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He desired that those faithful Christians who were caught with missionary vision must organize themselves into a society to send missionaries and support them in their evangelistic work Carey had a lurking desire to win the hearts and minds of true believers to serve his purpose. He studied the parallel between the centuries old plight of the extend nation of Israel which was completely forgotten by God and the unproductive and the desolate condition of the church of his own days. He insisted that the promise of God was also his command. God would do good things always by extending the kingdom of Jesus Christ throughout all nations and so Christians must try to do great things by taking the gospel into their hands and work hard for its spreading. That is to say, if people expect great things from God, they must do great things to God.
Finally William Carey came to India on his mission in 1793 with his wife and four children and settled in Calcutta. In a short time he found some Hindus showed some interest in his preaching about Christ. At the same time, he realized that the people in India were bounded with strong chains of castism that is, he understood how Indians would give so much importance to caste system in every walk of life. In the beginning he found it difficult to convert a Hindu into Christian’s faith. Added to that within one year of his coming to India he had to face some hurdles. His wife became mentally sick, which continued tell the end of her life. In addition to that his third son died due to dysentery and he was short of money even, to meet the initial expenditure. Another pitiable thing was that he was receiving some financial support from England and now that was also stopped. So, he had to plan some other way to get some financial help for his survival.
By God's grace he got a job as the manager in the “indigo factory”. The income through that job helped him to meet the family expenditure and also to some extend his missionary work. Carey became a dependent increasingly upon the promises’ of the bible. Yet, it is our encouragement the power of God is sufficient to accomplish everything which he had promised and his promises were exceedingly great and precious respecting
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the conversion of heathens. Carey waited seven years for the promise of God to become fruitful in his trial for the first converts. Finally four Hindus from Serampore came to faith in Christ. With this wonderful beginning the door of faith was opened and nobody could close it.
Two more friends joined Carey in his effort of conversion and by 1821 about 1407 converts were baptized. It is said William Carey never returned to his home land Finally he died in India only in 1834. After his death the missionary movement had increased rapidly. But one should not forget the man behind that wonderful progress was the incessant hard work of William Carey. In course of time missionary education in India and Africa showed a good result which carry never expected. And finally though Carey died, his other two friends added, his name as three started a missionary educational college in Serampore.
The prime aim of that step was to train Indians in theology to become missionaries for their own people. Yet the educational opportunities were open to all. The real ambition of the founders of the institution was for the reformation of India. But it is important to hear in terms of the exalted ideals of the founders Serampore missionary educational institution was a failure.
Evangelism - through Locals:
Carey believed that evangelism in India would be successful only through local evangelism and he was correct in his statement. So, he wished for the grace of God upon some Indians, so, that they would be inspired to go for training and then preach among the local Hindu. He was really correct in his estimation that only through native evangelists more and effective work could be possible. Accordingly the first Hindus convert Krishna pal. Who was baptized in 1800 became the first popular evangelist among his own country people. He started his work first in Calcutta and then in Assam. By 1834 Serampore mission has founded nineteen mission stations manned by fifty missionaries.
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William Carey expressed his opinion that missionaries must make use of every opportunity to the people to whom they were entrusted and he was as good as his word. He happened to take part in India in activities like translations to Hindus literature educational work medical care and agricultural matters Carey’s advanced conception of missionary work, probably contributed for the indifference between serampore missionaries and the Baptist mission society. Whatever work Carey did he thought it was direct response to the command of Christ. His independent spirit in India alarmed the temid souls in England, who did not understand the real missionary work established by him. Yet Carey was responsible for the spiritual awakening of millions of protestant Christians all over the world, who never heard of Jesus Christ. That was undoubtedly a wonderful thing and a great compliment on the achievement of a humble Northampton shire shoemaker what all he did was for the spreading of the word of God throughout the world was due to his confidence on God that he would do great things. Many of the countries where the Christian churches are strongest and alive today are a real witness to the missionary activities of nineteenth century and the confidence of William Carey, regarding the progress of Christianity and the churches was not misplaced.
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10. SIGN OF THE SECOND COMING OF JESUS
Jesus conquered death and wished to go to His father by leaving this world and His disciples. His decision was final and the destiny of Israel was sealed which was brought by herself. Jesus in His three years ministry sincerely pleaded for the repentance of Israelites for their sin and also accepts His messianic claim to rule them. For this His credentials were wonderful His lineage from which He came the village in which He was brought up, the compassion He exhibited, the courage He displayed, the wisdom He showed all those things were really extraordinary. He practised His message and proclaimed His authority. He exhibited (never any man spoke like this man” (John 7.46) all the above mentioned qualification to prove His authority. For His messiah ship.
With this His disciples thought that Jesus was going to become as the king of Israel. They also finally hoped the Roman persecution would go permanently and Israelites would know the greatness and glory of Jesus Christ. which had been their hope almost 1000 years earlier under the mighty king David and His son Solomon. But their hopes became futile because for centuries the Jewish leadership became corrupted. As a matter of fact the inspired writings of Moses the oral law of the prophets of their time remained as vain traditions. According to Jesus many of the Pharisees were corrupt hypocrites and white washed sepulcheres (Matthew 23.27). They had become blind leaders of the blind (Matthew 15.14). But Jesus having understood their crooked nature condemned their sin and the truth of Jesus rebuked their error. They misled the Jewish people with false distortion manipulation and false witness.
Then at the appointed time Jesus was taken to a hill outside the Northen wall of the city of Jerusalem to Golgotha, the place of the skull. At last the purpose of His coming was fulfilled. He would as the true Passover lamb taste death for every man (Hebrews 2.9) Jesus knew intimately what was going to happen to him in less than a week at Calvary. He perfectly knew how He was going to be humiliated by keeping him on the cross and final death. His tragic end was not for himself but for the entire humanity
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111 and for His beloved nation (Israel). So He said ye shall not see me Hence forth till ye shall say blessed is He that cometh in the name of the Lord” (Matthew 23.39) But to His beloved disciples He said these words “and if I go and prepare a place for you I will come again and receive you into myself that where I am there you may be also” (John 14.3) Above all there is one top most question lingering in the minds of the disciples. At the same time all the hopes of Israelites were linked with the promised Messiah. But the national leadership bluntly rejected His messianic claims and so He was leaving to return again one day. All the above said information somehow perturbed the minds of the disciples so they boldly asked Jesus when these things shall be?” and what shall be the sign of the coming and of the end of the world (age) (Matthew 24.3)
What would be the sign?
The disciples asked their master a sign regarding His second coming for and the end of the world They were Jewish people their customs and traditions and training were based on the law of prophet Moses and prophets of their time. Their history unto other nations was studied with direct Divine intervention on their behalf. When God sent Moses to Egypt to liberate Israelites from the bondage. He gave His servant a rod. Then He said to Moses and thou shalt take this rod into thine hand wherewith thou shalt do signs (Exodus 4.17). As instructed Moses used that rod in the court of Pharaoh of Egypt to perform signs which were miraculous and supernatural.
They were confirmed that it was the God of Hebrews, who had sent Moses into the court of Pharaoh to redeem the children of Israelites Moses Elijah the premier prophet of God, was also a miracle worker. He happened to withhold rain and also call down fire from Heaven. The Jewish people were always for that kind of History and looked for signs to authenticate Divine involvement on their behalf. Why Because the Jewish people had this kind of peculiar mental set up Apostle Paul was prompted to write about them. He wrote for the Jews require a sign” (1 Corinthians 1.22). The word sign can be found in old and new testaments for about 119 times. Men were called to see, to look at, and to be hold signs. These Signs
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have been intended to be conspicuous. By their very nature signs were made to be public.
Signs were closely related to the concept of miraculous happenings and frequently they would become the translators and they translate the word sign as a miracle with the announcement of the Lord that He was leaving His disciples. They became eager to know what sign would be to allow them to recognize His return and the end of the age. They did not ask him correct indication of time like a day or a month or year indicator of something miraculous or supernatural (which would authenticate and substantiate His return and the end of the (age). They did not require signs but only one sign. That is His disciple’s required only one sign. Which would indicate His return and the end of the age?
For the true believers the return of Jesus is the blessed hope of the church (Titus 2.13) It is also said as “living hope” (1 peter 1.3) that is to say His sure and certain. This living hope made the disciples to confront even the impossible things. They courageously went forward with the God given task of Evangelism. In their task they were not objected either by physical problem or by spiritual opposition. They believed totally that the Lord is coming and anxiously looking for that glorious day. In spite of the fact that the coming of Christ for the believers this mortality would become immortality and this corruptive would become incorruptive. For the believers even death itself is swallowed in victory.
There are four different words used in the New Testament in connection with the coming of Jesus Christ. And understanding these words correctly is important in this context because the question the disciples put regarding the sign of His coming came of those four Greek words. The first word is ERCHOMIC this word is continuously used and translated with the meaning “coming” according to Authorized Version. The Lord regularly used this word whenever He spoke with His disciples.
The Lord instructed verily I say unto you there be some standing Here which shall not taste of death till they see the son of man coming (ERCHOMIC) in His kingdom (Matthew 16.28)
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The second world has become a discussion in connection with the return of Christ it is APOCALYPSIS This Greek word is translated in the Authorized Version as “coming or revelation”. The idea conveyed in the use of that word is to disclose or bring to light in the word of God there is a disclosure or bringing to light” of the person of the Lord Jesus by men who were under the controlling influence of the Holy Spirit. That is in marked contrast of His coming apocalypses He will reveal himself or bring himself to light. In this connection Apostle Paul wrote to the humble Corinthian believers. So that ye came behind in no gift waiting for the coming apocalypses or self disclosure of our Lord Jesus Christ (1CorincHeans
1.7)
The third Greek word is linked with the return of Jesus and it is EPIPHANIES. “This word is translated as “appearing”. This religious term EPIPHANIES indicate a clear manifestation of hidden deity either in person or by some great act by which His presence is revealed. At this point Apostle Paul said I charge thee therefore before the Lord Jesus Christ, Who shall Judge the quick and the dead at His appearing epiphanies and His kingdom (2 Timothy 4.1) The fourth Greek word particularly used by His disciples was EPIPHANIES. It was translated as “coming or presence” And this word is used 24 times in the Greek New Testament during the first three centuries
of the church Age. The major emphasis of the word PAROUSIA was on
presence rather than coming.
The coming PAROUSIA of Christ in the Heaven will be for the purpose
of ruapture the church. As that time there will be a continuous presence of Christ in the clouds (that is the manifestation of His SHEKINAH GLORY not His physical bodily form.) for the purpose of judging the wicked before He is visible physically and return to the earth in order to establish His MILLENNIAL KINGDOM and rule. So, the coming PAROUSIA of Christ and the rapture of the church are to be fulfilled immediately with no time between them. The second coming of Christ is continuously portrayed as a singular event. In the bible also it is repeated a good number of times by different authors.
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And what shall be the time of thy coming (Matthew 24.3) So shall also the coming of the son of men be (Matthew 24.27) Now we beseech you brethren by the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ (2 Thessalonians 2.1) Be patient therefore brethren unto the coming our Lord (James 5.7) Looking for and hasting unto the coming of the day of the Lord (2 peter
3.12)
We may have confidence and not be ashamed before him at His coming (1John2.28) and we have many more examples of this type.
Here if we observe carefully there is not even a hint anywhere regarding two separate comings of Jesus Christ. This is a simple adorned biblical truth. The suggestion mentioned often as Christ will come first for the rapture of the church and then return to the earth for the second time seven years later. The fact is that Christ is coming only one time but the events will take place immediately one after another. At the first glance upon considering the very big question of the disciples what shall be the sign of the coming and of the end of the world the phrase the end of the world mislaid people in meaning in the Authorized Version. It would have been better if it is translated as the end of the age” The Jewish people have another important book after the bible and it is called “Talmud”. It is a record of inspired traditional rabbinic teaching. According to that Talmud there will be two ages of History. They are the present age and the age to come. Then between these two ages there will be a period of Devine judgment as per the Jewish theology. (called in the Word of God,” the day of the Lord “(Joel 2:1-2). When the disciples asked him, when is the sign of thy coming (arousia) and the end of the age (aion)(Matthew 24:5).Since they were Jews, they understood the statement as coming of Christ would end the era (the present age) and after a brief period of judgment, starts another .(the Millennial age )
In the Bible, a synonym for the “end of the age” is the phrase, “until the harvest”. This phrase can be found in the parable of the Lord, the wheat and the tares. In the gospel of Matthew, probably the direct answer
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115 for their question. Jesus told the following parable to His disciples. He first put forth unto them saying. The kingdom of Heaven is comparable to the men which showed good seeds in His fields. But while men slept, His enemy came and showed tares among the wheat and went His way. I would say to the reapers, gather ye together first the tares and bind them in bundles to burn them but gather the wheat unto my barn (Matthew
13.24-
30)
Then the disciples requested the Lord to explain to them the parable and He began to say in details. He that showeth the good seed is the son of man, the field is the world, the good seeds are the children of the kingdom but the tares are the children of the wicked one. The enemy that sowed the tares is the devil. The harvest is the end of the world and the reapers are the angels. The tares are finally gathered and burned, it means the end of the world. The earthly part of the parable is quite simple. The wheat and the weeds are to grow to together. The wheat and the weeds can be separated only at the time of the harvest. The wheat can be safely put in the barn whereas weeds can be burnt.
The spiritual truth of this parable is quite clear. The fact is the righteous and the unrighteous people live together in this material world. Then at the time of the harvest which is the end of the age (Matthew 13.43). Then the righteous and the unrighteous will be separated. The wicked will be cast into sell. And the righteous shall shine forth as the sun in the kingdom of their father. The Lord Jesus Christ taught them in an understandable way that the find harvest is the separation of righteous and the unrighteous and also the final harvest is the end of the age. This absolute identification is made by the Lord himself the harvest is the end of the age. There are two facts quite conspicuous in this connection. The events that are mentioned from the book of Matthew from the chapter 24.4 must have been properly understood by the overwhelming majority of the people. The Lord said, “And ye shall hear of wars and rumors of wars, see that ye be not troubled for all those things must come to pass but the end is not yet”.
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The final harvest (The separation of the righteous and the unrighteous) had not yet commenced within the seventh week. Again in verse 13 the Lord taught. But He that shall endure unto the end the same shall be saved” even further within the seventh week there is still no harvest no separation of the wheat and the tares. The second point is in direct response to the inquiry of the disciples concerning “the end of the age” The Lord taught this truth and this gospel of the kingdom shall be preached in the whole world for a witness unto all nations and then shall the end comes” (Mathew
24.14). At the same time the end has not yet come even though the contact is put correctly in its seventh week of Daniel It is clearly mentioned that the gospel must be preached all over the world then only the end would come.
At this stage a major problem has come that is the pre tribulation, the great commission of the church. And Jesus came and spoke unto them saying all power is given unto me in Heaven and in earth. Ye therefore and teach all nations baptizing them in the name of the father and of the son and of the Holy Ghost. Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commended you I am with you always even unto the end of the world (Age) Amen (Matthew 28.18.20). The promise of the Lord in the great commission includes the truth that ye would be with His disciples unto the end of the world (Age). If the end of the age according to the reference of Matthew is inside seventh week, then “The end of the age” in Matthew 28.20 must also be inside the seventh week. To understand more clearly the commission of the church must evangelize the world till the end of the age, and the missionary conferences must have to be Heralded Then only this happy news can be spread throughout the century and beyond. As a result, the Christ will enter seventh week of the book of Daniel in order to fulfill its holy calling With the above said acts the church will be raptured before the Day of the Lord The church the bride of Christ is not appointed unto the bridegroom’s wrath. The wrath of God will be directed only towards the unrepentant world. Which has refused His grace and love as a matter of fact the sequence of those events is clearly mentioned. Paul wrote the Corinthians. So that we come behind in no gift waiting for His coming (PARARUSIA) of our Lord Jesus Christ who shall also confirm
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117 (Galatians) you unto the end that we may be blameless in the day our Lord Jesus Christ (1 Corinthians 1.7-8). Finally we can distinguish three truths in the following way
1)The Corinthian believers are waiting for the coming of the Lord Jesus
Christ
2)He will keep them unto the end (The final harvest, When the righteous
and unrighteous are separated as wheat and tares) and then.
3)They will be found blameless and therefore escape the day of the Lord
judgment and become qualified to enter the millennial kingdom and
age. The disciples asked the Lord for a sign, which is something unique
in its character distinct supernatural and that question indicates His
coming and the end of the age they did not ask for two signs. They
asked only one question regarding the end of the age. They correctly
understood that His second coming will end this present age (with the
rapture of the righteous and the judgment of the wicked).
After this a new age called the millennial kingdom will be inaugurated. So far we have understood that the coming of Jesus and the end of the age are inseparable. These two events are linked together as one the sovereign. Lord graciously answered their question. He told them about the events that indicate His coming and then the sign of His coming itself. Then He warned about the false Christ’s and false prophets. He equated His coming to the days of Noah and gave appropriate action for the righteous to take. As said about a group of believers who would be ruptured and the unprepared world would be taken as unrepentant and subject to His wrath. So, in His response to His disciples the omnipotent Lord answered, some of the most important and perplexing questions of human History. He did all that so perfectly clearly logically and fully.
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11. HISTORY OF THE SEVEN CHURCHES
1. EPHESUS
The term “Ephemi” came from the word “Ephesis” which means a discarded one. The Ephesians believed that it was the name of a beautiful Amazanian queen, “Ephesia” who founded the city. The Amazanians were very powerful warrior women. Even the origin of their name, how it came was not known to them. According to some historical information, those people originally came from the north east of “Anatolia” and their capital was “Fatora and Order.”
As per the mythological information Amazans were the children of the god of war “Ares” The amazon women were more powerful than men. They used bows and arrows in times of need. For the purpose of sex and children they used men from other cities for mating and after that they would kill them. It is said; they even cut the private parts and offered them to their mother goddess. The most hateful thing for women was nothing but men and so to say men were treated like slaves by women.
“Zeus” the main reason for killing men was because the king “Zeus” was becoming more powerful day by day, and thereby men also became more powerful. The women did not like that, as they wanted to feel superiority over men always. The women even burnt one of their breasts so as to handle bow and arrow freely and forcefully.
According to another mythological story the founder of “Ephesus” was Androkilos, the son of “Kodros”, king of Athens. Whatever it might be the original people that lived in Ephesus were overshadowed by the important discoveries made during modern archeological excavations around Ephesus in 1869. The most ancient settlement brought to lime light was the commercial “Agora”. Near that place the remains of architecture were found dating 8th and 9th centuries B.C. They were found 8 meters below the surface of the earth. Then it was officially considered to be the correct location of “Archaic Ephesus”.
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It is also said Androkilos came to that place after Trojan war and settled in Antolia. He then occupied Ephesus and the surrounding places. He expelled the native people and population decreased in course of time.
In spite of many wars and invasions for many years by different dynasties, there was a radical change among people in Ephesus, especially their social life. Just at that time came the Romans and occupied the place. It was Octavious Ceasar who changed his name into Augustus Ceasar. Then the first step he took was to make Ephesus as the capital city to Asia province. Prior to that Pergamas was the capital to Roman Empire.
With that change, Ephesus became one of the five big cities in Roman Empire. It also became the permanent residence of the governor. It was again treated as the second biggest city after Alexandria. During their rule, the style of social life of the people of Ephesus was completely changed. The Romans introduced their heathen gods, and some Egyptian gods to the people. That was the religious policy in their rule.
In Ephesus there were already Monotheistic Jews who were trying to spread their own religion called Christianity. At that time Jesus was in Jerusalem. He was teaching and preaching to people and mobilizing them in different places. After the crucifixion of Christ, the disciples went to different places to preach the good news. That was the most significant period in the history of Ephesus.
It was St. John, who came first to Ephesus along with holy Virgin Mary. John was able to gather good number of people by his preaching in “Aegean” region and changed many people into Christianity. He even became a leader of the churches. Virgin Mary spent rest of her life there and died there only. We can see her tomb even today.
John reached Ephesus in 53 A.D. and continued his preaching. The Christian population increased gradually. Then there was a man who disturbed the spreading of Christianity. His name was “Demetrius”. He used to do silver business. He would make statues of “Artemis” with silver and sold them. As heathens were becoming Christians because of John, he
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wanted to take revenge for his business. So Demetrius could influence many people, especially from Ephesus within a short time. But the authorities controlled the situation somehow.
Apostle Paul was also there at that time. He studied the situation. He left that place and went to Macedonia. That period was really called “The golden age of Ephesus in architecture”. But an earth quake came in 17 B.C. and disturbed the city. After this calamity, new structures came including the temples, and the city looked more beautiful than before with new constructions.
Though temporary disturbance took place in the city due to the increase of Christian population, after suffering for some time they gained the acceptance of the empire during 4th Century A.D. Again some discouragement took place among Christians themselves because of “Nestorius of Antioch”. He claimed that virgin Mary was not the mother of God but Christ (that is of human being). He could convince many people with that statement and under such circumstances he became a patriarch of Constantinople (Isthanbul).
Then he tried for the acceptance of his thesis throughout the church. But there was some opposition for him also. The Council meeting took place in Ephesus during 431 A.D. in the church of virgin Mary. The Council members were about 200 bishops. They accepted only the thesis of “Cyril” who was the bishop of Alexandria. In that meeting, they decided that mother Mary was the mother of God. With that result, “Nestorius” was exiled to Egypt as a punishment.
Even after that incident, the argument went on among the bishops for about 18 years. Then another Council meeting took place wherein the thesis of someone was accepted by force and that was called a historical event. It was also mentioned in the minutes of Council that both the churches, the church of St. John and the church of St Mary as permanent meeting places.
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121 Due to political disturbance the Roman Empire was divided into parts and Ephesus happened to fall in the eastern side. This part was finally occupied by Arabs who made the people of that city to scatter away. And after Arabs came the Turkish Empire which made Ephesus prospers well in their rule. The city was decorated with Turkish “Edifies” such as Mosques, greater or smaller and with different architecture.
The first Christians of Ephesus had suffered more brutal persecution. Therefore, they bore a grudge against the protectors of the city and its temples. The city became always an important place for religious activities especially for Christianity.
CHURCH OF ST. MARY
The remains of this ancient city of Ephesus were found in the valley between the mount “Beerbiel and Panearayor” and it was in the south of “Silquik” valley where the river Minor flows into the Aegean sea. The name of that city in their language was “Aphayee” which means the city of streams. And this name later changed into Ephesus.
It was a very big city in those days in Turkey. It was in existence in the 1st century. The city was also called Maya Bazzar or Magic Bazzar. Its a big business centre and also became one of the seven wonders of the world with the temple of “Diana”. The height of the temple was about 560 feet, and it was built on 110 pillars. This goddess was famous for fertility.
According to some historical evidences the founder of the place was “Appolo”, the disciple of “St. John the Baptist”. Apostle Paul came to this place and instructed the church people. He worked there for 3 ½ years only. The main person here was Jesus Christ with
The History of the Seven Churches
Seven stars searched and found a dangerous defect in spite of all positive things. That is love among people. First, this was to tell the truth and develop love. But now it was turned into cold conditions. In the
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beginning it was rooted in love, then grew in knowledge about the love of Christ and the unity in Spirit. Jesus said in all his preaching that love was greater than anything in the world. Love sets the flames of love, which is not artificial. The real love is stronger than even death. The church too must love Jesus. Due to self- righteousness and lack of oneness, love is diminished among people. If they are found in the same position, they must turn to God and confess for salvation. We must have a good heart to love God. We must plead for those who are perishing in darkness. And finally love and service must go hand in hand.