Essentials

SWORD is published to bring the unchanging word of God to the people of God and through them to the nations of the world.

Church as ‘letter’
We define prophecy as the ‘forthtelling’ of the Word of God – in particular, God’s Word concerning His Son, Jesus the Messiah of Israel and Saviour of the world. The One who was the horizon of ancient Israel’s prophets¹ is the central message of the apostolic Church in every age.² The Jesus-centred Church is God’s prophet to the world – a letter from Messiah.³ Jesus intends His Church to proclaim His word and reveal His Living Presence to the world, empowered by the Holy Spirit.⁴ Prophecy is God’s gift to strengthen the faith of His people,⁵ by shining heaven’s constant light on earth’s changing realities. ⁶ ‘Foretelling’ is God’s business, and any that purports to originate with Him must be subject to the whole counsel of Scripture and the severe tests laid down.⁷

Divine help
God’s nature is unchanging.⁸ He still communicates through the Holy Spirit as in biblical times. As the full and final revelation of God, Scripture can neither be added to nor taken away from.⁹ Without the Holy Spirit we are left with only our rational minds to interpret the written word.¹⁰ With the Holy Spirit’s help, the written Word of yesterday becomes the living Word of today, revealing everything necessary for godly life and salvation.¹¹
One answer
In all the nations today, an anti-God spirit is dismantling nationhood, destroying family life, promoting lawlessness, in favour of centralised – and unaccountable – global control, seeking to overthrow God’s moral and social order, and threatening worldwide destruction. To all this, the Gospel is the only answer.¹²
One restored race
Jesus is the ‘last Adam’,¹³ the ‘firstborn of many brothers’.¹⁴ Thus His disciples are ‘a colony of heaven on earth’, His guarantee of the survival of humanity redeemed and restored. We are commanded by our Master to love all men – including our enemies.¹⁵ Acts of cruelty, terror, inhumanity, racism and prejudice are contrary to Jesus’ instruction and therefore anti- Christian. The Gospel is good news for all races,16 but it spreads by faith and love, not by coercion.¹⁷

Offence?
We intend no offence to any person of any race or religion. However, our Gospel is offensive18 to human pride and sin – for individuals and nations cannot save themselves. This is the merciful work of God.¹⁹ The Creator sent His Son to remove sin and condemnation from all who believe.²⁰ Unbelief therefore forfeits forgiveness, and fellowship with God.²¹ As God wills, we urge all men to be saved and discover the truth in Jesus.²² To all who believe, He gives the right to become His children.²³
Get ready !
The most urgent need for the nations is not to hear the opinions of men, but to hear the Word of God. It is as a contribution towards the Church’s prophetic fitness that SWORD is published. Though much trouble lies ahead, the day of Jesus’ return is near.²⁴ This ministry’s primary message to believer and unbeliever is ‘Get Ready’! ²⁵
Israel
Because God is unchanging. His covenant promises hold firm to all generations.²⁶ His choice of Israel was based, not on favouritism but on unmerited favour, not to reveal human prowess, but divine purpose.²⁷ This ministry holds the permanent efficacy of God’s unconditional covenant with Abraham,²⁸ and of the New Covenant inaugurated with the sinless Blood of the Lord Jesus.²⁹ He called Israel, by Law and Prophets,³⁰ to be the prototype of all who receive His unmerited favour – humanity restored!³¹ In His time, all Israel will be saved.³² Today, the Church – grafted into, but not replacing,³³ Israel in this covenant relationship with God – extends divine favour to all of any race who believe that God’s Son, Jesus the Messiah, is the Saviour of the world.³⁴

Bible References
1 Romans 1:2; 1 Peter 1:10
2 1 Cor 15:3
3 2 Cor 3:3
4 Acts 1:8
5 1 Cor 14:3-4
6 Heb 12:2; 2 Cor 4:18; Col 3:1
7 Deut 18:21-22; Acts 1:7
8 Mal 3:6
9 Deut 8:3; Rev 22:19
10 1 Cor 2:14
11 John 14:26
12 Isaiah 45:22; Acts 4:12
13 1 Cor 15:45
14 Romans 8:29
15 Luke 6:27
16 Luke 2:10
17 John 3:16-18
18 1 Cor 1:23; Gal 5:11
19 Eph 2:8-10
20 John 3:17
21 Eph 2:11-13
22 1 Tim 2:3-5
23 John 1:12-13
24 Luke 21 5-36
25 Matt 24:36-44
26 Deut 7:9; Ps 100:5
27 Deut 7:6-8; Isaiah 62:1-3
28 Gen 12:1-3
29 Luke 22:20
30 Matt 5:17; Acts 24:27
31 James 1:18
32 Romans 11:25-26
33 Rom 11:1-36
34 John 4:42

Copyright © Present Day Publishing: Co Reg. No. 5264786.
Please do not reproduce any part of this magazine by any means without the publisher’s prior permission.

DISCLAIMER
Neither Sword nor its staff are in membership of the Zionist Federation. The Love of God for all the peoples of the Middle East precludes a partisan approach. Our position is Biblical – holding to God’s covenant faithfulness to the Jewish people and His Land promises, and not necessarily in agreement with the political aspirations of any secular body Jewish or Gentile – Ed.

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