Those grafted in again

The apostle  Paul wrote about the dispersion, the dispersed House of Israel. They had been “without covenant“, but Paul was sent out to recover them. So they were “grafted in again“ (Romans 11/23). Or, Grafted back in“. If some of the branches have been broken off, and you, though a wild olive shoot, have been …

Religion and believers #14 Church and state

Constantine wanted unity in his realm, and his call in 325 C.E. for a council of his bishops at Nicaea, located in the Eastern, Greek-speaking domain of his empire, across the Bosporus from the new city of Constantinople was in a certain way his goal to achieve some agreement by which many could live. Constantine …

Religion and believers #13 Superstition, misunderstanding and hatred leading up to the Nicene Creed

Superstition, misunderstanding and hatred caused the Christians trouble for many generations, and governmental repression they had to suffer occasionally, as a result of popular disturbances. No systematic effort was made by the imperial authorities to put an end to the movement until the reign of the Roman emperor (249–251) who fought the Gothic invasion of …

Religion and believers #11 Prospect of a life without end in a peaceful kingdom

A New Judaic movement The followers of Christ brought some new movement in action which spread quite naturally beyond the confines of Palestine. Their group found adherents among the Jews of the dispersion, and at an early day also among the Gentiles as well. Many of the latter had already come under the influence of …

Religion and believers #10 Infiltrating pagan teachings

In the previous posting we saw already how the pupils of the disciples from the apostles searched in other classic writings to add some flavour to their teaching and to gain more popularity because some Greek philosophers were very popular. Certain members of the community found themselves too weak to present strong teachings and therefore …

Religion and believers #9 Old and new cults

By the passing of years it happened that some pupils came to take over teachings from other cultures and religions and as such became considered to be antichrists.

Religion and believers #8 Groups following one or another apostle

As the disciples of Christ spread and made new disciples different opinions made new groups with new leaders.

Religion and believers #7 Independent and organised form of existence of a religion

When talking about religions we particularly look at the independent and organised form of existence of a religion which one calls 'Church'.

Religion and believers #6 Origin of a church

Origin of the Christian community Chosen disciples The Nazarener Jew Jeshua ben Josef, who worshipped the God of Israel (Who is One), in the first century of the common era, chose some talmidim or direct disciples and got several followers. Though the Roman and several Jewish rulers thought the death of that rabbi would end …

Religion and believers #5 Transition to Monotheism

In this chapter we look at the Roman-Greco influence of philosophers and at the 19th century terms henotheism and kathenotheism that were used to refer to the exalting of a particular god as exclusively the highest within the framework of a particular hymn or ritual—e.g., in the hymns of the Vedas (the ancient sacred texts of India).

Religion and believers #4 Order of Nature and Polytheism on the way to monotheism

We look at how personifications of truth, justice, and the cosmic order came to result in a search for one highest being.

Religion and believers #3 From father and mother gods to land and local gods

We have a look at the father gods and mother gods or rulers of all the gods that people choose to worship.

Religion and believers #2 Different forms of Truth

Observation of nature; closer attention to its contrasts of life and death, or light and darkness, or male and female brought people to worship elements of nature.

Religion and believers #1 Lots of groups and forms of belief to be taken interest in

In Christendom there are groups who find themselves exclusive, believing they are the holders of the absolute truth, while all others are heretics or even the work of the devil himself.

Rome still rules the shadowy old world order

At the beginning of our contemporary age a son of man was hailed, by some triumphantly praised as a king entering Jerusalem, by others regarded as a dangerous person undermining their power. About 2 000 years later it are still religious leaders who do not want people to come to know that Nazarene man or to accept him as the son of God and future King of this world.

Evangelizing in the “Time of the End”

All Christians are commissioned and obligated to be evangelizers wherever they are, in that they preach the good news to all sorts of men.​

In all circumstances preaching Christ

These days, there is not much changed concerning opposition against the teachings of Jesus Christ and the preaching of Good News.

From house to house #2: Continuing to bring the good news right to the world

The followers of Jesus were convinced who he was and why his task given to them was so important. They continued bringing without letup teaching and declaring the good news about the Christ, Jesus, and asked their pupils and converted followers to do so too. Coming closer to the end times it is even more important because the world shall not be interested in God and many brought away from the Only One true God, by false preachers and mega churches.

From house to house #1: Not ceasing to Preach daily in the temple and in every house

Jesus send his disciples forth as sheep in the midst of wolves asking them to go from city to city and from house to house, though they should be warned they would not always be welcome.

Preaching Christ not done to isolate him in the minds of their listeners

In Scriptures people are asked to teach their children diligently and to go out to tell everybody and to reason about the importance of faith in Christ, Jeshua or Jesus Christ being the sent one from and son of God bringing people to God and to salvation..