The potential of being born again
Buch in deiner Nähe kaufen
Beschreibung
I once had a conversation with a man in Germany about the fact that in today’s world it is estimated that there are more than 44,000 Christian denominations. He was astonished because in Germany most people believe that there are only the Roman Catholic, Lutheran, Baptist and a few other churches or denominations. Then he asked me with genuine interest, ‘And which is the correct one?’ I answered by asking another question: ‘Which is the correct flower in a colourful mixed bouquet?’ The answer was and is obvious.
The Believer and Church are intended to first help Christians understand and accept their new identity in Christ, and then to recognise and fully embrace their role in the great bouquet of flowers that is the Church. Each flower has to reach the conclusion that it is infinitely beautiful and precious. It does not have to be another flower, nor does it need to be compared with the others. Only by recognising and accepting its own identity can it be a useful blessing to allow the whole Body to function efficiently. ‘Just as a body, though one, has many parts, but all its many parts form one body, so it is with Christ’ (1 Corinthians 12:12). Christians who have advanced to maturity understand who they are, what they have and what their role is in the Church. The ‘I’ will develop its full potential when it becomes part of a bigger ‘we’.
This full realisation is prevented on the one hand by ignorance, oblivion and disbelief, and pride and fear on the other. A few years ago I read the story of a tramp that was found dead in a large city in the United States. Upon reviewing the case, the authorities found $23,000 in his belt, but he had died of starvation. Obviously, either he did not know he was carrying a treasure, or he had forgotten about it. The same can happen to many Christians who ignore or forget the masterpiece of redemption that God completed through Jesus Christ for their benefit. Most Christians have limited their understanding of the gospel to the forgiveness of sin and the hope of going to heaven one day. They ignore or have forgotten that the main mission of the Church is not to take people to heaven, but to bring heaven to people, ‘your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven’ (Matthew 6:10).
Others, realising that in reality the Christian life is much more than receiving forgiveness, do not believe that these truths and promises are applicable to their lives. Their unbelief prevents their advancement and growth, for the Bible tells us that ‘the righteous shall live by faith.’ It is difficult to have more than what one has decided to believe in. Regarding their participation in the Church, many miss the blessing of reaching their full potential out of pride or fear. Pride is the most dangerous attitude, since ́God resists the proud ́. In the original language of the New Testament (Greek), the word translated as ‘resist’ in English is a military term: God will take action against the proud. Pride is the main sin of Satan who wanted to ‘shine’ brighter than God and His creation (Isaiah 14:12-14). The Christian who wants to live out his or her full potential will have to have a humble heart and seek how to serve the Body of Christ in the best way. Every Christian must be free from the fear of suffering losses by surrendering fully to divine service, knowing that according to Acts 20:35 ́giving is more blessed than receiving ́.
The Believer and Church then, can help you to better understand that you are unique, precious, useful, meaningful, loved and appreciated in heaven, so that you can invest yourself in the Church in order to leave your traces on Earth.
Hans-Claus Ewen
Kirchberg (Hunsrück), Germany.
Autor*in
Hans-Claus Ewen
Hans-Claus Ewen was born in 1958 near Trier, Germany. He grew up in a Catholic home, but during his time in high school he became an atheist. Always in search of the truth, he travelled a lot during his adolescence, visiting 18 countries of the world by the time he was 18 years old.
On a long trip through the United States in 1978, he had the experience of hearing the voice of God in an audible way. Although he still did not believe in Jesus Christ, this experience marked a change in his life. Travelling through Mexico, the desire was born to stay in that country and go to university there. With this goal in mind, he went to Guatemala to study Spanish in February 1979. He fell in love with one of his teachers, Teresa Aracely López, and ended up staying there. Before getting married in July 1980, he had another encounter that changed his life: the missionary, Elliott Tepper, spoke to him about the gospel and Hans accepted it gladly, as he had finally found the truth he had been looking for in the person of Jesus Christ.
In 1980 and 1982, Hans and Teresa attended two Youth with a Mission schools in the United States and Colombia. Together with Guatemalan pastor, Julio Sosa, he founded the Tabernáculo de la Fe church in Huehuetenango, Guatemala. At the end of 1989, God guided the couple to return to live in Germany with their two daugh- ters. After several years of work and study they returned to full-time ministry in 1998. In 2000, the Christliches Zentrum Hunsrück church was founded in Kirchberg, and in 2004, the Oase (Oasis) church in Kastellaun.
In addition to his pastoral ministry, Hans has always poured himself into the teaching of the Word of God. Being trilingual, he has preached and taught in 13 countries of the world, and has given several courses in various biblical institutes.
In 2008, his first wife Teresa died after almost 28 years of marriage, causing a time of great pain. Not having the gift of being able to live alone, God allowed him to find his second wife, Ester, a Sicilian born in Germany. Hans says that with his wives he has been blessed to ‘win the lottery’ twice.
Themen in »The potential of being born again«
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