Bishop Tutai Pere asks the questions in this week’s Church Talk.

Creation or the Creator – the Creator of course, “In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth – He, Jesus Christ was in the beginning with God. All things were made by him; and without him was not anything made that was made, In him was life; and the life was the light of men – Gen. 1:1; John 1:1 – 4. Humanity worldwide, sadly and unfortunately are showing immense passion and respect more with the created, creatures, nature and environment which turns into a form of idolatry and witchcraft than worshipping and adoring the Creator and Maker of the entire Universe, Jesus Christ.

The Bible or the Author – the Author of course, “Search the scriptures; for in them ye think ye have eternal life: and they are they which testify of Me (Jesus Christ)” – John 5:39). According to Guinness World Records as of 1995, the Bible is the best-selling book of all time with an estimated 5 billion copies sold and distributed. Other best-selling religious books include the Qur’an at least 800 million copies and the Book of Mormon at 190 million copies. Christians worldwide are estimated to number 2,604,381,000 for mid-year 2023, an estimated increase of 44,506,000 person increase from the mid-year 2022 total. Faith in Jesus Christ, in reality, is not a numbers game, but “Grow in grace, and in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ…establishing a consistent, intimate and personal relationship with the Author and Finisher of our Christian faith Jesus Christ…by being born again, born of the water and spirit to enter His kingdom – 2 Peter 3:18; Hebrews 12: 2, (Obey and act upon John 3:3,5 and Acts 2:38,39).  

Faith or Works – Faith of course, “But without faith it is impossible to please him (God): for he that cometh to God must believe that he is (exists), and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him” – Hebrews 11:6. Its not any old kind of faith nor denominational or ideological kind of faith but Faith in Jesus Christ alone – “I am the vine and ye are the branches: He that abideth in Me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit: for without Me ye can do nothing – John 15:5…I am the Way, the Truth, and the Life, no man cometh unto the Father but by me” – Jesus Christ – John 14:6. “One Lord, One Faith and One Baptism = all in Jesus Christ” – Ephesians 4:5.

Law or Grace – Grace of course, “For the law was given by Moses, but grace and truth came by Jesus Christ...For the law made nothing perfect, but the bringing in of a better hope; by the which we draw nigh unto God” – John 1:17; Hebrews 7:19. “For by Grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God: not of works, lest any man should boast” – Ephesians 2: 8, 9.

The Kingdom or the King – King of course, “But seek ye first the kingdom of God and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you…For the kingdom of God is not meat or drink; but righteousness, and peace, and joy in the Holy Ghost…To whom also Abraham gave a tenth part of all; first being by interpretation King of Righteousness, and after that also King of Salem, which is, King of Peace” – Mathew 6:33; Romans 14:17; Hebrews 7: 2. Jesus Christ is King of Kings, King of Peace and of Righteousness. No King, no kingdom – Jesus is King of kings – all subjects of all kingdoms honour, adore, worship the king not the kingdom.

The Sabbath or Lord of the Sabbath – Lord of the Sabbath of course, “And he said unto them, the sabbath was made for man, and not man for the sabbath: therefore the Son of Man is Lord also of the sabbath…Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest -Sabbath” – Mark 2: 27 & 28; Mathew 11:28. Jesus Christ is Lord of the sabbath, which in original Greek koine means, He is above the sabbath not vice versa and therefore Ruler and Sovereign Lord over the sabbath. Worship the Lord of the sabbath who sanctifies, hallows and make holy the day. The day do not make anybody holy but the Lord alone. When the Church of Jesus Christ was born and established on Pentecost Sunday in Jerusalem, the believers worshipped the Lord Jesus Christ everyday and not just on the seventh or Jewish sabbath day. He established His Church on Pentecost Sunday and the believers worshipped everyday Monday through to Sunday. “And daily in the temple, and in every house, they ceased not to teach and preach JESUS CHRIST” – Acts 5:42. That’s why they were rejected and exiled by Ancient Judaism to this day, and crucified and put to death their own promised Messiah – Jesus Christ. A loss to the Jews but a gain to us Gentiles – so Worship Jesus Christ, followed all that He has taught his Apostles, “His Church is built upon the foundation of the Apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ himself the chief cornerstone” – Ephesians 4:20.

Life or Death – Life of course, “The thief cometh not but to steal, to kill and to destroy: I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly” – John 10: 10. Jesus Chris is not the God of the dead but of the living. In Him is no darkness at all, neither is there death in Him. He breathed life into the first human called Adam and he became a living soul. When Adam sinned and death came upon all of humanity, Jesus Christ became the second Adam, went though death to rescue dead and dying humanity and he became the Resurrection and Life. So all deeds of death – suicide, infanticide, abortion, euthanasia, capital punishment, sin that brings about death are all not of God but of the devil satan – an opposition and adversary anti-spirit against our Almighty God and Saviour Jesus Christ.

Church or Head of the Church – Head of the Church of course, “For by him (Jesus Christ) were all things created, that are in heaven, and that are in the earth, visible and invisible, whether they be thrones, or dominions, or principalities, or powers: all things were created by him, and for him: And he is before all things, and by him all things consist. And he is the head of the body, the church: who is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead; that in all things he might have the pre-eminence”. And I say also unto thee, that thou art Peter, and upon this rock I will build My Church; and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it” – Jesus said, I will build My Church – not any Apostle, Pope, Bishop, Archbishop, Pastor nor Preacher – by His Holy Ghost in us after we have all received it through 1) Repentance, 2) Baptism in His Name Jesus Christ, 3) Receive the Gift of the Holy Ghost – the zeal of God unto the Day of Redemption – Acts 2: 38, 39 and Ephesian 1:13; 4:30.

1. Jehovah titles, I Am titles, Godly names, titles and offices or Jesus Christ – Jesus Christ of course, “Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men whereby we must be saved…Wherefore God also hath highly exalted him, and given him a name which is above every name: That at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of things in heaven, and things in earth, and things under the earth; And that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord (Sovereign Ruler), to the glory of God the Father – Acts 4:12; Philippians 2:9 – 11. Jesus Christ is the Incarnation of God, the Immanuel = God With us, without Whom no humans shall ever see God, cause God is a Spirit – Jesus Christ is the Image of God and the expressed image of his person.
2.  God (Compound name of Elohim or Yahweh or Jesus Christ – Jesus Christ of course, “For in him dwelleth all the fulness of the Godhead bodily. And ye are complete in him (Jesus Christ), which is the head of all principality and power” – Colossians 2:9,10. Christian believers are only complete in Jesus Christ when they have identified themselves in his death, burial and resurrection and received the Promised Gift of the Father which is the Holy Ghost by obeying and activating John 3: 3,5 and Acts 2:38,39 just as the Apostles and very Early Church believers had done – it hadn’t changed at all, “Jesus Christ the same yesterday, today and forever – I am the Lord and I change not” – Malachi 3:6; Hebrews 13:8.
3.  What of Climate Change, Environmental Impacts, Global economic inflations, Human Rights viciously erasing, deleting God Jesus Christ out of every equations, Weather and Climate imbalance, Food Shortage, Rise of Idolatry – the worship of creation than the Creator, rise of all kinds of diseases and increase in human sufferings because of increase in human sins and transgression, digging their own holes – the only answer and solution is an immediate return back to: The Creator, Author of the Bible and Finisher of Faith, Jesus Christ the Great I Am, God who died for the sins of all of humanity – get saved in Jesus Christ, Lord, Saviour, Redeemer and Forgiver of all human sins and Salvation for all mankind.
4.  Do not worship the sun, moon, stars but the living God – Deuteronomy 4: 19, 23. “If my people, which are called by My Name (Jesus Christ), shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sins, and will heal their land”.

God heal, forgive, preserve, protect and save our beloved Cook Islands; all nations of the South Pacific and all nations of the world at a limbo, cause of Godlessness – Jesus Christ is Saviour, beside Him is no other, He hears and answers prayer but reconciliation, dedication and commitment too,

Kia Orana e Kia Manuia rava!