How can people maintain a quality of true community in the midst of such pressures? From the point of view of mission; Zoom, WhatsApp etc. can offer opportunities for the intelligent proclamation of the Christian gospel. But could never replace the personal contact?
No Christianity without Christ’s Death
Jesus Christ is this suffering servant, but Jesus’ death, while necessary, was not the end. There would have been no Christianity without His resurrection, this is central to the entire New Testament. For Jesus was declared the Son of God with power through his resurrection
God’s Love is not Promiscuous
When God promised His people that He would judge their sin, and when He kept His promise and judged them, He was acting in accord with His character. He is a just God, and only someone who is unjust would allow people to commit crimes and acquit them indefinitely. God’s wrath against sin arises from His goodness and holiness.
The Perpetual Fire
If the perpetual fire represents God\’s eternal presence with his people, the Christian is reminded to keep the divine fire ever burning within him. In the words of Paul, \”Do not quench the Spirit\” (1 Thessalonians 5:16ff.). If it speaks of our abiding need for atonement, we are reminded that Christ \”always lives to make intercession\” for us (Hebrews 7:25).
How we got the Bible?
For centuries, men have treated the Bible with reverence, awe and respect while at the same time other men have gone to great lengths to discredit it and if possible, even destroy it.
Spiritual Debts Written-Off…
The burnt offering uses a personal picture: of man the guilty sinner who deserves to die for his sin and of the animal dying in his place. God accepts the animal as a ransom for man. The sin offering uses a medical model: sin makes the world so dirty that God can no longer dwell there. The blood of the animal disinfects the sanctuary in order that God may continue to be present with his people. The reparation offering presents a commercial picture of sin. Sin is a debt which man incurs against God. The debt is paid through the offered animal.
Holier than the Popes
For Paul every Christian is a walking shrine, a temple for the Holy Spirit in which God is to be glorified (1 Corinthians 6:19-20). Like the Old Testament tabernacle the Christian enjoys the permanent presence of the Spirit, but just as the old shrine enjoyed a special manifestation of God\’s glory from time to time, so the Christian should be filled with the Spirit and display God\’s glory to the world (cf. Acts 6:15: 7:55- 56; 2 CorInthians. 3; Ephesians 5:18).
Sermon Prep Class tonight at 6pm (GMT)
An introduction to the basics of sermon construction and delivery. This is not primarily a course on the theology of preaching, but rather is a practical introduction to the tools, structures, and concepts that help preachers learn to put a sermon together.
Jesus said that He loved the Church
FREE BOOK: However, the scriptural doctrine of the Church has not come in for any great amount of emphasis. In spite of the great deal of activity in churches, the current state of the Church is not very healthy. There is a great deal of superficiality, a lot of shallowness, and it is permitted to continue partially because of inadequate views of the local church.
Is speaking in tongues a sign of being born-again?
The baptism in the Holy Spirit is regarded as an experience that usually occurs after conversion. Pentecostals believe at conversion a Christian receives the Holy Spirit. However only at the subsequent baptism in the Holy Spirit does the Christian receive the fullness of the Spirit and the full empowerment for Christian service. Most Pentecostals believe that Spirit-baptism is always accompanied with the gift of speaking in tongues as evidence for the baptism. Thus one can be a genuine Christian yet not be baptised in the Holy Spirit.