| B.A.S.I.C. NEWSLETTER # 77
July 4, 2006 I Cor. 16:9 "For a wide door for
effective work has opened to me, and there are many adversaries."
Thumbnail Sketches – I Timothy This with II Timothy and Titus are called the pastoral letters as they deal with qualifications and duties of church ministers. Paul in humility in writing to a young man admits he himself is the foremost of sinners. 1:15 This certainly sets the tone for accepting what comes then by inspiration to the young man. It is in 2:11-12 that we have one of the defining passages that explains the position of women in the church. They are not to teach or have authority over men, for men are the head of the church as they are the head of the home. In 3:16 we have an early creed statement about Jesus. These six statements are put forward as a confession of faith. While the pastoral section in 3:1-13 is the focus, there are other matters dealt with and some in detail. One example is widows and how to determine to help them in 5:3-16. Outline
This letter was likely written around 67.
It is Paul’s last letter and gives his last warnings, 3:1f, 4:3f. He gives
all ministers the clear direction in 2:15, “Do your best to present yourself
to God as one approved, a workman who has no need to be ashamed, rightly
handling the Word of truth.” While Paul’s first imprisonment in Rome under
house arrest ended with his release, the second imprisonment ended in his
death. He was arrested at Nicopolis and taken to Rome where he wrote this
letter and soon after died a martyr’s death. His pastor’s heart is burdened
for the converts and he writes to warn them. Outlining his suffering, betrayals,
persecution and bereavements, yet he knows the One in whom he believes
and he knows He will reward him with the crown of righteousness. 4:8
Outline
While Timothy worked at Ephesus and received instructions on how ministers were to be, Titus worked on Crete and received such also. Those of Crete were certainly a difficult group to work with as Paul affirms even quoting one of their own about them. 1:12 Paul wrote to encourage him in his dealings in controversies, debates, dissensions and all the time upholding the truth and the standard of God’s Word. While we think the letter was written about 63, the exact time is not given. Though in Paul’s references to Tychicus, Artemas, Zenas, and Apollos we do have painted for us the activity of the the work being carried on indicating yet again the many willing hands and voices to serve Him in His gracious rule and its expansion. In 3:5-7 we succinctly put for us the grace of God in baptism and justification which we have ‘richly’ in Christ by the power of the Holy Spirit. So much in so few words! Outline
Second in a Series Syrian, Jacobite and Nestorian Beyond the rule of the bishop of Rome in
the western Roman Empire and also
We know that Antioch in Syria in Paul's
day was a vibrant center of outreach
Jacobites or monophysites disagreed with
the Council of Chalcedon of 451 on
The Nestorians were condemned at the Council
of Ephesus of 431 over their
The doctrinal difference between the Nestorians
and monophysites is over how
--Missionary David Koenig B.A.S.I.C. NEWSLETTER # 78
I Cor. 16:9 "For a wide door for effective work has opened to me, and there are many adversaries." Thumbnail Sketches – Philemon Though this is certainly the shortest of the four prison epistles, yet it has passages that also should be committed to memory as guides for the Christian life. Verse 14 is a reminder that even though the apostle says it, obedience should come forth from a heart refreshed by the love of Christ and performance should be willing and not under compulsion. Verse 21 is a reminder of how we should trust in the working of the Spirit through the Word. Paul has that confidence that Philemon will do more than asked. Paul’s appeal throughout is the Gospel appeal. The church evidently met in Philemon’s house. The runaway slave, Onesimus, now converted should be received into this communion of saints. OutlineThumbnail Sketches – Hebrews It does not seem from the evidence that Paul wrote this letter. My thinking through study is the author could be Apollos. If you want to go to a chapter in the New Testament where you can find Jesus presented as God, Hebrews chapter one is one. 1:3 states this fact in three ways: l) "He reflects the glory of God", 2) "and bears the very stamp of His nature", 3) "upholding the universe by His Word of power." Then the author launches into a list of passages from the Old Testament that uphold this truth. The people addressed could have been Roman Jewish Christians who left the seven synagogues in Rome and formed their own congregations of Jewish Christians. They were beginning to face persecution and were tempted to return to the old way of the synagogue. The author points out in a variety of ways that Christ is the only way to heaven and that they, "Therefore lift your drooping hands and strengthen your weak knees, and make straight paths for your feet, so that what is lame may not be put out of joint but rather be healed." 12:12-13 OutlineNoting a 300 year anniversary... "India's Coral Strand" 1706-2006 Third in a Series Roman Catholic Mission work in India With the rise of Islam around 632 we see
the crushing of Christianity in Asia. This affected India especially
in the North, but less so in the
Our focus next is on the church of Rome's efforts in India. While the Muslims killed or converted, the Roman Catholic Church brought the gospel to the more southern part of India though of course it was accompanied by the baggage of mariolatry, etc. In the USA we are well familiar with the Spanish missions, especially in California. All along the El Camino Real (the King's Highway) a day's travel apart were the missions. These were Spanish who were more receptive to priests going out to convert than the Portuguese were who were along the coast of India. The Portuguese were far more interested in financial gain to the exclusion of outreach. Thankfully though, God did have missionaries go into the Portuguese commercial enclaves in India and go to the natives. There are two who are most prominent and each was distinctively different in his approach to the work. Francis Xavier 1506-1552 Xavier has to be the greatest of the Roman Catholic missionaries compressing so much work and such a geographical coverage into such a relatively short time. He labored for only ten years. His approach was to go to several countries, one of which was India. This pioneer of Jesuit missions in East Asia landed in 1542 in Goa, India. A voyage to India in those days could take six months. His took thirteen months due to a forced layover in Mozambique. When he began his work, it was out among the people. He would go about in Goa streets ringing a bell to have the people send their sons and daughters and slaves of both sexes to be taught God's love. When he taught, he would sing the lessons which he had rhymed and he would have the children sing them also. His work very significantly was not just among the Portuguese or Indo-Portuguese, but among the natives also. His death in China ended a rather full tens years of teaching and travel. Wolf, a General Synod Lutheran wrote, "St. Francis Xavier said: "If the lands of the savages had scented woods and mines of gold, Christians would find courage to go there, nor would the perils of the world prevent them Shall love be less hearty and less generous than avarice?" Of all others, we of the Lutheran Church should be the very last to show a lack of courage in carrying on the work of the world's evangelization. Of all others we, who have our ecclesiastical descent from the indomitable, much-enduring and storm-braving hero of the Reformation days, should not be found waiting in bone or sinew, in moral grit and iron in blood. Robert de Nobili 1577-1656 De Nobili came to India and stayed, only going to Ceylon near the end of his life. He arrived in Madura in 1606. Note he served a long time. His approach was to be one with the people as much as possible. He lived in a little mud-walled house with a chapel built nearby. Here he became a guru(teacher) with a strict ascetic regime eating one meal a day. He taught that man did not have to leave
his caste to be a Christian, viewing caste as a social distinction that
could be continued. There were
Today in India there is the question about
the 'bindi' (the red dot on the woman's forehead). Some Christians say
that when a woman becomes a
We thank God that the gospel did go forth to India through these missionaries, even though they cluttered it up with Rome's false teaching. --Missionary David Koenig
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