Saved by faith ALONE?

German reformer Martin Luther!

Introduced the word alone to emphasise his idea of the doctrine of salvation, which caused the split from the Roman Catholic Church over 400 years ago! But on reflection with modern technology and the easy grasp of Biblical languages today we now know that this is not correct?

Because of two incidents in the New Testament, where people were saved in the moment of belief and no mention of this doctrine exists in the Greeks texts, apart from that of the King James Bible!

The Thief on the cross and the Ethiopian eunuch made no known confession of faith, but they just believe and were saved?

Today many Christians are not aware of many things and Salvation seems cheap when its a card signed or a short prayer, yet perhaps we should not be quick to Judge since the almighty can do whatever He pleases!

James 2:17, 24, Greek Kata Strong G2596, Luke 23:42-43, Acts 8:27-39.

Effective Ministry?

Many groups and Meetings!

Some fellowships do very little and rely on the community, others act in a silly way bringing golf and the funfair to their buildings in the hope of raising the attendance numbers? While others are full of activity, from house groups to meetings and yet there is no essential results of attendance or growth?

Good leadership is needed from the Pastor to the elders or deacons or what ever way you make that call! Organisation and review is as important, while the prayer meeting is one of the focuses of the believers to pray weekly on the events, the direction of the Ekklesia, the sick, troubles and the surrounding community!

Preaching the Gospel with emphasis on the Cross, the need for personal salvation and that believers share their faith at work, home, school and other without the fear of humans is the key to success!

Leviticus 19:15, Psalm 91:5, Isaiah 8:12, Acts 8:25, 1 John 4:18, 5:9-11, Revelation 22:20.

The Value of Preaching? Two.

The Altar Call?

At one time this was the essential of leading those who were ready to repent to faith in Jesus, despite the terminology it remained an effective tool in Evangelism to lead to the lost to Jesus!

The preaching of Jesus death and resurrection remains essential today in ever increasing hostile and anti-Christian world! Our societies are in a state of moral collapse and the world is justifying sin, since it sees the Church doing the same!

An active Church is one that is preaching and reaching, while also comforting and helping the needy of the believers conscience rather than some far flung government scheme! Prayer must not be used as an excuse not to talk to people and share our faith with them?

Colossians 2:12, 1 Timothy 2:1-7, 2 Peter 1:8, Revelation 1:4, 11, 20.

Sunday evening Services! Two.

Ekklesia is not like the Kosmon?

What is being lost in not having an Sunday evening service is that of fellowship of believers ahead of the working week! The world is very hostile most of the time to believers, we are attacked for what disagrees with their standards and ours are dismissed as archaic?

A two hour slot of praise, prayer and preaching with an after fellowship of just meeting and talking with folk is the varied ways of helping and leading others to God! When you have worked prior to going into ministry, you are more likely to see the needs in particular loneliness and despair!

God came to save sinners and the Ekklesia is a place for believers to meet together and be built up, its not a club or some unneeded tradition of religious observance! We need to help those who are seeking God and keep our flocks well watered and fed?

Acts 2:42, Romans 16:8, Philippians 2:1, Philemon 1:6, 1 John 1:6.

Sunday Evening Services! One.

No longer Popular?

Many fellowships today only have Sunday morning services and have ended their evenings for the pleasures of the television and other?

They see no value in pressuring their congregations into attending Church twice on a Sunday! But one has to say I think this is wrong, the opportunity to share the Gospel is slowly being eradicated and we will have to give God an account for missed souls?

Many in ministry have it easy, compared to normal 9-5 work and so it seems another chip off the block can be sacrificed? Many people today work in the gig economy and would like to break bread before or after work, to be fed spiritually and have the opportunity to bring a friend?

Isaiah 40:11, 56:11, Ezekiel 34:2, Luke 2:20, 1 Peter 5:2.

HELL?

Who will be There?

The Holy Bible says all who have refused to believe and wicked cruel people! But that definition of sinners has changed today, because not all sin is sin, like loving children and same sex relationships?

Society and some elements of the Church have accepted sin on this one level, which does now justify the right to kill, steal, lie, be dishonest and disobey God! But this is not Gods way and we will have to give an account of our actions in this life!

Hope in God being fair is not good enough, because He has no favorites and what He says remains because we are believers we know that He does not change. There is a separation from God and it is well listed wither some leaders believe it or not in the Bible that not everyone is going to be in heaven!

Darkness, fires, unquenchable pain and all mentioned along with the bottomless pit and the torment of the Devil for Eternity! We cannot afford as leaders, evangelists and Pastors to ignore these facts and lead others in to a false sense of security when this is the reality of all who will be lost!

Deuteronomy 32:22, Psalm 55:15, Proverbs 27:20, Isaiah 28:15, Ezekiel 31:16, Matthew 23:33, Mark 9:43-48, Luke 16:22-23, 1 Corinthians 6:9-10, Ephesians 6:16, 2 Peter 2:4, Revelation 1:18, 21:8, 22:15.

Transgender Issues?

Testosterone!

What makes men and woman different is now the challenge that woman have to face with men who think or feel feminine and want to share the toilet, and also the sports field despite having more energy than females?

We are living in disturbing times, wither we call it apostate or something other it is not good for believers to accept sin and excuse it as something other?

In times past the Church and its institutions did cover up serious financial fraud and use other methods to hide its dishonesty!

But now we are living in an age were many people are vulnerable to sexual assault and rape and latest police figures suggest that much crime is either not being recorded or reported!

If we claim a faith in Jesus then we only have the Bible to live by and the conditions set by God, He who will have the last word at the end to the accountability for sin and our failures! We cannot excuse ourselves as many do today, believing that ‘Once they are saved they can live as they wish?

Romans 1:18-28, Psalm 81:12, Hosea 4:18, Ephesians 4:18, 2 Thessalonians 2:10-12, Revelation 22:14-15.

DAY TWO!

The EASTER Story.

Much has been written about the events of Easter, the death of Jesus on the cross/stake/tree are the essentials of the power of our redemption and forgiveness of failures to the promise of the New Life or being Born-Again!

We also know of the much in connection to the resurrection of Jesus from the grave and again the fulness of the promise of Eternal Salvation, but the hours between these two tremendous events are hardly ever covered in detail?

We get but a glimpse of the burial of Jesus, the torn curtain in the Temple in Jerusalem and the lies that were put in place to dishonour these events! When Easter is over Pentecost is the next episode of the Christian Church, missing out the Ascension of Jesus!

Matthew 27:33-66, Mark 15:47- 16:1, Luke 23:55-56.

Our Choices?

Choosing right from Wrong!

Taking a look at the world today we hear and see nothing more than death through murder and terrorism, but also war and traffic incidents and also other accidents!

Making choices is a difficult subject to cover in one blog post, but we will at this time take a cover of the subject and later develop it into something much deeper.

Looking at the actions of Brenton Tarrant points to an heart full of hatred and evil and mixed up man? But it was he alone who made the choice to carry out these attacks on over one hundred people praying in two Mosques!

Was he demon possessed or did he do it of his own choice? Its tough to know, perhaps those who examine him will know better as to his motives, because the actions of the crazed are not always the work of the Devil!

Exodus 32:22, Numbers 14:37, 35:21, Psalm 94:6, Matthew 15:9, Luke 11:13, John 7:7, Romans 9:18, 12:9, 1 Corinthians 15:33, Colossians 1:21, James 2:4, 11, 1 Peter 3:9.

Rainbow Diversity!

The eventual acceptance of Paedophilia?

The Church at this time is much different than it ever has been and is now open to many sexual preferences and yet doctrinally it remains stuck over the role of woman and many other areas?

One might be surprised that one should take on this subject and may feel hurt by the claims, but for the last sixty years many political groups within mainstream politics in the United Kingdom have tried to change the law in relation to paedophilia! Not as one would expect against it but for it, because many who practice what is now considered illegal will one day like same-sex relationships become acceptable?

Paedophilia is the last taboo in the Rainbow diversity challenge to sexuality, currently the new or great debate is on same Trans-gender facilities and there is much conflict over the matter of woman being molested by men, such as the issues with Harvey Winestien?

The doctrine of love has been the excuse for a long time in relation to these matters, but the whole concept of sexual deviance runs completely contrary to what God has to say in the Holy Bible and it would appear there is an open rebellion of apostacy now facing Christianity that is in conflict!

Matthew 18:6, Mark 9:42, Luke 17:1-2.

Luke 17:28-29, Romans 1:24, 26-27, 9:29, 1 Corinthians 6:9-10, Ephesians 5:5, 1 Timothy 1:10, Jude 1:7, Revelation 21:8, 2:15.

Genesis 19:4-13, Leviticus 18:22, 20:13, Deuteronomy 23:17-18, Judges 19:22, 1 Kings 14:24, 15:12, 2 Kings 23:7.