Bruderhof wrote:
> Bruderhof wrote:
>
>> "Behold, I am coming soon!" (Rev. 22:7). This word concerns the
>> coming of our Lord and King, Jesus Christ. The word itself permeates
>> the whole of his earthly and super-earthly life, and it may seem too
>> high for our understanding to reach. There are few who can grasp it
>> in its spiritual meaning so that it can play a natural part in their
>> self-understanding and in their living for God. Yet we must recognize
>> that the significance of the life of Jesus and his disciples depends
>> upon the fulfillment of these words. Those people built upon them as
>> a firm ground by which the results of their activity would be
>> guaranteed. But also, all the later disciples of Jesus who carry in
>> their hearts the kingdom of God on earth as the goal of the Christian
>> community are directed by these words to hope for the future return
>> of their Lord. Without that, it is useless to hope that the community
>> of God, his justice and truth, will come upon earth.
>>
>
> "Behold, I am coming soon!" This saying divides the history of the
> Christian community into two periods: first, the foretime, and then,
> the time of the actual kingdom of God. The Savior himself is the
> beginning, the Alpha, and the end, the Omega. With the coming of the
> Savior in the flesh, the foretime has begun; all people should know
> this, for they are living in it. In this time we have the gospel, "the
> power of God for salvation to everyone who has faith" (Rom. 1:16).
> With this, the kingdom of God is announced; and through its prophets
> it is founded upon earth.
>
However, the reign of God in Christ has not yet fully penetrated our
world. It has made only a quiet beginning in those who believe, and is
yet unknown to the world. The faithful are but few. All the rest of
mankind, the m*****, even though they hear the gospel are still under the
reign of sin and death, because they are not yet able and willing to
break loose from it.
--
Christoph Friedrich Blumhardt
www.blumhardts.com
|
