Thursday 13 October 2011

The True Disciples of Christ


Pasugo, God’s Message October 2008

MILLIONS OF PEOPLE worldwide think that they have come to accept the Lord Jesus Christ because they profess faith in Him. This is evident in the vast number of religious organizations, many of which are affiliated to major “Christian” churches. While there are those who have warped motives in practicing religion, there are also those who genuinely want to serve God and Christ and attain salvation.

However, the intent to serve God and Christ is not enough in order for such devotion to be accepted. This is made clear from the pronouncement of the Savior Himself:

“Not everyone who says to Me, ‘Lord, Lord’, shall enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father in heaven.” (Matt. 7:21, New King James Version)


BECOMING A TRUE DISCIPLE

Christ dispels the notion that just because a person believes in Him, claims to have accepted Him as Savior, and considers himself as a Christian (or followers of Jesus,) he is automatically accepted as one and can attain eternal life.

So the issue is, how can one become a true disciple of the Lord Jesus? How can one be counted among those who are of Christ? It is by obeying His teachings:

“So Jesus said to those who believed in him, ‘If you obey my teaching, you are really my disciples; you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free’.” (John 8:31-32, Today’s English Version)

If one refuses to obey Christ’s teachings, even if he claims to have faith in Him, will he be accepted by the Lord? No, as He emphatically pronounced:

“Why do you call me, ‘Lord, Lord’, and yet don’t do what I tell you?” (Luke 6:46, Ibid.)

Thus, anyone who wants to be recognized by Christ has to obey His instructions. What is one teaching of Christ that a person should comply with in order to be accepted by Him? The Savior Himself states:

“I am the door. If anyone enters by Me, he will be saved” (John 10;9, NKJV).

Those who have entered Christ are on the right path to salvation and, hence, are recognized and accepted by Him. How can these people be identified? To whom does our Lord Jesus Christ serve as the door? In John 10:7 it is written:

“Then Jesus said to them again, ‘Most assuredly, I say to you, I am the door of the sheep’ (Ibid.)

Our Lord Jesus is the door of the sheep, who are gathered in only one flock (John 10:16). Which is the flock? It is none other than the Church of Christ:

“Take heed therefore to yourselves and to all the flock over which the Holy Spirit has appointed you overseers, to feed the church of Christ which he has purchased with his blood.” (Acts 20:28, Lamsa Translation)

Membership in the Church of Christ is, thus, of paramount importance. This Church is what Christ recognizes as His own. Its members are the true Disciples of Christ.


DISMISSING THE WRONG NOTION

Others may say that even though they are not members of the Church of Christ, they still belong to Christ. The Lord Jesus says the following to those who are not in the flock or Church of Christ:

“But you do not believe and trust and rely on Me because you do not belong to My fold [you are no sheep of Mine]. The sheep that are My own hear and are listening to My voice; and I know them, and they follow Me. And I give eternal life, and they shall never lose it or perish throughout the ages [To all eternity they shall never by any means be destroyed]. And no one is able to snatch them out of My hand.” (John 10:26-28, Amplified Bible)

Christ dismisses those who are not within His fold or flock as “no sheep of Mine.” Those who truly belong to Christ listen to His voice and follow Him, thus Christ says, “I know them.” They whom Christ acknowledges as His sheep because they are members of His Church, are the ones who have the sure hope of receiving eternal life, as long as they remain in Him and endure until the end (Matt. 24:13).


IDENTIFYING THE TRUE DISCIPLES

For some people, however, the idea of the Church of Christ being a single religious body or organization seems preposterous and unacceptable. To them, Christianity and the Church during the time of Christ and the apostles has mushroomed into the numerous religious organizations and denominations in existence today. But before the Lord Jesus ascended to heaven, did He make mention of anything concerning His Church? In John 10:16, Christ stated:

“I have other sheep too. They are not in this flock here. I must lead them also. They will listen to my voice. In the future there will be one flock and one shepherd” (Easy-to-Read Version).

Notice that Christ mentions “In the future there will be one flock.” “In the future,” Christ promised when He was still here on earth, “there will be one flock” or Church of Christ. How can this time frame be more accurately ascertained? Acts 2:39 reveals this:

“For it was to you that the gift was promised, to you and your children, and to all those in distant times and places and whom the Lord our God calls to him.” (Rieu Translation)

In this pronouncement of the apostle Peter, he makes known the three groups of people that comprise the one true Church of Christ. The Jews who believed in the preaching of Christ and the apostles made up the first group to whom Apostle Peter said, “for the promise is to you.” The Gentiles or non-Jews at that time who also entered the Church comprised the second group, “and your children” – not children of the Jews in the flesh (all Jews who entered the Church were included in the first group – Acts 2:36) but rather children in the faith. The first two groups were called during the time of the apostles (Rom. 9:24). On the other hand, the third group were yet to be called, because their calling would happen at a “distant time and place” from that of the apostles.

Which is this distant time being referred to? In a related prophecy, the Lord God proclaims the following:

“I will say to the north, ‘Give them up!’ And to the south, ‘Do not keep them back!’ Bring My sons from afar, And My daughters from the ends of the earth – Everyone who is called by My name, Whom I have created for My glory; I have formed him, yes, I have made him.” (Isa. 43:6-7, NKJV)

What the prophecy refers to as “My name” is the name given by God to Christ (John 17:11, TEV; Acts 2:36). Those whom God called and recognizes as His sons and daughters at the time “ends of the earth” would be called by the name of Christ, or as members of the Church of Christ (Acts 20:28, Lamsa Translation). The expression “ends of the earth” refers to the time when the end of the world is near (Matt. 24:3, 33). It began with the outbreak of the prophesied war which would be rumored or news about it would spread the world over (Matt. 24:6-7). This prophesied war was fulfilled in the First World War which broke out on July 27, 1914:

“The first great campaign on the southeastern battle grounds of the Great War began on July 27, 1914, when the Austrian troops undertook their first invasion of Serbia…” (Francis J. Reynolds, et al., The Story of the Great War: History of the European War From Official Sources, vol. 2, p.291)

If the “distant time” referred to by the apostles is the time “ends of the earth”, what about the “distant place” from where the third and final group of those to be called into the true Church of Christ would originate? In the preceding verse, Isaiah 43:5, we can read the following:

“From the far east will I bring your offspring, and from the far west I will gather you.” (Moffatt Translation)


THE DISCIPLES OF TODAY

There is only one Church that passes all the criteria for being recognized as that which belongs to Christ – the Church of Christ or Iglesia ni Cristo. It was officially registered with the government of the Philippines (a country in the Far East) on July 27, 1914, on exactly the same day when the war prophesied by Christ almost 2,000 years ago broke out. The gathering of those to be called as sons and daughters of God would eventually reach the Far West, with congregations of the Church being established firstly in Ewa, Hawaii on July 27, 1968 through the instrumentality of the late Executive Minister, Brother Erano G. Manalo.

That is why the invitation of Christ that He uttered two millenniums ago is still open for those who want their acknowledgment and acceptance of the Savior to be reciprocated by Him:

“I am the door. If anyone enters by Me, he will be saved, … And other sheep I have which are not of this fold; them also I must bring, and they will hear My voice; and there will be one flock and one shepherd.” (John 10:9, 16, NKJV)

Those who enter the flock or Church of Christ and remain until the end are the ones assured of salvation (Matt. 24:13).

Some take risk in various arenas of life, but no one should take chances when it comes to the future of the soul. Inside the Church of Christ, one’s sacrifices and labors in pleasing the Lord by obedience to His will are not in vain. All will result to his salvation.


Source: IGLESIA NI CRISTO, Pasugo: God’s Message, October 2008, Volume 60, Number 10, ISSN 0116-1636, p.12-16, by DONALD PINNOCK

9 comments:

  1. Bakit po "Father o Ama" ang tawag ng mga Katoliko sa kanilang Preacher?

    ReplyDelete
  2. Bakit tinatawag na Father o Ama ang mga Pari sa Iglesia Katolika?

    Hindi ako ang sasagot niyan dahil sa iyan ay ARAL KATOLIKO, narito ang kanilang sagot:

    "AT ANG SANTO PAPA (AMA) AY ANG PINAKAMATAAS NA AMA NG ATING KALULUWA DITO SA LUPa, dahil sa siya ang kahalili nang ating Panginoon. "At dahil sa ANG MGA SACERDOTE [O MGA PARI] ang nagbibigay sa atin ng buhay ng ating kaluluwa, sa pamamagitan ng pangangasiwa sa mga sacramento, SILA MAN AY TINATAWAG NA 'AMA NG KALULUWA'." [Ang Iglesia ni Kristo at Iba't ibang Sektang Protestante, Page 26]

    Dahil daw ang PAPA at mga PARI ay AMA NG KALULUWA, kaya daw dapat silang tawaging “AMA”, “FATHER” o “PAPA”.

    Iyan ang kanilang sagot.

    Pero alam na alam natin na ang DIYOS na LUMIKHA ng LAHAT NG BAGAY ay “AMA NG KALULUWA” rin.

    Gaya ng mababasa sa:

    Ezekiel 18:4 "Narito, LAHAT NG KALULUWA AY AKIN; kung paano ang kaluluwa ng ama, gayon din ang kaluluwa ng anak ay akin:ang kaluluwa na nagkakasala ay mamamatay."

    Ang Diyos ang nagmamay-ari ng lahat ng kaluluwa ng tao, kaya siya ay AMA NG KALULUWA. Subalit maaari ba nating tawagin o ituring ang sinomang tao sa LUPA ng kagaya ng pagiging AMA ng Diyos na ito?

    Sasagutin tayo ni Cristo:

    Mateo 23:9 "at HUWAG NINYONG TAWAGING INYONG AMA ANG SINOMANG TAO SA LUPA: SAPAGKA'T IISA ANG INYONG AMA, sa makatuwid baga'y siya na NASA LANGIT."

    Ipinagbabawal ni Cristo na tawaging AMA ang sinomang TAO sa LUPA, dahil IISA LANG AMA, ang AMA NA NASA LANGIT. Bawal tawagin ang sinomang tao na AMA na gaya ng PAGKA-AMA ng Diyos. Dahil sa ang Diyos ay AMA NG KALULUWA, ay wala ni isa mang tao tayo dapat ituring na AMA RIN KALULUWA. Dahil iisa lang ang AMA ng KALULUWA, ang Diyos lamang.

    Mangangatuwiran ang iba, de lalabas daw sa sinasabi sa Mateo 23:9 na bawal na rin tawaging AMA ang ating TATAY na asawa ng ating INA.

    Maling isipin na ang nasabing TALATA ay tumutukoy sa LAHAT NG URI NG PAGKA-AMA, dahil niliwanag din ni Cristo na:

    Mat 19:19 “IGALANG MO ANG IYONG AMA AT ANG IYONG INA”; at, Iibigin mo ang iyong kapuwa na gaya ng iyong sarili.”

    Kaya maliwanag na hindi ang AMA natin sa LAMAN ang tinutukoy ni Cristo sa MATEO 23:9 na hindi natin dapat tawaging AMA, dahil kung ganiyan natin iyan uunawaain, ay lalabas na kinokontra ni Cristo ang sinabi niyang ito sa MATEO 19:19. Dahil kapag hindi natin tinawag na AMA ang asawa ng ating INA, ito ay maliwanag na PAGLAPASTANGAN sa kanila.
    Ang hindi dapat gawin ay ang PAGTAWAG sa sinoman na AMA na gaya ng PAGKA-AMA ng Diyos, dahil ang Diyos lamang ang AMA NG KALULUWA natin at wala ng iba.

    Kaya mali at napakalaking kasalanan sa Diyos na MAGPATAWAG o TAWAGIN na “AMA”, “FATHER” o “PAPA” ang sinoman gaya ng uri ng PAGKA-AMA ng Diyos…

    ReplyDelete
  3. Ako po ay isang Iglesia Ni Cristo.. Nang mag-anyaya po ako ng Isang Katoliko ay pinuna nya ang pananalangin ng Iglesia ni Cristo. Bakit daw po may sinasabi tau sa Pananalangin ng "Opo", "Siya nga po" sinasabi ko lang po ay Bilang Pagsang-ayon lang iyon.. pwede pu bang bigay nyu ang totoong dahilan kung bakit tau Nagsasabi ng Opo at Siya nga po sa Pananalangin.. Maraming Salamat po..

    ReplyDelete
  4. boring dito mas masaya kay readme

    ReplyDelete
  5. oo nga eh trying hard ksi tong si aerial cavalry, mas magaling mag research si readme. mas detalyado gumawa ng blog si readme kaya mas masaya doon, may kulitan , may asaran at kung ano ano pa,

    ReplyDelete
  6. Boring ba, trying hard ba si Bro. Aerial?

    Eh bakit sabi ni Bro. README ganito:

    "salamat po atlis medyo nalinawan na ako tungkol dito hehehe galing nyo talaga natutuwa ako sa inyo kasi pag sumasagot kayo hinihimay talaga sa kumpletong kumpleto. hindi tulad ko, tinatamad na kasi ako sumagot ng paulit ulit saka di ko rin naman kaya sagutin lahat, yung iba ko lang naman nalalalman ang sinasagot ko."

    Humahanga pa nga si Bro. Readme sa kaniya eh.

    Hindi talata kayo pupuwede kay Bro. Aerial, dudugo mga ilong ninyo dahil pag siya ang nakadebate ninyo hahanapan kayo ng mga VERSE at mga DOKUMENTO tungkol sa mga pinagsasabi ninyo bilang EBIDENSIYA.

    Eh wala naman kayo tiyak ipapakita dahil puro lang kayo DALDAL at CHIKA mga MANAY...

    Kaya huwag na nga kayo dito...hehehehehe

    ReplyDelete
  7. Pedro,

    Alam mo, kaya walang nagco – comment sa Site na ito, dahil nga hindi nyo kaya na makadiskusyon ang kapatid ito. Kahit na ako, na isa nang handog sa loob ng Iglesia Ni Cristo ay hanga sa nalalaman ng kapatid na ito. Puro lang kasi pag hahatid dumapit lang ang alam nyo walang karne, ang mga sinasabi nyo, and besides tingnan mo ang dumadalaw sa site na ito. Almost 35thousand, sa loob lang halos kalahating taon. Hindi na mahalaga ang kung ano pa man ang narating ng Site na ito, ang mahalaga at pinakalundo ng lahat ay maibalita na namin sa inyo ang Iglesia Ni Cristo. Ang tunay na Iglesia na dadalhin ni Cristo sa harapan ng Dakilang Ama. Eto ang paniwalaan nyo ang Iglesia Ni Cristo, dito kayo maniwala. Eto lang ang Iglesia na itinayo ng Panginoon Jesu – Cristo.

    Ang problema kasi sa inyo galit kayo sa Iglesia Ni Cristo. Ayaw nyong tingnan ang mga Aral nito. Ayaw nyong sumamba ng totoo sa Dakilang Ama sa langit. Ang gusto nyong sambahin at paglingkuran ay mga Krus na kahoy, bakal, semento. Mga rebulto ng mga santo at santa, mga bangkay ng santo papa na di umano ay naghihimala.

    Ang paniwalaan nyo ay ang Iglesia Ni Cristo, na nakasalig ang mga Aral na nasa Biblia.

    Kaya ikaw Pedro, gudlak na lang sa mga pinagagawa mo haha ^_^.

    ReplyDelete
  8. It is good at the start of the paragraph, but in the middle it was blurred by immediately inserting a prophesy from Isaiah (Topic at Acts 2).. how sad.

    3 race or group of people:
    Jews, Gentiles and the Church (Jews or Gentiles)..
    The Samaritans are considered Gentiles by blood.

    -Jesus Came for the lost sheep of Israel..(Mat 15:24)
    -Jesus also said "other sheep I have not of this fold.." referring to the Gentile (that would accept Him)..(John 10:16)
    -There will be one fold(Church) and One Shepherd(Christ).

    The question is, When did the Church started?

    Let us start w/ the promise given by Christ..

    Act 1:4 "..wait for the promise of the Father, which, saith he, ye have heard of me. v5 For John truly baptized with water; but ye shall be baptized with the Holy Ghost not many days hence".

    This Church or group of people will receive the Holy Ghost baptism as promised! Remember that there is two baptism that Christ preach... (John 3:5)

    When did this happen?? after they obey His word by staying at Jerusalem happened at the day of Pentecost! read Acts 2:1-4..

    Now the 3rd race exist!..the Church and the first Christian was all Jews.. There are Jews but not member of the Church because they do not believe Jesus.. and there are Gentile w/c not yet receive the Word!!

    After Peter preached, 3k souls was added to this Church(Acts 2:41)at that same day of Pentecost..

    How about the Samaritan? are they become member of this Church?
    read Acts 8:14-17... they too received the Holy Ghost!!

    How about the Gentiles? if Jesus is true to His word, they must also receive this promise... and they did!! read Acts 10:44-48.

    The Church was very much establish at this point so we need not to pick prophesies that might blurred this wonderful promise of God.

    There is one plan of Salvation given to every race, uniform to all...(Ephesians 4:4-6)

    Act 2:38 Then Peter said unto them, Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost.

    The True disciple of Christ turned from their sins and have decided to be baptized in His name (the answer of good conscience, not just declaration of faith) and have received this wonderful promise of the Holy Ghost.

    may this article bless you... :)

    ReplyDelete
  9. Ephesians 3:5 Which in other ages was not made known unto the sons of men, as it is now revealed unto his holy apostles and prophets by the Spirit; v6 That the Gentiles should be fellowheirs, and of the same body, and partakers of his promise in Christ by the gospel:

    ReplyDelete

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