, and they shall be his people. God himself will be with them, and he will be their God. He will wipe away all tears from their eyes. There will be no more death, no more grief or crying or pain. The old things have disappeared’.” (Rev. 21:1-4, Ibid.)
Eternal life is the most precious benefit of attaining godly wisdom. It is incomparable with anything human institutions can offer. Thus, a person should make learning and obeying the commands of God their top priority in life. If a person receives and diligently obeys the inspired words of God, he will experience the benefits of godly wisdom not only in this life, but most of all in the life to come.
posted by candy @ 9:15 AM
Published in Pasugo, Jul 1999
Before ascending to heaven, our Lord Jesus made a prophecy regarding the Church of Christ that would emerge in the Philippines. In John 10:16, the Savior said:
“And other sheep I have which are not of this fold; them also I must bring, and they will hear My voice; and there shall be one flock and one shepherd.” (New King James Version)
Our Lord Jesus spoke of His other sheep that would, at a future time, become one flock. [The flock refers to the Church of Christ (Acts 20:28, Lamsa Translation).] These other sheep were not yet in the fold or flock that existed during the time of Christ and His apostles in the first century. They have yet to hear His voice and were to be called to become one flock.
What does “to hear the voice of Christ to be one flock or Church” mean? In Matthew 7:24-25, our Lord Jesus explains:
“Therefore everyone who hears these words of mine and puts them into practice is like a wise man who built his house on the rock. The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against the house; yet it did not fall, because it had its foundation on the rock.” (New International Version)
To hear the voice of Christ is to put His words into practice, to obey or follow them. Our Lord Jesus declared, “… I am the door of the sheep. …If anyone enters by Me, he will be saved” (Jn. 10:7, 9, NKJV). Those who enter through Christ, the door of the sheepfold, become His sheep and are found in the flock. The prophesied other sheep of Christ, therefore, are those yet to be called by the Lord to be one flock or Church.
Though Christ’s call necessitates listening to and understanding the words of Christ, not all preachers who use the Bible today teach His words that can bring people into the true Church. According to Apostle Paul, not all preachers have the authority to teach the true gospel. Apostle Paul declared:
“How, then, can they call on the one they have not believed in? And how can they believe in the one of whom they have not heard? And how can they hear without someone preaching to them? And how can they preach unless they are sent? (Rom. 10:14-15, NIV)
The preachers who have the exclusive authority to preach the pristine gospel of our Lord Jesus leading people to become members of His Church are the ones sent by God (His messengers). The apostle is explicit, “How can they preach unless they are sent?” Hence, those who were not sent or authorized by God cannot deliver the true gospel of Christ that can bring people into the true Church. Those who use the Bible and claim to preach the gospel, so to speak, while without divine authority, only preach a perverted gospel that is really no gospel at all (Gal. 1:6-8, Ibid.) and lead people to damnation.
God’s policy from the beginning has always been to send messengers who will preach His laws and commandments. To reject the messenger of God is equivalent to rejecting both the Lord Jesus Christ and God (Lk. 10:16) because what the messenger preaches are not his own but the teachings of God taught by the Lord Jesus Christ.
Why are we certain that the “other sheep” of Christ mentioned in John 10:16 refers to the Church of Christ that emerged in the Philippines? How many groups of people comprise the Church established by Christ? In Acts 2:39, it is written:
“For the promise is to you and to your children, and to all who are afar off, as many as the Lord our God will call.” (NKJV)
Apostle Peter said that three groups of people comprise the Church established by Christ. The third group – those who are afar off – are those who then were yet to be called by God into the Church (Col. 3:15, 1:18). They were not yet members of the Church in the first century. They are the members of the Church of Christ prophesied to emerge in the future. The other two groups of people who had already been called by God and have become members of the Church during the first century were Jews and the Gentiles (Rom. 9:24). The Gentiles were the children of the Jews in the faith as they were the converts of Apostle Paul who is the messenger to the Gentiles, who himself was a Jew.
Apostle Peter said that the third group of people who were also prophesied to become members of the true Church of Christ – the other sheep of Christ – would come from afar off. But where from “afar off” would this third group emerge? The prophecies in the Book of Isaiah teach that the third group would emerge in the Far East, in the islands of the sea (Is. 43:5, Moffatt Translation; Is. 24:15, NIV)
True to these prophecies, the Iglesia ni Cristo emerged in the Philippines, a nation in the Far East composed of many islands, more or less 7,100. Aside from being acknowledged by God Himself as His children, the members of this Church will be called by His name – just as His nation Israel was called by His name (Is. 43:5-7, II Chron. 7:14). The name of Christ, by which God’s nation in the Christian era is called, is God’s name which He gave to Christ (Jn. 17:11, Today’s English Version), hence, the name Church of Christ – Iglesia ni Cristo (Rom. 16:16).
Others believe that the founder of the Iglesia ni Cristo is Brother Felix Y. Manalo because he was the one who preached this Church in 1914. Although he did preach about the Iglesia ni Cristo, this does not make him its founder. Like the apostles, he was merely instrumental in preaching the true gospel of Christ so that the believers would be brought back or restored to the true Church of Christ.
The Lord Jesus Christ commissioned the messenger from the Far East for His Church to be reestablished. Take note that when the third group of people were called to become members of the Church of Christ, the Lord Jesus Christ had long been in heaven. He did not have to come down to preach His words in order for His Church to reemerge; instead, He sent His messenger to do this task. Listening to and accepting the preaching of this messenger is equivalent to listening to and accepting the Lord Jesus Christ.
The doctrines taught by Brother Felix Y. Manalo to the members of the Church of Christ were not his own but were purely scriptural. As the messenger of God in these last days, he was instrumental in the restoration of the true Christian faith by means of preaching God’s righteousness, the gospel, snatching people from false religions that are holding them captives, and bringing them into the true Church (Rev. 7:2-3; Is. 46:11-13, 43:5-6; Rom. 1:16-17).
Why was there a need to reestablish the Church of Christ? What happened to the Church founded by Christ in the first century to which the Jews and the Gentiles belong? While the Lord Jesus Christ was still on earth, He warned His disciples to watch out that they may not be deceived (Mt. 24:4). This was because many false prophets would rise to deceive many, if possible even the elect (Mt. 24:24). How would the false prophets accomplish their deception and what does “to be deceived” mean? Apostle Paul explains:
“NOW the Spirit speaketh expressly, that in the latter times some shall depart from the faith, giving heed to seducing spirits, and doctrines of devils;…Forbidding to marry, and commanding to abstain from meats which God hath created to be received with thanksgiving of them which believe and know the truth.” (I Tim. 4:1,3, King James Version)
In deceiving people, the false prophets would propagate the doctrines of demons or the teachings of the devil. And those who were deceived would depart from or abandon the true teachings of God. Two of the devil’s doctrines are forbidding to marry and imposing abstinence from meats. The church that teaches or upholds these two doctrines is the apostate church or the one that has departed from the true Christian faith.
In the book Faith of our Fathers, Cardinal Gibbons stated:
“The disciples of the Church[Catholic Church] has been exerted from the beginning in prohibiting Priests to marry after their ordination.” (p. 328)
In another Catholic book entitled The Teaching of Christ, it is stated:
“…Fasting and abstinence are encouraged in Lent, but Church[Catholic Church] law does not require a great deal of us in this regard. Specific regulations vary in different countries. In the United States of America, for example, all Fridays of Lent are days of abstinence, that is, days on which no meat is to be eaten; and Ash Wednesday and Good Friday are days of fast as well as abstinence.” (pp. 461-462).
The Catholic Church, therefore, practices both celibacy and abstinence, both doctrines of the devil which are against the true Christian faith. No wonder the true Church established by Christ in the first century did not continue.
Therefore, to restore the true Christian faith based on the teachings of the Holy Bible, it is indispensable that the true Church of Christ be reestablished. Hence, the emergence of the Church of Christ in the Philippines is the fulfillment of Christ’s prophecy regarding His other sheep. The true founder of the Church of Christ that emerged in the Philippines, therefore, is Christ Himself (Rom. 16:16; Acts 20:28, Lamsa Translation; Jn. 10:9).
The call of God to those who have abandoned the true Christian faith and those who have joined false churches is stated in the Book of Revelation:
“Then I heard another voice from heaven, saying, ‘Come out, my people! Come out from her! You must not take part in her sins; you must not share in her punishment!” (Rev. 18:4. TEV)
But, it is not enough to just come out or leave the false churches or religions to win God’s favor and be freed from His punishment on Judgment Day. God said:
“… Stand in the ways and see, And ask for the old paths, where the good way is, And walk in it; Then you will find rest for your souls.” (Jer. 6:16, NKJV)
To be assured of salvation on Judgment Day – which is to find rest for our souls – is to find the good way and to walk therein. The good way and only true way to the Father and to eternal life is our Lord Jesus Christ. We can walk the good way by entering Christ as the door to become His sheep and be found in His fold or flock which is the Church of Christ (Jn. 10:9, 16; Acts 20:28, Lamsa Translation).
posted by candy @ 8:41 AM
Published in Pasugo, Jul-Aug 1992
One of the Catholic Church’s earliest unscriptural doctrines which gave birth to other false beliefs is the Christ-is-true-man-and-true-God doctrine, defined as an article of faith at the Council of Nicea in A.D. 325:
“Thus, for example, it was not until 325 A.D., at the Council of Nicaea, that the Church defined for us that it was an article of faith that Jesus is truly God.” (Discourses On The Apostles’ Creed, p. 206)
From this teaching stem other Council-manufactured dogmas, such as those on Mary and the Trinity.
Examples are the Marian dogmas of “Perpetual Virginity,” “Divine Motherhood,” “Immaculate Conception,” and “Assumption.” Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger, Pope John Paul II’s chief watchdog of Catholic orthodoxy, in an interview with author Vittorio Messori, was quick to admit that these dogmas were proclaimed to “protect” the Catholic faith in Christ’s alleged dual nature. Said he:
“It is, moreover in direct service to faith in Christ – not, therefore, primarily out of devotion to the Mother – that the Church has proclaimed her Marian dogmas: first that of her perpetual virginity and divine motherhood and then, after a long period of maturation and reflection, those of her Immaculate Conception and bodily Assumption into heavenly glory. These dogmas protect the original faith in Christ as true God and true man: two natures in a single Person.” (The Ratzinger Report, pp. 106-107)
What is perceived in these Marian dogmas as a “direct service to Christ” is in reality a direct disservice – an affront – to both Christ and Mary, for such dogmas are entirely unbiblical as they were merely invented and proclaimed by Catholic bishops and popes in A.D. 451, A.D. 431, A.D. 1854 and A.D. 1950, respectively. (cf. New Catholic Encyclopedia, vol. XIV, p. 695; Roman Catholicism, pp. 7-9)
Coming on the heels of a wrong doctrine of her own making is the Catholic Church’s formulation of another one – in fact, her principal one: the Trinity.
Purportedly a mystery no one understands, the Trinitarian doctrine – the formulation of which took the Catholic Church about three centuries to complete (cf. Systematic Theology, pp. 82-83; Fundamentals of Catholic Dogma, p. 53) – is said to have originated from the “necessity” Catholics faced “to distinguish Jesus from God… while maintaining the belief that both are God.” The International Dictionary of the Christian Church attests thus:
“Historically, Trinitarian doctrine originated in the necessity Christians faced to distinguish Jesus from God, yet to identify Him with God..
“Through the Incarnation the first Christians learned to distinguish the Father and the Son while maintaining the faith that both are God…
“Thus the doctrine of the Trinity is derived from the truth of the Incarnation and is to be tested by it.” (p. 986)
Had these “first Christians” (Catholics, actually) only learned to distinguish right from wrong, biblical from unbiblical, they would not have maintained that both the Father and the Son are God, but that only the Father is God, for that is what the Bible teaches:
“Jesus spoke this words, lifted up His eyes to heaven, and said: ‘Father, the hour has come. Glorify Your Son, that Your Son also may glorify You,
“And this is eternal life, that they may know You, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom You have sent’.” (Jn. 17:1,3, New King James Version)
“Yet for us there is only one God, the Father, of whom are all thing, and we for Him; and one Lord Jesus Christ, through whom are all things, and through whom we live.” (I Cor. 8:6, Ibid.).
The Trinitarian doctrine really originated not “in the necessity Christians faced to distinguish Jesus from God,” for the true Christians already had distinguished well Jesus from God (cf. I Tim. 2:5; Acts 2:22-24), but in the apostasy into which they fell, as had been forewarned by Christ and the Apostles (cf. Mt. 24:24-26; II Cor. 11:3-4).
An offshoot of the dogma on “divine motherhood” is the Catholic Church’s invention of yet another mind-boggling teaching about Mary.
In her bid to galvanize her “Theotokos” (“Mother of God”) doctrine, which she admits is nowhere to be found in Scripture (cf. Fundamentals of Mariology, p. 37), the Catholic Church teaches that Mary has entered into a “special relationship with the Trinity,” making the already mysterious doctrine of the Trinity all the more mysterious. She avers that Mary is “daughter of God the Father, Mother of God the Son and spouse of God the Holy Spirit” (Compendio Historico dela Religion, p. 501) – clarifying not if this teaching has turned God the Father into “God the Son’s” grandfather, considering that Mary,”God the Son’s” mother, is God the Father’s daughter, or that “God the Holy Spirit” is now God the Father’s son-in-law since “God the Holy Spirit” is Mary’s husband. This must be mystery at its most intricate, most perplexing and most unfathomable level. Remember: the true mystery of God is knowable:
“And He said to them, ‘To you it has been given to know the mystery of the kingdom of God; but to those who are outside, all things come in parables, so that ‘Seeing they may see and not perceive, and hearing they may hear and not understand; Lest they should turn, And their sins be forgiven them’.” (Mk. 4:11-12, NKJV)
Ludicrous though the reason behind the creation of this brain-wracking Mary-Trinity mystery may be, the creation itself nevertheless came as no surprise, considering who its creator is. For who else could create such mystery but the Mother of all Mysteries – Babylon Mystery Church (cf. Rev. 17:5) otherwise known as the Holy Catholic Apostolic Roman Church.
Well aware of the fact that the true Christians Church bases all her doctrines on the Bible, it behooves us to ask: Why does the Catholic Church, which persistently claims to be the true church adhere to unscriptural doctrines, and even want to protect them with equally unbiblical ones? What makes her prefer to right her biblically unrightable wrongs with the inventions and fabrications of every kind rather than abandon them?
Obviously the reason is her fearlessness in doing violence to scriptural injunctions against adding to the word of God:
“Whatever I command you, be careful to observe it; you shall not add to it nor take away from it.” (Deut. 12:32, Ibid.)
“For assuredly, I say to you, till heaven and earth pass away, one jot or one tittle will by no means pass from the law till all is fulfilled.
“Whoever therefore breaks one of the least of these commandments, and teaches men so, shall be called least in the kingdom of heaven; but whoever does not teaches them, he shall be called great in the kingdom of heaven.” (Mt. 5:18-19, Ibid.)
“Now these things, brethren, I have figuratively transferred to myself and Apollos for your sakes, that you may learn in us not to think beyond what is written, that none of you may be puffed up on behalf of one against the other.” (I Cor. 4:6, Ibid.)
“For I testify to everyone who hears the words of the prophesy of this book: If anyone adds to these things, God will add to him the plagues that are written in this book;
“And if anyone takes away from the words of the book of this prophecy, God shall take away his part from the Book of Life, from the holy city, and from the things which are written in this book.” (Rev. 22:18-19, Ibid.).
A statement from Ratzinger on the doctrine of purgatory graphically manifests this:
“…’Purgatory did not exist, we should have to invent it’.” (The Ratzinger Report, p. 146)
Now, why isn’t the Catholic Church afraid to add to the Bible as evidence by her inventions? Because she maintains that the Bible is not the only rule of faith. She argues that aside from what are written in the Bible, there are other “revealed truths” allegedly taught by Christ and the Apostles which were passed down by word of mouth. These truths, she says, constitute what is know as Tradition (cf. My Catholic Faith, p. 120).
According to M. Catherine Frederick, the Catholic Church “does not teach that the Bible is the only rule of faith… Many of her doctrines are based on…Tradition.” (cf. The Handbook of Catholic Practices, p. 112)
But the argument on Tradition allegedly having equal authority with the Bible is diametrically opposed to the apostolic admonition that Christians should not go beyond what is written (cf. I Cor. 4:6). Christ’s pronouncement that what are written were written “that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the son of God, and that believing you may have life in His name” (cf. Jn. 20:30-31). Truth is, this Tradition thing was itself invented only by the Council of Trent in 1545 (cf. Roman Catholicism, pp. 7-9).
Furthermore, one realizes after close scrutiny that the Catholic argument on Tradition is really pure trickery. For what the Catholic Church calls Tradition is actually the collection name Tradition (or ascribe them to it), and now argues that the Bible is not the only repository of divine truths but Tradition also. Very much like when she invented the doctrine of Christ’s deity I A.D. 325. After having invented it, she now argues that the Father is not the only true God but Christ also. In other words, the Catholic Church invents something to add to another thing, and then says that the latter is not the only real thing.
Some of the Catholic Church’s dogmas, practices, terms, which she invented and now attributes to Tradition are:
Easter, by the Council of Nicea, A.D. 325 (The Story of the Church, p. 50); Christmas, by Artenon, A.D. 373 (cf. The New Schaff-Herzog Encyclopedia, p. 47). The term Trinity, by Tertullian A.D. 220 (Systematic Theology, p. 304);
Purgatory, invented by Gregory I in A.D 593; The Rosary, by Peter the Hermit, A.D. 1090; Transubstantiation, by Pope Innocent III, A.D. 1215; The Auricular Confession of sins to a priest instead of to God, by the Lateran Council, A.D 1215; The Scapular, by Simon Stock, an English monk, A.D. 1251;
Papal Infallibility, by the Vatican Council, A.D. 1870; Immaculate Conception, by Pope Pius IX, A.D. 1854; Assumption of Mary, Pope Pius XII, A.D. 1950; Canonization of dead saints, by Pope John XV, A.D. 995; and a host of others. (cf. Roman Catholicism, pp. 8-9)
Indeed, from everyone and everywhere but the Bible did the Catholic Church derive her teachings, and so pronounced is this to her teachers that they even seem to take pride in admitting that their faith in Christ whom they recognize as God is not derived from the Bible. Karl Adam, in a book carrying the imprimatur of Patrick Cardinal Hayes, not only admits but asserts:
“…the Catholic does not derive his faith in Jesus from the Scriptures … I learn the complete Christ, not from the Bible…” (The Spirit of Catholicism, p. 50, 57)
Catholics, in truth and in fact, learned their “Christ” from extra biblical source, a book on which are written all the basic teachings of the Catholic Church: Catechism. According to the Catholic priest, Enrique Demond, the Catechism instructs things which all Catholics “ought to believe, obey, accept, and pray for.” (cf. Siya ang Inyong Pakinggan: “Ang Aral Na Katoliko,” p. 5)
It is the Catholic Catechism, not the Bible that teaches that Christ is God. Needless to say, if only Catholics learned their Christ from the Bible, they would have believed Him as man, not as God:
“But now you seek to kill Me, a Man who has told you the truth which I heard from God. Abraham did not do this.” (cf. Jn. 8:40, NKJV)
“For there is one God and one Mediator between God and men, the Man Christ Jesus.” (I Tim. 2:5, Ibid.)
Interesting to note is a recent newspaper report that the Catholic Church’s universal catechism was undergoing revision. Reports had it that “Pope John Paul II, on Thursday (June25, 1992), approved the first major overhaul of the Roman Catholic Church’s universal catechism in more than 400 years” (cf. Daily Globe, p. 7, June 27, 1992). Another attempt at righting her wrongs?
This is certain: Whatever changes the Vatican intends to make in the Catholic Church’s catechism will bear no religious significance – unless it rids it of all her inventions and replaces them with the biblical truth.
This she will never do. Centuries of Catholic experience have proven beyond doubt that it is not in her nature to abandon her errors. She prefers to cling to them tenaciously.
Bibliography
Adam, Karl. The Spirit of Catholicism. USA: Doubleday & Company, Inc., 1954.
Boettner, Loraine. Roman Catholicism. New Jersey: The Presbyterian and Reformed Publishing Co., 1962.
Carol, Juniper B. Fundamentals of Mariology. USA: Benziger Brothers Inc., 1956
Crock, Clement H. Discourses On The Apostle’s Creed..New York: Joseph F. Wagner, Inc., 1938.
Demond, Enrique. Siya Ang Inyong Pakinggan: “Ang Aral Na Katoliko.” Manila: Catholic Trade School, 1916.
Frederick, Catherine. The Handbook of Catholic Practices:. New York: Hawthorn Books Inc., 1964
Jackson, George, Jerome Hannan, and Sister Dominica. The Story of the Church. New York: Benziger Brothers, 1935.
Morrow, Louis L. R. My Catholic Faith. Manila: The Catholic Truth Society, 1936.
New Catholic Encyclopedia, vol. XIV. Washington D.C.: The Catholic University of America, 1967.
Ott, Ludwig. Fundamentals of Catholic Dogma. Illinois: Tan Books Publishers, Inc., 1974.
Pinton, Josef. Compendio Historico De La Religion. Manila: University of Sto. Tomas, 1932.
Ratzinger, Joseph Cardinal. The Ratzinger Report. USA: Ignatius Press, 1985.
Strong, Augustus Hopkins. Systematic Theology. USA: The Judson Press, 1907.
The New International Dictionary of the Christian Church, rev. ed. Michigan: Zondervan Publishing House, 1974.
“Vatican Approves Changes in Cathecism.” Daily Globe. June 27, 1992.
posted by candy @ 8:29 AM
Indeed, it is a great irony that something so ubiquitous and abundant is beyond the possession of many and continues to severely affect the relationships among peoples and nations. Wars have been waged, conflicts have intensified, and relationships have been severed – all because of land. And yet, despite all these problems, the quest and longing for it remain unquenched.
“And I will establish My covenant between Me and you and your descendants after you in their generations, for an everlasting covenant, to be God to you and your descendants after you.
“Also I give to you and your descendants after you the land in which you are a stranger, all the land of Canaan, as an everlasting possession; and I will be their God.” (Gen. 17:7-8, Ibid.)
There was no easy way into Canaan; it was inhabited by greater and mightier nations with armies larger and better equipped. But, because of God’s promise, Israel emerged victorious against formidable adversaries (Deut. 7:1-2; 20:1, 3-4, Ibid.). And, as God’s chosen people, ancient Israel had the right to serve and glorify God because of His promises and covenant with Abraham and his descendants (Deut. 7:8-9; Ps. 105:9-10, Ibid.) Moreover, not only did Israel have the true worship but also the hope of receiving His promises (Rom. 9:4, Today’s English Version).
However, the Israelites did not remain faithful to God’s covenant with them; they transgressed His law and turned away from Him:
“All Israel has transgressed your law and turned away, refusing to obey you. Therefore the curses and sworn judgments written in the Law of Moses, the servant of God, have been poured out on us, because we have sinned against you.” (Dan. 9:11, New International Version)
The Israelites’ unfaithfulness had a tragic consequence: they were rejected by God and ceased to be His chosen people (Hos. 4:6; Jer. 6:19, 30, NKJV).
From a full-pledged nation with a land of its own, the Israelite Kingdom collapsed and its people were thrown into captivity.
“Then they will look toward the earth and see only distress and darkness and fearful gloom, and they will be thrust into utter darkness.” (Isa. 8:22, NIV)
Indeed, life on earth is not only fragile but also sad and frightening; the present terra firma does not offer hope. Although man’s progress has grown by leaps and bound, he still suffers from its tragic consequences.
Where should we put our hope then? Apostle Paul wrote:
“While we do not look at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen. For the things which are seen are temporary, but the things which are not seen are eternal.” (II Cor. 4:18, NKJV)
Hence, present realities, however hard and painful, should not cloud our hope for the things incorruptible and timeless – God’s promise of a better land. And so, just like the faithful servants of God in ancient times, those who hope for God’s eternal promises in the Christian era consider themselves as mere strangers and foreigners on earth because “they were looking forward to a better home in heaven.” Apostle Paul made this clear when he said:
“…But they still had faith, even though they had not received what they had been promised. They were glad just to see these things from far away, and they agreed that they were only strangers and foreigners on this earth. When people talk this way, it is clear that they are looking for a place to call their own.
“But they were looking forward to a better home in heaven. That’s why God wasn’t ashamed for them to call him their God. He even built a city for them.” (Heb. 11:13:14, 16, Contemporary English Version)
Thus, inasmuch as Canaan merely foreshadowed the Holy City and this earth we live in can never be the promised land, one must look to the future with hope and faith for a “better home in heaven” where he will receive God’s eternal rewards.
“Now I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away. Also there was no more sea. Then I, John, saw the holy city, New Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. And I heard a loud voice from heaven saying,
“Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men, and He will dwell with them, and they shall be His people. God Himself will be with them and be their God.” (Rev. 21:1-3, NKJV)
Glory abounds in “the new heaven and the new earth” for it has the glory of God (Rev. 21:11, Ibid.), the kind of glory which is eternal, as Apostle Paul pointed out:
“For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all.” (II Cor. 4:17, NIV)
Thus, our pains and sufferings in this world are nothing compared to the great and eternal glory that will be revealed to us in the Holy City. Again Apostle Paul elucidated:
“I consider that what we suffer at the present time cannot be compared at all with the glory that is going to be revealed to us.” (Rom. 8:18, TEV)
In the Holy City, we will enjoy a glorious life because there will be no more tears, grief, pain, death, crying, hunger and thirst (Rev. 21:1-4; 7:16, Ibid.) Hence, in that promised homeland, the New Jerusalem, a life of complete joy and happiness awaits us (Isa.65:17-19, Ibid.) Undeniably, life there is perfect and what reigns therein is eternal peace. No warfare of any kind will ever take place there. In the New Jerusalem, conflicts over lands, borders and territories are but things of the past.
In addition, the place is unequaled in its pulchritude and unmatched in its resplendence:
“And he carried me away in the Spirit to a great and high mountain, and showed me the great city, the holy Jerusalem, descending out of heaven from God,
“Having the glory of God. Her light was like a most precious stone, like a jasper stone, clear as crystal. …The construction of its wall was of jasper; and the city was pure gold, like clear glass. …The twelve gates were twelve pearls: each individual gate was of one pearl. And the street of the city was pure gold, like transparent glass.” (Rev. 21:10-11, 18, 21, NKJV)
All kinds of precious stones adorn the foundations of the city wall. And at each of the gates are angels. There is no house of worship or temple in the Holy City because God and Christ are its temple (Rev. 21:12, 19-25, Ibid.). Moreover, the river of life and the tree of life are among the precious things also found in the Holy City (Rev. 22:1-7, Ibid.).
Surely, the New Jerusalem or the Holy City is worth our sacrifices and sufferings – and our waiting.
After Israel fell into apostasy, Abraham’s seed carried on with God’s covenant with Abraham. The Bible enlightens us on this regard:
“If you belong to Christ, then you are Abraham’s seed, and heirs according to the promise.” (Gal. 3:29, NIV)
Hence, in the Christian era, God’s everlasting covenant with Abraham continues because it was handed down to those who belong to Christ and thus are Abraham’s seed. One need not be an Israelite in the flesh anymore to partake of God’s covenant with Abraham. By virtue of having relationship to Christ, who is Abraham’s seed, one can have a share of God’s promises. The Bible emphasizes this:
“Now to Abraham and his Seed were the promises made. He does not say, ‘And to seeds’, as of many, but as of one, ‘And to your Seed’, who is Christ.” (Gal. 3:16, NKJV)
And how can one have relationship to Christ? How can man inherit God’s promises? By becoming a part of the body. This is what the Bible teaches:
“That the Gentiles should be fellow heirs, of the same body, and partakers of His promise in Christ through the gospel.” (Eph. 3:6, Ibid.)
The body referred to is the Church of Christ (Col. 1:18, Ibid.; Acts 20:28, Lamsa Translation). Thus, not just anyone can be an heir to God’s promise. And through an illustration, Christ introduced the heirs to God’s promises. They are the ones who, on His second advent, are likened to sheep placed at His right, as opposed to those likened to goats at His left. The sheep of Christ will be the ones to inherit the kingdom of God (Matt. 25:31-34, TEV). The Holy Scriptures clarifies that the flock where Christ’s sheep are gathered is the Church of Christ (Acts. 20:28, Lamsa Translation).
Therefore, the members of the Church of Christ, inasmuch as they belong to Christ, are the seed of Abraham regardless of their race, color, or social status. They have the covenant that God made to Abraham, that is, the right to serve and glorify God. By virtue of this great privilege they now are heirs to God’s promises and have the right to enter the New Jerusalem or the Holy City.
As hardships, trials, and sacrifices marked Israel’s laborious journey toward Canaan, so is the journey of God’s nation in these last days toward the new promised land. Yet members of the Church of Christ are ready and willing to sacrifice even their own lives, if necessary, for the sake of this eternal blessing from God. And this they do with utmost conviction and dedication because of their firm hope that their citizenship is in heaven, as Paul in his epistle to the Philippians puts it plainly:
“For our citizenship is in heaven, from which we also eagerly wait for the Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ, Who will transform our lowly body that it may be conformed to His glorious body, according to the working by which He is able even to subdue all things to Himself.” (Phil. 3:20-21, NKJV)
posted by candy @ 10:09 PM
