Calvin Synod Herald, 2009 (110. évfolyam, 1-12. szám)
2009-09-01 / 9-10. szám
4 CALVIN SYNOD HERALD Continued from page 3 II. Hope Bears Fruit A. Hope causes people to naturally yield good fruit just as a tree planted by a stream and cultivated produces fruit. “Blessed is the man that trusteth in the LORD, and whose hope the LORD is. For he shall be as a tree planted by the waters, and that spreadeth out her roots by the river, and shall not see when heat cometh, but her leaf shall be green; and shall not be careful in the year of drought, neither shall cease from yielding fruit.” (Jeremiah 17:7-8) B. The happiness of the hopeful invites people to investigate faith in God. “O taste and see that the LORD is good: blessed is the man that trusteth in him.” (Psalm 34:8) C. The peace which accompanies hope is perfect and eternal. “Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on thee: because he trusteth in thee. Trust ye in the LORD for ever: for in the LORD JEHOVAH is everlasting strength:” (Isaiah 26:3-4) III. Hope Is the Anchor of the Soul A. Christ causes people expect eternal substance, meaning, and joy. “To whom God would make known what is the riches of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles; which is Christ in you, the hope of glory:” (Colossians 1:27) B. The Christian hope is that Jesus will save people. “Paul, an apostle of Jesus Christ by the commandment of God our Saviour, and Lord Jesus Christ, which is our hope;” (1 Timothy 1:1) C. Hope makes life stable for believers. “That by two immutable things, in which it was impossible for God to lie, we might have a strong consolation, who have fled for refuge to lay hold upon the hope set before us: Which hope we have as an anchor of the soul, both sure and stedfast, and which entereth into that within the veil;” (Hebrews 6:18-19) IV. Christ’s Return Is the Blessed Hope A. Knowledge that Christ will return and set all things in order makes it possible for believers to endure the trials and vicissitudes of life; the good times are yet to come us and for believers who have gone ahead to be with Jesus. “But I would not have you to be ignorant, brethren, concerning them which are asleep, that ye sorrow not, even as others which have no hope. For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so them also which sleep in Jesus will God bring with him. For this we say unto you by the word of the Lord, that we which are alive and remain unto the coming of the Lord shall not prevent them which are asleep. For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first: Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord. Wherefore comfort one another with these words.” (1 Thessalonians 4:13-18) B. How far the blessing of eternity will take believers is too great to imagine but it makes Christians the most hopeful of all people. “Beloved, now are we the sons of God, and it doth not yet appear what we shall be: but we know that, when he shall appear, we shall be like him; for we shall see him as he is. And every man that hath this hope in him purifieth himself, even as he is pure.” (1 John 3:2-3) Dr. Edwin P. Elliott, Jr. The Priesthood of All Believers in Our Hungarian Reformed Churches As Reformed people, Calvinists, we possess a great heritage and tradition in Hungary and in the United States. God has blessed us and our congregations with faithful servants, workers and committed helpers and members. We have good reason for being thankful to God for our spiritual foundations. One of the most important biblical and spiritual foundations of the Reformed Church is the teaching of our Reformer, John Calvin on the “Priesthood of All Believers.” According to the teaching of John Calvin all believers are considered priests, servants of God. The main biblical basis of this doctrine is found in the first letter of Peter: “But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people belonging to God, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light” (1 Pet 2:9 NIV). The Bible is very clear about the calling and mission of the Christians. As members of the Body of Christ we have been entrusted with an important calling and mission. Before Jesus ascended into heaven He entrusted His disciples with the Great Commission. He said to them: “ ... go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you” (Mt 28:18-20 NIV). In the Great Commission Jesus proclaimed to His disciples in a very clear way that the mission of everyone who believes in Him is to make disciples of all nations, whether he is old or young. The calling applies to everybody within the Christian Church. The other biblical base of the doctrine of the “Priesthood of All Believers” can be found in the letter to the Ephesians chapter four. Christ “gave some to be apostles, some to be prophets, some to be evangelists, and some to be pastors and teachers, to prepare God s people for works of service, so that the body of Christ may be built up” (Eph 4:11-12 NIV). God gives His servants to the Church so they could serve His people so that they may grow more and more in their relationship with Jesus Christ and others would also serve Him to the glory of God. This teaching, that every believer is a servant of God, was an important principle of the Reformation of the 16th century. John