Abba's Own. David R. Lumsden

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СКАЧАТЬ ‘a leap of faith,’ as though it is something a human does rather than a gift of God as Scripture says in Eph 2: 8-9. The term ‘baby’ is used as terminology for one young in coming to faith. How can a baby take a leap of faith as they illustrate with Indiana Jones in the movie trailer of Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade when he takes a giant ‘leap of faith.’ A bridge appears to cross a cavern, and a sip out of the ‘holy grail’ means attainment of eternal life. This story line may win at the Box office, but not with God.

      A lady phoned and said to a friend, who was witnessing apparently to her, that she believed if a baby was not baptized (infant baptism) and it suddenly died, the baby would go to hell. Also, how can a bedridden senior take a leap of faith, when he is born- again on his deathbed? "Faith," as the Scripture says, is a gift of God, not of man’s deeds; Scripture only makes sense, if faith is followed by good, righteous deeds prepared for them by God, (Eph 2: 10) follow. As Jesus says, “By their fruits ye shall know them,” (Matt 7: 16). Spiritual leaders need to know, model and, share the biblical facts. God illumines the minds of those He chooses to work in His fields that are white-unto-harvest. To them, He gives perception, understanding, wisdom, boldness, and grace to serve Him and have joy in doing so. God’s command is to equip the saints to be prepared to give a reason for the hope that lies within them. Discipleship, in the Christian lifestyle, is imperative. For some people in the world, a discipled true Christian may be the only Bible non-churched people read and know. How many ‘shepherds’ are preparing their ‘flock’ to share that hope of the Gospel with those who are waiting and hungering after God or have never heard the Gospel? Some pastors and priests need the Gospel themselves before they can be reliable messengers of the good news to others. God warns the Colossians, “if so be that ye continue in the faith, grounded and steadfast, and not moved away from the hope of the Gospel (good tidings), which ye heard, which was preached in all creation under heaven; whereof I Paul was made a minister,” (Col 1: 23). Further, God says, “but sanctify (set apart) in your hearts Christ as Lord: being ready always to give answer to every man that asketh you a reason concerning the hope that is in you, yet with meekness and fear: having a good conscience; that, wherein ye are spoken against, they may be put to shame who revile your good manner of life in Christ,” (1 Pet 3: 15-16).

      Who is ready and willing to be sent, then go and labour in God’s business? Are you and I?

      A minister must first be ‘in’ Christ’ to present Christ effectively for others to be won to Christ, since it is a work of the Holy Spirit of Jesus, by Whom God does His business. Our aim in ministry is that every minister and seeker must be born-again, Lord willing, as Jesus says in John 3: 3, and standing firm (eternally secure) in Christ Jesus by faith, empowered by God ready to preach Jesus to the world, to win converts and thereby influence society for the better. It is not the friendship of another person to just assume that because you have a relatively good relationship with that other person, that they are Christian, even if they say so. That person may be walking out of step with Jesus, or may not be saved at all, and does not believe any of the tenets of the Bible. If they cannot pass the test of the spirits, (1 Jn 4: 1-4), they may not yet be Christian, even if a friend. Confessions of Jesus in the Bible are tests of the spirits, whether they be of God. A true friend must love and show compassion to that other person so that other person can know he/she is born again complete in Christ, saved from the pit. One professor, shortly after his salvation, said in university to another Christian, known to the author, “Now, I know what it means to be saved. Now, I can go back to my Anglican church and teach my friends about Jesus and show them how to be saved, to have peace with God and, eternal life.” Before his salvation, salvation was a mystery. Without knowing Jesus as Savior and Lord, another leader had preached fourteen years to members of his Catholic church, in New York. The moment he received Christ and was born-again, he gasped and said, “Now, I know and understand salvation. Now I will be able to go back to my diocese and show my people how to be saved and secured for eternity.”

      You can get a glimpse from these two examples of spiritual leaders, the difference of certainty of salvation in their personal lives would make for their hearers. The hearers will hear the message of truth. Before preaching, one must appropriate the business of God’s salvation to one’s own life before one can share confidently with another, so others are prepared for eternity by receiving the Gospel of Jesus Christ, alone. Christ, solely, is the Way of salvation. Otherwise, how can one know? Souls need to know, now, the hope of the resurrection in the day of the Lord’s Second Advent. A new believer is placed in Jesus by the Holy Spirit when the person believes in Jesus. The author desires that you, the reader will know Jesus Christ of the Bible as your Savior, Lord, Deliverer, Defender, and Coming King when or before you have finished this book. Jesus will never leave you, forsake you, or abandon you once you receive Him.

      No other phrase in the Scriptures is as vital to a true Christian as the phrase “… in Jesus Christ, complete.” Some professors and pastors teach others that ‘with’ Jesus, rather than in Jesus makes you okay. They also use the Alpha Course as the statement of beliefs for their church, but still call themselves evangelical Christian. Jesus says that His Spirit is in Him, and His Spirit will not only be with you but in you, (Jn 14: 7). This phrase, ‘in Jesus,’ by His Spirit, is especially critical in soul-winning and salvation as will be seen in the subject of our case study and others that follow as a sample of converts. Being in Christ is as eternally secure one can be. Eternal security is something that God promises and gives you as soon as you believe in Jesus. If a minister does not have the message from God clear in his own heart, how can he ever make it clear to others, who seek to find, know, and be known by God, Elohim? The Word of God “In Jesus,” is critical because Jesus, who sends His Spirit into every believer’s heart, said that His Spirit would be in your heart, not just walking alongside with you. No wonder pastors are still trying to wrap their head around that teaching themselves if they forget Rev 3: 20 where Jesus says that if we open the door to Him, He will come ‘ in’ and sup with us and we will sup with Him. As one new convert testified, “It is sure hard to find any church in this city that preaches a Gospel message for the salvation of souls consistent with what God says in His Word.” God’s Spirit places you in Christ at the same time you are born-again.

      IMPORTANCE OF STUDY

      Eternal life and being known by God now and in Judgment Day is at stake.

      If Jesus Christ is the focal point of all Scripture, then “Complete in Jesus Christ” is central to all Christology, Soteriology, Ecclesiology, and Eschatology, for that matter, all Theology, (Col 2: 10). God’s love message to humankind is about giving His only beloved Son to atone for our sins and rise again bodily by the power of His Holy Spirit, that we may be justified before God to enter Heaven.

      Many people are being lost for eternity. They need to receive the Truth, the Way, and the Life, (Jn 14: 6), and take it by faith, literally. The Holy Spirit moves upon a person’s life for a change of mind and heart, drawing that person to receive Jesus Christ consistent with the inspired Truth of His Word. Why are so many people confused about true Christianity? Mary Fairchild writes “Statistics and Facts about the Global Face of Christianity Today,” in Thought.co. She reports that 32% of the world population is Christian, which includes Catholic, protestant, and orthodox. 37% of the 32% are protestant⁷ even less would be conservative evangelicals.

      Barry Meguiar of Revival ‘Outside the Walls’ ministry says “51% of evangelicals believe that many religions can lead to eternal life.”⁸ As God says the fields are white unto harvest, but the labourers are few, (Matt 9: 37). Who are the people who are going to stand up for Christ and preach the Gospel of Jesus Christ unto salvation, complete in Him, that souls be saved truly, consistent with the Word of God? There is nothing more fulfilling in life than to serve God in this ministry of reconciliation, whereby people make peace with God in spirit and truth. True believers, who have heard and believed the truth of Scripture for salvation, know the difference Jesus makes in one’s life.

      Many times, pastors get the cart before the horse. Their message СКАЧАТЬ