Circular Letter October - December 2014

“Jesus Christ the same yesterday, and to day, and for ever.” (Heb 13:8)

Warmest greetings to all Brothers and Sisters worldwide in the precious Name of our Lord Jesus Christ with His Own words from the high-priestly prayer:

“I have glorified thee on the earth: I have finished the work which thou gavest me to do.” (Jn 17:4).

After all, it was God’s counsel: “… having made peace through the blood of his cross, by him to reconcile all things unto himself; by him …” (Col 1:19-20a).

The following has also become true for all eternity: “In the body of his flesh through death, to present you holy and unblameable and unreproveable in his sight …” (Col 1:22)

His victory is our victory. “And having spoiled principalities and powers, he made a shew of them openly, triumphing over them in it.” (Col 2:15).

“From henceforth expecting till his enemies be made his footstool. For by one offering he hath perfected forever them that are sanctified.” (Heb 10:13-14).

The resurrection of the Lord was the visible evidence and the triumph that death, hell, and Satan are conquered. In his first sermon, Peter made reference to what is written already in Ps 16:8-11: “Because thou wilt not leave my soul in hell, neither wilt thou suffer thine Holy One to see corruption.” (Acts 2:27).

The risen Lord could proclaim the message of victory unto His Own: “All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth.” (Mat 28:18). At the Rapture, we shall likewise exclaim: “But thanks be to God, who giveth us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.” (1 Cor 15:57).

Our Redeemer has finished the work of redemption as it is written in Isa 42:1-4 and confirmed in Mat 12:17-21. Even a smoking flax shall He not quench until He has completed all things and has sent forth judgment unto victory with all the overcomers. Amen.

After our Lord spoke with the apostles for forty days about the Kingdom of God (Acts 1:1-8) following His glorious resurrection, He was taken up to heaven in a cloud before their eyes (v. 9). Right after, two men in white garments stood by them and declared, “Ye men of Galilee, why stand ye gazing up into heaven? this same Jesus, which is taken up from you into heaven, shall so come in like manner as ye have seen him go into heaven.” (vv. 10-11).

Our Lord remained with them “Until the day in which he was taken up, after that he through the Holy Ghost had given commandments unto the apostles whom he had chosen …” (Acts 1:2).

In doing so, He placed the emphasis on the promise of the Father (vv. 4-5), namely to be baptized and filled with the Holy Ghost and thereby receive the divine power to be His witnesses. Then He was taken up in a cloud before their eyes. According to the Scripture, He will return in like manner, and we shall be caught up in the clouds to meet Him in the air (1 Ths 4:17) – not somewhere on earth.

In Acts 2 we read the report about the outpouring of the Holy Spirit, as already announced in the Prophet Joel, chapter 2, and by John the Baptist with the following words: “… he shall baptize you with the Holy Ghost, and with fire …” (Mat 3:11). It was also confirmed by our Lord: “For John truly baptized with water; but ye shall be baptized with the Holy Ghost not many days hence.” (Acts 1:5). The first sermon right afterward about repentance, faith, water baptism, and baptism with the Holy Spirit is the forever valid pattern in the Church of God. On account of the proclamation, three thousand believers were added that very same day. Then follow the four distinguishing features of the early Church: “And they continued stedfastly in the apostles’ doctrine and fellowship, and in breaking of bread (Lord’s Supper), and in prayers.” (Acts 2:42).

The doctrine of the apostles was in absolute agreement with what the prophets had foretold. Therefore the Church is built “… upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ himself being the chief corner stone …” (Eph 2:20).

For all those who are part of the true Church of the living God, it was and still is very important to only believe what the Scripture says and adhere to what it teaches. The Bride of the Lamb (Rev 19:7) is a Bride of the Word and has absolutely nothing to do with private interpretations (2 Pt 1:20). In Rev 21:4 John saw the New Jerusalem coming down, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. The Holy City has a wall with 12 gates, upon which the names of the 12 tribes of Israel are inscribed. The wall has 12 foundation stones that bear the names of the twelve apostles of the Lamb.

It is good to know that the Redeemer has only one Church, which is His body (1 Cor 12:12-31), which He Himself builds (Mat 16:16-18), and which He redeemed by His blood (Eph 1:7), “That he might present it to himself a glorious church, not having spot, or wrinkle, or any such thing; but that it should be holy and without blemish.” (Eph 5:27).