I've been thinking about 2 things recently: Fellowship and Salvation
First of all, what does fellowship mean?
I like what Charles Colson & Ellen Vaughn write in Being the Body
As the book of Acts depicts so beautifully, the Christians of the first churches were of one heart, sharing their material possessions and caring for their brothers and sisters in need. Surrounded by a hostile culture and convinced that Christ was returning soon, they enjoyed the intimacy of shared lives, common cause, and deep friendships that crossed the social and economic barriers of their day. Ordinary believers whose lives had been transformed by the power of Jesus, they truly were what they called themselves; the communio sanctorum-the communion of saints....
Surveys show that the number-one thing people look for in a church today is fellowship. But what most modern Westerners seek is a far cry from that the Bible describes and what the early church practiced. No term in the Christian lexicon is more abused than fellowship...
But the word for "fellowship" in the New Testament Greek, koinonia, means neither punch and cookies nor cookie-cutter Christians. It conveys something richer. Literally it means "a communion", a participation of people together in God's grace. It describes a new community in which individuals willingly covenant to share in common, to be in submission to each other, to support one another and "bear one another's burdens,"as Paul wrote to the Galatians, and to build each other up in relationship with the Lord.
You see, what makes people see the difference in us? We as a group of people who live our lives differently and sacrifice for each other- that is love that God called us to have for each other, and how ple know that Christ is alive in us. A community...a new community of believers.
I've also been thinking about salvation and repentance. Out of curiosity that Jonathan Edwards was mentioned many times in the books that I was reading, I went to google for his sermons- and the most famous one being "Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God", preached at Enfield, which stirred the hearts of mean and women. People repented of their sins, came to God and revival broke thru the land. That was in 1739-1740, the start of the Great Awakening in America.
How does revival come about? I believe that revival comes when there is repentance. People come to God and say that they are sorry for their sins, and there is a contrite heart, and a fear of God because He is so Holy. I was scanning thru the sermon by Edwards, and the whole sermon was filled with hell fire & God's judgement on sinners, and yet how He is merciful to keep us alive. And I was pretty shocked. Esp when I compare it with today's evangelistic sermons that focus mostly on God's love, come to Him...He loves u, and if you are a sinner He will forgive u etc. Don't get me wrong, I am sure God is a loving God. Its just that sometimes the sermons can get so watered down that even if people respond, there may not be genuine repentance...a genuine contrite heart that recognises one has sinned. Because receiving Christ, is not just coming to blessings and God's love, but these come, as we repent of our past and sins, and acknowledge that we need God. So its not just about lovely musicals or sermons on the prodigal son. But impt-that ple realise that God is Holy and that we are so in need of Him.
And yes, when we talk abt evangelising to people, we mustn't be afraid to speak to them abt Christ. And sometimes we may even be offensive to them. I believe that whatever Peter and Paul said were offensive to the jews. Repent of yr sins!! Those that u worship are idols! They are lifeless! And they dared to share boldly of Christ. And then the Word cuts thru the hearts of the people, and we realise how wretched we are without God.
