Magyar Egyház, 2001 (80. évfolyam, 1-3. szám)
2001 / 1. szám
MAGYAR EGYHÁZ 5. oldal THE HEAVENLY MAN In Genesis chapter 4:1-5, the Bible says that Eve bore two sons, Cain and Abel. When they became adults, each one was instructed by God to bring an offering to the Lord. Abel brought the firstlings of his flock and of their fat. The Lord respected Abel and his offering. However, Cain was tiller of the ground and he brought before the Lord an offering consisting of fruit. The Lord was displeased and did not respect his offering, thus Cain was angry that his brother was accepted and he was not. Genesis 4:6-8,so the Lord said to Cain, “Why are you angry? And why has your countenance fallen? “If you do well, will you not be accepted? And if you do not well, sin lies at your door. And its desire is for you, but you should rule over it.” Despite God’s intense warning, Cain killed his brother. Abel may have died a physical death, but because of sin and its desire for Cain, he died a spiritual death. James 1:14-15, Each one if tempted when he is drawn away by his own desires and enticed. Then, when desire has conceived, it brings birth to sin; and sin, when it is full-grown, brings forth death. Did you know that sin lies at your door? And its desire is to rule over you? Knowing this, God had to do something to keep us from being like Cain. God sent us his Son. Now it is our turn to live in the flesh in this sinful laden world. Satan still tempts us and desires are still conceived and we are no more righteous than Cain, but we do have one in-measurable advantage over Cain. 1 Corinthians 15:3-4, For I delivered to you first of all that which I also received: that Christ died for our sins according to scriptures, and that He was buried, and He rose again the third day according to the scriptures. 1 Corinthians 15:14, And if Christ is not risen, then our preaching is vain and your faith is also vain, Vs 17...you are still in your sins! Fortunately, we are not those who doubt, but believe and receive God’s redemption only through His Son Jesus Christ. Who died not for the righteous, (can you name one who is?) but the ungodly. And now sin has no power over me, not only in the flesh, but also in the grave! Paul continues to write in 1 Corinthians 15:20-22, But now Christ is risen from the dead, and has become the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep. For since by man came death, by Man also came the resurrection of the dead. For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ all shall be made alive. Did Cain realize that it was his father Adam who brought sin into this world through disobedience in the Garden? And with this act of disobedience, it brought death to every generation thereafter, but praise God we have victory in Jesus! Paul said, when a Christian dies physically, he is asleep, we can’t die spiritually because we have the blood of Jesus that washes away all sin. You may have noticed the word firstfruits. It simply means He was the first to conquer the grave because it could not hold Him down as it did to all the saints who died before Him. Then He ascended to His Father and our Father (John 10:17) awaiting the Day when there will be a shout in heaven. The trumpet shall sound and the dead (asleep) in Christ will rise, and we who are alive shall be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air, 1 Thessalonians 4:16- 17. How important is Easter? It is so important that the very backbone of our Christianity is based on Jesus’ resurrection. For without it Paul said our faith is futile and our sin remains. Let me close with this passage of scripture. 1 Corinthians 15:45- 49, It is written, The first man Adam became a living being.” The last Adam (Jesus) became a life giving spirit. The first man was of the earth, made of dust; the second Man is the Lord from heaven...And as we have borne the image of the man of dust, we shall also bear the image of the heavenly Man. In this Easter celebration let us remember. I have been crucified with Christ; it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me (Galatians 2:20). Pastor Ken Sausman American Hungarian Reformed Church Youngstown, Ohio THE SURVIVAL OF THE HUNGARIAN REFORMED CHURCHES IS AT STAKE IN YUGOSLAVIA Bishop István Csete-Szemesi has appealed to sister churches in the Reformed family to help the Reformed Christian Church in Yugoslavia (JRKE) by holding special collections. After 10 years of warfare, the Yugoslav economy has declined so precipitously as to make its citizens the poorest in Europe, according to The Economist. As a Hungarian minority church, the JRKE has been little able to influence events in Yugoslavia, but its survival is now at stake. Church members cannot support the church when their own survival is not sure. Monies raised for the church should be sent by bank transfer to: Jugoszláviai Református Keresztyén Egyház, Account no. 661-03010-4100- 4071, at Magyar Kereskedelmi Bank Rt., Kölcsey u. 8, H-6720 Szeged, Hungary.
