{{2016_05_30_t1.jpg}} {{2016_05_30_t2.jpg}} {{2016_05_30_t3.jpg}} [[http://www.jesusnetwork.eu/de/doku.php/jn_de_2016_05_30|Deutsche Version]] [[Start|| Wiki Start]] [[topics_collection_viii|| Topics Collection viii ]] ======The Hot Topics ...====== Monday, May 30, 2016. We were discussing the current hot topics of Christian faith and society with some Christian friends yesterday. There are of course some topics which have been widely discussed, such as the role of homosexuality. There are others, for example the relationship of Christian faith and Muslim faith - and the whole role of Muslim faith in a free society. {{2016_05_30.jpg }} **Were is the Nerve hit? ...** Discussing faith with some Christian apologists we have also been asking: what is needed to do today? Is apologetics important? What is going on in our churches? Where do we hit the nerve of our current thinking, what is God's agenda for us today? It is heatedly discussed among many people! One important sentence stuck to my mind: apologetics is only the seasoning. You can remove some counter-arguments by arguments. But arguments alone will not bring you to faith. It is the gospel itself, which creates faith. It is God himself, his word, his message, his presence, his spirit. We talk about facts, mere facts! It is important to realize that faith is not about some ideal alone. It is not about some ethical decisions which could be different. It is not just about some ideas. It is about hard facts, about God, the creator, the beginning and the end. It is about the Holy Spirit, the reality of his world. The apostle Paul summarizes these basic facts at the beginning of his letter to the Ephesians (and in many other places): {{ 2016_05_30_2.jpg}} **The facts ...** 3 Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in the heavenly realms with every spiritual blessing in Christ. 4 For he chose us in him before the creation of the world to be holy and blameless in his sight. In love 5 he predestined us for adoption to sonship through Jesus Christ, in accordance with his pleasure and will— 6 to the praise of his glorious grace, which he has freely given us in the One he loves. 7 In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, in accordance with the riches of God’s grace 8 that he lavished on us. With all wisdom and understanding, 9 he made known to us the mystery of his will according to his good pleasure, which he purposed in Christ, 10 to be put into effect when the times reach their fulfillment—to bring unity to all things in heaven and on earth under Christ. (Ephesians 1, 3-10) It is good to know that the facts are there, what ever humans believe or do. It is good to know that God is there, the beginning and the end. He is good, and he wants to hold us in his hands. In Jesus he has created full reconciliation for us, full forgiveness. In him we have an open door, an openly accessible fountain of life. What ever humans say or do, this cannot be changed. It is good to be filled by the spirit. This means that we let go the things which trouble us, pray and pray and pray - and trust them into the hands of God (of course still doing what is needed from our side). But he is the Lord, we are not the Lord. He is God, we are not. And he can help us in our trouble and in our grief. (Roland Potthast) [[http://www.jesusnetwork.eu/en/doku.php/topics_collection_viii|... more texts]]