Articles
JCOP 19-20 Aspects of the Kingdom of God
The kingdom of God is a vital focus of New Testament revelation. It serves as a basic substructure to much of biblical teaching in the NT no less than in the Old. Its importance is not only apparent by the frequent explicit references made to it, but by the implicit and assumptive use of the concept in much of what the NT teaches. For this reason, a proper appreciation and under-standing of the kingdom of God are essential for a valid understanding of the NT itself.
Integrity is more than we appear to others to be. It has to do with truth in the inner parts(Psa. 51:6), which no others but God and yourself know what is happening. Remember, in the Day of Judgment, God will call into account even the most successfully hidden secrets. He will expose to public scrutiny even what we have whispered in the secret of our friendships and in the inner rooms of our homes (Luke 12:3). Integrity is one of the greatest needs of the church today", says Hughes (123). Of course, he is right. Integrity is apparently something in which the church and its leadership do not engage in sufficiently. We are taken up with appearances, with numbers and with the kind of success that is tangible. We preach that this earth is nothing and that God is not impressed with appearances (I Sam. 16:7), but our actions often betray quite a different view of things. We have forgotten or ignored the high standards which the Gospel teaches and no longer understand aspirations such as those expressed by Tycho Brahe, a Scandinavian astronomer who said that he longed "to be, not to appear to be".
The paper was written in 1989 and the facts provided are an accurate representation of the state of the church in Israel in that year.
Information about Israel is as varied as are the reasons for interest in such. The aim of this report is to present reliable information that is not characterized by exaggeration, wishful thinking or a negative attitude which tends to make light of encouraging signs of progress. Readers will have to judge how successfully the report has achieved that goal. It is hoped that the following information provided will help to dispel some common misconceptions about Jewish evangelism:
The Colossians were devout, serious-minded Christians, willing to forgo earthly pleasures for the Gospel. They were intent on spiritual advancement. All such influences combined in Colossae to form what was understood to be a higher level of spirituality. Yet Paul was displeased and sought to rectify their shortcomings by this letter. Whatever their intentions, their understanding of the Christian Faith made light of Christ and obscured his stupendous glory. History seems to indicate that various forms of the Colossian heresy consistently repeated themselves, hence one of the values of our study. The Colossians developed doctrinal shibboleths and lists of do's and don'ts which served to distinguish between the Truly Faithful and all the others. They considered themselves to be a spiritual elite, in possession of superior knowledge....
Presented to Prof. Tremper Longman III of Westmont Christian College, and Dr. Vered Hillel of the Israel College of the Bible, for a Masters in Biblical Studies, July 2012.
397 pages
This paper will focus on theological issues facing the Church among the Jews in Israel. Such issues are fundamental to the health and future of the Church in Israel. First, reference will be made to numerical factors and to the spread of the Church in Israel. we will then proceed to view what I believe to be major theological issues facing the Church. I will then close by intimating what I consider to be a valid vision for the future, from which I will endeavour to derive some proposals for the Christians vis a vis the Israeli Church's needs and opportunities.
The Messianic Movement has become a familiar feature in the kaleidoscope of shades and colors of those who profess to follow Jesus. What is the Messianic Movement? What is its history? What are its views? How should Christians view this movement? This article will endeavor to answer those questions, however briefly. For a more extensive discussion, readers are referred to my book, Come Let Us Reason Together (Presbyterian and Reformed, 2012).
What is a Jew, What is an Israeli, What is a Christian, The Relations Between the Respective Elements of our Identity, What Israel Truly Needs.
The Biblical Data: The Land, Justice, Practical Implications. The History: The Jewish Problem, The Palestinian Problem, The Intifada, The PLO, Zionism, Jerusalem. The Way Ahead. Hope for Jerusalem. A Brief Response to the Responses. Afterthoughts 1994, Hamas, Israeli Extremism, The next stage, Jerusalem, Territorial Compromise
