god loved us and gave us his son - gls shoppingglsindia.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/12/ht dec...

12 Mumbai December 2015 ` 20/-Issue 12 Volume

That All May Know the Truth of the GospelSince 1946GLS

Page 6

God loved us and gave us His Son

Harvest Times for Your Family December 2015/Volume 12 Issue 12

Editorial 3Love that Manifested in the Manger– Koshy Mathew

God loved us and gave us His Son 6– Johnny Varghese

A Paean to Love 8– Thomson B Thomas

The Unequal Yoke - Part 2 10– Jose Mathews

The Greatest Love Story 14– Nilesh Goundar

A little Man with Great love 19for the Lord's work - Part2– Susan Sam Joy

Virgin Birth 23– Silas C Nair

Impossible, sure has been done 26– Philos

Devotional 4The Greatest Commandment– Dr. Varghese John

Her Corner 12Close to His Heart– Asha Chandy

Explorer 16Joy, joy, joy in our hearts…– Cynthia John\

Kidz 17All that matters is the Unspeakable gift of Salvation - Part 7– Tabbsum Roy Paes

Challengers 21As Thou Goest: Step By Step– Phyllis Treasure

Lifeline 27God Loves You– Deepak Jariwala

Vol 12 Issue 12 December 2015

RNI No. MAHENG/2004/14223

GLSSince 1946

A Magazine To Spiritually Edify the Entire Family to Enrich the Church and Society.

facebook.com/glsindiatwitter.com/glspublishing

Contents

Important Information

Change of Address: To notify of a change in address, mail us your subscription number and new address at least six weeks in advance

Harvest Times for your family: Founded as Active Service, this is a monthly magazine aimed at the spiritual growth of Christian families.

Submission of Articles for HT Magazine: Please send us your article by email to [email protected].

Submission of other manuscripts for publication: Please send us your manuscripts of Books, Booklets, tracts etc by email to [email protected] / [email protected].

The publisher reserves the right to edit, use or reject submitted articles. The decision of the Editorial Board is final and binding.

Copyright Information :

All articles in this magazine belong to GLS, unless otherwise mentioned. To reprint or quote elsewhere, please contact us at [email protected]

The views stated in the articles belong to the writer and may or may not reflect those of the Publishers.

Printed atUchitha Graphic Printers (P) Ltd.65, Ideal Industrial Estate, Lower Parel , Mumbai 400 013

Published byDr. Koshy Mathew, Ph.D.On behalf of Gospel Literature ServiceUdyog Bhavan, 250 D, Worli ColonyMumbai 400 030, India.

EditorKoshy Mathew

TrusteesA. T. KurianV. E. ChandrashekarKoshy Mathew

Gospel Literature ServiceUdyog Bhavan, 250 D, Worli ColonyMumbai 400 030, India.Tel : (022) 2493 0116 / 6662 7243Telefax : (022) 2493 5532.e-mail : [email protected] : www.glsindia.com

2

Graphic Design: Raju Thomas K

EDITORIAL


Love that Manifested in the Manger

Birth of Christ is the greatest miracle that occurred in this universe. Love of God manifested in the manger

of Bethlehem is wonder of wonders! God walking in flesh and blood along the length and breadth of Palestine was marvelous. Along the dusty streets of Palestine God's beloved One went about doing good.

Love defined

Love is one of the most misunderstood words. So Biblical love needs to be defined. In Greek language different words are used to express love. Agape and Phileo are the commonly used words in the scripture.Mainly four words are used in Greek literature for love. AGAPE is the most common word for love in the New Testament. It occurs 259 times as a verb or as a noun. Phileo and Philos occur only 54 times. Other words like 'Eros' and 'Stergo' do not occur at all in the New Testament.

1. Agape Love: This is the highest and most unselfish of loves. (1 Corinthians 13 ) This was a love that you extend to all people, whether family members or strangers. Agape was translated into Latin as caritas, which is the origin of our word "charity." It is not natural, It goes against our very nature. It loves the unlovable, undeserving, the ugly. It gives all and asks for not a thing in return.

The Greek word that refers to the love of God, one of the kinds of love we are to have for people, is agape. Agape is the very nature of God, for God is love (1 John 4:7-12,16). People today are accustomed to thinking of love as a feeling, but that is not necessarily the case with agape love. Agape is love because of what it does, not because of how it feels.

God so “loved” (agape) that He gave His Son. It did not feel good to God to do that, but it was the loving thing to do. Christ so loved (agape) that he gave his life. He did not want to die, but he loved, so he did what God required. A mother who loves a sick baby will stay up all night long caring for it, which is not something she wants to do, but is a true act of agape love.

The point is that agape love is not simply an impulse generated from feelings. Rather, agape love is an exercise of the will, a deliberate choice. That is why God can command us to love our enemies (Matt. 5:44; Exo. 23:1-5). He is not commanding us to “have a good feeling” or "like" our enemies, but to act in a loving way toward them. Agape love is related to obedience and

commitment, and not necessarily feeling and emotion. “Loving” someone is to, seeking his or her long-term blessing and profit.

2. Phileo Love: It means to have a special interest in someone or something, frequently with focus on close association like a brother or a friend. The word phileo implies a strong emotional connection, and thus is used of the “love,” or deep friendship or brotherhood. You can 'agape' your enemies, but you cannot 'phileo' them. Phileo emphasizes the affection, emotion, a fondness one person has for another. In the N T it is frequently used for brotherly love.

Origin of Love: Agape love has its origin in the heart of God. In love, God the father has chosen us before the foundation of the world (Ep.1:4). This was not known to any one, even to the Angels.

Manifestation of Love: God in His foreknowledge and according to the determinate counsel of Triune God, thought to manifest the love in human history. In due time God manifested the love toward us by sending His only begotten Son into the world. When Christ was born in Bethlehem and laid down in the manger, even the Angels were amazed.

Shepherds and wise men came to worship Him.(1Jn.4:9; Acts 2:23; Lk.2:14,20; Mat.2:11)

Demonstration of Love: God not only manifested His love in incarnation but demonstrated it on the cross of Calvary. He shed His blood for our sake. It pleased the Lord to bruise Him, in the process of demonstrating God's Love (Rom.5:8).

Love that poured into our Heart : Finally God poured His love into our heart through the Holy Sprit (Rom 5:5)

“Behold what manner of love that the Father has bestowed upon us". Love that was in the heart of God the Father in the eternity, manifested in the manger, demonstrated on the cross by the beloved Son and finally poured out into our heart by the Holy Ghost. "God so Loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son..."

33

Koshy MathewEditor

E mail: [email protected]

4 Harvest Times for Your Family December 2015/Volume 12 Issue 12

DEVOTIONAL

– Dr. Varghese John

When Jesus was teaching in

the temple one day, the

Sadducees attempted to trap Him

in His words. After Jesus silenced

them, one of the Pharisees — who

saw what Jesus did to the

Sadducees — asked Him to

identify the greatest command-

ment. In response to his question,

our Lord said, “The first of all the

commandments is: “Hear, O Israel,

the LORD our God, the LORD is

one. And you shall love the LORD

your God with all your heart, with

all your soul, with all your mind,

and with all your strength.’ This is

the first commandment” (Mark 12:

29, 30). The word, “first” here

means first of importance or the

greatest. The Lord’s response shut

the mouths of His critics, and none

of them dared to question Him

anymore (Mark 12:34).

When we hear the term “com-

mandment,” we often think of the

Ten Commandments outlined in

Exodus 20. However, the Jewish

rabbis determined that the Law

consisted of 613 commandments,

and they categorized them into

greater and lesser laws.

The Pharisees were a sect of Jews who devoted them-selves to follow-ing their own understanding of the Law, and they tried to strictly follow every single one of the 613 laws.

Pharisees prided themselves on meticulous observance of the Law and pretended that they avoided even the possibility of violating any of them. But the Pharisees had

lost sight of the very heart of the matter – loving God. Without love for God, the external observance of the commandments becomes an empty form

Jesus said the greatest command-ment was to love God with all your heart, soul, mind, and with strength. This response would likely have pleased the scribe since it came directly from Deuteronomy 6: 4–5, a passage known as the

Shema, which the Jews repeated twice every day. We should appre-ciate the scribe for asking the right question to the right person, our Lord Jesus, who is able to answer all the questions of the mankind. In fact, Jesus is the only one who obeyed this command always and abided in His Father’s love (John 15:10). Jesus kept His Father’s commandments because He loved Him. His heart, soul, mind, and strength were in perfect harmony when He loved His Father with perfection.

Meaning of this Command

How should we love God? The Bible says, “With all our heart, with all our soul, with all our mind, and with all our strength.” What do all these words mean? The words in the Scripture have different meanings in different contexts. So we have to understand the mean-ing correctly. The word, ‘heart’ in many places stands for our person-ality. But here Lord Jesus uses soul and mind also along with heart. Therefore heart is a reference to our emotions or emotional strength because heart is often treated as the seat of emotions in the Bible. We have to love our God with all our heart, that is, with all our emotional strength. Our emotions do play a vital role in loving God.

Next word is soul. Soul is the seat of our will or will power. That is, our ability to take decisions. Since we are created in the image and likeness of God we also posses the freedom of choice and the capacity

The Greatest Commandment

....first and foremost

evidence of our love

to God is our earnest

desire for spending

time with God..

with.. His Word and

prayer.


to take decisions. God expects His children to take right decisions on all occasions and willingly choose to obey Him. The greatest com-mand says that we have to obey our God with all our will power.

We also have to love our God with all our mind. Mind always refers to our intellectual strength. Our intellect also is very important in loving God. Many think that spirituality has nothing to with our intellect. But Christian faith is not a “blind leap into the dark,” but it is something based on knowledge of the facts of God’s Word. It is based on reason and understanding. Paul writes, “for I know whom I have believed” (2 Tim. 1: 12). While describing the faith of Abraham in sacrificing Isaac, the writer of the book of Hebrews says, “Abraham reasoned that God could raise the dead …” (Heb. 11: 19). Lord Jesus said, we have to use all our soul or intellectual strength in loving God.

Finally, we have to love God with all our physical strength too. That is what ‘strength’ means here. Without our body, the faculties of our personality like emotions, will power and intellect cannot be expressed. That is why physical strength also is included here. In short, here Jesus speaks about four types of strength. Our heart, soul, and mind are distinguished in the words of Christ, but they should not be thought of as three distinct and separable pieces of our natures, that we must offer to God. They all point to what we really are. In other words, this commandment demands a love that springs from our absolute surrender to the Lord.

Measure of our Love to God

Loving God is the first and the greatest commandment because it represents the heart-beat of all the commandments. How can we make sure that we love our God with full

devotion as commanded by our Lord? Is there any measuring rod for checking it? Let me point out two evidences for our love to God.

1. An Earnest Desire for fellow-ship with God

When we love someone we would like to spend time with that person. Therefore the first and foremost evidence of our love to God is our earnest desire for spending time with God to enjoy fellowship with Him through His Word and prayer. When we consider the life of all great men of God in the Bible history, we can discover that they all had a hunger and thirst for fellowship with God. For instance, this was the greatest passion in the life of King David, who was a man after God’s own heart. David writes, “One thing I have desired of the LORD, that will I seek: That I may dwell in the house of the LORD All the days of my life, To behold the beauty of the LORD, And to inquire in His temple” (Ps. 27: 4). See, how much David longs for dwelling in the house of the LORD or in the presence of the LORD to simply sit and enjoy the moral beauty of God.

Sons of Korah also expressed a similar desire in Psalm 42. “As the deer pants for the water brooks, so pants my soul for You, O God. My soul thirsts for God, for the living God. When shall I come and appear before God” (Ps. 42: 1, 2). Here sons of Korah do not pray for any material blessings from God, but they crave for God Himself. They had an unquenchable thirst for God because they loved God whole-heartedly. Apostle Paul also shows this kind of deep desire while he writes, “that I may know Him and the power of His resurrection, and the fellowship of His sufferings…” (Phil. 3: 10). Remember, after leading long 30 years of Christian

life Paul writes that he still wants to know the Lord Jesus in a deeper and intimate way. He had a con-suming passion to know the Lord Jesus.

Do we have an earnest desire for spending time with the Lord to know Him more and enjoy fellow-ship with Him? Sometimes we spend time with the Lord as a matter of duty. But is it a time of delight or drudgery? Let us exam-ine our lives.

2. Sincere Obedience

John, the apostle of love, writes, “For this is the love of God, that we keep His commandments…” (1 John 5: 3). Our Lord Jesus also said, “If anyone loves Me, he will keep My word…” (John 14: 23). Our obedi-ence to all the commandments of God is a sign of our love to God. See the close link between the greatest commandment and all other commands. The one who tries to obey the first commandment will be willing to obey all other com-mands. What is obedience to God? It is doing what God says when He says to do and how He says to do. Moreover our obedience should be sincere. The Pharisees of Jesus’ time obeyed many commandments externally but they did all those things for getting approval from men.

What about our obedience to God’s commands? Do we obey them sincerely or grudgingly? Let us sincerely seek the grace of God to obey delightfully and diligently the greatest commandment given by our Lord. Let us love our Lord more than anything else and anyone else.

5

– Dr. Varghese John is an Evangelist and a Bible teacher, who lives in Trivandrum, Kerala.


FEATURE ARTICLE

important humans are in God's estimation.

Most atheists, despite believing that man and other animals have a “common ancestor”, believe it is wrong to kill humans, but right to kill pests. Even people who boast about advocating “non-violence towards all creatures” cook their food and use antibiotics – killing millions of microbes to save one human life. These examples show that intuitively, everyone is aware that humans should be treated with a greater dignity and respect than is given to other living things. But only the Bible gives us logical reasons for this. One such reason is that God gave His Son to be born as a human. The incarnation proves that the Creator has given man a special status among all living things. Why should we treat humans with respect? One reason: because God chose to become a man. It is hardly surprising that care for orphans, prisoners, those with physical handicaps, etc. was pioneered in post-Reformation Europe, the one place that allowed the Bible to be a dominant influence in the minds of the people.

In Jesus' birth, God has given His Son to the human race as a token of "peace and goodwill" – a sign that heaven is interested in human destiny to the extent of participating in it.

The Life of the Lord Jesus

Businessmen complain that the rules politicians lay down are too stifling or impractical. Teenagers make similar complaints about the rules that teachers and parents lay down.

lived for thirty-three years, and then died. Jesus' birth, life and death are acts of giving by God. Let us examine each of them.

The birth of the Lord Jesus

Atheists believe that all ideas about God are

man-made. But no one would invent a God who sends His Son to be born in a stable! The thought that God would become a man of humble birth stretches the imagination. But God's word declares that it is true! The heaven of heavens cannot contain God. It is condescension for God even to look at heaven. Yet, God came down to earth! The fact that God condescended to give His Son to be born on earth gives us hope that God can and will raise us up to the heights in which He dwells.

It is a privilege if a great man entrusts something to our care. Imagine how Joseph and Mary felt as they held Jesus in their hands. God gave His Son to be born of a woman in a human family – this shows how

Perhaps the most well known Bible verse is John 3:16. It

begins: “God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son…” Among the books of various religions, the Bible is unique in that it speaks of the God who loves and gives. The theme of the Bible is not a political ideology, a treatise about man, a method for humans to earn their salvation, or an ethical system, but it is Jesus Christ, God's unspeakable gift to man. The religions of the world include incarnations of deities on earth as men or super-men. But they do not stress that love was the motive for God to send His representative on earth; in this, the Bible is unique. Nor has any supposed incarnation accomplished anything like the Lord Jesus has.

Close friendships are usually exclusive. If we are a close group of friends, we don't want someone else to come into our group. But the triune God – three persons enjoying perfect harmony, love and joy, has extended a hand of fellowship: first in creating man, and then in the plan of redemption when man fell. God sent His Son to earth. He was born,

– Johnny Varghese

God loved us and gave us His Son

..infinite holiness

demands infinite

penalty, and only Jesus’

death satisfies this

demand


his death, we are also now alive unto God, having a newness of life. We have a new life, a new nature, which is different from the sinful, fleshly nature that we inherited at birth. This means that in the resurrection, we can be free from the very presence of sin – thus, heaven will not be tainted with sin even if we enter it! Only Jesus's death and resurrection provides a way for sinners to reach heaven, and yet not mar it!

Conclusion

When a human heart perceives these things and appropriates them, the wonder is indescribable. God's people throughout the ages have used their best abilities to describe God's gift in words. We quote here from Charles Wesley:

Christ, by highest heav'n adored! Christ, the everlasting Lord:

Late in time behold Him come, Offspring of a virgin's womb.

Veiled in flesh the Godhead see, Hail th'incarnate Deity!

Pleased as man with men to dwell, Jesus, our Emmanuel.

Come, Desire of Nations, come! Fix in us Thy humble home:

Rise, the woman's conq'ring seed, Bruise in us the serpent's head.

Adam's likeness now efface, Stamp Thine image in its place:

Second Adam from above, Reinstate us in Thy love

Truly, great is the mystery of godliness. God was manifest in the flesh, justified in the Spirit, seen by angels, preached unto the nations, believed on in the world, and received up into glory. Thanks be to God for His unspeakable gift.

brings cheer to the heart of every suffering human who looks to Him.

Jesus “went about doing good”. He therefore showed that God wants to alleviate human suffering. While all cultures of the world created and maintained some unfortunate group of people to do unpleasant or hard work – untouchables, women, slaves, etc. it was Bible-influenced Europe that invented technology and modern medicine to alleviate human toil and suffering.

The Lord Jesus allowed Joanna, Susanna and many others to minister to him of their substance. If you have visited people who are of a much lower socioeconomic level than you, you know that a special bond is created when you allow them to feed you or host you, rather than getting your own food and water with you or spending the night in a hotel. This is akin to what God has done for us. In taking help from us, God has created a special bond with man.

The death of the Lord Jesus

At a human level, giving is limited. We usually give to others as long as it does not inconvenience us. In ancient times, kings practiced the greatest giving: “unto the half of my kingdom”. But God demonstrated the greatness of His love for us by giving His Son to die for us. It is incredible that the Creator would send His righteous Son to die for sinful man, but this is the truth! Why did the Lord Jesus die? We consider two reasons that are important from a human point of view:

Firstly: When he died, he bore our sins in his body, taking upon himself the punishment that was due us, giving his life as a ransom, as propitiation – as a means for holy God to pardon and justify sinners. Needless to say, infinite holiness demands infinite penalty, and only Jesus' death satisfies this demand.

Secondly: When he died, God put us in Christ Jesus. Being immersed into

Religions lay burdensome rules on people. Of course, the rule givers will insist that the rules are reasonable. This controversy does not exist for God's laws in the Bible because God gave His Son to be a man, a man who fulfilled all of God's laws without using any supernatural powers for the purpose. Jesus' life proves that the God of the Bible is not merely an armchair critic, but one who practices what He preaches. Jesus' life also proves that God's ways are the best ways: because of his obedience, God has highly exalted him and given him a name above every other name.

Should God be anthropomorphic (like man)? It would be nice if God is like us, so we can relate to Him. The people of ancient civilizations thought so; they believed in gods and goddesses with human qualities, but these deities resemble humans so much – ego problems, immorality, selfishness et al – that they are hardly worthy of worship! It would be nice to have a God who is lofty – unlike petty humans. The Koran claims to speak on behalf of such a god. But how can we relate to a god who shares absolutely nothing of our painful human experience? In giving His Son to live on the earth, Jehovah has provided us the perfect balance. Jesus “was in all points tempted as we are,” (anthropomorphic) “yet without sin” (not anthropomorphic!).

Every sensible human asks, “How should I live?” Only the Bible has a clear answer. God gave His Son to walk as a man on earth and we “ought to walk even as he walked”. God gave His Son as our perfect role model.

John 11:35 states: “Jesus wept”. In noticing how short this verse is we can forget its profoundness. The God who dwells in inapproachable light identifies himself with the suffering of ordinary humans. Because of having sent His Son to live on earth and identify with humans, God

7

– Johnny Varghese is an IIT alumnus and lives in Thane.


– Thomson B Thomas

BIBLE STUDY

Divine wisdom is evident in all the works of God in multifarious

ways. He makes human extremities His opportunities to impart divine blessings. The believers in Corinth were behind none in the matter of spiritual gifts (1 Cor.1.7). Paul provides guidelines for the right use of those gifts (1 Cor.12-14). In chapter 12 he narrates the provision of gifts and in chapter 14 about their operations. It is evident that these believers were more after the spectacular gifts, like speaking in tongues, healing etc. When the right use of any gifts were for the good of others, these believers were exercising them for self-aggrandisement and not from love for others. In this chapter on love Paul calls them to exercise their gifts in the path of love. In encouraging them to, “Earnestly desire the best gifts” he said, “Yet I show you a more excellent way” (1 Cor. 12.31). This is the way of love. The wayward ways of Corinthians became an opportunity for God through Paul to write this lovely paean to love (1 Cor. 13).

In the Greek language, there are four words used for 'love'- Eros, storage, philia and agape. In the present passage the last one mentioned, agape, is the subject. The first three

are loves seen in the human level. But the last one is spiritual and divine. This is the love we knew not in our past estate. It is seen essentially only in God, displayed perfectly only by God and is derived to others only from God. This love chooses its object with exercise of will and

becomes self-denying and compassionate. Only the exercise of gifts with this love can edify others and bring glory to God.

The chapter divides into three parts- verses 1 to 3 is the primacy of love; verses 4 to 7 is the properties of love and verses 8 to 13 is permanence of love.

Primacy of Love

Paul says, “Though I speak with the tongues of men and of angels” (v.1), and “Though I have the gift of prophecy, and understand all mysteries and all knowledge, and though I have all faith, so that I could remove mountains” (v.2) and “Though I bestow all my goods to feed the poor, and though I give my body to be burned” (v.3) if there is no love, these, however great apparently, are worth nothing. 'Tongues of men' are the special ability which was given to some in the early church age to speak in a human language which the person had not learnt in the normal way. This appeared at the end of the list of gifts in chapter 12, indicating its insignificance, but here Paul takes it first as Corinthians gave it undue prominence. Communications of angels in the scripture are always in human languages. Here it may just

mean ability for superlative speech. Or it may refer to what he heard in third heaven, the 'inexpressible words', probably, angelic speech, of which he says it is 'unlawful' for any man to utter (2 Cor.12.4). The 'faith' mentioned here is the ability to do miraculous works. Self-immolation (v.3) may be done for the sake of fame and in arrogance.

Verse 1 relates to our speech; verse 2 to what we give from our intellect and verse 3 has to do with our deeds in charity. Putting them in another way, we may say, by speech we express our emotions, in prophecy etc. we share from intellect and we do charity with volitional exercise. Commenting on these verses Graham Scroggie says, “Here the searchlight of love is thrown upon man's great powers of emotion, and intellect, and will, and each of these at its best is seen to be valueless without love”. Anything done in the realms of emotion, intellect and will, the three parts that makes human personality, is worth nothing sans love!

Balaam shows that inspirational power is possible apart from love. Caiaphas shows that spiritual discernment is possible without love. Judas shows that much knowledge of divine things is possible apart from love. And James and John show that a certain kind of faith is possible apart from love. It is love alone that makes these gifts of any real value to the possessor!

Properties of Love

In verses 4 to 7 Paul enumerates the features of love (agape). He makes fifteen statements, giving its positive and negative characteristics. He says

A Paean to Love- A brief study on the most exquisite passage on love penned by the

great apostle Paul, (1Corinthians 13) -

9Harvest Times for Your Family December 2015/Volume 12 Issue 12

what love does and what it does not. In the Greek all these descriptions are with verbs indicating that love is seen in actions. All the usages are in present continuous tense denoting that these must be the habitual and constant way of life. As one has rightly said, “Love can be most positive in action and passive in reaction”.

Paul says, “Love suffers long and is kind; love does not envy; love does not parade itself, is not puffed up; does not behave rudely, does not seek its own, is not provoked, thinks no evil; does not rejoice in iniquity, but rejoices in the truth; bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things”. Breeze is not seen but it is felt in its actions. Similarly, love, though intangible, is seen in deeds. If the name of Jesus is substituted in the place of 'love' it fits in well as he is the love-incarnate. But try with our own names, how short we fall! Yet how much necessary it is for followers of the Lord to aspire to progress in love, in advancing in conformity to Him. Matthew Henry says, “How lovely a thing would Christianity appear to the world if those who profess it were more actuated and animated by this divine principle, and paid a due regard to a command on which its blessed Author laid a chief stress”.

Permanence of Love

In verses 8 to 13 Paul presents before the readers the fact of the permanence of love. Paul states, “Love never fails” (v.8). In explaining this statement Scroggie says, “It means that love never falls to the ground, as do the petals of a faded flower, because there are in love no elements of decay; it means love never loses its strength, as does a weary traveller who gives up a journey; it means that love never leaves its place, as do falling stars; and it means that love never drops out of line, as exhausted soldiers on the march fall by the way. All love's comrades may fail and fall, but she

doggedly and patiently marches on”. It never fails or falls but abides.

The permanence of love is claimed in two realms- in relationship to three spectacular, spiritual gifts (vv. 8-12) and in relation to three Christian virtues (v. 13). Permanence of love in relation to spectacular gifts (vv.8-12)

The apostle takes up the matter of three spiritual gifts- prophecies, tongues and knowledge (v.8). These seem to have a representative character as these are chosen from each of the three parts of the list of temporary gifts in 1 Corinthians 12.7-11. Thus what are told about these three gifts, are applicable to all the nine gifts. First of all, he says what would happen to prophecies and knowledge, which he calls as 'that which is in part'. These, Paul says, shall be 'done away' (vv.9,10). J. Hunter explains the phrase, “This verb 'done away' is katargeo meaning 'to put out of commission', 'out of action', 'to reduce to inactivity', 'to render inoperative', 'to abolish', 'to annul'. It is a word with a strong meaning, and indicates a complete cessation beyond recall. The voice is passive indicating they are stopped by a power outside of themselves, clearly by the authority that gave them, the Holy Spirit”. The time of this cessation is, “When that which is perfect has come” (v.10). As 'in part' are the revelations that came through the exercise of the gifts of prophecy and knowledge, the perfection cannot be anything other than the completion of the revelation of the scripture, which occurred with the revelation of the Book of Revelation to John the apostle. About the gift of tongues Paul said, “Whether there are tongues, they will cease” (v.8). “Cease” (paussontai)is in the middle voice, indicating that they would cease on their own. As this gift is mentioned in the epistles only in 1 Corinthians we deduce that it ceased even before the perfect came.

The apostle now contrasts the times before the coming of the perfection

and after the coming of it. He gives three illustrations. The time after the coming of the perfection is like attaining adulthood (v.11). Then that which pertained to childhood are discarded. Secondly, during the time of partial revelation the vision was without clarity, like looking in a mirror. Mirror in ancient times were made with polished brass, vision was not clear. But in the time of perfection vision is clear like seeing 'face to face'. Thirdly, he says, “Now I know in part, but then I shall know just as I also am known” (v.12). This contrasts the time between partial knowledge when the revelations were coming in portions and the time of completion of revelation when potential to knowledge shall be in a fuller state.

These verses thus clearly say that when all these spectacular gifts after which the Corinthian believers were after shall go away, still love shall continue.

Prominence of love in relation to Christian virtues (v.13)

The chapter concludes, “And now abide faith, hope, love, these three; but the greatest of these is love” (v.13). These three, faith, hope and love, are the main moral principles characteristic of Christianity. 'Now' here rather than denoting the time, just means 'So then'. Paul is not telling about the temporary character of these virtues but about their abiding character, in the church age. But the greatest of these is love. It is greater than the temporary gifts or the permanent virtues.

Thus Paul instructs, “Pursue love” (14.1). This instruction is more relevant now than in any other times as “we see the day approaching” (Hb.10.24,25).

– Thomson B Thomas is an evangelist and a Bible teacher. He lives in Mumbai.

– Jose Mathews

FAMILY

The Unequal Yoke


clear to say 'not to be unequally yoked with unbelievers', that is an absolute statement and there cannot be any sort of guidance against the fundamental principles of God's Word. Any such guidance is from the evil one.

3. Directing him or her to an assembly with hidden motives:

This is a cunning way of achieving the unscriptural desire of one -'The Lord showed me a vision', 'Holy spirit urged me' etc. These types of arguments are mere rubbish and baseless. God will never act against His own word. When the Bible is so clear eving partner is directed to some other assembly or fellowship as though they are seekers of truth. Such assemblies not knowing the hidden device will welcome them and soon commend them as good believers in their fellowship. Thus the technical hurdle is removed! What a shameful thing it is for the people of God. Even sharing the gospel to a person to make them believers for the sake of marriage is unscriptural. Such people's heart is not in the right condition to understand the glory of the glorious gospel of the Lord Jesus. Making an assembly a scapegoat for someone's selfishness is a grave sin.

4. Getting him or her baptized by a third person:

Baptism is a primary command given to those who have accepted Christ as their personal Savior. Baptism has its own significance and truth proclaimed through it. Mostly in the assemblies, only a person who has accepted Christ as their personal savior are baptized

2. Creating artificial circumstances to establish God's guidance:

Falling into a lustful premarital love is a big trap that a believer can end up in. Sometimes in the process of a battle between

the conscience and emotion, he or she ends up in a spiritual confusion. Almost everything looks like a positive sign because of the prejudice of mind. Sometimes such people will say -'I met her in the

church', 'I saw him reading the bible', 'she asked me about Jesus' etc. Some even go to the other extreme of saying -'The Lord showed me a vision', 'Holy spirit urged me' etc. These types of arguments are mere rubbish and baseless. God will never act against His own word. When the Bible is so

Apart from the matters discussed in our previous

issue, there are also many other wrong actions and attitudes commonly associated with such marriages. To name some of such wrong precedents, we will consider the following few common facts:

1. Trying to establish that he or she is a believer:

Basically for a believer, even considering a marriage with an unbeliever is against the Word of God and the practice of the Assembly. Obviously when a believer considers an unbeliever for marriage, it is just a lust for that person and a craving of that person's physical body. But the believer overtaken by such lust, yet fearful of the assembly's response, sometimes tries to establish that he or she is a believer. Most of the time when persons are overtaken by the passion, lust and emotion, they pronounce any confession to achieve their intention fulfilled. Trying to establish an unbeliever as a believer just for the sake of selfishness and lust is a sin and a crime against the assembly.

Part 2

Word of God does not

support such mode of

evangelism through

marriages. The means

of evangelism is not

through sin, but

through righteousness.

Not through marriage,

but through

proclamation.

and received into fellowship. Assemblies generally do not vouch for a marriage outside this preview. So the immediate need for this believer who wants to marry an unbeliever is somehow see that he or she is baptized so that the way is clear for the marriage with the blessings of the assembly. There is no such baptism as a baptism for marriage sake. Baptism must be always given with the consent of a local assembly and by a person responsible in that assembly or a person who is responsible for the salvation and spiritual growth of that person. Privately and secretly baptizing a person for wrong intentions is against the scriptural principles.

5. Dragging the assembly into it for self justification:

It is not a rare incident in these days that an assembly is divided based on the issue of such unscriptural alliance in marriage. A believer falling in lust with an unbeliever, using their power and influence to get the marriage solemnized through the assembly is a rebellion towards the assembly. Based on human relationships and obligations, even some elders of the assemblies vouch in favor of such marriages often. The 'trump card' used in such cases often for self-justification is to say that the local assembly is independent. Thus using the sanctity of a local assembly to fulfill somebody's lust for a man or woman is a serious offence against the Body of Christ. It is a dangerous thing to drag an assembly forcibly to be involved in such things, which will have relevant consequences in future.

Irrespective of what has happened in the past, without considering such precedents as a license to continue the similar practice, the people of God have to take a very strong step to such malice

contaminating the sanctity of the assemblies. Some of the immediate steps to be taken are:

1. Assemblies must be taught the right and wrong involved in a marriage according to the word of God:

The right teaching about Christian marriage, according to the word of God is lacking in many assemblies. 1Tim. 3:15- But if I tarry long, that thou mayest know how thou oughtest to behave thyself in the house of God, which is the church of the living God, the pillar and ground of the truth. The word of God emphasizes that the behavior code in the assembly must be taught to its members. God has given the principles on which the Christian marriages must be based on. The elders and teachers must take time to teach these things regularly and systematically. Our growing children are exposed to the world and they get lot of information according to the secular logics. Before they are carried away by the lust and passions of the world, they must be instructed in the way of the Lord in the assemblies where they are growing.

2. Assemblies should not support or be a part of such marriages:

An assembly should primarily be able to discern between sin and righteousness. It is very clear from the Word that a believer marrying an unbeliever is a sin. There cannot be any mercy or soft corner to such sinful deeds. 1Pet. 1:15 - But as he which hath called you is holy, so be ye holy in all manner of conversation; Holiness is God's demand from His children. Directly or indirectly supporting such marriages is a declination from the standard of holiness of God's demand. When an assembly supports such unholy practices it

will set a bad example for the growing younger generation. It is also a bad testimony before the people of the world. The assembly itself loses their fellowship with other neighboring assemblies and people of God. Therefore in such cases the leadership of the assembly should take a strong stand and should in no way become the part of such marriages.

3. Believers should not participate or partake in such marriages:

In such cases of marriage alliance, quite often we hear people saying -'we don't support as an assembly, but we go on a personal level'. This is a clear case of dual standard on the part of such believers. A believer cannot have one principle while in the assembly and a contrast principle outside the assembly. An assembly is nothing but the fellowship of the believers. It is the individual life of the believers that determines the standard of the spiritual standard of the assembly. 1Tim. 6:11 - But thou, O man of God, flee these things; and follow after righteousness, godliness, faith, love, patience, meekness. Individually also a believer is required to flee such things. If we cannot show the separation in our Christian life in such matters, we will lose our credibility in witnessing to the world for the gospel. When a believer falls into the sin of marrying an unbeliever, their believing friends are not to hate them, but politely tell them the need of separation and keep away from partaking in such sins.

4. Such married couples should not be received into the fellowship of the assembly:

When such unequal yoke between a believer and unbeliever in


25

HER CORNER

Close to His Heart

– Asha Chandy

father Abraham did? The word of God says that “By faith Abraham obeyed when he was called to go out to the place which he would afterward receive it as an inheritance. And he went out, not knowing where he was going. (Hebrews 11:8) What it is like to be the part of a sheepfold, to be led and to be tended by a gentle Shepherd who knows each and every sheep in his sheepfold? Let us look into the word of God and learn more about our loving Shepherd.

1. He is a gentle Shepherd who tend his sheep

The shepherd takes care of each and every sheep in his sheepfold. He knows well about the needs of every member of his flock, even the smallest one among them. The first part of Isaiah 40:11 reads, He tends His flock, like a shepherd. A shepherd has to ensure that he strengthens the weak, heal the sick ones, bring back those who have strayed away, provide food and

It was a really beautiful, lush and green pasture. And, in the

pasture was a gentle and a loving shepherd, surrounded by His sheep. He was smiling down at his flock, who seem to be in perfect peace. For, they knew their Shepherd really well. They just had to blindly follow Him without any doubts or fears. There was not even a speck of worry in the face of even one of the sheep, in the sheepfold. They knew that their master is available for them, to protect against any dangers that lay ahead. They have not to think about reaching the lush green pastures or the way leading to those. They just have to follow the way the master had chosen for them. For, only he knew which way led to the green pasture .It is a perfect picture depicting the closeness between the shepherd and his sheepfold. How about us? Do we repose faith in our shepherd well enough and blindly follow Him no matter where or how He leads us like our

shelter, protect against any kind of dangers and see to it that not even one of them of his sheepfold gets lost, even if it means risk to his own life. The whole of bible has numerous examples of the wondrous ways in which God took care of His chosen nation like a Shepherd. For He made His own people to go forth like a sheep, he guided them in the wilderness like a flock and led them to safety so that they do not fear. (Psalm 78:52, 53). And he choose a Shepherd boy to be the King, to shepherd His people. (Psalm 78:70-72).For He knows what's best for us .This loving shepherd i.e., Jesus Christ gave up His own life and suffered the cross of Calvary for sinners like us, so that we may never be lost and that through His sacrifice we might be the part of His sheepfold forever.

The famous hymn writer, Fanny Crosby, once received a direct answer to her prayers. She was in desperate need of five dollars and had no idea of where she could obtain it. Fanny followed her usual custom and began to pray about the matter. A few minutes later, a stranger appeared at her door with the exact amount. In response to the wondrous way in which God provided her needs, she wrote,

All the way my savior leads me-what have I to ask beside? Can I doubt His tender mercy, who thru life has been my Guide? Heavenly peace, divinest comfort, here by


What better place can it

be in the whole world

than to be in the loving

arm of the very

shepherd Himself and

to be close to His heart?

It is the safest place.

The famous hymn writer Fanny Crosby was in need of five dollars. She began to prayabout the matter...Please read the article to know the out come of that prayer.

faith in Him to dwell! For I know whatever befall me, Jesus doeth all things well; for I know whatever befall me, Jesus doeth all things well.

Let us look unto our loving Shepherd for all our needs. He knows what's best for us so we can rely and follow Him where ever He leads us.

2. He is a gentle shepherd who gathers and carries the lamb

The second part of Isaiah 40:11 reads, He gathers the lambs in His arms And carries them close to His heart. What better place can it be in the whole world than to be in the loving arm of the very shepherd Himself and to be close to His heart? It is the safest place. For it is a shelter and shade from the heat of the day and a refuge and hiding place from storm or rain. There can be no safer place than to be held by the very shepherd Himself. He knows which among His sheepfold are the weakest and requires extra care, love and protection. For the Shepherd knows that the lamb needs His special care and has held the lamb close to His heart. Nothing can separate it from the arms of the shepherd. As the word of God says in Romans 8:38,39 that, “For I am persuaded that neither death nor life, nor angels nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, nor height, nor depth, nor any other created thing, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus , our Lord”. For it is a place of ultimate peace and rest.

Let us look unto our shepherd, for our ultimate refuge and peace. We will experience the eternal peace, when our minds are stayed on Him and trust Him. (Isaiah 26:3)The

word of God says in Mathew 11:28 that, Come to me all ye that labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Let us lay down all our burdens and strive to grow closer to His heart. Let us take a decision, that nothing in this world can separate us from the love of Christ.

3. He is a gentle shepherd who leads His flock

The last part in Isaiah 40:11 reads, He gently leads those who have young. The flock has to be willing to be led by the Shepherd. But, sometimes, some of the sheep's in the sheepfold tend to go astray, choosing their own paths, which they believe will lead to much better and greener pastures. They presume that they know better than the shepherd. And that leads them to dangerous paths. But, no matter how many times, the sheep goes astray, every single time, He lovingly brings them back to the fold, as for Him what matters is that every sheep, in His sheepfold is safe and secure. No matter how far the sheep has strayed, the shepherd ensures to bring it back to the fold, even if it means to cross rivers, lakes or even mountains. We read about such an example in Mathew 18:12, 13, where the shepherd leaves his 99 sheep behind to go and search His 1 lost sheep. As, humans, we may tend to focus on the 99 sheep the shepherd left behind and find ourselves asking the question, what about them? Won't they go astray in the absence of the shepherd? But, the shepherd knows what's the best, as every sheep in the sheepfold is precious for him.

The word of God says in Isaiah 30:21 that, “Your ears shall hear a word behind you saying, “This is


the way, walk in it, whenever you turn to the right hand, or whenever you turn to the left”. Our loving shepherd, has already set apart a way for us to follow Him. We just have to keep our ears open to hear His voice and follow Him accordingly. We are precious for Him. For He has engraved us in the palms of His hands (Isaiah 49:16). Let us keep our ears open, so that we follow the path chosen by our Shepherd. He assures us that He is with always and will never leave us alone. For He leads us, by the way we should go. (Isaiah 48:17)

May God help each one of us to blindly follow our shepherd, and to walk only on the path chosen by Him. If the path requires us to go through hurdles, we don't have to be scared as He has assured us that,” For I, the Lord your God will hold your right hand, saying to you, “Fear not, I will help you” (Isaiah 41:13). He gave His life for us. (John 10:11). Let this love be a reminder for us not to stray away from Him. If we find ourselves straying away from the path chosen for us, let us come back to His loving Sheepfold. No matter how far we find ourselves straying away from the sheepfold, he will bring us back to the fold. As the word of God says in Psalms 23, Let us claim Him as our Shepherd, to be led by Him, besides the still waters, or to a green pastures and not to fear if we find ourselves in the valley of shadow of death. As each day passes by, let us strive to grow closer and closer to His heart and be in His loving arms. May His name be glorified.

Asha Chandy Alexander, is a home maker cum freelancer who lives in Doha.


– Nilesh Goundar

GOSPEL

The Greatest Love Story

begotten Son” (John 3:16). It is the greatest and most real love story ever. Nothing compares to it in the world and nothing ever will.

Christmas is the beginning of a classic love story with all the right ingredients: infatuation, pursuit, risk and relationship. But in all relationships of love, is there not to

be that first meeting? Without that introduction, that encounter and paths crossing there would be no interaction, no development of the relationship and eventually love.

Many of us go through life sometimes asking the 'what if ' questions. What if I was born to

different parents? What if I had gone to another school or university? What if I were born in another part of the world? What if I had taken that job instead of this one? What if I had married that person instead of my current partner?

Saints! Christmas is a crossing of paths. Christmas is where we find the Christ of God intersecting with humanity! Christmas is our first best meeting with the God who has desired us from the very beginning. If it weren't for Christmas we might never have known the intensity of the love that God has for us.

Mary and Joseph were far from home because of imperial rule; a peasant mother giving birth in unsanitary substandard housing. There was no fanfare, no royal delegation. They just laid Him in that manger and they watched His tiny face, and listened to His breathing, just like every new parent does.

No... this couldn't have been anything but true love! True love accepts the beloved as who they really are; God chooses to love us precisely because we are subjects of the human condition - not because of a favourable bottom line on a social and moral profit and loss statement. Mary and Joseph had nothing to be commended about them except their humanity.

God had waited ever so patiently for Christ to be born into the world

Christmas is a time of giving gifts, singing carols, eating lots

of cake. Parents give gifts to their children, husbands to their wives, and wives to their husbands. It is a time when we show our love to one another.

The Christmas story is told in many ways and given a slant depending on the mood we are in and what we are going through at that time. It is presented as wondrous, something beautiful, a story with twists and elements of suspense and intrigue. However, the way of seeing this story is very seldom recognised - it is a love story; not like the love stories, we are used to reading and watching, of Romeo and Juliet or Beauty and the Beast or the Princess and the Frog Prince.

The Christmas story is the greatest love story that ever unfolded in divine and human history. It's not about the love between Mary and Joseph although that may be a sub-plot. The love in this story is about God's love for the world; about His love for us. “For God so loved the world, that He gave His only

In this age of terror

we have been talking

a lot about peace. But

peace does neither

begin on the battle

field nor in peace

summits and

conferences. Peace

begins in our

individual hearts.

who was willing to finally embody this love that God has for us... not at any of the times, not when it was convenient, but in the fullness of time... It is the birth of that love into the world that we celebrate today and over the Christmas season!

Who would have ever guessed that this crossing of paths, this intersection of the divine and the human, would take place so long ago in a remote, speck of dust like village called Bethlehem of Judea?

Who would have guessed that at that time and place the Christ would be born into the world who would spread His life so much with the experience of God, so much with the love of God, that in Him thousands upon thousands would be moved to make the incredible claim that they had actually met their God in person. He is truly Immanuel, God with us.

This is the night when God sent out a love letter of cosmic proportions. This is the night in the little town of Bethlehem when God and humanity were joined as a bride and groom on their wedding day.

And as Jesus grew and went out into the world, so too our underastanding of how much God loved us also grew. We find in Christ Jesus that God's love doesn't demand perfection, as forgiveness isn't given away sparingly but in abundance and indiscriminately, that unconditional really means unconditional, and that God's love is completely and thoroughly inclusive.

When we look around and see the diversity in Christ's body, His church, we find ourselves within the embrace of that love, and that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor things present, nor things to come, nor

each day. Christ, that baby in the manger is the light of the world, even when the world is in shambles. For in that baby the Divine and the human cross paths.

The Lord Jesus is our living, breathing sign of the immeasurable love that God has had for all of us from the very beginning. A love that makes Him die in our stead so that we may live eternally with Him.

Christmas is the living promise that we are never ever alone. No matter where we are in life, no matter in what condition we find ourselves, no matter how far we might stray away, or how unfaithful we are, God, the supreme lover, will pursue us in love for eternity! It's a love that never stops shining. It's a love that never let grows cold and never fails. God does not change like shifting shadows but remains a constant ever-loving Father and Lord.

May God bless each of you and those you love Lord Jesus Christ, who came to this world in human form.

powers, nor height, nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord.

In this age of terror we have been talking a lot about peace and rightly so. But peace does neither begin on the battlefield nor in peace summits and conferences. Peace begins in our individual hearts. Peace begins with the knowledge that God loves and accepts us just that much. It begins with the birth of Christ in our heart!

Now having said all this, I know that Christmas is a time of sentiment that, as such, can cause a measure of sorrow to come into focus. The Christmas season can give rise to some painful memories for a good number of people. People often think about the failures they have suffered and about loved ones they have lost. We have all lost someone dear to us so you can resonate with some with those feelings.

But we also know this - without Christmas our lives would be positively unbearable! In a changing world and a more challenging world than ever in history that we live in , Christ is the constant factor and through whom we have the strength to face

Harvest Times for Your Family December 2015/Volume 12 Issue 12 15

Non Receipt of HT

Subscribers may please note that, we regularly post

HT on 1st or 2nd of every month. In case you have

not received HT please contact us by email through

[email protected] so that we can send you

another copy.

– Nilesh Goundar is a Bible teacher and elder based In Suva, Fiji Islands.

EXPLORERS

Joy, joy, joy in our hearts…– Cynthia John

sharing this news with others this season! You never know who will be touched by the love of Jesus. You can also talk about Jesus with your friends. It is the time of the year when everyone is

ready to talk about birth of Jesus Christ and listen to carols. Even shopping malls play Christmas songs. It's a great chance to fuel their interest in Christian faith by talking about Jesus.

Joy in our hearts.

Everyone connects Christmas with happiness. But we know that the celebrations and festivities and not the real source of joy. We know that Jesus, who brings salvation, is the source of true joy. 1 Peter 1:8 says, “Though you have not seen him, you love him; and even though you do not see him now, you believe in him and are filled with an inexpressible and glorious joy.”

This is the joy that we need to share with the whole world!

Get God's help

First, ask God to give you the right opportunity to tell others about Jesus. Ask Him to send the people who need Him right now. If you don't know how to start a conversation about Jesus, or feel awkward to talk about Him, relax! Many people feel the same. But God can step in and help. He could put you in the middle of a conversation where someone asks a question about Jesus. Or someone may make a comment about you being a Christian, and ask a question. When God opens up situations to talk about Him, it can become super-easy to talk about Him. Ask Him to work from your heart, and give you power to speak the right words.

Rope in others

Ask your church leaders, Sunday school teachers and others for ideas to help you share Jesus with others this Christmas season. They may tell you about various programmes and events that you can participate in, and invite your friends to.

Share photos with Bible quotes, messages and forwards about Jesus with your social media groups and friends. Circulate posters about Christian events on common online areas. Let the whole world get to hear about Jesus, instead of reindeer and bells. Get the focus off Santa Claus, and on the true hero, Jesus Christ. Stop looking for more and more gifts, and spend your efforts sharing the gift of knowing Jesus with others.

Don't stop rejoicing

Remember, Christmas is not a one-day event. We may not even be sure of when exactly Jesus was born. Some people believe in celebrating Christmas and others don't. But what we need to celebrate is the fact that God sent His Son. And that's something we need to do every day of our lives! So don't stop feeling excited at that thought, and don't stop sharing that enthusiasm! Rejoice in Jesus every single day, and those around you will wonder what your joy is all about. Your attitude should show what it means to be a Christian, and make others wish they could also be happy like you. That is a great way to help others get to know Jesus too!

Karina was a little jealous of her baby brother. Everyone was giving

him so much attention. He was getting so many visitors. And so many gifts! And he was just two months old! All their friends and relatives seemed to think he was real cute. 'Actually, I do too,' she thought with a sigh. She wasn't really all that jealous. She loved her brother too.

'I guess babies are special,' she told herself.

All babies are special, but there is one baby who was extra special. Jesus. We know that Jesus was born as a baby. Years before He was born, in the Old Testament, we find a prophesy about Him. That He would be the ruler of the world. He would be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. Though Jesus was just a baby, He was also the mighty God. Jesus is the Son of God. And yet He is God Himself.

Isaiah 9:6 is the verse with the prophecy. “For to us a child is born, to us a son is given, and the government will be on his shoulders. And he will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.”

No matter how many times we recall the birth of Jesus, it is an amazing thing to note that the king of Kings, the God of the universe, came as a helpless human baby. If you find that thought wonderful, how can you express it? Put all your excitement and joy into

– Cynthia John is a writer of Christian education materials and has authored 96 books, and conducted Sunday School training programmes. She can be reached at cynthiakingston @hotmail.com



Abner didn't look quite happy as he returned from the

playground. Mummy tried to find out from Anna with her eyes but she simply shrugged off. Abner was mamma's sweetheart, so she knew sooner or later he would turn up with his problem. She decided to wait for him. ….and mamma was correct. Abner quietly slipped into the kitchen while she was fixing dinner. He began to fiddle with the boxes and cutlery without uttering a word. Mummy knew this was just the right time and she asked,” What is the matter son?” Abner seems to have been waiting for mamma to ask.

Robby teased me mom, he says I am not a Christian because we didn't put Christmas lights, decorations like him. He asked me,” where is your Christmas tree?”

Hmmm! Mummy released a deep thoughtful sound and asked Abner, and what did you say?

Nothing! I left them and came home.

Why don't we celebrate Christmas, mamma? People would think we aren't Christians. Abner sobbed.

Anna had asked the same question few years back and now it was Abner's turn. Mummy knew it was coming sooner or later.

Mummy had finished cooking so she brought him to the living room, and asked him to fetch his Bible. She took out 1 Corinthians 11:23-

26 which spoke of the Lord's Supper. Mummy repeated verse 24 which Jesus said himself, “This is my body, which is for you, do this in remembrance of me”

Now my dearest son! Tell me something, did you ever hear, read or seen someone mentioning this for Jesus's birthday?

Wow! Abner said. Why it didn't occur to me? By now Anna had joined them too and she was continually smiling.

Mamma smiled and added. Bible is the ultimate guide for our lives and it has answers to all our questions.

“That's why I always tell you to study God's word”, Anna giggled and she too poked him simultaneously.

All of them joined together and laughed. Mamma held the Bible again and spoke in sombre tone.

Being Christian is a serious decision children! You have to grow in His knowledge and be strong in faith so that anyone from outside doesn't instill doubts in your mind. Now, tell me! What different can you do on this Christmas that can

ATM ALL THAT MATTERS - 8

KIDS CORNER

All that matters is the Unspeakable gift of Salvation

17

please God and you would enjoy as well?

“I am only 10, what can I do?” Abner quickly responded.

“Samuel ministered before the Lord, as a child” (1 Samuel 2:18) David killed Goliath when he was young (1 Sam.17:33) Didn't God work through them and their childhood glorify God? Jesus came into the world as baby for our deliverance, boy Jesus stayed back at the temple and called it his father's house (Luke 2:39-50) are few examples of great wonders God achieved through Children. If you grow in Him and allow Him to use you, He can do wonders through you too.

Abner was beginning to understand that it was not only Christmas tree, Santa and decorating your house with lights what Christmas was all about. It was the birth of our Savior and redeemer whose death saved us


– Tabbsum Roy Paes is an HR by profession, talented in writing and translation. At present she lives at Gurgaon, New Delhi/ NCR.

from eternal hellfire. We need to remember his sacrifice and gift of salvation his birth offered us.

“What about doing a play in the society club house?” Anna asked with a beaming smile on her face.

Abner shrieked with laughter. You spoke my mind he responded.

Mamma said I will help you with costumes and speak to the club house organizers. They all got busy with the preparation of the play. Jesus was born to die for our sins and that is what we need to remember on Christmas and every single day. Anna and Abner knew that it was the time to share why Jesus was born and what did He do for us and why did He do that? We need to celebrate his presence in our lives and the gift of salvation. Needless to say, The Christmas play went very well and Robby, his sister and few other friends joined Anna and Abner in God's family. They received Christ as their personal savior. They decided to do this play every occasion so that they can share God's forgiveness with many others. After all, all that matters is to follow God's command (Mathew 28:18-20), lighting up other's life and not only the houses on Christmas.

Dear Children, What is your plan of action on Christmas holidays? Are you holding on to God's love and Unspeakable gift of Salvation that He gave, hard and tight? Offer the gift of salvation to your friends on this Christmas and please God. Thanks be to God for His Unspeakable gift (2Cor.9:15).

BRAIN BUSTERS FROM THE BIBLEBRAIN BUSTERS FROM THE BIBLE

1. Who was the wife of King Ahab?

2. Whom did Jacob bless and said " he shall dwell at the haven of the sea; and he shall be for an haven of ships"?

3. How many branches were there for the golden lamp stand in the tabernacle?

4. Which metal was used to make the serpent in the wilderness?

5. Who was the father of John and James?

6. How many years did Lamech, the father of Noah live?

7. Who was the father of Moses?

8. Who was the the grand father of King David?

9. Which book in the Bible begins with the word " Adam"?

10. Which book in the Bible ends with " The LORD is there"?

11. "Seven times a day I praise you for your righteous laws.

Complete the reference Psalm.. ..........?

12. Name the Centurion of Augustus' band

Ÿ If you are twenty (20) years old or less then you can definitely be a part of “Brain Busters from the Bible”

Ÿ Kindly send us your answers with the Biblical references.

Ÿ Incase of postal delay, please visit our website: www.glsindia.com and look into our blog – FIRESIDE where the questions will be posted on the 1st of each month or write to us.

Ÿ Send us your name and age with the answers, so that we can acknowledge your names if you have got all your answers right.

Ÿ The answers for the quiz will have to reach us before the 15th of each month.

Ÿ Send your answers to

[email protected]

cc to: [email protected]

INSTRUCTIONS

HT-Quiz 12

- FM

1) Uzziah (Azariah) ( 2Kings 15:5; 2 Chron 26:19)

2) David (1 Sam 20:3)

3) Jemima,Kezia, and Keren-happuch (Job 42:14)

4) Olive wood in the Temple (1Kings 6:23) Pure Gold in the Tabernacle (Exo.25:18)

5) Gideon (Jud 6:11)

Answers for HT-Quiz 11

CHILDREN WHO GOT THE ANSWERS RIGHT

6) Serpent (Gen 3:1)

7) Benaiah (1 Kings 4:4)

8) Cenchrea ( Rom 16:1)

9) Fifty cubits (Gen 6:15)

10) Seller of purple (Acts 16:14)

11) Two ( Acts and Luke)

12) Ananias and Sapphira (Acts 5:1-3)

1.Benaiah Saju Joseph; 2. Lydia Saju; 3 Sandesh Amis Lopes;4. Jina Rachel Anup; 5. Amanpreet Singh; 6. Cherub Ebenezer7. Jeffine Jeby Simon; 8.Joan Jane Jones; 9. Nathan Varghese


BIOGRAPHY

manage an orphanage, which would have meant leaving Madurai, albeit for a better place of accommodation; this offer was put aside when MEC realised that Madurai was where he was called to work.

Establishment of Work

MEC stayed in rented houses in different locations of Madurai with his family. Finally they rented a house in a street called '172 West Masi Street' for the sake of gospel. Many souls came to the Lord. MEC knew that it is essential to have their own land and building for the establishment of assembly works there. He started praying this matter with the saints over there. Soon he received an envelope without disclosing the name of the sender. But it was clearly mentioned in the letter that the amount should be used only for buying a land for the church building. That was a clear guidance from God and they could experience the magnificent provisions of God for His children. Thus a building was constructed with two rooms attached to stay. New souls came to the Lord and they began attending the assembly meetings joyfully.

Madurai Bible School

MEC's greatest desire was that God's Word should reach every corner of Tamil Nadu. He also wanted to establish new assemblies. In 1956, he started a Bible School in Madurai. The aim of the school was to teach youth from the Word of God and equip those who had a concern for perishing souls. He wanted to send them to different parts of Tamil Nadu to share the Gospel.

his brethren. He looked to God alone for his daily needs. MEC wrote a song which said “I put my trust in Jesus, so I am blessed.” “Asrayam Yesuvil ennathinaal, bhaagyavaan njaan bhaagyavaan njaan.” He decided not to tell anybody except the Lord of his needs, even if he and his family had to starve for the sake of the Gospel. This was his prayer “Lord, every morning I come to Thy throne of grace for help. What I brought yesterday has finished and I have nothing for my family today. Father, You know better than me what my needs are, so provide for me in your will.”

MEC didn't know Tamil. So the team arranged a brother named Mathai to stay with him and teach him Tamil. Mr. Mathai brought his wife and three children along with him to Madurai. They stayed with MEC in a small house. They decided to sell the booklet “Way of Salvation” (rakshippin vazhri) in the streets for 2 paisa (2 cash) for their living. Within six months, MEC was able to speak and give messages in Tamil after which Mr. Mathai and his family returned to Kerala.

MEC was even offered a chance to

Madurai is the second-largest city in Tamil Nadu after

Madras. It's also known as Temple city. The Meenakshi Temple and Tirumalanaaykkal palace are the main attractions to tourists. Naaykkar and Naadaar were the two main tribes in Madurai. All of them were idol worshippers. There were many textile mills. The literacy rate was high as there were many educational institutes in Madurai. The temples, climate, food, lifestyle and languages were a new experience for the men who came from Kerala to share the Word of God.

On October 13, 1943, MEC and a few fellow brethren reached Madurai. In those days MEC could speak only Malayalam. Kochumathai translated MEC's messages to Tamil. Soon two more evangelists from Kerala joined them. As they didn't have enough money, they found it difficult to rent a house for their stay in Madurai. At last they got a place through the YMCA. But the next day itself God enabled them to shift to Mankkamaal Inn. From there they traveled from street to street to share the Gospel of God.

They shared the gospel through open-air meetings and tract distribution. Within two weeks, they were able to go to all the streets and share the gospel. They rented a house for MEC and returned to Kerala. Within a short period, MEC was able to bring his wife to Madurai as promised.

Living for His Master

MEC was the first Malayalee missionary to work out of Kerala. He didn't get any support from any of

A little Man with Great love for the Lord's work

– Susan Sam Joy

- Part 2


So, he rented a house in West Masi Street. It had two small rooms and a small hall. MEC, his wife, four sons and three daughters stayed in one room and the remaining house was used as the 'Madurai Bible School'. The students used the hall as their dormitory. MEC's wife Mariyamma cooked for her family as well as the Bible school students. As the students increased day by day, it became difficult to accommodate all of them together. So He prayed to God to provide a bigger place for them. God answered their prayer and enabled them to buy a plot of land. There, they constructed a building and named it 'Bible Bhavan'.

Starting of Suvisheshakan Bala Sangam

MEC enjoyed reading the newspaper and used to read the Malayalam Manorama from the time he was small. But he was not able to read the Malayalam news in Madurai. So he made arrangements with the postal department to send him the Malayalam Manorama daily. Whenever he received the paper, he would first look at the children's section. He noticed that, while there were many opportunities for children to develop themselves in the secular world, there was nothing in the spiritual world. He remembered Mathew 19:14 in which Jesus said, “…Let the little children come to me, do not hinder them for the kingdom of God belong to such as these”.

As a teacher, MEC liked children very much and wanted to do something useful for them. However, he didn't want to commit to this because he knew that his calling was to be an evangelist. But at the same time, he wanted to spread the Gospel of Jesus Christ among the children and also give them opportunities at an early age to develop their natural talents in the spiritual realm. So he prayed and planned to start a magazine named PITHAL. In those days, one

had to get approval from the Government if they wanted to start a magazine. Due to the Second World War, there was a scarcity of paper, and the government did not give permission to start the Magazine “PITHAL”. But he continued to pray that God would make a way.

In 1953, with the help of Br. P.K. Mathews and Br. C.V. Samuel, he started a Magazine named Suvesheshakan (Evangelist). In this publication, there were always a few pages with activities and articles for children. In the first edition, he wrote about his desire for children. He stated: “If we light a candle in one room it will give a little light. But if we light ten, it will give enough light. In the same way, we want to start a Suvisheshakan Balasangam (SBS) with the help of your talents”. That was the beginning of the Suvisheshakan Balasangam. Students began registering for it from different parts of Kerala. As the numbers increased, the children began coming together to have fellowship with many kinds of programs. MEC's brother T.E. Easow was a great help in all these matters. One day, a man named T.K. Yohanan brought his sick son John Kurien for treatment at Madurai. Unfortunately, John died at Madurai. He had been an active member in the Suviseshakan Balasangam and had accepted Jesus Christ through it. He had the great hope that he would be with the Lord forever. So his parents decided to support Suvisheshakan Balasangam. They gave 100 rupees which was a big amount in those days. It helped them to start a general camp.

In 1959, the first camp of Suvisheshakan Balasangam started at Kallisery. It played a great role in moulding the young ones to excel in the spiritual field. Today, it is well established in India and throughout the world. There are thousands of

youngsters all over the world giving out the light of Jesus Christ just because of the light they received from SBS and VBS.

Father to His Children

MEC had eight children – five boys and three girls. He brought them all up in the fear of the Lord. Proverbs 22:6 says, “Train up a child in the way he should go and when he is old he will not depart from it.” This was one verse that he practiced. He loved and cared for his children but also disciplined them when necessary.

Later, one of his sons shared an incident in his testimony. MEC had kept some money in his shaving kit. Later on, when he went to look for that money, it was not there. He called his youngest son, Thomas, and asked him gently, “Son, where is that money?”Thomas replied, “I don't know” When MEC started spanking him, Thomas confessed that he had taken the money. One of his guests was watching them. Later on, he asked MEC why he had beaten his child. MEC replied that if he had not punished him at that time, Thomas would repeat it again and make his father ashamed. This is why he corrected his son immediately.

MEC had a printing press so that Christian magazines could be printed without any hindrances. It was called SUVISESHAKAN press. Many magazines in different languages are still printed there.

MEC knew that people enjoy listening to songs and that they would be helpful in his ministry too. God had given his children the ability to sing. He wanted to use this for the glory of God. This desire grew in his heart, and in 1979 he started a group called 'Happy Melody.' MEC could truly say “As for me and my family, we will serve the Lord.”

Death of His Beloved Wife

Behind the success of every man is a woman. This was true in MEC's life.

22


CHALLENGERS

– Phyllis Treasure

commitments but God enabled us to walk the hills and visit the homes and start a children's class on Saturdays and a ladies' class on Sundays and a Bible class on Tuesday evenings and God added those that should be saved and today?... a local church; a beautiful group of believers reaching out to their own community. Again I stand in awe at the 'great things God has done'.

And what about the orphan-age? No thought of increasing the numbers! But 'step by step'!

A lady came to the door with a

toddler. I asked my predecessors, “What shall I do? Shall I admit the child?' and they replied, “We have reduced the numbers as much as possible. There are 35 children left with nowhere to go. Now it is up

and with what joy and confi-dence I could reply, ”Yes!” After all these years my heart still stands in awe, at the gracious compas-sionate way Our Father supplies every need.

No thought of 'church plant-ing' - but ….. 'step by step' ….

I went to a village to buy goats! The children wanted to do some 'goat rearing'. What an experience for the people in that village! A white lady driving a black car! The news spread and soon there was a large group of curious onlookers- espe-cially children! I bought the goats- but was given a greater task than looking after goats! God spoke in the recesses of my heart, “What about all those little boys who look after the goats? … What are you going to do about them?” So – my friend Saramma and I began a weekly trek to the village 8 miles away – we went by bus and walked home; we both had other

‚As thou goest'–“Goodbye New Zealand!” “Hello India!”

No great missionary this! Just a happy, young, apprehensive New Zealander with no experience, no special training, no plans 'to do' or 'to be', no special 'gift' - not wise or mighty or noble; just one of the 'weak things of this world'…But, 100% sure that the call to Rehoboth was from God and He would lead 'step by step' and provide. And He has….. miracu-lously…… 'step by step'.

Once I had to be in the office of the Income Tax Inspector. He asked me how I would provide for all the children's needs with no sponsors or guaranteed support. I replied, ”Our Heavenly Father will provide” Many years later I had reason to go again to the IT Office but in a different place. That previous Income Tax Officer had been transferred and I did not recognize him but as soon as I walked in he recognized me and even before I sat down he looked at me and asked, ”And has your Heavenly Father provided all these years?”

The liner that brought 'Treasure' to India

Rehoboth Girls' Orphanage Trust is Celebrating the 110th Anniversary from 18th to 20th December 2015

A 'call back' to encourage those who follow!...........


to you to make the decision. How much faith do you have? There is no bank balance. Now the choice is yours to take in more children or not!” I didn't make a conscious decision but 'step by step' the Lord lead and gave the wisdom and help. Then the babies started coming: there were babies on the bed beside me, babies in the dining room, babies in the sitting room and with the babies sleepless

nights, wet nappies, babies bottles to be boiled, milk mixtures to make…. And the number of children increased to 80, to 100, to 200. I still don't know the answer to how much faith I have but I stand in awe at the faithful-ness and greatness of my God who is able to do exceeding abundantly above all; and He has proved His word, that HE is able to make all grace abound unto every good work.

Rehoboth Theological Institute - RTI

And 'step by step': The burden came for a place where young people could learn to love and to study the Bible. A few of us with empty pockets stood on an empty piece of land one December and asked God to have a building ready for students by the first of June - and two rooms with mud floors, un-plastered walls and a thatched

roof were ready – built on a foundation strong enough for the building as it is today - two storied with eight large class rooms. I stand in awe as today there are seventy young people from many states of India studying the Word and then going back to share that Word to others.

And – 'step by step' God has led through all the experiences of life

to teach that He is the All-Sufficient God. Sufficient in times of loneliness and sickness, sufficient in times of being misunderstood and falsely accused; sufficient in times of bickering and divisions; and sufficient in times of discouragement and even despair. Who is sufficient for these things? I stand in

awe as I say, “Our sufficiency is from God”

So to any who are coming behind me, on this my 81st birthday, let me call back and say,”Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not to your own understanding; In all your ways acknowledge Him and He shall direct your paths.”

"Praise the Savior, ye who know Him!Who can tell how much we owe Him?Gladly let us render to HimAll we are and have"

- Courtesy : GC3 Daily Prayer Guide - Feb 2015, published with permission

His wife Mariamma Cherian was a godly woman who supported him with her prayers. There are many incidents during which she exercised her faith in God.

One of their sons had small pox when he was about 1 ½ years old. In those days it was a dangerous and often fatal disease. The Health inspector heard about it and came to take the baby to the hospital. MEC was not at home and his wife didn't have enough money with her. She also knew that if the baby was taken to the hospital, he might not come back safely. So she kept her baby on her lap and prayed to the Lord. The All-powerful God healed him, and even today he is actively contributing to the Lord's ministry.

As MEC was away from home most of the time doing the Lord's work, his wife had the great responsibility to look after their eight children, take care of their health, studies, and spiritual matters. There were days when she didn't have enough money to buy provisions for the family. Without murmuring, she would kneel down and ask for help from above. She was the best helpmeet and partner for MEC. In every circumstance she would say “Don't worry; be courageous; God will provide for us.” It comforted MEC a lot. She also was a good sister and friend to those who came to her for help. She served the Lord and His children whole heartedly. She was a great mother to their children.

After living for 42 years together, she was called back to the eternal home.

contd. from Page No 20

– Miss Phyllis Treasure is in charge of Rehoboth Girls Orphanage, Nellikunn, Trichur.

She is commented by Quinns Road, Durham Street and New Plymouth Bible Chapels, New Zealand

– Susan Sam Joy, is a home-maker cum freelancer who lives in Doha and ministers among children.

A Little Man with Great Faith

Rehoboth Theological Institute (RTI )


– Silas C NairVirgin Birth

God of the Bible is the triune God, the Father, the Son and the Holy

Spirit. They are co-equal, co-eternal and con-substantial. When God decided to visit the earth He created; the means He adopted is virgin birth. It is the second person of the Trinity, the Son, who assumed human flesh. Some have said that virgin-birth is a biological impossibility and therefore it cannot take place, and therefore has not taken place.

They also say it is irrelevant to the point at issue. Salvation is by faith on the death and resurrection of the Lord Jesus and virgin birth is unimportant. This is not true. Virgin birth was the only means for the Son of God to come in the form of a man. Virgin birth of Christ was accomplished through a miracle.

Through faith we understand that the worlds were framed by the word of God (Heb.11.3). By faith also we understand that God made man out of the dust of the ground and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life (Gen.2.7). For one who has faith in the Word of God, the virgin birth of Christ is not an impossibility.

2. Virgin Birth and the New Testament: Incarnation is the means by which the second person of the Trinity took human flesh to be born into the world. This happened 2000

DOCTRINAL

years ago. Bible teaches that the channel was the virgin birth. During these past many centuries many have tried to explain it and explain it away. God has revealed to us only such truth as we ought to know and believe. Even with this revelation we don't understand things fully. To look beyond the words of God is foolishness and to look into the Ark itself is fatal. In the present case fatal to our spiritual life. God send his son in the likeness of sinful flesh Rom.8.3 (likeness= Gk. homoioma).

The following statements of the scriptures concerning Incarnation and the virgin birth may be noted. He was made in the likeness of man

(Phil.2.7); The word was made flesh (Jn.1.14); God sent forth his son made of a woman (Gal.4.4); He took flesh and blood (Heb.2.14); He is the seed of the woman (Gen.3.15); Jesus Christ is come in the flesh (1 Jn.4.2); That holy thing that shall be born of thee shall be called the Son of God (Lk.1.35); A body has thou prepared me (Heb.10.5).

Many questions have been asked concerning the above. What was the flesh of Jesus like? In becoming the 'Substitute' did Jesus take upon himself the fallen humanity? i.e. was his flesh like Adam before the Fall or after the Fall. Did the Father prepare a body for his son? What was the

work of the Holy Spirit in Conception?

When God created man, He saw all that he had made, and it was very good (Gen.1.31). He revealed his benevolent character to Adam in his permission - “you are free to eat from any tree in the garden”. Since Adam had the free will to choose God also warned him, “you must not eat from the tree of knowledge of good and evil”. God's sovereignty is revealed here. Adam had the freedom to exercise his will either to obey God or disobey God. If he disobeys, then he must face the consequences. 'You will surely die. This reveals the severity of God. When God created Adam he was innocent and upright. Adam's human nature had no sin in it when God created him. Sin is not essential to human nature. It is an alien, a fifth columnist that entered into his nature while he transgressed.

The Father prepared a body for the Son to become man. (Heb.10.5). W. E. Vine comments, “The body prepared by the Father for the Son was the instrument of His self-surrender and His entire and devoted submission to the Father's will. The Son himself, in partaking of flesh and blood, put Himself into the position for rendering perfect obedience. We are on holy ground. We are listening to the Son's most intimate communion with the Father as to the way in which the Son would become incarnate, in obedience to the Father's will, and all for the fulfillment of the counsels of sovereign grace”. How the Father prepared the body for the Son is not mentioned here. “Dissatisfied with the former sacrifices, God prepared a human body for His Son which was an integral part of His human life and nature. This of course, refers to the unfathomable wonder of the

Did the Holy Spirit somehow fertilize Mary’s naturally

produced egg? The answer is an emphatic

‘NO’. The conception was miraculous and the

birth was normal


Incarnation when the eternal Word became flesh so that as Man, he might die for men” (Wm. Mac Donald, Believers Bible Commentary, Hebrews P.1005). As children are partakers (Gk. koinoneo) of flesh and blood he also himself likewise took part (Gk. metecho) of the same (Heb.2.14). Adam's progeny has no option. By one man (Adam) sin entered into the world. Therefore, Adam's children have the koinonia of Adam's fallen human nature. Jesus does not share this with Adam's children. He cannot by the very fact He is God. It is impossible for God to partake of Adam's fallen nature. Yet the human nature of Jesus was true and real. He was no phantom. Jesus is a real man, yet without the fallen nature of Adam. His humanity was similar to ours. Not simply innocent as in the case of Adam before the fall, nor sinful as in the case of Adam after the Fall, but holy humanity. He chose to partake (Gk. metecho) voluntarily human nature and at the same time this humanity (the body) was divinely prepared by the Father. This is necessary for Jesus to obey the Father and to offer himself as a sacrifice for man's sin. The humanity of Jesus is real. How did this happen? The conception of Jesus is revealed to us in the following words of the angel to Mary. The Holy Spirit shall come upon you, and the power of the Highest shall overshadow you; therefore, also, that Holy One who is to be born of thee will be called the Son of God. (Lk.1.35). This is how the Holy Spirit describes the process through which the conception of Jesus was to be accomplished (cf. Isa.7.14). This conception is a one time, singular, powerful, invisible and immediate operation of the Holy Spirit. Nothing like it has ever happened either before or after Jesus. Adam was a biological miracle.Similarly conception of Jesus was a biological miracle. In preparing the body for the Son, the Father's hand miraculously reached down and entered into a creative work unparalleled in the human history.

of God was incarnate, and the life of the Son of God as Man began in the womb of Mary.

God sent forth His son made of a woman made under the law. (Gal.4.4). The word for 'made' is ginomai. This word has been used in the New Testament in several senses. They are too numerous to mention here. The Son of God was sent by the Father to be born of a woman, is the sense in which we can understand this. In that sense also He is the seed of the woman (Gen.3.15). Mary's active part was in nurturing the Son of God in her womb, till she brought forth her first born son (Lk.2.7). That Joseph was not the father of Jesus, the evangelicals readily agree. But some say that Jesus partook of the humanity of Mary, and God in some miraculous way protected him from the sinful nature of Mary. They say that the sin of mankind is the sin of Adam. By one man sin entered the world. It is true that as the federal head of the human race, it was Adam who transmits the sin to his progeny. It is equally true that Adam was not deceived but the woman, being deceived was in the transgression (1 Tim.2.14). Eve is as much a sinner as Adam is. If the Holy Spirit could prevent the sin from being passed on from Mary to Jesus, he could easily have done the same in the case of Joseph as well. The humanity of Jesus was not derived either from Mary or from Joseph. Jesus is the Son of God and he cannot partake of sinful human nature. How and from whom did Adam receive his humanity? Adam's creation itself is a biological miracle. God created him from the dust of the ground and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life and he became a living soul (Gen.2.7). Jesus the Son of God became fully human, because God by a special creation prepared the body for the son. (Heb. 10:5) Neither Joseph nor Mary did contribute anything of their own in the miraculous conception. From that time onward the life in the womb grew normally. Mary nursed

Without the spermatozoon and ovum He created a body for Christ and God was incarnate to make atonement for our sins. To argue whether the lord partook of his human nature from Mary, his mother, is pointless at this stage. It was in the womb of Mary by the fact and act of Holy Ghost coming upon her and the power of the Highest overshadowing her that the conception has taken place. To see anything beyond this is trying to look into the Ark itself, which is dangerous and fatal.

A question may then arise in some minds: In what sense Jesus Christ is called the “seed of the woman”? Jesus was born in Bethlehem. Being warned of God the parents took the infant Jesus to Egypt. He was there until the death of Herod: that it might be fulfilled which was spoken of the Lord by the prophet, saying, Out of Egypt have I called my son (Matt.2.15). When Herod was dead, and being warned of God in a dream, he turned aside into the parts of Galilee and he came and dwelt in a city called Nazareth: that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the prophets, He shall be called a Nazarene. In like fashion, the womb of Mary received the Holy thing, the Son of God incarnate. She received the seed in her womb, nourished and nurtured him and brought him into the world. In this sense she is the mother of Jesus Christ and He is the “seed of the woman”. In the conception of Jesus did some divine-human combination or cohabitation take place as is seen in pagan mythology? Did the Holy Spirit somehow fertilize Mary's naturally produced egg? The answer is an emphatic 'NO'. The conception was miraculous and the birth was normal.

The conception in the womb of Mary was miraculous and was not the result of any kind of sexual relationship. Joseph is the son of Adam, and he cannot be, he was not the earthly father of Jesus, the Son of God. Mary became pregnant, the Son


the Son of God in her womb, as a normal mother would have done. God created Adam. This was an immediate creation. Eve was made from Adam. This was also unique and a onetime act of God. After Adam and Eve was created, the only immediate act of preparing a body by God was in the case of His Son. Does this mean that the humanity of Jesus was not like ours? It was like ours. God sent his son in the likeness (Gk.homaioma) of sinful flesh (Rom.8.3). It was not the same because there was no sin in it, it was the same because it was humanity. All characteristics of humanity were present in it. God who created the perfect humanity of Adam, by a special creation prepared the body for His son to come into the world. David in Psalm 139 mentions many things concerning creation. “You formed my inward parts; I am fearfully and wonderfully made; I was made in secret etc.” (vv.13-15). David speaks only of the mediate creation here, in the sense that God is the Creator and not that God then in the womb of his mother created him. In Adam and Eve the whole humanity was there, yet undistributed. In God's blessings, 'be fruitful and multiply' everything that was necessary for Adam to bring forth his progeny was there. If God immediately creates every one of the human being and that too with the fallen nature, then God indirectly becomes the author of sin in man. This cannot be and is not true. So we conclude: Jesus, is the Son of God who appeared in human flesh. His humanity was real and he was not a phantom. The body was created by the Father by a miraculous act of the Holy Spirit in the womb of Mary, and he came of a woman and in this sense he is the seed of the woman. He is sinless.

The Seed of the woman: (a) Jesus Christ came as the seed of the woman. (Gen.3.15 cf. Gal.4.4) He is also the son of Abraham and the Son

of David. God called Abraham from the Ur of the Chaldees and promised to bless him and his seed. (Gen.15.5 cf. Gal.3.16) Isaac was born. (Gen.17.19; 24.3-5) The promise was renewed to Isaac (Gen.26.3) and God also said the elder shall serve the younger. The divine separation between the godly and the ungodly again took place. Jacob have I loved, but Esau have I hated. (Rom.9.13) The covenant with Jacob is found in Gen.28.13-15. In his patriarchal blessing Jacob prophesied that the scepter shall not depart from Judah. (Gen.49.10) Judah's shameful sin is narrated in Gen.38. Perez was born, but he was illegitimate. According to the law “a bastard shall not enter into the congregation of the Lord even to his tenth generation. (Deut.23.2) The genealogy of Luke records for us that the curse of the law ends after the tenth generation when David is born (Lk.3.31-33). In the meantime there is a curse on Jeconiah or Coniah. (Jer. 22.24,28; 37.1). This man was pronounced childless and if Jesus was the natural child in the line of Coniah he cannot be the ruler sitting on the throne of David. (cf.Matt.1.11) where Coniah figures in the genealogy recorded by Matthew.) Jesus is the seed of David according to the flesh legally, but not naturally. How wonderfully the prophecy concerning the seed of the woman is fulfilled in Jesus.

Conclusion: Jesus Christ is the God-Man. The eternal God came into space and time. Incarnation was real and He was no phantom. He was fully man and fully God. It was necessary for him to become man to fulfill all the promises that God has ever made to man and to die on the cross. The channel of Incarnation was the Virgin Birth.

contd. from Page No. 11

marriage is received by the assembly and allow them to break bread with the assembly, it is an indirect way of partaking in that sin. The Word of God is very clear about the need of separation in the matter of receiving a person to the Lord's supper. 1Cor. 10:21- Ye cannot drink the cup of the Lord, and the cup of devils: ye cannot be partakers of the Lord's table, and of the table of devils. A believer who has deliberately chosen to make an unbeliever as his life partner loses their moral right to continue in partaking in the Lord's supper in the assembly. Sometimes people argue saying that by accepting them into the assembly we can win the unbelieving partner for Christ. Word of God does not support such mode of evangelism through marriages. The means of evangelism is not through sin, but through righteousness. Not through marriage, but through proclamation. Why should the sanctity of the emblems representing the broken body and the shed blood of our Lord and the holiness of the institution of the Lord's supper be compromised for accommodating and justifying such sinful acts?

5. Parents of such married children must owe their moral responsibility:

Parents all the time may not be directly responsible for such misdeeds of the children. It is not even appropriate to blame the parents for the children's misdeeds. However parents have a basic responsibility of keeping a watch over their children's moves. In spite of that there are many cases where the parents are not

– Dr. Silas C Nair is a renowned Bible teacher and Author. At present lives in Trichur, Kerala

The Unequal Yoke


aware of such moves of their children. The biggest mistake on the part of the parents is when they know about their believing children's relationship with unbelieving partners, they yield to the children's desire and stand to justify it. When such a bad thing has happened in their own children's life, how can a father still stand in the assembly and instruct other young people to walk in the way of the Lord? 1Tim. 3:5 - For if a man know not how to rule his own house, how shall he take care of the church of God? Parents in such cases have a natural obligation to owe a moral responsibility. Human sympathy cannot meddle with the holiness of God. Even the men in assembly leadership, when their children bring such public disgrace to the assembly must step down for a time owing the moral responsibility, as a good example to Christian leadership.

However we must also accept the fact that there may be children in many Christian homes who have not experienced personal salvation. Parents are the appropriate persons to judge it. Such children should not be proposed to a believing partner, hiding the fact regarding their salvation. No one automatically becomes a believer just because he or she is born into a believing family. Salvation is the most primary criteria to be ensured when it comes to the matter of the marriage of a believer. Any compromise on that is an unequal yoke and directly against the Word of God.

– Jose Mathews, is a preacher and Bible teacher. He lives in Mangalore.

The Roman cross goes up in air,Hanging on it the Son of God,Mocked Rejected, Despised by allLed like a lamb to the slaughter ” Father Forgive ” , was then the cryReaching the Great high throne of God;My head goes down & knees touch groundAs only God can say such Words.

My sins on Christ, the Son were laid,He making them His very own;He Bore the wrath deserved for each,For-shaken by Father in turn.“It is finished” was then the cry,Reaching the Great high throne of God;Since then, my sins yea all my sins,Are never found before His eyes.

Almighty bows His head at Last,The Mountains quake,the veil is rent;Hanging between God and all Men,The Sovereign breathes His last on earth.But Where oh death, your victory,A broken seal & empty tomb;Not e'en a sting to hurt me now,Safe in the arms of Christ my Lord.

Once filthy lips, now sing Thy praise,Once unclean hands, now raised to Thee,Eternity may all explain,How you and me should be made one.Oh look How sweet to call Thee Mine'Abba Father, I cry out loud;As I stand before Thy throne,Impossible, sure has been done,

- Philos

POEM

Lifeli

ne


God Loves YouEcclesiastes 7:17 … Be not over much wicked, neither be thou foolish: why shouldest thou die before thy time?

When we refer to the suicide rate in the world scenario, following is the data :

International Suicide Statistics ( http://www.suicide.org/international-suicide-statistics.html ) :

• Over one million people die by suicide worldwide each year.

• The global suicide rate is 16 per 100,000 population.

• On average, one person dies by suicide every 40 seconds somewhere in the world.

• 1.8% of worldwide deaths are suicides.

Global suicide rates have increased 60% in the past 45 years. So perhaps by the time you finish reading this article , two to three people may have committed suicide depending upon your reading speed.The text we printed above says that when a person commits suicide ( for whatever reason, no reason is justified ), he or she dies before their appointed time. In the sight of God, this is wickedness and foolishness. When the Ten Commandments say ‘Thou shall not kill’ it also indicates one cannot kill his own self (or herself ). Such a person is a murderer and 1 John 3:15b says “ … and ye know that no murderer hath eternal life abiding in him”.

Taking ones own life is sin. God who gave us the life has the right to take it back, no one else has any right to end the life.In very difficult and depressing situations , Satan tempts people to take their own lives and thus push them to hell fire. This is his objective to take as many as he can to hell.

Have you ever got suicidal thoughts ? Then go to the Lord Jesus because He came to give Life, not just life He gives eternal life. He loves you. Even though you feel that nobody loves you; God loves you. God is love. He loved the world and send His only begotten Son to die for you and me.

In the Bible we read the following people committed suicide :

Judges 9:54 ... Abimelech . Reason : Was guilty and felt humiliated

1 Samuel 31:3-6 .. King Saul and his armour bearer. Reason : Saul had departed from the Lord. He made many murderous attempts on innocent David. The Lord stopped talking to Saul because of Saul’s wickedness. When he realised the Philistines will capture him in battle and make a mockery of him, Saul fell on his sword. In fear, his armour bearer also fell on his own sword and killed himself.

2 Samuel 17:23 ... Ahithophel. Reason : Being a renowned counsellor in the king’s court , when “King Absalom” did not accept Ahithoohel’s counsel Ahithophel could not bear the hurt on his ego and went and committed

suicide ( hanged himself )

1 Kings 16:18-19a ... Zimri. Reason : Rather than being taken prisoner, Zimri set the king’s palace on fire and died in the flames “.. for his sins which he sinned in doing evil in the sight of the Lord ..” . His hidden and open sins made him restless and fearful.

Matthew 27:5 … Judas Iscariot. Reason : After he betrayed Jesus, Judas Iscariot was overcome with remorse and hung himself. He did not believe that after such a betrayal the Lord Jesus would ever forgive him (but the Lord would have if Judas had come to Him instead he went to priest and confessed his sin. Even today many do this ) and so he could not forgive himself and thus committed suicide.

The Lord Jesus Christ is The Way, The Truth and The Life ... John 14:6

I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly. I am the good shepherd: the good shepherd giveth his life for the sheep … John 10:10b-11

So shun away every such evil thought and come to the Lord Jesus. Believe in Him and trust His Love. Rather, He gave His Life for you on the Cross. There is some one who loves you.

BELIEVE AND LIVE !

– Deepak Jariwala is Regional Manager (South East Asia) at Spectral Dynamics Inc-USA.

‘Registered’ No: MCW/44/2015-2017 RNI No. MAHENG/2004/14223Date of Publication - First of Every Month.

Posted at Mumbai Patrika Channel Sorting Office, Mumbai- 400 001 on 1st and 2nd of every month

28

Remit the amount from any ICICI Bank Branch to our A/C No. 005701048482, IFSC Code ICIC 0000057

at Prabhadevi Branch, Mumbai or alternatively send the order with MO/DD/Cheque payable at

par at Mumbai drawn in favour of Gospel Literature Service to GLS Publishing, Udyog Bhavan, 250 D, Worli Colony P.O.,

Mumbai – 400 030. e-mail : [email protected] and send your name and no. of books ordered or

HT Contribution and address by email or post.

For ordering GLS Books & Harvest Times For Your Family

28

Price: ` 175.00 US $ 8.00Page Nos.: 158

god loved us and gave us his son - gls shoppingglsindia.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/12/ht dec...

Documents