First interview
This morning we had an exhibition of the sixth chapter of the letter to the Hebrews, where the theme of apostasy was discussed. Apostasy, this betrayal of the biblical truths followed above is the antithesis of perseverance.
- A gospel that perseveres is nothing more than a person who perseveres in gospel truths.
- Because the gospel ensures that we persevere.
- This serves as a measure to accurately distinguish those who have actually been saved by the gospel from those who have not surrendered to the gospel.
The author of Hebrews in the first three verses emphasizes the purpose of Christian life, namely: “Let us lead to what is perfect?Hey 6:1? Some of the recipients flirted with the idea of returning to Judaism and in this light the author brings this exhortation, so that his readers may progress in the Christian life, and for this we must set aside the basic principles of doctrine. Christ? Hey 6:1.
It cites a number of things that are considered basic principles of faith: repentance of dead works and faith in God, teaching baptism and laying on hands, resurrection of the dead, and eternal judgment (He. 6: 2).
And here we see the tension between our responsibility (verses 1 and 2) and God’s sovereignty (verse 3)?”Will this be doded if God allows it?” Hey 6:3
In this excerpt we see that it is possible for a person to have a very profound religious experience without being truly converted or saved, we see it in verses 6 and 5, in short, the person enjoys a certain light given by God, participates in the heavenly gift (an allusion to the Lord’s Supper), proves the action of the Holy Spirit in his life and the Word of God and the powers of the world to come , we have an analogy of this truth in Numbers 13, when the twelve Spies are sent to the promised land, contemplate the earth, walk on the earth, breathe the air, bring fruits from the earth, and when they ascend to possess it ten of them retire, while two remain confident in success. have had to conquer the earth, so we perceive apostasy.
When it is said in verse 6, “And did you fall?It is the same attitude of the ten disbelievers, who did not want to ascend to conquer the country, for these people it is impossible to put them back in a position of repentance, there is nothing else to do, for after enjoying the joys and blessings of the gospel, they end up leaving, confirming the state of disbelief from which they never left.
Clearly an allusion to the parable of the good sower, in which we have a soil that bears good fruit and in this case would be perseverance in faith in Christ (He 6:7), but when he produces thorns and thistles indicating the sterile state of the person, such that the person is rejected and close to the curse; And your end is to be burned?Hey 6:8
“As for others,” that is, what I said before knew I didn’t apply to you, I hope better of you, the author says that “are we convinced?”, because we are going to the perfect, God. He has convinced us with the truths of the gospel, God has established his children on the rock of gospel truths in Christ in such a way that they will never turn their backs on Christ.
Perseverance remains in doctrine, in faith in Christ until He comes
Second conference
Steve continued his presentation on Paul’s missionary zeal, wanting to emphasize how Paul in his theology and practice focused on Christ, on the desire that Philips Church could see how this situation (his chains in Christ) contributed to the progress of the gospel. .
Another truth revealed by Steve is that missions and community are not separate and distant entities, they belong inseparably to each other. For Paul, the mission is community and the community is missionary. If we want to persevere in missionary activity and in building the local community, we must keep these two aspects of Christian life together.
A persevering community is a community that knows its identity. In Philippians 1. 27-30, we can see that as citizens of the gospel, we must live in a way worthy of the gospel. Before we enjoy any earthly status or position, our position before God in Christ is much more precious.
This dignified life that Paul calls Christians to live is but the practical expression of evangelical truths in the lives of God’s children. And this expression of the Gospel makes the community walk in unity, as Paul says: “Live above all on a path worthy of the Gospel of Christ, so that, whether coming to see you or being absent, you may hear concerning you others, who stand firm in the same spirit, as a soul, fighting together for the gospel faith; Fil 1:27?As citizens of the gospel, we have a responsibility to demonstrate the gospel explicitly throughout our lives.
A community that perseveres, is a community dedicated to and dedicated to the building up of others, Paul addresses this truth in Phil 2: 1-4, in which the Church must be marked by unity and the search for building and solidification. of every member of Christ’s body.
Therefore, we must be careful not to be selfish in our interaction with the community. Many of us choose our church based on our own interests. We want a church that praises the way I love it, containing people of my social level (poor or rich), who think like me, self-centeredness is a great obstacle to overcoming so that a community perseveres in unity.
The mark of a community that perseveres is humility, getting low, the consideration that I am inferior to one’s neighbour, that I am who I am and that I have what I have not only for me, but above all for the benefit of my neighbor in Christ.
When Christ becomes the center, do we begin to put values in the right places, and does that stop us from putting ourselves first as a means of manifestation? Phil 2: 5 and just as Christ can love unconditionally.
Third conference
Ricardo Agreste has given us an excellent word to take us back to rething our attitude towards church planting. Why don’t some church planting projects persevere?Why haven’t some plantation projects worked in our Brazilian context?
In 1Co. 3: 11-14, we are told that Jesus is the foundation, the gospel proclaimed and consumed in the work of Christ, and that our ministry must be built upon that foundation. Many fail to build on a foundation other than Christ. The stupidest thing to do on the brink of eternity is to work hard for yourself, not for Christ.
Invisible factors: these are the factors that relate to the inside of the person, and that we cannot probe how God probes hearts, that is why we must do this self-analysis.
1? Poor motivation: Poor motivation can contribute to a lack of perseverance in the establishment of churches, when motivation is not the glory of God, the advancement of the kingdom of God, but any other motivation related to personal ego, contributes to the project. doesn’t progress.
Ask yourself: Why do I want to establish a new church, what’s the reason?Who do I want to do this for and who do I want to do this with?
2? Wrong trust: Mistrusted trust derails projects, there are those who rely on their ministerial vision, or rely on their own skills and abilities, rely on methodologies, rather than relying on the gospel and God of the gospel. thinking that it is sufficient to have the economic resources that automatically guarantee the establishment of the Church.
Ask yourself: Where did you place your leader, pastor, missionary, worker, servant, and servant?
3? Lack of integrity. Do not persevere because of the lack of integrity of the planter: a) Problem of spiritual integrity. Start talking to the people about a God with whom they are no longer related. B) Family integrity problem. C) financial integrity problem. Many workers succumb to spiritual authority in this area, for having given a terrible testimony, with debts and a dirty name in the square. D) problem of integrity in the use of time.
Visible factors: These are the factors that are noticed from the outside.
1?Lack of support (spiritual, strategic and economic)? Just as a child is born from a pregnant woman, so a church of a mother church A worker who has no spiritual support is born, who does not have the spiritual support of a Mentor’s Support or Strategic and Financial Planning can prevent the implementation project from moving forward.
2?Lack of process? People who want to set up a church in their own way, in their own way, do not receive training and theological and missionary preparation for the establishment of churches, they want everything to be as fast and practical as possible.
3?The gardener? They fail in leadership: they fail to convey their individual vision to the church, they do not work the missionary vision in the life of the community. B) Don’t change your style: There are those who rule like Moses, who do everything, carry all the responsibilities, focus on themselves all things in the church, and not change the Jetro style (distribution of responsibilities).
4?Preaching? They are scarce and unimportant in their sermons, devoid of the gospel, without the interest of the Holy Ghost’s help in proclaiming God’s truths, which means that there is no perseverance in the establishment of a church.
May we never lose sight of the enormous need we have of God’s grace
Joo Victor’s © faithful ministérium. All rights reserved. Website: original www. MinisterioFiel. com. br: Atos National Conference 29 Brazil 2013: first day
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