The lesson Professor Ismail Raji Al-Faruqi taught me that I remember most was not delivered in a classroom.
It was during the mid-1980s w
From India - To Pakistan. "We are not divided" By Justus Chandrabose. India
We live in two different nations which were separated by the name of religion. Both countries strongly are deep in their own religious believes and are willing to be know only by their religious majorities.
Jesus has many disciples in both nations who are paying a great price for their faith in Him.
Christians take many efforts to live by facing perils, persecutions, and tribulations. Moreover they are even rejected from social and legal justice. Christians are not respected as the citizen in their own nation as other people are. Christians are viewed as frauds. Christians are commonly rejected because we follow Christ.
As both nations were formed due to the religious divisions, they too have an in born nature to view Christian as secondary. Jesus said in {Luke 21:17} "and you will be hated by all on accounts of my name." It is true we are hated by them but we have also classification in our Christianity. It is a fact that we differ in doctrines, worship manner etc. But the teaching of our Lord Jesus Christ is same for all of us. Instead we classify as Catholic, Protestant, Methodist, Baptist, Orthodox, Presbyterian, Pentecostal etc.
"Love your enemies" is one of the unique teachings of Jesus. This teaching does not differ in any Christian Church teaching. But mostly we fail to reflect the nature of Jesus by not obeying His teachings, though we differ in doctrines.
Once Gandhiji said "Christian can never make a dent in India unless the Sermon on the Mount becomes their creed" {Matthew 5}. It is really a true statement.
We need to stand in unity and be practical.
According to [I Corinthians 1:10-17] we see that the early church had problems as we have.
Paul, the Man of God stands boldly against it and exhorts them to stand united instead of being scattered. He encourages them to stay back in the spirit of unity and to preach the Crucified Christ. He also reminds them to know their calling [I Corinthians 1:23, 26].
This is what Jesus expects from Christians in both nations. We are not to be divided because Christ was not divided. We are one and one in the body of Christ. In [Mark 13:13] Jesus says
"… and you will be hated by all on accounts by my name, but the one who endures to the end, he shall be saved". Let others divide us but we should not divide ourselves.
Let us stand in the Spirit of unity and serve one another with love by holding hand in hand, facing rejection and division for His glory and for our salvation.
Though we live in a divided nation our hearts are mend as one and we purchased by the precious blood of Christ our Savior. We are not divided but we are divine.
All hail the power of JESUS name. AMEN.
Written By Pastor. Justus Chandrabose, Kerala, India. joshumon@sify.com
Christians take many efforts to live by facing perils, persecutions, and tribulations. Moreover they are even rejected from social and legal justice. Christians are not respected as the citizen in their own nation as other people are. Christians are viewed as frauds. Christians are commonly rejected because we follow Christ.
As both nations were formed due to the religious divisions, they too have an in born nature to view Christian as secondary. Jesus said in {Luke 21:17} "and you will be hated by all on accounts of my name." It is true we are hated by them but we have also classification in our Christianity. It is a fact that we differ in doctrines, worship manner etc. But the teaching of our Lord Jesus Christ is same for all of us. Instead we classify as Catholic, Protestant, Methodist, Baptist, Orthodox, Presbyterian, Pentecostal etc.
"Love your enemies" is one of the unique teachings of Jesus. This teaching does not differ in any Christian Church teaching. But mostly we fail to reflect the nature of Jesus by not obeying His teachings, though we differ in doctrines.
Once Gandhiji said "Christian can never make a dent in India unless the Sermon on the Mount becomes their creed" {Matthew 5}. It is really a true statement.
We need to stand in unity and be practical.
According to [I Corinthians 1:10-17] we see that the early church had problems as we have.
Paul, the Man of God stands boldly against it and exhorts them to stand united instead of being scattered. He encourages them to stay back in the spirit of unity and to preach the Crucified Christ. He also reminds them to know their calling [I Corinthians 1:23, 26].
This is what Jesus expects from Christians in both nations. We are not to be divided because Christ was not divided. We are one and one in the body of Christ. In [Mark 13:13] Jesus says
"… and you will be hated by all on accounts by my name, but the one who endures to the end, he shall be saved". Let others divide us but we should not divide ourselves.
Let us stand in the Spirit of unity and serve one another with love by holding hand in hand, facing rejection and division for His glory and for our salvation.
Though we live in a divided nation our hearts are mend as one and we purchased by the precious blood of Christ our Savior. We are not divided but we are divine.
All hail the power of JESUS name. AMEN.
Written By Pastor. Justus Chandrabose, Kerala, India. joshumon@sify.com
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On demand of our readers, I have decided to release E-Book version of "Trial of Pakistani Christian Nation" on website of PCP which can also be viewed on website of Pakistan Christian Congress www.pakistanchristiancongress.org . You can read chapter wise by clicking tab on left handside of PDF format of E-Book.