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His Grace is Truly Amazing!

"But he spoke more vehemently, "If I have to die with You, I will not deny You!" And they all said likewise." (Mark 14:31). There are many times that we make strong resolves and many times that we fail. But, the Lord knew us even before we made those resolves, and loved us despite of our failures. His Grace is truly Amazing!!

Four Principles of Rational Fideism

From Epistemics of Divine Reality Principles of Rational Fideism Four principles of rational fideism will be discussed here. The principles follow from the subjective-objective hypothesis of rational fideism and the discussion of the Indian criterion. The principles are as follows: Consistency is not the same as conceivability. The rationality of Revelation requires the consistency of its content. However, the inability to conceptualize the Divine as reported by Revelation cannot be qualification for its rejection as being inconsistent. Conceptions are basically empirical. Therefore, an attempt to conceptualize the Divine is tantamount to doing empirical epistemics and not rational fideistic epistemics. To cite as an example, it is evident that the doctrine of Trinity must not be approached empirically. For that will only lead to frustration. Consistency is not the same as correspondence; for in that case, the positivist law of verification would determine theological justifiability. B

The Trinity and the Existential Paradox of Reality

From Epistemics of Divine Reality (2007, 2011) pp. 213-214 The Trinitarian perspective of the Divine as Triune (Unity in Trinity) and the image of God in man as a social unity of plurality (‘male and female…multiply…have dominion’) has been seen as one way of resolving this existential dilemma of unity-plurality. The Divine Community created the human community in its own image of unity in plurality, a concept that cannot be explained fully in either rational or empirical terms. The existential element that harmonizes the paradoxical senses is the divinely rooted gift of Love. Love is neither rational nor irrational, it is trans-rational, it is spiritual (‘the fruit of the Spirit’). It flows from Divine Nature, the Trinity, and resolves the confoundedness of sin-stricken humanity. Sin brings confusion, [1] according to the Bible, because of its revolt against relationships for the sake of the ego, that wants to be autonomous. It begins with a revolt against the Divine Community, which

The Importance of the Doctrine of Trinity

1. Ground of Morality Provides the rational-eternal basis for moral categories - If God was a not a Trinity, then categories such as love, joy, and goodness couldn't be absolute. 2. Ground of Relationality Provides the relational basis for interpersonal relationships. Therefore, Christ could pray regarding His disciples, "that they may be one, as We are" (Joh. 17:11). 3. Ground of Knowability Provides the rational-empirical basis for epistemic categories - if God was not a Trinity, then the knowledge as a subject-object relationship, as analytic-synthetic distinction, and Truth as such couldn't find an original ground. 4. Ground of Plurality Provides the metaphysical ground for a pluralist reality, and unity in diversity of the uni-verse.

त्रिएकता की महत्‍वपूर्णता

संजयनगर त्रिएकता का सिद्धांत बाईबल में बडा महत्‍व रखता है। यह न केवल तर्कसंगत है बल्कि बाईबल आधारित है। 1. त्रिएकता सदगुण का आधार है सदगुणों का अस्तित्‍व आनादीकाल से है। वे अनंत है इस कारण से निरपेक्ष्‍ा है। वे अनंत इस लिए है क्‍यों कि उनका अस्तित्‍व त्रिएकता परमेश्‍वर में है। परमेश्‍वर निर्गुण नही है। अगर वैसा होता तो भलाई और बुराई, शुभ एवं अशुभ का कोई शास्‍वत अर्थ नही रहता। बाईबल बताती है कि परमेश्‍वर प्रेम है। और प्रेम अनेकता में एकता का सदगुण है। यदी परमेश्‍वर जगत के निर्माण से पहले अकेला ही होता तो प्रेम अर्थहीन होता क्‍योंकि फिर वह किस से प्रेम करता। फिर प्रेम स्‍वयं एक लौकिक आवश्‍यकता बनती और इसका आलौकिक आधार नही होता। अनादीकाल से पिता, पुत्र, एवं पवित्रात्‍मा की एकता ही सदगुण का अनंत आधार है। 2. त्रिएकता संबंध का आधार है भाषा में भी हम तीन व्‍यक्तित्‍व का प्रयोग जानते है। मै, तुम, और वह। अनंतकाल से त्रिएक परमेश्‍वर आत्‍मा का प्रेम के संबंध में एक है। यही एैक्‍य मनुष्‍यों में भी प्रेम पर आधारित रिश्‍तों का आधार है। यह एकता अहम रहित है। यही सच्‍ची संगती और सहभागिता का आधार भी है।

Explorations of Faith - Studies of the Heroes of Faith in Hebrews 11

Number of Pages: 185 Dimensions: 5.5 inch x 8.5 inch Read/Download at Scribd Buy Paperback or Download PDF in India Explorations of Faith is a study of the Heroes of Faith in Hebrews 11. It makes a deep theological analysis of the Biblical concept of Faith and pursues an understanding of it through the experiences and lives of these ordinary men and women with faith in an extraordinary God.

Seminary, Theology, and the Preacher

Someone recently told me that their Church is against Seminary trained preachers, and against theologians. I replied that this was incredible. A preacher without theology is like a pilot without map and compass. A casual glance at history reveals these great leaders, Paul, Luther, Calvin, Wesley, Finney, and others, all theologians. And, Spurgeon didn't go to Seminary, but he had theology that was rigorous because he was a rigorous self-learner all his life. In order to condemn bad theology, you must need good theology in the first place. Or, else you're worse than an existentialist. A theologian without the Bible, however, is like a plane that has lost contact with the ground -- it can't land!

Books Vs Bible

There is one problem that I usually face with the educated. "Have you read this book" or "...that book", they ask, while never quoting or referring much to the Bible, almost to the extent that one begins to feel reading the Bible is too simple; and, yes it is, because it is God's Word to Every Man. But, I can hardly skim through most of these books, while I can drink every letter of the Word of God and be highly energized! Have you read your Bible today?

What is Life? - Sermon

Text: John 10:10 Mon. Sept. 12, 2011. Sanjaynaga r 1. Life is a Gift It is a gift of God. What we do with a gift shows how much we regard the Giver. Some keep old letters as a treasure, because it was written by a special one whom they love. Some treasure autographs. God has given us the gift of life. Let's live it in honor of Him. Never despise any fellow being or life-form, for God has created them all. Jesus said if we call our brother a fool or Raca, we will be in danger of hell fire. Never forget that all life is a gift from God and must be received as such. 2. Life is a Mission We are not here just out of nowhere, thrown in, without any purpose, meaning, or destiny. God has created us with a purpose, and this life is all about fulfilling that purpose, to know Him and glorify Him. We must not look at life as complete and rounded in itself. It is not the end, but only a means for the fulfillment of a mission, which is the Kingdom of God in our lives. Are we living with God

Glory of the Son - Part 4

JOHN 17:1 "Father, the hour has come. Glorify Your Son, that Your Son also may glorify You.” Intro We saw 1. Revelation of Glory (John 1:17) 2. Foretaste of Glory (2 Cor.3:18) 3. Christ in us, Hope of Glory (Col.1:27) 4. Christ Glorified in the Disciple’s Death to Self 5. Christ Glorified in the Disciple’s Pursuit of Him 6. Christ Glorified in the Disciple’s Full-Hearted Service 7. The Son Glorified through Love in His Body 8. The Son Glorified through Care in His Body 9. The Son Glorified through Unity in His Body JOHN 1:14: The Glory of the Son 1 Jn.1:1-2 1. The Glory of His Unction Acts 10:38 – How God anointed Jesus… But His anointing was not on earth He was foreordained – from the foundation CHRISTOS – The Anointed One Not an but the Anointed One The Glorious Ordination Service of Christ (Heb.1:8-14) The Declaration (Heb.5:4-6,10) The Order (Heb. 7:1-24): According to Promise and Not According to Law (i.e. not Aaronic) 1. It is Eternal: Melchizedekian Order (v.3, Without Begi

Glory of the Son - Part 3 (Glory in the Church, His Body)

JOHN 17:1 "Father, the hour has come. Glorify Your Son, that Your Son also may glorify You.” Intro We saw 1. The Revelation of His Glory (John 1:17) 2. The Foretaste of Glory (2 Cor.3:18) 3. Christ in us, Hope of Glory (Col.1:27) 4. Christ Glorified Through Our Dying to Self And Living To Him 5. Christ Glorified Through Our Following Him 6. Christ Glorified Through Our Serving Him Heb.12: Looking beyond the Cross for the Joy: The hour when the Son will be glorified. The victory lay on the focus beyond the Cross. JOHN 13:1-17: Christ Glorified in His Body, the Church Eph.3:21; Jn. 17:10 1. Christ is Glorified When There is Love Among Each Other in the Body John 13:34,35 - Loving your own (your God, your neighbor, your spouse….) Jn.4:20,21 - Loving to the end (1Cor.13: Love’s First Characteristic – “suffereth long”; Love’s Last Characteristic – “never faileth” E.g. Jesus loved Peter to the end Learning to forgive (Eph.4:31) – without knots (worldly love when once broken can never be

Glory of the Son - Part 2 (Glorifying God through Service)

JOHN 17:1 "Father, the hour has come. Glorify Your Son, that Your Son also may glorify You.” Intro We saw 1. Revelation of Glory (John 1:17) 2. Foretaste of Glory (2 Cor.3:18) 3. Christ in us, Hope of Glory (Col.1:27) JOHN 12: GLORIFYING CHRIST THROUGH TRUE DISCIPLESHIP-SERVICE John 12:23-26 1. To Serve Means to First Die “He that loves life…” - Dying to Self - Dying to other interests/affections - Dying to other commitments Becoming a zero (Phil. 2) Humble yourself and He will lift you up E.g. Sadhu Kishan Singh while on journey through Himalayas. The heat of carrying that person on his back kept him from freezing; but, his friend who was in a hurry and wanted to save himself was found frozen to death. JESUS CHRIST – THE WHEAT/SEED: Dies and falls to the ground in order to bear fruit Do you glorify your Master by dying to the world and living for Him? Paul: CROSS: The Great Divider (Gal. 6:14) 2. To Serve Means to Follow - Being Where He Is - Learning What He Wills/Desires - Doi

Glory of the Son - Part 1 (Cana Episode)

JOHN 17:1 “Father, the hour has come. Glorify Your Son, that Your Son also may glorify You.” Intro John uses some important terms again and again: Light, Truth, Love, Glory, Hour We will look at some events where Jesus talks about this hour… THE CANA EPISODE: REVELATION OF HIS GLORY John 2 1. God’s Hour Why did He say “What have I to do with thee?” A Ministry that is - Not compelled by need - Not compelled by passion - Not compelled by circumstances - But by the Hour of God Mary is the earthly mother, but the ministry belongs to the Eternal Father. He was faithful as a Son (Heb 5) He was obedient to death (Phil 2) Dr. Kurien Thomas: I am a servant, but not a servant of men; I am servant of God. 2. Christ’s Glory Why did He turn the water into wine? Why didn’t He turn the stones into bread in the wilderness? Why choose to do this miracle in a remote country like Cana? Why not start in Jerusalem? Answer: To reveal His glory to His disciples Some of His miracles were simply just for His d

Love Keeps No Record of Wrongs (1Cor.13:5)

THERE is an ancient proverb in Hindi which says Rahiman dhaga prem ka mat todevu chatkai, Tootei to phir na miley, miley ganth parijai. [Do not snap the thread of love o Rahim; For, if it breaks it can't be be joined; and if joined, it leaves a knot.] It is not easy to forget the wrongs that someone has done against us. And, even when we get reconciled sometimes, there is some knot, some painful reminder, some grudge that is left behind. But, the Bible teaches us that we need to learn not only to forgive, but also to forget the hurt, or else the reconciliation is not perfect. Divine love, the fruit of the Holy Spirit (not of our own self), makes that possible. When Jesus forgave us, He kept no record of our wrongs. The Psalmist says "As far as the east is from the west, so far has He removed our transgressions from us" (Psa 103:12). The prophet Micah could say "You will cast all our sins into the depths of the sea (Mic.7:19). Isaiah could say "You have cast all

10-Fold Power of Faith

Sunday, Sept 4, 2011 Pentecostal Church, Sanjaynagar Jesus said that if you had faith like a mustard seed, you would tell a mountain to be removed and cast into the sea and it would obey. Faith has tremendous power; but, faith unrelated to truth is blind and false. At the same time, truth that is not believed in is ineffective. Faith also must be obeyed through works, or else it is dead. Faith combined with truth and works has great power. 1. Faith has SAVING power (Acts 16:31; Rom.1:16) 2. Faith has PURIFYING power (Acts 15:9) 3. Faith gives power for LIVING (Gal.2:20; Rom.1:17) 4. Faith has PRAYING power (Mt.21:22; Jas.5:15) 5. Faith has OVERCOMING power (1Jn.4:4,5) 6. Faith has HEALING & MIRACLE-WORKING power (Jas.5:15; Matt.9:28) 7. Faith has PROTECTING power (Eph.6:16) 8. Faith has PRESERVING power (1Pet.1:5) 9. Faith has UPBUILDING power (Jude 20) 10. Faith has UNITING power (Ep.4:13)

FOLLOW ME - Bible Study

NGORA, Shillong August 2011 F  O  L  L  O  W F - Fixed-mindedness Ps.57:7; Jas.1:5-7 O - Orientation of Life Col. 1:16-21; Eph.1:10 L - Listening Ears Jn. 8:43; 10:35ff L - Learning Heart Jas.3:13-18 O - Obedient Will 1Jn.1:3-6; 5:3; Jn.14:23,24 W - Witness of Christ Acts.1:8; Lk.9:26; Ro.1:16