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)

Tappan's Burro

 

In my teen years I was an avid reader of Westerns. One book I read was Tappan’s Burro. The book lacked coherence and left me totally confused. Zane Grey the author, was my father’s favourite writer of westerns, but that book made me wonder about his choice. Later, picking up the book to put it away I noticed written on the cover “Tappan’s Burro – and other short stories.” Since the printing of the Bible, people have been doing what I did with Tappan’s Burro – mindlessly reading the Bible as though it is a single book. Some attribute spiritual powers to a Bible which is close to idolatry. The Bible has become a catalogue of religious practices from which churches can choose their preference. The Bible is filled with principles and examples from which we can learn and grow in faith.

The books of the Bible are God’s story of reconciling humanity to himself. His story began with the creation of a perfect world. Adam and Eve lived in paradise. That paradise was shattered by their eating the fruit of the only tree they were told not to eat. Genesis records their banishment from paradise, a cursed ground, and the loss of immortality. God told the woman that her descendant would crush the serpents head, referring to Jesus’ victory over sin and death. The book of Genesis includes the flood which destroyed all life except what was brought into the ark and every person other than Noah and his family. Man’s relationship with God was based on trust. God promised salvation through Abraham’s seed. He rescued the children of Israel from slavery to be his special people. 

God did not stop caring for and loving the people of the world, they still had access to him in the same way as the patriarchs did.

Starting with John the Baptist the end times, or last days of Israel began. Those days included the life of Jesus, the fulfilment of Joel’s prophecy, the preaching of salvation in Jesus. Believing Jews were obliged to observe the laws and ceremonies of the first covenant. Gentile believers were not required to keep the law and were not under the first covenant. All Christian scriptures were written during the apostolic period. God completed his plan to reconcile humanity to himself through the sacrifice of Jesus. The new covenant became of full force with the destruction of the temple and Jerusalem, and the kingdom fully established on earth with the return of Jesus immediately following the destruction of the temple circa 70 CE.

We are not participants in the story of reconciliation we are beneficiaries. We are covered by the new covenant, which is not material, we are God’s spiritual family. There are no rituals or regulations which governed Christians prior the destruction of the temple are imposed upon believers after that event. Christians must stop relying on rituals and traditions and trust in God completely. We must submit to God’s love and grace; his word is our hope and assurance.

Our choice

 

I recently listened to a debate between an Atheist and a Christian. The decisive question for the Atheist was – why does God allow suffering? A dumb question for an Atheist who doesn’t believe there is a God. The response from the Christian didn’t address the accusation that God is responsible for human suffering.

In the world God created there was no suffering or death. Adam and Eve lived in paradise and associated with God. Unlike animals which are governed by instinct humans were created with moral choice. The garden contained “every tree that is pleasing to the sight and good for food.” In paradise how many trees would that have been; one hundred, five hundred, or thousands? Among them in the middle God planted two special trees, the tree of life and the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. The man and woman were forbidden to eat the fruit of only one tree - the tree of the knowledge of good and evil.

God provided everything needed for a perfect life for the man and woman. Satan (I don’t know where he came from) through the agency of a serpent deceived Eve and she ate the fruit and shared with Adam. They both exercised their moral choice and by doing so brought suffering and death into the world. God did not cause suffering and death, it was human disobedience. In paradise there was no pain or death, and the fruit from tree of life was not forbidden. It was human choice that brought mortality and suffering into the world. It is our choice to trust God, or to deny his existence. Humans can exercise their moral choice and trust in the God of the Bible, or side with Satan denying God. There is no other option, we choose good or evil. It’s the same choice Adam and Eve faced.

我最近听了一场无神论者和基督徒之间的辩论。对那位无神论者来说，决定性的问题是——为什么上帝允许苦难？对于一个不相信上帝存在的无神论者来说，这是一个愚蠢的问题。那位基督徒的回应并没有正面回答上帝是否应对人类苦难负责这一指控。

在上帝所创造的世界里，原本没有苦难和死亡。亚当和夏娃生活在乐园中，并与上帝交往。不像受本能支配的动物，人类被创造时具有道德选择。园中有“各样悦人眼目、且好作食物的树木”。在乐园中，这样的树会有多少呢？一百棵、五百棵，还是成千上万棵？其中在园子中央，上帝栽种了两棵特别的树：生命树和分别善恶树。上帝只禁止那男人和女人吃一棵树的果子——分别善恶树的果子。

上帝为那男人和女人提供了完美生活所需的一切。撒但（我不知道他从哪里来）借着蛇的媒介欺骗了夏娃，她吃了果子，并分给亚当。他们二人都行使了道德选择，因此把苦难和死亡带进了世界。苦难和死亡不是上帝造成的，而是人类的悖逆所致。在乐园里没有痛苦和死亡，生命树的果子也没有被禁止。是人的选择把死亡和苦难带进了世界。信靠上帝或否认他的存在，是我们的选择。人可以行使自己的道德选择，信靠圣经中的上帝，或站在撒但一边否认上帝。没有第三种选择，我们只能选择善或恶。这与亚当和夏娃当初所面对的选择相同。

मैंने हाल ही में एक नास्तिक और एक मसीही के बीच हुई बहस सुनी। उस नास्तिक के लिए निर्णायक प्रश्न था—परमेश्वर दुख क्यों होने देता है? एक ऐसे नास्तिक के लिए जो परमेश्वर के अस्तित्व में विश्वास ही नहीं करता, यह एक मूर्खतापूर्ण प्रश्न है। मसीही का उत्तर इस आरोप को संबोधित नहीं करता था कि मानव पीड़ा के लिए परमेश्वर जिम्मेदार है।

जिस संसार की रचना परमेश्वर ने की, उसमें न दुख था न मृत्यु। आदम और हव्वा स्वर्ग में रहते थे और परमेश्वर के साथ संगति रखते थे। पशुओं के विपरीत, जो प्रवृत्ति से संचालित होते हैं, मनुष्य नैतिक चुनाव के साथ बनाए गए थे। बगीचे में “हर वह वृक्ष था जो देखने में मनोहर और भोजन के लिए अच्छा था।” स्वर्ग में ऐसे कितने वृक्ष रहे होंगे—सौ, पाँच सौ, या हजारों? उनके बीच में परमेश्वर ने दो विशेष वृक्ष लगाए—जीवन का वृक्ष और भले और बुरे के ज्ञान का वृक्ष। पुरुष और स्त्री को केवल एक वृक्ष का फल खाने से मना किया गया था—भले और बुरे के ज्ञान का वृक्ष।

परमेश्वर ने उनके लिए एक पूर्ण जीवन के लिए आवश्यक सब कुछ प्रदान किया। शैतान (मुझे नहीं पता वह कहाँ से आया) ने साँप के माध्यम से हव्वा को धोखा दिया और उसने फल खाया तथा आदम को भी दिया। दोनों ने अपना नैतिक चुनाव किया और इस प्रकार संसार में दुख और मृत्यु ले आए। दुख और मृत्यु परमेश्वर ने नहीं लाए; यह मानव अवज्ञा का परिणाम था। स्वर्ग में न पीड़ा थी न मृत्यु, और जीवन के वृक्ष का फल वर्जित नहीं था। मनुष्य के चुनाव ने नश्वरता और दुख को संसार में लाया। परमेश्वर पर भरोसा करना या उसके अस्तित्व से इंकार करना हमारा चुनाव है। मनुष्य अपने नैतिक चुनाव का प्रयोग कर बाइबल के परमेश्वर पर विश्वास कर सकता है या शैतान का पक्ष लेकर परमेश्वर का इनकार कर सकता है। कोई तीसरा विकल्प नहीं है—हम भलाई या बुराई में से एक को चुनते हैं। यही चुनाव आदम और हव्वा के सामने था।

استمعتُ مؤخراً إلى مناظرة بين مُلحد ومسيحي. كان السؤال الحاسم بالنسبة للملحد هو: لماذا يسمح الله بالمعاناة؟ إنه سؤال ساذج من مُلحد لا يؤمن أصلاً بوجود الله. أما ردّ المسيحي فلم يتناول الاتهام بأن الله مسؤول عن معاناة البشر.

في العالم الذي خلقه الله لم تكن هناك معاناة ولا موت. عاش آدم وحواء في الفردوس وكانت لهما شركة مع الله. وعلى عكس الحيوانات التي تُقاد بالغريزة، خُلق البشر بقدرة على الاختيار الأخلاقي. كانت الجنة تحتوي على “كل شجرة شهية للنظر وجيدة للأكل.” كم كان عدد هذه الأشجار؟ مئة، خمسمئة، أم آلاف؟ وفي وسط الجنة غرس الله شجرتين مميزتين: شجرة الحياة وشجرة معرفة الخير والشر. وقد مُنع الرجل والمرأة من الأكل من شجرة واحدة فقط—شجرة معرفة الخير والشر.

وفّر الله كل ما يلزم لحياة كاملة للرجل والمرأة. لكن الشيطان (لا أعلم من أين جاء) خدع حواء بواسطة الحية، فأكلت من الثمر وأعطت آدم أيضاً. كلاهما مارس اختياره الأخلاقي، وبذلك أدخلا المعاناة والموت إلى العالم. لم يكن الله سبب المعاناة والموت، بل عصيان الإنسان. في الفردوس لم يكن هناك ألم ولا موت، ولم يكن ثمر شجرة الحياة محرماً. إن اختيار الإنسان هو الذي جلب الفناء والمعاناة إلى العالم. واختيارنا اليوم هو أن نثق بالله أو ننكر وجوده. يمكن للإنسان أن يمارس اختياره الأخلاقي فيثق بإله الكتاب المقدس أو ينحاز إلى الشيطان فينكر الله. لا يوجد خيار ثالث—نختار الخير أو الشر. وهو نفس الخيار الذي واجهه آدم وحواء.

最近、無神論者とキリスト教徒との討論を聞きました。無神論者にとって決定的な質問は、「なぜ神は苦しみを許すのか」というものでした。神の存在を信じていない無神論者にとっては、これは愚かな質問です。キリスト教徒の答えは、神が人間の苦しみに責任があるという非難には十分に応えていませんでした。

神が創造された世界には、苦しみも死もありませんでした。アダムとエバは楽園に住み、神と交わっていました。本能に支配される動物とは異なり、人間は道徳的選択を持って創造されました。園には「見るに美しく、食べるのに良いすべての木」がありました。楽園にはそれがどれほどあったでしょうか。百本、五百本、あるいは何千本でしょうか。その中央に、神は二本の特別な木を植えられました。いのちの木と善悪の知識の木です。男と女はただ一本、善悪の知識の木の実だけを食べることを禁じられました。

神は完全な生活に必要なすべてを与えました。しかしサタン（どこから来たのかは分かりません）が蛇を通してエバを欺き、彼女は実を食べ、アダムにも与えました。二人は道徳的選択を行使し、その結果、苦しみと死を世界にもたらしました。苦しみと死は神によるものではなく、人間の不従順によるものでした。楽園には痛みも死もなく、いのちの木の実は禁止されていませんでした。人間の選択が死と苦しみを世界にもたらしたのです。神を信頼するか、その存在を否定するかは私たちの選択です。人は道徳的選択を行使して聖書の神を信じることも、神を否定してサタンの側につくこともできます。他の選択肢はありません。善か悪かを選ぶのです。それはアダムとエバが直面したのと同じ選択です。

Недавно я слушал дебаты между атеистом и христианином. Решающий вопрос для атеиста был таким: почему Бог допускает страдания? Странный вопрос для атеиста, который вообще не верит в существование Бога. Ответ христианина не затронул обвинение в том, что Бог ответственен за человеческие страдания.

В мире, который создал Бог, не было ни страдания, ни смерти. Адам и Ева жили в раю и общались с Богом. В отличие от животных, которыми управляют инстинкты, люди были созданы со способностью к нравственному выбору. В саду росло «всякое дерево, приятное на вид и хорошее для пищи». Сколько их было — сто, пятьсот или тысячи? Посреди сада Бог насадил два особых дерева: дерево жизни и дерево познания добра и зла. Мужчине и женщине было запрещено есть плод только с одного дерева — дерева познания добра и зла.

Бог обеспечил всё необходимое для совершенной жизни. Но сатана (не знаю, откуда он появился), действуя через змея, обманул Еву, и она съела плод и дала Адаму. Оба воспользовались своим нравственным выбором и тем самым внесли страдание и смерть в мир. Бог не был причиной страдания и смерти — причиной стало человеческое непослушание. В раю не было боли и смерти, и плод дерева жизни не был запрещён. Именно человеческий выбор принёс смертность и страдания. Нам выбирать — доверять Богу или отрицать Его существование. Люди могут воспользоваться своим нравственным выбором и довериться Богу Библии или встать на сторону сатаны, отрицая Бога. Третьего варианта нет — мы выбираем добро или зло. Это тот же выбор, перед которым стояли Адам и Ева.

Recientemente escuché un debate entre un ateo y un cristiano. La pregunta decisiva para el ateo fue: ¿por qué Dios permite el sufrimiento? Una pregunta absurda para un ateo que no cree que Dios exista. La respuesta del cristiano no abordó la acusación de que Dios es responsable del sufrimiento humano.

En el mundo que Dios creó no había sufrimiento ni muerte. Adán y Eva vivían en el paraíso y se relacionaban con Dios. A diferencia de los animales, que se rigen por el instinto, los seres humanos fueron creados con elección moral. El jardín contenía “todo árbol agradable a la vista y bueno para comer”. En el paraíso, ¿cuántos árboles habría? ¿Cien, quinientos o miles? En medio del jardín Dios plantó dos árboles especiales: el árbol de la vida y el árbol del conocimiento del bien y del mal. Al hombre y a la mujer se les prohibió comer del fruto de un solo árbol: el árbol del conocimiento del bien y del mal.

Dios proveyó todo lo necesario para una vida perfecta. Pero Satanás (no sé de dónde vino), por medio de una serpiente, engañó a Eva, y ella comió del fruto y lo compartió con Adán. Ambos ejercieron su elección moral y así trajeron el sufrimiento y la muerte al mundo. Dios no causó el sufrimiento y la muerte; fue la desobediencia humana. En el paraíso no había dolor ni muerte, y el fruto del árbol de la vida no estaba prohibido. Fue la elección humana la que trajo la mortalidad y el sufrimiento. Es nuestra elección confiar en Dios o negar su existencia. Los seres humanos pueden ejercer su elección moral y confiar en el Dios de la Biblia o ponerse del lado de Satanás negando a Dios. No hay otra opción; elegimos el bien o el mal. Es la misma elección que enfrentaron Adán y Eva.

Kamakailan ay nakinig ako sa isang debate sa pagitan ng isang Ateista at isang Kristiyano. Ang mapagpasyang tanong para sa Ateista ay: bakit pinahihintulutan ng Diyos ang pagdurusa? Isang hangal na tanong para sa isang Ateista na hindi naniniwala na may Diyos. Ang tugon ng Kristiyano ay hindi tumugon sa paratang na ang Diyos ang may pananagutan sa pagdurusa ng tao.

Sa mundong nilikha ng Diyos ay walang pagdurusa o kamatayan. Sina Adan at Eva ay namuhay sa paraiso at nakipag-ugnayan sa Diyos. Hindi tulad ng mga hayop na pinamamahalaan ng likas na ugali, ang tao ay nilikhang may kakayahang pumili sa moral na paraan. Ang hardin ay may “bawat punong kahanga-hanga sa paningin at mabuti para sa pagkain.” Sa paraiso, ilan kaya ang mga punong iyon—isang daan, limang daan, o libo-libo? Sa gitna ay nagtanim ang Diyos ng dalawang natatanging puno: ang puno ng buhay at ang puno ng kaalaman ng mabuti at masama. Ipinagbawal sa lalaki at babae ang pagkain ng bunga mula lamang sa isang puno—ang puno ng kaalaman ng mabuti at masama.

Ibinigay ng Diyos ang lahat ng kailangan para sa isang perpektong buhay. Ngunit si Satanas (hindi ko alam kung saan siya nanggaling), sa pamamagitan ng ahas, ay dinaya si Eva at kumain siya ng bunga at ibinahagi kay Adan. Pareho nilang ginamit ang kanilang moral na pagpili at sa gayon ay nagdala ng pagdurusa at kamatayan sa mundo. Hindi ang Diyos ang sanhi ng pagdurusa at kamatayan; ito ay bunga ng pagsuway ng tao. Sa paraiso ay walang sakit o kamatayan, at ang bunga ng puno ng buhay ay hindi ipinagbawal. Ang pagpili ng tao ang nagdala ng kamatayan at pagdurusa sa mundo. Nasa atin ang pagpili na magtiwala sa Diyos o itanggi ang Kanyang pag-iral. Maaaring gamitin ng tao ang kanyang moral na pagpili upang magtiwala sa Diyos ng Bibliya o kumampi kay Satanas sa pagtanggi sa Diyos. Wala nang ibang pagpipilian—pipili tayo ng mabuti o masama. Ito ang parehong pagpili na hinarap nina Adan at Eva.

Alone with God

 

Elijah complained to God that he was the only person left who obeyed the covenant, God told him that there were seven thousand faithful people in Israel. Joseph of Arimathea and Nicodemus were secret disciples of Jesus. Jesus said that he had other sheep beside those around him. Jeremiah stated that the whole land cursed him, he sat alone, and all his close friends were watching for him to stumble. The eunuch returned to Ethiopia alone as a believer in Jesus. Abraham was instructed to go to a land he knew nothing about. Peter, James and some of the other apostles remained in Jerusalem where the body of believers grew to many thousands.

One of the things believers have in common is that we are children of God. Where we live in the world doesn’t change that, the language we speak doesn’t affect it, neither our gender or race have any impact on our relationship with God. Whether alone or in a large crowd, walking along a path or flying in an airplane, God is with us. We are always surrounded by God’s love and embraced by his mercy. We are a special people – the people of God.

以利亚向上帝抱怨说，他是唯一仍然遵守圣约的人；上帝告诉他，在以色列中还有七千个忠心的人。亚利马太的约瑟和尼哥底母是耶稣的秘密门徒。耶稣说，除了他身边的人之外，他还有别的羊。耶利米说，全地都咒诅他，他独自坐着，所有亲密的朋友都在等着他跌倒。那位太监作为耶稣的信徒独自返回埃塞俄比亚。亚伯拉罕被指示前往一块他一无所知的土地。彼得、雅各和其他一些使徒留在耶路撒冷，那里信徒的人数增长到数千人。

信徒之间有一个共同点：我们都是上帝的儿女。我们住在世界的哪里并不会改变这一点，我们所说的语言也不会影响它，我们的性别或种族也不会影响我们与上帝的关系。无论是独自一人还是身处人群之中，无论是在路上行走还是乘坐飞机飞行，上帝都与我们同在。我们始终被上帝的爱环绕，被他的怜悯拥抱。我们是特别的子民——上帝的子民。

एलिय्याह ने परमेश्वर से शिकायत की कि वाचा का पालन करने वाला केवल वही अकेला रह गया है; परमेश्वर ने उससे कहा कि इस्राएल में सात हजार विश्वासयोग्य लोग हैं। अरिमथिया का यूसुफ और निकुदेमुस यीशु के गुप्त चेले थे। यीशु ने कहा कि उसके पास उन लोगों के अतिरिक्त और भी भेड़ें हैं जो उसके आसपास हैं। यिर्मयाह ने कहा कि सारी भूमि ने उसे शाप दिया, वह अकेला बैठा, और उसके सभी घनिष्ठ मित्र उसके ठोकर खाने की प्रतीक्षा कर रहे थे। वह हिजड़ा यीशु में विश्वास करने वाला होकर अकेला इथियोपिया लौट गया। इब्राहीम को उस देश में जाने की आज्ञा दी गई जिसके बारे में वह कुछ नहीं जानता था। पतरस, याकूब और कुछ अन्य प्रेरित यरूशलेम में रहे, जहाँ विश्वासियों की संख्या हजारों तक बढ़ गई।

विश्वासियों में एक बात समान है—हम परमेश्वर की संतान हैं। हम दुनिया में जहाँ भी रहते हों, इससे यह नहीं बदलता; हम कौन-सी भाषा बोलते हैं, इससे भी कोई फर्क नहीं पड़ता; न हमारा लिंग और न हमारी जाति, हमारे परमेश्वर के साथ संबंध पर कोई प्रभाव डालते हैं। चाहे हम अकेले हों या बड़ी भीड़ में, किसी रास्ते पर चल रहे हों या विमान में उड़ रहे हों, परमेश्वर हमारे साथ है। हम सदा परमेश्वर के प्रेम से घिरे और उसकी दया में आलिंगित हैं। हम एक विशेष लोग हैं—परमेश्वर के लोग।

اشتكَى إيليا إلى الله قائلاً إنه الشخص الوحيد الباقي الذي يطيع العهد؛ فأخبره الله أن هناك سبعة آلاف أمين في إسرائيل. كان يوسف الرامي ونيقوديموس تلميذين سريين ليسوع. قال يسوع إن له خرافًا أُخَر غير الذين حوله. وذكر إرميا أن الأرض كلها لعنته، وأنه جلس وحده، وأن جميع أصدقائه المقرَّبين كانوا يترقبون عثرته. عاد الخصيّ إلى إثيوبيا وحده كمؤمن بيسوع. وأُمر إبراهيم أن يذهب إلى أرض لا يعرف عنها شيئًا. وبقي بطرس ويعقوب وبعض الرسل الآخرين في أورشليم حيث نما عدد المؤمنين إلى آلاف كثيرة.

من الأمور المشتركة بين المؤمنين أننا أولاد الله. مكان إقامتنا في العالم لا يغيّر ذلك، واللغة التي نتكلمها لا تؤثر عليه، ولا جنسنا أو عِرقنا له تأثير على علاقتنا بالله. سواء كنا وحدنا أو في جمعٍ غفير، نسير في طريق أو نطير في طائرة، فالله معنا. نحن دائمًا محاطون بمحبة الله ومحتضنون برحمته. نحن شعب مميّز—شعب الله.

エリヤは、自分だけが契約に従っている唯一の者だと神に訴えました。しかし神は、イスラエルには七千人の忠実な人々がいると告げられました。アリマタヤのヨセフとニコデモは、イエスの隠れた弟子でした。イエスは、そばにいる者たちのほかにも、ほかの羊がいると言われました。エレミヤは、全地が自分をのろい、自分はひとりで座り、親しい友人たちが皆、自分のつまずきを待っていると述べました。宦官は、イエスを信じる者としてひとりでエチオピアに帰りました。アブラハムは、自分の知らない地へ行くよう命じられました。ペテロ、ヤコブ、そして他の使徒たちの何人かはエルサレムにとどまり、そこで信者の数は何千人にも増えました。

信者に共通していることの一つは、私たちが神の子どもであるということです。世界のどこに住んでいても、それは変わりません。話す言語も影響しませんし、性別や人種も神との関係に影響を与えません。ひとりであっても大勢の中にいても、道を歩いていても飛行機で飛んでいても、神は私たちと共におられます。私たちは常に神の愛に囲まれ、そのあわれみに抱かれています。私たちは特別な民—神の民です。

Илия жаловался Богу, что он остался единственным, кто соблюдает завет; Бог сказал ему, что в Израиле есть семь тысяч верных людей. Иосиф из Аримафеи и Никодим были тайными учениками Иисуса. Иисус сказал, что у Него есть и другие овцы, кроме тех, кто был рядом с Ним. Иеремия говорил, что вся земля проклинала его, он сидел один, и все его близкие друзья наблюдали, ожидая его падения. Евнух вернулся в Эфиопию один, как верующий в Иисуса. Аврааму было велено идти в землю, о которой он ничего не знал. Пётр, Иаков и некоторые другие апостолы остались в Иерусалиме, где число верующих выросло до многих тысяч.

Одно из того, что объединяет верующих, — мы дети Божьи. То, где мы живём в мире, не меняет этого; язык, на котором мы говорим, не влияет на это; ни пол, ни раса не имеют значения для наших отношений с Богом. Будь мы одни или в большой толпе, идём по дороге или летим в самолёте, Бог с нами. Мы всегда окружены любовью Бога и объяты Его милостью. Мы особенный народ — народ Божий.

Elías se quejó ante Dios de que él era la única persona que obedecía el pacto; Dios le dijo que había siete mil personas fieles en Israel. José de Arimatea y Nicodemo eran discípulos secretos de Jesús. Jesús dijo que tenía otras ovejas además de las que estaban a su alrededor. Jeremías declaró que toda la tierra lo maldecía, que se sentaba solo, y que todos sus amigos cercanos estaban atentos esperando que tropezara. El eunuco regresó a Etiopía solo como creyente en Jesús. Abraham fue instruido a ir a una tierra que no conocía. Pedro, Jacobo y algunos de los otros apóstoles permanecieron en Jerusalén, donde el grupo de creyentes creció hasta llegar a muchos miles.

Una de las cosas que los creyentes tienen en común es que somos hijos de Dios. Donde vivamos en el mundo no cambia eso; el idioma que hablamos no lo afecta; tampoco nuestro género ni nuestra raza tienen impacto en nuestra relación con Dios. Ya sea que estemos solos o en medio de una gran multitud, caminando por un sendero o volando en un avión, Dios está con nosotros. Siempre estamos rodeados por el amor de Dios y abrazados por su misericordia. Somos un pueblo especial: el pueblo de Dios.

Nagreklamo si Elias sa Diyos na siya na lamang ang natitirang sumusunod sa tipan; sinabi ng Diyos sa kanya na may pitong libong tapat sa Israel. Sina Jose ng Arimatea at Nicodemo ay mga lihim na alagad ni Jesus. Sinabi ni Jesus na mayroon pa siyang ibang mga tupa bukod sa mga nasa paligid niya. Ipinahayag ni Jeremias na isinumpa siya ng buong lupain, siya’y umupong mag-isa, at ang lahat ng kanyang malalapit na kaibigan ay nag-aabang sa kanyang pagkadapa. Ang eunuko ay bumalik sa Etiopia na mag-isa bilang isang mananampalataya kay Jesus. Inutusan si Abraham na pumunta sa isang lupain na hindi niya kilala. Nanatili sina Pedro, Santiago, at ilan sa iba pang mga apostol sa Jerusalem kung saan ang bilang ng mga mananampalataya ay lumago hanggang sa maging libo-libo.

Isa sa mga bagay na magkakatulad ang mga mananampalataya ay ito—tayo ay mga anak ng Diyos. Hindi ito nababago kung saan man tayo nakatira sa mundo; hindi ito naaapektuhan ng wikang ating sinasalita; ni ang ating kasarian o lahi ay may epekto sa ating ugnayan sa Diyos. Mag-isa man tayo o nasa gitna ng maraming tao, naglalakad sa isang landas o lumilipad sa eroplano, kasama natin ang Diyos. Palagi tayong napapalibutan ng pag-ibig ng Diyos at niyayakap ng Kanyang awa. Tayo ay isang natatanging bayan—ang bayan ng Diyos.

Just as you are

 

“Let each of you remain in the condition in which you were called …  In whatever condition you were called, brothers and sisters, there remain with God.” Paul wrote to believers in Corinth saying that their relationship with God wasn’t connected to their social standing or life conditions. The important factor was that as believers they were God’s children and physical circumstances had no impact on that relationship. He wanted believers to know that status was not a factor in being God’s children. Paul was not saying that a believer should not improve their living conditions. Paul however, discouraged people from immediately trying to restructure their lives, not because change is wrong, but because they could already influence others.

Paul indicated that observing religious rituals or not observing them was nothing. What was essential was the  keeping of the commandments of God. To believers who were stressed by what others practiced Paul wrote, “the kingdom of God is not eating and drinking, but righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit.” To the Colossians Paul wrote saying “If you have died with Christ to the elementary principles of the world, why, as if you were living in the world, do you submit yourself to decrees, such as, do not handle, do not taste, do not touch! (which all refer to things destined to perish with use)—in accordance with the commandments and teachings of men? All who put their trust in Jesus are children of God.

“你们各人要照着蒙召时的情况而生活……弟兄姐妹们，无论你们在什么情况中蒙召，就在那里与神一同生活。”

保罗写信给哥林多的信徒，说明他们与神的关系并不取决于他们的社会地位或生活处境。重要的是：作为信徒，他们是神的儿女，而外在环境并不会影响这种关系。他要他们明白，身份并不是成为神儿女的条件。

保罗并不是说信徒不可以改善自己的生活处境；他只是劝勉人们不要立刻试图彻底重组自己的生活，不是因为改变是错的，而是因为他们已经可以在现有处境中影响别人。

保罗指出，是否遵守宗教仪式本身并不重要，重要的是遵守神的诫命。对那些因他人做法而感到压力的信徒，保罗写道：“神的国不在乎吃喝，乃在乎圣灵里的公义、和平与喜乐。” 他也写给歌罗西人说：“你们若与基督同死，脱离了世上的初级原则，为什么还像活在世上一样，服从‘不可拿、不可尝、不可摸’这样的规条？这些都不过是按人的吩咐和教训。”

凡信靠耶稣的人，都是神的儿女。

“तुम में से हर एक उसी स्थिति में बना रहे जिसमें उसे बुलाया गया था… भाइयों और बहनों, जिस अवस्था में तुम बुलाए गए थे, उसी में परमेश्वर के साथ बने रहो।”

पौलुस ने कुरिन्थुस के विश्वासियों को लिखा कि परमेश्वर के साथ उनका संबंध उनके सामाजिक स्तर या जीवन-स्थिति पर निर्भर नहीं करता। महत्वपूर्ण यह है कि विश्वासियों के रूप में वे परमेश्वर की संतान हैं, और बाहरी परिस्थितियाँ उस संबंध को प्रभावित नहीं करतीं। वह चाहता था कि वे समझें कि परमेश्वर की संतान होने में सामाजिक दर्जा कोई कारक नहीं है।

पौलुस यह नहीं कह रहा था कि विश्वासियों को अपने जीवन की स्थिति सुधारनी नहीं चाहिए। बल्कि उसने लोगों को तुरंत अपना पूरा जीवन ढाँचा बदलने से सावधान किया—इसलिए नहीं कि बदलाव गलत है, बल्कि इसलिए कि वे अपनी वर्तमान स्थिति में ही दूसरों को प्रभावित कर सकते थे।

पौलुस ने बताया कि धार्मिक विधियों का पालन करना या न करना अपने-आप में कुछ नहीं है। आवश्यक बात यह है कि परमेश्वर की आज्ञाओं को माना जाए। जो लोग दूसरों की प्रथाओं से परेशान थे, उनसे उसने कहा, “परमेश्वर का राज्य खाने-पीने में नहीं, बल्कि पवित्र आत्मा में धार्मिकता, शांति और आनन्द में है।” और कुलुस्सियों को उसने लिखा: “यदि तुम मसीह के साथ संसार के प्राथमिक सिद्धांतों से मर गए हो, तो फिर क्यों उन नियमों के अधीन रहते हो—‘मत छुओ, मत चखो, मत हाथ लगाओ’—जो सब नाश होने वाली वस्तुओं से जुड़े हैं और मनुष्यों की आज्ञाओं और शिक्षाओं पर आधारित हैं?”

जो कोई यीशु पर भरोसा करता है, वह परमेश्वर की संतान है।

«ليبقَ كل واحد منكم في الحالة التي دُعي فيها… أيها الإخوة والأخوات، في أي حالة دُعيتم فاثبتوا فيها مع الله».

كتب بولس إلى المؤمنين في كورنثوس موضحًا أن علاقتهم بالله لا تعتمد على مكانتهم الاجتماعية ولا على ظروف حياتهم. العامل المهم هو أنهم، كمؤمنين، أبناء الله، وأن الظروف الجسدية لا تؤثر في هذه العلاقة. أرادهم أن يعرفوا أن المكانة الاجتماعية ليست شرطًا لكي يكون الإنسان ابنًا لله.

لم يكن بولس يقول إن المؤمن لا ينبغي أن يحسّن ظروفه المعيشية، لكنه حذّر من محاولة إعادة ترتيب الحياة فورًا—ليس لأن التغيير خطأ، بل لأنهم يستطيعون أن يؤثروا في الآخرين وهم في أوضاعهم الحالية.

وأشار بولس إلى أن ممارسة الطقوس الدينية أو تركها في حد ذاتها لا شيء. المهم هو حفظ وصايا الله. وللمؤمنين الذين كانوا متضايقين مما يفعله الآخرون كتب: «لأن ملكوت الله ليس أكلًا وشربًا، بل برّ وسلام وفرح في الروح القدس». وكتب إلى أهل كولوسي: «فإن كنتم قد متم مع المسيح عن أركان العالم، فلماذا تخضعون لأنظمة مثل: لا تمسّ، لا تذق، لا تلمس؟ وهي كلها أشياء تزول بالاستعمال، بحسب وصايا وتعاليم الناس».

كل من يضع ثقته في يسوع هو ابنٌ لله.

「あなたがたは、それぞれ召されたときの状態にとどまりなさい……兄弟姉妹たち、どのような状態で召されたとしても、そのまま神と共にいなさい。」

パウロはコリントの信者たちに、神との関係は社会的地位や生活の状況によって決まるのではないと書きました。重要なのは、信じる者として彼らが神の子であるということであり、外的な状況はその関係に影響を与えません。身分は神の子であるための条件ではない、ということを彼らに理解させたかったのです。

パウロは、信者が生活条件を改善してはならないと言っているのではありません。ただ、すぐに人生を全面的に作り替えようとすることを勧めなかったのは、変化が悪いからではなく、すでに今の状況の中で他の人に影響を与えることができるからです。

またパウロは、宗教的な儀式を守るか守らないか自体は重要ではないと言いました。大切なのは神の命令を守ることです。他人の実践に悩まされていた信者たちに、彼はこう書いています。「神の国は、飲み食いのことではなく、聖霊における義と平和と喜びです。」さらにコロサイの人々にはこう書きました。「あなたがたはキリストと共にこの世の初歩的な原理に対して死んだのなら、なぜ『触るな、味わうな、手に取るな』といった規則に従うのですか。それらはすべて人間の命令と教えに基づくもので、使えば滅びるものです。」

イエスを信頼するすべての人は、神の子どもです。

«Каждый из вас пусть остаётся в том состоянии, в котором был призван… Братья и сёстры, в каком состоянии вы были призваны, в том и оставайтесь с Богом».

Павел писал верующим в Коринфе, что их отношение с Богом не зависит от социального положения или жизненных обстоятельств. Важно то, что как верующие они являются детьми Божьими, и внешние условия не влияют на это отношение. Он хотел, чтобы они знали: статус не является фактором в том, чтобы быть детьми Божьими.

Павел не говорил, что верующие не должны улучшать свои жизненные условия. Он лишь предостерегал от немедленной попытки полностью перестроить свою жизнь — не потому, что изменения плохи, а потому, что они уже могли влиять на других, оставаясь в своей нынешней ситуации.

Павел указывал, что соблюдение или несоблюдение религиозных обрядов само по себе ничего не значит. Существенно — соблюдение заповедей Божьих. Тем, кто переживал из-за практик других, Павел писал: «Царство Божие — не пища и питьё, но праведность, мир и радость в Святом Духе». Колоссянам он писал: «Если вы умерли со Христом для стихий мира, то почему вы подчиняетесь постановлениям вроде: не прикасайся, не вкушай, не трогай? Всё это относится к вещам, которые уничтожаются при употреблении и основаны на заповедях и учениях человеческих».

Все, кто доверяет Иисусу, являются детьми Божьими.

«Que cada uno permanezca en la condición en la que fue llamado… Hermanos y hermanas, en la condición en que fueron llamados, permanezcan allí con Dios».

Pablo escribió a los creyentes de Corinto para explicar que su relación con Dios no dependía de su posición social ni de sus circunstancias de vida. Lo importante era que, como creyentes, eran hijos de Dios, y que las circunstancias externas no afectaban esa relación. Quería que supieran que el estatus no es un factor para ser hijos de Dios.

Pablo no estaba diciendo que un creyente no deba mejorar su situación de vida. Sin embargo, desaconsejaba intentar reestructurar la vida de inmediato, no porque el cambio sea malo, sino porque ya podían influir en otros desde su situación actual.

Pablo indicó que observar o no observar rituales religiosos no era nada en sí mismo. Lo esencial era guardar los mandamientos de Dios. A los creyentes que estaban estresados por las prácticas de otros, Pablo les escribió: «el reino de Dios no es comida ni bebida, sino justicia, paz y gozo en el Espíritu Santo». A los colosenses les escribió: «Si habéis muerto con Cristo a los principios elementales del mundo, ¿por qué, como si vivierais en el mundo, os sometéis a reglas como: no manejes, no pruebes, no toques, las cuales se refieren a cosas destinadas a perecer con el uso, conforme a mandamientos y enseñanzas de los hombres?»

Todos los que ponen su confianza en Jesús son hijos de Dios.

“Manatili ang bawat isa sa kalagayang kinaroroonan niya nang siya ay tawagin… Mga kapatid, sa anumang kalagayan kayo tinawag, doon kayo manatili kasama ng Diyos.”

Isinulat ni Pablo sa mga mananampalataya sa Corinto na ang kanilang ugnayan sa Diyos ay hindi nakabatay sa antas sa lipunan o sa kalagayan ng buhay. Ang mahalaga ay bilang mga mananampalataya sila ay mga anak ng Diyos, at ang pisikal na kalagayan ay walang epekto sa relasyong iyon. Nais niyang malaman nila na ang katayuan ay hindi salik sa pagiging anak ng Diyos.

Hindi sinasabi ni Pablo na hindi dapat pagbutihin ng isang mananampalataya ang kanyang kalagayan sa buhay. Ngunit hinikayat niya silang huwag agad baguhin ang buong takbo ng kanilang buhay—hindi dahil mali ang pagbabago, kundi dahil maaari na silang makaimpluwensya sa iba sa kanilang kasalukuyang kalagayan.

Ipinakita ni Pablo na ang pagsunod o hindi pagsunod sa mga relihiyosong ritwal ay wala sa sarili nito. Ang mahalaga ay ang pagsunod sa mga utos ng Diyos. Sa mga mananampalatayang nababagabag sa ginagawa ng iba, sumulat si Pablo: “Ang kaharian ng Diyos ay hindi tungkol sa pagkain at pag-inom, kundi tungkol sa katuwiran, kapayapaan, at kagalakan sa Espiritu Santo.” At sa mga taga-Colosas ay isinulat niya: “Kung kayo’y namatay na kay Cristo sa mga pangunahing simulain ng sanlibutan, bakit kayo nagpapasakop sa mga utos gaya ng: huwag hawakan, huwag tikman, huwag salingin—na pawang tumutukoy sa mga bagay na nawawala sa paggamit, ayon sa mga utos at aral ng tao?”

Ang lahat ng nagtitiwala kay Jesus ay mga anak ng Diyos.

"I am the way" - the only way

 

“I am the way, and the truth, and the life; no one comes to the Father but through me.”

Jesus made this statement to the eleven apostles assuring them that they would be cared for by the Father after he was gone. They did not understand what he meant or anticipate the events that were about to unfold. Jesus told the disciples to trust that he was in the Father, and the father was in him, that was to encouragement them.

The statement, I am the way, and the truth, and the life; no one comes to the Father but through me,” established Jesus as the only access to the Father. Jesus used the word “way” saying “the way is narrow that leads to life…” John noted that Jesus performed many miraculous signs not include in the account he wrote, but what included was “so that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God; and that believing you may have life in His name.” 

To be a child of God means to put our trust in God’s word, God’s Son, Jesus of Nazareth. Peter and John told the Jewish council that the lame man was healed “by the name of Jesus Christ the Nazarene,” and “there is salvation in no one else; for there is no other name under heaven that has been given among men by which we must be saved.” Jesus is the only access to God and eternal life.

No denomination, no church, no rituals, no rules – only Jesus.

“我就是道路、真理、生命；若不借着我，没有人能到父那里去。”

耶稣把这句话对十一位使徒说，是为了向他们保证：当他离开之后，天父仍会照顾他们。当时他们不明白他的意思，也没有预料到即将发生的事。耶稣告诉门徒要信：他在父里面，父也在他里面；这是为要鼓励他们。

这句话——“我就是道路、真理、生命；若不借着我，没有人能到父那里去”——确立了耶稣是通向父的唯一途径。耶稣也用“道路”这个词，说：“引到生命的路是窄的……”。约翰记载，耶稣行了许多神迹，并未都写在他所写的记述里；但写下来的这些，“是要叫你们信耶稣是基督，是神的儿子，并且叫你们因信他的名得生命。”

成为神的儿女，意味着把我们的信心放在神的话语、神的儿子——拿撒勒人耶稣身上。彼得和约翰对犹太公会说，那瘸子得医治是“靠着拿撒勒人耶稣基督的名”，并且“除他以外，别无拯救；因为在天下人间，没有赐下别的名，我们可以靠着得救。”耶稣是通向神和永生的唯一途径。

没有宗派，没有教会制度，没有仪式，没有规条——只有耶稣。

“मैं ही मार्ग, सत्य और जीवन हूँ; मेरे द्वारा बिना कोई पिता के पास नहीं आ सकता।”

यीशु ने यह कथन ग्यारह प्रेरितों से कहा, ताकि उन्हें यह भरोसा दिला सके कि उसके चले जाने के बाद भी पिता उनकी देखभाल करेगा। वे उसके अर्थ को समझ नहीं पाए और न ही उन घटनाओं की कल्पना कर सके जो आगे घटने वाली थीं। यीशु ने शिष्यों से कहा कि वे विश्वास रखें—वह पिता में है और पिता उसमें है—यह बात उन्हें उत्साहित करने के लिए थी।

यह कथन—“मैं ही मार्ग, सत्य और जीवन हूँ; मेरे द्वारा बिना कोई पिता के पास नहीं आ सकता”—यीशु को पिता तक पहुँचने का एकमात्र मार्ग ठहराता है। यीशु ने “मार्ग” शब्द का उपयोग करते हुए कहा, “जीवन की ओर ले जाने वाला मार्ग संकरा है…”। यूहन्ना लिखता है कि यीशु ने बहुत से चमत्कार किए जो उसके लिखे विवरण में शामिल नहीं हैं; पर जो लिखे गए, वे “इसलिए कि तुम विश्वास करो कि यीशु मसीह है, परमेश्वर का पुत्र है; और विश्वास करके उसके नाम में जीवन पाओ।”

परमेश्वर की संतान होने का अर्थ है परमेश्वर के वचन और परमेश्वर के पुत्र—नासरत के यीशु—पर अपना भरोसा रखना। पतरस और यूहन्ना ने यहूदी महासभा से कहा कि लंगड़ा व्यक्ति “नासरी यीशु मसीह के नाम से” चंगा हुआ, और “किसी और में उद्धार नहीं; क्योंकि स्वर्ग के नीचे मनुष्यों में कोई दूसरा नाम नहीं दिया गया, जिसके द्वारा हमें उद्धार पाना है।” यीशु ही परमेश्वर और अनन्त जीवन तक पहुँचने का एकमात्र मार्ग है।

कोई संप्रदाय नहीं, कोई कलीसियाई व्यवस्था नहीं, कोई रीति-रिवाज नहीं, कोई नियम नहीं—केवल यीशु।

«أنا هو الطريق والحق والحياة؛ ليس أحد يأتي إلى الآب إلا بي.»

قال يسوع هذه العبارة للرسل الأحد عشر ليؤكّد لهم أن الآب سيهتمّ بهم بعد رحيله. لم يفهموا ما قصده، ولم يتوقّعوا الأحداث التي كانت على وشك أن تقع. وأخبر يسوع التلاميذ أن يثقوا أنه في الآب وأن الآب فيه؛ وكان ذلك لتشجيعهم.

إن العبارة: «أنا هو الطريق والحق والحياة؛ ليس أحد يأتي إلى الآب إلا بي» تُثبت أن يسوع هو الطريق الوحيد إلى الآب. وقد استخدم يسوع كلمة «الطريق» قائلاً: «الطريق ضيّق الذي يؤدي إلى الحياة…». وذكر يوحنا أن يسوع صنع آياتٍ كثيرة لم تُدوَّن في الرواية التي كتبها، أمّا ما كُتب فكان «لكي تؤمنوا أن يسوع هو المسيح ابن الله، ولكي تكون لكم إذا آمنتم حياةٌ باسمه».

أن تكون ابناً لله يعني أن نضع ثقتنا في كلمة الله وفي ابن الله—يسوع الناصري. وقال بطرس ويوحنا للمجلس اليهودي إن الرجل الأعرج شُفي «باسم يسوع المسيح الناصري»، وإنه «ليس بأحدٍ غيره الخلاص، لأنه ليس اسمٌ آخر تحت السماء قد أُعطي بين الناس به ينبغي أن نخلُص». يسوع هو الطريق الوحيد إلى الله وإلى الحياة الأبدية.

لا طائفة، لا كنيسة، لا طقوس، لا قواعد—يسوع وحده.

「わたしは道であり、真理であり、いのちである。わたしを通してでなければ、だれも父のみもとに行くことはできない。」

イエスはこの言葉を十一人の使徒に語り、彼が去った後も父が彼らを守り、世話してくださることを保証した。弟子たちはその意味を理解できず、これから起こる出来事も予想していなかった。イエスは、彼が父のうちにおり、父が彼のうちにおられることを信じるようにと語り、それは彼らを励ますためだった。

「わたしは道であり、真理であり、いのちである。わたしを通してでなければ、だれも父のみもとに行くことはできない」という宣言は、父への唯一の道がイエスであることを示した。イエスは「道」という言葉を用い、「いのちに至る道は狭い…」とも語った。ヨハネは、イエスが多くのしるし（奇跡）を行ったがすべてを書いたわけではなく、記されたことは「イエスがキリストであり神の子であると信じるため、また信じてその御名によっていのちを得るため」であると述べている。

神の子どもであるとは、神の言葉と神の御子—ナザレのイエス—に信頼を置くことを意味する。ペテロとヨハネはユダヤの議会に、足の不自由な人が「ナザレのイエス・キリストの名によって」癒されたこと、そして「この方以外に救いはない。天の下で、人が救われるべきほかの名は与えられていない」と語った。イエスこそ、神と永遠のいのちへの唯一の道である。

教派でもなく、教会制度でもなく、儀式でもなく、規則でもない—ただイエスだけ。

«Я есмь путь и истина и жизнь; никто не приходит к Отцу, как только через Меня».

Иисус сказал это одиннадцати апостолам, заверяя их, что Отец позаботится о них после того, как Он уйдёт. Они не понимали, что Он имел в виду, и не предвидели событий, которые вот-вот должны были произойти. Иисус сказал ученикам доверять тому, что Он в Отце и Отец в Нём; это было для их ободрения.

Эти слова — «Я есмь путь и истина и жизнь; никто не приходит к Отцу, как только через Меня» — утверждают Иисуса как единственный доступ к Отцу. Иисус употребил слово «путь», говоря: «узок путь, ведущий к жизни…». Иоанн отметил, что Иисус совершил множество чудесных знамений, не вошедших в его повествование; но записанное предназначено «чтобы вы уверовали, что Иисус есть Христос, Сын Божий, и чтобы, веруя, имели жизнь во имя Его».

Быть дитём Божьим означает доверять Божьему слову и Божьему Сыну — Иисусу из Назарета. Пётр и Иоанн сказали иудейскому совету, что хромой человек исцелён «именем Иисуса Христа Назорея», и что «нет спасения ни в ком ином; ибо нет другого имени под небом, данного людям, которым надлежало бы нам спастись». Иисус — единственный путь к Богу и к вечной жизни.

Ни конфессия, ни церковь, ни обряды, ни правила — только Иисус.

«Yo soy el camino, y la verdad, y la vida; nadie viene al Padre sino por mí.»

Jesús hizo esta declaración a los once apóstoles, asegurándoles que el Padre cuidaría de ellos después de que él se fuera. Ellos no entendían lo que quería decir ni anticipaban los acontecimientos que estaban por suceder. Jesús les dijo a los discípulos que confiaran en que él estaba en el Padre y el Padre en él; eso era para animarlos.

La declaración —«Yo soy el camino, y la verdad, y la vida; nadie viene al Padre sino por mí»— estableció a Jesús como el único acceso al Padre. Jesús usó la palabra “camino” diciendo: “angosto es el camino que lleva a la vida…”. Juan señaló que Jesús realizó muchas señales milagrosas que no incluyó en el relato que escribió, pero lo que sí incluyó fue “para que creáis que Jesús es el Cristo, el Hijo de Dios; y para que, creyendo, tengáis vida en su nombre”.

Ser hijo de Dios significa poner nuestra confianza en la palabra de Dios y en el Hijo de Dios, Jesús de Nazaret. Pedro y Juan dijeron al consejo judío que el cojo fue sanado “en el nombre de Jesucristo el Nazareno”, y que “en ningún otro hay salvación; porque no hay otro nombre bajo el cielo, dado a los hombres, en que podamos ser salvos”. Jesús es el único acceso a Dios y a la vida eterna.

Ninguna denominación, ninguna iglesia, ningún ritual, ninguna regla: solo Jesús.

“Ako ang daan, at ang katotohanan, at ang buhay; walang sinumang makaparoroon sa Ama kundi sa pamamagitan ko.”

Sinabi ni Jesus ang pahayag na ito sa labing-isang apostol upang tiyakin sa kanila na aalagaan sila ng Ama pagkatapos niyang umalis. Hindi nila naunawaan ang ibig niyang sabihin at hindi nila inasahan ang mga pangyayaring malapit nang maganap. Sinabi ni Jesus sa mga alagad na magtiwala na siya ay nasa Ama at ang Ama ay nasa kanya; iyon ay upang palakasin ang kanilang loob.

Ang pahayag na, “Ako ang daan, at ang katotohanan, at ang buhay; walang sinumang makaparoroon sa Ama kundi sa pamamagitan ko,” ay nagtatakda kay Jesus bilang tanging daan tungo sa Ama. Ginamit ni Jesus ang salitang “daan” nang sabihin niya, “makitid ang daang patungo sa buhay…” Itinuro ni Juan na maraming himalang tanda ang ginawa ni Jesus na hindi naisama sa salaysay na kanyang isinulat, ngunit ang naisama ay “upang kayo’y maniwala na si Jesus ang Cristo, ang Anak ng Diyos; at sa pamamagitan ng paniniwala ay magkaroon kayo ng buhay sa kanyang pangalan.”

Ang maging anak ng Diyos ay nangangahulugang ilagak ang ating pagtitiwala sa salita ng Diyos at sa Anak ng Diyos—si Jesus na taga-Nazaret. Sinabi nina Pedro at Juan sa konsehong Judio na ang pilay ay pinagaling “sa pangalan ni Jesu-Cristo na Nazareno,” at na “walang kaligtasan sa iba; sapagkat walang ibang pangalan sa silong ng langit na ibinigay sa mga tao na ikaliligtas natin.” Si Jesus ang tanging daan patungo sa Diyos at sa buhay na walang hanggan.

Walang denominasyon, walang simbahan, walang ritwal, walang tuntunin—si Jesus lamang.