Showing posts with label apostle Peter. Show all posts
Showing posts with label apostle Peter. Show all posts

Saturday 22 March 2014

Together tasting a great promisse

Lots of things are happening in this world by which we can ask questions. Certain events seem like we have heard already about them. Some of the disasters and wars have been spoken off already long before we were born. We can find them in the Book of books, but not many are really interested to read those very old books.

In those books we also can find that the best of the covenants of promise God made still lie in the future. We do not know precisely when they are going to be fulfilled. The majority of people who have believed and hoped in God's promises are already in the grave, and there is a chance we shall die, too, before Jesus comes again. Yet the glorious truth is that even if we die, we can still taste the joy of God's Kingdom. As the Apostle Paul wrote in his death cell, we can be brought back to life again, to receive
 "the crown of righteousness which the Lord", he said, "will award me on that Day, and not only to me, but also to all who have loved his appearing". 
When the Messiah shall return to the earth we do not know. But what we do know is that we shall receive signs which are declared before. Those signs are having been spoken off in the Book of books. Perhaps not all will recognise them at first. But some will clearly see them and could and should help others to see them too. This site would like to help to find the words leading up to such a wisdom that can be given to us, for free, and which can open doors for us all, for free.

From the Bible we do know that a great tribulation will come over the world and that the Messiah shall return and will raise from the dead all those who have died in faith, and give them a strong, immortal body like his own. Abraham will certainly be there, and so will David, and Paul. We can be there, too. 


Israel 5 009.Jesus Christ Walk of Tears on the...
Israel 5 009.Jesus Christ Walk of Tears on the Via Dolorosa in Jerusalem (Photo credit: Wikipedia)
And it is all possible through the blood of Christ, which has brought us near to God. For whether we are Jews or Gentiles, we are sinners. We break God's laws, and deserve nothing but death. Jesus' death, the offering of his sinless self in sacrifice, broke the power of the grave for all who join themselves to him. Thus the two Comings are inseparably linked. 

In a few weeks time we shall remember the day Jesus was for the last time at the table with his disciples. It was that night in the upper room he established the last covenant. Some hours later he found his death at the wooden stake.

His dying preceded the crown; the suffering servant became the king of kings. And the same land where Abraham waited in his tent and Jesus walked with the good news of the Kingdom, is given to them both with their family around them, to enjoy for ever.
When Peter stood up in Jerusalem at Pentecost and began to explain the mystery of the two comings, he had an urgent message for the people. Let us look at his words again: "Repent therefore", he cried, "and turn again" (Acts 3:1 9). He was exhorting his hearers to prepare themselves for the coming of Jesus by changing their lives, turning round and going a different way. Earlier that day when the crowds had asked him what they should do, he said to them:
 "Repent, and be baptised every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins" (2:38).
What do you want to do, where do you want to go to. Have you chosen to go on your own or with others?

Today we do invite you to come and join us and to go together with us on the road to that Kingdom of God. Be a sojourner with us and share your thoughts and prayers with us.

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Tuesday 19 February 2013

Claiming to be the successor to St Peter

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Monday's surprising announcement by Pope Benedict XVI that he was resigning from the papacy struck some observers like a bolt out of the blue.  And a few hours later, an actual bolt of lightning struck St. Peter's Basilica, the centerpiece of the Vatican and one of the holiest sites in Christendom, NBC News reported. Was the lightning strike, coming just hours after Pope Benedict's announcement, evidence of God's wrath, or some ominous sign from above? Speculation over the resignation has focused on increasing pressure over the Vatican’s decades’ long protection of priests committing child abuse, the growing scandal over Vatican banking and finances, and intense infighting between the conservative and progressive wings of the Catholic Church. A Catholic saint has even been cited who prophesized that there would be a final Pope before the dissolution of the Catholic Church. According to this prophecy the next Pope will be the last.

The Vatican's cardinals were getting ready to leave a meeting to discuss three canonisations, chaired by Pope Benedict XVI, when he announced, in Latin, that he had one other bit of business to attend to. From his throne-like chair on a purple dais in the Sala del Concistoro, part of the Apostolic Palace, he quietly told his “fratres carissimi”, or “dear brothers”, that he needed to “communicate to you a decision of great importance for the life of the Church”. Having examined his conscience, he said, he had “come to the certainty that my strengths, due to an advanced age, are no longer suited to an adequate exercise of the Petrine ministry”. His “mind and body” were failing him, and in consequence he had decided to “renounce the ministry of the Bishop of Rome, Successor of Saint Peter”. The 265th Pope had just become the first in 598 years to resign. Angelo Sodano, dean of the College of Cardinals, who said it had come as a “bolt from the blue” when he was told.
 
English: Pope Benedict XVI during general audition
English: Pope Benedict XVI during general audition (Photo credit: Wikipedia)


Just who is the Pope? The word Pope means “Father”. He claims to the “Holy Father”, and the successor to St Peter. They believe that Christ said he would build his Church on St Peter – they track the tradition of the office of Pope back to St Peter. Therefore they say this is proof the Pope represents God on earth. Catholicism is the true Church.
But Jesus never said he would build his church on Peter. In Matthew 16:16 Peter says that Jesus was the Christ and son of God. In verse 18 Jesus says “thou art Peter” and upon the rock  of Peter’s statement he (Jesus) would build the church. Peter in fact means a small rolling stone. Christ did not build his church on that. He built it on himself. A ROCK. A huge unmoveable rock cliff. Rome is built on a pebble not a rock.



“and all drank the same spiritual drink; for they drank of the spiritual rock that followed them, and that rock was christ.” (1 Corinthians 10:4 MKJV)

 “16 and Simon Peter answered and said, you are the christ, the son of the living god. 17 jesus answered and said to him, you are blessed, Simon, son of Jonah, for flesh and blood did not reveal [it] to you, but my father in heaven. 18 and I also say to you that you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church, and [the] gates of hell shall not prevail against it.” (Matthew 16:16-18 MKJV)


Peter = Petros (a single stone)   Rock  = Petra (solid formation like a cliff)
The church (ecclesia) was built on Peter’s statement NOT on Peter. The Pope is WRONG.


Benedictus XVI in St Peter's Basilica, on June...
Benedictus XVI in St Peter's Basilica, on June 29th, 2006. He then wore a Papal pallium, similar to those worn till the end of the 9th century. Since June 29th, 2008, he has been wearing another shorter one. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)
So what do we make of this sudden and totally unexpected resignation of the Pope?
Well the Bible has a lot to say about “the Pope” and therefore we can expect God’s hand is behind this. God puts in power all the rulers of the world and there is no greater worldly ruler than the Pope. The Bible describes the role of the Pope in Daniel 7:8  - the Pope is the “little horn” that speaks great things against God. The pope is the “Roman ruler” (Daniel 9:26), the “man of sin” (2 Thessalonians 2:3), an “antichrist” (1 John 4:3), the “false prophet” (Revelation 16:13) “harlot” on the beast (Revelation 17:2-4).
When Christ returns and establishes his kingdom it will be the Pope that stands against Him. The woman and the beast (Rome and Europe) make war against Christ when he returns. (Rev 17:14) No wonder lightning struck the Vatican as this man stepped down.

 “I was thinking about the horns, and behold, there came up among them another little horn, before whom three of the first horns were uprooted. and behold, in this horn [were] eyes like the eyes of man, and a mouth speaking great things.” (Daniel 7:8 MKJV)

 “and after sixty-two weeks Messiah shall be cut off, but not [for] himself. and the people of the ruler who shall come shall destroy the city and the sanctuary. and the end of it [shall be] with the flood, and ruins are determined, until [the] end [shall be] war.” (Daniel 9:26 MKJV)

 “let not anyone deceive you by any means. for [that day shall not come] unless there first comes a falling away, and the man of sin shall be revealed, the son of perdition,” (2 Thessalonians 2:3 MKJV)

 “and every spirit that does not confess that jesus christ has come in [the] flesh is not of god. and this is the antichrist you heard is coming, and even now is already in the world.” (1 John 4:3 MKJV)

 “these will make war with the lamb, and the lamb will overcome them. for he is lord of lords and king of kings. and those with him [are] the called and elect and faithful ones.” (Revelation 17:14 MKJV)




 Read more of the news of the10th - 16th Feb 2013‏ in THIS WEEKS WWW

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Monday 18 February 2013

United people under Christ

Last week the worldcommunity saw that the one who claims to be the follower of the apostle Peter stepped down from his position on what many call the 'holy chair'.
English: Christ Handing the Keys to St. Peter ...
English: Christ Handing the Keys to St. Peter by Pietro Perugino (1481-82) Fresco, 335 x 550 cm Cappella Sistina, Vatican. Ελληνικά: Λεπτομέρεια από την νωπογραφία του Πιέτρο Περουτζίνο, Ο Χριστός Παραδίδει τα Κλειδιά στον Πέτρο, 335 x 600 cm, Καπέλα Σιξτίνα, Πόλη του Βατικανού. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)


The church community should be found on a good faith base and have clear and undeniable grounds with people who live according to community rules which are according to the Law of God. They should try to be living by the standard of the “One Body” of Christ. The Nazarene man who did not appoint one or the other above one another. Though perhaps many might think that the apostle Peter was chosen to be a leader, he certainly was not the leader of the church community at the time of the first years after Christ his death. All apostles had their particular duties but worked together and even where not afraid to criticise each other.

In the Acts of the apostles is given a very clear picture of the working of the first church as one united body in Christ. when you read the chapters you shall not find any decent reason to believe that the Pope is the real acceptable leader of the Church of God.
Could it also be that the church became subdivided into local churches but that along the way into history that church their members (of each local church) still make up the universal body of Christ? There is no one church that monopolizes the body of Christ.

History proves that contamination was brought in very soon after Jesus' death. Several apostles warned the followers of Christ to be careful and to look out for false teachings. People also had to be careful not to mingle with weak or sinful men, who would love to see them being diverted from the unworldy ideas of their religion.

Though we are never to judge or condemn others; we just have to politely “stand aside” from them!

When we look at the world we should consider that there are many people with different beliefs, but that there might be different opinions between the many persons that does not mean they would not be considered as being part of one and the same united people under Christ.

Some teach that if you are not part of this denomination or that denomination then you cannot be part of the body of Christ. There exist many denominations which believe people do have to belong to them, because otherwise they would be doomed into damnation or when people do not belong to their denomination they would not be able to enter the Kingdom of God. What most of those denomination forget is that before they came into being ther where also people who loved God as the Most High, and honoured Him at their best. Those people are also saved by Jesus his offer and got the right to enter the Kingdom of God. It is he, Jesus who shall decide who is able to enter the Kingdom of God and not one world church organisation or denomination who is going to decide that. God knows the heart of each person and He shall see if that person is worthy or not to enter the Kingdom. Jesus as the mediator shall be the person who can mediate for those who tried to do their best on earth and who followed one or another path according to a path laid in front of them by one or another denomination. but the people themselves shall have to carry the responsibility of their choice. They also shall not be able to blame their congregation or denomination for the choices they have made.
As part of the body of Christ we should be people working under the guidance of the Bible, to serve each other and the body, not taking into account language, ethnicity, gender, nationality etc. When we are unified with One Spirit in One Body that means we are unified under Gods Spirit to have and show  love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control and awareness for each other, treasuring the same hope of eternal life in Jesus Christ together with Jesus Christ in the Kingdom of his Father.

Every person has received the gifts to think and to have his mind working to find out certain things. Every person, in his or her life shall get opportunities to be able to be confronted with certain values, certain truths, certain ideas ... and shall be confronted with the possibility to make a certain choice.
The 1st English edition of The Kingdom of God ...
The 1st English edition of The Kingdom of God Is Within You. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)


It is up to us to think about our faith, about what we do want to believe and about what we do have to believe.

Every transition in a movement should be followed up and registered, looked at in function of the Will of God and the Biblical writings. They are given to us to help us to direct the right way. We should listen to the voice of God and follow the directions given in the Holy Scriptures. They should be the most important guide for our life and way of life.

The guidance from the Bible should give us insight in what the world offers, also on religious matters and on actions of faith.
We must remember that the ecclesia does not exist to keep the Truth pure as a theory (i.e., “The purer our ecclesia, the better!”). The Truth (as an abstract principle, or set of principles, communicated from God) cannot be anything but pure! It might sound strange that the ecclesia does exist to help impure men and women (with imperfect beliefs and impure ways) to move toward purity, even if their progress is slow… Some expect that the people who enter the ecclesia or church-community would be already very pure from their baptism, but that is not so. The baptism is only the starting point to the way of purity to the small gate to the Kingdom of God.

Out of love for each other each member of the ecclesia should help each other to grow and to make every day a step closer to that set-apartness or holiness of purity.

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Read also:
  1. Fellowship 101: A Short Course by George Booker – Class 5
    Those who believe the gospel and are baptised into Christ become ‘brethren in Christ’, without regard to nationality. They also become a part of the ‘one body’, with Christ as their head. God calls them His children, and they become partakers of His grace and love” (BASF 22).

  2. Birmingham Amended Statement of Faith
  3. Handbook to the Christadelphian Statement of Faith
  4. Reasons to come to gether
  5. Philippians 1 – 2
  6. Look for your Refuge by God
  7. A day without taking the symbols
  8. Breathing to teach
  9. Trusting, Faith, calling and Ascribing to Jehovah #1 Kings Faith
  10. Trusting, Faith, calling and Ascribing to Jehovah #2 Calling upon the Name of God
  11. Trusting, Faith, calling and Ascribing to Jehovah #3 Voice of God #1 Creator and His Prophets
  12. Trusting, Faith, calling and Ascribing to Jehovah #3 Voice of God #2 Instructions and Laws
  13. Trusting, Faith, calling and Ascribing to Jehovah #3 Voice of God #3 A voice to be taken Seriously
  14. Trusting, Faith, calling and Ascribing to Jehovah #3 Voice of God #4 Words in Scripture
  15. Trusting, Faith, calling and Ascribing to Jehovah #3 Voice of God #5 To meditate and Transform
  16. Trusting, Faith, calling and Ascribing to Jehovah #3 Voice of God #6 Words to feed and communicate
  17. Jehovah in the BASF
     


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Tuesday 14 April 2009

Called Christian

DISCIPLES FIRST CALLED CHRISTIANS

It is noteworthy that our Lord never gave a name to His people, but called them disciples -- pupils, learners. The Apostles have applied to the Church various terms; such as, "Church of the living God," "Church of God," "Church of Christ," "the Church." But gradually the name Christians, identifying God's people with their Redeemer, came to be the general name everywhere.

It is a pity that any have thought it necessary to adopt any other names than these, which are common to the entire Church of Christ, or to use these names in a sectarian manner. Evidently the name Christian should represent one who trusts in Christ as the Messiah -- one, therefore, who trusts in Him as the Redeemer and who accepts all the fundamental doctrines of the Scriptures. These doctrines are based upon three declarations: (1) That all were sinners, needing to be redeemed before they could be acceptable to God. (2) That the believer accepts God's forgiveness through the precious blood of Christ. (3) That he has accepted the Leadership and name of Christ and henceforth will seek to walk in His steps.

There was a start toward sectarianism in the early Church, some saying, "I am a Christian, but of the order of Paul." Others said, "I am a Christian of the order of Apollos;" still others, "I am a Christian of the order of Peter." St. Paul promptly rebuked this spirit, assuring them that relationship in Christ was all that was necessary, that neither Peter nor Paul had redeemed them, and that neither Apostle could therefore occupy the place of a head to the Church. Furthermore, the Apostle calls attention to the fact that such a spirit on their part was an evidence that much carnality still remained, much of a worldly, partisan spirit, contrary to the teachings of the Holy Spirit.--`1 Corinthians 1:10-13`; `3:1-7`.

It is to be regretted that ever since the Reformation this spirit has prevailed to a large extent, some taking the name of Luther, others, Wesley, Calvin, others non-personal, sectarian or party names such as Methodist, Presbyterian, Baptist, etc. We are not claiming that those who do so are wholly carnal, without the Lord's Spirit; but with the Apostles we do claim that a disposition to such partisanship is contrary to the Spirit of the Lord, and to that extent is carnal, fleshly, and should be overcome by all who would be recognized of the Lord as overcomers.

What we ought to have is one Church, one Household of Faith, accepting the plain fundamentals of Scripture, and with limitations as to acceptance of more or less conjectural views outside of those fundamentals-- all fellowshipping each other, and all known as Christians, and thus separated from all who deny the Atonement, from all who deny the results of the Atonement in the resurrection, and from all who deny the propriety of a newness of life in the present time. In this view of the matter, each individual Christian would have an independence as respects his own thought, aside from fundamentals which are clearly stated in the Scriptures.

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ZWT - 1916 R5888 : page 122:April 15, 1916
C.T.Russell


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