Difference between revisions of "Main Page"

From WikiChristian
Jump to navigation Jump to search
(Tag: 2017 source edit)
 
(374 intermediate revisions by 15 users not shown)
Line 1: Line 1:
For God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten Son that whoever believes in him should not perish, but have eternal life ... ([[John 3:16]])''
+
<div style='text-align: right;'><small>[[Site-navigation|Menu]]</small></div>
  
'''[[The essence of Christianity|Go to the contents page entitled The essence of Christianity]]'''
+
__NOEDITSECTION__
 +
{| border="0" cellspacing="5" cellpadding="8"
 +
| colspan="2" style="background-color:#fcfcfc;border:1px solid #ccc;margin-top:.7em;" |
 +
{| style="width:100%;background-color:#fcfcfc;" border="0"
 +
| style="width:100%;color:#000" |
 +
{| style="width:100%;border:solid 0px;background:none"
 +
|-     
 +
| style="padding-left: 12px;text-align:center;white-space:nowrap;color:#000" |
 +
<div style="font-size:162%;border:none;margin: 0;padding:.1em;color:#000">
 +
[[Image:Wooden_cross.jpg|right|40px]]
 +
Welcome to [[Project:About|WikiChristian]]
 +
</div>
 +
<div style="top:+0.2em;font-size: 110%">
  
 +
A encyclopedia and discussion forum for all [[Christians]] to share their faith with [[Special:Statistics|{{NUMBEROFPAGES}}]] pages and over a million edits.  [[Statement of Faith]] | [[WikiChristian Vision|Vision]]
 +
</div>
  
[[Welcome]] to WikiChristian - {{CURRENTMONTHNAME}} {{CURRENTDAY}}, {{CURRENTYEAR}} - the free [[Christian]] [[Encyclopedia]], Public Domain Library for all Christian works and [[wiki]] community for all believers. This is a collective project to build an [[open source]] free Christian [[encyclopedia]] that anyone can edit and contribute to our knowledge and understanding on [[Christianity]], the [[Bible]] and its [[believers]]. We started in January 2005 and are now working on {{NUMBEROFARTICLES}} articles in the English version.  Learn [[WikiChristian:How to edit a page|how to edit pages]], experiment in the  [[WikiChristian:Sandbox|sandbox]], and visit our [[WikiChristian:Community Portal|Community Portal]] to find out how '''you''' can contribute to Wikichristian.
+
<div style="font-size: 115%">
 +
Special Links: [[WikiChristian:Bible|Bible Referencing]] | [[Project:Page Layout|Page Layout & Writing Guide]] | [[WikiChristian:Senior Editors|Senior Editors]] | [[WikiChristian needs your help!|WikiChristian Needs Your Help!]]
 +
</div>
  
=== [[Urgent Messages|Urgent Message]] ===
 
 
Unfortunately this website is being targeted by vandals, so large numbers of pages are currently protected. Further information about this and about editing pages can be found in the [[Urgent Messages]] section. To the vandals, if you have something to say, then perhaps instead of destroying pages with obscenities, you could write a serious article titled "Why I don't believe in God" under the [[Atheism]] section.
 
 
{| cellspacing="3" cellpadding="3"
 
|- valign="top"
 
|width="50%" class="MainPageBG" style="border: 1px solid #ffddc0; color: #000; background-color: #ffffee"|
 
 
 
<h3> [[Bible|Bible contents page]]</h3>
 
The word ''[[Bible]]'' comes from the Greek word for book and has come to be used to refer to the complete collection of documents acknowledged by [[Christian|Christians]] to be inspired by [[God]]. Inspired by God means literally, "God breathed" - the actual words of God.
 
Read more on the Bible in the [[Bible|Bible contents page]]
 
[[Image:Bible3 sm.gif|left|100px]]
 
<h3>[[King James Version of the Bible]]</h3>
 
The '''King James Version (KJV)''' is an English translation of the [[Bible|Holy Bible]], commissioned for the benefit of the [[Anglican church|Church of England]] at the behest of King James I of England. First published in 1611, it has had a profound impact on not only most English translations that have followed it, but also on English literature as a whole. The works of famous authors such as [[John Bunyan]], John Milton, Herman Melville, John Dryden and William Wordsworth are replete with inspiration apparently derived from the King James Version.
 
 
We are building an open source [[wiki]] amplified Bible based on the Public Domain [[King James Version of the Bible]]. You can enhance any page in the wiki by editing the text adding internal and external links and additional comments in the [[King James Version of the Bible]]
 
 
See also [[Other Bible Translations]].
 
|width="50%" class="MainPageBG" style="border: 1px solid #c0ddff; color: #000000; background-color: #eeffff"|
 
<h3>[[Christian Classics Wiki Library]]</h3>
 
There are more than 31,000 files in the Believerscafe's collection of [http://www.believerscafe.com/modules.php?name=Christian_Classics Christian Classics.] Some of great Classic works include [[The Confessions of St. Augustine]], [[Pilgrim's Progress]] by John Bunyan, Religious Affections by Jonathan Edwards, Autobiography of George Fox, A Serious Call to a Devout and Holy Life by William Law and The Practice of the Presence of God by Brother Lawrence. If you like editing in the [[wiki]], please join us in building the Public Domain Christian Classics in the wiki environment.
 
[[Image:Tree small sm.gif|right|100px]]
 
'''Featured Project'''
 
<h3>[[Easton's Bible Dictionary]]</h3>
 
Easton's Bible Dictionary contains almost 4,000 Bible words with a complete explanation of its Biblical meaning. We are enhancing the popular Public Domain Easton's Bible Dictionary in the wiki environment. This is an ongoing project with contributions from users like you. You can play an important part by posting the text from [http://www.believerscafe.com/ebd2.html Believerscafe Easton's Bible Dictionary] and improve it by wiki linking, additional comments, information and external links. Please join us in building an open source Christian dictionary based on the public domain [[Easton's Bible Dictionary]] now!
 
 
{{dir}}
 
 
|}
 
|}
 +
{| style="border-spacing:8px;margin:0px -8px"
 +
| class="MainPageBG" style="width:55%;border:1px solid #cef2e0;background-color:#f5fffa;vertical-align:top;color:#000" |
 +
<h2 style="margin:0;background-color:#cef2e0;font-family:sans-serif;font-size:120%;font-weight:bold;border:1px solid #a3bfb1;text-align:left;color:#000;padding:0.2em 0.4em;">What is Christianity?
 +
{| width="100%" cellpadding="2" cellspacing="5" style="vertical-align:top;background-color:#f5fffa"
  
'''Featured Article'''
+
|-
[[A Biography of Saint Peter]]... Peter the Apostle has been looked to throughout church history as a model. The Roman Catholic church has claimed St. Peter as the first Bishop of Rome, thereby lending legitimacy to the modern day papacy. Peter is widely considered to have been among the "inner circle" of Jesus' disciples (ex. Mark 5.12). He is the central figure in much of the first twelve chapters of the Acts of the Apostles. Two epistles bear his name and some scholars argue that he was the source material that allowed Mark to write his Gospel. Many apocryphal books deal with his preaching and deeds, and church tradition has a well developed story of his martyrdom. But, amidst all of this the question must be raised, who was Peter?
+
| style="color:#000" |{{featuredcontent}}
[[Image:Bornagain sm.gif|right|100px]]
 
  
Recent featured articles: [[One solitary life]]; [[Becoming a Christian]]
+
[[God|Who is God?]]
 +
[[Image:Love-Of-God-Heart-800px.png|right|250px]]
  
 +
*[[God]] | [[Jesus Christ]] | [[Holy Spirit]] | [[Essence of Christianity]] | [[Trinity]]
  
Nominate an article for [[Template:fa|Featured Article]].
+
'''Current Projects'''
  
==Testimonies==
+
*[[Matthew Henry's Concise Bible Commentary]]
Read these interesting and touching stories by the users [[R. Curran's testimony]], [[J.D.]] and [[Suzanne Thomas]] on how God reaches out to people and listens to their cries! Leave your testimony in your user page or make a link in the [[Testimonies|testimonies contents page]].
 
 
<h3>[[Daily Devotions]]</h3>
 
Covering the whole Bible in 365 days!
 
  
{| cellspacing="3" cellpadding="3"
+
*[[In the News]]
|- valign="top"
 
|width="50%" class="MainPageBG" style="border: 1px solid #eeeeee; color: #000; background-color: #ffffef"|
 
  
==Current issues in the church and news==
+
*[[Video of the Week]]
*'''[[Current issues|Current issues in the church contents page]]'''
 
  
*'''[[News|Important church and world news]]'''
+
|}
 +
| class="MainPageBG" style="width:45%;border:1px solid #cedff2;background-color:#f5faff;vertical-align:top" |
 +
<h2 style="margin:0;background-color:#cedff2;font-family:sans-serif;font-size:120%;font-weight:bold;border:1px solid #a3b0bf;text-align:left;color:#000;padding:0.2em 0.4em;">[[WikiChristian:Contents|WikiChristian Contents]] - [[Christianity]]
 +
{| width="100%" cellpadding="2" cellspacing="5" style="vertical-align:top;background-color:#f5faff"
  
*''[[Earth Quake and the Tsunami in Asia 2004]]''
+
|-
 +
| style="color:#000" |
 +
'''[[Bible]]'''  
  
We are deeply saddened by the Earth Quake and the Tsunami in Asia! The death toll appears to have exceeded 150,000 people in 12 countries from Malaysia to Somalia. What a horror it left to so many thousands of people who did not have the slightest clue of what is going to happen just a few days ago!  As Christians, let us show that we care and that our hearts go out to those that have lost their loved ones!
+
> '''[[Old Testament]]'''
[[Image:Dove 10 sm.gif|left]]
 
'''Christian history, doctrine and the world's religions'''
 
*'''[[Church history and denominations|Church history and denominations contents page]]'''
 
  
*'''[[Christian doctrine and debates|Christian doctrine and debates contents page]]'''
+
[[Genesis]]  |  [[Exodus]]  |  [[Leviticus]]  |  [[Numbers]]  |  [[Deuteronomy]]  |  [[Book of Joshua|Joshua]]  |  [[Book of Judges|Judges]]  |  [[Book of Ruth|Ruth]]  |  [[1 Samuel]]  |  [[2 Samuel]]  |  [[1 Kings]]  |  [[2 Kings]]  |  [[1 Chronicles]]  |  [[2 Chronicles]]  |  [[Book of Ezra|Ezra]]  |  [[Book of Nehemiah|Nehemiah]]  |  [[Book of Esther|Esther]]  |  [[Book of Job|Job]]  |  [[Psalms]]  |  [[Proverbs]]  |  [[Ecclesiastes]]  |  [[Song of Solomon]]  |  [[Book of Isaiah|Isaiah]]  |  [[Book of Jeremiah|Jeremiah]]  |  [[Book of Lamentations|Lamentations]]  |  [[Book of Ezekiel|Ezekiel]]  |  [[Book of Daniel|Daniel]]  |  [[Book of Hosea|Hosea]]  |  [[Book of Joel|Joel]]  |  [[Book of Amos|Amos]]  |  [[Book of Obadiah|Obadiah]]  |  [[Book of Jonah|Jonah]]  |  [[Book of Micah|Micah]]  |  [[Book of Nahum|Nahum]]  |  [[Book of Habakkuk|Habakkuk]]  |  [[Book of Zephaniah|Zephaniah]]  |  [[Book of Haggai|Haggai]]  |  [[Book of Zechariah|Zechariah]]  |  [[Book of Malachi|Malachi]]  
  
*'''[[Cults and other religions|Cults and other religions contents page]]'''
+
> '''[[New Testament]]'''  
  
==Miscellaneous==
+
[[Gospel of Matthew|Matthew]]  |  [[Gospel of Mark|Mark]]  |  [[Gospel of Luke|Luke]]  |  [[Gospel of John|John]]  |  [[Acts of the Apostles|Acts]]  |  [[Epistle to the Romans|Romans]]  |  [[First Epistle to the Corinthians|1 Corinthians]]  |  [[Second Epistle to the Corinthians|2 Corinthians]]  |  [[Epistle to the Galatians|Galatians]]  |  [[Epistle to the Ephesians|Ephesians]]  |  [[Epistle to the Philippians|Philippians]]  |  [[Epistle to the Colossians|Colossians]]  |  [[First Epistle to the Thessalonians|1 Thessalonians]]  |  [[Second Epistle to the Thessalonians|2 Thessalonians]]  |  [[First Epistle to Timothy|1 Timothy]]  |  [[Second Epistle to Timothy|2 Timothy]]  |  [[Epistle to Titus|Titus]]  |  [[Epistle to Philemon|Philemon]]  |  [[Epistle to the Hebrews|Hebrews]]  |  [[Epistle of James|James]]  |  [[First Epistle of Peter|1 Peter]]  |  [[Second Epistle of Peter|2 Peter]]  |  [[First Epistle of John|1 John]]  |  [[Second Epistle of John|2 John]]  |  [[Third Epistle of John|3 John]]  |  [[Epistle of Jude|Jude]]  |  [[Book of Revelation|Revelation]]
  
*'''[[Christian art, literature and music]]'''
+
*[[Christian literature, art, music and media]] | [[Christian Songs Index]]
 +
*[[Church]] | [[Church history]] | [[Denominations]]
 +
*People: [[Famous Christians]] | [[:Category:Media Workers|Media Workers and Volunteers]]
  
*'''[[Famous Christians]]'''
+
[[Image:Seek-The-Truth-800px.png|right|300px]]
  
*'''[[Miscellaneous topics]]'''
+
*[[Christian doctrine and debates]] | [[Grace]] | [[Love]]
 +
*[[Current issues]] | [[News]]
 +
*[[Science and Technology]]
 +
*[[Other religions]]
 +
*[[Places]] | [[Mission]] | [[World-wide church directory]]
  
*'''[[External links]]'''
+
|}
|width="50%" class="MainPageBG" style="border: 1px solid #eeeeee; color: #000000; background-color: #f9f9f9"|
 
==Christianity Today==
 
As of 2004, [[Christianity]] is the world's most widely practiced religion, with 2 billion adherents (followed by [[Islam]] with 1.3 billion, Hinduism with 841 million, and the nonreligious with 774 million). Christianity has many branches, including 1.1 billion [[Roman Catholicism|Roman Catholics]], 367 million [[Protestant churches|Protestants]] in a number of traditions, 216 million [[Eastern Orthodoxy|Orthodox]], 84 million [[Anglican church|Anglicans]], 414 million Independents (unaffiliated with the major streams of Christianity), and 31.7 million "marginal" groups ([[Jehovah's Witnesses]], Latter Day Saints ([[Mormonism|Mormon]]s), etc.), these last being denominations which describe themselves as Christian but are not standardly recognized as such by other denominations.
 
[[Image:Flowr 03 sm.gif|left]]
 
Although Christianity is the largest religion in the world and there are massive missionary efforts under way, as a whole it is declining in terms of the overall population. While the population of the world grows at roughly 1.25% per year, [[The essence of Christianity|Christianity]] is growing at about 1.12% per year. By contrast, [[Islam]] is growing at 1.76% per year. The slow growth can be attributed to most of the Christian population residing in affluent nations where the birth rate is quite low. By contrast, Islamic nations have a higher birth rate and by effect have a larger growth percentage.
 
  
''For more, see:''
 
* [[Denominations|Christianity: Denominations]]
 
* [[Christian eschatology]]
 
* [[Directory listing of churches around the world]]
 
 
|}
 
|}
  
==New to Wiki?==
+
<!--        DAILY'S DEVOTION        -->
A wiki (pronounced "wicky", "weekee" or "veekee") is a website that allows a user to add content, as on an Internet forum, but also allows that content to be edited by anybody. Wiki wiki comes from the Hawaiian term for "quick" or "super-fast." Since the page history is stored, the pages can be reverted back in case of vandalism. Since its first introduction on March 25, 1995, as Portland Pattern Repository by Ward Cunningham, Wiki Wiki Webs became quickly popular, thanks to the revolutionary concept of users editing any page in the wiki. Since the page history is stored, the pages can be reverted back in case of vandalism.
+
{| id="mp-lower" style="margin:4px 0 0 0; width:100%; background:none; border-spacing: 0px;"
 +
| class="MainPageBG" style="width:100%; border:1px solid #ddcef2; background:#faf5ff; vertical-align:top; color:#000;" |
 +
{| id="mp-bottom" style="width:100%; vertical-align:top; background:#faf5ff; color:#000;"
 +
| style="padding:2px;" |<h2 id="mp-tfp-h2" style="margin:3px; background:#ddcef2; font-family:inherit; font-size:120%; font-weight:bold; border:1px solid #afa3bf; text-align:left; color:#000; padding:0.2em 0.4em">Devotion Of The Day</h2>
 +
|-
 +
| style="color:#000; padding:2px;" |<div id="mp-tfp">{{Template:DOD protected}}</div>
 +
|}
 +
|}
  
==[[Christian Web Directory]]==
+
__NOTOC__
{| cellspacing="3" cellpadding="3"
+
|}
|- valign="top"
 
| width="50%" class="MainPageBG" style="border: 1px solid #ddc0ff; color: #000000; background-color: #eeeeff"|
 
===[[Web Directory: Apologetics|Apologetics]]===
 
[[Web Directory: Christian Arts & Entertainment|Christian Arts & Entertainment]]
 
 
 
[[Web Directory: Christian Movies|Christian Movies]], [[Web Directory: Artists|Artists]], [[Web Directory: Literature|Literature]]
 
 
 
===[[Bible Study]]===
 
[[Web Directory: Bible Studies|Bible Studies]], [[Web Directory: Bible References and Tools|Bible References and Tools]]
 
 
 
===[[Christian Broadcasting]]===
 
[[Christian Television]], [[Christian Radio]], [[Christian Internet Ministries]]
 
 
 
===[[Christian Living]]===
 
 
 
[[Web Directory: Devotionals|Devotionals]], [[Web Directory: Prayer|Prayer]]
 
 
 
===[[Christianity & Culture]]===
 
 
 
[[Web Directory: Sexuality| Sexuality]], [[Web Directory: Postmodernism|Postmodernism]], [[Web Directory: People|People]], [[Web Directory: Christian Chats and Forums|Chats and Forums]], [[Web Directory: Christian Topics|Christian Topics]]...
 
 
 
===[[Christian Ministries]]===
 
 
 
[[Web Directory: Christian Denominations| Christian Denominations]], [[Web Directory: Churches|Churches]], [[Web Directory: Christian Youth|Christian Youth]], [[Web Directory: Online Ministries|Online Ministries]] 
 
 
 
===[[Christian Commerce]]===
 
[[Web Directory: Businesses|Businesses]], [[Web Directory: Travel|Travel]], [[Web Directory: Shopping|Shopping]],...
 
 
 
| width="50%" class="MainPageBG" style="border: 1px solid #c0ffdd; color: #000000; background-color: #eeffee" |
 
 
 
===[[Christian Conferences and Events]]===
 
 
 
[[Web Directory: Christian Calendar|Christian Calendar]], [[Web Directory: Christian Mission Events|Christian Mission Events]], [[Web Directory: Christian Venues|Christian Venues]],...
 
 
 
===[[Christian Music]]===
 
[[Web Directory: Christian Styles|Christian Styles]], [[Web Directory: Christian Concerts and Events|Christian Concerts and Events]],...
 
 
 
===[[Christian News]]===
 
[[Web Directory: Christian News|Christian News]], [[Christian Breaking News]],...
 
 
 
===[[Christian Resources]]===
 
[[Web Directory:Christian Public Domain Resources|Public Domain Resources]], [[Web Directory: Christian Books Online|Christian Books Online]], [[Web Directory: Christian Resources| Christian Resources]], [[Christian Directories]],...
 
 
 
===[[Christian Education]]===
 
[[Web Directory: Christian Seminaries|Christian Seminaries]], [[Web Directory: Christian Colleges and Universities|Christian Colleges and Universities]],...
 
 
 
===[[Christian Fun and Games]]===
 
 
 
[[Web Directory: Christian Humor|Christian Humor]], [[Web Directory: Bible Quizzes|Bible Quizzes]],...
 
 
 
===[[Christian Missions]]===
 
 
 
===[[Evangelism]]===
 
[[Web Directory: Christian Theology & Doctrine|Christian Theology & Doctrine]]...
 
 
 
[[Web Directory: Who is Jesus| Who is Jesus]]
 
 
|}
 
|}
 
==Other Wiki projects==
 
* [http://www.wikimd.org WikiMD], a free medical encyclopedia and Gray's Anatomy online - (our sister project).
 
* [http://www.residentscafe.com/wiki Residentscafe], a medical education and US residency wiki - (our sister project).
 
* [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Main_Page wikipedia], a large general encyclopedia.
 
 
 
----
 
 
 
'''[[Contributors to WikiChristian]]'''
 
If you would like to contribute but could not do so because of the page protection, please contact one of the [[Special:Listadmins|Sysops]].
 
 
NB: Image and file [[Special:Upload|upload]] to the [[wiki]] is now enabled.
 

Latest revision as of 13:41, 18 June 2019

Menu


Wooden cross.jpg

Welcome to WikiChristian

A encyclopedia and discussion forum for all Christians to share their faith with 350,005 pages and over a million edits. Statement of Faith | Vision

What is Christianity?
Christianity is about God reaching out his hand in friendship to mankind. Christians believe that the whole world and everything in it was created by God. God is a personal being, a living God who is three, yet one: Father, Son and Spirit, just as we human beings have body, mind and soul! (see the Trinity).

The Bible says God created people in his image, to love him. Yet every person has rebelled against God and sinned. Yet instead of turning his back on us, God became a man, Jesus, who most scholars believe was born about the year 4 BC and lived among us. He taught a message of love throughout Palestine but public opinion turned against him and he was executed as a young man.

He died because of us - the death that we should have died. He was crucified on a cross, but he rose from the dead, and now calls us to trust him, to love him and to repent of our rebellion. If we do this, then we our relationship with God becomes restored and we will live forever with God.

Many non-Christians may think that being a Christian is about belonging to a particular church or following a certain set of rule. Most Christians however would agree that at its root, being a Christian means to be in a living relationship with Jesus.

Who is God?

Love-Of-God-Heart-800px.png

Current Projects

WikiChristian Contents - Christianity

Bible

> Old Testament

Genesis | Exodus | Leviticus | Numbers | Deuteronomy | Joshua | Judges | Ruth | 1 Samuel | 2 Samuel | 1 Kings | 2 Kings | 1 Chronicles | 2 Chronicles | Ezra | Nehemiah | Esther | Job | Psalms | Proverbs | Ecclesiastes | Song of Solomon | Isaiah | Jeremiah | Lamentations | Ezekiel | Daniel | Hosea | Joel | Amos | Obadiah | Jonah | Micah | Nahum | Habakkuk | Zephaniah | Haggai | Zechariah | Malachi

> New Testament

Matthew | Mark | Luke | John | Acts | Romans | 1 Corinthians | 2 Corinthians | Galatians | Ephesians | Philippians | Colossians | 1 Thessalonians | 2 Thessalonians | 1 Timothy | 2 Timothy | Titus | Philemon | Hebrews | James | 1 Peter | 2 Peter | 1 John | 2 John | 3 John | Jude | Revelation

Seek-The-Truth-800px.png

Devotion Of The Day

Faith Ahead, Don't Panic!


October, 7 - Daily Devotions

October Scripture Portion: Matthew chapter 1 - Luke chapter 22 including the Gospel according to Mark.

The key lesson in chapter 16 is Peter's confession of faith. The confession was made at the climax of the months of retirement. From that point on, Christ openly teaches the disciples about His crucifixion, and begins to make His way to Jerusalem.

Chapter 17 presents the transfiguration of Christ; one of the key events in His earthly ministry. This was the only time His glory, veiled in human flesh, was allowed to shine forth. The Word "transfigure" is the same as our Word "metamorphosis" and means "a change from within." This glory was not the reflection of outward light; it was the revelation of inward holiness. The same Word is used in Romans 12:2 (transformed) and 2 Corinthians 3:18 (changed--referring to the Christian's growth in holiness).

Lessons taught by the transfiguration are as follows: (1) We will know each other in glory--the disciples knew Moses and Elijah. (2) Jesus was praying when He was transfigured--prayer brings the glory of heaven into our lives. (3) This was the first time, to our knowledge, that Moses set foot in the Promised Land. (4) Peter, James, and John were all to go through suffering for Christ; but this suffering only led to glory.

Any time you and I, as Christians, suffer for Christ, there will be glory added to our lives. Never question, never rebel against the opportunity of suffering for Christ, because He is faithful and just to overrule all suffering with His marvelous glory.

Chapter 18 presents the teachings of Christ concerning the Church and the Kingdom. In verse 1 the disciples asked Jesus, "Who is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven?" Jesus knew their hearts and gave them an object lesson in verses 2-6 by using a little child as an illustration of greatness. He pointed out that honor comes from humility. We must go down before God will lift us up (5:5,6). All great saints have been humble servants. Even though a child is not sinless or perfect, he does have the characteristics necessary in every Christian's life. He is teachable; he is simple in his desires; he has an expectant attitude; and he depends on his father to meet his needs. We might question how one can become as a little child. This is accomplished through the second birth. If you have been born into God's family, you were born as a child, and began again to learn how to live; only this time you are living as God's child, rather than as His creation.

In chapter 18:15-35 God deals with the relationship between Christian brethren. If all Christians were perfect, there would be no need for any instruction. However, because we fail and sin, we need to know how to keep the church family happy and holy before God. In verses 15-20 God gives us a clear pattern of church discipline. First, a private interview with the one who has offended; then bring two or three witnesses; then take it to the church. Note the purpose of discipline. "Thou hast gained thy brother." The motive for church discipline is love. We are seeking to help the sinning brother. Our attitude should not be that of a policeman out to arrest the wrongdoer; but rather as a physician seeking to heal a wound in the body of Christ. We must note, however, that discipline is absolutely necessary.

A lesson on forgiving is given in verses [[21-35. The Jewish Rabbis had said a person should be forgiven three times. Peter thought he was extra-spiritual, offering to forgive seven times; but Jesus pointed out that there is no limit to forgiveness. True forgiveness comes from a heart of love, and love keeps no records. One evidence that a person is saved is that he loves the brethren (3:10-17). Christians who cannot forgive others have forgotten what Christ did for them on the cross.

MEMORY VERSE FOR TODAY: Man now can be: Reconciled. Colossians 1:20 And, having made peace through the blood of his cross, by him to reconcile all things unto himself, by him, I say, whether they be things in earth, or things in heaven.