The Rapture and The Bride

Adult Sunday School - Part 13 - The Rapture and The Bride

The rapture refers to a group of Christians, known as the Bride of Christ, leaving the earth, in their transformed, bodies, whilst alive, to go to Heaven, in order to  be the bride at the Marriage of the Lamb.

It is not spelled out in detail in the Bible, but we have quite a few scriptures which hints at it, and there are many stories and prophecies out of which we can learn about it.

Religion versus Spirituality

There is a new kid on the block (or is it on the blog) called Spirituality, and I wonder whether 99% of the people who go for this new gimmick, really know what it is and what they are letting themselves in for. It is quite nice and hip and cool and fashionable these days, when you are not religious, to at least say or admit that you are spiritual. It is even more hip to state that you are trying to come into contact with your spiritual side, much the same as people get into contact with their sensual side.

Absalom

Adult Sunday School - Part 12 -  Absalom

We looked previously as Joseph as a type for Jesus Christ, and we find the same type of story repeated in another form with another person named Absalom.

It starts strikingly in form of Absalom was the son of David. 2 Sa 13:1  And it came to pass after this, that Absalom the son of David ... Compare this with : Mark 10:48  And many charged him that he should hold his peace: but he cried the more a great deal, Thou Son of David, have mercy on me. So they both were sons of David prophetically speaking.

Let my people go

Adult Sunday School - Part 11 - Let my people go 

by P.K.Odendaal - August 2012

Now that we have learnt what a type is and how one story is mapped to another, we can look at Exodus and Revelation, in which Exodus is mapped to Revelation. Both have the central theme of releasing God's people from bondage into bliss.

To understand this story we must start with what belongs to whom.

God has made the earth and it belonged to Him, but He decided to give dominion over it, without any strings attached, to Adam and Eve, to dress and to keep: Gen 1:26  And God said, Let us make man in our image, after our likeness: and let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over the cattle, and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that creepeth upon the earth.

Santa Claws?

When conclusions are drawn about the origin of Santa Claus, extreme statements should be avoided. This short article has shown that the modern Santa Claus has been shaped by many factors and is a conglomeration of myths and legends. I feel compelled, however, to make several observations.

First, it is absolutely inaccurate to claim that "Santa Claus is a Christian" or that "Santa Claus is St. Nicholas." Though it is true that the historical St. Nicholas was a Christian man, the preceding has shown that the modern Santa Claus has nothing to do with Nicholas of Myra, other than his name. The modern Santa Claus has been greatly influenced by the custom of "the visit of St. Nicholas," in which the saint would show up on the eve of his Feast Day to give gifts to children. 

Revenge

Adult Sunday School - Part 9 : Revenge

We have seen that the law had to come, and that minimised but partly legitimised revenge, although it was not meant to. It was meant to give redress only.

But, despite this, mankind persisted in revenge on a grand scale, and we have only to look as Samson to see this. Samson is out type for revenge, because that is more or less what his life consisted of. And the sad part was that he was such a man of God called a Nazarite.

Why read the Bible?

Because it’s message is true and timeless:

All men are like wild grass and all their glory is like it’s flower. The grass dies, it’s flower falls off, but the Word of the Lord remains forever. 1 Peter 1:24-25

The Words of the Lord are true and all His works are dependable. Psalm 33:4

Because it is God’s inspired Word:

All Scripture is inspired by God and is useful for teaching the truth, rebuking error, correcting faults and giving instruction for right living. 2 Tim 3:16

You will do well by paying attention to it, because it is like a lamp shining in a dark place, until the day dawns and the light of the morning star shines in your hearts. For no prophetic message ever came just from the will of man, but men were carried along by the Holy Spirit as they spoke the message that came from God. 2 Peter 1:19-21

The Blood of Jesus Christ

The phrase "blood of Christ" refers to the Work of Jesus Christ on the Cross. Blood represents judgment - the judgment for our sins while Christ was bearing them on the Cross (His spiritual death). The physical death of the animal in the Old Testament sacrifices is analogous to the spiritual death of Christ.

"Who his own self bare our sins in his own body on the tree, that we, being dead to sins, should live unto righteousness: by whose stripes ye were healed." 1 Pet. 2:24

Joseph as a type for (of) Jesus

Adult Sunday School - Part 8 - Joseph as a type for (of) Jesus

- by P.K.Odendaal - August 2012

We find the story of Joseph in Genesis chapters 30 to 50, and nowhere else in the Bible has one man gotten so much coverage as Joseph, except Jesus Christ, and the point is that it is a very important story. Not so important as a story of Joseph, but much more importantly, as a foreshadow of the story of Jesus Christ.

The story of Joseph contains numerous intrigues, prophecies, examples and lessons interspersed with the best mankind has in terms of courage, long-suffering, forgiveness and love - characteristics we find in Jesus Christ himself. So we are not going to read this story as a story of Joseph. We are going to delve deeper into it and regard it as a story of the life and times of Jesus Christ.

Baptism in water

It is the identification with the Death and Resurrection of Christ . Baptism was ordained to have a unifying effect on members of the body of Christ. Baptism should not be an empty ritual – an outward act carried over from past traditions. Baptism should carry meaning and have a positive effect upon the believer. “Being Born Again” is only the beginning of the life in Christ.

The words themselves imply a beginning – and growth! Salvation is a process the believer now launched upon. This is the salvation process – being rooted out of this evil world and moved on toward completeness in Christ.