The Almighty, True, living God is never hard to find. In other words, GOD IS NOT HARD TO FIND, for He may be quickly discovered by reason and faith, by our strivings, or by His own gift. Alleluia! Alleluia! God be praised, forever. Amen! Saint Thomas tells us that our faith and reason looking upon the order of the universe immediately concludes there is some governor behind it. 

As the mind concludes to a watchmaker on seeing the watch, so, too, it concludes to a Divine Mind on seeing the order of the cosmos. This immediate knowledge of God, however, is not clear and distinct; that is why a more refined study is necessary to bring out the nature of God. The distinction between this confused knowledge of God and the reflex-refined knowledge that comes with the formal proofs for His existence is very much like the difference between the knowledge that most people have to water and the knowledge that the chemist has of it as composed of two atoms of hydrogen and one of oxygen. Reason clearly used can prove that there is a Power behind the universe, which made it, a Wisdom directing its law, and a Will to make all things attain their goal. God is closer to us than we know,

"Yet in fact he is not far from any of us, since it is him that we live, and move, and exist, as indeed some of your own writers have said: "We are all his children". - Acts 17:28 -

Saint Teresa once said, "Some unlearned men/women used to say to me that God was present only by His Grace. I could not believe that because as I was saying, He seemed to me to be present Himself. Finally, a learned man/woman delivered me of his/her doubt for he/she told me that God was present in the world and in us and how He communed with us, and this was a great comfort to me." Francis Thompson, the poet, elaborating on the idea of Saint Thomas that God is in all things intimately wrote, 

                                      O world invisible, we view thee,

                                      O world intangible, we touch thee,

                                      O world unknowable, we know thee,

                                      Inapprehensible, we clutch thee!

God is easy to discover in at least a confused and primitive sort of way through every striving and aspiration of our will and our heart. For the great difference between an animal and a human is that an animal can have its desires satisfied but a human cannot. All that any animal wants is to have its immediate needs granted; this is never the case with man/woman. Man/Woman is animated by an urge, an unquenchable desire to enlarge his/her vision and to know the ultimate meaning of things. If he/she were only an animal, he/she would never use symbols, for what are these but attempts to transcend the visible? No, he/she is a "metaphysical animal," a being ever longing for answers to the last question. The natural tendency of the intellect towards truth and of the will toward love would alone signify that there is in a man/woman a natural desire for God. There is not a single striving or pursuit or yearning of the human heart, even in the midst of the most sensual pleasures, that is not a dim grasping after the Infinite. As the stomach yearns for food and the eye for light and the ear for harmony, so the soul craves God.

There are many who mistake the nature of this Infinite and seek to satisfy the craving elsewhere than in God, just as there are those who know that food is necessary for the stomach and nevertheless ruin their stomachs by constant diet of gin. Many a soul is like a magnetic needle that quivers first here, then there, seeking at morning when it flees at night, and then, finding all the other compass points to be a fraud, it comes at last to rest in God alone.

God is not hard to find, because He gives Himself to us as the Divine Gift. Natural life itself is a gift. The soul has to come into a body from without, directly as a gift from the hands of God. And the supernatural life, too, is given to us from without. The whole meaning of Christianity is contained in the simple phrase of the creed, "He descended from Heaven." To each single soul, Our Lord Jesus addresses the words He spoke to the Samaritans woman at the well: "If you knew the gift of God, and who it is that is saying to you, 'Give me a drink,' you would have asked him, and he would have given you living water" - John 4:10 - As Saint/Apostle Paul told the Romans, "The grace of God, life everlasting, in Christ Jesus our Lord." - Romans 6:23 - And later on, to the Ephesians, "By grace you are saved through faith, and that not of yourselves, for it is the gift of God." - Ephesians 2:8 -

God is presented simultaneously through the Sacred Scripture/Holy Bible as both the Gift and the Giver, for such is the nature of Love. No one can buy the Divine Gift (though one may sell it, after it has been received, as Judas Iscariot did.) If God's gift were truth alone, some feeble minds might shrink from seeking it. If the gift were justice alone, our sins might arise and frighten the gift away. But when God's gift is love, then there should be none who would not take His Heart as theirs.  

If, then, God is so easy to find and can be discovered either through the beauty of the stars or in every tiny pleasure of earth, which like a seashell speaks of the ocean of Divinity, why is it that so few souls come to Him? The fault is on our side, not God's. Most souls are like people living in a dark room during the daytime and complaining that the night is hard to find - when all that they need do to discover it is to raise the blinds. 

God is the most obvious fact of human experience. If we are not aware of Him, it is because we are too complicated and because our noses are lifted high in the air in pride, for lo! He is at our very feet. We need only to "turn a stone and start a wing." The grace of God comes to us in just the degree that we open our souls to it; the only limit to our capacity to receive Him is our willingness to do so. Some thirsty hearts open up only a crevice, while others, with complete abandon, surrender their empty cisterns to be filled with the waters of life. A few souls suffocate, locked in their own unconscious minds with their loathsome frustrations and fears, refusing to open the door and let in the refreshing air of God's grace. "Listen! I am standing at the door, knocking; if you hear my voice and open the door, I will come in to you and eat with you, and you with me." - Revelation 3:20 -

The latch is on our side and not on God's, for God breaks down no doors. We bar His entrance. Sometimes we even run away from Him, like chicks in flight from a mother hen. "How often have I desired to gather your children together as a hen gathers her brood under her wings, and you were not willing!" - Matthew 23:37 -

Why do we behave so? It is hard to believe, but we have the Divine warrant for it that some people "love darkness rather than light." The added tragedy of sin is that after we do wrong we may not let God help us do what is right and good. We smash the bow so that He cannot play on our violin. We keep Him at arm's length because we refuse to be loved. We are drowning and will not clutch at His helping Hand because in our pride we say that we must "work this thing out ourselves." The truth of the matter is, not that God is hard to find, but rather that we are afraid of being found. That is why we so very often hear in Sacred Scripture/Holy Bible the words "Fear not." At the very beginning of Divine life in Bethlehem, the angels found it necessary to warn the shepherds, "Fear not." In the midst of Our Lord's public life He had to tell his frightened Apostles, "Fear not." And after His Resurrection Christ Jesus had to preface His words on peace with the same injunction, "Fear not."

Our Lord Jesus Christ finds it necessary to warn us not to fear because there are 'Three False Fears' that keep us away from God: (1) We want to be saved, but not from our sins. (2) We want to be saved, but not at too great a cost. (3) We want to be saved, but in our own way, not God's.

Divinely wise souls often infuriate the worldly-wise because they always see things from the Divine point of view. The worldly are willing to let anyone believe in God if he or she pleases, but only on condition that a belief in God will mean no more than belief in anything else. They will allow God, provided that God does not matter. But taking God seriously is precisely what makes the saint. As Saint Teresa put it, "What is not God to me is nothing." This passion is called snobbish, intolerant, stupid, and unwarranted intrusion; yet those who resent it deeply wish in their own hearts that they had the saint's inner peace and happiness.

And so this question of whether God is hard to find puts the answer solely up to us. Most of us are like the man who had lain at the Pool of Probatica for thirty-eight years and was not cured. His excuse was that, when the waters were stirred, there was no one to put him in: He needed healing, but he really did not want it. There are many like him, who remain just as they are, blaming others for their condition, exonerate, vindicate and practices self-justification. What had been wanted was his will. The man was moribund because he did not want to be better, even it is possible where he can and will be cure, that is, knowing that God does exist. So many unbelievers and believers of God are like that and so many failures in life are, like his, avoidable, needless; they persist only because no effort is made to remedy the condition. We today say we do not want war; but we want the things that cause war. In the same way, there are many who say they want to be happy, blissful, contended and etc, but they refuse to want that which will bring them authentic happiness. 

"I know the plans I have in mind for you - it is Yahweh who speaks - plans for peace, not disaster, reserving a future full of hope for you. Then when you call to me, and come to plead with me, I will listen to you. When you seek me you shall find me, when you seek me with all your heart; I will let you find me" (- it is Yahweh who speaks. I will restore your fortunes and gather you from all the nations and all the places where I have dispersed you - it is Yahweh who speaks. I will bring you back to the place from which I exiled you.) - Jeremiah 29:11-14 -                                         

"Enoch walked with God. Then he vanished because God took him." - Genesis 5:24 - 

"It was because of his faith that Enoch was taken up and did not have to experience death: he was not to be found because God had taken him. This was because before his assumption it is attested that he had pleased God. Now it is believe that God exists and rewards those who try to find him." - Hebrews 11:5-6 - 

BY  VENERABLE  FULTON  J.  SHEEN

 -    WELCOME TO SACRED SCRIPTURE / WORD OF GOD / HOLY BIBLE READER'S COMMUNITY    - 

Wishing you, 'Happy Reading', and may God, the Father, the Son of the living God, Jesus Christ, fills your heart, mind, thoughts, and grants you: The Holy Spirit, that is, Wisdom, Knowledge, Understanding, Counsel, Piety, Fortitude, Fear of the Lord, and also His fruits of the Holy Spirit, that is, Love, Joy, Peace, Patience, Kindness, Goodness, Trustfulness, Gentleness and Self-Control. Amen! God blessing be upon you!

Why do you call Me, "Lord, Lord" and not do what I say?' "Everyone who comes to Me and listens to My words and acts on them - I will show you what he/she is like. He/She is like a man/woman who when he/she built his/her house dug, deep, and laid the foundations on rock; when the river was in flood it bore down on that house but could not shake it, it was so well built. But the one who listens and does nothing is like the man/woman who built his/her house on soil, with no foundations: as soon as the river bore down on it, it collapsed; and what a ruin that house became!" - Luke 6:46-49 - 

If we live by the truth and in love, we shall grow in all ways into Christ Jesus, who is the head by whom the whole body is fitted and joined together, every joint adding its own strength, for each separate part to work according to it function. So the body grows until it has built itself up, in love." - Ephesians 4:15-16 - 

I still have many things to say to you but they would be too much for you now. But when the spirit of truth comes, he will lead you to the complete truth, since he will not be speaking as from himself, but will say only what he has learnt; and he will tell you of the things to come. He/She will glorify me, since all he/she tells you will be taken from what is mine. Everything the Father has is mine; that is why I said: all he/she tells you will be taken from what is mine." - John 16:12-15 -

Your generous contribution and support is profoundly cherish. I sincerely pray that: God blessing be upon you, always. Amen! Bank transfer: Name: Alex Chan Kok Wah - Public Bank Berhad account no. 4076577113 - Country: Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.  

Who will rise? All the dead will rise, "those who done good, to the resurrection of life, and those who have done evil, to the resurrection of judgement." - CCC # 998 -

THE LAST JUDGMENT - When? Definitely "at the last day," "at the end of the world." Indeed, the resurrection of the dead is closely associated with Christ's Parousia: From the Lord Jesus Christ himself will descend from heaven, with a cry of command, with the archangel's call, and with the sound of the trumpet of God. And the dead in Christ Jesus will rise first. - CCC # 1001 - "All that the Father gives me will come to me, and whoever comes to me. I shall not turn him/her away; because I have come from heaven, not to do my own will, but to do the will of the one who sent me. Now the will of him who sent me is that I should lose nothing of all that he has given to me, and that I should raise it up on the last day. Yes, it is my Father's will that whoever sees the Son and believes in him shall have eternal life, and that I shall raise him/her up on the last day." "No one can come to me unless he/she is drawn by the Father who sent me, and I will raise him/her up at the last day." "Anyone who does eat my flesh and drink my blood has eternal life, and I shall raise him/her up on the last day." "'Your brother' said Jesus to her 'will rise again.' Martha said, 'I know he will rise again at the resurrection on the last day'. Jesus said: 'I am the resurrection. If anyone believes in me, even though he/she dies he/she will live, and whoever lives and believes in me will never die. Do you believe this?'" - John 6:37-40, 44, 54; 11:24-26 - 

 - The dead and the living at the time of the Lord Jesus Christ coming? -

"We want you to be quite certain, brothers/sisters about those who have died, to make sure that you do not grieve about them, like the other people who have no hope. We believe that Jesus died and rose again, and that it will be the same for those who have died in Jesus: God will bring them with him. We can tell you this from the Lord Jesus Christ teaching, that any of us who are left alive until the Lord's coming will not have any advantage over those who have died. At the trumpet of God, the voice of the archangel will call out the command and the Lord himself will come down from heaven; those who have died in Christ Jesus will be the first to rise, and then those of us who are still alive will be taken up in the clouds, together with them, to meet the Lord Jesus in the air. So we shall stay with the Lord for ever. With such thoughts as these you should comfort one another." - 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18 - 

The resurrection of all dead, "of both the just and the unjust," and I hold the same hope in God as they do that there will be a resurrection of good and bad men/women alike. - Acts 24:15 - "For the Father, who is the source of life, has made the Son the source of life; and, because he is the Son of Man, has appointed him supreme judge. Do not be surprised at this, for the hour is coming when the dead will leave their graves at the sound of his voice; those who did good will rise again to life; and those who did evil, to condemnation. - John 5:26-29 - The resurrection of all dead, "of both the just and the unjust," will precede the Last Judgment. This will be "the hour when all who are in the tombs will hear [the Son of man's] voice and come forth, those who have done good, to the resurrection of life, and those who have done evil, to the resurrection of judgment." Then Christ will come "in his glory, and all the angels with him... Before him will be gathered all the nations, and he will separate them one from another as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats, and he will place the sheep at his right hand, but the goats at the left... And they will go away into eternal punishment, but the righteous into eternal life.' - CCC # 1038 -  

"When the Son of Man comes in his glory, escorted by all the angels, then he will take his seat on his throne of glory. All the nations will be assembled before him and he will separate believers/virtue and unbelievers/sinner from one another as the shepherd separates sheep from goats. He will place the sheep on his right and the goats on his left. Then the King will say to those on the right hand, "Come, you whom my Father has blessed, take for your heritage the kingdom prepared for you since the foundation of the world. For I was hungry and you gave me food; naked and you clothed me, sick and you visited me, in prison and you came to see me." Then the virtuous will say to the Lord Jesus Christ in reply, "Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you; or thirsty and give you drink? When did we see you a stranger and make you welcome; naked and clothe you; sick or in prison and go to see you?" And the King will answer, "I tell you solemnly, in so far as you did this to one of the least of these brothers/sisters of mine, you did it to me."

Next the Lord Jesus Christ will say to those on his left hand, "Go away from me, with your curse upon you, to the eternal fire prepared for the wicked, devil and his angels. For I was hungry and you never gave me food; I was thirsty and you never gave me anything to drink; I was a stranger and you never made me welcome, naked and you never clothed me, sick and in prison and you never visited me." Then it will be their turn to ask, "Lord, when did we see you hungry or thirsty, a stranger or naked, sick or in prison, and did not come to your help?" Then he answer, "I tell you solemnly, in so far as you neglected to do to one of the least of these, you neglected to do it to me". And they will go away to eternal punishment, and the virtuous to eternal life.'" - Matthew 25:31-46 - 

Since the Ascension Christ's coming in glory has been imminent, - Revelation 22:20 - "The one who guarantees these revelations repeats his promise: I shall indeed be with you soon. Amen; come, Lord Jesus Christ." even though "it is not for you to know times or seasons which the Father/Almighty God has fixed by his own authority." 

"Now having met together, they asked him, 'Lord, has the time come? Are you going to restore the kingdom to Israel?' The Lord Jesus Christ replied, 'It is not for you to know times or dates that the Father/Almighty God has decided by his own authority, but you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes to you, and then you will be my witnesses not only in Jerusalem but throughout Judaea and Samaria, and indeed to the ends of the earth.' As the Lord Jesus said this he was lifted up while they looked on, and a cloud took him from their sight. They were still staring into the sky when suddenly two men in white were standing near them and they said, 'Why are you men from Galilee standing here looking into the sky? Jesus who has been taken up from you into heaven, this same Jesus will come back in the same way as you have seen him go there.' - Acts 1:6-11 - CCC # 673 - 

At the end of time, those whose names are not written in the Book of Life will be cast into the lake of fire. But those whose names appear and written in the Book of Life will be allowed to enter and inherited the 'City of God', the 'New Jerusalem.' 'You see this city? Here God lives among us. He will make his home among them; they shall be his people, and he will be their God; his name is God-with-them. He will wipe away all tears from their eyes; there will be no more death, and no more mourning or sadness. The world of the past has gone. 

Risen with Christ Jesus - Christ will raise us up "on the last day"; but it is also true that, in certain way, we have already risen with Christ Jesus. For, by virtue of the Holy Spirit, Christian life is already now on earth a participation in the death and Resurrection of Christ: And you were buried with him in Baptism, in which you were also raised with him through faith in the working of God, who raised him from the dead... If then, you have been raised with Christ Jesus, seek the things that are above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. - Colossians 2:12; 3:1 - CCC # 1002 -

Those of us, believers who are united with Christ Jesus by Baptism, in other words, we are already truly participate in the heavenly life of the risen Christ, but this life remains "hidden with Christ in God." - Colossians3:3; cf. Philippians 3:20 - The Father has already "raised us up with him, and made us sit with him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus." - Ephesians 2:6 - Nourished with his body in the Eucharist, we already belong to the Body of Christ. When we rise on the last day we "also will appear with him in glory." - Colossians 3:4 - CCC # 1003 - 

"Don't delude yourself into thinking God can be cheated: where a man/woman sows, there he/she reaps: if he/she sows in the field of self-indulgence he/she will get a harvest of corruption out of it; if he/she sows in the field of the Spirit he/she will get from it a harvest of eternal life." - Galatians 6:7-8 - 

In physical terms, life is the time between birth and death. Obviously, life is the functions of people, animals and plants. Because God is the source of life, hence, it is a gift from Him. God first filled Adam with the breath of life. - Genesis 2:7 - and God continues to be the source of all life. In the Sacred Scripture/Holy Bible, the New Testament expanded on the Old Testament interpretation and understanding of life. The word life began to refer to more than Physical existence. It took on a strong spiritual meaning, often referring to the spiritual life that results from man's relationship with God.

The Lord Jesus Christ made it clear that everlasting life, that is, eternal life comes only to those who make a total commitment to Him. In the Sacred Scripture/Holy Bible and in the Old Testament, the prophets implied that the eternal life, 'in the pictures of glorious future promised to God's people.' "Of those who lie sleeping in the dust of the earth many will awake, some to everlasting life, some to shame and everlasting disgrace." - Daniel 12:2 - However, the New Testament, references to eternal life are oriented to the future and that life will be enjoyed endlessly and live an everlasting lives. 

This eschatological coming could be accomplished at any moment, even if both of it, and the final trial that will precede it are "delayed." 

- Thanksgiving and encouragement. The Last Judgment -  

"You will not be expecting us to write anything to you, brothers/sisters, about 'times and seasons', since you know very well that the Day of the Lord is going to come like a thief in the night. It is when people are saying, 'How quiet and peaceful it is' that the worst suddenly happens, as suddenly as labour come on a pregnant woman; and there will be no way for anybody to evade it.

But it is not as if you live in the dark, my brothers/sisters, for that Day to overtake you like a thief. No, you are all sons and daughters of light and sons and daughters of the day: we do not belong to the night or to darkness, so we should not go on sleeping, as everyone else does, but stay wide awake and sober. Night is the time for sleepers to sleep and drunkards to be drunk, but we belong to the day and we should be sobers; let us put on faith and love for a breastplate, and the hope of salvation for a helmet. God never meant us to experience the Retribution, but to win salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ, who died for us so that, alive or dead, we should still live united to him. So give encouragement to each other, and keep strengthening one another, as you do already. 

We appeal to you, my brothers/sisters, to be considerate to those who are working amongst you and are above you in the Lord Jesus as your teachers. Have the greatest respect and affection for them because of their work.

Be at peace among yourselves. And this is what we ask you to do, brothers/sisters: warn idlers, give courage to those who are apprehensive, care for the weak and be patient with everyone. Make sure that people do not try to take revenge; you must all think of what is best for each other and for the community. Be happy at all times; pray constantly; and for all things give thanks to God, because this is what God expects you to do in Christ Jesus." - 1 Thessalonians 5:1-18 - 

- The coming of the Lord Jesus Christ and the prelude to it -

 

To turn now, brothers/sisters, to the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ and how we shall all be gathered round him: please do not get excited too soon or alarmed by any prediction or rumour or any letter claiming to come from us, implying that the Day of the Lord Jesus Christ has already arrived. Never let anyone deceive you in this way.

It cannot happen until the Great Revolt has taken place and the Rebel, the Lost One, has appeared. This is the Enemy, the one who claims to be so much greater than all that men/women call 'god', so much greater than anything that is worshipped, that he enthrones himself in God's sanctuary and claims that he is God. Surely you remember me telling you about this when I was with you? And you know, too, what is still holding him back from appearing before his appointed time. Rebellion is at work already, but in secret, and the one who is holding it back has first to be removed before the Rebel appears openly. The Lord Jesus Christ will kill him with the breath of his mouth and will annihilate him with his glorious appearance at his coming.

But when the Rebel comes, Satan will set to work: there will be all kinds of miracles and a deceptive show of signs and portents, and everything evil that can deceive those who are bound for destruction because they would not grasp the love of the truth which could have saved them. The reason why God is sending a power to delude them and make them believe what is untrue is to condemn all who refused to believe in the truth and chose wickedness instead. - 2 Thessalonians 2:1-12 -

The phrase, eternal life, appears most often in the Gospel of John and the Epistle of 1 John. Apostle/Saint John emphasizes eternal life as the present reality and the present possession of the Christian. "Anyone who believes in the Son has eternal life, but anyone who refuses to believe in the Son will never see life: the anger of God stays on him/her." - John 3:36 - 

I tell you most solemnly,

whoever listens to my words,

and believes in the one who sent me,

has eternal life;

without being brought to judgment

he has passed from death to life. - John 5:24 -

I have written all this to you

so that you who believe in the name of the Son of God

may be sure that you have eternal life. - 1 John 5:13 -

Apostle/Saint John declares that the Christian believer has already begun to experience the blessings of the future even before their fullest expressions: "And eternal life is this: to know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom you have sent. - John 17:3 -

The Sacred Scripture/Holy Bible speaks of the infinite or eternity of God. As Creator, God brought the world into being, even before the beginning of time itself. - Genesis 1:1 - God will also bring the world to its ultimate conclusion, in accordance with His will and purpose. It is written in the Sacred Scripture/Holy Bible: Old Testament and New Testament.

Before the mountains were born,

before the earth or the world came to birth, 

you were God from all eternity and for ever. - Psalms 90:2 -

For thus speaks the Most High,

whose home is in eternity,

whose name is holy. - Isaiah 57:15 -

From John, to the seven churches of Asia; grace and peace to you from Him, Who is, Who was, and Who is to come, from the seven spirits in His presence before His throne, and from the Lord Jesus Christ. - Revelation 1:4 - 

The "Tree of Knowledge" is one of the two special trees planted by God [Creator] in the "Garden of Eden." The other was the "Tree of Life" - Genesis 2:9 - Since the "Tree of the Knowledge" of good and evil, symbolized the All-Powerful nature of God, its fruit was forbidden to Adam and Eve. - Genesis 2:17 - But Satan, the tempter suggested to Eve that, by adding to their knowledge, the tree's fruit would make them 'as god.' - Genesis 3:5 - So Eve chose to disobey God, she took some of its fruit and ate it. Eve gave some also to Adam who was with her, and he ate it. This Act of Rebellion marked the entrance of 'Sin' into the world. - Genesis 3:1-24 - 

The "Tree of Life" in the "Garden of Eden" that bestowed continuing life. Before Eve and Adam sinned, they had free access to the "Tree of Life" but after their act of rebellion, God send two Archangels: Cherubim and Seraphim guarded the way to its fruit. Thus, Adam's and Eve's inability to eat from the "Tree of Life". After Adam and Eve committed mortal sin, hence, they failed to gain eternal life or immortality. It is because of Adam and Eve sin, they were subject to death and dying. This condition lasted until the "Coming or Return of the Lord Jesus Christ, Who offers "Eternal Life" to all who love Him with all his/her soul, heart, mind and strength." Amen! 

This is the testimony:

God has given us eternal life

and this life is in His Son [The Lord Jesus Christ];

anyone who has the Son has life,

anyone who does not have the Son does not have life.

I have written all this to you

so that you who believe in the name of the Son of God

may be sure that you have eternal life - 1 John 5:11-13; John 1:1-5; 5:21, 26 -

Eternal life means more than eternal existence. Eternal life refers to eternal fellowship with God. Eternal life is the highest quality of life. According to the Apostles, it is holiness, and freedom from sin, a positive relationship with God, the Father, and the Son, the Lord Jesus Christ.

Father, the hour has come:

glorify your Son

so that your Son may glorify You;

and, through the power over all mankind that You have given Him,

let Him give eternal life to all those you have entrusted to Him.

And eternal life is this:

to know You, 

the only true God,

and Jesus Christ whom you have sent. - John 17:1-3 -

At the end time, those whose names are not written in the "Book of Life" will be "cast in the lake of fire." The "Book of Life" is a heavenly book in which the names of the righteous are written. The concept of God's having a "Book of Life" was probably first enunciated by Moses, who prayed that God would blot him out of God's book rather than dooming his fellow Israelites.

- WELCOME TO SACRED SCRIPTURE / WORD OF GOD / HOLY BIBLE READER'S COMMUNITY - 

Wishing you, 'Happy Reading', and may God, the Father, the Son of the living God, Jesus Christ, fills your heart, mind, thoughts, and grants you: The Holy Spirit, that is, Wisdom, Knowledge, Understanding, Counsel, Piety, Fortitude, Fear of the Lord, and also His fruits of the Holy Spirit, that is, Love, Joy, Peace, Patience, Kindness, Goodness, Trustfulness, Gentleness and Self-Control. Amen! God blessing be upon you!

Why do you call Me, "Lord, Lord" and not do what I say?' "Everyone who comes to Me and listens to My words and acts on them - I will show you what he/she is like. He/She is like a man/woman who when he/she built his/her house dug, deep, and laid the foundations on rock; when the river was in flood it bore down on that house but could not shake it, it was so well built. But the one who listens and does nothing is like the man/woman who built his/her house on soil, with no foundations: as soon as the river bore down on it, it collapsed; and what a ruin that house became!" - Luke 6:46-49 - 

If we live by the truth and in love, we shall grow in all ways into Christ Jesus, who is the head by whom the whole body is fitted and joined together, every joint adding its own strength, for each separate part to work according to it function. So the body grows until it has built itself up, in love." - Ephesians 4:15-16 - 

I still have many things to say to you but they would be too much for you now. But when the spirit of truth comes, he will lead you to the complete truth, since he will not be speaking as from himself, but will say only what he has learnt; and he will tell you of the things to come. He/She will glorify me, since all he/she tells you will be taken from what is mine. Everything the Father has is mine; that is why I said: all he/she tells you will be taken from what is mine." - John 16:12-15 -

Your generous contribution and support is profoundly cherish. I sincerely pray that: God blessing be upon you, always. Amen! Bank transfer: Name: Alex Chan Kok Wah - Public Bank Berhad account no. 4076577113 - Country: Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.  

Jesus Christ is truly God and truly man, fully human and fully divine - the divine Son of God born of the Virgin Mary; the great High Priest who intercedes for His people, stand and sit at the right hand of God; founder and the head of the Universal Christian Church, and central figure of all human race. Jesus is the one anointed by the Almighty God, the Father and empowered by God's spirit to deliver His people and establish His kingdom. As the Messiah, Jesus is divinely appointed King who brought God's kingdom to earth and to the world. Amen!

- The stoning of Apostle/Saint Stephen. Saint/Apostle Saul / Apostle/Saint Paul as persecutor - Acts 7:55-60; 8:1-3 -

"But Stephen, filled with the Holy Spirit, gazed into heaven and saw the glory of God, and Jesus standing at God's right hand. 'I can see heaven thrown open' Stephen (the first Christian martyr) said 'and the Son of Man standing at the right hand of God.' At this all the members of the council shouted out and stopped their ears with their hands; then they all rushed at him, sent him out of the city and stoned him. The witnesses put down their clothes at the feet of a young man called Saul (Paul). As they were stoning him, Stephen said in invocation, Lord Jesus, receive my spirit'. Then he knelt down and said aloud, 'Lord, do not hold this sin against them'; and with these words he fell asleep. Saul entirely approved of the killing.

That day a bitter persecution started against the church in Jerusalem, and everyone except the apostles fled to the country districts of Judaea and Samaria. There were some devout people, however, who buried Stephen and made great mourning for him. Saul then worked for the total destruction of the Church: he went from house to house arresting both men and women and sending them to prison." 

'He/She who is not with me is against me, and he/she who does not gather with me scatters. And so I tell you, every one of men's sins and blasphemies will be forgiven, but blasphemy against the Spirit will not be forgiven. And anyone who says a word against the Son of Man will be forgiven; but let anyone against the Holy Spirit and he/she will not be forgiven either in this world or in the next." - Matthew 12:25-32; Luke 11:20-23 - 

In the Sacred Scripture / Holy Bible: The word Messiah comes from a Hebrew term that means "anointed one." Its Greek counterpart is Christos, from which the word Christ comes. Messiah was one of the titles used by early Christians to describe who Jesus was. In Jewish thought, the Messiah would be the King of the Jews, a political leader who would defeat their enemies and bring in a golden era of power, peace and prosperity. In Christian thought, the term Messiah refers to Jesus' role as a spiritual deliverer, setting His people free from sin and death.

Christian is an adherent or follower of Christ. The word 'Christian' occurs three times in the New Testament. Christians were loyal to Christ. The designation of the early followers of Christ as Christians was initiated by the non-Christian population of Antioch. Initially, it may have been a term of derision. Eventually, however, Christians used it of themselves as a name of honor and its original meaning is a noble one.

"It was at Antioch that the disciples were first called "Christians."" - Acts 11:26 - "King Agrippa, do you believe in the prophets? I know you do. At this Agrippa said to Paul, 'A little more, and your arguments would make a Christian of me.'" - Acts 26:28 -"None of you should ever deserve to suffer for being a murderer, a thief, a criminal or an informer; but if anyone of you should suffer for being a Christian, then he/she is not to be ashamed of it; he/she should thank God that he/she has been called one." - 1 Peter 4:16 -

Prior to their adoption of the name, the Christians called themselves believers. Hence, Christian names which also continued to be used as today. "They all used to meet by common consent in the Portico of Solomon. No one else ever dared to join them, but the people were loud in their praise and the numbers of men and women who came to believe in the Lord Jesus Christ increased steadily. So many signs and wonders were worked among the people at the hands of the apostles." - Acts 5:12b-14 - "You, brothers must select from among yourselves seven men of good reputation, filled with the Holy Spirit and with wisdom; we will hand over this duty to them." - Acts 6:3 - 

In the Sacred Scripture/Holy Bible, the New Testament consistently teaches hope in the resurrection of the believer based upon the resurrection of Christ Jesus as the "firstborn from the dead." Resurrection of Jesus Christ is a central doctrine of Christianity that affirms that God raised Jesus from the dead on the third day. Without the resurrection, the apostle Paul declared, Christian preaching and belief are meaningless. The resurrection is the point at which God's intention for Jesus becomes clear and believers are assured that Jesus is the Christ. So significant is the resurrection of Jesus that without it, there would be no Christianity and Church, and we would still be in our sins. Never give in then, my dear brothers/sisters, never admit defeat; keep on working at the Lord's work always, knowing that, in the Lord, you cannot be labouring in vain. 

Brothers and Sisters, I want to remind you of the gospel I preached to you, the gospel that you received and in which you are firmly established; because the gospel will save you only if you keep believing exactly what I preached to you - believing anything else will not lead to anything.

Well then, in the first place, I taught you what I had been taught myself, namely that Christ died for our sins, in accordance with the scriptures; that Jesus was buried; and that he was raised to life on the third day, in accordance with the scripture; that he appeared first to Peter Simon / Cephas [Rock] and secondly to the Twelve. Next Jesus appeared to more than five hundred of the brothers at the same time, most of whom are still alive, though some have died; then Christ Jesus appeared to James, and then to all the apostles; and last of all he appeared to me [Saul / Paul] too; it was as though I was born when no one expected it.

I am the least of the apostles; in fact, since I persecuted the Church of God, I hardly deserve the name apostle; but by God's grace that is what I am, and the grace that he gave me has not been fruitless. On the contrary, I, or rather the grace of God that is with me, have worked harder than any of the others; but what matters is that I preach what they preach, and this is what you all believed.

Now if Christ raised from the dead is what has been preached, how can some of you be saying that there is no resurrection of the dead? If there is no resurrection of the dead, Christ himself cannot have been raised, and if Christ Jesus has not been raised then our preaching is useless and your believing it is useless; indeed, we are shown up as witnesses who have committed perjury before God, because we swore in evidence before God that he had raised Christ to life. For if the dead are not raised, Christ Jesus has not been raised, and if Christ Jesus has not been raised, you are still in your sins. And what is more serious, all who have died in Christ have perished. If our hope in Christ Jesus has been for this life only, we are the most unfortunate of all people.

But Christ Jesus has in fact been raised from the dead, the first-fruits of all who have fallen asleep. Death came through one man and in the same way the resurrection of the dead has come through one man (Jesus Christ). Just as all men die in Adam, so all men/women will be brought to life in Christ; but all of them in their proper order: Christ Jesus as the first-fruits and then, after the coming of Christ, those who belong to him. After that will come the end, when he hands over the kingdom to God, the Father,  Almighty, having done away with every sovereignty, authority and power. For He must be King until he has put all his enemies under his feet and the last of the enemies to be destroyed is death, for everything is to be put under His feet. -Though when it is said that everything is subjected, this clearly cannot include the One who subjected all things and everything to him. And when everything is subjected to him, then the Son himself will be subjected all things to him, so that God may be all in all.

If this were not true, what do people hope to gain by being baptised for the dead? If the dead are not ever going to be raised, why be baptised on their behalf? What about ourselves? Why are we living under a constant threat? I face death everyday, brothers/sisters and I can swear it by the pride that I take in you in Christ Jesus our Lord. If my motives were only human ones, what good would it do me to fight the wild animals at Ephesus? You say: Let us eat and drink today; tomorrow we shall be dead. You must stop being led astray: 'Bad friends ruin the noblest people'. Come to your senses, behave properly, and leave sin alone; there are some of you who seem not to know God at all; you should be ashamed. 

- The manner of the resurrection -

Someone may ask, 'How are dead people raised, and what sort of body do they have when they come back?' They are stupid questions. Whatever you sow in the ground has to die before it is given new life and the thing you sow is not what is going to come; you sow a bare grain, say of wheat or something like that, and then God gives it the sort of body that he has chosen: each sort of seed gets its own sort of body.

Everything that is flesh is not the same flesh: there is human flesh, animals' flesh, the flesh of birds and the flesh of fish. Then there are heavenly bodies and there are earthly bodies; but the heavenly bodies have a beauty of their own and the earthly a different one. The sun has its brightness, the moon a different brightness, and the stars a different brightness, and the stars differ from each other in brightness. It is the same with the resurrection of the dead: the thing that is sown is perishable but what is raised is imperishable; the thing that is sown is contemptible but what is raised is glorious; the thing that is sown is weak but what is raised is powerful; when it is sown it embodies the soul, when it is raised it embodies the spirit.

If the soul has its own embodiment, so does the spirit have its own embodiment. The first man, Adam, as scripture says, became a living soul; but the last Adam has become a life-saving spirit. That is, first the one with the soul, not the spirit, and after that, the one with the spirit. The first man, being from the earth, is earthly by nature; the second man is from heaven. As this earthly man was, so are we on earth; and as the heavenly man is, so we in heaven. And we, who have been modelled on the earthly man, will be modelled on the heavenly man. 

Or else, brothers/sisters, put it this way: flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God: and the perishable cannot inherit what forever. I will tell you something that has been secret: that we are not all going to die, but we shall all be changed. This will be instantaneous, in the twinkling of eye, when the last trumpet sounds. It will sound, and the dead will be raised, imperishable, and we shall be changed as well, because our present perishable nature must put on imperishability and this mortal nature must put on immortality.

- A hymn of triumph - Conclusion - 

When this perishable nature has put on imperishability, and when this mortal nature has put on immortality, then the words of scripture will come true: Death is swallowed up in victory. Death, where is your victory? Death, where is your sting? Now the sting of death is sin, and sin gets its power from the Law. So let us thank God for giving us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ. Never give in then, my dear brothers/sisters, never admit defeat; keep on working at the Lord's work always, knowing that, in the Lord, you cannot be labouring in vain.  - 1 Corinthians 15:1-58 - 

- The dead and the living at the time of the Lord's coming -

We want you to be quite certain, brothers/sisters, about those who have died, to make sure that you do not grieve about them, like the other people who have no hope. We believe that Jesus died and rose again, and that it will be the same for those who have died in Jesus: God will bring them with him. We can tell you this from the Lord's own teaching, that any of us who are left alive until the Lord's coming will not have any advantage over those who have died. At the trumpet of God, the voice of the archangel will call out the command and the Lord himself will come down from heaven; those who have died in Christ will be the first to rise, and then those of us who are still alive will be taken up in the clouds, together with them, to meet the Lord in the air. So we shall stay with the Lord for ever. With such thoughts as these you should comfort one another. - 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18 - 

- The salvation of Christians -

Blessed be God the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who in his great mercy has given us a new birth as his sons/daughters, by raising Jesus Christs from the dead, so that we have a sure hope and the promise of an inheritance that can never be spoilt or soiled and never fade away, because it is being kept for you in the heavens. Through your faith, God's power will guard you until the salvation which has been prepared is revealed at the end of time. This is a cause of great joy for you, even though you may for a short time have to bear being plagued by all sorts of trials; so that, when Jesus Christ is revealed, your faith will have been tested and proved like gold - only it is more precious than gold, which is corruptible even though it bears testing by fire - and then you will have praise and glory and honour. You did not see him, yet you love him; and still without seeing him, you are already filled with a joy so glorious that it cannot be described, because you believe; and you are sure of the end to which your faith looks forward, that is, salvation of your souls. - 1 Peter 1:3-9 -

Now the Church is his body, (The Lord Jesus Christ) he is its head. - Colossians 1:18 -      

The Universal/Catholic Church Christians have Christ Jesus for a foundation, and they have not fallen away from union with Him, no matter how depraved a life they have built on this foundation, as wood, hay, stubble; and accordingly the well directed faith by which the Lord Jesus Christ is their foundation will suffice to deliver them some time the continuance of that fire, though it be with loss, since those things they have built on it shall be burned. Let the Apostle James summarily reply to them: "If any man say he has faith, and have not works, can faith save them?' - James 2:14 - And who then is it, they ask, of whom the Apostle Paul says, "But he himself shall be saved, yet so as by fire?" - 1 Corinthians 3:15 -

"At the same time, we must be most careful to remember that the interpretation of scriptural prophecy is never a matter for the individual. Why? Because no prophecy ever came from man's initiative. When men/women spoke for God it was the Holy Spirit that moved them." - 2 Peter 1:20-21 -

Early Christian writings tell us that Peter's successors, the bishops of Rome (who from the earliest times have been called by the affectionate title of "POPE" which means "PAPA") continued to exercise Peter's ministry in the Universal Church / One, Holy, Catholic and Apostolic Church. The Pope is the successor to Peter, also known as Simon Peter, as bishop of Rome. ( The First Pope ) The world's other bishop are successors to the apostles in general.

The fact is: even the oldest government is new compared to the papacy. The churches: belonging to a past period of time comparatively close to the present - that is, Protestant and other denomination churches that send out door to door missionaries are recent, young, compared to the Universal/Catholic Church. Many of these Protestant churches began new and as recently as the nineteenth or twentieth centuries. Some even began during your own lifetime. 

As a result, none of them can claim to be 'the Church' Jesus Christ established.

The Universal/Catholic Church has existed for more than 2,000 years, despite constant opposition from the world. This is testimony to the Church's divine origin. It must be more than a merely human organization, especially considering that its human members - even some of its leaders - have been unwise, corrupt, or prone to heresy. Any merely human organisation with such members would have collapsed early on. The Universal/Catholic Church is today the most vigorous Church in the world, that is, testimony not to the cleverness of the Church's leaders, but to the protection of the Holy Spirit. If we need to locate the Church founded by Jesus Christ, we need to locate the one that has 'Four' chief marks or qualities of His Church. The Church we seek must be One, Holy, Catholic, and Apostolic / The Universal Church. 

The Church is One - Romans 12:5; 1 Corinthians 10:17, 12:13; CCC # 813-822 - The Lord Jesus Christ established only 'One Church' never and not a collection of differing churches (Lutheran, Baptist, and so on). The Sacred Scripture/Holy Bible says the Church is the bride of Christ - Ephesians 5:23-32 - Jesus can have but one spouse, and His spouse is the Universal / Catholic Church. His One, Holy, Catholic and Apostolic Church teaches just one set of doctrines, which must be the same as those taught by the apostles - Jude 3 - This is the unity of belief to which Sacred Scripture/Holy Bible call us - Philippians 1:27; 2:2 - Although some Catholics dissent from officially-taught doctrines, the Church's official teachers - the Pope and the bishops united with Him - have never changed any doctrine. Over the centuries, as doctrines are examined more fully, the Church comes to understand them more deeply - John 16:12-13 - but it never understands them to mean the opposite of what they once meant.

The Church is Holy - Ephesians 5:25-27; Revelation 19:7-8; CCC # 823-829 - By his grace Jesus makes the Church holy, just as He is holy. This doesn't mean that each member is always holy. Jesus said there would be both good and bad members in the Church - John 6:70 - and not all members would go to heaven. - Matthew 7:21-23 - But the Church itself is holy because it is the source of holiness and is the guardian of the special means of grace Christ Jesus established, that is, the sacraments. - Cf. Ephesians 5:26 -

The Church is Catholic - Matthew 28:19-20; Revelation 5:9-10; CCC # 830-856 - Jesus' Church is called catholic ("universal" in Greek) because it is his gift to all people. He told his apostles to go throughout the world and make disciples of "all nations." - Matthew 28:19-20 - 

The Church is Apostolic - Ephesians 2:19-20; CCC # 857-865 - The Church Jesus founded is apostolic because He appointed the apostles to be the first leaders of the Church, and their successors were to be its future leaders. The apostles were the first bishops, and since the first century, there has been an unbroken line of Catholic bishops faithfully handing on what the apostles taught the Christians in Sacred Scripture and Oral Tradition. - 2 Timothy 2:2 - 

CCC # 811 - The words one, holy, catholic and apostolic are often called the four marks of the Universal Church - One: the Church is one. This means that it is a single, united and global Church which has its basis in Christ Jesus - Holy: the Church is holy, because it is the Body of Christ with Jesus as the head. This does not mean that all members / laity of the Church are sin free or sinless. It means that the Church and her sacraments help to make the faithful holy - Catholic: the word catholic literally means 'universal.' The role of the Church is to proclaim and spread the Word of God universally across the world - Apostolic: the origins and beliefs of the Church started out with the apostles at the "Pentecost." 

CCC # 789 - The Church includes everyone who has faith and has a duty to evangelise. This means that the Church has a duty to share the word of God and educate others so that they might believe and then convert to the Catholic/Universal faith. The belief is that it is through the Church and Christ Jesus alone that humanity can experience and find salvation. 

CCC # 846 - Hence, it means that all salvation comes from the Lord Jesus Christ, that is, 'the Head' through the Church which is his Body. The Church is also described as 'the people of God.' The Catechism of the Catholic Church makes it absolutely clear that God does not belong to anyone, in person and in group, because God is the one who calls people to Him. The people of God are those who has been chosen and called by God. Whereas, an individual can become a laity or a member of the people of God, that is, through the Sacrament of Baptism. 

The people of God also have a duty to follow the commandments of God and a duty towards fellow human beings. In other words, they have a mission: to spread the Word of God, hope and salvation to the world, and live as Christ Jesus did. Amen! His Holiness, The Pope is the Head of the One, Holy, Catholic and Apostolic Church. Thus, The Pope oversees the worldwide churches and all those within it. Apostle/Saint Peter was ordained as the first Pope by the Lord Jesus Christ at Caesarea Philippi, and hence, each Pope is a successor of Saint Peter, who is the One, Holy, Catholic and Apostolic Church, that is, who is the - His Grace, Bishop of Rome. 

- Peter's profession of faith; his pre-eminence - When Jesus came to the region of Caesarea Philippi he put this question to his disciples, 'Who do people say the Son of Man is?' And they said, 'Some say Jesus is John the Baptist, some Elijah, and others Jeremiah or one of the prophets'. 'But you, (Simon Peter)' Jesus said 'who do you say I am?' Then Simon Peter spoke up, 'You are the Christ,' he said 'the Son of the living God'. Jesus replied, 'Simon son of Jonah, you are a happy man! Because it was not flesh and blood that revealed this to you but my Father in heaven. So I now say to you: You are Peter and on this rock I will build my Church. And the gates of the under-world can never hold out against it. I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven: whatever you bind on earth shall be considered bound in heaven; whatever you loose on earth shall be considered loosed in heaven.' Then Jesus gave the disciples strict orders not to tell anyone that he was the Christ. - Matthew 16:13-20 - 

Since the first Pope, there has been an unbroken line of successors, known as apostolic succession. This continue apostolic succession will 'NOT' end or last, until everything God wanted and decided so, that is: All things shall occur and be the case and ensured that the messages and teachings that the Lord Jesus Christ gave to the apostles have been passed down and remain the same. "Our Father Who art is in heaven, hallowed be Thy name; Thy kingdom come; Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread; and forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us; and lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. Amen!

The belief is that the Pope also has the ability to speak infallibly on matters of faith and morals. This means that the Pope's statement or teaching cannot be considered as incorrect and wrong. The Universal/Catholic Church teaches that the authority to speak infallibly comes from the authority that Jesus gave to Peter to build his Church and look after it, as well as to keep his own faith and strengthen the faith of others. Not everything the Pope says is infallible – it has to fall in line and agreement with Sacred Tradition and Sacred Scripture. 

The statements of the Universal/Catholic Church are not made easily and take many years of discussions, pondering, study and debate before they are finalised and be sacredly be agreed upon in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ. They do not add to the faith, but rather confirm long-held beliefs. Once the statements are finished, however, the Pope will make a papal infallible statement, which defines that the doctrine cannot be proved incorrect and wrong, and is classed as truth in the Universal/Catholic Church's eyes. Historically, speaking, there are only two such statements have been made, that is, both have been on the person of Blessed Mary. The first, in 1854, was the dogma of Mary as the Immaculate Conception and the second in 1950, the dogma of the Assumption. 

Magisterium refers to the teaching authority of the One, Holy, Catholic and Apostolic Church / The Universal Church, formed of the Bishops. It is one of the three sources of authority alongside Sacred Scripture and Sacred Tradition. But there are different types and levels of magisterium. (1) Ordinary magisterium (2) Conciliar magisterium (3) Pontifical magisterium. - (1) Ordinary magisterium - This is when the Bishops of the Universal Church teach what the Universal Church has always taught. They teach the basics of the Catholic faith. (2) Conciliar magisterium - This involves all the Bishops of the Universal Church being called together to form a council to discuss the Universal Church teachings and issues. The most recent council was held in the 1960s when the Second Vatican Council took place. The Second Vatican Council made major changes in Church teachings and practices, including the Holy Mass / Holy Eucharist / Holy Communion being able to be celebrated in the vernacular language, which refers to the local language of the country or place that the Holy Mass is celebrated. (3) Pontifical magisterium - This is when a papal infallible statement is made. Although only the Pope himself can make a papal infallible statement, he will have consulted with the Bishops of the Catholic Church by holding discussions beforehand.

The Second Vatican Council is the most recent council in Church History, lasted for three years between 1962 and 1965. The Second Vatican Council sought to address relationships between the Universal/Catholic Church and the modern world. Appended below are the: Four key documents were the result of the Second Vatican Council. 

1) Sacrosanctum Concilium - Constitution on the Sacred liturgy -

2) Lumen gentium - Dogmatic Constitution on the Church -

3) Dei verbum - Dogmatic Constitution on Divine Revelation -

4) Gaudium et spes - Pastoral Constitution on the Church in the Modern World -

Each of these documents changed how the Church interacted with the modern world, with other Christian and non-Christian denominations and with practices within the Church. One of the greatest aims of this document was the participation of the laity in the Holy Mass.

Sacrosanctum Concilium 

One of the greatest aims of this document was the participation of the laity in the Holy Mass. For the first time, the Holy Mass could be said in the vernacular, which is the local language of the country or place where Holy Mass is celebrated. This meant that the laity could fully participate and understand what was happening. The liturgy of the Mass was rewritten to involve the laity and the layout of churches was also changed. Previously the priest would celebrate the Mass with his back to the congregation so they were simply observers of the Holy Mass. After Vatican II, the altar was moved and the priest now faced the congregation, so they were part of the Holy Mass.

Lumen Gentium

This focused on the Catholic beliefs about the Church with five key areas: (1) universal call to holiness (2) the church as the people of God (3) the role of the bishops (4) the permanent diaconate - these are deacons who are ordained by the Bishops to serve the local church (5) the lay vocation - those in the church who have not been ordained or taken any vows.  

The role of the Bishop was given more weight, the laity were called to holiness and by describing the Church as the 'people of God', the teaching on salvation and the Church as a community was made clearer.

Dei Verbum

Dei Verbum focused on revelation, and clarified key Church teachings. It stated that the sacred scriptures teach the truth about salvation, and it is truth that God wanted humanity to know. Christ Jesus was the ultimate revelation of God and preached the Gospel to men. The message of Christ Jesus was written by the apostles and those with them to preserve the teachings of Christ, and these teachings have been preserved by the magisterium. Divine Revelation means the Word of God expressed through the words of man.

Gaudium et Spes

This document addressed the Church and the world outside of it. It focused on: (1) human rights (2) the dignity of human life (3) the role of the individual in the Church as well as in the wider world (4) the role of the family in the Church and the wider world. The document also tackled modern day issues, such as: nuclear weapons, technology, advancement of science. 

The Second Vatican Council aimed to set out Church teaching; on such issues for the modern Church and the laity.

-     WELCOME TO SACRED SCRIPTURE / WORD OF GOD / HOLY BIBLE READER'S COMMUNITY     - 

Wishing you, 'Happy Reading', and may God, the Father, the Son of the living God, Jesus Christ, fills your heart, mind, thoughts, and grants you: The Holy Spirit, that is, Wisdom, Knowledge, Understanding, Counsel, Piety, Fortitude, Fear of the Lord, and also His fruits of the Holy Spirit, that is, Love, Joy, Peace, Patience, Kindness, Goodness, Trustfulness, Gentleness and Self-Control. Amen! God blessing be upon you!

Why do you call Me, "Lord, Lord" and not do what I say?' "Everyone who comes to Me and listens to My words and acts on them - I will show you what he/she is like. He/She is like a man/woman who when he/she built his/her house dug, deep, and laid the foundations on rock; when the river was in flood it bore down on that house but could not shake it, it was so well built. But the one who listens and does nothing is like the man/woman who built his/her house on soil, with no foundations: as soon as the river bore down on it, it collapsed; and what a ruin that house became!" - Luke 6:46-49 - 

If we live by the truth and in love, we shall grow in all ways into Christ Jesus, who is the head by whom the whole body is fitted and joined together, every joint adding its own strength, for each separate part to work according to it function. So the body grows until it has built itself up, in love." - Ephesians 4:15-16 - 

I still have many things to say to you but they would be too much for you now. But when the spirit of truth comes, he will lead you to the complete truth, since he will not be speaking as from himself, but will say only what he has learnt; and he will tell you of the things to come. He/She will glorify me, since all he/she tells you will be taken from what is mine. Everything the Father has is mine; that is why I said: all he/she tells you will be taken from what is mine." - John 16:12-15 -

Your generous contribution and support is profoundly cherish. I sincerely pray that: God blessing be upon you, always. Amen! Bank transfer: Name: Alex Chan Kok Wah - Public Bank Berhad account no. 4076577113 - Country: Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.