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B.A.S.I.C. NEWSLETTER #20
November 1, 2003

I Cor. 16:9 For a great and effective door has opened to me, and there are many adversaries.

WE THANK GOD FOR THE TOOL TO REACH THOSE WHO WE WILL LIKELY NEVER SEE IN CHURCH, BUT MAY WELL SEE IN HEAVEN.

A REPORT ON CLCI BIBLE CORRESPONDENCE COURSE
(By Rev. Jyothi Benjamin - CLCI in India)

   A good study of God's Word is the most profitable study in a person's life.  The more we study, the more we want to study.
    Over the many years through the blessings of our Lord our CLCI Bible Correspondence course has been moving very well since as you know, now we have an advantage of the fast-increasing literacy rate in India.  This year 25 individuals are taking this CLCI Bible correspondence course.  As you know there has been alot of opposition to the public Gospel proclamation in India.  We are not at all discouraging about this situation.  As you know there is a ban on conversions in Tamilnadu state.  Now the winds of opposition to the Gospel are blowing all over India.  We are not discouraging  by the doors, which have been getting closed for public baptism and preaching.  In these situations the CLCI Bible correspondence course has successfully winning the many souls including non-Christians for Christ.  We are thrilled and excited to inform you that many have accepted Jesus by taking this God's word including many Hindu and  Muslim friends.  Through this Bible correspondence course, many of the non-Christians have been learning more about who they are, where they came from, why they are here, and where they are going and finally knowing that Jesus is only their Savior.  We send the lessons and questions and go through their replies to these lessons, finally give them the certificate of Completion and a free Bible.  Now we have been using "Learn from Me" study course, which has been prepared by respected brother,  Rev. Bertram Naumann.
   We are happy to tell you that since nineties over three hundred fifty students were benefited by this course till now including many Hindu and Muslim friends.  These I am very glad to inform you that these Hindu and Muslim people are silently accepting Christ as their Savior through this correspondence course.  We are praying that through them, someday their entire families could come to Christ.  As you know if one Hindu or Muslim accepts Christ as his Savior publicly by going to church, there will be tremendous pressure on him from his own community.  With this Bible correspondence course there won't be any such outside pressure on them while taking this course. If one person from a non-Christian family is converted, after his faith strengthened by this course, he could guide the entire family in his own manner.  In this way this Bible correspondence course is making up the souls to hold Christ.  The Holy Spirit  has been working in them through this "invisible way".  We are happy to inform you that this Correspondence course is another wonderful way of spreading the Word of God to build up the CLCI Church without having any outside pressure from the opponents of Hindu and Muslim in this following way.

  1. This Bible course will make a person wise to think about the difference between the religion that is created by man and that of religion which is created by Jesus for their own salvation. (2 Timothy 3:15). "which are able to make you wise unto salvation." They could clearly understand that there wouldn't be another life or incarnation or rebirth.
  2. Spiritual life depends on the Bible.  Matthew 4:4 says we live spiritually by the word of God.  We don't have anyone else to go to for life when we turn from God. (John 6:66-68).  The sould that does not know the Bible is lost and headed for punishment.
  3. A study of the Bible course will reveal God's will for man.  Christ became the author of salvation to everyone who believes and obeys Him (Hebrews 5:8-9).  It is by studying the Bible that one can learn what His will is for us. (Ephesians 3:3,4).
  4. Through the study of the Bible course they will know how to pray.  Jesus taught  his disciples how to pray.  If our prayers are not according to the will of God, then, our prayers are not right.  John says, "And this is the confidence that we have in Him, that, if we ask anything according to His will he heareth us" (I John 5:4).
  5. Through the study of this course one can know what to do to be saved. (2 Timothy 3:15-17).

   We have been sending this CLCI correspondence course freely nearly from nineties to the inquirers even though it is a little bit expensive.  For this we have been placing advertisements in newspapers, Telephone directories.  May the Lord bless this Bible Correspondence study of His Word. Thank you.
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This following is the pamphlet.
                           CLCI BIBLE CORRESPONDENCE COURSE
Long long ago, a King whose name is called David asked God one question.  "What is man that you are mindful of him, and the son of man that You visit him" (Psalms 8:4)?    Dear brothers and sisters, What is the difference between the human beings and animals?  Why has the Lord been mindful of human beings rather than animals?
   People have many things in common with animals.  They breathe the same air. They eat similar food.  They have many of the same needs.  But people are different from animals.
   Because people are different from animals, we want to know why we are here.  What is our purpose on this earth?  Since we know that we only live a few short years, how should we use our time? Should be live only to satisfy the needs of our bodies? Should we spend our time looking for the pleasures of this world?
   Because we are different from animals, we want to know where we are going when we die.  Life on earth is very short.  One great man whose name is called Job said like this: "Man who is born of woman is of few days and full of trouble.  He comes forth like a flower and fades away; he flees like a shadow and does not continue" (Job 14:1,2)  Are we the same as animals when we die?  Do we just breathe our last breath and then there is nothing?
   How can we find the answer to these questions?
   The only One who can give us the answers is God, who created us.  The answers are found in His Book, called the Holy Bible.  In the Bible, God has told us who we are, why we are here on earth, and where we will go when we die.
   What is man?  What makes people different from animals?  The Apostle Paul answered this question when he wrote to the Christians in Thessalonica: "Now may the God of peace Himself sanctify you completely; and may your whole spirit, soul, and body be preserved blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ" (I Thessalonians 5:23). Animals have physical bodies only.  But every person has a spirit within his body. The Bible tells us, our bodies will die, decay, and return to the dust from which the first man, Adam, was made (Genesis 3:19;35:18; James 2:26).  But the spiritual part of man will continue to live.  Also the Bible says: "Then the dust (our bodies) will return to the earth as it was, and the spirit (the thinking, conscious, eternal soul which lives within the body) will return to God who gave it" (Ecc. 12:7).
   Why are we here?  Life on earth is very short.  Death will soon come to each one of us.  Therefore, we are not wise if we live only to satisfy the needs of our bodies.  We are also very foolish if we live only for the pleasures of this world.  The Apostle John warned: "Do not love the world or the things in the world.  If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him.  For all that is in the world -  the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life - is not of the Father but is of the world.  And the world is passing away, and the lust of it; but  he who does the will of God abides forever" (I John 2:15-17).  Jesus Christ, the Son of God, asked: "What is a man profited if he gains the whole world, and loses his  own soul? Or what shall a man give in exchange for his soul" (Matthew 16:26)? Our purpose on this earth is to bring glory to God by doing what He has told us to do in the Bible.  A wise man wrote: "Fear God and keep His commandments, for this is the whole duty of man" (Ecclesiastes 12:13).
   Where are we going?  Where will our spirits go when we die?  What happens when we leave this earth?  After we die, we will go to be judged by God.  "It is appointed unto  men once to die, but after this the judgment" (Hebrews 9:27).  Each person will  be judged for his own life (Romans 14:12).  Each will be judged according to the way he has lived on earth (2 Corinthians 5:10).
   After the "Judgment", there are only two possible places to go.  One place is for those who have lived for God and served His son, Jesus Christ.  It is a place of peace, happiness, and rest.  It is called Heaven (John 14:1-3; 2 Corinthians 4:16--5:6; Philippians 3:20; Revelation 21:3-5).  The other place is for those who refuse to obey God, reject Jesus Christ, or spend their lives in the pleasures of this world. It is called "Hell", "the second death," and the "lake of fire" (Matthew 10:28) 25:41,46; 2 Thessalonians 1:7-10).
   God loves us and wants us to be saved.  He gave His only begotten Son, Jesus Christ to die as a sacrifice for our sins so that we can be saved (John 3:16).  But God does not force us to be saved.  He wants to change our hearts so that we willingly put our faith in Him.  Jesus invites us to come to Him: "Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.  Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls" Matthew 11: 28-29).  Receive Jesus as your Savior!  Jesus shed his holy precious blood to pay for all our sins.  Coming to Jesus means believing that He is the Christ, the Son of the living God (John 8:24); repenting of all our past sins (Luke 13:3); confessing our  faith in Christ before men (Romans 10:9-10, Acts 8:37); and becoming a new person through baptism. (Romans 6:3-5; Acts 2:38; 2 Corinthians 5:17).
   If you need any further information on this, please write to us.  We are happy to help you through our free CLCI Bible Correspondence Course.
   In this Bible Correspondence Course, you will learn more about Jesus, who you are, where you came from, why you are here, and where you are going.  Please fill in the information card and return it to us.  When we receive your card we will send you the Correspondence Course lessons. It is called "Learn from me - Free Bible Correspondence Course."
   Thank you for your interest in this.  May God richly bless you in the story of His Word.

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Pastor Jyothi Benjamin, CLCI, India

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B.A.S.I.C. NEWSLETTER #21
November 13, 2003

I Corinthians 16:9  For a great and effective door has opened to me, and there are many adversaries.

CLC POLICY
   The CLC helps our sister churches overseas especially in the areas of outreach and training of pastors.  But our support can not go on forever.  We are also trying to help you, our brethren, to be self-sufficient.  We know the opportunities that can only be grasped with our financial help at this time, but as time passes we want to assist you our sister churches to be able to undertake these opportunities on your own.  Of course the congregations in each church body over time are to contribute to the work of the church body itself at large.  In the meantime we try to assist with projects that allow pastors to work and earn money as Paul did as a tentmaker in Thessalonica, Ephesus and Corinth. 
   Our support at this time is not limited because we do not love our brothers and sisters overseas.  Instead, one reason for our limited financial support is so that we do not make you dependent on us and then relying on us for a long period of time.  Dependency on us can generate an unwillingness to take the initiative on your own, which we do not want to happen. Our support is usually very specific and as recommended, goes from the missionary(ies) to the Mission Board and may or may not be accomplished.  The amounts we give or send are most often very specific for certain purposes.  If the money is not used for those purposes then there is a breakdown in our working together.  We specify projects because we do not want to breed a dependence on us.  Those projects we support are done with the goal of your self-support.  We all have a sinful flesh that would like others to do for us.  As faithful leaders in our churches, we must struggle against the sinful flesh in this regard. There is one Lutheran church in India that has been supported from the USA for one hundred  years.  This is obviously too long.
   The goal for every sister church is to be self-sufficient in carrying on its outreach, training of pastors and all other work.
   We certainly look forward to learning how our brethren are progressing in self-support. One example that we recently learned of was in the Congo with our brethren of the ELCC. They have a large tract of land owned by them from which they harvest lumber to sell or build churches with. In the future, they plan to plant crops such as maize on this cleared land.

PRINCIPLES OF INTERPRETATION
Observe The Law Of Context - #13
Context is the total setting of a verse or paragraph.  One investigates the preceding and following verses.  One looks at the preceding and following paragraphs around the passage. One even considers the remote context of the book and historical setting.  One considers also the relationship of the book to other books and to the Testament.

Interpret the part in the light of the whole; and interpret the whole in the light of the part.  Never tear a passage out of its connection, its context.  What a word means in any  given sentence can only be determined by its immediate context in that sentence.

For instance some today have ripped words and passages from the context of I Corinthians 7 to teach that malicious desertion is also desertion of responsibilities.  That is a twisting of Scripture and not seeing the context clearly as a physical separation in that chapter.

For instance if we separate Phil. 2:12 from 2:13 we do a disservice to Scripture and have a misunderstanding.

PRINCIPLES OF INTERPRETATION
Interpret Scripture In Harmony With Itself - #14
The Old Testament is to the New Testament as the mold is to the medallion.  They fit together as a hand in a glove.  The rites, symbols, prophecies of the Old Testament find their fulfillment in the New Testament.

To interpret the Bible in harmony with itself means that no passage should be interpreted contrary to clearly revealed doctrines of the Bible, or to put it another way, no interpretation is correct which contradicts a fundamental teaching of the Bible.  This is called the "rule of faith" or "the rule of Scripture."

Scripture is complementary and not contradictory.  Consider I John 1:8-10, 3:9, 3:23, 3:10. And also Romans 8:38-39 with Heb. 6:4-6.

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In Christ, Pastor D. Koenig
 

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B.A.S.I.C. NEWSLETTER #22
November 29, 2003

A door for effective work has opened, but there are many adversaries.
 

PRAYER ALERT - I have just visited with Pastor Gideon in Ghana.  His wife Patricia is still alive, and suffering with her serious disease.  She is up north in Ghana with their young son, at her mother's village.  Pastor Gideon is going up there next week to see his wife and son.  Keep his little family in your prayers.  May God grant her longer life for her husband and son or may He take her home soon to end her suffering.  We rely on His gracious will.

NOTICE - You may remember that while I was in India, I had asked you to pray for Sardar Masih in Pakistan, which was for strength for him to bear up in his faith in that Muslim land and  for him to be able to come down to Chennai, India to meet over God's Word.  It evidently was not God's will for him to meet.  And now he has informed me that he has decided to go to England, evidently supported by a Christian mission, to work for the Lord in a different mission organization than with us.  His family is also evidently going with him

DECEMBER NEWSLETTER - The first one in December will come to you from Pastor Karl  Stewart.
Some of you in Nigeria, Ghana and Togo met him last spring on his visit.  He has done mission work in Togo before and appreciated his opportunity to visit with the brethren in Africa.

SECOND OVERSEAS MISSIONARY - The CLC Mission Board has called Pastor Matthew  urath to work together with me overseas.  Pastor Gurath has accepted the call and is now beginning to prepare to make his trip to live in Nigeria.  His wife's name is Priscilla and their son is Jed.
During his first year he will be getting acquainted with the work.  He will seek residency in Nigeria and will be traveling according to the need and the Mission Board's approval. It is hoped that during this first year he will make the trip with me to India, Congo, Tanzania, Kenya, Togo and Ghana.  Let us all pray that the Lord works things out smoothly for his arrival in Nigeria and settling in before he begins to travel.  More information will be given as things develop to allow you to give prayers of thanks and praise to God and appeals for His further aid.

PRINCIPLE OF INTERPRETATION
How To Understand Figurative Parts of Scripture  #15
A parable is an earthly story with a heavenly meaning.  An allegory teaches a moral lesson in terms of an historical incident.  Gal. 4:21-31.  A 'type' is for instance an Old Testament person or thing that represents someone or something in the New Testament.  Jesus is represented by so many types:  Melchizedec, OT sacrifices, Moses (Deut. 18:15), the scape goat, etc.

A parable uses the word 'like' or 'as' in comparison, which allows one to see it is a parable. The parables compare the Kingdom of God so often.  A metaphor is a comparison using the word 'is'.  Jesus says He is the 'door' of the sheepfold, for instance.  A paradox is an assertion which seems contradictory, Is. 1:18.  A hyperbole is an exaggeration for an effect. Mt. 19:24. A synecdoche uses a part for the whole or the whole for the part.  Mt. 4:4.  In the 4th petition 'we' means more than 'bread', there using the part for the whole.  In prophecy we have the Messianic prophecies about the person of the Messiah and His work as in Is. 53 and 42. There are also prophecies of the end of the world in the positive as in Ez. 37 and in the  negative in Rev. 6:1-8.

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This concludes a brief summary of many hermeneutic (interpretation) principles.  While there is so much more to study, this series of fifteen has sought to give capsule summaries of the most important.  Many of you have received either a textbook on hermeneutics or a TEE course on it  from us.  We study to show ourselves approved, rightly handling the Word of God that we are not ashamed of our labor for Him.

After the first BASIC from Pastor Stewart in December, we will have a series of eight articles on you our eight sister churches and fields of labor that we support from the CLC-USA.

As we enter the Advent season and prepare to celebrate the Christ's birth, may God increase your knowledge and faith in Him.

Pastor D. Koenig