BERITA ICCC INDONESIA 2011 Edisi MEI Untuk kalangan sendiri
BERITA INTERN UNTUK ANGGOTA DAN KOMUNIKASI BAGI KALANGAN BISNIS DAN PROFESI KRISTEN
ICCC (INTERNATIONAL CHRISTIAN CHAMBER OF COMEMRCE) ADALAH MIMBAR DIMANA PESAN KRISTUS BAGI KITA DI ZAMAN INI DIJABARKAN, DIBAGIKAN DAN DINYATAKAN TERHADAP DUNIA BISNIS
NATIONAL BOARD
Vice Presidents: Admin/Secretary Eliezer H. Hardjo Finance/Treasurer: Johanis S. Najoan
Membership/Mentoring/ Network Manimbul L. Sitorus Simon Aditan
Segala goncangan telah dan sedang terjadi terhadap dunia, baik skala negara maupun skala lokal yang dimulai pada pertengahan bulan Januari 2011, peristiwa-peristiwa yang seringkali mengagetkan ini setiap hari kita lihat dan dengar melalui liputan pemberitaan berbagai TV nasional maupun internasional dan yang dapat kita baca di edisi setiap koran lokal maupun global! Ini jelas sekali menunjukkan akhir zaman sudah sangat dekat. Oleh itu bersiap-siaplah kalau pakai istilah militer siaga satu.
Teaching / Training Benjamin B. Juwono Ridwan Naftali
Business Development/ Micro-Enterprise Tonny Soetjoadi Rudolf A.S. Sinaga
Intercessors (Mrs.) Josephine S. Sitorus (Ms.) Hermina M. Usmany Eddy S. Kristiawan
Sudah sebulan lewat baru kita bertemu lagi. Bersama ini pula saya ucapkan “Selamat Paskah” bagi para pembaca newsletter ini. Kebangkitan Yesus Kristus, setelah IA mengatakan “Sudah selesai” (Yoh.19:20), yang berarti IA telah mengangkat segala kutuk kita (kutuk penyakit, kemiskinan, pengetahuan, masalah dlsb.nya) dan menukarnya dengan anugerah! Haleluyah! Kiranya semangat kebangkitan ini dapat kita aplikasikan dalam “calling” kita di dunia usaha.
National President Bunan Djambek
Shalom saudara-saudaraku yang terkasih!
Seperti pada zaman Nuh di (Luk 17:26-30) manusia zaman ini sudah layak menerima murka dimata TUHAN, untung masih ditemui seorang bernama Nuh! Selagi ia membangun bahtera selama 120 tahun dia menginjili tetapi tidak seorang pun meresponse sehingga semuanya binasa. Kita khususnya yang bergerak di marketplace masih diberi kesempatan untuk menunjukkan jalan yang benar dan lurus melakukan business. Kiranya TUHAN menemukan kita sedang menjalani tugas ini,di tengah-tengah kehidupan bisnis dan kerja kita.
Kantor Nasional ICCC Indonesia:
Website: www.iccc-indonesia.com Pertokoan Pulo Mas Blok B I / 8, Jalan Perintis Kemerdekaan. Jakarta 13260 Telp (021) 4890211, fax: (021) 4722274. E-mail: djambek-plus@cbn.net.id, ehardjo@gmail.com, js.najoan@gmail.com
Tuhan Yesus memberkati! Bunan Djambek National President ICCC INDONESIA www.iccc-indonesia.com
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INDONESIA
Dinner Gathering With Ed Silvoso
ICCC sebagai salah satu marketplace ministries di dunia dan Indonesia mendukung sepenuhnya agenda World Prayer Assembly 2012 dan sebagai langkah pendahuluan telah diadakan Grand Launching Gala Dinner Gathering dengan Ed Silvoso yang membawakan pesan Tuhan dengan topik ”New Wave of Economic Revolution” pada hari Rabu tanggal 27 April 2011 mendatang bertempat di Hotel Ritz Carlton Pacific Place.
Dr. John Robb, Chairman of the International Prayer Council, penggagas WPA 2012
Hadir sekitar 500 undangan yang memenuhi Ball room 3 Hotel Ritz Carlton – Pacific Place Gubernur DKI, Dr. Ing. Haji Fauzi Bowo menyempatkan hadir untuk mengapresiasi kalangan bisnis dan mengharapkan kerjasama dalam menanggulangi permasalahan yang ada di Jakarta dan sekaligus meningkatkan ekonomi di Ibukota yang mengontrol sekitar 60% dari ekonomi Indonesia.
Bunan Djambek, National President ICCC Indonesia ketika berbincang dengan Rev. Ed Silvoso
Selain National President ICCC, Bunan Djambek, juga hadir dari ICCC National Board a.l. Johanis S. Najoan, M. Luhut Sitorus dan isteri, Rudolf A.S. Sinaga & Josephine Sitorus. Berikut pandangan kamera yang mengikuti National President:
Gubernur DKI, Dr. Ing. Haji Fauzi Bowo ketika memberikan sambutannya
National President ICCC ditengah para tokoh yang hadir di WPA 2012 a.l. Pdt. Bambang Wijaya (paling kiri), Chairman of WPA2012 dan disebelah kanan Ed Silvoso, Wakil Gubernur Lemhanas Mayjend TNI (Purn) Albert Inkiriwang
Bersama Talas Sianturi SH, Advisor FGBMFI Indonesia
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FORUM ANGGOTA
INTERNATIONAL Para ICCC Leaders dari seluruh dunia kembali akan berkumpul dalam ajang International Leaders Gathering di Yerusalem dengan thema: IN THE GRIP OF GOD’S PURPOSE IN THE ERA OF CHANGE dan agenda sbb:
21 – 23 Juni 2011: President’s Conference dialog dengan President Israel Simon Peres 23 – 25 Juni 2011: International Leaders Conference 26 – 28 Juni 2011: Leaders Training
National President ICCC Indonesia, Bunan Djambek akan mengahadiri Gathering tersebut bersama dengan National Board Members lainnya. Mari kita doakan agar Gathering tersebut membawa dampak yang besar dalam menyikapi perubahan yang terjadi di dunia yang begitu cepat dan mencengangkan.
New Members Kita mengucap syukur dan menyambut baik beberapa peserta Seminar dan juga yang lain telah menyatakan untuk bergabung dengan ICCC Indonesia dan nama-nama yang bersangkutan akan kami umumkan dalam ICCC Newsletter edisi berikutnya.
MEMBERSHIP FEE
Bagi anda yang akan memperpanjang kartu keanggotaan anda untuk tahun 2011 sudah dapat dan agar menghubungi Manimbul Luhut Sitorus V.P. Membership melalui HP: 08159694545 atau mengirimkan email ke V.P. Admin/ Secretary (ehardjo@gmail.com) Annual Membership Fee untuk tahun 2011 mengikuti peraturan International dalam kategori Developing Nation menjadi Rp. 600.000 dimana US$ 50 dikirim ke Kantor Pusat di Swedia sebagai syarat dan kewajiban International Membership Membership Fee dapat ditransfer ke rekening ICCC Indonesia atau FORUKIN dibawah ini, dan mengirimkan bukti transfernya dengan fax ke alamat yang tercantum paling bawah dari setiap halaman Newsletter ini: Rekening Bank: CIMB NIAGA BANK Cabang Senen - Jakarta No. 200-01-00012-00-0 a/n : Forum Komunikasi Usahawan Kristen Indonesia (FORUKIN).
Bagi members yang berminat dipersilahkan menghubungi Kantor Nasional (email: djambekplus@cbn.net.id atau ehardjo@gmail.com
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KONTAK BISNIS 1. PT. Chantique Inti Décor Junias Hidajat – Director Offices: JL. Semarang – Purwodadi Km 17.8 Gudang No. 8 Kalitengah, Mranggen, Demak 59567, Jawa Tengah – Indonesia Phone: +62-24 673 5496 & 673 5498 Fax: +62-24 673 5497 e-mail: chantique@indosat.net.id Website: www.chantique-id.com Line of Business: Manufacture of customize outdoor furniture for hotels and restaurants.
For serious inquiry, please contact: Junias Hidajat E-mail: junias@indosat.net.id Cell: +62 81 2287 1778 2. Surya Delapan Mas Tonny Soetjoadi – Director Offices: 1. HWI Lindeteves 4th Floor, Block B No. 7 Jalan Hayam Wuruk Jakarta (Barat) 11180 – INDONESIA Phone: 062 (21) 6259625 Fax: 062 (21) 6259561 2. Taman Berdikari Santosa Block M No. 16 Jalan Pemuda Jakarta (Timur) 13220 – INDONESIA Phone: 062 (21) 4712821 & 91282388 Fax: 062 (21) 4718293 Line of Business: Distribution of Chladianplast Corrugated Roof & Flat sheet for Jakarta Metro & Outer Java and International market
Business Opportunity: Looking for bona-fide Sub-distributors all-over Indonesia as well as outside of Indonesia, preferably having vast networks & experiences in distribution of building materials. Serious inquiry can be directed to Tonny Soetjoadi, Director (tonnystd@indo.net.id or mobile: +62811193202
3. HeavenSpring Consulting & Agencies Co. Eliezer Hernawan Hardjo Ph.D., CM Jalan Pegangsaan Indah Barat B I / 8 Pondok Gading Utama Jakarta 14250 – INDONESIA Phone: 062 (21) 4521141 Fax: 062 (21) 4533070 Mobile: (062) 815-13203415 E-mail: eliezer@heavenspring.com, ehardjo@gmail.com Partners: 1. Institute of Certified Professional Managers – James Madison University, VA, USA 2. DF Solusi Consulting – Indonesia Line of Business: Business & Management Consulting (Seminar, Training & Consulting)
Bagi member yang berminat untuk dicantumkan dalam kolom ini (free of charge) dimohon untuk meng-update data dan mengirim ke e-mail: ehardjo@gmail.com seperti contoh diatas Nama Perusahaan Person in Charge dan Contact person Alamat lengkap termasuk no. Telepon/fax dan e-mail Line of business Specific products yang ingin ditawarkan (dengan foto kalau ada – yang di-compressed)
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If a man abide not in me, he is cast forth as a branch, and is withered; and men gather them, and cast them into the fire, and they are burned.
(John 15: 6, AKJV)
Does Marriage Really Matter? Traditional marriages—those between one man and one woman—are facing increasing pressures from many directions. Does marriage really matter? Just how important is it? What does the Bible say? by David Treybig The attraction of a man to a woman and a woman to a man has long been the inspiration for poems, novels, chivalrous deeds and much consternation. The ancient sage Agur the son of Jakeh said, "There are three things which are too wonderful for me, four which I do not understand: the way of an eagle in the sky, the way of a serpent on a rock, the way of a ship in the middle of the sea, and the way of a man with a maid" (Proverbs 30:18-20, New American Standard Bible). The fact that almost everyone has an attraction to the opposite sex has served mankind well. This special relationship between a man and a woman has been the building block of society—the basis for the development of the human race. And in addition to producing children to populate the earth, traditional marriage has contributed greatly to societal stability as well as our overall happiness and well-being.
As most of us grow up, we dream of finding someone with whom we can share our lives, our hopes and our dreams. Young men look for that special princess, and young women for that special man. Yet in spite of this obvious tendency, the percentage of those married is not as high as one might assume. According to Sheila Weber, executive director of National Marriage Week USA, "A new Marriage Index released in October, 2009 reports that in 1970 nearly 80 percent of all adult Americans were married; today that has dropped to 57 percent" ("Why You Should Care About Marriage in America," FoxNews.com, Feb. 5, 2010). A number of factors account for why so many Americans are single. Some haven't found a person to marry, some are widows or widowers, some have no interest in marrying and, sadly, some marriages end in divorce. Divorce has become a worldwide problem. Sweden leads the world with almost 55 percent of marriages ending in divorce. It's followed in this dubious ranking by Belarus, Finland, Luxembourg, Estonia, Australia and then the United States. Being married and remaining happily married is becoming increasingly difficult no matter where one lives. So what are the pressures causing so many marital unions to end? Is traditional marriage worth keeping?
What are the leading causes of divorce?
The primary reasons given for the dissolution of marriages include the lack of a proper foundation for marriage, finances, substance abuse, addictions, gambling, physical abuse, mental abuse, infidelity, immaturity, jealousy, meddling in-laws and irresponsibility. Many of these human failings have a striking correlation to a prophecy of what conditions will be like just prior to Jesus Christ's return to the earth. The apostle Paul wrote: "But know this, that in the last days perilous times will come: For men will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy, unloving, unforgiving, slanderers, without self-control, brutal, despisers of good, traitors, headstrong, haughty, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God" (2 Timothy 3:1-4).
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These all reflect an overall attitude of selfishness that is particularly hard on marriages. It's difficult for people to remain in relationships with spouses who are selfish, unthankful, unholy, unloving and unforgiving. And sadly, many people in our world today are focusing solely on themselves to the exclusion of others. In this time of worldwide economic difficulty, finances have also added stress to many marriages. But contrary to what many assume, a little less income doesn't automatically doom your marriage (see "Finances and Marriage" on page 11). As we all know, those with good marriages seem to easily handle whatever difficulty arises, while every challenge seems particularly difficult for couples whose relationships are already on shaky ground.
One of the arguments for same-sex marriage is that this is a matter of fairness—that everyone has a right to call his or her relationship a marriage. They say to married people, "We want what you have." Many people, wishing to be fair and openminded, have been persuaded that this is a civil right. But what, we should all ask, is the opinion of the One from whom rights truly come—the One who instituted marriage in the first place?
What is God's perspective as the creator of marriage?
When God made human beings, He designed us for a relationship with the opposite sex. After creating Adam, God said, "It is not good that man should be alone; I will make him a helper comparable to him" (Genesis 2:18). God then formed a woman from Adam's body to be his female complement. Together, they were a unit— the first family.
Gay marriage enters the picture
As traditional marriages between man and woman have struggled to survive in recent decades, homosexuals have campaigned for equal-status relationships commonly referred to as gay or same-sex marriage. Pressure for gay marriage began to mount in the 1980s as gay rights activists in Denmark began urging a change in the definition of marriage from being only between a man and a woman to a relationship between two adults regardless of gender. In the 1990s similar efforts took root in the United States and other nations. Lawsuits and the actions of a few churches performing same-sex ceremonies fueled public awareness. At first, same-sex couples were allowed to have civil unions. Then in 2001 the Netherlands became the first country to legally sanction gay marriage. Other European nations and Canada soon followed the Netherlands' lead. In South Africa, gay rights were included in the post-apartheid constitution. In spite of the initial success of gay marriage proponents, strong opposition supporting the traditional definition of marriage remains in many parts of the world. In most of Africa, Asia, the Caribbean and Arab nations, criminal penalties still exist for homosexual acts. And in the United States, when it's been put to a public vote, citizens of several states have rejected efforts to legalize gay marriage—sometimes to then be overruled by unelected judges.
Immediately following His creation of this first union of male and female, God established a precedent for the human race, stating, "Therefore a man shall leave his father and mother and be joined to his wife, and they shall become one flesh" (verse 24). All those who would come after Adam and Eve were to follow this pattern of one male together with one female becoming "one flesh." This meant that the two were to become one in the sexual sense and also, in a more figurative sense, that they were to share their lives and work together in a close personal relationship that would last a lifetime. They were to be "one" physically, mentally and in their sociological relationship to others. What we can determine from this beginning is that God is definitely in favor of traditional marriage. From His beginning pronouncement that a man was to leave his father and mother and be joined to his wife (Genesis 2:24; Matthew 19:4-6), He has consistently upheld His position. Proverbs 18:22 explains, "He who finds a wife finds a good thing, and obtains favor from the Lord." Here we see that not only is traditional marriage something "good," it is also a way to obtain God's "favor." God sanctions no other kind of marriage relationship between human beings. And why is He so set on this institution? Because "He seeks godly offspring" (Malachi 2:15).
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The whole plan and purpose of God is to have human beings become His spiritual children (John 1:12). Although we are all children of God in a physical sense because God created us, God also wants us to mature and become spiritual members of His family with His same spiritual composition (1 John 3:1-2). The birth of children in a godly home is the starting point for future members of the God family. This is why God favors traditional marriage and why He "hates divorce" (Malachi 2:16). Another reason God is pro-marriage is that through such marriages we learn about the relationship between Christ and the spiritual body of believers who are His followers. After a discussion of the roles of husbands and wives within marriage, the apostle Paul noted, "This is a great mystery, but I speak concerning Christ and the church" (Ephesians 5:22-32). It is within this one-man-with-one-woman relationship that we can glimpse the special love Christ has for the Church.
What are some of the benefits of traditional marriage?
Numerous studies have confirmed that being married helps us live healthier, happier and longer lives. While God noted that it wasn't good for a man to be alone (Genesis 2:18), it also turns out that it isn't good for a woman either. As the National Marriage Week USA Web site notes: "There is a growing body of research which suggests 'Not being married can be hazardous to your health'...Compared to married people, the nonmarried ... have higher rates of mortality than the married: about 50 percent higher among women and 250 percent higher among men... "Being unmarried can actually be a greater risk to one's life than having heart disease or cancer. For example, having heart disease shortens the average man's life span by slightly less than six years. But being unmarried chops almost ten years off a man's life." On average, married cancer patients survive 10 years longer than those who are single. A recent study of outcomes for hospitalized patients found that married surgical patients are far less likely to die in the hospital than those who are single. Furthermore, "the risk of being discharged to a nursing home was 2.5 times greater for unmarried than for married patients, even after taking into
account the severity of illness, age, gender, race and diagnosis" (ibid.). While the advantages of being married are clearly evident in health and a willingness to reduce unhealthy behavior, young men and women who live together without getting married do not experience the same benefits. Instead, these young people have high rates of behaviors that are hazardous to their health. In addition to enjoying better physical health, married men and women report better mental health—less depression and anxiety—than those not married. They also report greater happiness, and it's been documented that married couples accumulate greater wealth than those divorced or single. Summarizing why we should care about marriage, Sheila Weber wrote: "Marriage is the best way to overcome poverty, and it is proven as the best circumstance for raising children. Research overwhelmingly shows that lack of marriage or divorce impoverishes women and children. "In addition, boys reared apart from their father are twice as more likely to spend time in prison by age 32 as those who were raised in a married home headed by their own mother and father. "Teenage girls who are raised by their own father are much more likely to resist the advances of boys or young men who do not have their best interests at heart. In fact, 35 percent of adolescent girls whose father left before the age of six became pregnant, compared to just 5 percent of girls who were raised by their mother and father. "Research also overwhelmingly makes the case that married folks live longer, enjoy better health, greater personal happiness, more well adjusted children, and greater financial stability" (Weber, FoxNews.com). In encouraging mankind to marry, God was giving advice that would lead to better, happier, more fulfilling lives. The institution of marriage has stood the test of time. As Winston Churchill said: "Where does the family start? It starts with a young man falling in love with a girl—no superior alternative has yet been found."
Good news for traditional marriages
While traditional marriages clearly face pressures in our modern world, there is good news to report.
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In the United States the rate of divorce has actually been declining. In 2005 the U.S. divorce rate was 3.6 per 1,000 people—the lowest rate since 1970, and substantially down from the peak rate of 5.3 per 1,000 in 1981. (Of course, a significant factor in this decline is that fewer people are getting married in the first place.) A growing number of churches in the United States require couples to undergo premarital counseling prior to the wedding ceremony. Approximately 28 percent of U.S. churches now offer at least one marriage class to build, mend and deepen marriages. Some states are doing their part to encourage couples to undergo counseling in preparation for marriage. For example, in Florida if a couple completes a premarital counseling course, the marriage license fee is discounted. Why do states do this? Because it's in their financial interest to do so. Divorce is costly—both for the people involved and for the state, which often ends up providing benefits to those partners and children impoverished by divorce. Counseling programs to support couples and offer training in life skills likewise exist in many other countries. Healthy, happy marriages are beneficial to the individuals and the community at large. While it's encouraging to see churches and communities working together to support marriage, individuals must also do their part. With God's help, and with the instructions He gives in His Word, you can do a great deal to strengthen your own marriage—or, if you're not married, to prepare for possible future marriage. GN
(Kirimkan kutipan, artikel, kata-kata mutiara atau kisah pengalaman anda yang dapat memperkuat iman pembaca Newsletter ini kepada TUHAN baik itu berupa pengalaman pribadi maupun orang lain dengan ciri utama bisnis dan rohani)
Transformed Working Life (TWL) adalah Pelatihan resmi dari Kantor Internasional bagi anggota ICCC dalam memperlengkapi anggota dengan pengetahuan dan pemahaman latar belakang, tujuan dan penerapan prinsipprinsip Kerajaan TUHAN bagi dunia bisnis dan profesi. TWL diperuntukkan bagi anggota dan dapat diikuti secara Cuma-Cuma, namun terbuka juga bagi siapa saja yang berminat untuk mengikutinya.
TWL
diselenggarakan dalam bahasa Indonesia dan dilengkapi dengan buku panduannya, yang telah diterjemahkan kedalam Bahasa Indonesia juga, sehingga para peserta betul-betul akan memperoleh manfa’at yang besar dan mengalami transformasi dalam kehidupan pribadi maupun bisnisnya. TWL difasilitasi oleh anggota National Board yang terlatih dan dikoordinir oleh V.P. Teaching: Benjamin B. Juwono bersama dengan Teaching Team: Ridwan Naftali Transformed Working Life (TWL) akan ditayangkan dalam salah satu channel di Indonesia agar dapat dimanfaatkan oleh para pebisnis & profesional Kristiani di Indonesia bagaimana menerapkan prinsip-prinsip Kerajaan Tuhan dalam kehidupan berbisnis dan bekerja mereka. Tolong dukung agar maksud ini dapat terealisir di tahun 2011 mendatang. TWL bagi members secara rutin diadakan pada hari Sabtu ke 2 setiap bulan dan terbuka dan dianjurkan bagi semua member untuk mengikutinya sebagai pembekalan wajib.
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Apa itu ICCC?
Visi ini memanggil para pengusaha dan kaum profesi di seluruh dunia yang terbeban untuk saling berhubungan, bertukar pendapat, memperdagang-kan barang dan menyediakan jasa, saling mendukung dan menguatkan secara rohani dan materi. Berdasarkan eksistensi dari visi itu sendiri memproklamirkan otoritas Kristus yang mutlak diseluruh dunia.
Forum dimana pesan Kristus untuk zaman ini dijabarkan, disampaikan dan dinyatakan kepada Dunia Bisnis ICCC adalah badan yang independen dan inter-denominasi, bukan menjadi bagian dari suatu gereja tertentu namun ikut melayani gereja yang membutuhkan pelayanan ICCC. ICCC berkantor Pusat di Orebrö Swedia dan saat ini telah berada di sekitar 65 negara di lima benua. ICCC Indonesia melakukan berbagai kegiatan dan pelayanan baik terhadap anggota, maupun terhadap dunia bisnis khususnya dalam lingkungan Kristiani. Undanglah kami untuk memberikan presentasi mengenai visi, misi dan tujuan ICCC bagi dunia bisnis dan profesi
VISI, MISI DAN TUJUAN ICCC International Christian Chamber of Commerce (ICCC) lahir dari kepatuhan terhadap visi yang diberikan selama kurun waktu enam tahun kepada seorang usahawan Swedia J. Gunnar Olson, yang diteguhkan dengan nubuatan dan terbukanya pintu kesempatan disekitarnya yang sebelumnya tertutup. ICCC merupakan panggilan yang serius dan menantang bagi pengusaha Kristen untuk mengenali jaman yang sedang kita masuki dan dengan terang dari pengenalan itu memasuki dimensi iman yang baru yang disediakan bagi mereka yang …” takut akan TUHAN … berbicara satu sama lain … dan menghormati namaNya.” (Maleakhi 3: 16)
Pada intinya ICCC adalah kehendak TUHAN untuk memperluas tali kasih-Nya, melalui gerejaNya, didalam dunia usaha. Hal ini menuntut para pelaku bisnis mencari terlebih dahulu KerajaanNya dan segala Kebenaran-Nya. Urapan tersedia bagi mereka yang dengan mata melihat dan telinga mendengar panggilan jaman. Sebagaimana halnya Raja Daud yang menerima urapan untuk menjadi raja, jauh sebelum dia menjadi Raja, yang keadaan pada saat urapan diberikan sama sekali tidak mungkin bagi Daud untuk menjadi Raja, demikianlah ICCC memanggil para pengusaha Kristen sebelum peristiwanya terjadi untuk mengalami kebebasan masuk ke dalam dimensi baru, dimana sasaran, strategi dan perencanaan bersama-sma diwujudnyatakan sesuai dengan iman di dalam Kristus. ICCC mencanangkan panggilan itu sejalan dengan rencana TUHAN bagi jaman ini sebagai kunci memperoleh berkat dan pertumbuhan dan agar dapat bangkit berkemenangan diatas gelombang ombak yang mengancam. Panggilan ICCC: “Mereka akan menjadi milik kesayanganKu sendiri, firman TUHAN semesta Alam pada hari yang Kusiapkan. Aku akan mengasihi mereka sama seperti seseorang menyayangi anaknya yang melayani dia. Maka kamu akan melihat kembali perbedaan antara orang benar dan orang fasik, antara orang yang beribadah kepada TUHAN dan orang yang tidak beribadah kepada-Nya.” (Maleakhi 3: 17-18)
KEYAKINAN IMAN ICCC:
Satu-satunya TUHAN pencipta segala sesuatu dalam kesatuan Trinitas: Bapa, Anak, dan Roh Kudus.
Keilahian TUHAN Yesus Kristus. Kelahiran-Nya dari rahim seorang Perawan. Karya penebusan dosa manusia melalui kematian-Nya diatas kayu salib. Kebangkitan-Nya. Hak otoriatas diri-Nya atas dunia dan Kedatangan-Nya yang kedua kali dalam Kuasa dan Kemuliaan-Nya.
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Alkitab, sepenuhnya sebagai Firman TUHAN yang memberikan inspirasi dan berbagai peraturan bagi kehidupan yang dilandasi iman.
Keselamatan pribadi orang berdosa dan kebutuhannya untuk mengalami proses regenerasi melalui karya Roh Kudus dalam menuju menjadikannya sebagai manusia yang dikehendaki oleh TUHAN, seutuhnya.
Is the Love of Many Growing Cold? by David C. Grabbe
In the Olivet Prophecy found in Matthew 24, Jesus Christ answers His disciples' questions regarding the timing and sign of His second coming and the end of the age. In describing the persecution and tribulation that corresponds to the Fifth Seal (Matthew 24:9-14; Revelation 6:9), He gives some specific indicators: "And because lawlessness will abound, the love of many will grow cold. But he who endures to the end shall be saved" (Matthew 24:12-13). In recent years, the indicator in verse 12 about "love . . . grow[ing] cold" has often been cited when a grievance toward a particular church organization or group arose. This verse, however, can easily be misapplied, so it behooves us to more fully understand what it means so that we can know if or when it is being fulfilled. Understanding the word translated "love" is a vital first step. It is the well-known Greek word agape, the love that people have only because God has given it to them
(Romans 5:5; II Timothy 1:7; I John 2:5; 4:7-8). The people whose agape love is growing cold must have had it in the first place, so it refers to those whom God has called into a relationship with Him (John 6:44). It is important to differentiate between this agape love and the other types of love mentioned in the Bible. Phileo love means "to be a friend to" or "to be fond of" a person or object, indicating "having affection for," whereas Strong's Concordance notes that agape "is wider, embracing especially the judgment and the deliberate assent of the will as a matter of principle, duty and propriety" (emphasis ours). Similarly, philadelphia love means "fraternal affection" or "brotherly love." Agape love, though, is manifested first toward God, because it is a dutiful, submissive, obedient love, one that does what is right regardless of how a person feels about it. In other words, agape love has a moral core rather than an emotional one. The Bible shows that, in general, we show agape love to the Father through our obedience and submission, especially to His law (John 14:15-23; 15:10; I John 2:5; 5:2-3; II John 6). We show agape love to each other through sacrifice, just as Jesus' example of love—to those around Him and to us—was through sacrifice (John 13:34; 15:12-13; Romans 13:8-10; Galatians 5:13; Ephesians 5:2, 25; I John 3:16, 18; 4:912). The meaning of Matthew 24:12, then, is that agape love will grow cold because of lawlessness, even though there may still be brotherly love, kindness, and human affection. Remember, we show agape love to God through obedience—the opposite of lawlessness—so when disobedience increases, agape grows cold. An example of this appears in the letter to the Ephesians, where Jesus says that they had left their first love—their first agape—and He commands them to repent (Revelation 2:4-5), that is, to turn away from their lawlessness. When there is compromise, or the setting aside of God's standard of righteousness and holiness, then the submissive love toward God and the sacrificial love toward man will begin to grow cold. It is a simple cause-and-effect relationship. In this prophecy, Jesus Christ is describing an ongoing breakdown in the relationship with God. Since that most important relationship is the source of agape love, if it is waning, then it will be evident in other relationships. A symptom may be that sacrificial love toward other people is decreasing, but the real cause is that the relationship with God is cooling off. A cause of this deterioration is found in the preceding verse: "Then many false prophets will rise up and deceive many" (Matthew 24:11). While a true prophet always upholds God's law (Deuteronomy 13:3-4; Isaiah 8:19-20; Romans 8:7), a false prophet is willing to compromise with God's standard of holiness when it suits him. Those following a false teacher will likewise slide into lawlessness, becoming separated from God (Isaiah 59:1-3).
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An Incomplete Love
Even though we might fancy ourselves as expert judges, at times it can be tricky to determine by observation whether the agape love is truly cooling. This is because the word "love" can be a subjective term, and even the phrase "sacrificial love" is wide open to interpretation. To illustrate this, suppose I asked you to turn in your Bible to page 949. In my Bible, on page 949, in the left-hand column, about half way down, are Jesus Christ's words, "By this all will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another." Are we on the same page? Technically, we are, but at the same time, we may not be looking at the same passage. My page 949 is probably at least a little bit different from yours—maybe even very different— though, strictly speaking, we are on the same page. My page 949 contains parts of John 13 and 14; the quotation above is John 13:35. Chances are good that your page 949 is not only different from mine, but that it also differs from page 949 in other Bibles you may have. This exercise demonstrates that, while we are on the same page with regard to sacrificial love and the need for it, the exact application of that love may be different for each of us, even though it is still exercised within the bounds of God's law. How we show love to others and what we look for in terms of love from others will not always be the same. This is because we each have facets of God's love, but we do not have the totality, the whole, of it. Each child of God resembles Him to a degree, but each of us resembles Him more strongly in some areas than in others. Each of us learns or is directed to sacrifice in slightly different ways. This does not mean that agape love is absent. It simply means that agape love is not complete in us in the way that God's love is complete. For example, some people are quite outgoing and excel at making people feel welcome and cherished. They know how to build up, affirm, and encourage people verbally. These are modern types of the apostle Barnabas, whose name means "son of encouragement" or "son of consolation." However, not everybody has that facet of God's love to a significant degree. There was, after all, only one Barnabas among the apostles. Though the other apostles were probably encouraging and affirming in their own ways, only one was named for that aspect of God's love. Others may not have as much to say, but they will give the shirt off their backs to the needy. They will even have it dry-cleaned first. If it needs to be a different size, they will make sure of that, too. Some serve behind the scenes, and we may not even be aware of all their sacrifices. They resemble the tireless service of an ox, just as Christ did. Nevertheless, not everyone is able to sacrifice in this way.
Still others have the means to give materially. That may mean giving financial assistance or slipping someone a small token of appreciation or admiration that, even though it does not have much intrinsic worth, stands for a more meaningful sentiment. As another example, a man I know has a plaque in his office with four short words that explain another facet of God's love. The plaque reads simply, "I teach. I care." But not everyone has that kind of sacrificial love. Other people may instead reflect God's love differently. On the flipside, because of the way we are as individuals—because our page 949 is not universal— we may not easily recognize the sacrificial love of another if we are looking only for one application of it. Because of the way some people are wired, they may not feel like they are loved unless they receive a hug every time they see you. That is not a shortcoming but simply the way they are. Yet, for others, hugs may make them uncomfortable. We may have to give them more personal space. Some feel as if they are out in the cold unless they receive an occasional handwritten note. Others may get such a note, but it is not as valuable to them as the sender spending meaningful time with them. Both the card and the time can be examples of sacrificial love, but each means more to one than another. Some may feel unloved unless the love is verbally expressed to them; for them, "silence is deafening." For others, though, "talk is cheap," and the real evidence of love on their page 949 is some form of physical service or gift. Thus, although we are all on the same page in one sense, we are not all seeing the same thing. If God is our spiritual Father, then we know that His love is poured out in our hearts (Romans 5:5), and it will be evident in some way. However, that evidence will not be identical in every case. If we are only looking for one facet of God's love, we may miss a great deal of His workmanship, His outworking, and His image in His other children.
An Imperfect Love
To compound this challenge, even the aspects of God's love that we do express will be demonstrated imperfectly. The bar is quite high when it comes to love, as Jesus tells a scribe: Then one of the scribes came, and having heard them reasoning together, perceiving that He had answered them well, asked Him, "Which is the first commandment of all?" Jesus answered him, "The first of all the commandments is: 'Hear, O Israel, the Lord our God, the Lord is one. And you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your mind, and with all your strength.' This is the first commandment. And the second, like it, is this: 'You shall love your neighbor as yourself.' There is no other commandment greater than these." (Mark 12:2831)
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The apostle John declares that sin is the transgression of God's commandments (I John 3:4, KJV), including the two great commandments Jesus spoke. The word translated as "sin" literally means "to miss the mark." Combining these principles gives us a very broad definition of sin: Sin is imperfectly loving God with all our heart, soul, mind, and strength; and imperfectly loving our neighbor as ourselves. Romans 3:23 declares that "all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God." In other words, all have sinned in the past, and in the present all fall short in reflecting God's love, which is a major part of His glory. Godly love does not have to grow cold for it to be shown imperfectly. It is going to be shown imperfectly when it is demonstrated by God's stillimperfect children. We all are in this state. Not that we should give up trying to perfect God's love. On the contrary, we have every responsibility to do our utmost to perfect it (I John 2:5; 4:12, 17-18). At the same time, it should not shock us when our spiritual brothers and sisters show God's love to us imperfectly, for we are guilty of the same toward them—and toward God. Perhaps we find ourselves in a situation where it appears that God's love is growing cold. Maybe we see God's standard of holiness being ignored or compromised, and some form of lawlessness is beginning to show up. We may see little evidence of sacrificial love, and relationships are beginning to be strained. What should we do? There are two possibilities. The first is that our discernment is correct, and what Jesus Christ foretold is coming to pass, perhaps not in its ultimate fulfillment, but at least in type. The second is that our discernment is incorrect, and that God's love is actually present and not growing cold, but we are having trouble seeing it. If our discernment is correct, and we truly are in a circumstance where agape love is waning, Jesus has already indicated what He wants us to do. Matthew 24:13 says, "But he who endures to the end shall be saved." When many are letting their relationships with God deteriorate, the emphasis is on patient, active endurance. I Corinthians 13 gives a beautiful description of agape love, which parallels Jesus' exhortation to endure in several points. Verse 4 says that godly love "suffers long." It displays patience and endurance, even in the face of being loved imperfectly. Verse 7 adds that godly love "bears all things" and "endures all things." However, if we are not showing patience or endurance in response to imperfect love, then we are simply responding with carnality rather than with God's love.
Similarly, verse 5 says that godly love "thinks no evil." True love pays no attention to a suffered wrong, nor takes account of the evil done to it. It does not keep a running list of all the ways it has been offended or loved imperfectly. That, again, would be responding to imperfect love with carnality. So, if we do find ourselves in the midst of a fulfilment of Matthew 24:12, we really have our work cut out for us because we will have to endure patiently and continue to display God's love rather than allow our own agape to also grow cold in response. Conversely, God's love may be present, but our discernment may be incorrect, and we are missing it by looking for agape only in one application. We may be continually waiting for a specific type of sacrificial love, and if we do not receive it, we may suppose that God's love is absent. However, as we saw, we are not all the same in how we show love or how we recognize it. We may need to take a step back and look for facets of God's love that are present, rather than focusing on what may be absent. In addition, given that human nature is still present within us, we also have to remember that nothing inhibits or damages our ability to see things clearly like focusing on the self. That is, we tend to evaluate whether God's love is present based on how we feel or how we are affected, rather than on objectively looking for God's spiritual workmanship in the overall situation. Remember, even where God's love is present, it will most likely be demonstrated imperfectly, just as we also love God and neighbor imperfectly. Only one Man has ever loved God and man perfectly and completely. Even with all that God has done and continues to do with us, we are pale reflections of that glory. Yet, part of showing God's love to our neighbor is patiently enduring our neighbor's imperfect love, just as we would like God and our neighbor to have similar patience with us as we strive—and yet fail—to show perfect love to them. Regardless of whether we truly are in the time of Matthew 24:12, our individual responsibility is to work on perfecting God's love in our lives. We do this, in general, by submitting to God and by sacrificing for others. If—when—we are loved imperfectly in the process, whether in our perception or in fact, it gives us the opportunity to demonstrate God's patient love all the more.
Terimakasih anda telah meluangkan waktu membaca Berita ICCC Indonesia ini dan silahkan mem-forward-nya ke rekan bisnis anda agar memperoleh berkat rohani yang sama. Redaksi
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