Spiritual Maturity

 

For though by this time you ought to be teachers, you need someone to teach you again the basic elements of the oracles of God. You need milk, not solid food; for everyone who lives on milk, being still an infant, is unskilled in the word of righteousness. But solid food is for the mature, for those whose faculties have been trained by practice to distinguish good from evil. Therefore let us go on towards perfection, leaving behind the basic teaching about Christ, and not laying again the foundation: repentance from dead works and faith towards God, instruction about baptisms, laying on of hands, resurrection of the dead, and eternal judgement. 

The author presents spiritual life as being like physical growth, there is birth, infancy, childhood, young adulthood and eventually maturity. Ahead of this he was teaching about Jesus and interjected that those listening were spiritually sluggish and infantile. Note what the author considered basic and foundational teaching: repentance from dead works, trust toward God, teaching about washings, laying on of hands, the resurrection of the dead, and eternal judgement.

I have been attending churches for over seventy years and have never heard or given a lesson that would have exceeded the "basic elements" given by the author. Churches do not focus on individual development but on group harmony; individual maturity if considered is judged on participation and attendance. The goal of churches is to have a homogenized congregation, all singing from the same hymnbook and quoting the same scriptures. Oddballs are tolerated but not celebrated. Many Churches focus on increasing membership rather than individual development.

Adult to the author is – people who have reached maturity through repeated practice, evidenced by trained judgment. This maturity is not having the memory to call up scriptures supporting your Church’s doctrines. It is not the ability to refute someone else’s “erroneous” beliefs. It’s not being able to quote a myriad of scriptures. It is the outcome of trusting Jesus, having God as your father and his word as your guide. It’s not having to rush to a verse of scripture its spiritual awareness and a principled life.

Churches need to refocus; the goal must be the spiritual health of individual members. In every congregation there are some who will boast that what they believe now is what they were taught when they were introduced to the Church. Hopefully not, as that would be an admission that they have not developed spiritually. It sounds like what Stephen Covey, said about experience; People say they have twenty years experience, when, they only have one year’s experience, repeated twenty times.

Churches must drop the business model and move to an egalitarian gathering of individual believers – a fellowship of God’s children.

God made it easy - people make it hard

 

Hypothetically, archaeologists uncover an ancient container on top of which was a statement written on an ostracon saying that the sum of wisdom was to follow one practice to have an abundant life. Those who followed that prescription found it to be true. Others not satisfied with the wisdom revealed decided to open the vessel to see what was inside. The contents were from different eons and various places. Those studying the objects applied modern methods to decipher the obscure collection. The obsession to give meaning to each of the objects was frustrating and led to a life of disappointment.

There are ancient writings ranging from circa 1500 BCE to 70 CE authored by different people in various places at different times. These are individual writings yet intrinsically connected to one principle that offers eternal life, summed up by one statement – God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, so that each one who puts his trust in him might not perish but might have eternal life. The connecting theme of these writings is God’s reconciliation of people to himself. People who put their trust in God’s Son are given everlasting life. Those who disregard God’s way, might face eternal separation from him.

Listen to the disciple whom Jesus loved: “Jesus did many other signs in the presence of his disciples, which are not written in this book, but these are written so that you may come to believe that Jesus is the Messiah, the Son of God, and that through believing you may have life in his name.” Elsewhere Jesus personally confirmed the greatest commandments, the first is to love God, the second is to love your neighbour (in Hebrew someone near you). The audacious claim made by John is that the information written about Jesus, the evidence of his divinity, his teaching, the miracles he performed, and his example are presented so that we can put our trust in Jesus and be saved. No other author makes this claim, but is true of the gospels written by Matthew, Mark, and Luke who also present Jesus as Saviour.

All this Church stuff is human innovation, it is not required or condemned by God. God hasn’t given any directives for Churches, and they have nothing to do with his relationship with believers. Imagine a world with no Churches, a world in which believing in Jesus formed a bond tighter than the human family, because we are the family of God. Fellowship would not be limited to members of a Church but to all who put their trust in Jesus. There are no Churches in heaven, but the kingdom of God is on earth as well as heaven. Read John’s gospel and judge for yourself if he can be trusted, if what he wrote truly represents God’s word, and if eternal life is based on believing Jesus.

On this rock...

“…upon this rock I will build my assembly, and the gates of Hades shall not overpower it.”

(Assembly = congregation, kingdom, people – whatever was meant by the word ekklesia in the Greek translation of the Hebrew scriptures in reference to God’s people at Sinai)

We have assurance that the assembly Jesus built to supersede the assembly of Israel is steadfast and secure. The kingdom of God is spiritual and unaffected by Satan’s attempts to hinder it. Jesus said my kingdom is not of human origin and it is not earthly.

Jesus rebuked the scribes and Pharisees:

…for the sake of your tradition, you make void the word of God. You hypocrites! Isaiah prophesied rightly about you when he said: "This people honours me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me; in vain do they worship me, teaching human precepts as doctrines.”

Churches bear the same rebuke, they are human institutions doing the same things the Pharisees did. Someone long ago observed a truth, “everyone can’t be right.” Looking at Churches from Constantine to now it is obvious that they are not all right, and equally obvious because of their similarity, that they are all wrong. The gates of Hades cannot prevail against the kingdom of God, but the Church though well-meaning has drawn attention to itself and away from Jesus.

Church leaders rummage through scriptures finding passages to support their weird doctrines, they find prophesies to fit any situation and any occasion. Some churches have rigid behavioural requirements, others venerate the building they meet in as holy, even though God said our bodies are the temple of the Holy Spirit. Churches practice rituals and adhere to laws belonging to the Jews, even though God said the new covenant would not be like the Sinai covenant.

It is beneficial for believers to get together to encourage and support each other. It’s not an obligation, it’s not institutional, it’s not ritualistic, it’s family – God’s family.  The institutional Church is Satan’s means of distracting people from God’s love and grace. Jesus did not die for an institution he died for you and me.

“…在这磐石上，我要建造我的会众，阴间的门不能胜过它。”
（会众＝聚集、国度、子民——即在希伯来经文的希腊译本中，用来指西奈之神子民的“ἐκκλησία”一词所表达的含义）

我们可以确信，耶稣所建立、用以取代以色列会众的群体，是坚定而稳固的。神的国是属灵的，不受撒但企图阻碍的影响。耶稣说，我的国不是出于人的来源，也不属于地上的。

耶稣责备文士和法利赛人：
“…你们为着自己的传统，使神的话失效。你们这些伪善的人！以赛亚指着你们所说的预言是正确的：‘这百姓用嘴唇尊敬我，心却远离我；他们徒然敬拜我，将人的规条当作教导。’”

教会也承受同样的责备，它们是人所建立的机构，做着与法利赛人相同的事。很久以前有人指出一个事实：“不可能每个人都对。”从君士坦丁到现在，观察各个教会，很明显它们不可能都正确；同样明显的是，由于它们的相似性，它们都偏离了正确。阴间的门不能胜过神的国，但教会虽然出于善意，却把注意力引向自己，而远离耶稣。

教会领袖翻找经文，从中寻找支持其奇特教义的段落；他们找到预言来适用于任何情形、任何场合。有些教会有严格的行为要求，另一些则把他们聚会的建筑视为神圣，尽管神说我们的身体才是圣灵的殿。教会实行仪式，并遵守属于犹太人的律法，尽管神说新约不会像西奈之约那样。

信徒彼此聚集、互相鼓励与支持是有益的。这不是义务，不是制度性的，也不是仪式性的，这是家庭——神的家庭。制度性的教会成为分散人们注意力、使人远离神的爱与恩典的一种手段。耶稣不是为一个制度而死，他是为你和我而死。

“…इस चट्टान पर मैं अपनी सभा बनाऊँगा, और अधोलोक के फाटक उस पर प्रबल न होंगे।”
(सभा = मंडली, राज्य, लोग – अर्थात् वह अर्थ जो यूनानी शब्द ekklesia में, जो इब्रानी ग्रंथों के यूनानी अनुवाद में सीनै पर परमेश्वर के लोगों के लिए प्रयुक्त हुआ, अभिप्रेत है)

हमें आश्वासन है कि वह सभा जिसे यीशु ने इस्राएल की सभा के स्थान पर स्थापित किया, स्थिर और सुरक्षित है। परमेश्वर का राज्य आत्मिक है और शैतान के उसे रोकने के प्रयासों से अप्रभावित है। यीशु ने कहा, मेरा राज्य मानवीय उत्पत्ति का नहीं है और यह पृथ्वी का नहीं है।

यीशु ने शास्त्रियों और फरीसियों को डाँटा:
“…तुम अपनी परंपरा के कारण परमेश्वर के वचन को निष्फल कर देते हो। हे कपटियों! यशायाह ने तुम्हारे विषय में ठीक भविष्यद्वाणी की, जब उसने कहा: ‘यह लोग होंठों से मेरा आदर करते हैं, पर उनका हृदय मुझ से दूर है; वे व्यर्थ मेरी उपासना करते हैं, क्योंकि वे मनुष्यों की आज्ञाओं को उपदेश के रूप में सिखाते हैं।’”

गिरजाघर भी उसी फटकार के अधीन हैं; वे मानवीय संस्थाएँ हैं जो वही कार्य करती हैं जो फरीसी करते थे। बहुत पहले किसी ने कहा था, “सब लोग सही नहीं हो सकते।” कॉन्स्टैन्टाइन से अब तक गिरजाघरों को देखकर स्पष्ट है कि वे सब सही नहीं हैं; और उनकी समानता के कारण यह भी स्पष्ट है कि वे सब गलत हैं। अधोलोक के फाटक परमेश्वर के राज्य पर प्रबल नहीं होंगे, परन्तु गिरजाघर, भले ही सद्भावना से, ध्यान को अपने ऊपर ले आते हैं और यीशु से दूर कर देते हैं।

गिरजाघर के नेता शास्त्रों में खोज करते हैं, अपने विचित्र सिद्धांतों का समर्थन करने के लिए अंश ढूँढ़ते हैं; वे हर स्थिति और अवसर के लिए भविष्यद्वाणियाँ ढाल लेते हैं। कुछ गिरजाघरों में कठोर आचरण नियम हैं, अन्य उस भवन को पवित्र मानते हैं जहाँ वे मिलते हैं, जबकि परमेश्वर ने कहा कि हमारे शरीर पवित्र आत्मा का मंदिर हैं। गिरजाघर विधियों का पालन करते हैं और यहूदियों से संबंधित व्यवस्थाओं को मानते हैं, जबकि परमेश्वर ने कहा कि नई वाचा सीनै की वाचा जैसी नहीं होगी।

विश्वासियों का एकत्र होना, एक-दूसरे को प्रोत्साहित और सहारा देना लाभकारी है। यह कोई बाध्यता नहीं, न ही संस्थागत या अनुष्ठानिक है; यह परिवार है—परमेश्वर का परिवार। संस्थागत गिरजाघर लोगों को परमेश्वर के प्रेम और अनुग्रह से भटकाने का एक साधन बन जाता है। यीशु किसी संस्था के लिए नहीं मरा; वह तुम्हारे और मेरे लिए मरा।

“…على هذه الصخرة أبني جماعتي، وأبواب الهاوية لن تقوى عليها.”
(الجماعة = اجتماع، ملكوت، شعب – أي المعنى المقصود بكلمة ἐκκλησία في الترجمة اليونانية للنصوص العبرية عند الإشارة إلى شعب الله عند سيناء)

لدينا يقين بأن الجماعة التي بناها يسوع لتحل محل جماعة إسرائيل ثابتة وآمنة. ملكوت الله روحي ولا يتأثر بمحاولات الشيطان إعاقته. قال يسوع إن ملكوتي ليس من أصل بشري وليس أرضيًا.

وبّخ يسوع الكتبة والفريسيين:
“…بسبب تقليدكم تبطلون كلمة الله. يا مراؤون! حسنًا تنبأ إشعياء عنكم حين قال: ‘هذا الشعب يكرمني بشفتيه، أما قلبه فمبتعد عني؛ وباطلًا يعبدونني وهم يعلّمون تعاليم هي وصايا الناس.’”

الكنائس تحمل نفس التوبيخ؛ فهي مؤسسات بشرية تقوم بالأعمال نفسها التي قام بها الفريسيون. قيل منذ زمن بعيد: “لا يمكن أن يكون الجميع على صواب.” بالنظر إلى الكنائس من زمن قسطنطين حتى الآن، من الواضح أنها ليست كلها على صواب؛ ومن الواضح أيضًا، بسبب تشابهها، أنها جميعًا على خطأ. أبواب الهاوية لا تقوى على ملكوت الله، لكن الكنيسة، رغم حسن النية، جذبت الانتباه إلى نفسها وبعيدًا عن يسوع.

يقوم قادة الكنائس بالبحث في الكتب، ويجدون مقاطع تدعم تعاليمهم الغريبة؛ ويجدون نبوات تناسب كل حالة وكل مناسبة. بعض الكنائس تفرض متطلبات سلوكية صارمة، وأخرى تقدّس المبنى الذي تجتمع فيه، رغم أن الله قال إن أجسادنا هي هيكل الروح القدس. تمارس الكنائس طقوسًا وتلتزم بشرائع تخص اليهود، رغم أن الله قال إن العهد الجديد لن يكون مثل عهد سيناء.

من المفيد للمؤمنين أن يجتمعوا ليشجعوا ويدعموا بعضهم بعضًا. هذا ليس التزامًا، ولا هو مؤسسي أو طقسي؛ إنه عائلة—عائلة الله. الكنيسة المؤسسية أصبحت وسيلة لصرف الناس عن محبة الله ونعمته. لم يمت يسوع من أجل مؤسسة؛ بل مات من أجلك ومن أجلي.

「…この岩の上に、わたしは自分の集まりを建てる。ハデスの門はそれに打ち勝つことはない。」
（集まり＝会衆、王国、民――すなわち、ヘブライ語聖書のギリシア語訳においてシナイでの神の民を指す際の ἐκκλησία の意味）

イエスがイスラエルの集まりに代わって築いた集まりは、堅固で確かなものであるという確信がある。神の王国は霊的であり、サタンの妨げようとする試みに影響されない。イエスは「わたしの王国は人間的起源のものではなく、地上のものでもない」と言った。

イエスは律法学者とパリサイ人を責めた：
「…あなたがたは自分たちの伝統のために神の言葉を無効にしている。偽善者たちよ！イザヤはあなたがたについて正しく預言した。『この民は口でわたしを敬うが、その心はわたしから遠い。彼らは人の教えを教えとして教え、むなしくわたしを礼拝している。』」

教会も同じ非難を受ける。それらは人間の制度であり、パリサイ人と同じことを行っている。昔から「誰もが正しいわけではない」と言われてきた。コンスタンティヌスの時代から現在まで教会を見れば、それらがすべて正しいわけではないことは明らかであり、その類似性ゆえに、すべてが誤っていることも明らかである。ハデスの門は神の王国に打ち勝つことはできないが、教会は善意であっても、自分自身へと注意を引き、イエスから遠ざけている。

教会の指導者たちは聖書を探り、自分たちの奇妙な教義を支持する箇所を見つける。どんな状況や機会にも当てはまる預言を見つけ出す。ある教会は厳格な行動規範を持ち、別の教会は集まる建物を聖なるものとして扱うが、神は私たちの体が聖霊の神殿であると言った。教会は儀式を行い、ユダヤ人に属する律法を守るが、神は新しい契約がシナイの契約のようではないと言った。

信じる者が集まり、互いに励まし支え合うことは有益である。それは義務ではなく、制度でも儀式でもない。それは家族――神の家族である。制度としての教会は、人々を神の愛と恵みから逸らす手段となっている。イエスは制度のために死んだのではなく、あなたと私のために死んだ。

«…на этом камне Я построю своё собрание, и врата ада не одолеют его».
(собрание = община, царство, народ — то значение, которое подразумевается словом ekklesia в греческом переводе еврейских Писаний относительно народа Бога у Синая)

Мы имеем уверенность, что собрание, которое Иисус построил взамен собрания Израиля, устойчиво и надёжно. Царство Бога духовно и не подвержено попыткам сатаны препятствовать ему. Иисус сказал: Моё царство не человеческого происхождения и не земное.

Иисус обличал книжников и фарисеев:
«…из-за вашей традиции вы делаете слово Божие недействительным. Лицемеры! Исаия верно пророчествовал о вас: “Этот народ чтит Меня устами, но сердце их далеко от Меня; напрасно они поклоняются Мне, уча человеческим постановлениям как учениям.”»

Церкви подпадают под то же обличение: они являются человеческими институтами, делающими то же, что делали фарисеи. Давно было замечено: «не все могут быть правы». Рассматривая церкви от Константина до настоящего времени, очевидно, что они не все правы; и столь же очевидно, по причине их сходства, что все они ошибаются. Врата ада не одолеют царство Бога, но церковь, хотя и с благими намерениями, привлекает внимание к себе и уводит его от Иисуса.

Церковные лидеры перебирают Писания, находя отрывки для поддержки своих странных учений; они находят пророчества, подходящие к любой ситуации и случаю. Некоторые церкви имеют строгие поведенческие требования, другие почитают здание как святое, хотя Бог сказал, что наши тела — храм Святого Духа. Церкви совершают ритуалы и придерживаются законов, относящихся к иудеям, хотя Бог сказал, что новый завет не будет таким, как Синайский.

Полезно, чтобы верующие собирались вместе для взаимного ободрения и поддержки. Это не обязанность, не институционально и не ритуально; это семья — семья Бога. Институциональная церковь стала средством отвлечения людей от любви и благодати Бога. Иисус умер не за институт — Он умер за тебя и за меня.

“…sobre esta roca edificaré mi asamblea, y las puertas del Hades no prevalecerán contra ella.”
(asamblea = congregación, reino, pueblo — el sentido de ekklesia en la traducción griega de las Escrituras hebreas respecto al pueblo de Dios en el Sinaí)

Tenemos la certeza de que la asamblea que Jesús edificó para sustituir a la de Israel es firme y segura. El reino de Dios es espiritual y no es afectado por los intentos de Satanás de obstaculizarlo. Jesús dijo: mi reino no es de origen humano ni es terrenal.

Jesús reprendió a los escribas y fariseos:
“…por causa de vuestra tradición invalidáis la palabra de Dios. ¡Hipócritas! Bien profetizó Isaías acerca de vosotros cuando dijo: ‘Este pueblo me honra con los labios, pero su corazón está lejos de mí; en vano me rinden culto, enseñando como doctrinas mandamientos de hombres.’”

Las iglesias reciben la misma reprensión; son instituciones humanas que hacen lo mismo que los fariseos. Hace tiempo alguien observó: “no todos pueden tener la razón.” Al observar las iglesias desde Constantino hasta ahora, es evidente que no todas están en lo correcto; y también es evidente, por su similitud, que todas están equivocadas. Las puertas del Hades no prevalecen contra el reino de Dios, pero la iglesia, aunque con buena intención, ha dirigido la atención hacia sí misma y lejos de Jesús.

Los líderes de las iglesias buscan en las Escrituras, encontrando pasajes para apoyar sus doctrinas extrañas; encuentran profecías para cualquier situación y ocasión. Algunas iglesias tienen requisitos de conducta rígidos; otras veneran el edificio donde se reúnen como si fuera santo, aunque Dios dijo que nuestros cuerpos son templo del Espíritu. Las iglesias practican rituales y siguen leyes que pertenecen a los judíos, aunque Dios dijo que el nuevo pacto no sería como el del Sinaí.

Es beneficioso que los creyentes se reúnan para animarse y apoyarse mutuamente. No es una obligación, no es institucional ni ritual; es familia — la familia de Dios. La iglesia institucional se ha convertido en un medio de distraer a las personas del amor y la gracia de Dios. Jesús no murió por una institución; murió por ti y por mí.

“…sa ibabaw ng batong ito ay itatayo ko ang aking kapulungan, at ang mga pintuan ng Hades ay hindi mananaig laban dito.”
(kapulungan = pagtitipon, kaharian, bayan — ang kahulugang ipinahihiwatig ng salitang ekklesia sa Griyegong salin ng Hebreong kasulatan tungkol sa bayan ng Diyos sa Sinai)

May katiyakan tayo na ang kapulungang itinayo ni Jesus bilang kapalit ng kapulungan ng Israel ay matatag at panatag. Ang kaharian ng Diyos ay espirituwal at hindi naaapektuhan ng mga pagsisikap ni Satanas na hadlangan ito. Sinabi ni Jesus, ang aking kaharian ay hindi mula sa pinagmulan ng tao at hindi makalupa.

Sinaway ni Jesus ang mga eskriba at mga Pariseo:
“…dahil sa inyong tradisyon ay pinawawalang-bisa ninyo ang salita ng Diyos. Mga mapagpaimbabaw! Tama ang ipinropesiya ni Isaias tungkol sa inyo nang sabihin niya: ‘Ang bayang ito ay iginagalang ako sa kanilang mga labi, ngunit ang kanilang puso ay malayo sa akin; walang kabuluhan ang kanilang pagsamba sa akin, na nagtuturo ng mga utos ng tao bilang mga aral.’”

Ang mga simbahan ay tumatanggap ng parehong pagsaway; sila ay mga institusyong pantao na gumagawa ng parehong ginawa ng mga Pariseo. Matagal nang napansin ng ilan: “hindi maaaring lahat ay tama.” Sa pagtingin sa mga simbahan mula kay Constantine hanggang ngayon, malinaw na hindi sila lahat tama; at malinaw din, dahil sa kanilang pagkakatulad, na sila ay mali. Ang mga pintuan ng Hades ay hindi mananaig laban sa kaharian ng Diyos, ngunit ang simbahan, kahit may mabuting layunin, ay inililihis ang pansin sa sarili at palayo kay Jesus.

Ang mga pinuno ng simbahan ay naghahalungkat sa mga kasulatan upang makahanap ng mga talatang susuporta sa kanilang kakaibang mga doktrina; nakakahanap sila ng mga propesiya na angkop sa anumang sitwasyon at okasyon. Ang ilang simbahan ay may mahigpit na mga patakaran sa asal; ang iba naman ay itinuturing na banal ang gusali kung saan sila nagtitipon, kahit sinabi ng Diyos na ang ating mga katawan ang templo ng Espiritu Santo. Ang mga simbahan ay nagsasagawa ng mga ritwal at sumusunod sa mga kautusan na nauukol sa mga Hudyo, kahit sinabi ng Diyos na ang bagong tipan ay hindi magiging katulad ng tipan sa Sinai.

Kapaki-pakinabang na ang mga mananampalataya ay magtipon upang magpalakasan at magtulungan. Hindi ito obligasyon, hindi ito institusyonal, hindi ito ritwal; ito ay pamilya — ang pamilya ng Diyos. Ang institusyonal na simbahan ay naging paraan upang ilihis ang mga tao mula sa pag-ibig at biyaya ng Diyos. Hindi namatay si Jesus para sa isang institusyon; namatay siya para sa iyo at para sa akin.

God loves Moslems and everyone

 

God loves Moslems, people of every religion and Atheists. Through one of the prophets God said, “I take no pleasure in the death of the wicked, but rather that the wicked turn from his way and live.”

Talking about Jews and non-Jews Paul stated, “there is no partiality with God.” Paul also wrote:

I am convinced that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor things present, nor things to come, nor powers, nor height, nor depth, nor any other created thing, will be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord. 

The love of God is available to everyone. God does not force his love on us, we have to reach for it, we have to want it. God’s love was given through extreme suffering and anguish, Jesus of Nazareth paid that price. While alive Jesus said to his disciples “I am the way, and the truth, and the life; no one comes to the Father but through me.”

The apostle John wrote that because God loved humanity in its entirety without distinction, he gave his only son so that each person who trusts in Jesus will not be utterly destroyed but will live forever.

神爱穆斯林、各宗教的人以及无神论者。通过一位先知，神说：“我不喜悦恶人的死亡，反而喜悦恶人离开他的道路而存活。”
谈到犹太人和非犹太人，保罗说：“神并不偏待人。” 保罗也写道：
我深信，无论是死，是生，是天使，是掌权的，是现在的事，是将来的事，是有能力的，是高处的，是低处的，或是任何别的受造之物，都不能使我们与神的爱隔绝，这爱是在我们的主基督耶稣里的。
神的爱向所有人开放。神不强迫我们接受他的爱，我们必须伸手去接受，我们必须愿意。神的爱是通过极大的痛苦和忧伤赐下的，拿撒勒人耶稣付出了这个代价。耶稣在世时对他的门徒说：“我就是道路、真理、生命；若不借着我，没有人能到父那里去。”
使徒约翰写道，因为神爱整个人类，不加区别，他赐下他的独生子，使每一个信靠耶稣的人不至灭亡，反得永生。

परमेश्वर मुसलमानों, हर धर्म के लोगों और नास्तिकों से प्रेम करता है। एक भविष्यद्वक्ता के द्वारा परमेश्वर ने कहा, “मुझे दुष्ट के मरने में कोई प्रसन्नता नहीं, बल्कि इस में कि दुष्ट अपने मार्ग से फिरकर जीवित रहे।”
यहूदियों और अन्यजातियों के विषय में पौलुस ने कहा, “परमेश्वर किसी का पक्षपात नहीं करता।” पौलुस ने यह भी लिखा:
मुझे पूरा विश्वास है कि न मृत्यु, न जीवन, न स्वर्गदूत, न प्रधानताएँ, न वर्तमान की बातें, न भविष्य की बातें, न शक्तियाँ, न ऊँचाई, न गहराई, और न कोई अन्य सृष्ट वस्तु हमें परमेश्वर के प्रेम से अलग कर सकेगी, जो हमारे प्रभु मसीह यीशु में है।
परमेश्वर का प्रेम सबके लिए उपलब्ध है। परमेश्वर अपना प्रेम हम पर थोपता नहीं; हमें उसकी ओर बढ़ना होता है, हमें उसे चाहना होता है। परमेश्वर का प्रेम अत्यधिक पीड़ा और क्लेश के माध्यम से दिया गया; नासरत के यीशु ने यह मूल्य चुकाया। जब यीशु जीवित थे, उन्होंने अपने चेलों से कहा, “मैं मार्ग, सत्य और जीवन हूँ; मेरे बिना कोई पिता के पास नहीं आता।”
प्रेरित यूहन्ना ने लिखा कि क्योंकि परमेश्वर ने सम्पूर्ण मानवजाति से बिना भेदभाव प्रेम किया, उसने अपना एकलौता पुत्र दिया, ताकि जो कोई यीशु पर भरोसा करता है वह नष्ट न हो बल्कि अनन्त जीवन पाए।

الله يحب المسلمين، وأتباع كل دين، والملحدين. ومن خلال أحد الأنبياء قال الله: «لا أُسرّ بموت الشرير، بل بأن يرجع الشرير عن طريقه ويحيا».
وفي حديثه عن اليهود وغير اليهود قال بولس: «ليس عند الله محاباة». وكتب بولس أيضًا:
إني متيقن أنه لا موت ولا حياة، ولا ملائكة ولا رؤساء، ولا أمور حاضرة ولا أمور مستقبلة، ولا قوات، ولا علو ولا عمق، ولا أي خليقة أخرى، تقدر أن تفصلنا عن محبة الله التي في المسيح يسوع ربنا.
محبة الله متاحة للجميع. الله لا يفرض محبته علينا؛ بل يجب أن نمدّ أيدينا إليها، ويجب أن نرغب فيها. لقد أُعطيت محبة الله من خلال معاناة وألم شديدين، وقد دفع يسوع الناصري هذا الثمن. وعندما كان يسوع حيًا قال لتلاميذه: «أنا هو الطريق والحق والحياة؛ ليس أحد يأتي إلى الآب إلا بي».
وكتب الرسول يوحنا أنه لأن الله أحب البشرية كلها دون تمييز، فقد أعطى ابنه الوحيد لكي لا يهلك كل من يثق بيسوع بل تكون له حياة أبدية.

神はムスリム、あらゆる宗教の人々、そして無神論者を愛している。預言者の一人を通して神は言われた。「わたしは悪しき者の死を喜ばない。むしろ、悪しき者がその道から立ち返って生きることを望む。」
ユダヤ人と異邦人について、パウロは「神にはえこひいきがない」と述べた。さらにパウロはこう書いている。
私は確信している。死も命も、御使いも支配者も、現在のものも将来のものも、力あるものも、高さも深さも、その他どのような被造物も、私たちを、私たちの主キリスト・イエスにある神の愛から引き離すことはできない。
神の愛はすべての人に開かれている。神はその愛を私たちに強いることはない。私たちはそれに手を伸ばし、それを望まなければならない。神の愛は大きな苦しみと苦悩を通して与えられたものであり、ナザレのイエスがその代価を払った。生きておられた時、イエスは弟子たちに言われた。「わたしは道であり、真理であり、命である。わたしを通してでなければ、だれも父のもとに行くことはできない。」
使徒ヨハネは、神が人類全体を区別なく愛したので、その独り子を与え、イエスを信頼するすべての人が滅びることなく永遠の命を得ると書いた。

Бог любит мусульман, людей всех религий и атеистов. Через одного из пророков Бог сказал: «Я не желаю смерти нечестивого, но чтобы нечестивый обратился от своего пути и жил».
Говоря о иудеях и неиудеях, Павел заявил: «У Бога нет лицеприятия». Павел также написал:
Я уверен, что ни смерть, ни жизнь, ни ангелы, ни начала, ни настоящее, ни будущее, ни силы, ни высота, ни глубина, ни какая-либо другая тварь не сможет отлучить нас от любви Божией во Христе Иисусе, Господе нашем.
Любовь Бога доступна каждому. Бог не навязывает Свою любовь; мы должны тянуться к ней, мы должны желать её. Любовь Бога была дана через крайнее страдание и мучение — Иисус из Назарета заплатил эту цену. Когда Иисус был жив, Он сказал ученикам: «Я есмь путь и истина и жизнь; никто не приходит к Отцу, как только через Меня».
Апостол Иоанн написал, что поскольку Бог возлюбил всё человечество без различия, Он дал Своего единственного Сына, чтобы каждый, кто доверяет Иисусу, не погиб, но имел вечную жизнь.

Dios ama a los musulmanes, a las personas de toda religión y a los ateos. Por medio de uno de los profetas Dios dijo: «No me complazco en la muerte del malvado, sino en que el malvado se aparte de su camino y viva».
Hablando de judíos y no judíos, Pablo afirmó: «No hay parcialidad con Dios». Pablo también escribió:
Estoy convencido de que ni la muerte, ni la vida, ni los ángeles, ni los principados, ni lo presente, ni lo por venir, ni los poderes, ni lo alto, ni lo profundo, ni ninguna otra cosa creada podrá separarnos del amor de Dios, que es en Cristo Jesús nuestro Señor.
El amor de Dios está disponible para todos. Dios no impone su amor; debemos acercarnos a él, debemos desearlo. El amor de Dios fue dado a través de un sufrimiento y angustia extremos; Jesús de Nazaret pagó ese precio. Mientras vivía, Jesús dijo a sus discípulos: «Yo soy el camino, la verdad y la vida; nadie viene al Padre sino por mí».
El apóstol Juan escribió que, porque Dios amó a toda la humanidad sin distinción, dio a su único Hijo para que todo el que confía en Jesús no sea destruido, sino que tenga vida eterna.

Christians leaving church - is that a problem?

“The Great Dechurching – 2024” reported that forty million Christians in USA stopped going to church in the preceding twenty years or so. From research some reasons people stopped attending church were, loss of trust in religious institutions, that church feels irrelevant to modern life, the perception that faith does not require church, and a lack of community connection.

Top reasons why people do attend church: worship of God, spiritual growth, sense of community, and moral guidance. Internationally researchers observe that community is the strongest factor affecting attendance.

The rapid growth of early Christianity followed the pattern seen in the first few chapters of Acts: meeting in private homes, shared meals, strong mutual support, care for widows, orphans, and the poor. The Greek term most used for gatherings was ekklesia meaning an assembly or gathering of people rather than an institution or building.

Early communities were characterized by:     -     Later Christianity often developed:

• small gatherings                                       -       large institutions
• shared resources                                     -       formal hierarchies
• strong personal relationships             -      state involvement after Constantine

Constantine’s legalization of Christianity did not enhance Christianity but led to its institutionalization. Church is not a biblical institution. The ekklesia of Acts was an egalitarian gathering of believers. There was no rigid prescription for gatherings; they were meant for encouragement and support for one another.

The 66 books of scripture were all written during the period of the first covenant. The destruction of the temple circa 70 CE brought an end to the Jewish era. The period beginning with John the Baptist was the “last days” or “end times” the destruction of the temple and Jerusalem was the final event that ended God’s relationship with Israel. The nation of Israel no longer had a special relationship with God; Jews were thrown back into the melting pot of humanity.

From the death of Jesus believers had access to benefits of the new covenant, Jews however, were still obligated to the law. Gentiles were expected conform to certain life-laws, but not the Jewish law. The temple’s destruction made way for the second covenant to be of full effect. The new covenant is not like the Sinai covenant, not exclusively Jewish, but universal. The new covenant is not legalistic and ceremonial, but spiritual. The new law was not written on stone but written on the human heart. The relationship with God would not be based on physical lineage but through grace. God did not revoke his promise to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, it endures forever, not in material form but spiritual and eternal.

A better understanding of ekklesia:

Starting with the verses that compel church attendance –

…not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another, and all the more as you see the Day approaching. For if we wilfully persist in sin after having received the knowledge of the truth, there no longer remains a sacrifice for sins, Heb 10:25, 26 

The general interpretation is “if you don’t go to church, you are wilfully sinning…” Not everyone believes that, but in the past a surprising number of preachers used that interpretation.

Let us hold fast to the confession of our hope without wavering, for he who has promised is faithful. And let us consider how to provoke one another to love and good deeds, not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another, and all the more as you see the Day approaching. For if we willfully persist in sin after having received the knowledge of the truth, there no longer remains a sacrifice for sins, but a fearful prospect of judgement, and a fury of fire that will consume the adversaries. Anyone who has violated the law of Moses dies without mercy 'on the testimony of two or three witnesses.' How much worse punishment do you think will be deserved by those who have spurned the Son of God, profaned the blood of the covenant by which they were sanctified, and outraged the Spirit of grace? Heb 10:23-29

This more inclusive pericope conveys an accurate and spiritual meaning:

Verse 23 states the core objective:

Everything that follows supports maintaining the confession.

Hold fast the confession (v23) – Encourage each other (v24) – Do not abandon assembling (v25) – Because the day approaches (v25)

Verse 26 begins the warning:

It starts with a Greek connector (γάρ) which means for or because.

The logical line is:

A  Hold firmly to the confession of hope (23)
B  Encourage one another (24)
C  Continue assembling together (25)
D  Because the day approaches (25)
E  For deliberate rejection results in judgment (26–29)

Key points:

The author is not merely emphasizing attendance at gatherings.

The emphasis is:

·         steadfast faith

·         mutual encouragement

·         community support

·         in view of an approaching κρίσις (judgment)

The gathering is vital to maintaining the confession of hope.

Verse 25 – The word “assembling” translates a rarely used Greek word ἐπισυναγωγή closely related to the word συναγωγή, and its usage which reflects Jewish gathering language rather than church terminology. The only other reference is 2Thes 2:1 As to the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ and our being gathered together to him…

The Greek word for assembly is found once in Hebrews.

Hebrews 12:22–23 (Greek Literal Translation)

But you have come to Mount Zion,
and to the city of the living God,
the heavenly Jerusalem,
and to myriads of angels,
a festive gathering,
and to the assembly of firstborn ones
who have been enrolled in heaven.

Mount Zion > City of the living God > Heavenly Jerusalem > Myriads of angels > Festal assembly > Assembly of the firstborn enrolled in heaven – All of these are heavenly realities, not earthly gatherings.

Throughout Hebrews the focus is heavenly rather than institutional, here the author is describing a heavenly covenant community.

The author emphasizes:

·          heavenly sanctuary

·         heavenly priesthood

·         heavenly Jerusalem

·         heavenly assembly

rather than earthly religious structures.

Logical Flow:

Mount Sinai (old covenant) > fear and distance > Mount Zion (new covenant) > heavenly city > angels > festal assembly > assembly of the firstborn > God the judge > Jesus the mediator.

the only use of ἐκκλησία in Hebrews describes a heavenly reality, not a local congregation.

The letter therefore:

• rarely uses institutional language.

·         focuses on covenant, priesthood, and heavenly realities.

A key feature in Heb 12:23 is “to the assembly (ekklesia) of the firstborn ones who are enrolled in heaven.” Members of the assembly are registered, recognized, counted as heirs. Thus, the complete concept of ekklesia is – the heavenly assembly of covenant heirs whose names are officially recorded with God.

The author of Hebrews contrasts two covenant assemblies:

1. Sinai – Israel gathered before God in fear when the law was given.
2. Zion – the heavenly gathering of covenant heirs enrolled with God.

The imagery moves from earthly covenant gathering to heavenly covenant assembly centered on the mediator.

ἐκκλησία literally meant:

- an assembly

- a gathering of people called together

In classical Greek it referred to the citizen assembly of a city.

Matt 16                                                and                        Heb 12

future spiritual community                                          an approaching reality

Earthly assembly                                                              Heavenly assembly

The redeemed assembly                                               spiritual assembly

Keys of the kingdom                                                       Unshakeable kingdom

The word ἐκκλησία links the past to the future:

God’s assembly of Israel                Deu 9:10

Jesus’ my assembly                         Matt 16:18

Heavenly assembly                          Heb 12:23

The ekklesia is never an institution

Community	Identity	Institutions
Israel	assembly of YHWH	synagogues
Believers	assembly of Christ	local gatherings

 Originally: ἐκκλησία = people gathered

It did not mean:

• a building
• a denomination
• an institution

The shift toward those meanings developed gradually as Christianity moved from a Jewish messianic movement to a Roman-recognized religion.

The earliest assemblies met primarily in private homes.

Examples in the New Testament:

• Romans 16:5 — “the assembly in their house”
• Colossians 4:15 — “the assembly in Nympha’s house”
• Philemon 1:2 — “the assembly in your house”

These references show that the house was simply the meeting location, not the ekklesia itself.

Typical gatherings included:

• reading Scripture
• teaching
• communal meals

·         prayer

Several reasons explain why believers used private spaces.

1. The movement was small

Early groups were often 20–40 people.

2. Social structure

The Roman world already had a pattern of household associations and gatherings.

3. Lack of legal recognition

Before the fourth century Christianity had no legal status in the Roman Empire.

Kingdom and assembly:

When the original Greek and Hebrew terminology is examined, the kingdom and the assembly are not identical concepts, but they function as two complementary facets of the same covenant reality:

Concept     -     Describes

Kingdom    -     the reign of the king

Assembly   -     the people belonging to that reign

The two ideas naturally belong together. One describes authority, the other the people under that authority.

This relationship explains why early believers could describe themselves both as:

• citizens of the kingdom
• members of the assembly.

Both describe the same people from different perspectives:

But our citizenship is in heaven, Php 3:20 Moffat’s translation “we are a colony of heaven” which would have resonated with citizens of Philippi since it was a Roman city.

This states:

• believers presently belonged to the heavenly ekklesia
• Christ is the ruler of the ekklesia and kingdom

The kingdom language appears through citizenship terminology.

…you are no longer strangers and aliens, but you are citizens with the saints and also members of the household of God, Eph 2:19 

From the original language framework:

§  Kingdom describes the rule of the king.

§  Citizenship describes membership in that rule.

§  Assembly (ekklesia) describes those citizens gathered together.

Believers are not waiting to be, citizens of the kingdom, children of God, or saved – they are!

ἐκκλησία in Classical Greek Cities

In the political life of Greek city-states, an ἐκκλησία was the official assembly of citizens.

A citizen had to be registered before he could participate in the assembly.

This is why the verb ἀπογράφω (to register) is significant in Hebrews 12:23. The passage says:

“…the assembly of the firstborn who are enrolled in heaven.” The language closely mirrors civic enrollment lists used in Greek cities.

Church is a word, a concept, an institution not found scripture. From Pentecost to the destruction of the temple Jewish Christians were under the Mosaic law. The influence of the synagogue dictated practices of early believers as seen in Acts 6 with the distribution of food for widows. There was no reason to break from Judaism because the Messiah was the fulfilment of God’s promise to Abraham and his descendants.

For some decades, followers of Jesus were a Jewish messianic movement within Judaism. The separation of Messianic Jews from the status quo emerged over roughly the first and second centuries CE. In the time  Immediately after the death of Jesus believers were Jews and Gentile converts to Judaism. Evidence in Acts shows that believers: worshiped at the temple, observed Jewish customs, were described as being zealous for the law. Believers were viewed as a sect within Judaism, similar to other groups such as the Pharisees or Essenes. The Roman historian Tacitus and the Jewish historian Josephus both reflect a world in which the Jesus movement existed within Judaism.

In 70 CE, the Romans destroyed the Temple in Jerusalem. After this event temple-centered Judaism ended, Rabbinic Judaism began consolidating around Torah and synagogue life, and Jewish sects were forced to redefine themselves. The followers of Jesus, who recognized that the Messiah had come, increasingly stood apart.

Late First Century (80–100 CE) Many scholars believe that synagogue prayers began including a formula known as the Birkat haMinim, (“Blessing on the Heretics”) is a petition within the Jewish Amidah prayer that calls for the downfall of those considered enemies or sectarians. Introduced after the destruction of the Second Temple, it became one of the most discussed and historically sensitive parts of Jewish liturgy because of its perceived references to early Christians and other dissenting groups.

Second Century (100–150 CE) By the early second century the separation became clearer. Christian writers such as Ignatius of Antioch and Justin Martyr describe Christianity as a distinct community. At the same time Rabbinic Judaism consolidated its identity after the war. Thus, two traditions increasingly developed along separate paths.

Roman authorities also began to distinguish between the two. Judaism was a recognized religion with certain legal protections. Christian groups were increasingly treated as a separate and sometimes illegal association, especially under emperors like Nero and later rulers.

Originally the followers of Jesus remained Jewish a Torah-centered part of the wider Jewish world. After some years, accepted Gentile membership. Jewish institutions reorganized after the Temple’s destruction, theological differences hardened.

Back to the start, “The Great Dechurching”

Historians and sociologists of religion suggest that institutions will change, fragment, and decline, while the expression of faith by individuals will continue in different forms.

Christians Before Institution

In the earliest decades of the movement around Jesus, the communities described in the New Testament were primarily relational communities not institutions. Characteristics included gatherings in homes, shared meals and teaching, loose leadership structures, identity centered on belonging to the kingdom of God. The word ἐκκλησία in its classical definition referred to the people of the heavenly ekklesia who were gathered – not to a formal organization.

Institutional Development

Over the next centuries, especially after the legalization of Christianity under Constantine and the Edict of Milan (313 CE), The Roman Church developed: hierarchical leadership, official doctrines. large public worship buildings, close relationships with political power. This created what historians often call institutional Christianity – the institutional church. Institutions can preserve tradition and provide stability, but they also tend to accumulate bureaucracy, political involvement, internal divisions, and will degrade over time.

Denominations

Beginning with the Protestant Reformation in the 16th century, the Church fragmented into many denominations. Eventually producing thousands of independent groups, different theological systems, varying organizational structures. In recent decades institutional participation has declined in many places.

Contemporary Trends

Sociologists observe several modern patterns: declining institutional affiliation, growth of “spiritual but not religious” identities, smaller informal faith communities, emphasis on personal spirituality. This doesn’t mean that religious beliefs disappear; rather, its traditional form changes.

Theological Perspective

The death of the church is not calamitous it is natural; it is a return to what many see as core principles. Believers are realizing that they are God's children with a personal relationship with him. Buildings, rituals, and programs are giving way to a worshipful life based on what Jesus said were the greatest commandments: love God and love your neighbour. The author of Hebrews wrote, “provoke one another to love and good deeds.” Believers at that time were anticipating life changing terrifying events “the Day” of the Lord of Joel’s prophecy (what we know from history to be the destruction of the temple and the city of Jerusalem). History recounts the horrific decimation of the foundations of Judaism. All that belonged to Israel, it’s land, it’s laws, it’s rituals and relationships – Israel was no longer God’s special nation.

The death of Jesus to the destruction of the temple was a period of covenant gestation, the old was giving way to the new. The new covenant in that time was limited for Jews by the Sina covenant and law. After non-Jews were accepted into Christ some zealous Jews wanted their males to be circumcised. Following a discussion it was decided that Gentiles would be required to keep what seems to be Noahic Laws which were some of the most important laws in Judaism. The imposition of those Laws on Gentiles allowed for fellowship comprised of both nationalities.

The destruction of the temple terminated God’s relationship with Israel, and removed limits on the new covenant; it did away with the Law of Moses, and repealed the first covenant. The temple’s destruction also ended God’s transitional relationship with non-Jews removing limits on the new covenant. From that point all believers regardless of nationality were one in Christ; under the new covenant, God’s law written on their hearts, and all were children of God under grace. The laws of Israel were not transferred to the new covenant, nor the obligatory ceremonies. It was the same for non-Jews none of the legal requirements compatible with Jewish law were carried over from the transitional period. The new covenant was fully in place.

Spiritual Israel does not have laws, rituals or an earthly location – physical Israel remains only in historical record. That history contains God’s interaction with people, principles and examples, we can learn from. Abraham is said to be the father of the faithful, and scripture notes that believers live by faith. The nation of Israel returned into the larger mass of humanity; its religion, its laws, its ceremonies, no longer linked it to God, that relationship was severed. Faith in Jesus the son of God saves. Church, doctrines, and rituals are not part of being saved. Israel under God’s covenant people were separate from the rest of the world. In the world at large connection with God was through faith. Israel was separated from the rest of society by its exclusive covenant with God, but that didn’t mean people other than those in Israel could have a relationship with God. Jews were very jealous of God’s relationship and were prepared to kill Jesus because he drew attention to God’s blessing non-Jews.

…there were many widows in Israel in the days of Elijah, when the sky was shut up for three years and six months, when a great famine came over all the land; and yet Elijah was sent to none of them, but only to Zarephath, in the land of Sidon, to a woman who was a widow. 

…there were many lepers in Israel in the time of Elisha the prophet; and none of them was cleansed, but only Naaman the Syrian." 

Paul addressed this subject with Jews telling them that “when Gentiles who do not have the Law do instinctively the things of the Law, these, not having the Law, are a law to themselves…”

Thinking that church membership is required by God is the same as Jews believing after the destruction that they were still God’s chosen people; the same event severed both contracts.

Replicating New Testament Christianity or migrating to “orthodox” churches denies aspects of the new covenant. The new covenant is completely spiritual and personal.

You would think that people might learn:

Moses sent 12 spies into the land of Canaan, 10 returned a bad report and the people refused to enter the Promised Land. God said that he would destroy the entire population, but Moses intervened and God said “none of the people who have seen my glory and the signs that I did in Egypt and in the wilderness, and yet have tested me these ten times and have not obeyed my voice, shall see the land that I swore to give to their ancestors;” “…the men who brought an unfavourable report about the land died by a plague before the Lord.” 

“…the people mourned greatly – they said they would “go up to the place that the LORD has promised,” Moses said, “Do not go up, for the LORD is not with you” But they presumed to go up… they were defeated.

Fourteen hundred years plus after that time Israel’s religious roots were destroyed. The temple representing the presence of God for hundreds of years was destroyed, the City of God was destroyed. Unlike the destruction of Jerusalem and the temple by the Babylonians there was no promised return for captives, only destruction. A new universal covenant was promised, a new temple, and a new relationship, but either misunderstood or ignored. Jewish hard-liners again presumed to rise from the ashes, but Israel was no longer God’s special nation; the new covenant was given firstly to Jews, the people God cherished.

“There is a way that seems to be right among people, but its final outcome comes into the depth of Hades” (Pro 16:25 LXX literal translation)