The High Cost Of Reformation By Dr. Johnson C. Philip
We stand at a turning point of history today. Several historical events and movements have completed a significant amount of time in history. It is now time to take notice of what all we have achieved and what all we have lost. An awakening is an immediate need.
The historic Protestant Movement has completed five centuries of existance and growth. Tthe movements associated with the Reformation brought freedom from spiritual bondage and tyranny. They brought in an unparalleled era of diligent Bible studies. If spiritual momentum is to continue, we must once again capture the essence of this movement.
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We continue to be encouraged by those who write to us patronize the Biblical Expositor website www.Bible4U.Info. Some of you sent hundreds of copies to your friends as email attachment, and this has resulted in a very large number of visitors to our site. Join hand with us to see BibExpo going to at least 10,000 in 2007, as against the present figure of 5000.
In the last few months many wrote to me and spoke to me about what they loosely term as “Theological Education”. The basic question was, is formal theological education essential. And with all strength I respond, “yes, it is”.
By “formal” here I mean a teaching and training program that someone plans in advance and administers to a group of people. There is no hint of randomness or ad hoc teaching, but rather there is some system or other. If you are getting alarmed, then don’t.
Right from the time the New Testament pattern church movement started, this has been the pattern both in the church as well as in the home. Men taught of the Spirit spent considerable amount of time to study and reflect upon biblical truths and taught them in church according to a definite plan or syllabus in their minds. Fathers did the same thing in their homes. Every church and every home was a seminary. And that was the generation when young children and young believers were thorough in the Scriptures. Their friends dare not question, such was the vigor of faith and confidence in Scriptures they exhibited. And that was the time when we were known as “The People Of The Book”, true bibliophiles.
Obviously, the situation has changed and few assemblies and homes can boast of systematic teaching. But then what has been lost at the level of the foundation is also manifesting at every other levels. Weakened life and witness is the obvious result.
This should not be allowed to go on. Men motivated by the Spirit, men who have a love for the Word, and who are willing to pay any price need to stand up and become Biblical Expositors both in home as well as in Church. And that will bring in a new era when we shall be a strong witness.
Esteemed readers are invited to send us their suggestions and feedback at Calvin@satyam.net.in Questions for obtaining a Bible-based answer should be sent to silasnair@sify.com
Soli Deo Gloria
Dr. Johnson C. Philip
Managing Editor
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We thank all those who continue to write to us and also to patronize the Biblical Expositor website www.Bible4U.Info. Some of you have been sending BibExp to hundreds of your friends, and we are thankful to you. Kindly keep spreading the goodies to all and sundry. Please also remember that the site offers many other free downloads, including Ebooks and MP3 songs. We wish to see BibExp going to at least 10,000 in 2007, as against the present figure of 5000.
For two years I spent a portion of my life in front of a denominational church. And all this time I was amazed to see the eagerness with which people used to visit it as early as 5 AM.
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Doctrine Or Life
We were overwhelmed by the response to the first issue of Biblical Expositor. Thanks everyone who encouraged us through emails and also by calling us. We are awed by the way in which the Lord uses the feeble efforts of His servants to bless many around the world. We are also very much encouraged by the fact that though Biblical Expositor is produced by men from the Brethren Assemblies, it has received warm welcome from numerous non Brethren Bible-students worldwide. We thank God for the way He has endorsed this effort.
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Why This Publication
For last half a dozen years brother Silas C. Nair and I have been discussing the need for a periodical devoted to Expository Teaching. The Arrival of the twentieth century also brought a large number of periodicals devoted to Bible Exposition, and they all were a great blessing to millions around the world. Many of them closed shop towards the close of the century, some due to financial reasons, others because there was no remnant to rise to the occasion, and still others because the vision was no longer conservative.
Coming closer to home, we find the same situation in India. This means that new publications need to come up to fill up this vacuum. Moreover, we need now publications to meet the challenges of twenty-first century economics and the new modes of communication such as the Internet and the Worldwide Web.
We are confident that the new publication will be one step to meet the perceived need. Readers are welcome to download this publication and distribute as widely as possible. We recommend the WinHelp format for wide distribution as these are compact files and very convenient for transmission as email attachments.
Readers are also welcome to send us their questions and suggestions.
Dr. Johnson C. Philip
Managing Editor
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