a different, meaningful and influential significantly alternative as far as the people of the world are concerned.
Christian leadership and management need to be aware of the world in which they are working, in the present day. We need to be leading the church and the world, not to apostasy, but faith in Jesus Christ, to receive Him and His gift of Eternal Life, revealed by God, not by false doctrine and practice. Why is the Church on the decline, if the Church is doing its job to which God has called Her?
LEADERSHIP IN THE CURRENT ERA
God says of Himself, “The Lord is not slack concerning His promise, as some count slackness; but is longsuffering to you-ward, not wishing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance,” (2 Pet 3: 9). Many people in the world are confused about God. Some, referred to as atheists, do not believe that He exists. Agnostics and pantheists think that there is a ‘force’ in the universe with no personal interest in a personal relationship with humankind. Some think of God and believe there are many gods, and perhaps they keep adding more gods, as in Roman, Egyptian, Hindu, i.e. Polytheistic religions. Some think of God as someone who wants to punish humankind, and that is why there is so much suffering in the world. There are some that find the true God (Elohim), who does not wish that any should perish, rather loves and wants humankind to come to repentance, so as, to dwell with Him in Heaven. He knows that humankind sinned (disobeyed God, namely Adam and Eve disobeyed God and the rest of humankind inherited their sin). Although humankind deserves eternal punishment, God loves humankind but hates their sin, but is willing to forgive all those who repent. Therefore, because God loves humankind His plan and business for humankind is salvation from sin and death so those who believe Him can have salvation in Jesus. Jesus is His only begotten Son, whom He sent into this world to die on the Cross of Calvary for the sins of the whole world, so humankind would not need to pay the price for sin and death but, have everlasting Life, through faith in Christ alone, by grace. All who believe God, who forsake their sins, and turn to believe on the Lord Jesus Christ to give them new life, are saved and have received God the Holy Spirit of Jesus, as a gift, to comfort, guide, defend and lead them in the born-again life. They know that when they pass from this earth into Eternity, there will be no Second death. They have received such a remarkable change in their lives with such an amazing promise through what is called the new birth by the Holy Spirit, and they have received meaning and purpose with joy and peace, then they want to share the remarkable good news with others. In hard times, they realize God is their loving Savior, Lord, Master, Defender, Deliverer, and their Coming King, the Majesty for all believers, through Jesus Christ their Lord, their source of love and delight. They know God knows them and they know Him by His demonstration of love and care as He intersects with them throughout their new life made complete in Jesus Christ by His Spirit given them at the same time as their salvation, as God promises in His Word. They believe God and abide in His Word. They converse with God through prayer. God is their loving Father, and they are His children, who will never lose their salvation but are kept by grace complete in Jesus Christ. They believe God’s Word. Jesus is the Word, and He is God. They know the truth. Grace, mercy, and peace are and will be in them, (2 Jn 1: 1-2; Jn 11: 26), even in hard times, and they will dwell with Him, forever, in Heaven. They will not face the punishment of the second death.
Self-existent, loving Everlasting Almighty Lord God, Majestic Glory, has introduced Himself in His Word (The Holy Bible) to humankind, revealed His wonderful plan of salvation, to rescue all humanity, that means you and me, from Satan, the Fall, sinfulness, like immoral disobedience, unrighteousness, ungodly living, and lovelessness toward God and fellow man. God says that He was in His only begotten Son, the Lord Jesus Christ, whom He sent to come in the flesh (Emmanuel i. e. God with us). He lived a perfect life, shed His blood, was crucified, the just for the unjust. On the third day, He was raised bodily from the dead, by the power of the Holy Spirit, for our justification. His work was a substitutionary atonement totally (i.e.He died in our place) for a gift of salvation for all humanity, especially for all those who believe God, forsake their sin and believe in Jesus as the Christ, as their Savior, and Lord by faith, (Eph 2: 8-9), so humanity does not have to work for their salvation. He gives His Holy Spirit to dwell in believers’ hearts immediately upon rescue, (Rom 8: 14-16; Gal 4: 6; 1 Jn 5: 1), to comfort, guide and, teach them to observe what He has commanded them through Christ Jesus, to live changed lives, the real Christian life out of love and obedience to Him, (Gal 4: 6-7), just as God has planned in His business of salvation. God has promised that His Son, Jesus, will return to take those who believe Him, and believe in His Son, having received His Son, thus have been born-again, back to an eternal home, called Heaven. You can know you are at peace with God today and will have eternal life in His presence, in the afterlife. That is His will for you. Will you accept and do His will?
For those, who reject the true God, in Judgment Day their future will be dismal. He will say to them, I never knew you; depart from Me (into everlasting living punishment, in a real place called Hell): “I never knew you, ye that work iniquity, (People of wicked deeds, people that think and practice that their good works will earn them a right to heaven),” (Matt 7: 23). You say “Yes, but so what?” You sound unreal if you are saying that a loving God would send unchristian friends, body, and soul, to an eternity in hell. God will if they have not believed in and received His Son, Jesus Christ. Some false teachers say a man will not face eternal punishment but will be annihilated.
A new Christian needs sound biblical, follow-up teaching. He needs to be taught to understand what the problem is, every man’s, not just his friend’s, need for the solution to sin, which God has provided through Jesus. Will he, and his friends, believe the true God, Majestic Glory, trust His Words, and His requirements, not their thoughts, and ways, for eternal life in Heaven? Why make it complicated and confusing; God’s solution is simple enough for young children to understand? One needs to be ready for eternity, God’s way; that is His business; a gift is His way. How can you be prepared for eternity, and know you are ready? These are questions that the author hopes to answer for readers. The answers do not come easy, especially if you are responsible for explaining to someone needing truth in love. God teaches spiritually discerned answers to those, who read and heed His Word. God drafted the plan and gave the instructions to and for humankind. He said that the way one may answer ‘Yes’ to be ready to be ready to be let into the Kingdom of God, (Jn 3: 3), is through a total new birth by God the Holy Spirit. God’s message to humanity is an eternal constant message, “For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth on Him, shall not perish, but have everlasting life,” (Jn 3: 16). If you believe God, repent of your sin and, turn to Jesus to believe in Him, receive Him and trust in Him, then God will forgive you your sins, give you peace, and welcome you into His Home in Heaven in Judgment Day. Will you make your decision, for Jesus?
Observe the Apostles’ Creed, used in evangelical Lutheran worship; a summation of the Christian, biblical faith:
“I believe in God the Father Almighty, maker of Heaven and Earth,
And in Jesus Christ, the Only Son, our Lord;
Who was conceived by the Holy Spirit;
Born of the Virgin Mary:
Suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, dead, and was buried.
He descended into Hell. On the Third Day, He rose again from the dead;
He ascended into Heaven, and sits on the right hand of God the Father Almighty;
From thence He will come to judge the quick and the dead;
And I believe in the Holy Spirit;
The holy Christian Church;
The communion of saints;
The forgiveness of sins;
The
