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To Christians
Composed by: Karel Valenta
August 2000
To Churches
MOTTO: ”Here I am. I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in and eat [1] with him, and he with me.” (Rev. 3:20)
PREFACE
One of the significant triumphs of the Christ's message is the fact that this message proved to have a quality of surviving all the past ages down to this day. [2] It has survived as a result of the lifetime efforts, work and often also extreme hardships of whole generations of the people called Christians. With a deep humility, obeisance and respect we bow to the lifetime struggle of this ”nation”.
In the long run Christians managed to head off their Master's apprehention:
”However, when the Son of the Man comes, will he find faith on the earth?”
Now on the either side of the time span, a counter apprehension could arise in the minds of cogitative Christians: Will the promised advent of the Son of Man ever happen? Will our Lord prove truthful in this matter as well? According to his words, the Son of Man is to appear regardless of whether the faith will or will not be found on the Earth!
MANKIND'S WAY
We know mankind has been getting trough a very complex and unfortunately painful progress.
| ”We know that the whole creation has been groaning as in the pains of the childbirth right up to the present time.” (Rom. 8:22) |
We also know that this process has been so complicated that mankind's existence was shaken from time to time.
| ”So the LORD said 'I will wipe mankind, whom I have created, from the face of the earth.'” (Gen. 6:7) |
It's obvious from the Scriptures that on this account there were discords in heaven concerning the moral quality of created people and their further existence horizons, or in other words, a possibility or impossibility of the mankind's remedy and redemption.
| ”Then the LORD said to Satan, 'Have you considered my servant Job? There is no-one on earth like him; he is blameless and upright, a man who fears God and shuns evil'” (Job 1:8) |
| ”Above him were seraphs, ... And they were calling to one another 'Holy, holy, holy is the LORD Almighty, the whole earth is full of his glory' ” (Iz. 6:2, 3) |
| ” ...(they) have preached this gospel (salvation) to you. Even angels long to look into these things. .” (1. Pet. 1:12) |
| ”For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels ... nor any powers ... will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.” (Rom. 8:38, 39) |
| ”His (God's) intent was that through the church the manifold wisdom should be made known to the rulers and authorities in the heavenly realms, according to the eternal purpose which he accomplished in Jesus Christ , our Lord.” (Eph. 3:10, 11) |
| ”For the accuser of our brothers, who accuses them before God day and night, has been hurled down.” (Rev. 12:10) |
The dramatic path of the mankind's evolution didn't remain without aftermath. It has left a heritage in the form of a legible ”signature” on the human spiritual quality. A significant part of this ”signature” is very adverse. The phylogenetic [3] side of every human individual consists of more or less significant collection of bad attributes known as the ”Fall of man” in the Christian lore. And so a program of this status correction had to be included in the program of training people.
THE WAY OF GOD'S PEOPLE - COVENANTS
God's people was assigned to fulfill this task prospectively. Prospectively! Why? God's people itself must first undergo the training and be corected in order to be capable of fulfilling this task. This part of menakind is thus trained and corrected in advance. And what's more, it has a special God's favour.
| ”My son, do not make light of the Lord's discipline, and do not lose heart when he rebukes you, because the Lord disciplines those he loves, and he punishes everyone he accepts as a son.” (Heb. 12:5, 6) |
| ”... and through your offspring all nations on earth will be blessed, because you have obeyed me.” (Gen. 22:18) |
| ”Now if you obey fully and keep my covenant, then out of all nations you will be my treasured possession; Although the whole earth is mine, you will be for me a kingdom of priests and a holy nation.” (Exo. 19:5, 6) |
| ”But you (Christians) are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people belonging to God, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light.” (1. Pet. 2:9) |
GOD'S PEOPLE TRAINING COMPLICATIONS
But these privileges, which God's people owns as a means of serving mankind, became a stumbling block to them. It was their feelings of their own superiority, sufficiency (perfectness) and infallibility as well, that barred a correction and entering into the new covenant with God for Jews.
Special privileges and a higher spiritualy quality reached by the nation just through their ”heavenly father's” training caused a special kind of God's people's pride - haughtiness!
Transformed, this serious problem of God's people training has been remaining down to this day. [4] . And it is prevailing - favourites have always to take the bull by the horns when it comes to the pride. God's people must not be left uninstructed and think it can avoid consequences of general social principles. In such case it will not be ready again to the coming of the Son of Man and, as a matter of fact, unuseful for very hard tasks of the incoming era!
| ”You are the salt of the earth. But if the salt loses its saltness, how can it be made salty again? It is no longer good for anything, except to be thrown out and trampled by men.” (Mat. 5:13) |
God's people history is drenched with the blood of the prophets and reformers! It is extremely serious and dangerous status. Nothing reveals people of such sort could be taken seriously. Some ”chronic sickness” barring any change of that not very good direction of the journey already in progress was not pertaining to Jews only but analogically affected Christians as well.
THE PROMISE
Nevertheless, a part of the Christians will now have a chance to confirm the veracity of the Biblical prophecies:
| ”Therefore I tell you (Jews) that the Kingdom of God will be taken from you and given to a people (Christians), who will produce its fruits.” (Mat. 21:43) |
| ” In the time of those kings, the God of heaven will set up a kingdom that will never be destroyed, nor will it be left to another people (Christians). It will crush all those kingdoms and bring them to an end, but it will itself endure forever.” (Dan. 2:44) |
| ”For wide is the gate and broad is the road that leads to destruction, and many enter through it. But small is the gate and narrow the road that leads to life, and only few find it.” (Mat. 7:13, 14) |
| ”Do not be afraid, little flock, for your Father has been pleased to give you the kingdom.” (Luke 12:32) |
Jesus assures us that the Father's training finally brings about a birth of a special group of Christians who will reach their faculty for their own correction, taking over an authority and commencing the project of our planet salvation and thus accomplishing the mankind's correction.
THE TASK FOR GOD'S PEOPLE TODAY
The correction process, which is the main topic of the Scriptures, hastens inevitably toward its next strategic milestone:
| ”Then the sovereignity, power and greatness of the kingdoms under the whole heaven will be handed over th the saints, the people of the Most High. His kingdom will be an everlasting kingdom,” (lasting for all the thext age; author's remark) ”and all rulers will worship and obey him.” (Dan. 7:27) |
| ”... with your blood you purchased men for God from every tribe and language and people and nation. ... and they will reigh on the earth.” (Rev. 5:9, 10) |
It's impossible to stress enough the gravity of the forthcoming events and the necessity of calling competent individuals - the necessity of their ”wake-up” and responsibility to act!
The meaning and the result of the whole training era of the mankind, the era of Christianity, is drawing to its fulfillment!
Let's make an analysis of the historical development of the covenant relations between God and his people to elucidate the current situation and the logic of the following progress.
Covenants
MOTTO:
”Then your reward will be great, and you will be sons of the Most High, ...” (Luk. 6:35)
”He predestined us to be adopted as his sons through Jesus Christ, in accordance with his pleasure and will.” (Eph. 1:5)
PREFACE
All Christians know the terms as the Old Testament and the New Testament. Most of them assume subconsciously that the first one had something to do with the Mosaic and the either with the Jesus' new covenant. This is the cognizance status left to us by theologians. The problem of understanding the meaning and legal point of the covenants has not yet really been resolved.
The Old Testament was enunciated clearly and there's no doubt about its existence. However, the meaning and existence of the New Testament term is questionable. Those claiming its existence prop themselves upon the apostle Paul's words:
| ”...I am not free from God's law but am under Christ's law.” (1. Cor. 9:21) |
| ”Carry each other's burdens, and in this way you will fulfill the law of Christ.” (Gal. 6:2) |
It is just symbolic the use of the word ”law” in this case, or in other words, there's no legal meaning in it. It is better pertaining to unwritten moral maxims, of which finding and acting on, Jesus taught. When it comes to the legal relation, Jesus is here spoken of as a proprietor:
| ”And you also are among those who are called to belong to Jesus Christ.” (Rom. 1:6) |
| ”Now it is God who makes both us and you stand firm in Christ.” (2. Cor. 1:21) |
| ”…You are not your own; you were boutht at a price.” (1. Cor. 6:19, 20) |
Beside this, it is also spoken of ”the law of the Spirit”, which perhaps is the same as ”the law of Christ.” There's no legal meaning in this ”law.”
| ”... because through Christ Jesus the law of the Spirit of life set me free from the law of sin and death.” (Rom. 8:2) |
The problems mentioned above are extended with the problems of the covenants.
THE FIRST COVENANT
It was by means of Abraham, not by means of Moses, that Israel had been set in the covenant relation with God concerning the promise to the nation through which the world was to be saved.
| ”This is my covenant with you and your descendants after you, the covenant you are to keep: Every male among you shall be circumsized.” (Gen. 17:10) |
| ”And you are heirs of the prophets and of the covenant God made with your fathers. He said to Abraham, 'Through your offspring all peoples on earth will be blessed.'” (Acts 3:25) |
That's why Abraham was called the father of the Israelite nation (John 8:39; Luke 16:24). As a matter of fact, ”the law of Moses” was just a legislative complement for the first covenant (Lev. 26:40-56).
NEW (SECOND) COVENANT
Not long after he had passed a new covenant goblet to the apostles, Jesus said an important sentence:
| ”... and I make a covenant with you , just as my Father has made a covenant with me, for a kingdom, that you may eat and drink at my table in my kingdom, and sit on thrones to judge the twelve tribes of Israel.” (NWT) |
| ”And I confer on you a kingdom, just as my Father conferred one on me, so that you may eat and drink at my table in my kingdom and sit on thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel.” (NIV) |
| ”And I assign to you, as my Father assigned to me, a kingdom, that you may eat and drink at my table at my kingdom, and sit on thrones judging the wtwlwe tribes of Israel.” (KJV) |
Luke 22:29, 30
What actually did Jesus talk about? These translations being so different prove that the original allows all these translation versions [5] , and the original expression was a little more general. What results from this enunciation?
The original likely doesn't contain the word covenant but it carries its meaning. There is no question that the conferring of the Kingdom related to the second covenant. What way? Under a condition which first must be fulfilled Jesus promises his disciples some power rank. He told them the situation would be the same in their case as well. (Heb. 5:8, 9)
Let's use the NWT expression because it brings the aptest text sound, not verbal.
”... and I make a covenant with you for a kingdom ... that you may eat and drink at my table in my kingdom ...”
If the disciples sit at Jesus' table in his Kingdom, this Kingdom still doesn't belong to them. Yet Jesus says he is going to leave, confer, make them the Kingdom the same way it was conferred to him. That's why the NWT interpretation of a covenant for a kingdom seems to be apt. The texts in other translations are kind of contradicting.
WHAT DID MEAN TO ”EAT AT THE KING'S TABLE”?
| ”... Mephibosheth ate at David's table like one of the king's sons.” (2. Sam. 9:11) |
Namely it was his sons, king's heirs, who dined with the king in the ancient world. The oldest of them was the heir of the father's throne, a prospective king. When it comes to the other sons, they usually obtained particular territories as possessions.
Jesus has promised his apostles a similar position - the position of heirs, expectants, not of rulers of the kingdom. But that is not all. He has promised them to obtain a particular authority - the position of judges of God's people.
Although he concluded a covenant with his apostles Jesus enunciated it verbally this way:
| ”Then he took the cup, gave thenks and offered it to them, saying, 'Drink from it, all of you. This is my blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins.'” (Mat. 26:27, 28) |
This has stood for that the covenant didn't pertain to his twelve disciples only. Later it became apparent that its dilation included not only Israelite disciples but also those non-Israelite ones who proved to have a designated spiritual maturity.
ONE MORE QUITE A SIGHT
It might be expected that the new covenant would be the prime concern of Jesus' disciples. It is weird that the first three gospels only contain a very concise information about the covenant and only the Luke's one in relation to the Kingdom.
Might it be they didn't realize the meaning of the new covenant? Or did they guess its fulfillment would happen in the future and thus had not been timely for them? With ceratinty we can adhere to the first option when choosing from what we know about them. The apostles and the first disciples likely didn't ask Jesus any questions concerning this matter. They were not told on with the problem of the main event of their period. Isn't it an edification for us?
It was the apostle Paul who employed himself deeper in this matter. It is obvious from his texts that he has tried hard to explain the meaning of the covenants to the disciples. (2. Cor. 3:6, 14, 15, 17; Gal. 4:24; Heb. chapters 8 to 13)
RECAP
Jesus has been the mediator of the new, second, covenant between God and his people. He promised and was thus obliged to receive his apostles as the King's sons and heirs of his kingdom. Herewith they were trusted with the authority to judge the God's people, already Christians in this case. [6] .
As to this situation, it is clear that the action is not accomplished - the heirs are waiting to take over their legal heritage. There's no legislative adjunct added to the second covenant in the form of a written code. It's thus misleading to call the appointment of the second covenant The New Testament. We are conscious that this assertion may evoke resentment in the Christians who take in the current knowledge as an official one and thus contradicts christianity. But this is very relevant information worth of a deeper analysis.
THE NEW, THIRD, COVENANT
| ”Here I Am. I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in and eat with him (conclude a new covenant with him), and he with me.” (Rev. 3:20) |
The stand of the Christians at the end of the second covenant period requires the contraction of a new covenant. This conclusion is founded on the first covenant precedent.
Mature Christians will be positioned to a brand new relation toward God and the rest of the people.
COMPARISON OF THE GOD'S PEOPLE POSITION IN THE FRAMEWORK OF THE COVENANTS
God's people position in the first covenant:
- The people of a covenat
- Formally equal relation with God (Comp. Jam. 2:23; Lev. 19:2)
- Slavery of the sin and of the Law, a chosen people
God's people position in the second covenat:
- The people of a covenant
- Non-equal relation with God - reception as sons, heirs (Rom. 8:16, 17)
- Setting free from the sin by God's mercy, sons - positions of judges of God's people
God's people position in the third covenant:
- The people of a covenant
- Equal relation with God - the conferring of the heritage, royal authority in the "heavens" [7]
- Discretions and duties of God's kingdom rulers
While the first covenant was contracted with a nation as a whole (all Abraham's posterity), the second and third ones especially with mature individuals, heirs, spiritual temple stones - the apostles being the first. And through them the rest as well.
Churches
MOTTO: ”For it is time for judgement fo begin with the family of God” (1. Pet. 4:17)
THE WORLD CRISIS IN THE EYES OF A BELIEVER
Enormous rise of deliquency rate, increasing corruption of state representatives, environment damages and many other symptoms of a forthcoming world mankind crisis is heard in media almost daily. The people who are not indifferent of this status must see the world is closing to some significant history milestone. [8] They guess their God has anticipated this situation and expect they can ask him for a direction and help, through their church and its leaders as a matter of course. And perhaps they also expect that their church influence will increase thank to these events.
Will they see it through?
WILL THE WORLD CRISIS STRENGTHEN CHURCHES?
Leaders of Christian churches should be aware of the forthcoming trial of their Jesus-Christ-given assignment:
Either they will be able to explain to their believers:
- how nowadays events suit the words of Jesus' predictions
- why they have blundered saying the same a few times in the past
- and why they don't blunder right now;
or the loss of respect on the side of their believers is what they can expect. Their position resembles to that of Jesus' opponents:
| ”He replied, ”When evening comes, you say, 'It will be fair weather, for the sky is red', and in the morning, 'Today it will be stormy, for the sky is red and overcast.' You know how to interpret the appearance of the sky, but you cannot interpret the signs of the times.”” (Mat. 16:2, 3) |
It is notable that Jesus lays the knowledge of the signs of the times on the same level as the knowledge of the law of nature. The recognization of the period is really the matter of knowledge - the knowledge of the Scriptures, history, the laws of nature and society. It is not a matter of a mysterial inspiration.
ECUMENICAL MOVEMENT IN CHRISTIANITY
It may seem that all churches and religious societies have got a unique opportinity to prove its trueness and thus will get hold of it. However, another things are shown in practice.
Increasing number of new churches and religious societies [9] has helped the secular power fortify its position through sometimes open but mostly inconspicuous backing of their mutual hassles, according to the ”divide and rule” principle. [10] . Gradually, churches began to realize that breaking small and falling apart leads to their influence cutback and so a convergency trend, mainly in the oecumenical movement, is increasing.
However, this convergency is encumbered with serious problems:
- Thinking believers are embarrassed because this process resembles to that of coalition jointing of political parties in view of strenghening their influence. It is more and more obvious that church leaders are interested in the world power. It is not God upon whom they prop themselves. Well, he has the power to put church interests across anyone - he is ”almighty.”
- The convergency requires doctrines to be revised while a following convergency will require following revisions. The very fact that churches must admit it lessens their authority. With anxiety, sincere believers are questioning as to the former efforts of church representatives to acclaim themselves as infallible, God-directed, inspired etc.
- And what's more, even if reasonable generally, such convergency process contradicts directly the strategy of churches kept until now.
And so the world crisis and the oecumenical convergency could as well grow into a crisis of trust in churches and christianity as the truth harbinger.
CURRENT STATUS
Generally, as the world crisis is increasing the influence of most religions is increasing as well again. [11] . It is unaffected, in their church believers still find the only certitude in this uncertain world. Beside their efforts in the convergency progress, also differencies and dissents become apparent among them as the influence grows up. Church activities can be seen more and more in the world affairs. Thus a question of which church should be followed by believers obtrudes upon us.
Is there any church ”the right one” at all?
HOW MATTERS STAY CONCERNING 'THE RIGHTNESS' OF CHURCHES?
All experiences down to this day predicate that none of churches brings so much high knowledge of God's layouts as well as so much high level of morales of their representatives including run-of-the-mill members, in order for anybody to identify it as the only ”right one.” Well, some of them can be proud of a few attributes over average but such advantages go always hand in hand with specific defficiencies.
Using what can they then prove their trueness if they cannot render any prophecies fulfilled clearly? Why should it be them only and only whom people regarded as the only mediators of a communion with God?
Do not oecumenical efforts and decreasing unwillingness for compromises prove a defficiency of church internal conviction of their trueness and especiality? This advancement in their own identity grasp can be viewed as a very positive thing because all of the churches are the right ones in a sense. [12] !
Having these attitudes churches bind themselves to resolve a serious task of how to cope with their history and which direction to fare forth.
Sometime in the past, and often down to this day, all churches proclaimed themselves as the only and right carriers of Jesus' legacy and punished their irremediable members having different opinions. And they did punish very peremptorily - from a disfellowshipment to burning to death. [13] . They waged against other church members.
If they abandon the way of oecumenism, thus facing up to their own history, [14] they are bound morally to prove their trueness and nonesuchness.
1.1.17 CHURCH SPLIT - WHY DID IT HAPPEN?
Let's admit this enunciation that there's now a lot of Christian churches and communions and that we are not able to determine some ”right” one. But how is it at all possible that the split came when Christ and the apostles challenged to unity so much?
It yet didn't mean an asseratrion that the unity would be reached easily when church founders admonished to it.
| ”My prayer is not for them alone. I pray also for those who will believe in me through their message, that all of them may be one, ... I have given them the glory that you gave me, that they may be one as we are one. I in them and you in me. May they be brought to complete unity ...” (John 17:20-23) |
The very anxiety to reach the unity being so obvious refers that there will be problems with it. The new covenant of which Jesus was the mediator brought substantially higher freedom than the former ”slavery” of the Law.
| ”I no longer call you servants, because a servant does not know his master's business. Instead, I have called you friends, for everything that I learned from my Father I have made known to you.” (John 15:15) |
RIGHT UNITY - EXTRAORDINARY EFFORTS OUTCOME
A unity sequent upon a freedom has got through just little by little and gradually, first through willingness to discuss, then compromise, then consensus and yet then accord and agreement. It is a challenging, arduous and long time process. It is impossilbe to enact unity to freedom!
At the ond of the so-called apostolic period it was obvious in the heavens that during Christianity development the initial unity would not be retained. And so Jesus said to the apostle John:
| ”To the angel of the church in Ephesus write: 'These are the words of him who holds the seven stars in his right hand and walks among the seven golden lampstands.'” (Rev. 2:1 ) |
In the Scriptures a lampstand is a symbol of God's people who is in charge of yielding the spiritual light to itself as well as to those seeking it. The people were symbolized with a seven-arm lampstand in the first covenant. It is the known ”Jewish” lampstand. The Israelite nation had been classified as a whole until it was split into the North Israel and Juda.
In the Revelation to John we already have seven single lampstands and each is classified separately. Forasmuch as the number of seven symbolizes the full number of magnitudes in a period [15] , this vision stands for that the church will divide during its history and all churches made this way will come under the Christ's authority.
Not only was this church split inevitable, rightful, but it served its purpose so that there appeared a competition atmospehere in which rival churches were motivated and goaded in their own development.
”THE WAY”
| ”... and asked him for letters to the synagogues in Damascus, so that if he found any who belonged to the Way, whether men or women, he might take them as prisoners to Jerusalem.” (Acts of the apostles 9:2; comp. 19:19; 19:23; 24:22) |
There's a need of a constant castigation and correcting of a child during its upbringing because you cannot leave a child beyond control - it is yet not capable to keep the right direction of its development.
Neither mankind in the period of its ”childhood” is capable to keep the right direction. Development and upbringing of God's people are aptly called ”the way” in the Scriptures. But this way is very challenging mainly because God's people is left with its freedom so that it can find it with gradually increasing independence. This way only it can reach its maturity.
| ”I tell you the truth, whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven.” (Mat. 18:18) (which still dowsn't mean it's right) |
| ”It was he who gave some to be apostles, some to be prophets, some to be evangelists, and some to be pastors and teachers, to prepare God's people for works of service, so that the body of Christ may be built up until we all reach unity in the faith and in the knowledge of the Son of God, and become mature. ... Then we will no longer be infants, ... ” (Eph. 4:11-14) |
FREE WILL DEVELOPMENT
Even if apostles, prophets and teachrs were called for help, God's people had to move up forewards by means of attempts and faults, as it were, having limited capabilities, which might be compared to a rugged and hilly terrain. Althought the destination can be seen clearly from some point, it cannot be reached until following many detours. This way only it was possible to bring God's people, and thus all the mankind, to the real maturity and free will.
Some churches got quite far on ”the way”, but later stopped in their development or even started to get back. They are still regarded as ”living”! Only that church is regarded as dead which is incapable of any development because of its conviction that it has reached the aim already.
The Revelation book foretells the main courses of christianity development this way:
However, Jesus owns up directly to none of them!; still seeking which is the best - the best of the defective ones, because all of them are defective [16] .
| ”Do you not know that in a race all the runnurs run, but only once gets the prize? Run in such a way so as to get the prize.” (1.K.9:24) |
Nevertheless, the Son of Man has to separate one, correct and set it at the head of the others. Why?
| ”And the Lord said: 'Who really is the faithful steward, the discreet one, whom his master will appoint over his body of attendants to keep giving them the measure of food supplies at the proper time? Happy is that slave, if his master on arriving finds him doing so! I tell you truthfully, He will appoint him over all his belongings'” (Luke 12:42-44 [NWT]) |
The division of his people must end because of the extraordinary difficulty of the forthcoming task. The Son of Man will choose one of churches, perform needed changes in it, and connect to it other churches, or members of them, who pass a determined test. A question rmains: Which of churches is the the most likely candidate?
CHRISTIANITY DEVELOPMENT
The church being farthest on ”the way” [17] will probably have the best chance. How really the way (development) of christianity looks like and how does it differ from ”the way”?
The real way resembles a tree which grows upwards but when its upper part biases or even turns and grows down, a new branch separates and again grows upwards (see pic).
Such gradual development of the Christian churches and congregations is shown in the second and third chapter of the book of Revelation to John where:
· the first church still followed Jesus' apostles
”I know your deeds, your hard work and perseverance. I know that you cannot tolerate wicked men, that you have tested those who claim to be apostles but are not, and have found them false.” (Rev. 2:2)
· the last one has a possibility of contact with Christ on his second coming.
”Here I am! I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in and eat with him, and he with me.” (Rev. 3:20)
We recall that the number of churches, seven, represents the whole epoch of the second covenant and all churches.
BASIC DEVELOPMENT DIAGRAM OF EVERY CHURCH
Every church crosscuts its own development during which the lead is taken over by people who grasp their appointment in observing prescribed customs and functions into which they were positioned - bureaucrats.
Once the bureaucracy is established, the church development is halted or even reversed. This period gradually brings an increase of agitation and displeasure of those unwilling to stop on ”the way” or even turn back. Leaving futile attempts of correction behind, and many a persecution and even tortures and murders in the past, these people finally separate themselves and establish a new ”sect” in spite of big troubles. Consequently, a new church is established which continues with the good things from the former one and tries to dispose of its mistakes, often shifting to the other side. Its development is similar in outlines. It holds on to the base which is valid for all human organized fellowships. [18] .
WHAT DOES IT MEAN TO GET FARTHEST ON ”THE WAY”?
The best progress in interpretation of the Scriptures was always regarded as the measure of church rightness. Theologians used to wrangle for contradictory interpretations and this usually [19] was a cause of religious commotions and even wars.
Doubt cannot be cast on the importance of the truth. Jesus introduced himself as a truth harbinger, and what's more, all the Scripture admonishes to seek it. To find it is a part of the very meaning of ”the way.” But the aims and the resources cannot be changed.
According to Jesus' expression, apart from other things, the truth is to set mankind free as a means to reach a higher level of spiritual quality - the real aim of ”the way.” The truth is a measure of advancement of every church.
The Scripture interpretation advancement is on the important second place after an advancement in the bringing of the consigned ”family” up to better morales and free will development:
| ”Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. Thus, by the fruit you will recognize them. Not everyone who says to me, 'Lord, Lord', will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only he who does the will of my Father who is in heaven.” (Mat. 7:19-21) |
If this order will not be guaranteed, a progress will outweigh the morale [20] and any progress will turn back to its creator [21] .
THE TRUE MORALE
As well as unity, not even morale can be commanded when really speaking of morale. It must come out of the free will as well, out of a person's own conviction. Only such morale does not require an outer control [22] and threats such as ”eternal torture in hell” or ”eternal destruction.” Such morale should have been the aim of training by every church no matter which acceptable means was used.
And so: ”He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches”
The book of Revelation to John, chapters 1 to 3
T. B. FROM
[1] The new covenant, second in order, which was established between God and his people, was contracted at the ”Eucharist”, ”Lord's Supper”, in the period of the Passover probably sometimes around the year of 33 A.D.
[2] Although another creeds, as e.g. Hinduism, Buddhism with their branches, Islam etc., managed to survive across ages, it is clear from the Scriptures that the Christianity had to fight much more serious attempts of defacing and defeat.
[3] This means a man's historic development from his ancestors. For details read the book ”Popularization of the Bible Study First Scientific Results”; or just ”Populi” in short.
[4] Pope Jan Paul II made probably the first step toward this problem when he had called Judaism an older brother of Christianity.
[5] We don't regard as just the alternative that translators didn't know Greek or that the translation is false.
[6] The corporal Israel as a nation has been excluded from the new covenant and its members substituded with people of the nations (Mat. 3:10; Rom. 4:11; 11:17, 25). That's why this new nation was called a spiritual Israel sometimes.
[7] Rev. 20:4-6; Heb. 3:1 – Sometimes the word ”heavens” is used as a symbol of power in the Scriptures.
[8] It is supported with the mystical theories about the meaning of the millenium end, years 2000 and 2001, then the transfer of the Spring point from the Pisces Constallation to the Aquarius one which is important as a hope base of the New Age movement, Eastern religions creeds and other ocult courses.
[9] which relates to the world moral, social and ecological crisis
[10] Divide et impera – used mainly by totalitarian sort of government
[11] Especially after the ”iron curtain” fall at the end of the eighties.
[12] All of them have generally an equal God-given possibility, calling, and all of them are counted as would-be prosperity carriers of the future age.
[13] Even nowadays some of them do not hesitate to use violence and terror ”in the name of God” (Northern Ireland, Middle East ...)
[14] It is as if the Catholic church tried to take this road using its apologizes for its past transgressions, e.g. sackcloths and ashes when it comes to John Huss burning to death, and others. Will it be able to reach the end? Its way will be extremely hard; it has called bindingly its popes headquarters Vatican (vaticao = prophet) and some time ago dared to proclaim these popes as infallible!
[15] Number 7 carries this meaning from the time of creation when the whole creation era lasted 7 periods, the creator's days.
[16] May that seem to be so, such assertation is no reason for despondency. It couldn't have come off other way and this status was envisaged. This awareness should serve as an incentive for an introspection and search for a real way of correction. This is the task especially for the "angels of churches" - the qualified and mature Christians out of individual churches.
[17] Acts 9:2; 19:9; 19:23; 24:22 - Not in time but in knowledge and deeds.
[18] Professor Parkinson laws
[19] This statement pertained to the ”real” sincere Christians only. In diplomatic quarters the strain among churches can be misused to reach political goals.
[20] Nowadays world status.
[21] 20th century - the century of wars, atomic and biologic arms, genetics misuse, ...
[22] A control as a feedback has to be set in the system without free decision to ”behave morally.”