|
|
Bible Study Series on The Revelation
"THE REVELATION OF JESUS CHRIST"
|
“Blessed is he that reads, and they that hears the words of this prophesy, and keeps those things, which are written therein: for the time is at hand.” (Revelation Rv1:3)
The ‘Revelation’ is one of the strangest and most difficult books. I tried to study this book of the coming of Jesus Christ, after listening a number of times to inspiring prophetical sermons from our spiritual leaders. When I embarked upon the study, I found myself in a world of images/symbols and visions. I also found the ‘Apocalypse’ very difficult to crack its riddles; until I tried to understand it along with other prophetical books in the scripture.
I thank God Almighty, for revealing it little by little through the Holy Spirit. This has happened when I prayerfully submitted to God, and asked for his wisdom for understanding the ‘Apocalypse’. I am therefore able to enjoy the great divine plan of redemption that our God is executing for the Church through Jesus Christ.
I am also now sure, that the New Testament would have been incomplete without Revelation. I also believe that, I would not have received the blessing promised in this prophetical book, if I had not studied the words of prophecy of the resurrected Jesus Christ. I want you also to be blessed along with me by reading these Series of Bible Studies on the Revelation.
(Revelation or ‘Apocalypse’. It is taken from Greek word apokalupsis, which has two parts Apo means away from, and kalupsis means unhiding or a taking away of a veil, a revealing / disclosure of that which is hidden and secret.)
THE REVELATION OF JESUS CHRIST «« Click Here for full Article
(Require Acrobat Reader)
(Dr.K.James Mathai, Bhopal)
|
|
CALL FOR ETERNAL LIFE
"BE BORN OF WATER AND OF THE SPIRIT"
|
It is an unalterable sure decision of the heavenly Government. Every one is born of water; he/she needs to be born again of the Spirit of God. It is an unalterable divine decision.
1. Jesus said: “except a man be born of water and the Spirit he cannot enter the kingdom of God”. John 3:5.
2. “That which is born of the flesh is flesh and that which is born of the Spirit is Spirit.”
Note that there are two births mentioned in point no. 2 : first that of the “flesh” and second that of the Spirit. Point no.1 speaks of birth in “water’’ in the place of the “Flesh” and the second birth is that of the Spirit of God common to both. “Water” therefore indicates the flesh.
Another comparison in 1 John 5:6 is akin to this and is the key to open the knot. It is also equally important: “This is He that came by water and blood.” In other words: “Jesus came by “flesh”. Therefore, “flesh” means “water and blood.” (A person told me once that water there is the water in the River JORDAN where he was baptized. It is not correct. I was shocked! But on careful study I was enlightened by the very fact that - Water is the main content in a human body: say, about 70 %; expert of medical sciences reveals it. Jesus insists: it is not enough to be born of the flesh (or of water and blood); but one has to be born of the Spirit too, in order that he/she be able to enter the kingdom of God.
THE ONLY DIVINE CONDITION FOR rebirth in the Spirit is to obtain FORGIVENESS OF SINS by:
1. Repentance for the sins committed and
2. Belief in the propitiatory death of the Saviour Jesus Christ as demanded in Rom.3:25 to 27 and John 1: 7 to 9. Please read these. These are most essential demands of God from all in order to have forgiveness of sins and entry into the kingdom of God.
3. The above mentioned inner faith and confession of sins have to be expressed (first) by words of mouth and (Second) by dipping or baptizing in water in the name of the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit as demanded in Romans 10:9. The Trinity formula as instructed in Mt. 28:19 respectively so that the church may see/know and recognize them as believers.
Today, in Christendom, practicing Mamodeesa (Child/ Sprinkling Baptizm) is out of the Bible canon; where is it authorized in the Holy Bible! Nowhere. Hence it is a man-made tradition. Water has no power to regenerate a baby by it. Regeneration by water is a satanic idea to counter the divine theory of birth by water (birth from the parents}; then rebirth by the divine Spirit. The idea of sprinkling apart from this is not asked for by sprinkling or baptizing the innocent and ignorant non-believing kids. To-days’ Mamodesa is a deed “ without conviction and belief in the vicarious crucifixion of the Saviour by the child; so it is absolutely a diabolic, unwanted, one to counter the divine command for conviction & confession to come out competent to practice faith.
Was there no newborn child in the first centuries from A.D. 1 to practice mamodeesa! This duplicate is an unauthorized, leprosy like sickness, leading to hypocrisy. It is absolute1y a useless deed till real faith and confession take place. The very practice of confirmation establishes the mamodeesas’ futility and non-confirmation. It is NOT AT ALL INITIATED BY JESUS OR THE SPIRIT OF GOD. See below how it is absolutely countering the divine formula OF “believed and were baptized” .
See the various steps the veteran God–called missionary St. Paul listed in Rom. 10: 13 0nwards:
i. Who so-ever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved;
ii. How then shall they call on him in whom they have not believed?
iii. How shall they believe in him of whom they have not heard?
iv. How shall they hear without a preacher?
v. How shall they preach except they be sent?
vi. How beautiful are the feet of them that preach the gospel of peace?
vii. But they have not believed the gospel.
Note the various steps before salvation: a second person’s belief does not save any body. Baptism comes second to belief. Is this portion not included in all the Bibles of all people of all churches? How sad it is that kids who haven’t heard nor believed the gospel, are sprinkled. Have sprinkled drops power to save!
Isaiah says: Lord who has believed our report?
He or she becomes a new person of godly nature and is born anew with considerable inner changes qualifying him/her for heavenly life; he or she is born anew by the Spirit.
Scientifically, it is discovered man’s body contains normally about 70 % water, which is the ratio of water and the earth as a whole. That is about 70 % of the earth is water. That ratio was maintained in the creation of both the Adams’ bodies by the Triune God.
Hence Jesus, one among the three creators, knew well to mention the accurate measure of water plus the Spirit of God required to convert a mere man into a born again person or say: a child of God. Thus see how much significant is Jesus-formula requirement! “Except a man be born of water (from the parents’ bodies) for the first birth, and then by the converting Spirit (of God) by a rebirth (born again newness} by real confession of sins and belief in the Saviour’s propitiation." These are the essentials qualifying a Satan- controlled sinner to be born anew to enter heaven as a pure child of God! Conversion is termed as the “born again experience” or a painful birth of a new- born baby. It opens the door of the ecclesia to enter in. Such only will enter the kingdom of God. This is to say “except a man be born of water and after that be again be born of the Spirit (of God), Till that newness is obtained he/she will not be qualified to enter the kingdom of God.” To be born of the Spirit of God the divine formula is (1st deep regret for the sinful things in one’s life, then trust in the propitiatory death of Christ on the beli peetth are essentials.
Confirmation: Confirm what? Nothing was obtained by water sprinkling without belief in the heart. There is no meaning in saying of confirmation of un-obtained salvation. Let the child be prayerfully exposed to the gospel as he/she grows to understanding age and make a vow of surrender to the lordship of the Lord.
Water and population: The following expressions are germinated on account of the fact that a collection of people is termed as water:-
Eg. Eccl: 11:1 Cast thy bread upon the waters for thou shalt find it after many days.” Again Jer.51:1. invasion -ie. the floods have lifted up their waves.” Psa. 93:3; 18:4;”The floods of ungodly men made me afraid.” Etc. The huge gathering of saints at the end of the Revelation is termed as sea of waters.
Waters is a word to indicate huge gathering of human beings. Two births are there: first from human bodies and then a second “born again” experience through the Holy Spirit by a deep confession of sins with acceptance of Jesus as the mediator and belief in His sacrificial offering as our blood sacrifice (John 3; 16 to 18)’ There is no magic of regeneration by water. Don’t be deceived by human interpretations. But everybody has to learn that going under and coming up from water is to be experienced as being dead and buried for sins and coming out alive for a powerful new life for Christ. There is newness in Spirit for a powerful life causing influence in others’ lives too. May the living God enlighten and empower my readers too for achieving the newness in life.
Bible Archeology
Purpose
In recent years, many new archaeology discoveries have been made that directly relate to people and events in the Bible. But as Christians, we take the Bible on faith and that is as it should be. However, there have been some significant discoveries in archaeology recently that Bible believers should celebrate.
This content present some of those discoveries. Do not become addicted to archeological proofs as the basis for your faith, but, take joy in the fact that many people and events in the Bible can be substantiated by scientific study.
MOUNT SINAI REDISCOVERED
An aerial view of the eastern cliffs of Har Karkom. (Site HK 86b; ISR 85-C/III-34; WARA W05872).
IS MOUNT SINAI IN SAUDI ARABIA? Emmanuel Anati claims "Mount Sinai has been found: 20 Years of Biblical Archaeology in the desert of Exodus. The real Mount Sinai has been discovered at Har Karkom."(as cited in www.harkarkom.com)
The Mount Sinai was the destination of Moses and the Children of Israel after the Lord miraculously delivered them from the bondage of Egypt (Ex. 18:5). It was from this mountain that the Lord also gave the Ten Commandments to Moses and the people of Israel (Ex. 19:1-3, 11,18; 20:1-17). Here, too, the prophet Elijah found himself after his escape from wicked Queen Jezebel (I Kings 19). Refer website www.harkarkom.com for more informations.
(A Web Review)
Jesus said "I am the Way, the Truth & the Life." [John 14:6]
"For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten son, that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life" [John 3:16] 
