Showing posts with label doctrine. Show all posts
Showing posts with label doctrine. Show all posts

Monday 27 January 2014

Many forgot how Christ should be our anchor and our focus

When we look at the trends in the spiritual life of people we notice a growing trend among elders, preachers, and members of the church of Christ which is to turn Christianity and worship into things that are casual in nature.

People are given the freedom to look at their faith like they want to have it. they also may come to worship God whenever they like “as they are” and “dressed as they are.” Some preachers do not find it necessary to prepare their sermon because it has to be casual and straight from the heart. In some churches people have become totally against prepared or printed prayers , saying they would not come from the heart. Everything in service should be improvised and or casual.

73% of born again Christians may say that it is important to share their faith with others, but when we walk around is our environment we do not hear many talking about the Word of God or about the hope we can have in the Gospel. The Good News is not heard much, though many may know it is something we should share with others.

Only half (52%) of born again Christians say they actually did share the Gospel at least once this past year to someone with different beliefs, in the hope that they might accept Jesus Christ as their Saviour.

This sharing of the Good News demands also knowing it and acting accordingly it. But we can notice not many youngsters today really can or want to find time to read the Bible. They think it is not so necessary and for the few times they can make it to church they will hear enough of the Scriptures (they think), but in many churches there is less and less being read from the Scriptures and often just being shouted a few verses, but that's it.

Some preachers do find it more important to get others to know those dogmatic teachings and want to get as many as possible their own church rules, often by breaking off other churches and trying to get the followers of the other church to their church, claiming they are the better church. the set of beliefs — a collection of ideas seems all to what it turns about, instead of preaching the love of Christ.

For most people it is easiest to blindly keep accepting what the preachers tells them on the pulpit. those who dare to question certain things are looked at, because they could be a danger for their own believes or making them to doubt about certain matters, which they now can accept, because the follow the preacher and count him responsible in case it would not be true.

They are not interested in to look at the meaning of one verse with looking at the context in which it was written or to compare it with other verses in other chapters of the Holy Scriptures. Why should they bother who wrote it in which circumstances, what led into it, what did it lead into, etc. 

Today it may look surprising to find it interesting that the age group that is least likely to be regular church goers are most likely to verbally evangelize. In ordinary life, at work, we can find some people (a few) who simply share what they have seen and heard and know to be true and place it in Biblical perspective. Luckily we can find people committed to a Christ-centered, faith-based relationship with God through Jesus Christ, who are not actively connected with and participating in a church. They define themselves as Christians, but they are not active in pursuing spiritual formation in the context of a congregational expression. Some might consider them as beings who could be called "Christian “nones”" in that they have no formal affiliation at this time.

Most Evangelicals, especially leaders feel it important to affirm their doctrine and call out many verses (even when it may be out of context) to affirm their doctrinal believes and to frighten their members so they  would be afraid to leave any idea of their community. 

Jesus is the true example of right understanding of the Word of his Father, the Only One True God. He is the mediator between God and man, who showed us the way to a holy living, and unconditional mercy and love for the lost. It's a message that many Christians dismiss today – just as it was 2000 years ago.

Some may think what the world needs is the revelation of the Grace of God through the complete work of the cross. They might say listening to the likes of Joseph Prince, Creflo Dollar & Rob Rufus , getting this fresh revelation and drinking of the new wine of Holy Spirit is what keeps us fresh in our faith. God never promised us a bed of roses and the road is long and tough at times, but if Christ is our anchor and our focus, how can we neglect so great a salvation?

Lots of people become more concerned how big a church is, how people are dressed, how pleasant the services are, which 'good music" is played, how entertaining the worship can be, etc..

Exterior elements seem to have become more important than the state of the heart, the inner feelings.

In 2001 Barna warned already  most self-professed Christians are only dabblers in the Faith lacking any desire for holiness; begging the question of how serious these people are about their faith, and how real their relationship with Christ is. {George Barna, Growing True Disciples (Colorado Springs: WaterBrook, 2001), 17.}

Those who call themselves Christian, should give much more attention to the person they are claiming to follow. They should listen more to the words of the one they would call their master. Christ Jesus should be their guide, more than any particular preacher or church. Jesus should be the one they should follow.

Christianity is not a set of doctrines in the sense that a mechanic operates with a set of tools. Instead, Christianity is a comprehensive worldview and way of life that grows out of Christian reflection on the Bible and the unfolding plan of God revealed in the unity of the Scriptures. 
As such we also should need to develop more concern for our attitude, attendance, and attire. In a time when many want to practice casual Christianity, we need to practice true Christianity. We need to practice serious Christianity, devoted Christianity, and respectful Christianity.

The Bible tells us about the foggy times when religions will get against religions. The time of its prophesies has come
Men and Women of God must rise up, the Watchmen must cry out; for if the Spirit of the Living God is not poured out on us then all will be lost.


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Saturday 22 December 2012

People are turning their back on Christianity

English: Catholic Church in Europe - percentag...
Catholic Church in Europe - percentage by country (Photo credit: Wikipedia)
In the world Christians number 2.2 billion, or about one-in-three (32%) people worldwide. About half of all Christians are Catholic (50%). An estimated 37% of Christians belong to the Protestant tradition, broadly defined to include Anglicans as well as independent and nondenominational churches. The Orthodox Communion, including the Greek and Russian Orthodox, make up 12% of Christians. And people who belong to other traditions that view themselves as Christian (including Christian Scientists, Mormons, Christadelphians and Jehovah’s Witnesses) make up about 1% of the global Christian population.

Most Christians (87%) live in countries where Christians are in the majority. Of the 232 countries and territories included in this study, 157 have Christian majorities. However, most of the Christian-majority countries have relatively small populations: about seven-in-ten have fewer Christians than the Christian-minority country of Vietnam (7 million Christians).

Last year’s census in England about faith showed that most of the English people are not really interested in faith, God and religion. Nearly one-in-three people declared themselves to be non-religious.

The number identifying themselves as Christians in England  is down 13 percentage points. In 2001, 72% (37.3 million) called themselves Christians. In 2011 that had dropped to 59% (33.2 million).

grl-christian-1

Interestingly, Christianity is not down everywhere. Newham, Haringey, Brent, Boston and Lambeth have all shown increases in the Christian population.

The 2011 census has seen the proportion of Christians in North Somerset drop from 75 per cent to 61 per cent during the past decade – a fall of about 18,000 people.
While the percentage of Buddhists, Jews, Muslims and Hindus have remained stable, the proportion of those indicated they had no religious affiliation has almost doubled to 30 per cent.

Sunday mass attendance in England and Wales has fallen by half from the 1.8m recorded in 1960; the average age of parishioners has risen from 37 in 1980 to 52 now. In America attendance has declined by over a third since 1960. Less than 5% of French Catholics attend regularly, and only 15% in Italy. Yet as the mainstream wanes, traditionalists wax.

Reverend Gill Putnam, lead chaplain for Chaplaincy about Town, played down fears that North Somerset, and the country as a whole, are shunning religious practices.
She said: “We are still predominantly a Christian nation. Those who have no religious affiliation or who don’t think of themselves affiliated to any church organisation, will have some sort of faith as we are all spiritual beings.”

That the institutional Catholic Church is in a state of crisis is surely an understatement. It has been widely castigated and scorned for the disclosures of sexual abuse and its grossly inadequate response, including cover-ups and protection of perpetrators.

English: Mar Mathew Arackal (Bishop of Kanjira...
English: Mar Mathew Arackal (Bishop of Kanjirappally Eparchy) and Rev. Dr. Prasant Palakkappilly C.M.I (Principal, Thevara Sacred Heart College) along with other priests at the tomb of Servant of God Fr. Varghese Payapilly Palakkappilly. Mar Thoma Cross, symbolizing the heritage and identity of the Syrian Church of Saint Thomas Christians, is seen in the hands of the bishop. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)
Professional theologians the last few years showed their dissatisfaction with the state of affairs. In Austria started a much more radical Catholic priests’ initiative, for a “Call for disobedience”, later repeated in Belgium.The Protestant church of the Netherlands (PKN = Protestantse Kerk Nederland) and the Flemish Catholic priests launched in 2007 and 2011 a Manifest for believers Manifest “Gelovigen nemen het woord”,

The first manifest: Manifest ‘Wij kiezen voor eenheid’ or ‘We choose for unity’ consecrated on the union many believers of the Christian faith wanted to see between all those who call themselves Christian. a lot of Christians where found discussing and created confusion by lots of people. The whole situation with all the disasters of sex-abuse, financial fraud, dishonesty made the belief and church-business distasteful. An unacceptable abuse of power and lack of accountability, by many of the bishops and Vatican officials, in complete contravention of the decisions and declarations at Vatican II in favour of a collegial church, and a Church of all the people, mad people draw away from the Catholic church but also from Christianity.

The manifesto for believers Manifest “Gelovigen nemen het woord” presented to the Belgian belief community at the turn of the year hit like a bomb.  It got the approval from 8233 religiously but had probably more counter parts.  A lot of Roman Catholics launched a counter attack. In the month January the reaction was so violently that the initiators took away their website with further definitions.{See: Manifests for believers #3 Catholic versus Protestant)

A big problem in history of Christianity is that from the 4th century power became more important and priests and bishops became vicars of the pope. the clergy became very much connected with particular institutions and represented more a denomination instead representing Christ and working for God.

No only the ordinary civilian has had doubts of what is written in the Bible, many theologians, who had already mixed a lot of philosophical and pagan teaching in their writings confused people more and they themselves became also so confused that many did not mind openly to declare that they did not believe in God. How in Gods name could they than bring people to God?

The Catholic clergy is aware that abuse of choosing for leadership offices in the church only candidates of a particular mindset, should be eradicated.They would like to see new norms to be laid down and supervised to ensure that elections to such offices are conducted in a fair, transparent and, to the extent possible, democratic fashion.

The reality of today's Catholic Church is that the Spirit is suppressed in many ways. Lay people have no channel to voice their insights and take decisions. Theologians are muzzled. Free expression through normal church media is virtually non-existent. Even Bishops Conferences and the Central Synod of Bishops cannot genuinely make their own contributions. Paul's warnings: "Do not extinguish the Spirit! Do not treat the gift of prophecy with contempt!" (1 Thessalonians 5,19), are not heeded at all.

The Reverend Michael Keane, a contemporary of the signatories to the Irish Bishops Pastoral, The Work of Justice, was recently reinstated after a 23 year suspension visited on him in response to challenges based on conscience writes: 
“People today talk much about following their own conscience. Yet the strange thing is that this is the very time when so many people will follow with blind obedience in whatever direction their conscience is led by their group or movement or political party, their firm, or union, or professional organisation. We allow much of our moral thinking to be done for us by committees or by ‘headquarters’, or by the mass media. We need to inform and educate our conscience and have the courage to stand by it even if we stand alone. We cannot rest content with situations where we find ourselves as members of some organisation, doing things which personally we would never do and which privately we know to be wrong, or failing to say or do things we know to be our duty. As someone put it recently, ‘We must not allow governments, corporations and unions to do our sinning for us’. Selfish, sectional and unjust actions committed by my group are in part my responsibility. It is not enough, to examine my conscience about my personal behaviour, I need also to examine myself about actions of a group of which I am a member.” 

The Second Vatican Council prescribed collegiality and co-responsibility on all levels. This has not been realised. Priestly senates and pastoral councils, as envisaged by the Council, should involve the faithful more directly in decision making concerning the formulation of doctrine, the running of the pastoral ministry and evangelization in secular society.

The Roman curia requires a more radical reform, in line with the instructions and vision of Vatican II. The curia should be retained for its useful administrative and executive roles.

To bring religious matters to the public they would love to see a congregation for the doctrine of the faith being assisted by international commissions of experts who have been independently chosen for their professional competence.

The exercise of authority in the Catholic church should emulate the standards of openness, according to the protesting priests, who understand that the principal source of present-day stagnation lies in misunderstanding and abuse affecting the exercise of authority in our Church.
The role of the papacy needs to be clearly re-defined in line with Christ's intentions they do find. "As supreme pastor, unifier and prime witness to faith, the pope contributes substantially to the health of the universal church. However, his authority may never obscure, diminish or suppress the authentic authority directly given by Christ to all members of the people of God." they say.

It is because the leadership could not be seen to be honest and credible; inspired by humility and service; breathing concern for people that many believers lost faith in the church.
In many denominations people could see that those churches where preoccupied with rules and a one-sided discipline.

The attitude of certain denominations to people who are feeling different than the majority creates also a lot of problems.
In a speech to the Vatican Curia today, Pope Benedict made what is considered to be one of his strongest attacks yet on gay marriage. Over the past few years, the Pope has made known his opposition to homosexual conduct in no uncertain terms, previously describing it as an “objective disorder“. This view has been repeated by numerous representatives of his senior executive team throughout the world.
Such strong words and showing not a Christian love for other people is still getting more people leaving that church.


Instead of finding a liberating faith, many people did find that those churches were trying to put them in chains of obedience to the institution. Those churches are and were not radiating a Christ who makes us free.

We have to face the reality that we live in a fallen and broken world.  People are sinful and are not perfect – that is the simple truth.  Also clergy can do faults and are not free of sin. They are people like all other people, but who should take on the function of being an example for others. So they should be even more careful not to sin, and to live impeccable.

To stop people turning their back to church, it has to think seriously how to be representatives of God and how they can form a community worthy of the Lord.


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Do find:
Catholic Scholar's Jubilee Declaration

Please do read:
Manifests for believers #1 Sex abuse setting fire to the powder

Manifests for believers #2 Changing celibacy requirement

Manifests for believers #3 Catholic versus Protestant



Find also in Dutch:
  1. Een Manifest voor Gelovigen

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Sunday 2 December 2012

No prophecy of the scripture is of any private interpretation


“now it was not written for his sake alone, that it was imputed to him;” (Romans 4:23 Webster)

 “20 knowing this first, that no prophecy of the scripture is of any private interpretation. 21 for prophecy came not in old time by the will of man: but holy men of god spoke [as they were] moved by the holy spirit.” (2 Peter 1:20-21 Webster)

 “and thou shalt write upon the stones all the words of this law, very plainly.” (Deuteronomy 27:8 Webster)

 “for whatever things were written formerly, were written for our learning, that we through patience and comfort of the scriptures might have hope.” (Romans 15:4 Webster)

 “write the things which thou hast seen, and the things which are, and the things which shall be hereafter;” (Revelation 1:19 Webster)

 “the spirit of the LORD spoke by me, and his word [was] on my tongue.” (2 Samuel 23:2 Webster)

 “but those things which god before had shown by the mouth of all his prophets, that Christ should suffer, he hath so fulfilled.” (Acts 3:18 Webster)

 “and by a prophet the LORD brought Israel out of Egypt, and by a prophet was he preserved.” (Hosea 12:13 Webster)

 “24 he that loveth me not, keepeth not my sayings: and the word which ye hear is not mine, but that of the father who sent me. 25  these things have I spoken to you, being [yet] present with you. 26 but the comforter, [who is] the holy spirit, whom the father will send in my name, he will teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance, whatever I have said to you. 27 peace I leave with you, my peace I give to you: not as the world giveth, give I to you. let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid. 28  ye have heard that I said to you, I go away, and come [again] to you. if ye loved me, ye would rejoice, because I said, I go to the father: for my father is greater than I. 29 and now I have told you before it cometh to pass, that when it hath come to pass, ye may believe. 30 hereafter I will not talk much with you: for the prince of this world cometh, and hath nothing in me. 31 but that the world may know that I love the father; and as the father gave me commandment, even so I do. arise, let us go hence.” (John 14:24-31 Webster)

 “and when they agreed not among themselves, they departed, after Paul had spoken one word, well spoke the holy spirit by Isaiah the prophet to our fathers,” (Acts 28:25 Webster)

 “whom the heaven must receive, until the times of restitution of all things, which god hath spoken by the mouth of all his holy prophets, since the world began.” (Acts 3:21 Webster)

 “thus saith the lord GOD, it shall not stand, neither shall it come to pass.” (Isaiah 7:7 Webster)

 “16 all scripture [is] given by inspiration of god, and [is] profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness: 17 that the man of god may be perfect, thoroughly furnished to all good works.” (2 Timothy 3:16-17 Webster)

 “believest thou not that I am in the father, and the father in me? the words that I speak to you, I speak not from myself: but the father that dwelleth in me, he doeth the works.” (John 14:10 Webster)

 “and take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the spirit, which is the word of god:” (Ephesians 6:17 Webster)

“1  now therefore hearken, O Israel, to the statutes and to the judgments, which I teach you, to do [them], that ye may live, and go in and possess the land which the LORD god of your fathers giveth you. 2 ye shall not add to the word which I command you, neither shall ye diminish [aught] from it, that ye may keep the commandments of the LORD your god which I command you.” (Deuteronomy 4:1-2 Webster)

 “and it shall be with him, and he shall read in it all the days of his life: that he may learn to fear the LORD his god, to keep all the words of this law and these statutes, to do them:” (Deuteronomy 17:19 Webster)

 “thy word have I hid in my heart, that I might not sin against thee.” (Psalms 119:11 Webster)

 “LAMED. for ever, O LORD, thy word is settled in heaven.” (Psalms 119:89 Webster)

 “NUN. thy word [is] a lamp to my feet, and a light to my path.” (Psalms 119:105 Webster)

 “119 thou puttest away all the wicked of the earth [like] dross: therefore I love thy testimonies. 120 my flesh trembleth for fear of thee; and I am afraid of thy judgments. 121  AIN. I have done judgment and justice; leave me not to my oppressors. 122 be surety for thy servant for good: let not the proud oppress me. 123  my eyes fail for thy salvation, and for the word of thy righteousness. 124  deal with thy servant according to thy mercy, and teach me thy statutes. 125 I [am] thy servant; give me understanding, that I may know thy testimonies. 126  [it is] time for [thee], LORD, to work: [for] they have made void thy law. 127  therefore I love thy commandments above gold; yes, above fine gold. 128 therefore I esteem all [thy] precepts [concerning] all [things to be] right; [and] I hate every false way. 129  PE. thy testimonies [are] wonderful: therefore doth my soul keep them. 130  the entrance of thy words giveth light; it giveth understanding to the simple.” (Psalms 119:119-130 Webster)

 “so shall my word be that proceedeth from my mouth: it shall not return to me void, but it shall accomplish that which I please, and it shall prosper [in the thing] for which I sent it.” (Isaiah 55:11 Webster)

 “16 all scripture [is] given by inspiration of god, and [is] profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness: 17 that the man of god may be perfect, thoroughly furnished to all good works.” (2 Timothy 3:16-17 Webster)

 “6 the words of the LORD [are] pure words: [as] silver tried in a furnace of earth, purified seven times. 7 thou shalt keep them, O LORD, thou shalt preserve them from this generation for ever.” (Psalms 12:6-7 Webster)

 “5 every word of god [is] pure: he [is] a shield to them that put their trust in him. 6 add thou not to his words, lest he reprove thee, and thou be found a liar.” (Proverbs 30:5-6 Webster)

 “18 for verily I say to you, till heaven and earth shall pass away, one jot or one tittle shall in no wise pass from the law, till all be fulfilled. 19 whoever therefore shall break one of these least commandments, and shall teach men so, he shall be called the least in the kingdom of heaven: but whoever shall do, and teach [them], the same shall be called great in the kingdom of heaven.” (Matthew 5:18-19 Webster)

 “heaven and earth shall pass away: but my words shall not pass away.” (Mark 13:31 Webster)

 “and it is easier for heaven and earth to pass away, than one tittle of the law to fail.” (Luke 16:17 Webster)

 “for whatever things were written formerly, were written for our learning, that we through patience and comfort of the scriptures might have hope.” (Romans 15:4 Webster)

 “but the word of the lord endureth for ever. and this is the word which by the gospel is preached to you.” (1 Peter 1:25 Webster)

 “18 for I testify to every man that heareth the words of the prophecy of this book, if any man shall add to these things, god will add to him the plagues that are written in this book: 19 and if any man shall take away from the words of the book of this prophecy, god will take away his part out of the book of life, and out of the holy city, and [from] the things which are written in this book.” (Revelation 22:18-19 Webster)


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Read also:
  1. Absolute Basics to Reading the Bible
    English: Peresopnytsia Gospels. 1556-1561. Min...
    English: Peresopnytsia Gospels. 1556-1561. Miniature of Saint Matthew. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)
  2. Finding and Understanding Words and Meanings
  3. Bible in the first place #1/3
  4. Missional hermeneutics 1/5
  5. Missional hermeneutics 5/5
  6. Comparisson Bible Books in English, Dutch and French
  7. The Importance Of Scripture
  8. Incomplete without the mind of God
  9. Loving the Word
  10. Condemnation of the World and Illustration of Justification
  11. The Bible and names in it
  12. The importance of Reading the Scriptures

Friday 9 November 2012

Words in the world

The world is revolving all the time and we are just a small part in it.

For thousands of years humans had to find themselves a rightful space to live adequately and looked for different ways to make their life as enjoyable as possible. Men thought a lot about the reasons why we live and what we have to do, where we going to and what happens as we die.

There have always been more questions in a human life than answers. Many humans used their brains to find answers and solutions and where willing to share their thoughts with others.

In previous times some people wanted to present the world as a tree bringing knowledge tradition, extending between earth and heaven, being a vital connection between the world of the unknown, possible heavenly creatures or spirits, gods and the world of man.
Today people are more rational and think of a black hole and a big bang followed by an evolution to come back to an end by a big explosion.

Many ideas, many scientific explanations. Lots of writings, lots of discussions.

In between all those books and words of human beings, you can find people who consider it more worthwhile to listen to the words written in some very old books. They believe those ancient writings are timeless, and do bring us the history of the people of God and show us the way to come to a better life. We can believe it or not, we can take it or leave it.

Men has been intrigued from the beginning about his position in the world. Many also wondered about gods or higher spiritual beings. Christadelphians are no different. They also questioned the existence of man. They too are concerned with earth, the plants and the animals, and the human beings who can make or destroy a lot of things in the universe.

We also wonder about the world and face the stories about creation, myths and doctrines. We too are confronted with different opinions and religions. Myth and mythology have fostered for many years many thinkers. There have come a lot of fields in existence were scholarship took time and effort to study the importance of the world and the human being.
Buddhism, Christianity,Hinduism, Judaism, Taoism and so many more forms of thinking religious or mythical gave the world lots of books and many words which turn around our ears to bring us either in confusion or to bring us along several paths in this world.

In the Christadelphian World humble pacifist people would like to share their love with others all over the world. Here you will be able to find thoughts from a specific angle. Christadelphians, could be seen as people who live in the phila delphia or in christadelphia as brothers in the city of Christ. As brothers and sisters we want to share our time and knowledge, to educate each other and to grow in Christ. The Jewish teacher who lived about two thousand years ago, and wanted the world to show the works of his Father, the Only One God in heaven. Yes that is the only thing we should take as a sort of dogma. For all the rest we do not need any dogma. Everything is explained in the Words of that One God, who is One.

That is the only facet which requires full faith without a clear proof. Christadelphian people believe in that One God, who is a spirit and not something physical touchable. This Spirit who is One God of gods has created everything around us. It may be a ghost but we do not have to be afraid of him, who also has a Name of which we should not be afraid. He is the Most High in which we should have faith and confidence.
We have the Creator of heaven and earth and everything around יהוה who exists and has given His Word which is inspired and infallible. In a special way He took care that the world could be saved by man who was willing to give his life for many. This Jewish man, Jeshua from Nazareth, better known as Jesus Christ is the long awaited Messiah. Jesus tried to show the world what it had to believe and what would happen to it. God had put His hope in him and also we should put our hope in this humble man who could preach like none. In him we got a better future.

This man's words were written down by his disciples, who also wrote down the history of the first followers of Jesus. By his teachings and according the way the first followers of Christ wanted to build up their community we also like to build up a community according the teachings of Christ and his apostles and according the Will of God so that we can get a life with God. Christadelphians want to nurture a close relationship with God the Creator.

Many people should better get a Fear of God as reason to return to Holy Scriptures, and get to read the Bestseller of all times, The book of books, the Bible.

Monday 2 May 2011

Preexistence in the Divine purpose and Trinity

There is one God, the Father (1 Cor. 8:6), the one God of the creed of Israel affirmed by Jesus Christ (Mark 12:28ff).There is one Lord Messiah, Jesus (1 Cor. 8:6), who was supernaturally conceived as the Son of God (Luke 1:35), and foreordained from the foundation of the world (1 Pet. 1:20).

Many Christians are unaware that philosophical, mystical ideas invaded the church from the second century onwards via the "Church Fathers," who were steeped in pagan philosophy and laid the foundation of the creeds now called "orthodox." In several articles you from the Belgian Biblestudents you shall be able to read more about it. There and on a.o. the writing of Anthony Buzzard you shall be able to find that 'The seed of Trinitarian doctrine' was planted in the thinking of Justin Martyr, the second century Christian apologist who "found in Platonism the nearest approach to Christianity and felt that no break was required with its spirit and principles to pass into the greater light of Christian revelation."

The New Testament never suggests that the phrase ‘Son of God’ just means ‘God.’ [Yet evangelicalism and certain major groups insists on that equation if one is to be considered a Christian!]

But in the world we do find lots of serious lovers of God who accept the Nazarene Jew Yeshua or Jesus as the promissed Saviour. For them however he is the "man Messiah," the one Mediator between God and man (1 Tim. 2:5). As for the apostle Paul those believers in only One God take it that "To us Christians there is one God, the Father, and one Lord Messiah" (1 Cor. 8:4-6). (Note carefully Paul’s definition of the One God.)

Human beings in Hebrew thought do not exist consciously before they are born.  In the Holy Scriptures we do also find no preexistence of souls. The notion that Jesus was really alive and conscious before his birth in Bethlehem is also a very unJewish idea.

As you could already find in our other writings on the understanding of Hebrew writings, we do have to take that language as our guide and not our modern thinking or the Greek philosophy. E.C. Dewick rightly notes in his Primitive Christian Eschatology, The Hulsean Prize Essay for 1908, Cambridge University Press, 1912: "When the Jew said something was ‘predestined,’ he thought of it as already ‘existing’ in a higher sphere of life. The world’s history is thus predestined because it is already, in a sense, preexisting and consequently fixed. This typically Jewish conception of predestination may be distinguished from the Greek idea of preexistence by the predominance of the thought of ‘preexistence’ in the Divine purpose."

All is foreordained in God’s great Plan and so did God created the opportunity to get a Saviour out of the tribe of David. It is not becaus God knows everything already before hand that because  Jesus who came up in the thought of God before the world was created, that Jesus actually really came into existence before everything was created. The Messiah himself was foreknown, not just his death for our sins but the person Messiah himself (1 Pet. 1:20). Peter uses the same word to describe the "existence" of the Son of God in God’s plan as he did to describe the "existence" of the Christian church (v. 2).

All Jews who looked forward to the Messiah expected a human person, not an angel, much less God Himself! Though the Jews had not understood that the Messiah was to be born supernaturally, even this miraculous begetting was in fact predicted (Isa. 7:14; Matt. 1:23). A "pre-human" Messiah, however, is nowhere suggested. The Son of God "came into existence" from a woman and from the seed of David (Rom. 1:4; Gal. 4:4).(Note that for Arians and Trinitarians, who think that Jesus was begotten in eternity long before his conception/begetting in Mary, that would have been a second begetting.)

Read more about Foreordination Rather than Literal Preexistence : The Nature of Preexistence in the New Testament by Anthony Buzzard

Colossians 1:15-20: Preexistence or Preeminence? by William WachtelThe Nature of Preexistence in the New Testament  or Preexistensens natur i Nya testamentet (Swedish)Who Is Jesus? God, or Unique Man? or Wie is Jesus? God, of Unieke Mens? (Afrikaans)

Sunday 3 April 2011

Verenigen

Verenigen = to unite

Onder het trefwoord "verenigen" (to unite) zal u op deze site artikelen kunnen vinden over het samenbrengen van mensen, gelovigen, kerkgemeenschappen, denominaties en over de verbondsvorming van die geloofsgemeenschappen, kerkbonden, Kerkverenigingen dit om al of niet als rechtspersoon te kunnen optreden of sterker te staan tegen anderen.

Het verenigen houdt de handeling of akte in om zich tot een geheel te verbinden of om samen te voegen, te groeperen of hergroeperen. Het is een gebeurtenis die enkel tot stand kan komen indien er de wil is om in overeenstemming met elkaar te komen.

Het gaat over de act waarbij meer dan een partij in overeenstemming komt. De betrokkenen komen overeen om samen te gaan en samen te stemmen. Deze actie komt meestal tot stand omdat de partijen vinden dat zij raakpunten hebben en samen horen, bij elkander horen, passen bij elkaar, aansluiten bij elkaar. Hun gedachten rijmen met elkaar en stroken met de algemeen te vormen hoofdgedachte. Samen willen zij in de pas lopen en beantwoorden aan bepaalde hoofdregels of standaard lijnen. Zij die zich verenigen beantwoorden aan , reponderen, responderen, corresponderen, concorderen, congrueren, accorderen, harmoniëren met, dekken elkander en komen tot conformiteit om samen in harmonie, symmetrie, analogie consequentie, een span, een koppel, een stel, tweespan, koppelgenoot te vormen.

Om tot een algemeen vergelijk te komen en zich te verenigen is er buiten de overeenstemming en overeenkomst een initiatief nodig om tot eensluidendheid te komen en een gelijkluidendheid te verkrijgen in hun uiterlijke verschijning. Zo moet hun gedachtegoed overeengebracht worden. Zij moeten tezamen rijmen, accorderen, conformeren, adapteren, ajusteren, justeren, aanpassen, analogiseren, accommoderen.

Bij het verenigen moet men zich afzetten of ontdoen van afwijkende gedachten en handelingen. Er moet een aantrekking zijn en het naar zich toe trekken of eigen maken van gelijklopende gedachten en regels. Hiervoor moet men soms toeschieten en daar schort het meestal aan voor de geloofspunten. Want daar ziet men dat velen toegevingen hebben gedaan om bepaalde posities te kunnen bereiken of om zich te kunnen handhaven.

Met het bijeenbrengen, bijeendoen, bijeenvoegen, bijeenzoeken, bijeenzamelen, bijeentrommelen, bijeenleggen, komt ook het bijeenstellen, bijeenzetten, bijeenplaatsen, bijeendrijven, bijeengaren, bijeenscharrelen, bijeenschrafelen waarbij bij gelegd moet worden of bijgesteld en met tot gezamenlijke akkoorden moet komen om tot een verbond te komen dat er voor kan zorgen dat iedereen bijeengehouden kan worden.

Dat verenigen kan zich dan uiten in het samen komen, verzamelen, zamelen, vergaderen, vergaren, groeperen, groepen, bundelen, busselen, uniëren, met elkaar verbinden, vervoegen, aanvoegen, samenvoegen, strengelen, liëren, contraheren, combineren herenen, herenigen, uniëren, re-uniëren.


Doorheen de geschiedenis kan men opmerken dat verscheidene mensen bij elkaar wensten te komen of algemeen verbanden met elkaar wensten te bezegelen en zo verbonden wensten te sluiten.

Zo kwamen ook vele mensen verenigd onder Gods Verbond en bleef het Volk Israël als een volk verenigd ook al spreiden zij uit over heel de wereld.

Maar de volgelingen van Jezus verenigden zich ook lokaal en vormden zo ecclesiae (ekklesiae). Ook al bestond elke ecclesia op zich als een eigen identiteit was er een algemene verbintenis en voelden alle leden zich verbonden met elkaar en met de andere ecclesias.

Toen er onder de Christenen splitsingen kwamen veroorzaakt wegens de verschillen in leerstellingen groeiden zij uit elkaar maar vormden later weer opnieuw bepaalde groepen of verenigden zich in nieuwe Kerken. Zo kreeg men meerdere Verenigde Kerken, waaronder o.m. de Verenigde Protestantse Kerk in België, de Verenigde Kerk van God, de Verenigde Protestantse Kerken van Nederland, Verenigde Pinkstergemeenten, Verenigde Pinkster- en Evangeliegemeenten, de Verenigde Kerk van Christus/congregationele kerken, enz.. De keuze voor hen om samen te gaan is gebaseerd op hun mate van doctrinaire overeenkomsten en samenwerking.


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verenigen (v.)

aaneensluiten, aansluiten, alliëren, amalgameren, bewegen, bijeenbrengen, bijeengaren, bijeenkomen, bijeenkrijgen, bijeenrapen, bijschuiven, binden, collectioneren, eenmaken, elkaar ontmoeten, groeperen, integreren, invoegen, laten oplopen, legeren, lezen, mêleren, mengen, mixen, omgaan, omspringen, ophalen, ophopen, oppotten, opsparen, optrekken, paren, passen, potten, rapen, samenbrengen, samenbundelen, samendoen, samengaan, samenkomen, samenkrimpen, samensmelten, samenvoegen, scharen, sparen, synthetiseren, uniëren, unificeren, uniformeren, verbinden, verenen, vergaderen, vergaren, verkrampen, vermengen, vermenigvuldigen, vervlakken, verzamelen, zich mengen, zich samentrekken


aanpassing, alteratie, verandering, wijziging - aanpassing, accommodatie, adaptatie, alteratie, assimilatie, bewerking, bijstelling, modificatie, mutatie, verandering, wijziging, wissel, wisseling - verandering - afwisseling, alteratie, alternantie, alternatie, alternering, keer, variatie, variëteit, wending, wijziging - changer, modifier (en) - verandering - verandering - alterable (en) - wijzigbaar - aaneensluiten, binden, eenmaken, groeperen, integreren, scharen, uniëren, verenigen - unitise, unitize (en) - unitise, unitize (en) - alliëren, amalgameren, legeren, mêleren, mengen, mixen, samendoen, samengaan, samensmelten, samenvoegen, synthetiseren, unificeren, uniformeren, verenen, verenigen, vermengen, vervlakken, zich mengen - solid, unanimous, whole (en) - mêleren, mengen, mixen, vermengen - vermengen - vermengen - mêleren, mengen, mixen, vermengen - mixen, schudden - samengaan, samensmelten, versmelten - diffusie, fusie, menging, samensmelting, vermenging, versmelting[Dérivé]

behouden, bewaren, houden, in voorraad hebben, vasthouden - aanwas, accres, increment, schaalvergroting, stijging, toename, vermeerdering - clustering, groepering, klontering, opeenhoping, ophoping, opstapeling, stapeling - assemblage, collecte, inzameling, lichting, verzameling - bundel, compendium, compilatie, compilatiewerk, pandecten, verzamelwerk - groep, groepering, kring, lieden, lui, luiden, luitjes - agglomeration (en)[Hyper.]

goederenopslag, opslag - stock, voorraad - accrue (en) - accumuleren, akkumuleren, zich opeenhopen, zich opeenstapelen, zich ophopen, zich opstapelen - accrue, fall (en) - bijeenbrengen, bijeengaren, bijeenkrijgen, laten oplopen, lezen, ophalen, ophopen, oppotten, opsparen, opstapelen, paren, potten, rapen, samenbrengen, verenigen, vergaderen, vergaren, vermenigvuldigen, verzamelen - bijeenbrengen, bijeengaren, bijeenkrijgen, bijeenrapen, collectioneren, lezen, paren, rapen, samenbrengen, samenkrimpen, sparen, verenigen, vergaderen, vergaren, verkrampen, verzamelen, zich samentrekken - collect, pull in (en) - compileren, componeren, construeren, opbouwen, samenstellen - compileren - condenseren - verwerken - assemblage, assembleren, componeren, construeren, in elkaar zetten, installatie, montage, monteren, opbouwen, samenroepen, samenstellen, samenvoegen

assembleren, bijeenbrengen - amonceler (fr)

bijeenbrengen, bijeengaren, bijeenkrijgen, bijeenrapen, collectioneren, lezen, paren, rapen, samenbrengen, samenkrimpen, sparen, verenigen, vergaderen, vergaren, verkrampen, verzamelen, zich samentrekken - collect, pull in (en) - bijeenbrengen, bijeengaren, bijeenkrijgen, laten oplopen, lezen, ophalen, ophopen, oppotten, opsparen, opstapelen, paren, potten, rapen, samenbrengen, verenigen, vergaderen, vergaren, vermenigvuldigen, verzamelen - accumuleren, akkumuleren, zich opeenhopen, zich opeenstapelen, zich ophopen, zich opstapelen - gather (en) - distributie, spreiding, verbreiding, verspreiding - distributie, distributiewezen, uitdeling, verbreiding, verdeling, verspreiding - spreader (en) - verspreiding - distributie, reikwijdte, verbreiding, verspreiding

uit: > http://dictionary.sensagent.com/verenigen/nl-nl/

verenigen is 19 maal gevonden als synoniem van een ander trefwoord:

samenvoegen (ww) : aaneensluiten, aansluiten, alliëren, amalgameren, bijeenvoegen, combineren, cumuleren, groeperen, in elkaar zetten, integreren, koppelen, legeren, mengen, mixen, mêleren, ophopen, paren, samendoen, samenstellen, samentrekken, unificeren, verbinden, verenen, verenigen, vermengen
verbinden (ww) : aaneenschakelen, aaneensluiten, aaneenvoegen, aanhechten, aansluiten, associëren, binden, breien, bundelen, combineren, conjugeren, engageren, hechten, koppelen, lassen, liëren, paren, samenbinden, samenbundelen, samenvatten, samenvoegen, schakelen, vasthechten, vastmaken, vastzetten, verenen, verenigen, voegen
samenstellen (ww) : assembleren, bouwen, combineren, compileren, componeren, construeren, formeren, gereedmaken, in elkaar zetten, ineenzetten, maken, monteren, opbouwen, opmaken, opstellen, samenvoegen, schrijven, uitmaken, verenigen, vormen
koppelen (ww) : aaneenknopen, aaneenschakelen, aaneensluiten, aanhangen, aansluiten, associëren, lassen, liëren, passen, samenbrengen, samenvoegen, vasthaken, verbinden, verenigen, voegen
aansluiten (ww) : aaneenkoppelen, aaneenschakelen, aaneensluiten, aaneenvoegen, aanknopen, binden, koppelen, liëren, samenknopen, samenvoegen, schakelen, verbinden, verenigen
associëren (ww) : aaneenknopen, aaneenschakelen, betrekken, koppelen, liëren, relateren, samenbrengen, schakelen, verbinden, verenigen
combineren (ww) : associëren, betrekken, koppelen, relateren, samenbrengen, samenstellen, schakelen, verbinden, verenigen
bijeenbrengen (ww) : bijeenvoegen, inzamelen, ophalen, samenbrengen, verenigen, vergaren, verzamelen, zamelen
scharen (ww) : aaneensluiten, groeperen, opstellen, rangschikken, verenigen, verzamelen, voegen
integreren (ww) : aaneensluiten, binden, groeperen, samenvoegen, scharen, uniëren, verenigen
vermengen (ww) : alliëren, amalgameren, doorspekken, mêleren, samensmelten, verenigen
concentreren (ww) : bijeenkomen, centreren, samenbundelen, samentrekken, verenigen
samensmelten (ww) : amalgameren, bundelen, verenigen, vermengen, versmelten
bijeenvoegen (ww) : bijeenbrengen, samenbrengen, verenigen, verzamelen
binden (ww) : vastleggen, verbinden, verenigen, verplichten
paren (ww) : bijeenvoegen, koppelen, verbinden, verenigen
paren (ww) : combineren, verenigen
liëren (ww) : verbinden, verenigen
samenvatten (ww) : verenigen
> http://synoniemen.net/index.php?zoekterm=verenigen