The Founding of the Church. Hope of the Resurrection at the Coming of the Lord. Do Vegetarians, and Vegans, Get Enough Protein?

.

The Founding of the Church

"The book of Acts reveals the miracles that marked the Church’s beginning. The story of the start of the Church of God has important lessons for us today.

PDF to print for family reading

Jesus Christ told His followers, “I will build My church, and the gates of Hades shall not prevail against it” (Matthew 16:18). His Church would continue through the ages. It would never die out.

Christ made that statement nearly 2,000 years ago. It remains true today. Christ is still in charge of the Church that He began in the first century (Colossians 1:18). While many things about the Church are fascinating—from its teachings to the work that Christ has assigned it—one event stands out. Let’s look at the beginning of the Church.

Giving the Holy Spirit

After He was raised from the dead, Christ spent 40 days with His disciples. He taught them in detail about the Kingdom of God and further prepared them for the work that was ahead (Acts 1:2-3). Jesus promised that they would soon be empowered by the Holy Spirit to witness of Him “to the ends of the earth” (verse 8).

A key part of this preparation was training the disciples for the next step in God’s plan. The first step was represented by the first of God’s festivals, the Passover. Christ, the Passover Lamb, had sacrificed Himself for our sins. He also taught His disciples to get rid of sin and to obey His commandments (John 14:15). (This represented the meaning of the second of God’s festivals, the Feast of Unleavened Bread.) Now the stage was set for the third phase: the giving of the Holy Spirit.

God’s Church started out small—very small. At first, there were about 120 who were meeting together when a replacement for Judas was chosen (Acts 1:15). After Christ went to be at the Father’s throne, they did what He had told them. They gathered together in Jerusalem for Pentecost, the third of God’s sacred festivals. (For more about the festivals of God, read “Biblical Festivals: Does God Want Us to Celebrate Them? Why?”)

When they were all together, God gave His disciples the Holy Spirit. With it He sent a “sound from heaven as of a rushing, mighty wind” and “tongues as of fire.” These miracles showed everyone there just how important this event was (Acts 2:1-4).

This giving of the Holy Spirit was an essential part of God’s plan for humanity. And it was necessary for God’s people (John 16:7; 1 John 4:13). With the giving of the Holy Spirit on that Day of Pentecost, the New Testament Church of God began.

Drawn by miracles

The sound was so loud that it brought a crowd of people who came to investigate the noise (Acts 2:2, 6).

The crowd was then astonished by a miracle known as “speaking in tongues.” The Jews from around the world were all hearing these supposedly uneducated Galileans speak to them in their own languages and dialects. (For more on the miracle of speaking in tongues, see our article “Speaking in Tongues.”)

The message of the Church

The crowd was curious and eager to know what was going on. So the apostle Peter used the opportunity that God had given them. He gave a powerful sermon on the ministry, death and resurrection of Jesus.

Peter’s message affected some of them deeply. The Bible says it cut them to the heart (Acts 2:37). The Messiah for whom they had been waiting their entire lives had been crucified—and they were responsible! Peter’s sermon started out by explaining from the book of Joel exactly what had taken place (Acts 2:14-21). Then he proved to them from the Bible that Jesus was actually the promised Messiah, but that they had killed Him. He had died for their sins (Acts 2:22-36). Pentecost was a major festival, so Jerusalem was filled with visitors. God had blessed the newly established Church with a chance to preach the good news to people of many different areas—from Rome to Asia to Africa—without leaving Jerusalem (Acts 2:9-11).

Peter’s message affected some of them deeply. The Bible says it cut them to the heart (Acts 2:37). The Messiah for whom they had been waiting their entire lives had been crucified—and they were responsible!

Many responded with an emotional and heartfelt question. They asked, “What shall we do?”

Peter replied, “Repent, and let every one of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins; and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit” (Acts 2:38). Jesus Christ had also preached a message of faith, repentance and baptism (Mark 1:14-15; 16:16).

The Church’s beginning, but not its end

That first day the Church grew with about 3,000 baptisms. And God continued to bless the Church with growth (Acts 2:41, 47). The rest of the book of Acts and the New Testament reveal a story of persecution, miracles and faith in God that can encourage us. It can assure us that God continues to be with His Church today.

While the story of the Church’s beginning is told in the book of Acts, it’s a story that continues today. You can be a part of that story. As we approach the second coming of Christ, you need to decide how you will respond to God’s calling.

The story of the Church’s founding is written and finished. But we can be a part of the Church today and the ongoing story of its work.”  From:  https://lifehopeandtruth.com/bible/bible-study/bible-stories/the-founding-of-the-church/

Read more about the Church, its purpose and your part in it in the article “The Church: What Is It?”

_______

Hope of the Resurrection at the Coming of the Lord

1 Thessalonians 4:13-15

“But I do not want you to be ignorant, brethren, concerning those who have fallen asleep, lest you sorrow as others who have no hope. For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so God will bring with Him those who sleep in Jesus. For this we say to you by the word of the Lord, that we who are alive and remain until the coming of the Lord will by no means precede those who are asleep.

The apostle Paul mentions that some Christians had “fallen asleep,” a biblical metaphor for death. To have a member of their congregation die unexpectedly must have had a big impact on the young Church. Paul wanted to instruct them and strengthen their faith and hope. God’s truth about what happens after death gives powerful comfort.

Verses 16 and 17 go on to describe the second coming of Christ, which will be announced by the trumpet of God. At His return, the followers of Jesus Christ who have died will be resurrected first, apparently just shortly before those who are alive are changed to spirit and also meet Christ as He comes through the clouds and then descends to the Mount of Olives. As Zechariah records it, “And in that day His feet will stand on the Mount of Olives, which faces Jerusalem on the east” (Zechariah 14:4).

The hope of the resurrection is a sure hope and real encouragement to Christ’s followers. Of course, there is sorrow at the death of a loved one or friend. But it can be a hopeful sorrow, which is far more comforting than the hopeless sorrow Paul mentions in verse 13.

For more about what the Bible teaches about life after death, see our section on “Life After Death.”      From: https://lifehopeandtruth.com/bible/blog/hope-of-the-resurrection-at-the-coming-of-the-lord/?

________

Do Vegetarians, and Vegans, Get Enough Protein?

"There is a carnivore conspiracy that lots of protein is needed for non meat eaters.

Don’t fall for the protein trap

https://www.google.com/.../im-a-doctor-who-specializes-in...

How Much is Enough Protein?

https://nutritionfacts.org/audio/how-much-is-enough-protein/

The Great Protein Fiasco

https://nutritionfacts.org/video/the-great-protein-fiasco/

Garth Davis M.D.

Proteinaholic: How Our Obsession with Meat Is Killing Us and What We Can Do About It

Too much protein is actually making us sick, fat, and tired, according to Dr. Davis. If you are getting adequate calories in your diet, there is no such thing as protein deficiency

When asked Where do you get your protein?

The response should be:

What do you do to protect from getting too much protein?

“But the truth is most of us are already eating way too much protein”

https://www.pcrm.org/news/protein-myth

“A bodybuilding competitor and mom of two reportedly died June 22 from a protein overdose, according to Perth Now.”

Don’t worry or eat yourself to death over protein

https://www.google.com/.../bodybuilding-mom-dies.../amp/

What Is Protein Poisoning?

“The liver and kidneys play key roles in the metabolism of proteins. When excessive amounts are consumed, it can put the body at risk for increased levels of ammonia, urea, and amino acids in the blood. Although very rare, protein poisoning can be fatal because of these increased levels”

https://www.healthline.com/health/protein-poisoning

https://www.forksoverknives.com/.../vegan-protein.../...

https://nutritionfacts.org/.../increasing-protein.../...

https://knowridge.com/.../popular-protein-powders-may.../

Cell Metabolism.

The study found that people who eat a high-protein diet during middle age are more likely to die of cancer than those who eat less protein.

We studied simple organisms, mice, and humans and provide convincing evidence that a high protein diet - particularly if the proteins are derived from animals - is nearly as bad as smoking for your health," said study researcher Valter Longo, professor of biology at the University of Southern California (USC) and director of the USC Longevity Institute.

The study also found that middle-age people who ate foods rich in animal proteins - including meat, milk and cheese - were 75 percent more likely to die of any cause than those who ate a low-protein diet within the study period.”  From: Forks Over Knives Official Plant-Based Group.

_______