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  • Vocation: Talents & Work

    Courtesy of www.LumoProject.com Introduction In his parable of the talents, Jesus spoke of three men their master entrusted with his money. In this context, the word "talent" (Greek: talanton ; G5007 ) refers to a 75-pound (34-kilogram) weight used for currency exchange, not "talent" as a God-given ability to do something unique. Jesus narrated:​ ​ Again, it will be like a man going on a journey, who called his servants and entrusted his wealth to them. To one he gave five bags of gold, to another two bags, and to another one bag, each according to his ability. Then he went on his journey. The man who had received five bags of gold went at once and put his money to work and gained five bags more. So also, the one with two bags of gold gained two more. But the man who had received one bag went off, dug a hole in the ground and hid his master's money. After a long time the master of those servants returned and settled accounts with them. The man who had received five bags of gold brought the other five. "Master," he said, "you entrusted me with five bags of gold. See, I have gained five more." His master replied, "Well done, good and faithful servant! You have been faithful with a few things; I will put you in charge of many things. Come and share your master's happiness!" The man with two bags of gold also came. "Master," he said, "you entrusted me with two bags of gold; see, I have gained two more." His master replied, "Well done, good and faithful servant! You have been faithful with a few things; I will put you in charge of many things. Come and share your master's happiness!" ( Matt. 25:14-23 ). ​ However, we may apply the typology to both money and vocation. It is just as important to use the natural gifts and talents that God gave us to be good stewards of material things. Our daily lives involve constant interaction between our vocations, work, skills, and mammon. We must exercise self-control in choosing careers that allow us to have property and finances first! However, if we fail to exercise self-control, there are negative results in life, which may lose us a good job or goals. God also deals with consequences for fraud, waste, and abuse of the natural talents he gives us. Consider the rest of Jesus' parable: ​ Now the one who had received one valuable coin came and said, "Master, I knew that you are a hard man. You harvest grain where you haven't sown. You gather crops where you haven't spread seed. So I was afraid. And I hid my valuable coin in the ground. Here, you have what's yours." His master replied, "You evil and lazy servant! You knew that I harvest grain where I haven't sown and that I gather crops where I haven't spread seed? In that case, you should have turned my money over to the bankers so that when I returned, you could give me what belonged to me with interest. Therefore, take from him the valuable coin and give it to the one who has ten coins. Those who have much will receive more, and they will have more than they need. But as for those who don't have much, even the little bit they have will be taken away from them. Now take the worthless servant and throw him out into the farthest darkness." People there will be weeping and grinding their teeth ( Matt. 25:24-30 ).​ Courtesy of www.LumoProject.com Between Work & Vocation ​ Merriam-Webster defines vocation as "a summons or strong inclination to a particular state or course of action, especially a divine call to the religious life." The Bible refers to this as a "calling," meaning that God calls someone to minister and serve in the Christian church. The biblical Greek word for "calling" is klēsis ( G2821 ), which is the noun form of kaleō ( G2564 , "to call" or "to summon"). This meaning is significant because the Greek word for "church" in the New Testament is ekklēsia ( G1577 , "called out"), a compound derived from the same verb form. A vocation is a life devoted to Christian ministry and service God sovereignly calls a person to do. It is not just any employment, though some church leaders teach this erroneously. Paul of Tarsus wrote: ​ ​ As a prisoner for the Lord, then, I urge you to live a life worthy of the calling you have received. Be completely humble and gentle; be patient, bearing with one another in love. Make every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace ( Eph. 4:1-3 ). ​ He has saved us and called us to a holy life—not because of anything we have done but because of his own purpose and grace. This grace was given us in Christ Jesus before the beginning of time ( 2 Tim. 1:9 ). ​ In both of these passages, Paul used the noun klēsis . The primary calling that all disciples of Jesus receive is salvation, which then sets us on a course toward a holy personal life, resulting in us helping others learn about God. The Holy Spirit imparts his fruit and gifts to assist us with these kingdom efforts ( John 14:26 ). This was the reason Paul warned: ​ By the grace God has given me, I laid a foundation as a wise builder, and someone else is building on it. But each one should build with care. For no one can lay any foundation other than the one already laid, which is Jesus Christ. If anyone builds on this foundation using gold, silver, costly stones, wood, hay or straw, their work will be shown for what it is, because the Day will bring it to light. It will be revealed with fire, and the fire will test the quality of each person's work. If what has been built survives, the builder will receive a reward. If it is burned up, the builder will suffer loss but yet will be saved—even though only as one escaping through the flames ( 1 Cor. 3:10-15 ). ​ Here, Paul compared himself to a blue-collar construction worker whose attention to detail resulted in a successful project. A vocation is a form of work but for a higher divine purpose. Although healthcare and service industry jobs require a dedication to helping others, we complete a vocation explicitly in the name of Jesus. A believer can turn an otherwise mundane job into a vocation by becoming a Christian minister. For example, a medical professional can work in a mission hospital, or a psychiatrist can open a center for Christian counseling. There is nothing wrong with regular employment, but a vocation is an eternal devotion to God. Hence, Paul testified that some work legacies would survive God's refiner's fire while it would destroy others. ​ Courtesy of www.LumoProject.com Sabbath for Us—Not Us for the Sabbath ​ Consider the sabbath, in which God required the Israelites to stop working each seventh day of the week, the seventh year, and each seven of seven years—the jubilee after the conclusion of forty-nine years ( Exod. 23:10-12 ; 31:12-17 ; Lev. 25 ). Jesus taught us that God never meant for us to toil, but to be at rest ( Mark 2:27 ). The sabbath was a reminder that humankind had it easy in the Garden of Eden before we chose to sin. Remember, work is a condition of the fall, a consequence: "By the sweat of your brow you will eat your food until you return to the ground, since from it you were taken; for dust you are and to dust you will return" ( Gen. 3:19 ). However, the scriptures do not justify being lazy and irresponsible just because God once intended for us to rest. Paul said, "For even when we were with you, we gave you this rule: 'The one who is unwilling to work shall not eat'" ( 2 Thess 3:10 ). He also admonished us: Slaves, obey your earthly masters in everything; and do it, not only when their eye is on you and to curry their favor, but with sincerity of heart and reverence for the Lord. Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for human masters, since you know that you will receive an inheritance from the Lord as a reward. It is the Lord Christ you are serving ( Col. 3:22-24 ). David Padfield Conclusion ​ For some people, God calls them out of the workforce to do ministry. However, for others, God calls them to minister and serve while they do their main job to earn income (i.e., "bi-vocational"). Most rabbis and first-century church leaders were bi-vocational. For example, Paul was a tentmaker ( Acts 18:3 ). Throughout his letters, Paul called his fellow ministers "co-workers." One main takeaway from this article is that vocation is work; however, work is not a vocation. Paul worked with Priscilla and Aquila making tents, but all three of them made sure to have time left for teaching Scripture ( Acts 18:26 ). Spiritually, those of whom God calls to ministry and service help us on our way to Jesus' final sabbath rest on the last day! In Revelation, while in exile at Patmos, John testified: ​ This calls for patient endurance on the part of the people of God who keep his commands and remain faithful to Jesus. Then I heard a voice from heaven say, "Write this: Blessed are the dead who die in the Lord from now on." "Yes," says the Spirit, "they will rest from their labor, for their deeds will follow them" ( Rev. 14:12-13 ). Then, the Father will give every righteous person a vocation in his kingdom of heaven ( Rev. 22:3 ). However, the work in heaven will be restful, not the fatigue-producing toil we experience right now. The prophet Isaiah foresaw this restful labor in the New Jerusalem: ​ They will build houses and dwell in them; they will plant vineyards and eat their fruit. No longer will they build houses and others live in them, or plant and others eat. For as the days of a tree, so will be the days of my people; my chosen ones will long enjoy the work of their hands. They will not labor in vain, nor will they bear children doomed to misfortune; for they will be a people blessed by the L ORD , they and their descendants with them ( 65:21-23 ). ​ Ben White Prayer ​ Blessed are you, L ORD our God, King of the universe; by whose Spirit the whole body of your faithful people is governed and sanctified: Receive our supplications and prayers which we offer before you for all members of your church, that in our vocation and ministry, we may truly and devoutly serve you; through our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. Amen .​ Bibliography ​ Alcorn, Randy. "9 Facts About Heaven That Will Surprise You." Lifeway Christian Resources. February 29, 2016. ( link ). Attridge, Harold W., ed. The NRSV HarperCollins Study Bible, Revised and Updated with Apocryphal and Deuterocanonical Books . San Francisco: HarperOne, 2006. Book of Common Prayer . Huntington Beach, CA: Anglican Liturgy Press, 2019. p. 568. ​ Darling, Daniel. "Work, Dignity & Our True Value." Institute for Faith, Work & Economics. February 4, 2022. ( link ). ​ ​​Dobson, Kent, ed. NIV First-Century Study Bible: Explore Scripture in Its Jewish and Early Christian Context . Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 2014. ​ Gehrlein, Russell. "How Does Adam's Sin Impact Work?" Institute for Faith, Work & Economics. January 26, 2022. ( link ). ​ Kaiser, Walter C., Jr., and Duane Garrett, eds. NIV Archaeological Study Bible: An Illustrated Walk Through Biblical History and Culture . Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 2006. ​​ Keener, Craig S., and John H. Walton, eds. NIV Cultural Backgrounds Study Bible: Bringing to Life the Ancient World of Scripture . Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 2016. ​ Rose, Reagan. "Will We Work in Heaven?" Redeeming Productivity. July 10, 2019. ( link ). ​ Smith, Irene. "We Have Talents We Can Give as Gifts to Christ." Institute for Faith, Work & Economics. December 17, 2021. ( link ). ​ Whelchel, Hugh. "The Gospel & Our Various Christian Callings." Institute for Faith, Work & Economics. February 7, 2022. ( link ). ⸻. How Then Should We Work? Rediscovering the Biblical Doctrine of Work . McLean, VA: Institute for Faith, Work & Economics, 2012. ​ Wright, N. T. Surprised by Hope: Rethinking Heaven, the Resurrection, and the Mission of the Church . San Francisco: HarperOne, 2008.

  • Name, Brand & Logo

    Courtesy of www.LumoProject.com Our Name Our name, "First Century Christian Faith," unites first-century Christianity with our need to trust Jesus the Messiah today. In studying Christian origins, biblical scholars apply modern tools to research the beginning of Jesus' earthly ministry and the foundation of his church. However, our trust in God makes him most relevant today. First Century Christian Faith is an ancient-modern appeal to Christians to follow Jesus like his original disciples without adding or subtracting from his lessons ( 1 Cor. 4:6 ).​ Our Brand Our brand tells you what to expect from this ministry in terms of lessons and theology. "First Century" takes priority over the modern period because God chose to send Jesus incarnate at this time in history. The New Testament is our primary source for the historical Jesus and the model for conducting church matters today. "Christian Faith" represents our commitment to Jesus, emphasizing our participation in faith and discipleship so we may obey his commandments. Our Logo Our logo features an earth-tone circle in glacier blue, dusk blue, and evergreen. The roundel breaks down into three components: 1) the dome-like shape of the sky in glacier blue, which scatters the light of heaven to all the earth; 2) an open Bible in dusk blue that tells us about God; and 3) an evergreen leaf symbolizing growth and eternal life. An evergreen cross charges the logo with the initials FCCF in the four corners. The emblem symbolizes our striving for a first-century Christian faith and paleo-orthodoxy. We apply blue because 1) it is God's favorite color in Scripture ( see " Blue: God's Favorite Color "), 2) blue is the traditional color of Judaism and the Law of Moses, and 3) blue is the most relaxing color according to science ( see here ). Dusk blue represents a little light in what would otherwise be a darker shade of blue. Dusk is the day's final hours, right after sunset and before nightfall. Jesus is our light in a dark, sinful world ( John 3:19-21 ). Furthermore, we include evergreen because it is the color of nature, symbolizing life on earth and eternal life with God. The circle represents our unity with Jesus and historical Christianity. The leaves symbolize the birth of Christianity in the first century and its growth worldwide. The initials FCCF represent how the gospel spread from Jerusalem to the ends of the earth, from which we Christians benefit today. The blend of blue and evergreen also alludes to the distinct but mutual identities of Jew and Christian Gentile in God's kingdom. By adopting this brand, we demonstrate our commitment to cherishing the original meaning of Jesus' lessons in the present.​ Our Logo History Primary Logo (August 2013–December 2015) Social Media Cover (December 2015–August 2019) Primary Logo (August 2019–April 2021) Primary Logo (April 2021–September 2022) Secondary Logo (June 2021–September 2022) Primary Logo (September 2022–present) Secondary Logo (February 2024–present)

  • Confessions of Faith

    James Collazo Apostles' Creed c. AD 150 I believe in God, the Father Almighty, creator of heaven and earth. I believe in Jesus Christ, his only Son, our Lord, who was conceived by the Holy Spirit, born of the Virgin Mary, suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, died, and was buried; he descended to the dead. On the third day, he rose again; he ascended into heaven, is seated at the right hand of the Father, and will come again to judge the living and the dead.​ I believe in the Holy Spirit, the holy catholic church, the communion of saints, the forgiveness of sins, the resurrection of the body, and the life everlasting. Amen .​ James Collazo Nicene Creed AD 325 & 381 We believe in one God, the Father, the Almighty, maker of heaven and earth, of all that is, seen and unseen.​ We believe in one Lord, Jesus Christ, the only Son of God, eternally begotten of the Father, God from God, Light from Light, true God from true God, begotten, not made, of one Being with the Father; through him, all things were made. For us and for our salvation, he came down from heaven, was incarnate of the Holy Spirit and the Virgin Mary, and became truly human. For our sake, he was crucified under Pontius Pilate; he suffered death and was buried. On the third day, he rose again in accordance with the scriptures; he ascended into heaven and is seated at the right hand of the Father. He will come again in glory to judge the living and the dead, and his kingdom will have no end. We believe in the Holy Spirit, the Lord, the giver of life, who proceeds from the Father, who with the Father and the Son is worshiped and glorified, who has spoken through the prophets. We believe in one holy catholic and apostolic church. We acknowledge one baptism for the forgiveness of sins. We look for the resurrection of the dead and the life of the world to come. Amen .​ Courtesy of Telecinco Cinema Definition of Chalcedon AD 451​ Following the holy fathers, we teach with one voice that the Son of God and our Lord Jesus Christ is to be confessed as one and the same person, that he is perfect in Godhead and perfect in manhood, truly God and truly man, of a reasonable soul and body consisting of one substance with the Father as regards his Godhead, and at the same time of one substance with us as regards his manhood, like us in all respects, apart from sin.​ Begotten of His Father before the ages as regards his Godhead, but in these last days born for us and for our salvation of the Virgin Mary, the God-bearer. This one and the same Jesus Christ, the only-begotten Son of God, must be confessed to be in two natures, without confusion, without changes, without division, not as parted or separated into two persons, but one and the same Son and only-begotten God the Word, our Lord Jesus Christ. Even as the prophets from earliest times spoke of him, and our Lord Jesus Christ himself taught us, and the creed of the fathers has handed down to us. Amen . Courtesy of www.LumoProject.com Confession of First-Century Faith AD 2019 For us, there is but one God, the Father, from whom all things came and for whom we live, and there is one Lord, Jesus Christ, through whom all things came and through whom we live. We shall love the Lord our God with all our hearts, with all our souls, with all our minds, and with all our strength. We shall love our neighbors as ourselves. These commandments that God gives us today shall be on our hearts. We shall teach them to our children and talk about them at home, in public, and when we lie down and get up. We shall bind them into our actions and thoughts, and they shall be the rule of our homes.​​ For the gospel that Paul received, he passed on to us as of first importance: Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures, was buried, and was raised on the third day. He appeared to Peter and then to the twelve. Afterward, Jesus appeared to more than 500 brothers and sisters at the same time. Then he appeared to James, then to all the apostles. Last of all, Christ appeared to Paul. Jesus appeared in the flesh, was vindicated by the Holy Spirit, seen by angels, preached among the nations, believed in the world, and taken up in glory.​ Because of Jesus, we are children of God by faith. We are baptized into Christ, having clothed ourselves with him. There is neither Jew nor Gentile, neither slave nor free; nor is there male and female, for all of us are one in Christ Jesus. Since we belong to him, we are Abraham's offspring, children of the promise. There is one body and one Spirit, just as God called us in one hope. There is one Lord, one faith, one baptism; one God and Father of all, who is over all and through all and in all. We are branches grafted into the root of Israel's tree. We stand by faith in humility, trembling in awe of God's salvation. Whenever we eat this bread and drink this cup, we proclaim the Lord's death and resurrection until he comes. Amen .​​ * Based on 1 Cor. 8:6 ; Mark 12:29-31 (cf. Deut. 6:4-5 ; Lev. 19:18 ); 1 Cor. 15:3-8 ; 1 Tim. 3:16 ; Gal. 3:28-29 ; Rom. 9:8 ; Eph. 4:4-6 ; Rom. 11:11-20 ; 1 Cor. 11:26 .​​​​​​​​​​ Bibliography ​​ Bellinger, W. H., Jr., and Todd D. Still, eds. NRSV Baylor Annotated Study Bible . Waco, TX: Baylor University Press, 2019. pp. 1431, 1261, 1439, 1511, 1474, 1435. ​ Book of Doctrines and Discipline . King George, VA: Global Methodist Church, 2024. pp. 8–9. ​Coogan, Michael D., Marc D. Brettler, Carol A. Newsom, and Pheme Perkins, eds. NRSV New Oxford Annotated Bible with Apocrypha . Fifth ed. New York: Oxford University Press, 2018. p. 2105. Costa, Tony. Early Christian Creeds & Hymns—What the Earliest Christians Believed in Word and Song: An Exegetical and Theological Study . Studies in the Ancient Church. Peterborough, ON: H&E Publishing, 2021.

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  • Recommended Websites | First Century Christian Faith (FCCF)

    "First Century Christian Faith" teaches the historical-grammatical reading of the Bible. Go to "Recommended Websites." Recommended Websites

  • Early Church Literature | First Century Christian Faith (FCCF)

    "First Century Christian Faith" teaches the historical-grammatical reading of the Bible. Go to "Early Church Literature." Early Church Literature

  • Home | First Century Christian Faith (FCCF) | Paleo-Orthodoxy

    "First Century Christian Faith" teaches the historical-grammatical reading of the Bible. PALEO-ORTHODOXY FOR TODAY'S DISCIPLES BLOG 1 / 21 Resurrection Is the Gospel! The Christian proclamation of the gospel is fundamentally rooted in the resurrection of Jesus Christ. While the gospel narrative encompasses 'The Benedict Option': A Populist Response In a world where identity politics and secularism create constant division, we should return to foundational truths that have proven Attachment Styles in Christian Context The Bible does not explicitly address psychological concepts like attachment styles. However, it does offer principles and perspectives that First-Century Approach to Parenting Drawing inspiration from the foundational ethos of first-century Christian communities, modern parents can find solace in the enduring value 1 2 3 Articles New Testament Biographies Jesus of Nazareth Jesus of Nazareth (Hebrew: Yeshua ha-Notzri—Greek: Iēsous ho Nazо̄raios) was born circa 6–4 BC (3758–3755 in the Hebrew calendar) in the Andrew of Bethsaida Andrew of Bethsaida (Hebrew: Geber ha-Bethtzaidi—Greek: Andreas tis Bēthsaidas) was born circa AD 8 (3768–3769 in the Hebrew calendar) in James son of Alphaeus James son of Alphaeus (Hebrew: Yaakov ben Halfai—Greek: Iakōbos ho tou Halphaiou) was born circa AD 15 (3775–3776 in the Hebrew calendar) in James of Jerusalem James son of Joseph (Hebrew: Yaakov ben Yosef—Greek: Iakо̄bos ton tou Iōsēph) was born circa AD 1 (3761–3762 in the Hebrew calendar) in the 1 2 3 4 5 Doctrine & Ministry Baptism: Immersed in Christ We often start with the Acts of the Apostles when discussing baptism. However, the topic of baptism should begin with Jesus' immersion in Communion: Partaking in Faith Food and drink bring people together more than any other aspect of life. Perhaps this is the reason Jesus taught us to ask for "our daily God's Will & Our Free Choices Although the mystery between God's will and our free choices is a complex theological matter, it is listed under "Doctrine & Ministry" Law, Grace & New Wine In his parable of the wineskins, Jesus taught, "And no one pours new wine into old wineskins. Otherwise, the new wine will burst the skins 1 2 3 4 Exegesis & Discipleship A Saga of Seven Churches The first century was the best of church history; it was the worst of persecution, it was the age of faith, it was an age of fear, it was Blue: God's Favorite Color Did you know that God has a favorite color? Yes, he does! Which color is it? Blue! This color is the primary embroidery on Jewish prayer Calendar of the Church Many churches today decorate the sanctuary with banners and linens in specific colors for a time. The pastor may also wear a chasuble or Christology: Titles of Jesus Christology is the theological study of Jesus' identity as Christ or Messiah. Both of these words mean "anointed one," respectively, in 1 2 3 4 Theology & Biblical Studies Auschwitz & Biblical Studies What indeed has Auschwitz to do with Jerusalem?—or with Cambridge, Chicago, Collegeville, Downers Grove, Grand Rapids, London, Minneapolis Axial Age & Christianity The Axial Age was between 500 and 300 BC when the world's major religious and spiritual traditions arose throughout Israel, Greece, India Biblical vs. Systematic Theology Churchgoers often say, "That's biblical," when they argue about their private interpretations or denominational traditions. This becomes a Christian Case for Capitalism & Populism Capitalism is an "economic system in which most means of production are privately owned, and production is guided and income distributed 1 2 3 4

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FIRST CENTURY CHRISTIAN FAITH

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