Bible Quiz The answers are at the end of the blog. Have fun!! According to the Bible, are these statements true or false?
1. Unlike the doctrine of the Roman Catholic Church, the Bible teaches that the Word of God was never given by dictation (Moses on Sinai, etc.). 2. The Word of God was in some cases given by angels.
Dear Prayer Warriors,
What is more amazing, the power of the gospel or the failure of Christians to make use of it? This question comes to mind as I reflect back on the impact of the power of the gospel in Cameroon. I am thinking right now of Eric. Eric prayed with Peters to receive Christ the last week of our ministry in Cameroon. He did so just in time to take part in the Baptism ceremony in Yaoundé. This comes to mind because Eric, if I am to believe the conventional wisdom of Christians today, should not have received Christ. He is an older man, he lives in francophone section of of the world, he has heard and rejected the gospel many times, and he is in fact one of the justifications of so many Christians who do not share Christ on a regular basis. Yet, after a clear presentation of the gospel, using Bible verses quested with chapter and verse (which at the time he professed to not believe), he prayed to receive Christ as Savior, followed the Lord in public baptism and is now continuing in the faith.
Everywhere I go - Africa, Russia, Japan, India, the US - I hear that people are not receiving Christ “like they used to," that the great wave of evangelism reaping has ended. Everywhere I go - Africa, Russia, Japan, India, the US - I find that where the message of Christ is clearly and concisely presented, using the written Word of God and accompanied by an earnest appeal to repent and accept the free gift of Salvation through Christ our Savior, there are men and women being saved. God the Holy Spirit makes it perfectly clear to us what is required in our witness.
A. A clear and bold presentation of the gospel (Romans 1:16).
B. The use (quoting) of the Word of God (1 Peter 1:23).
C. A testimony centered not around man’s story but Jesus Christ. Man is the picture frame, Christ is the central element and not only Christ, but the realities of life, death, heaven and hell (1 John 5:11-12).
D. An earnest and sincere appeal for an immediate decision to repent and make Christ Lord (2 Corinthians 5:20; Acts 2:40).
We gave this training last year in Cameroon. This year we baptized over 15 individuals who came to Christ. All were from supposedly difficult to reach people in francophone Africa. Many were highly educated and secular in their world view. One was a witch, deeply devoted to the occult. Another, demon possessed. Some religious yet not Christians, others completely secular. They ranged from teenagers to over 70 years of age. Grandmothers, sons, fathers, men and women. Occult items were destroyed, humanist philosophies and world views repented of, families and marriages were restored and prodigal sons were returned to their parents. All had one thing in common, someone was not ashamed of the Gospel which became the power of God for their salvation, for they all repented, received Christ, entered a Bible study and followed the Lord in Baptism.
Everywhere I go, I find Christians who have lost confidence and faith in the power of the Gospel. They are waiting for Jesus to appear. They are waiting for a miracle or mystical event. They are waiting for a great movement of the Holy Spirit. Meanwhile, a lost and dying world is waiting for Christians to begin aggressively sharing Christ with a willingness to suffer the consequences for doing it. I find Christians willing to do anything – good works, acts of service, prayer walks, parades, demonstrations, political activism, praise and worship - anything and everything for the sake of the gospel except give a clear, concise, presentation of the gospel, using the Word of God and ending with an earnest appeal to repent and receive Christ as Lord and Savior.
It is the same with Christian growth. Throughout Cameroon, we found young couples committing themselves to 16 hours of lecture on The Marriage Covenant, The Family Discipleship Seminar or some other lecture series on discipleship - followed by a weekly Bible study that requires preparation and Scripture memory.
Everywhere I go - Africa, Russia, Japan, India, the US - I hear that young professionals will not devote themselves in a sacrificial manner to in-depth Bible teaching, Bible study and Scripture memory. Everywhere I go - Africa, Russia, Japan, India, the US - I find that wherever the written Word of God is offered by a church or home group, young professionals are willing to devote themselves in a sacrificial manner to in-depth Bible teaching, Bible study and Scripture memory.
I remain amazed at Christians' pre-occupation with those who reject the gospel and will not commit themselves to discipleship while ignoring those who are ready to accept the gospel and commit themselves to discipleship. I remain amazed that churches and ministries who have not baptized 15 individuals in the last five years (more or less the last month), will still not turn from their failed models and commit themselves to aggressive evangelism based upon a clear presentation of the gospel, using the Word of God, accompanied by an earnest appeal to repent now and receive Christ as Lord and Savior.
We have now ended our mission in Cameroon. I have been privileged to have preached over 80 times to groups ranging from 25 to over 200. God is at work. The Word of God is going forth in power. Men are receiving Christ and following Him in Baptism. Marriages are being restored. Families are being built up on the firm foundation of Jesus and His holy written Word.The church is being built up. Leaders, teachers, ministers and pastors are being trained and supplied with quality Bibles and Bible study aids.
This, however, is not a unique occurrence. In my experience, wherever a clear call to Christ is given with an earnest appeal for a decision (whether to repentance or to discipleship), God will work in men’s hearts, and two things will occur: fruit and opposition. This is how it should be since it was foretold by our Savior in John 15:20 for us to "remember the word that I said to you, 'A slave is not greater than his master.' If they persecuted Me, they will also persecute you; if they kept My word, they will keep yours also.”
By your sacrificial faith and prayers, we will not be found among those who spend their time talking about what man will not or cannot do but rather what God can and is doing – in Russia, in Zambia, in Cameroon and soon in Nigeria.
By God’s grace and by your prayers we will preach Jesus and make disciples until Jesus comes.
By His mercy, II Corinthians 4:1 Rev. John S. Mahon Director: Grace Community Int. – having returned from Cameroon is now preparing to preach Jesus and make disicples in Nigeria
(You can update yourself in terms of our most current ministry praises and events on our GCI Facebook page. Simply “like” us on Facebook at: www.facebook.com/gciweb.)
Answers to this week’s Bible quiz 1. False – Although the Word of God was not exclusively given by dictation, there are instances in Holy Scripture where God specifically tells the prophet to write as He speaks. It is therefore wrong to universally attack and reject the Roman Catholic Church’s doctrine of divine dictation. (See Exodus 34:27-28; Jeremiah 30:2; Jeremiah 36:2)
2. True – Not all of the Law, nor all of the Word of God, was given through angels, but they were the source and agency for some. (See Acts 7:53; Acts 7:38; Galatians 3:19; Hebrews 2:2)
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