Further Study: For a thorough Adventist study on the nature of the church, see R. Dederen, ed., Handbook of Seventh-day Adventist Theology (Hagerstown, Md.: Review and Herald® Publishing Association, 2000), pp. 538-581. See also chapter 45 of Ellen G. White, The Desire of Ages, pp. 410-418.
"Jesus answered Peter, saying, " 'Blessed art thou, Simon Bar-jona: for flesh and blood hath not revealed it unto thee, but my Father which is in heaven' [Matt. 16:17, KJV].
"The truth which Peter had confessed is the foundation of the believer's faith. It is that which Christ Himself has declared to be eternal life. But the possession of this knowledge was no ground for self-glorification. Through no wisdom or goodness of his own had it been revealed to Peter. Never can humanity, of itself, attain to a knowledge of the divine. 'It is as high as heaven; what canst thou do? deeper than hell; what canst thou know?' Job 11:8. Only the spirit of adoption can reveal to us the deep things of God."—Ellen G. White, The Desire of Ages, p. 412.
Discussion Questions:
Is church membership a necessary condition for salvation? Or do we join the church for other reasons? If so, what are they? What great advantages do we have being part of a body? At the same time, what things must we be careful of and watch out for? 
Some people say: "I have stopped going to church. When I attended, it left me empty. When I go out in nature, I have a deeper religious experience than when I listen to an uninteresting sermon." What would you reply to such a person? 
Dwell more on the questions raised in Wednesday's lesson regarding ethnic diversity in our church. Why, of all people, should Christians be the most accepting and loving of others, regardless of ethnic differences? What could be done to help us better live up to what we know the Lord would have us do regarding the important question of racial and ethnic harmony? Summary:
| The church is a divine initiative. It is God's church rather than our church. We are members of the body of Christ—each of us with our own distinct function—but must always remember that He is the Head. We are not called to uniformity but must do all we can to maintain true unity in Christ. |
| I N S I D E Story | ||
| Onward Christian Soldiers by PAUL CLEF Tomas Repsys was an officer in the Lithuanian military when he met the Savior a few years ago. He was touched by the warm fellowship and Bible teachings of the Adventist Church and felt God urging him to share his faith with fellow soldiers. But he was unsure how to go about it. Repsys studied the Bible and other Christian literature to ground himself in his faith so that he could answer questions others might ask. But he found that few people wanted to hear about God. He prayed for wisdom and for direction regarding those with whom to share his faith. After much prayer Repsys was assigned to work in the military head-quarters, a position he knows that God provided so that he could minister to those with whom he came in contact. He learned of a Christian organization called ECHOS (European Christians Home Organization for Soldiers) that had just been established. Its goals were similar to his own, and he joined their group. He began inviting soldiers to lectures on subjects ranging from home and family to personal health and Christian principles. This opened the door to invite soldiers to Bible studies, as well. Leaders of ECHOS provided multimedia equipment, Christian books, Bibles, and a lot of moral support to Repsys as he ministered to those who came. For moral support he invited church members as well as fellow sol-diers he knew well. And he shared the lecture series with pastors, laypeople, and a few fellow soldiers. Besides holding lectures and weekly Bible studies, the ECHOS group organizes outings every second month for the soldiers. They visit historic locations or places of natural beauty. During the outing Repsys or one of the other Christian soldiers gives a short worship. As many as 25 soldiers attend the meetings or go on the outings. This outreach provides opportunities to identify soldiers who are open to spiritual things. Repsys has invited soldiers to his home to talk about God on a deeper level. Military service is short in Lithuania, but through the efforts of Tomas Repsys and fellow Christians, they are making this time count for Christ in the lives of young soldiers who often are away from home for the first time. Lithuania was once part of the Soviet Union. Today about one thousand Seventh-day Adventist believers—or 1 person in every 3,400 Lithuanians-worship in 17 churches. Our mission offerings support various outreach programs in Lithuania and around the world. Thank you for giving.
PAUL CLEE is Communication director for the Trans-European Division. | ||
| Produced by the General Conference Office of Adventist Mission. email: info@adventistmission.org website: www.adventistmission.org |
No comments:
Post a Comment