సాక్ష్యం 6.
THE EXILES
In the year 597 B.C., the tiny state of Judah in the high lands of Canaan, broke its treaty with Nebuchadnezzar, king of Babylon. His was the most powerful empire in those days. Its was undoubtedly a catosraphic blunder on the part of Israel, they believed. After this, the Babylonian army besieged Judah’s capital city. The king immediately surrendered to the Babylonian king. But he did not remain silent. The young people were taken to Babylon along with ten thousand Israelites as exiles.
The exiles before they left Jerusalem, must have had a last glance at the temple built by king Solomon in between 970-930 B.C. It was actually the centre of their national and spiritual life. Their fears were realized only 586 B.C. after another attack look place in Judah. The king of Babylon came again and attacked and destroyed Jerusalem including Solomon temple to the ground.
But the exiles in Babylon were treated well. Some people like Daniel, Shadrack, Meshak and Abednego had special treatment there. They must have been lodged with common people in the regular houses. In spite of that good treatment, they had their own unhappy situation because they left their people and the country. They had no political independence and also no freedom of religion. “They were the people of Israel, who believed in their own God, YEHWEH”.
This God made a promise with Israel that if they worship Him exclusively, they would live in their promised land peacefully and properly forever.
The Jerusalem temple where YEHWEH was living among His devotees became essential for His cult. But those people were left in the alien land Babylon. This appears to be divine punishment for the Israel. Time and again, the Israel had failed to keep up their word or covenant with YEHWEH. Some of the exiles assumed the leaders of Israel to rectify the situation. At the same time, they could not worship YEHWEH without the temple because that was the only way and means to gather and worship. The Exiles
Five years after they were taken to Babylon, a young prophet came to that place. His name was Ezekiel. He had a gift of getting visions. He knew that he was in the presence of Yahweh. God had left Jerusalem and put it in the hands of Nebuchadnezzar, in order to punish the Israel, because they forgot God completely. So Ezekiel came to live with the exiles in Babylon.
A hand was stretched towards Ezekiel holding a scroll and then a voice came. The voice asked him to feed himself with the scroll and be satisfied. And God added “I am giving you”. When Ezekiel forced that into his mouth he felt some pain. In spite of that pain he experienced, he found it was as sweet as honey. It was a prophetic moment. But the exiles wanted to feel for their temple in Jerusalem.
Their repentance was purely temporary which made them to wander in wilderness for forty years to reach Canaan and after reaching Canaan God again helped them to conquer the high lands from the indigenous inhabitants. At Gilgal the local tribes celebrated Israel’s wonderful entry into the promised land.
By about 1000 B.C., however, the tribal system was not longer in existence. The Israelites became two monarchs in the Canaanites high lands. They became two kingdoms in 922 B.C. at the time of king Solomon for his sins. They were called the southern kingdom of Judah with 2 tribes of Judah and Benjamin and the Northern kingdom of Israel with the other 10 tribes of Israelites.
We did not have any historical evidence about the cult of Northern kingdom. In addition to that the Biblical historians had a bias towards Judaism. It came out eventually the Israelites were very much influenced by the cult of “Baal” (a heathen god) of the neighbouring countries.
Yahweh made an unconditional covenant with king David a favourite father of Judaism or Judahean dynasty. God promised to David that his dynasty or descendants only shall rule in Judah forever. During the eighth century B.C., there was a literary revolution throughout the Middle East and the Eastern Mediterranian. The king at that time became selfish and commissioned those documents. They glorified their scripts and their reign. Then they housed those texts in the library.
Those exiles brought a number of scrolls from Jerusalem along with the Babylon texts. These they started reading them and praised the documents for their contents. If they were allowed to go to their native land the recorded history and cult would have played very important role.
There were some tell tale stories in those days that went from mouth to mouth about the engraved stones (called the Ten Commandments or Ten words) given by YEHWEH to Moses on the mount of Sinai. The prophet Moses could have the privilege of talking with God face to face. And the Israelites told the same engraved stones stories to other people
Quest for the Living God in ancient world. They had handed over their traditions by a word of mouth. In the early days of their nation in about 1200 B.C. they lived in twelve tribal units in the Canaanite high lands; but they had faith in their common ancestry.
From the early fragments embedded in the early Biblical narrations, we can understand that the Israelites believed in their ancestors. It is also said they were nomads but Yahweh had brought them to Canaan and promised them that their descendants would possess the promised land of Canaan.
For about 430 years they lived as slaves in Egypt where they repented and remembered their God, YEHWEH. God listened to their cry and liberated them under the leadership of Moshe (Moses). Yet at the time in Israel and Judah the historians began to combine the old states and they were preserved like the first five books of the Bible. During the eighteenth century B.C., YEHWEH commanded Abraham to leave the home land of “Ur” in Mesapotamia and settle in Canaanite high lands. Then God had a covenant with Abraham promising him that his descendants would inherit the entire land comprising Judah and Israel.
As per the command of God Abraham left Ur and lived in Hebron. Then his son Isaac lived in Beersheba and his son Jacob who was also called Israel lived in Shechem. Jacob with his eleven sons happened to settle in Egypt with the help of Joseph who was already there in good position under Pharaoh. They all settled in a rich land called “Goshen.”
They flourished well in that place, and God blessed their population abundantly. The rapid growth of Israel population made Egyptian king afraid of them. So he took all possible steps to check the population and finally made them slaves. Then they cried unto God after spending 430 years and finally in 1250 B.C. they were liberated from the bondage of Pharaoh.
However, the archeologists who had been (trying to) excavating the regions since 1967 did not find any clue of evidence to coraborate this story. There is no indication of foreign invasion or men destruction and no sign of large scale change of population. Egypt ruled the Canaanite city states since nineteenth century B.C. and they had withdrawn their authority at the end of thirteenth century. Then we hear about Israel for the first time in that region in 1200 B.C.
Some scholars were of the opinion and argued that Israel were the refugees from the fallen states in the coastal plains. Those Israelites might have joined with the other tribes and from the states and brought with them the God “YEHWEH” who appeared to have originated at Southern region or at mount Sinai.
Abraham was a man of faith. His career and covenant God made with him looked forward to king David. But he was more interested in Jacob, a Northern character in Shechem. Amos the prophet preached in Israel in the middle of eighteenth century. He argued that to punish them, Amos also poured scorn against the Northern kingdom. The Exiles
Israel of Jerusalem was more consented the oracles of them and confirmed completely to the royal ideology of the house of king David. He had received his prophetic commission in the temple where he saw Yehweh was surrounded by His “Divine Assembly” of celestial beings.
He also heard the Cherubim angels singing songs 'holy, holy, holy' in the celestial language.
Yehwey gave Israel a grim message saying that the country side would be devastated and the inhabitants of that place be put to flight. Regarding the people of Assyria, Israel did not lose heart. He had seen Yehweh’s glory filled the earth. As long as he was enthroned in the temple Judah would be safe. Yahweh the divine warrior was once again marching forward to fight on behalf of His people Israel.
But the Northern kingdom could not enjoy such privileges when the king of Israel joined with local authorities. The Assyrian king destroyed them and their beautiful capital Samaria. But the kingdom of Judah remained safe and secure from the Assyrians. The people of the Northern kingdom fled to Jerusalem because of the threat from Assyria. The Israel that fled and took shelter in Jerusalem brought with them the oracle of Hosea and Amos who had foreseen the tragedy of these people.
During the dark period, Israel was comfortable with the birth of royal baby, a sign that God was still with the house of king David. A young woman “Alman” was with a child and gave birth to a son who would become the future king. His birth seemed to be an indication of hope and a great light to the people of north; who walked in darkness and in deep shadows at that time.
When the baby was born, he was named “Hezekiah” and prophet Isaiah imagined the entire Divine Assembly enjoyed the birth of royal child including king David and other kings. Everybody thought he would become a divine figure and a member of Divine council. Then on the day of that boys coronation, he would be called with many names like “Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Eternal Father, and Prince of Peace”.
Although the Bible historians revoured Hezekiah as a devoted king who tried to outlaw the worship of the foreign gods, his policy became distasteful because of the ill advice. So in 701 B.C., Jerusalem was completely destroyed and Judah reduced to a rump state which the Assyrians fought for their supremacy. Judah was left for its own device for it survival.
There was a surge of national feeling and in 622 B.C., “Josea” began to repair Solomon’s temple the symbol of memorial of Judah’s golden age after Israel split into two kingdoms.
The historians began to rewrite the history of Israel; adding fresh material. They also wrote history of two kingdoms of Israel and Judah which we can find in the books of Samuel
Quest for the Living God and Kings in the Bible. They argued at that Davidic narrations were the only legitimate rulers of the whole Israel.
Their story was culminated in the reign of Josea, a “new Moses” and greater than David for his efficiency. Israel were really happy over the reforms introduced by Josea and they celebrated that happy occasion. It reached golden era, but unfortunately Josea was killed by Egyptian king within a few years of his reign.
Many people still believed Josea would be in supremacy as long as Yehweh dwelt in the temple. Josea’s conquest left Israel on the borders of the promised land. Towards the end of 539 B.C., after the coronation of king Cyrus a small party of the exiles were set out for Jerusalem. But most of the Israelites wished to remain in Babylon only because their stay in that place made an important contribution to the Hebrew Scriptures.
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God and History
సాక్ష్యం 7.
GOD AND HISTORY
History is the most neglected subject today in the curriculum as people say. It is also looked down upon by modern educationists and readers. It has been hated by students, forgotten by the politicians, intellectuals and journalists. Ironically it is set aside even by historians who really enjoy and value history feel to grasp the importance of this blessed subject. But we can confidently say, history is the most understood subject on the earth.
Whether you are enjoying history or not, chances are that you also underestimated the value of studying the past, probably you might not have grasped the real truth about history. What is the truth? The truth is that the secular history proves the real existence of God. The document (ed) history tells about the Sumarians, in Mesapotamia, Assyrians, Persians, Phoenecians, Greeks, Romans, Nepolean or Hitler. They were all real, and their civilizations were all the proof of God’s existence.
THE SCRIPTURE AND HISTORY
The relationship between the scripture and history should not be overlooked; and it may be a surprising thing to the readers. God tells us plainly, guides us, and mentions the events of the world with His power. Let us remember in this connection, the question from the Bible. God said in the book of Isaiah “for I am God and there is no other. I am God and there is no name like me declaring the end from the beginning and from the ancient things not yet done saying. May counsel shall stand and I shall accomplish all my purposes.” (Isaiah 46:9-10).
God did not want to allow history to unfold haphazardly. King David of Israel knew this. “Let all the earth fear the Lord. Let all the people of the world stand helplessly before God for He spoke. It came to be commanded and it stood forth, God put earlier plans to the people and the plans to be implemented that the Lord stands firm and the purposes of His heart through all generations”
Quest for the Living God
The apostle Paul also recognized God’s role in secular history and was not afraid to tell a crowd of Greeks when he visited Athens. Paul said, “men of Athens, in everyway I presume that you are very religious but you cannot see the one true God who made the world and everything in it.”
God made parts of oneness and every nation all over the world. Even Paul praised the wonderful creation, the allotted period and boundaries of habitation.
Apostle Paul knew the raise and fall of the entire civilization. And then the geographic location of people who were determined by God. He said all men of the Bible were recognized as they possessed profound and amazing truth. And men of the Bible knew that history was a product of God Himself. It was a unique work and power. People also knew much of the history was written by God Himself before it actually happened. It was shaped and determined by God before it was occurring.
Then is it not really wonderful that history itself provides the existence of God with evidence? That means history books are collecting dust in your shelves. The history you study in your schools, colleges and even in the universities as a special subject now became useless and valueless. How it was ignored and neglected by most people today added proof to God’s existence. In spite of all God’s wonderful creation and other things how many of the human beings feel the presence of God in secular history?
Let us keep God to the test in this take it for granted you are sincerely doing deep study on ancient Egypt or Assyria, or Roman empire or Greece, Persia or some other civilizations. Then use the Bible as a text book in your study. You will certainly be surprised to see the events recorded in the secular history books with events recorded almost in the Bible.
If you study the world history especially the western civilization you will certainly believe that Bible is one of the profound and enlightening studies. If you are interested in learning more about Bible, and secular history, then you must study “Proof of the Bible” by Herbert N. Armstrong. In this context let us consider one of the closest and most powerful accounts of secular history proving God’s existence and proving God’s word is true.
The success of dominating empires in the western civilizations began in 7th century B.C. That period was widely occupied by great historians and eminent scholars throughout. The success of the empire, which God can find was mostly explained in the general history, which is as follows:
According to chronological order the world's first ruling empire was Babylonian Chaldean empire. It was the most dominating power in the 7th century B.C. and the famous king was Nebuchadnezzar. He conquered Assyria, Syria and Judah.
The second dominating civilization was the Medo-Persian. This became prosperous under the able administration and innovative leadership of king Cyrus the great in the 6th century God and History B.C. He miserably defeated Babylonians and acquired the territory from the shores of the Arabian sea to the shores of the Mediterranean sea.
The third dominating empire was Greece. It was established by “Alexander the Great”. It was a vast and influencial Greecian empire in the mid 4th century B.C. As he went on conquering the countries one after another, he met with sudden death. He was only about 33 years at that time and became the conqueror of the world at that age. After his death, his empire was controlled by four military generals.
The fourth and worlds largest one was Roman empire in the 1st century B.C. This became powerful even in its western civilizations to certain degrees for the next two centuries. These four empires were widely occupied by the historians and thus wrote widely in the history books about them in the whole world. In addition to these civilizations there were some other civilizations and the people. They were very influential and impressive in their activities and they lived along with the poor.
In spite of all that, these four were the most powerful people during their rule, and so to say, they were the back bone of the entire history. The history books were doing a wonderful job of describing the raise and fall of different civilizations and their powers. But the Bible is describing the purpose of their coming into power.
The most remarkable of such example is the truthful incidents of the life of Daniel that were found in his book. The time setting for the book of Daniel was about 6th century B.C. If you read the 1st chapter of Daniel’s book, you will see the description of the sacking and seizing of Jerusalem by king of Babylon in 586 B.C. and his relocation of Jews back to Babylon. The secular history described the same incidents that are mentioned in the Bible exactly and at the same time.
Among the ten thousand Jews that were exiled to Babylon after Jerusalem was seized, Daniel was one of them. He was quite young at that time. God gave him the gift of understanding the dreams and explain them perfectly which even the Babylonian priests and magicians of the king could not do.
In such conditions, one day the king happened to dream. The king somehow was not happy with the dream. He wanted to know the exact meaning of that. He called all the people concerned, like the learned elite of his kingdom. There was none to answer him. The king finally came to know about Daniel that he would answer his dream.
Then Daniel was called for. The king himself could not tell his dream to Daniel. But God explained the imagery and meaning of it to Daniel and then he explained the same to the king in detail. The king heard the meaning of the dream in detail and was much impressed by the answer of Daniel.
According to the dream the king saw a great image or statue which was devided into four parts. The head was of gold. Breast and arms were of silver, its belly and thighs were
Quest for the Living God of brass, its legs were made of iron with the feet of a mixture of iron and clay.
Then the image was hit at its feet by a flying stone that caused the image crush and fell to the ground. Whereupon the image debris were blown away and the image no longer existed. The dream was further explained by Daniel to the king which became very important in the world history. After relaying the dream to the king Daniel explained the meaning also.
Following is Daniels explanation:
“Thou O king, the head of gold; and after that arise another kingdom, inferior to that the third kingdom of brass which bear the rich, and the fourth kingdom shall be as strong as iron." Daniel interpreted the dream to Nebuchadnezzar that he being the king of Babylon Chaldean empire, the Lord of gold and the worlds great empire. This fact was recognized and confirmed by history books.
After the Babylonian empire which was pictured by breast and arms of silver, the belly and thighs of brass and the legs of iron would come later. After Medo-Persian, Greek and Roman civilizations at their times and reign tell about their glory through the prophecy. God was revealing through this image that they would become world wide dominant powers in their respective period. Daniel prophesied the ruin and fall of the four world ruling civilizations.
How can we know God was revealing the four civilizations? Particularly because of the documented, historians who filled millions of pages of text books of those people unfolded exactly as God said. Let us take the example of Daniel here in this context. God revealed that the second world ruling empire pictured the breast and arms in Daniels image would be the combination of the people by two dynasties that would come together to dominate the civilization.
If we study the Persian history we can know that it was the joint effort of the Medes and the Persians. They defeated Babylonians and established great and powerful empire. God revealed similar details about Greek and Roman empires. But they could not emerge as the world dominating civilizations until two or three hundred years.
If you study the book of Daniel you will realize it is filled with the history recorded before it actually happened. Therefore, there are countless and thrilling details revealing God’s presence and role in history. Daniel is simply one example. And to learn more about him, the book of Revelation will unlock the proof of the Bible. You will be surprised at the wonderful connection between the secular history and the Bible.
So, let us stop rejecting and underestimating the study, the past in the context of the Bible. If you study it gives you moving experience and makes you understand the existence of God and His works.
CHAPTER - 3
సాక్ష్యం 8.
HOW GOD’S WORD WORKED IN
APOSATLIC CHURCH?
In the early church the “word” offered the fulfillment of Old Testament promises as well as a call to accept spiritual life-changing power and authority in the present. The earliest Aposatlic preaching was neither a Jewish standard message with Jesus added at the end, nor a free standing announcement of a new religion out of from its Jewish roots. But it was only the story of Jesus which people understood as the fulfillment of Old Testament covenant. It was simply narrative and its theme is “Evangelism”, the good news gospel – the creative force - which called the church into being that shaped its mission and life.
It is the Biblical story rather than some other that provides interpretation and accompaniment of Jesus made the sense it did. The completed and multiple themes of Old Testament has shaped the life thought of Israel raised in practical and theoretical terms. It is nothing but the good and evil of Israel, nations of empire and the resistance above all, the sovereignty, justice, the saving purposes of our creator and the covenant of God are to be remembered in this context. These questions are raised in this spiritually shaped to which Jesus kingdom movement, climaxing in His death and resurrection offered to God given answer for every doubt.
In this context, apostle Paul quoted an early popularity and summery of Christian message, “the Messiah died for our sins, in accordance with scripture and raised on the third day according to the scripture” (1Corinthians 15:3-4).
Paul does not mean he and his friends found one or two proof tests to back up their claims but these events have come as claims to the long and winding narrative of Israel’s scripture. The authority of Old Testament in the early church, at its heart meant what God had done in Jesus Christ was to be seen in terms of a character. And this must be done with in a particular story a portrait in a particular landscape where everything in the story of landscape points us to a face of who that central character is and what He has accomplished.
Quest for the Living God
We can trace the earliest Christians oral traditions and the earliest sermons reconstructed what Paul wrote from the “word”. That word of truth or gospel in simple way. So, before the New Testament, there was already a clear understanding in early Christianity that the world of God to which the apostles were committed themselves, when refreshing to engage in extra administrative duties lay at the heart of churches missions and its life.
It is not difficult to summerize the ‘Word’. It is the story of Jesus Christ told is climax of the story of God and Israel. This offered itself as both a true story of the word, as well as a foundation emerging force for churches mission. The exact information expressed by Paul is discovered by all apostles regarding the ancient story climaxing now in Jesus carried power. The power that could change minds, hearts and lives of many, the gospel is God’s power of God unto salvation (Romans 1:16).
The apostles and evangelists were behind the power that scripture contained. It was God’s own power that works through spirit calling into being the covenant people that restored Israel for the world. The word is not just an information about the kingdom and its effects but through the ways God’s kingdom was accomplished in Jesus and that was making its way in the world. The kingdom we are reminded was always about the creator God. He is acting sovereignty to put the world in order by judging evil and bringing fragments and finally new life to His people. That is the prime important work done by the “Word” and that is accomplished in those people who had it in faith and obedience.
We can find the roots of Christian theology here only and also scriptural authority. This was originally planted firmly in the soil of missionary community. The friends of the Word with happy news of God’s kingdom which is refreshed by the spirit growing particularly through preaching and teaching by the apostles. Man’s belief is that it would bear fruit in the transformation of human lives. This is the wonderful plan and project of God to keep the entire universe in proper order.
Our omnipotent God successfully implemented those things and the early church believed through the word. The story of Israel now told as reading its climax in Jesus and God’s call to Israel is now transmitted into God’s call to His renewed people. And it was this Word, which came through the work of early writers, who could express in writing in New Testament as we know it.
The church had been in existence from the very beginning characterized as transformed people of God as a special community. It was crafted by God’s call and promise summoned to hear the word of gospel in all its fullness. The earliest Christians called it into existence and sustained in that existence.
The powerful reflection and authoritative word of God, written in the Old Testament How God’s Word worked in Aposatlic Church? embodied in Jesus. This fact was announced to the world and also taught in the church. That was the real heart of churches mission and the characterization of eternity. As a matter of fact one of the apostles like Paul and some of their colleagues also their immediate successes happened to write books which were intended to contain this on a wider scale.
According to recent studies of letters and intention of gospels writing emphasized self conscious way in which the New Testament writers believed themselves. They called themselves as teachers to exercise their calling themselves authorized teachers. John sums it up in a sentence which happened to tense the commentators. The law John mentioned in his works was given through Moses, grace and truth through Jesus Christ. He was of the opinion that it is necessary as readers we must properly understand grace and truth which came from Jesus only. John deliberately left rest of the gospels as ambiguous one.
The early Christians use of Old Testament was like double edged position. It was due to emphasis on unique accomplishment of Jesus Christ. That is to say Old Testament could not continue to play exactly the same role within Christian community. Therefore Christianity could not repeat earlier “sages” of story any more. But it repeated achievements by Jesus. When we consider the beginning of Jesus ministry and the work of Paul, we find constant references to the fact that fulfillment would come as a new movement in the story. But example of this line of thought anywhere in the New Testament was one of the earliest where Paul argued that God gave Mosaic law for a specific purpose which has now to function. It has become a good thing as the task is accomplished. But the people of God renewed through Jesus and Spirit can never forget the road on which they travelled.
THE NEW TESTAMENT IN BIOLOGICAL RELATION WITH ALL HUMAN
CULTURE
Under these circumstances, the New Testament emerged as written expression of that “Word” and in such conditions the early Christians knew to be living. Those people really forced in all its fulness. It was assumed from start that word had broken in and would continue to break into human life, culture, aspiration and assumption. This written word is expressing and embodying the living word of primitive gospel. It was like spirit empowered agent through and which our creator God was reclaiming the “Cosmos.” It offered the way to a living human life and also the way to fulfillment of God’s plan to Israel. It stood against other interpretations, that failed to recognize Jesus as “Messiah.”
The unique parable of Jesus Christ and the emerging Christian writings both affirmed and redefined the existing participations. The really important questions were proved what the true answer might be. The apostalic writings like “word” which they wrote down were not simply about the coming of God’s kingdom but they were also intended to transform
Quest for the Living God people into life of Christ like in order to achieve salvation.
People who read those writings discovered from the early books continued the same power and authority in action and characterized initial preaching of the "Word.” It can be explained in a simple way that the writers of New Testament did not realize they were writing Scripture.
Among such writers Paul was the most conscious of his writings, as he was authorized by the apostalic call he received from Christ. In addition to that he received the Holy Spirit too to bring life in order in the churches by His words. If one starts reading his book in the following manner – “in the beginning” was the Word, and the Word became flesh, and concludes it by telling his readers as these words are written to you to make you believe in the “Messiah”. The Son of God as Jesus, so that by blessing you may have life in His name” (John 20:31).
CONFIRMING AND DISCONFIRMING AMONG EARLY CHRISTIANS
The early Christians were forced into thinking through the questions of conformity and disconfirmity. The real controversy was because of the admission of non-Jews into God’s people (whether they needed to be circumcised or whether they should need to obey Jews laws like Sabbath regulations etc.,). A detailed argument was articulated by Paul in Galatians 2,3 chapters about the way in which God was fulfilling the covenant that was promised to Abraham by creating a single “multituanic family. Those regulations were then the Mosaic Laws which explicitly marked the Jews from their own non Jews neighbourhood. The non- Jews were set aside not because they were not good or not given by God but because they had been given for a temporary purpose which was now completed.
The inauguration of New Covenant in Jesus and by spirit meant Christians had to workout renewal of the same covenant as a new one. Some of the obvious disconfirmity are all over the place. The ancient Jewish purity of laws are no longer releasing not to a community in which the gentiles are welcome on equal terms.
Regarding Jerusalem temple and the sacrifices made in those days were no longer focal points of God’s meeting his people. Though a deep rooted sense worked out theologically and practically that everything concerning scripture had been summed up in Jesus Christ and also itself summing up the message of that book with that now the project of God a new covenant and new creation had begun.
What all this means significantly is one can never answer any part of a certain thing ancient or modern. It is automatically endorsed or rejected. There was much in Jewish world, which was endorsed as it stood within the early Christianity and made for good theological reasons. So there was much in Jewish world which the early Christians could take up. The How God’s Word worked in Aposatlic Church? central idea of what Paul spoke was to obey Christ. He wanted to keep a commonality between the worlds perception of good and evil and those to which Christian churches should adhere.
Let us think about goddess Diana of Ephesus for a while and the riots which Paul faced there. In spite of all such problems and hardships, the word he spoke and wrote summoned people to confession and redemption renewal through dying and raising with Christ in Baptism. Again and again it was the apostles proclamation eventually coming to expression in the New Testament writings.
Those writings actually guided early church in determining relationship between cultural contact and path of new renewal humanity. It has everything to do with understanding as human renewal as the beginning point. It is the means of God’s eventual eradication of evil from the world and bringing to birth the creation of life.
Therefore, the early Christians believed that God’s Word does not work by spirit within the community to put Jesus achievements into effect and thus to advance final kingdom. We can summarize all this in the following manner. The New Testament was understood as New Covenant. The book that forms basis for new telling of the story through which Christians are formed, reformed and transformed to be God’s people or God’s Word. That is the challenge the early Christian bequeathed to us as we reconsider the authority of Scripture might mean in practice today.
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సాక్ష్యం 9.
IMPORTANCE OF FAITH
If we go wrong on the nature of faith, everything in the Christian life will go wrong. If all authentic obedience come from faith in future grace as said in this connection, then all the obedience will be imparted by misunderstanding and thus experiencing what faith is. The essence of faith in future grace is that we have discovered provisionally. It is so crucial and at the same time so important. We must try to know it more thoroughly.
1.THE GREAT GOSPEL OF BELIEF
A good place to test our understanding of faith is the gospel of John. It has been also called the gospel of “Belief”. The verb 'believe' comes in John’s gospel over 90 times, compared to eleven times in Matthew, twelve in Mark and nine times in Luke.
John says about the purpose of his gospel is that you may believe Jesus as Christ and Son of God and by believing in Jesus, you may have everlasting life in his name. So, the theme of believing on Christ for the sake of eternal life runs through the whole gospel. We can see this for example in John 3:10, “for God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten son that whoever believed in Him, should not perish but have eternal life.”
Christ also said, “Truly, truly I say unto you he who hears my word, and believeth on him that sent me has eternal life” (John 5:24). (And John himself said that Jesus brothers who believed in the miracles working power of Jesus and probably in His claim to be the Messiah nevertheless were not believing in Him).
And in John 11:25 He said, “I am the resurrection and the life; he that believes in me shall live even if he dies.” So it is quite clear that saving faith is a document concern of the gospel of John. Believing on Christ is more frequently and consistently mentioned in that book than any other book in the New Testament. Importance of Faith
2.BELIEVING THAT DOES NOT SAVE
First we see in John’s gospel “believing” can be false or deficient act that does not save. For example, John says when Jesus was in Jerusalem at Passover during feast many believed in his name, beholding his signs which he was doing. There is a warning here, that this believing may not be saving faith. It is based on beholding His signs. That is not bad in itself, especially since Jesus said, “Believe me that I am in the father and the father is in me, or else for the very works sake.”
True faith can through seeing the miracles of Jesus. But the danger is that some people are being carried away by the power of Jesus Christ and His power for over throwing the Romans. Jesus rejected this kind of enthusiasm. Jesus therefore perceiving that they would come and take him by force to make him a king, he has departed again to the mountains.
So when John says that many believed in Him because they saw signs he was doing. We are alerted to the fact that this believing may be a persecution based on his power that does not go to the heart of who he is. This is in fact what seems to be the case with these believers.
Then the next lines “But Jesus on his part did not connect himself to them because he knew all men” (John 2:24). In other words, what was on the inside did not correspond to what was professed outside. We may find the same deficiency of faith. This section begins with the words, “Jesus therefore was saying to those Jews who had believed him”.
But before the section is concluded Jesus says to those very Jews “I know that you are Abraham’s offsprings, yet you seek to kill me because my word hath no place in you” (John 8:37). The same people who had believed in him were trying to kill him. This causes one commentator to say “John is writing very carelessly or he means that the faith of these Jews was deficient”. John is anything but a careless craftsman. Therefore, it is right to follow the second opinion. John is speaking of men who had made an outward profession, but in this case did not go any deep.”
Neverthless Jesus used the word “believed” to describe the deficient and inadequate response of Jesus. What the important point to us is that believing in John’s gospel is not something that lies on the face of terms used, but derived from the contact of the gospel. So we must try to get at the deeper content of believing in John’s gospel. What is the essence of it, that makes a saving sort of believing which may be richer than a Sham?
3.LOVE FOR THE PRAISE OF MEN MAKE FAITH IMPOSSIBLE
One of the reasons that the miracles of Jesus might or might not lead to genuine faith was that they could so easily bolster the love of power and prestige that penetrates the sinful heart and makes true faith impossible. Jesus has already addressed this problem.
Jesus said, “I do not receive glory from men, but I know you do not have the love of
Quest for the Living God God in you, I have come in my fathers name, and you do not receive me. If another shall come in his own name, you will receive him. How can you believe when you receive glory from one another and you do not seek glory that is from the one and only one?”
John says that it is impossible to believe in Christ with true saving faith while the heart is carrying on a love affair with the praise of men. In other words, true faith invokes a spiritual renovation of the heart. Faith cannot co-exist with self exaltation. It is inheritently humble and God exalting. It looks away from itself to God and feels extremely happy not in the praises of man but in the glory of Almighty God.
We all know Christ has come not on His own name, but in the name of His father. This means He embodies a kind of humble God exalting frame of heart, which is the immediate need of faith and that faith loved it. But they will not receive Him because He threatens their pride and Jesus says, “If He had come in his own name, they would have willingly received Him.
Why, because he would fit with the way they are desiring that their own names have to be praised by men. The bottom line is that they have not even an iota of love towards God. That is to say, they don’t feel happy in the exaltation of God but of their own. This disposition cannot be believed. Therefore, faith is impossible for a person who is in love with the praise of men, as love and mammoth cannot go hand in hand.
We may infer that true faith in John’s gospel is of such a name; it excludes the bondage, it applauses. It includes a love for God, serving and relishing of God, that makes the praise of men by compassion with the treasure that God is. This is what we saw about saving faith; according to the previous information.
4.LOVING LIGHT IS THE ROOT OF FAITH
The available information so far may help us to some extent the positive essence of saving faith in John’s gospel. “And this is the judgment that light is come into this world but men loved the darkness rather than light because of their evil deeds. For everyone, who wished to do evil things naturally hath light and does not come to light as his deeds would be exposed. But he who preaches and practices truth will come to light and his deeds will be magnified of having been wrought in God”
John is of the opinion and suggests that before we come to Christ, we must try to like light rather than hate it. Then coming to Christ is the expression John uses to describe saving faith in Christ.
Jesus said, “you are unwilling to come to me that you may have life”. Therefore, John says here, that saving faith or coming to Christ must be preceded by some measure of transformation in the heart to take away the inborn hatred of spiritual light.
This means, saving faith in John’s gospel is the act of a quickened or renovated heart Importance of Faith that loves light. Saving faith is not mental assent (acceptance) of an old heart, that loves darkness. Love is implicit in John’s view of saving faith. “Love” is what we called previously a spiritual taste for the beauty of Christ. Faith is not the mere affirmation that Christ is infinitely great and precious. But faith is embracing Christ as precious, because the light of Christ is loved and not hated.
5.FAITH IS A GIFT OF GRACE
This implies saving faith in Jesus is not mere a human work, but a free gift of God. John makes this plan in several ways. He says that not believing is ultimately owing to not being born of God. But because “I tell you the truth, you do not believe me. Which of you convicts me of sin! If I speak the truth why do you not believe me? He who is of God, hears the words of God, for this reason. You do not hear them because you are not of God.”
According to this text you cannot even hear the word of God. Faith is not a self wrought work, but a fruit of God’s work in the soil. It grows out of a heart that has been begotten from above to Christ. This is what John means “No one can come to me unless the father who sent me draws him.” The drawing enables the coming which we have seen above is the same. What we have seen above is the same faith which is drawing corresponds to being of God.
6.FAITH IS SO RADICAL
This point love is simply to say about the sovereign work of God’s initiative in creation. Faith corresponds with the radical thing that faith is. It is so contrary to proud, self exalting, unspiritual, world loving, hearts that there is no way it could be self generated. If we are to come to Jesus, the way Jesus teaches us to come we will have to be drawn by God. Our hatred for the light must be overcome by God. Our distaste for the bread of heaven and the water of life will have to be shattered by God. And our hope is finally free and sovereign grace.
Saving faith apprehends this grace as our only hope; tastes its beauty with spiritual discernment and embraces it as the greatest treasure in the universe. Faith reeives the gift of God’s transforming grace as it beholds in Jesus His compelling worth.
The outcome of all that indicate, God is for us in Jesus – past, present and future becomes the satisfaction of the believing soul; And the rest of life is lived not under the control of worldly desires but in the powerful freedom of faith in future grace.
Another word for worldly desire is “Covetousness.” This sin stands close to the centre of evil as you can get. Conquering it demands a relentless, but also thrilling effort from us. Freedom from covetousness is one of the most satisfying works of God in the human soul.