theark2

Side 2

: A place for short pieces of different kinds

"God repays His own deeds in the believers." (Augustin).

The grace that is everyones!

"...who paid the ransom to forgive our sins and set us free." Col. 1,14."

If anybody says:: "When everyone don't get saved, how can I know for sure if I have found grace and have forgiveness for my sins? " you can answer: "You must begin with; believing in God and His word, hear, believe and grip the grace that is everyones, even the disbelievers. By that you will get hold of the grace, that not everybody has.

What grace is that, that is everyones, even the disbelievers? The forgiveness of their sins and a reconciled God, that is waiting for them. They only have to come and receive.

What is it then, that not everybody has? A heart that is reconciled with God, a faith that receives forgiveness of sin, and has its life in God. Where is that written? In 2 Cor. 5,19-20: "In Christ, God was getting rid of the enmity between Himself and the people of the world by not counting their sins against them, and He has put into our hands the message how God and man are made friends again. Since God is pleading through us, we are ambassadors for Christ. We ask you for Christ: "Come and be God's friends."

The remission of sins and the redemption in Christ, belongs to every human beeing, whether his pious or ungodly, a believer or an unbeliever. You can be whatever you want, but it happened once, a full reconciliation for your sins. It happened when Jesus died for them. If you are condemned, it is not because of your sins, it is because of your disbelief. Because you haven't received what Jesus did for you, but has gone away from Him. If you will come back to God, be His own, and possess His grace, there is nothing that prevents you. You are welcome any time!

C.O.Rosenius

By Jesus Christ!

"The law was given through Moses,
but Jesus Christ brought grace and truth": John 1,17.

Moses must come first and prepare the way for Christ, because Christ can't conceal what Moses has not first uncovered. The law belongs on stone tablets. If the heart is hard as stone, Moses have to lighten and thunder until it is crushed, and don't know where its gonna turn to because of anxiety. When Moses so has done his work, Jesus comes and heales the wounds that Moses has caused. If Moses causes you anxiety with the law, then turn to Jesus. With Him there is grace, that you can trust in, because with Him there is truth and faithfulness now and for all eternity.

Heinrich Müller.

What is the meaning of the word "faith?"

The word "faith" can be expound in more than one way, when it in the Bible describes several different things. Therefore, no one can test himself from the faith, before he clearly understands which faith it is talk about here.
The word "faith" means:
1) Gods faithfulness and unalterableness when it comes to His promises: Psalm 146,6; Isai. 11,5; Jer.42,5; Hos.2,20; Rom.3,3; - and peoples fathfulness in words and deeds: 2 Kings 12,15.
2) The christian beliefs articles and main points: Rom.12,16; - or the doctrines of the gospel itself: Acts 14,27; Rom 1,5; Gal.1,23; Eph.4,5.
3) Christ Himself as the object for the faith: Gal.3,23.
4) The hope: 1 Pet.3,5.
5) The faith that can do miracles and wonders: Mt.17,20; Luk.17,6; 1 Cor.12,9: 1 Cor.13,2.
6) The steadfast profession of the clean doctrine: Acts 14,22; Rom.1,8; 1 Cor.16,13; 1 Thess.1,8; Rev. 13,10.
7) The purely external profession of the christian doctrine: James 2,19-20;
8) The penitant hearts sincere refuge in Christ and want to grip His earnings. That is the true saving faith, as the above-mentioned biblewords mentions.
Now we ought to mark well point 8. Because none of the other points can reflect a mans "state of grace." A man can show great application in his profession and great faithfulness in his words and deeds. He can know the whole Bible and believe that all that is written in it, is true, bravely and continual profess the faith, and even be willing to die for it. He can do miracles and wonders in the name of Jesus, if god wants it and the condition of the church makes it necessary. But still he can miss the true signs of being a child of God - and therefore be lost. Because the last mentioned faith (8) alone is the one that makes us righteous before God and saves us.

Erik Pontoppidan 1648 - 1764
(From "The mirror of faith")

Saviour of the lost ones.
John.4,16-26.

He knew about her sin, but still He revealed Himself unto her as Messiah. And already in the way we usually express this - still He revealed - we showes that we haven't quite comprehended Jesus. Because the right thing to say is, namely; - and just of that reason He revealed Himself unto her as Messiah, the Saviour. Because that was precisely the reason why he had come; to look for and save sinners. Luke 19,10.
This didn't correspond to the image of Messiah the pharisees and the Bible scholars, had formed in their minds. And it also collides with the "pharisee in us." And for this pharisee in you, you most of all, have to watch out. He's simply an incorrigible false teacher, who will constantly have another Messiah, than the one God sent us. One, that came for the righteous ones. Haven't you noticed how difficult it is, to believe that He loves sinners?
It is written that Jesus had to go through Samaria (4 v.4), and this is the reason why. There was one, for whom the sin had become a real burdon. Without this, Jesus simply passes by. This is so hard for us to understand. But He can't pass by the ones, who sighs because of themselves. "Why am I like this?" "How come, I can't change myself and be a better person?" Because that is precisely why He came to this world; to save sinners. Yet, there are so many, who think and believes, that Jesus is coming to us, when we are righteous, obedient, competent and good christians.
That would be good news if we really were (and it is a true christians highest wish to be so), but we are never so shrouded in the darkness that the sin causes, as when we believe this about ourselves. Then it is precisely the truth we don't see. And accordingly we don't come to Jesus. Not to Him that God sent to the world, but to one who is only a product of our own imagination.
Then we think it is obvious that He should come to us, and do this and that for us, just like the pharisees thought; that when Messiah came, He would obviously come to them. They found the reason for this, in themselves. Then, when it comes to be a christian and belong to Jesus, it is only a matter of course one never questions.
Here we see who and what "kind," Jesus stopped by (you don't have to have lived a sinful life in the outwardly, but you have to have seen your hearts true condition towards God), and then you also get the true light over who, and what "kind," He stoppes by today. Because He never changes Hebr.13,8.
But those who don't want this Jesus, gets the same fate as the pharisees and the Bible scholars did; Gods word, and with that His salvation, is taken away from them. Is this what is happening, also in the congregations, in our so-called christian countries today?
But you, stop by this; He knew about her sin.

E.K.

The pharisaic principles tragedy and christian ethic.

"We know the Law is spiritual, but I am flesh, sold to be a slave of sin." Rom.7,14.

In this way it appears, also according to John, that the "righteous," who believes that they, with their whole being, strives to do the will of God, is unable to do it, because when Gods voice is coming to them, they don't hear it, when Gods messenger is coming to them, they don't apprehend that he is from God. Just because of their righteousness, they will in a special embittered way turn away, that which is from God. The more divine it is, the more embittered resistance it will generate in them. This is according to early christian understanding, the pharisaic principles tragedy.
But the christian ethic can be summarized in what Paul expresses like this: "I don't live anymore, but Christ lives in me." Gal.2,20.

Hugo Odeberg
(From "Phariseism and Christianity."

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