ceramah islam sejati

CITRA ILAHI DALAM MANUSIA:

http://www.angelfire.com/journal2/iscs/Paham.htm <h3 align="center"> Oleh Efraim Bar Nabba B.Noorsena</h3> *) Makalah disajikan dalam “Pengajian Injil “ yang diselenggarakan YAYASAN KANISAH ORTHODOKS SYRIA, di Hotel Sahid Raya, Surabaya 17 September 1999. Halumma nasjud, halumma natdhara’ ila al-Masih Mukhalishna, ya Sayidina al-Masih Kalimatullah…… arhamna ka’iradaika ilal abad. [1] ) Marilah kita sujud, marilah kita merendahkan diri kepada Al-Masih Juruselamat kita, ya Junjungan kami Al-Masih, Firman Allah…….kasihanilah kami menurut KehendakMu sampai selama-lamanya. Dalam tabiat IlahiNya sebagai Kalimat Allah (Firman Allah) yang kadim dan selalu qa’imah (melekat) dalam Dzat Allah, maka ia bukan lain sebagai Citra Allah (shuratu I-Lah) [2] ). Maksudnya, sebagai Firman yang kekal yang keluar dari Allah, laksana “terang yang memancar dari Sumber terang” (nur min al-Nur), [3] ) Allah mewahyukan DiriNya sendiri melalui FirmanNya sendiri. Karena itu sebagai Firman yang kekal itu, “huwa baha’u majdi I-Lahi wa Shuratu jawharih “ (Ia adalah cahaya kemuliaan Allah dan Gambar WujudNya. [4] ) Maksudnya, DzatNya yang tidak kelihatan itu, dapat dikenal melalui FirmanNya. Apabila Al-Masih sebagai Firman Allah adalah Citra Allah sendiri, maka manusia diciptakan “menurut Gambar dan Rupa Allah”. Kitab Taurat, Sefer Beresyit/Kejadian 1:27 menyebutkan: Wayyibera Elohim et ha-Adam be-tselemo, be-Tselem Elohim bara otto zakar uneqbah otam. [5] ) Maka Allah menciptakan Manusia itu menurut GambarNya, menurut Gambar Allah diciptakanNya dia laki-laki dan perempuan diciptakanNya mereka. Sebagaimana disaksikan Alkitab, bahwa Manusia diciptakan “menurut Gambar dan Rupa Allah” (Kejadian 1:26, teks Arab: Wa qala I-lahu : linash-na’I al-Insana ‘ala shuratina kamitslina). Manusia diciptakan menurut Citra Ilahi, sedangkan Citra Ilahi itu adalah Kristus sebagai FirmanNya yang kekal (‘llm.Al ‘Aqal al-Ilahi), maka semua manusia diciptakan menurut “pola Kristus” sendiri. Maksudnya, setiap manusia adalah “images of His Image—men are said to be according to the Image, not to be images of God” [6] ). Dari landasan teologis ini, ada 2 makna yang dapat dicatat oleh Bapa-bapa Gereja: <h4 style="text-align: justify;">1. Origen:Setiap Manusia lahir secara fitri adalah “kristen” </h4> Dalam pengertian bahwa setiap manusia tidak terkecuali diciptakan “menurut pola Kristus” itu, Origen dari Iskandariyah (wafat 254) mengatakan bahwa setiap orang dilahirkan ke dunia pada fitrahnya adalah “kristen” (dengan huruf “k” kecil). Selanjutnya, Origen mencatat: “if the firstborn of every creature, is the image of invisible God, the Father is the arche. In the same way, Christ is the arche of those who are made according to the Image of God” [7] ) (Apabila Ia yang pertama dilahirkan dari Allah (Firman Allah) adalah Citra Allah yang tidak kelihatan, dan Bapa sebagai pola azaliNya, maka dengan prinsip jalan yang sama, Al-Masih adalah pola dari setiap manusia yang diciptakan menurut Citra Allah). <h4 style="text-align: justify;"> 2. Athanasius: Firman Allah nuzul (turun) ke dunia untuk mengembalikan Fitrah kemanusiaan yang jatuh</h4> Sebagai mahkota makhluk yang “diciptakan menurut Citra Allah”, manusia diberikan potensi moral untuk meneladani tabiat Alla (Demut, “teladan Allah”). Tetapi manusia telah jatuh ke dalam dosa, sehingga Citra dan Teladan Ilahi itu rusak (sekalipun tidak rusak total). Sisa-sisa Citra Ilahi dalam diri Manusia itu, adalah kesadarannya masih mempunyai kesadaran mencari asal muasal kehidupan ini (Jawa : Sangkan Paraning Dumadi), meskipun pengenalan manusia akan Allah itu sama sekali tidak sempurna, sehingga memerlukan bantuan dari Allah (Roma 3:21-31). Kondisi manusia setelah kejatuhan dalam dosa, masih mempunyai kesadaran akan makna baik dan jahat (Kejadian 3:22), tetapi manusia tidak mempunyai kekuatan lagi menaklukkan yang jahat. Upah dosa adalah maut (Roma 6:23).dan sejak kejatuhannya dalam dosa itu maut telah memasuki dunia (Roma 5:12). Manusia yang sebenarnya diciptakan untuk tujuan kekekalan, akhirnya mengalami kelapukan dan kematian. Walaupun kesadaran manusia untuk berbuat baik masih ada, karena citr ilahi yang masih tersisa tadi, tetapi ia menjadi tidaak berdaya apa-apa. Ibarat, “bensin yang masih ada baunya tapi sudah kehilangan daya bakar”, maka manusia mempunyai kesadaran akan keabadian, tetapi tidak mampu lagi mengalahkan maut. Dalam kesadarannya akan dimensi keabadian itu, manusia mencoba sekuat tenaga menghidupi dirinya dengan Firman Allah, meskipun ia tidak mengenalnya. Memang sebagai Firman Allah, Kristus tidak terbatas: Ia bekerja dimana saja Ia kehendaki, tidak terikat oleh aspek ruang dan waktu. Karena itu, kita dapat mengakui kebaikan dari manapun juga asalnya sebagai milik kita orang Kristen. Bahkan, mengutip kata-kata Yustinus Martyr (wafat 167): “Mereka yang hidup secara akali (berdasarkan FirmanNya) adalah orang Kristen, walaupun mereka disebut atheis” [8] ) Tetapi jarus ditekankan, pengenalan itu sama sekali tidak sempurna. Karena itulah, Firman Allah itu sendiri “telah nuzul dari surga demi kita dan demi keselamatan kita” (hadza alladzi min ajlina nahnu al-basyar, wa min aljli khalashina nazala minas sama) [9] ) Karena itu Ia memanggil semua orang –orang datang dan mengikuti JalanNya. Dalam maknanya yang penuh secara par exellance setiap orang yang beriman dan menggabungkan diri secara sakramental dengan GerejaNya, disebut :Kristen (dengan “K” besar, Kisah Rasul-rasul 11:26). Itulah makna nuzulnya Kalimatullah ke dunia, sebagaimana diungkapkan oleh Mar Athanasius (wafat 373): “Tiada seorang pun yang dapat menciptakan kembali manusia dalam citra Allah, kecuali Citra Allah itu sendiri yang datang sebagai Manusia” [10] ) <h4 style="text-align: center;"> At-Tajjali: Pengubah-muliaan dan Mengambil bagian dalam Kodrat Ilahi</h4> Keselamatan dalam Iman Kristen Orthodoks, tidak hanya dipandang sebagai pembenaran dan pengampunan dosa saja, atau yang biasanya digambarkan “masuk surga”. Keselamatan juga dipandang secara positif, pemuliaan dan pengembalian Manusia kepada fitrahnya yang diciptakan menurut Citra Allah. Itulah yang disebut Rasul Petrus dalam suratnya: “tasyiru syuraka’a fi ath-thabi’at al-Ilahiyah”(2 Petrus 1:4, “mengambil bagian dalam kodrat Ilahi”). Hal ini sama sekali bukan berarti Manusia menjadi Allah dan lebur dalam DzatNya, seperti ajaran dalam paham Wahdatul Wujud (dalam Islam) dan aliran-aliran Patheisme (Kebatinan Jawa), yang mengaburkan batas-batas Allah sebagai Khaliq dan Manusia sebagai MakhlukNya. Manusia adalah manusia, tetap manusia dan akan selalu menjadi manusia. Menurut Bapa Gereja Yunani, Yuhanna Mansyur Ad-Dimasyqi,  [11] ) kata “Ilahi” dalam 2 Petrus 1:4 di atas, sama sekali tidak menunjuk kepada Dzat, tetapi menunjuk pada energiaNya yang memancar dri Dzat itu: yaitu kekudusan, kemuliaaan, kehidupan, kasih dan kuasaNya. Kita menjadi seperti Allah dalam makna meneladani hidup IlahiNya (Kejadian 2:26; 3:22). Menurut Bapa-bapa Gereja, theosis (pengilahian) itu disebut Tajjali (Transfigurasi, “pengubah-muli-aan”) secara sakramental melalui Perjanjian Kudus (Arami :Qurbana Dqaddisha; Arab: Khidmat al-Quddus). Karena itu Perjamuan Kuda disebut “obat ketidakbinasaan”. Mengapa? Sebab kita dilibatkan melalui “kebangkitanNya dari antara orang mati” (1 Korintus 15:20). Kidung Idul Fashha (perayaan Paskah) ini menggambarkan kebenaran iman tersebut: Al-Masih Qama min bainal amwat. wa wathiy al-mauta bi al-maut, wa wahabal hayyata lil ladzina fil qubr. [12] ) (Kristus telah bangkit dari antara orang mati, dengan kematianNya telah diinjak-injak maut, dan telah dikaruniakan hidup kekal bagi orang-orang yang mati dalam kubur) <h4 style="text-align: center; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;" align="center"> Makna Positf Keselamatan dalam</h4> <h4 style="text-align: center; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;" align="center"> Kristus : Manunggaling Kawula Gusti </h4> Dasar teologis dari Tajjali (Transfigurasi, “pengubahmuliaan”) adalah Inkarnasi Kalimatullah (Basyar al-Tajjasad). Sayidina Al-Masih adalah Firman Allah yang menjadi Manusia, maka kemanunggalan kita dengan Allah bukan pada tabiat IlahiNya, dimana hal itu tidak mungkin. Tetapi dengan darah dan tubuh inkarnasiNya. Mengenai “mengambil bagian dalam kodrat Illahi” ini, sering digambarkan dengan simbol “pedang dan api”. Api memanaskan pedang hingga merah, disini energi api mengubah dan meningkatkan kualitas ketajaman pedang. Tetapi pedang tidak pernah menjadi api, sebaliknya api juga tidak pernah menjadi pedang<a href="http://www.angelfire.com/journal2/iscs/Paham.htm#_ftn13" name="_ftnref13" title=""> [13] </a>) Bisa diaplikasikan, energi (kekuatan) Illahi itu menyatu dengan tubuh kemuliaan Al-Masih, dan melalui pemanunggalan kita dengan tubuh kemuliaan Al-Masih, kemanusiaan kita turut dialiri energi IllahiNya tersebut. Jadi, tujuan keselamatan Kristen Orthodoks secara positif adalah mencapai “Manunggaling kawulo Gusti”. <div style=""> <img height="10" src="http://www.angelfire.com/journal2/iscs/_themes/expeditn/exphorsa.gif" width="600" /> <div style="" id="ftn1">  [1] ) Qadisah al-Baba al-Muadzim Shanuda III, Al-Ajabiyah: Kitab As Sab’u Shalawat al-Nahariyat wa al-Layliyah (Cairo: Maktabah Al-Muhabat, t.t.) h. 7-8.</div> <div style="" id="ftn2">  [2] ) Filipi 2:6, Kolose 1:15</div> <div style="" id="ftn3">  [3] ) Al-Khariy Ilyas (ed), Al-Malja’ al-Amien li-Nufus al-Mut’abin (Yerusalem, Dir Mar Saba’, 1982),h.34</div> <div style="" id="ftn4">  [4] ) Ibrani 1:3, teks Arab</div> <div style="" id="ftn5">  [5] ) “Sefer Bereshit 1:26-27”, dalam Torah we Nebiim we Ketibim (Yerusalem:Karen Ahabat Meshihit, 1997).</div> <div style="" id="ftn6">  [6] ). “Origen’s Commentary on John”, dalam Allan Menzies, D.D (Ed), The Writing of the Fathers Down A.D. 325 Ante-Nicene Fathers, Vol.9 (Peabody, Massachusetts:Hendrickson Publishers, 1994),p.323</div> <div style="" id="ftn7">  [7] ). Ibid, p.307</div> <div style="" id="ftn8">  [8] ). Dalam bahasa Indonesia, lihat: Tony Lane, Runtut Pijar Sejarah Pemikiran Kristiani (Jakarta:BPK.Gunung Mulia, 1990), h.8-9.Istilah atheis disini, konteksnya pada zaman Yustinus adalah “para filosof Yunani yang tidak mau menyembah dewa-dewa, tetapi memiliki kesadaran filosofisnya sendiri tentang Allaah yang mengatasi dewa-dewa Yunani itu.”</div> <div style="" id="ftn9">  [9] ). Al-Khary Ilyas, Op.Cit.,h. 37.</div> <div style="" id="ftn10">  [10] ). Tony Lane, Op Cit, h.28.</div> <div style="" id="ftn11">  [11] ). Mr.Allan Wallerstedt (ed), The Orthodox Study Bible (Nashnille Tennessee: Thomas Nelson Publisers, 1993), p.560.</div> <div style="" id="ftn12">  [12] ). Al-Kariy Ilyas, Op Cit, h 23</div> <div style="" id="ftn13">  [13] ). Mr.Allan Wallerstedt (ed), Op Cit, p.562</div> </div> <table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" width="100%"><tbody><tr><td> <h5>opyright © 2002 Institute For Syriac Christian Studies</h5></td></tr></tbody></table>

CITRA ILAHI DALAM MANUSIA:

http://www.angelfire.com/journal2/iscs/Paham.htm Oleh Efraim Bar Nabba B.Noorsena *) Makalah disajikan dalam “Pengajian Inji...

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Mengupas Kulit Adorasi

http://www.kanisiusmedia.com/resensi_detail.php?idresensi=57 Judul Buku : Adorasi Ekaristi Peresensi : Matheus BS Dimuat di : Utusan, Juli 2007 Umat Katolik di Keuskupan Agung Semarang minggu-minggu terakhir ini sedang mengalami ‘demam’ adorasi. Meski pastor-pastor paroki sudah menjelaskan panjang lebar tentang adorasi, masih banyak umat tetap bingung dan bertanya-tanya: apa itu adorasi? Dalam suatu pertemuan umat di lingkungan yang berada di pedusunan, mayoritas umat sudah masuk kategori lansia dan sebagian buta huruf, jangan heran memunculkan pertanyaan ‘unik’: mengapa kita disuruh untuk adol trasi? Katanya adol trasi berasal dari kata adoh lare. Maksudnya apa itu? Bagi kaum lansia yang pendengarannya sudah agak eror, masuk akal jika adorasi dimengerti sebagai adol trasi, dan adorare ditangkap menjadi adoh lare. Mereka benar-benar menjadi bingung. Dan baru ngeh atau mudeng, ketika adorasi itu diterjemahkan menjadi astuti atau bersembah sujud. Bagi masyarakat Jawa, dua istilah yang terakhir itu bukanlah hal yang asing. Tanpa komando atau legitimasi otoritas tertentu, tradisi untuk bersembah sujud itu sudah mereka hidupi secara turun menurun. Hanya model dan caranya yang berbeda-beda. Ada yang senang kungkum (berendam) di sungai, mubeng beteng, puasa Senin-Kamis, berdoa tengah malam, mati raga atau sesirik, dan sebagainya. Semua itu mereka lakukan sebagai laku sembah sujud kepada Allah Sang Pencipta, awal dan tujuan manusia hidup (sangkan paraning dumadi). Dalam laku sembah sujud itulah mereka memasuki alam yang neng (meneng -diam), ning (wening-hening) dan akhirnya nung (dunung-mengerti). Sayang sekali dalam berbagai penjelasan tentang adorasi ketiga hal itu hampir tak pernah disinggung. Mungkin dianggap terlalu njawani, mungkin juga mereka tidak tahu. Memang harus diakui, adorasi adalah harta rohani Gereja universal. Tetapi jika harta itu ingin dibagikan dan dimiliki oleh berbagai suku dan bangsa, maka cara penyampaiannya sebisa-bisanya melalui pintu budaya suku atau bangsa setempat (inkulturasi). Dengan begitu umat setempat tidak hanya mengenal kulitnya, namun bisa mencecap saripatinya, bahkan kenyang dengan dagingnya. Apakah dengan menghayati devosi Ekaristi, orang juga akan terbantu dalam menghayati Misa Kudusnya? Begitu pertanyaan pancingan, lalu dijawab: “Benar sekali!” Di satu pihak, devosi Ekaristi tidak setara dengan perayaan liturgi, yakni Perayaan Ekaristi. Bagaimanapun juga, devosi Ekaristi itu mengalir, bersumber, dan sekaligus terarap pada Perayaan Ekaristi (hlm. 48). Kutipan tersebut perlu ditampilkan di sini agar umat memperoleh informasi yang jelas. Buku tipis tulisan Romo Martasudjita ini pun sebenarnya baru mengenalkan ‘kulit adorasi’ kepada umat. Memang berguna. Minimal umat jadi tahu apa itu adorasi menurut ajaran Gereja. Disusun dalam bentuk tanya jawab, pembaca jadi lebih mudah memahami. Jadi boleh dikata ini sebagai ‘buku pintar’ tentang adorasi. Dalam menjawab pertanyaan: Apa Adorasi Ekaristi itu? Jawabnya ada empat, antara lain, Adorasi Ekaristi adalah sebuah sebuat ibadat atau doa yang dilaksanakan umat beriman di hadapan Ekaristi Mahakudus atau Sakramen Mahakudus yang ditakhtakan. Jawaban lain, Adorasi Ekaristi merupakan salah satu bentuk dari macam-macam bentuk devosi Ekaristi yang hidup dalam Gereja Katolik. (hlm.11). simple kan? Jika umat bertanya: Mengapa disebut Adorasi Ekaristi? Maka buku ini menjawab, disebut Adorasi Ekaristi karena dalam ibadat atau doa ini kita bersembah sujud atau melakukan tindakan sujud menyembah kepada Tuhan Yesus Kristus yang hadir dalam Ekaristi Mahakudus (hlm 13). Jawaban tersebut (dalam sharing atau sosialisasi) perlu diberi penekanan khusus, syukur contoh-contoh sikap adorasi yang benar, agar umat yang lugu dan selama ini hanya hapal doa Bapa Kami serta Salam Maria tidak mengartikan adorasi sebagai perintah kepad umat untuk adol trasi. Setelah mengenalkan kulitnya, mestinya Romo Marto atau penulis lain, menindaklanjuti dengan menerbitkan buku yang berisi saripati atau daging adorasi. Mereka bisa menimba pengalaman dari para kudus (santo/santa) yang hidup dan karyanya disemangati oleh adorasi. Misalnya riwayat Beata Marie de la Passion, pendiri Kongregaasi Fransiskus Misionaris Maria, atau riwayat Ibu Teresa dari Kalkuta. Kedua beata tersebut telah membuktikan bahwa adorasi kepada Sakramen Maha Kudus telah mampu memberi kekuatan yang luar biasa bagi karya mereka.

Mengupas Kulit Adorasi

http://www.kanisiusmedia.com/resensi_detail.php?idresensi=57 Judul Buku : Adorasi Ekaristi Peresen...

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The Keris A Manifestation Of "Jiwa Jawi"

http://www.thekeris.com/indexen.html Translation: Roderick C Wahr  First of all I need to put forward that I will not confirm or deny the understanding of the keris and other <acronym id="__autoId1" onmouseover="domTT_activate(this, event, 'content', 'Royal Weaponry - Alternative name for keris', 'trail', true, 'delay', 0);">tosan aji</acronym> . What deserves to be looked at is how the culture of the keris or tosan aji benefits our lifestyle together. Therefore I want to put forward the warning of our ancestors, "Janjine dudu jimat keramat, anaging angunging Gusti Kang Pinuji". The Keris is not a charm, but rather a "piyandel", certainty, (hope, prayer, and belief), an item of praise to worships The Creator. Basically, the existence of the keris is to be useful to the community. <div style="color: rgb(255, 204, 153);" id="photoboxright"> <img class="photoblack" src="http://www.thekeris.com/_pics/kerismagic.gif" title="Keris and Magic" /> <div id="phototit"> Keris and Magic </div> </div> In short, the story of the keris is about knowledge and is regarded a manifestation of "<acronym onmouseover="domTT_activate(this, event, 'content', 'The spirit of life and Javanese wisdom', 'trail', true, 'delay', 0);">Jiwa Jawi</acronym>". Java is derived from the word Javana which means intelligent wisdom. The word keris is derived from - mangker karana aris - which means retreating from this world wisely. Since it involves the world of the keris, it is necessary to wrestle and fathom nature, your inner self, and the wishes of The Creator. The keris is a personal symbol, a <acronym onmouseover="domTT_activate(this, event, 'content', 'Certainty', 'trail', true, 'delay', 0);">piyandel</acronym>, a rich property, this is the unshakeable belief in the world of the keris. The keris has meaning and content, one must be aware foremost that the keris contains piwulang-wewarah (education and pointers), advice for living righteous and truthful (the hope that mankind will become wise and intelligent). Man has basically only one desire, to head for The Creator, and within the keris the philosophy is expressed "sangkan paraning dumadi" (a person's place of birth and the objectives of his life), "sangkan paraning pambudi" (the effort to achieve life's objectives through knowledge) or "manunggaling kawula gusti" (to make an effort to direct life's objectives). Because of that the keris physicallly depicts and outlines the hope, at the same time the advice, that mankind always acts and has an attitude in accordance with the keris. The keris smoothly depicts the human methods/efforts in heading towards The Creator. There are straight and serrated kerises, this depicts a spirit of "Teguh dalam niat, luwes dalam pelaksanaannya", firm in intention, flexible in execution; meaning that man is asked to be wise during his lifespan, flexible and not rigid. The sharpness of the keris is not meant to wage war on others, but to wage war on one's self. The keris is not meant for killing but to be used to protect oneself; this becomes very hard to separate or differentiate if someone really strives for power. It means that you must have the ability to control your inner desires. <div style="color: rgb(255, 204, 153);" id="photoboxleft"> <img class="photoblack" src="http://www.thekeris.com/_pics/empu.gif" title="The Empu makes the keris" /> <div id="phototit"> Empu and Keris </div> </div> Then, where lies the magic of the keris? In the Javanese philosophy it is outlined that "Bapa (wong tuwo) tapa, anak nampa, putu nemu, buyut katut, canggah kesrambah", meaning that if the father (parents) expresses a loving behaviour, the children, grandchildren, great grandchildren and descendants will also receive that gift. The care that is realized in the object of the work carried out by an Empu (keris master), while ignoring his body and under bodily abstinence for at least 3 months, gives him great power which is registered in the spell embedded in the strikes of the empu while burning and forging under continuous loving care. The prayers of the empu take the form of spells which are emitted by a cassette player which is then recorded into the keris and tosan aji. That cassete can be replayed if the owner of the keris knows how to play it. For that reason, in the world of the keris, there is a behaviour/ritual that must be followed by the person buying the keris. The keris is bought with money, but there is something more important than that, it is caring behaviour; there is a well known saying: "Tyas manis kang mantesi ruming wicara kang mranani, sinembah laku utama" (A good heart that always prevails, scented discussions that are always attractive, in addition to a behaviour of eminence). Without such behaviour the keris will not be significant. A reliable keris also needs reliable behaviour, because of that, even though we may possess a Gajah Mada keris, without corresponding behaviour that keris will be useless, because its magical powers cannot be brought to life. Even though a keris is exoterically of lower class, but its owner is of noble behaviour, than that keris might become significant in its owners life. This passage of understanding the keris as a manifestation of "Jiwa Jawi" is not only for the Javanese ethnic group, but Java in the sense of Javana which is "intelligent wisdom". Source: <a style="color: rgb(255, 204, 153);" href="http://catmeong.blogspot.com/2006/02/keris-manifestasi-jiwa-jawi_15.html">lebah_kecil</a>

The Keris A Manifestation Of "Jiwa Jawi"

http://www.thekeris.com/indexen.html Translation: Roderick C Wahr First of all I need to put forward that I will not confirm or deny t...

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The Indonesian Orthodox Church: The Story of Fr. Antonios

http://www.friendsofindonesia.org/about_ioc/clergy/frantonios.php <div style="color: rgb(204, 255, 255);" id="content"><div id="content_main"> Background I am Fr. Antonios from central Java. I am a married priest with one wife: Presbytera Marina , and one son (Ireneus ) and two daughters (Paraskevi and Kyriaki). Ireneus and Paraskevi are in the university, while Kyriaki is still in the primary school. Before I tell my story, I think I should tell you about my Javanese culture so that you can understand where I come from. Javanese people comprise the largest ethnic group of more than 350 ethnic groups in Indonesia. The Javanese have their own language that is completely different from the national language of Indonesia, the Bahasa Indonesia. There are more than 350 different separate languages and dialects in the country. In his world famous book “The Religion of Java”, published in the sixties, Clifford Geertz divided Javanese society into three groups: Priyayi, Abangan and Santri. It happened that he made his field research in a small town which he called “Mojokuto” in his book, which is actually a fictitious name for a real town, Pare, which is a few kilometers away from Kediri City, which is my home town. “Priyayi” stands for an aristocratic group within Javanese society who are directly or indirectly connected with Javanese royal family bloodline. They comprised the elite in contrast to the masses, or “little people” (Wong cilik) within the Javanese society. Until the 18th century the priyayi, under the royal families, were the rulers of the Javanese states. They emphasized the refined court life and high etiquette, as well as intricate high Javanese language, as the sign of being a priyayi. This priyayi culture is largely influenced by the Javanese historical past of Hindu and Buddhist way of thinking, worldview and outlook which emphasized the importance of meditations, asceticism and union with the divine. This largely Hindu-Buddhist influence of the priyayi spiritual and mystical belief and practices are known as Javanese mysticism or “Kebatinan”. The famous Javanese “Wayang Kulit” shadow play that depicts the Hindu epic story of Mahabharata and Ramayana accompanied by the very refined “Gamelan” percussion music orchestra, along with the Javanese refined graceful court dances are the hallmark and icon of the priyayi culture. Some scholars consider “priyayi” cuture as a variant of Islam within Javanese society, because in spite of what is said about the priyayi culture, officially they consider themselves to be Muslims. “Abangan” is the culture of the non-aristocratic Javanese masses, or “little people” (Wong cilik). It does not have the character of priyayi’s emphasis on refinement in the matters of way of life and high etiquette as well as high Javanese language. The priyayi considered the abangan culture as being uncouth or rough (“kasar”), in contrast to their own, which is refined (“halus”). The abangan people, even though they officially still consider themselves Muslims, do not espouse Islamic tenets and do not practice any of the Islamic religious practices. Their connection with Islam is very nominal; rather they practice the folk-beliefs influenced by Javanese animism. For them the world of the spirits is real, and they are surrounded by these spirits. Therefore the most important religious practices for this group of Javanese masses are the offering to the spirits or the deceased. There are two kinds of offerings - individual offering called as “sesajen” and given to sacred places and shrines, and communal offering in the form of sacramental common meal, known as the “slametan”. Paranormal practitioners, or the “dukuns”, are kind of priests for this Javanese “abangan” religion. An almanac book known as “Primbon” is considered to be a book of guidance for a person on how to find auspicious days for any undertaking, or to find the meaning of dreams, and any good or bad omens that one may receive. It also contains intricate calculations of one’s day of birth or horoscope for the purpose of embarking in any business or any activities in life, and it is a kind of Holy Scriptures to the “abangan”. The abangan culture also has a kind of religious practices of its own, such as a variety of fasting, the commemoration of one’s day of birth, and various rites of passage. Some lower-ranking priyayi are also considered to be part of the “abangan” variant. My family belonged to this last variant. “Santri” is a name given to Orthodox Muslims, who cling to Islamic tenets and religious practices in the Javanese society. The santris have their own typical Javanese religious institutions called as the “Pesantren”. It is a religious boarding school, where young Muslims are taught by the “Kyahi” (Religious Teacher) various subjects on Islamic religion. It is similar to Hindus’ “ashram” in India, and the “Kyahi” is similar to a guru. Nowadays, however, this distinction made by Geertz is blurred, as many “priyayis” or “abangans” also consider themselves to be santris, and become more knowledgeable about Islam, while practicing their particular priyayi or abangan practices. <h4>Conversion to Christianity And Childhood Years </h4> I was born on September 19th, 1947, into an abangan, or rather, a lower ranking priyayi family. From my childhood I lived with my “abangan” grandfather; hence, I inherited the abangan way of life and outlook, even though officially we considered ourselves to be Muslim. We did not have an emotional attachment to Islam, because we considered ourselves to be Javanese first, before we considered ourselves to be Muslims. Therefore during the fifties and sixties, when Christianity experienced unprecedented growth in Indonesia, my family decided to become Christians. Automatically I was also included in this conversion, it all happened in the city of Kediri, East Java, a few kilometers away from Pare, where Clifford Geertz did his field work while I was going to Sunday School. I attended a Baptist church Sunday School class from 1957 to1961, and only a year later I accepted Jesus Christ as my personal Savior Lord, a common practice among the born-again, evangelical Baptist Christians. It was also during this time, when I was 10 years of age, that I submitted myself to God for the ministry. A year later at the age of eleven years old, I was baptized in the Baptist Church. Those were the times that I attended my primary school in Kediri City (1954-1960). After my graduation from primary school, I decided to move to Malang City to live with my parents. Malang City is a couple of hours away from Kediri to the east, and it is a very beautiful city with cool weather all year around, because it is located on the foot of a high mountain. I spent my junior high (1960-1964) and high school (1964-1967) days in Malang. During this period I changed my church membership from a Baptist Church to Dutch Reformed Protestant Church, and I served as a sunday school teacher in this church (1966-1968). In 1967 I underwent a deep conversion experience, and I was 19 years old at that time. <h4>Years of Preparation and Ministry </h4> The following year I decided to go to the Baptist seminary in order to prepare myself for the ministry as I had dedicated myself to God when I was ten years old. So I spent my time studying theology at Indonesian Baptist Seminary (1968-1972) in the City of Semarang, the capital city of Central Java Province (9 hours away from Malang to the west, and 2 hours away from Solo to the north). During my seminary days in Semarang I also worked as a church-planter for Semarang Mennonite Church (1969-1970), but later (1970-1972) I worked as a youth leader for the Semarang Reformed Church. I graduated from the seminary in 1972. Because of my interest in children ministry, in 1973 I joined the “Leadership Training for Child Evangelism Fellowship” for one year. The following year I returned to my hometown and was a schoolteacher at Petra Elementary School for two years (1974-1976). I taught first and second grades in this school. For the next four years I found myself working with the Word Vision International, Indonesian Branch, in Jakarta (1976-1980) as a Project Officer of Child Welfare Program. <h4>The Meeting with Fr. Daniel Byantoro </h4> In order to equip myself more in the work of Church ministry, I went to Seoul, South Korea in 1980, and spent two years studying at the Asian Center for Theological Studies and Mission, where Fr. Daniel Byantoro was also a student. Soon we became close fiends. I did not know much of the inner struggle of Fr. Daniel as a student in finding the true Church, and I did not know anything about the Orthodox Church at this time. I did not realize that it was the time of Fr. Daniel’s intense search for the Apostolic Church. He did not say anything to me about his spiritual search, except that he always said that he wanted to have Christianity communicated within the Indonesian culture that has an oriental form, and he was big on enculturation, with which I agreed. He shared with me ways to do this enculturation, in theology and in practice. But at that time I did not connect this intense interest in enculturation and his emphasis on the eastern nature of Christianity with his restlessness in finding the Church of the Apostles. In 1981 I had to leave Korea, due to some problems that I had to attend to in Indonesia, even though I had not yet finished my study. Later I finished my studies; I did not meet Fr. Daniel again for many years. I did not know what happened to him during these years. <h4>The Waiting Period </h4> Even though I did not consciously wait for Fr. Daniel’s return, I consider the times after my return and my ministry work in Indonesia as a waiting period, namely waiting for my being accepted to the Orthodox faith. I returned back from South Korea to continue my ministry with the World Vision International in Jakarta for the next nine years (1981-1990). Those nine years can be divided into several periods of appointment of my ministry. In 1981-1985 I was appointed as “Church Planter Coordinator of LEPKI”. The words LEPKI stands for Indonesian words “Lembaga Pelayanan Kristen Indonesia” (Indonesian Christian Ministry Institution”) which is an agency of World Vision International. I also had the opportunity to take several different courses: in 1982 I took the “Allen Management Workshop” in Jakarta; in 1983 I took “Advanced Pastoral Studies” in Malang City; in 1985 I attended “Communication Workshop” in Manila, The Phillipines; in 1988 I took “Dale Carnegie Course” in Jakarta; in 1989 I attended “Prasetya Mulya Management Institute” in Jakarta; in 1990 I attended “Team Integration Workshop” In Jakarta; and in 1990 I took “Workshop on Managing Project” in Jakarta. After I left World Vision, I took two more courses where in 1993 I took “Management Academic Workshop” in Malang, and finally in1996 I attended “Institute of Christian Education Studies” in Malang City. <h4>My Ordination as a Protestant Pastor and Fr. Daniel’s Return to Indonesia</h4> In order to expand the LEPKI’s mission works, in 1984 I received my ordination as a pastor from a “GEPSULTRA” local denomination. The word GEPSULTRA is an acronym for “Gereja Protestan Sulawesi Tenggara” (The South East Sulawesi Protestant Church”). In 1985 – 1990 I was appointed as a Spiritual Program Coordinator of World Vision, Jakarta, by working with LEPKI in Malang City. During this time Fr. Daniel Byantoro, who was overseas, contacted me. I was surprised when he told me that he had become an Orthodox Christian and had been ordained a priest. He told me that he would return to Indonesia on June 8, 1988. He also informed me that his mother (now deceased), and a friend of his brother (Fr. Yohanes), a young Pentecostal evangelist by the name of Parluhutan Manalu (who later became his paid office staff worker and has now become an Orthodox priest under the Greek jurisdiction) would come to pick him up at the airport in Jakarta. He asked me to meet him at the airport. <h4>Orthodox Teaching and Javanese Mystical Tradition</h4> The coming of Fr. Daniel after almost ten years away from Indonesia was a joy to all of us. Fr. Daniel stayed with our family for several days before he embarked to his hometown to see his relatives. He often visited our family whenever he had to do his mission works in Jakarta. While he was with us, he shared a lot of things with us about the Orthodox faith. I felt an affinity with what he told us. It is because being a Christian from an “abangan” Javanese background with a tint of priyayi culture, something rang a bell in me. In the Javanese mystical tradition, God is spoken of as “Sejatine ora ana apa-apa, sing ana iku dudu” (“In truth there is nothing, thing which is, actually is not”), in the sense that in the very reality God is “nothing” when expressed by human speech. What human speech and ideas can say about God as “is”, the “is” of these human speech and human idea about God, “is not” when the reality of God in Him is concerned. So when Fr. Daniel related the Orthodox idea of “apopathic approach” of God, that God is “unknown in His essence”, with this familiar Javanese belief, my Javanese soul was rekindled. It is this very mystery of God that I lacked and tried to bury when I became a Protestant, yet it had never gone away. Also, Fr. Daniel connected the Orthodox teaching, that God in His “essence” is unknown which means God is unapproachable in the depth of His Being, yet in His “energy” He can be experienced through His Holy Spirit, thus God is closer to man than his own soul, with that of the twofold reality of God in the Javanese mystical belief that God is “far”, yet ”near”, or “unapproachable” yet “dwells in each of us”. It reminded me of Javanese belief that God is “adoh tanpa wangenan, nanging cedhak tanpa sesenggolan” (“so far away without limit, yet so close by without being able to be touched”). He is far away without limit, because He is unapproachable as no one knows God’s Essence, yet He is so close by, because through the Holy Spirit God causes His Energy to dwell within us. Again I was amazed when Fr. Daniel related between the Incarnation of Christ in which the Humanity of Christ is united to His Divinity in His One Person without confusion, without mingling, and without separation and without division, and the Javanese mystical idea of “Manunggaling Kawula lan Gusti” (“The Union between the Servant/Creation and the Master/Creator”). The Humanity of Christ is of course in the nature of “servant/kawula = creation”, and His divinity is in the nature of “Master/Gusti = Creator”. Therefore I could see that Christ is the fulfillment and the key toward achieving this Javanese yearning for “Manunggaling Kawula lan Gusti”. Furthermore, the idea of salvation as “theosis” (“deification, divinization”) that Fr. Daniel shared with me truly flabbergasted me. Fr. Daniel related this Orthodox teaching on “theosis” to the Javanese teaching on “Sangkan Paraning Dumadi” (“The Origin and Destination of Creation”). According to Fr. Daniel, by virtue of the union between the humanity and the divinity in the Incarnation of Christ, the power of death that dwells in the humanity of Christ was defeated and destroyed by His divinity; therefore the humanity of Christ was raised from the dead. Death has been destroyed through His resurrection; while death is caused by sin, therefore sin is also defeated by this same resurrection of Christ. The resurrected body of Christ could not be defeated by death and sin anymore, the undying life of His divinity was now revealed through His resurrected body. Therefore the resurrected body of Christ is now the source of that undying life, or that eternal life, which is the life of the divinity of Christ Himself, namely the life of God. As the resurrected body of Christ is now imbued with His divine life, therefore that resurrected body of Christ is now “divinized” or became partaker in His divinity, without itself changed into God in its essence. Those who believe and are united to the death and resurrection of Christ through faith by virtue of baptism are united to this divinized resurrected body of Christ. The resurrected and divinized body of Christ is now in heaven in a glorious form, and those who are united to Christ in His glorious resurrected body through faith expressed in baptism and living the life of Christ in His body, the Church, will receive the same glorification or divinization. What Christ is now in His glorious state; that is what they will become. Therefore Christ is the origin and source of that “eternal life”. The emphasis on life eternal, reminded me of Javanese mystical insistence on finding “Sejatining Hurip” (“The Essence of Real Life”). From Fr. Daniel’s explanation, I could see how Christ is the origin (“Sangkan”) of the Eternal Life, and Christ is also the “Paran” (“ Destination”) of that Eternal Life. Christ is the essence of Javanese belief in “Sangkan Paraning Dumadi”. Those are the essence of the high philosophy of Javanese mysticism espoused by the “priyayi” Javanese. But being also raised and brought up in the “abangan” side, I felt the emphasis of meal (I mean - “the Holy Communion”) as being central to Orthodox Christian life, which reminded me of the centrality of the “slametan” common meal ceremony in the “abangan” variant of Javanese culture. In short I felt so overwhelmed by the way Fr. Daniel related Orthodox Christianity to this Javanese oriental belief and culture, and I found nothing alien to my culture as a Javanese in Orthodoxy. It is so natural to my oriental mind, it is so true, it is so beautiful, and it is so Eastern. I do not have to fight against my eastern-ness in the way I am thinking, as I have been trained so far in Protestantism. I began to think that this was what Fr. Daniel had been struggling with for a long time when he was a student. He had found a Christianity that really caters to his eastern and oriental mind. I rejoiced in the fact that I am the first witness of the coming of this teacher of Orthodoxy among the Indonesians, and I was the first to welcome him. But unfortunately I was not the first to be received into Orthodoxy due to my ties to my work. <h4>Preparation toward Orthodoxy </h4> In 1990 – 1996 I did not work directly with World Vision Office in Jakarta, but was appointed to be fully in charge of LEPKI as “Regional Office Manager”, so I had to move to Malang City. In 1995, Fr. Gordon Thomas Walker visited us in Malang with Fr. Daniel Byantoro. Fr. Gordon came to Indonesia to visit Fr. Daniel, his so-called “Indonesian son”, on his way to Damascus to the Patriarchate of Antioch. His visit to Malang City coincided with the Islamic Feast of Eid’ul Fitri that marked the end of Ramadan fast. He said that he was impressed by the hundred thousand of people who prayed together that morning in an open, huge stadium, bowing down to the ground in unison. After the prayer he saw them asking forgiveness from each other, even a to a stranger that they did know, by shaking hands. Fr. Gordon told us that it reminded him of the practice in the Orthodox Church on Forgiveness Sunday before entering the great fast of Lent in preparation of the Feast of Passover/Pascha, where all Orthodox people shake hands and hug, asking forgiveness from each other. He believed that this Islamic practice was taken directly from this Eastern Orthodox practice. He believed that it would be wonderful if all people in the whole world can forgive each other as sincerely, as it was done by these Muslim and Orthodox Christian people. While in Malang City, Fr. Gordon gave a lecture on Orthodoxy and shared with us his conversion to the Orthodox faith. I had been Orthodox at heart that time, but I was still tied to my work and I could not do anything. Fr. Daniel, however, patiently waited for me, and still visited my family wherever we lived. In 1996 I terminated my contract with LEPKI, and in 1997 I found took more courses in theology at my former seminary of the Indonesian Baptist Theological School for my theological refreshment, while at the same time finishing my thesis for my unfinished study in Korea to get my degree. While taking courses in the Seminary I joined “Cross Cultural Mission Ministry” for the Sundanese ethnic of West Java, near Jakarta, so I moved again from Malang City in East Java, to West Java. From 1997 to 2000, I was appointed to be the ”Director of Sundanese Cross-Cultural Training Center” by this organization. The name of the organization was “PARI Mission” and it had International Partnership. During this period, Fr. Daniel opened a new parish (“Aghia Epiphania”) in the city of Jakarta, and he moved to Jakarta; therefore it was easier for him to visit our family. After a long struggle and consideration, especially on the part of my wife, we were officially received into the Orthodox Church in 1998. At this year of 1988 we attended a local Protestant denomination, and upon our being accepted into Orthodoxy, we asked a letter of attestation to change our membership into the Orthodox Church. <h4>More Struggles</h4> Fr. Daniel had long desired for me to help him in the mission for the Orthodox Church, so he asked me if I was willing to be ordained as an Orthodox priest. Fr. Daniel asked me to prepare all the necessary papers to be presented to the overseeing bishop. In 1999, when the bishop visited Jakarta, I was introduced to him at the Church office, and all my papers and documents were given to him. The bishop told me that I was going to be ordained in July. I waited and waited, as did Fr. Daniel, but there was no news and no action until Fr. Daniel’s departure to the United States in 2001. My contract with “PARI” mission organization was over, and there was no news on my ordination, but life had to go on. I had to find other work, and I got a job offer in Malang City again. This time I worked for an organization called “Compassion”, where I had to be responsible for “Child Spiritual Nurturing Program”; I worked for two years, from 2000 to 2002. To our sadness this was the period of Fr. Daniel’s suffering and difficulties. We expected him to come home in a few months, but each time he called us he informed us that his effort had not given any fruit; it took five years. We felt Fr. Daniel’s difficulties, and we joined in prayer for the successful efforts and Fr. Daniel’s return. My family made the prayer of “Paraklesis” every evening begging for mercy to God for Fr. Daniel. Fr. Daniel always made long-distance calls from the United States to comfort us and to inform us on what was happening with him in America during this period. In 2004 my contract with Compassion organization was terminated. I got an offer to work as Student's Dean at Pentecostal Theological Seminary (2002 – 2005). Before I accepted the offer I asked Fr. Daniel’s advice as to whether I should take the offer or not, due to my being a member of the Orthodox Church. Fr. Daniel advised me that since I needed money I should take the offer, but I should be honest that I was an Orthodox Christian to everybody, especially to the Director, and that I was not interested in changing my own faith at all, and that I would not be able to take any Holy Communion in this Pentecostal Church. At first it was okay, but slowly pressure was put on me to leave the Orthodox Church and join Pentecostalism, since nobody knew what happened to Fr. Daniel. Meanwhile Fr. Daniel kept making long-distance to give information and encouragement for my family; during this time we lived in the theological school’s compound. At last the joyful news came, when Fr. Daniel informed me that he had been successful in finding a bishop that would support his vision for GOI, Archbishop Hilarion of Australia of the Russian Orthodox Church Outside of Russia. He also informed that I would be ordained soon. After a long struggle and waiting, on March 2005, Archbishop Hilarion made his first visit to Indonesia, and ordained several men, including me, into the priesthood. After my ordination, Fr. Daniel sent me to start a new mission outpost in the city of Salatiga, not far away from Solo. In this city I started to do my ministry as a priest of the St Anthony the Great Orthodox Community. I pray that God will prosper my ministry and His Holy Orthodox Church will be planted deep in this area. Amen. <hr /> Fr. Antonios currently serves the <a href="http://www.friendsofindonesia.org/about_ioc/parishes/central_java.php#anthonythegreat">St. Anthony the Great</a> community in Central Java.</div> Copyright © 2008. Friends of Indonesia. All rights reserved.</div> <div style="color: rgb(204, 255, 255);" id="site_info"> </div> <div style="color: rgb(204, 255, 255);" id="evlogia"> Design by: <a href="http://www.evlogiadesign.com/" title="This website is designed, hosted and managed by Evlogia Design. Click to learn more!">Evlogia</a>. </div> <script src="http://www.google-analytics.com/urchin.js" type="text/javascript"> </script> <script type="text/javascript"> _uacct = "UA-2022480-6"; urchinTracker(); </script>

The Indonesian Orthodox Church: The Story of Fr. Antonios

http://www.friendsofindonesia.org/about_ioc/clergy/frantonios.php Background I am Fr. Antonios from central Java. I am a marri...

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Exposing the Universe

http://www.joglosemar.co.id/kejawen/univers.html It is a Translation of Gumelaring Jagad <ol style="color: rgb(51, 204, 255);"><li>For those who are seeking the knowledge of life, you should know Sangkan Paraning Dumadi (The origin & destination of creatures) in broader sense means: your origin is holiness, here in this earth you have to live in holiness, & you should be able to return to holiness again. Thus, you become a perfect human-being. </li><li>There are millions of human beings, women & men with different colors of skin & cultural background, created to live together in the world. They live in accordance with their destiny, they are moving actively due to their own will, using their consent & five senses, they build their well-being to preserve the world. Everyone build their nation to achieve Tata Tentrem Kerta Raharja (order, peace, safety, prosperity) in the world for harmonious satisfaction of mankind. </li><li>Everyone should know that all kind of animals, small and big ones, such as tiny bugs, birds, snakes, elephants, millions of them, are created in accordance with their destiny, moving by using their instinct to search for food. </li><li>All kind of plants & trees, the grass, the Banyan trees, the bushes, there are useful for mankind, various kinds of beautiful, fragrant & colorful flowers, the attractive green leaves are created to grow in the world, in accordance with their destiny. </li><li>All kinds of fishes live in the lake, the river & the ocean. Some of them live from mosses, the bigger fishes eat the smaller ones. That's their destiny. </li><li>The moon, the stars & other planets in the sky are shining splendidly at night. </li><li>The wind blows freshly in the morning, all creature inhale its usefulness. </li><li>The fire & the heat of Sun are useful for all creatures. </li><li>Those, who seeks the knowledge of life, should be aware, that all creatures were the result of the mixture of the essence of Trimurti: Fire (geni), Water (banyu) & Wind (angin). Due to divine mystical power they penetrate into Pratiwi (Land, Earth), give the existence of all kinds of creatures, small & big, animals, plants and various creatures in this world. </li><li>The sediments of Trimurti's essence, give the appearance of Hasta Retna (eight colors) of precious substances, namely: gem, gold, silver, tin, copper, iron/steel, salt & sulphur. </li><li>There are 5 kinds of mystical light (cahya ginaib), very bright, clear but not glaring, namely: <ol type="a"><li>Pulung: the unity between the sediments of gem, gold & tin, the color is bright blue and clear green. It is seeking a blessed, honest and wise person who is eager to help and has great care for others. </li><li>Wahyu: the unity between the sediments of gem, silver and tin, the color is white and bright yellowish. It is seeking a blessed, honest and wise person who has a very strong character of Rila (never be disappointed and envy to others) and Legawa (always do a good thing and faithful) and always keep his/her promise. </li><li>Daru: the unity between the sediments of gold, silver and iron, the color is bright turmeric yellow as big as a coconut. It is seeking a blessed, honest and wise person who is very patient and has great care for others, who could easily forgive other's mistake. </li><li>Teluh: the unity between the sediments of tin, copper and iron, the color is reddish violet. It is seeking a person with bad moral, like to disturb others, does not see what's right and wrong. </li><li>Guntur: the unity between the sediments of iron, salt and sulphur, the color is bright violet. It is seeking a person who always follow his/her lust, greedy and does not like to forgive other's mistakes. You have to know the above mentioned subject is Kawruh Kasunyatan, the knowledge of true reality. It is really exposed accrossed the universe, a human-being should be aware of the power of the Creator of all creatures. </li></ol> </li><li>The sun, the king Surya, in accordance with the power of nature or God's will, has an obligation to give life to all creatures. </li><li>The moon, the queen Chandra and all stars in the sky, in the night shine their soothing light, useful to all creatures. </li><li>During the night, almost all living creatures are asleep. They do not remember anything. In the morning, during sunrise, they wake-up. That is the power of nature. Around mid-night during the full-moon, the light of the moon and stars give a natural power to human-beings, who remain outside under the night sky. </li><li>You should know that you are the most perfect creatures in the world, due to a perfect unity of the three substances and more perfect noble character. You are obliged to understand your humanism, to know your inner-being/true-self (kejatenira) you should know Sangkan Paraning Dumadi. </li><li>A human-being is different from animal. Animal has instinct only, not budi, (clear thinking). A man without budi, only follows his passion/nafsu, might be said that he loses his existence as human-being. He had a low character. </li><li>The four factors of earth, fire, wind and water are influencing your physical body, the micro-cosmos as well as the macro-cosmos. </li><li>The movement of the earth due to the active movement of the hot substances inside the earth, closed by the earth elements for millions of years, gave birth to several volcanoes. The earthquakes can damage the life of human-beings and others. </li><li>The fire is pleasant and useful, but it can do harm also to human-beings, animals and plants. That kind of fire, has acted against its function or due to human mistake in using it. </li><li>The scary flood, big rain in the wrong season, probably they were due to human mistake in cutting to many trees in the forest. It can make also horrible hurricanes. </li><li>The earth (Bumi), it is clear, the land, the soil. In the human-being, it can be seen in the physical body (badan jasmani), the skin and the meat, they can be damaged. </li><li>You have to take a good care of your body. Take a bath regularly, consume a good quality of food, so it is strong and healthy. It shall make your thought also healthy. </li><li>The physical body follows the will of the mind. Do not do anything above the body's ability. </li><li>The fire (geni) is a hot flame. It is useful among other to cook foodstuffs etc. If the fire is doing something unproportionally, it can be countered by the power of water and wind. </li><li>The physical substance of fire in the body is Pramana, the flame of the supreme substance, that is the light which make your light (cahyanira). There are the muscles and the bones. </li><li>The door of the fire is the ears. If the ears listen to something, a desire of something should appear. </li><li>The water (banyu) is a cool liquid, found in the lakes, rivers and seas. </li><li>The water, mystically is also called Tirtamarta Kamandanu, it is water giving life to our physical body. Water can give strenght to human bodies. </li><li>Your life is made from water by the names of wadi, madi, mani and maningkem. <table> <tbody><tr><td>Wadi</td><td>:</td><td>The place is in our retreat, our blood is red (secret).</td><td> </td></tr> <tr><td>Madi</td><td>:</td><td>The color is green.</td><td> </td></tr> <tr><td>Mani</td><td>:</td><td>It is our power. The place is in the sexual organ (sperm).</td><td> </td></tr> <tr><td>Maningkem</td><td>:</td><td>it is our light/cahya, the color is yellow.</td><td> </td></tr> </tbody></table> The blood and the marrow, are the substances of water in our body. </li><li>The door of water is the eyes. A person likes to see something attractive, beautiful, which shall arise lust. </li><li>Without wind (angin), a human-being can not live. </li><li>The life of human-beings are also from the wind. So that a human beings has napas (breath), anpas, tannapas and nupus. <table> <tbody><tr><td>Napas</td><td>:</td><td>the life connection, the soul connection.</td><td> </td></tr> <tr><td>Anpas</td><td>:</td><td>the place of the soul.</td><td> </td></tr> <tr><td>Tannapas</td><td>:</td><td>the ears of the soul.</td><td> </td></tr> <tr><td>Nupus</td><td>:</td><td>the eyes of the soul.</td><td> </td></tr> </tbody></table> The simple proof of wind in human-beings is a human-being is breathing. </li><li>The door of the wind is the nose. The character of the nose for a wise man is patient, eager to meditate or to concentrate his mind for the benefit of mankind. </li><li>You should know that everything found in this small world and big world are from the power of nature, from a supreme substance, which is eternal and permanent. You are obliged to honor whole-heartedly. You have to be always conscious and have a peace of mind, deeply devote (analongso) to the life which gives life. Thus, your humanism is noble, you know Sangkan Paran. </li><li>From the supreme substance, God the Almighty, a human-being has: <table> <tbody><tr><td>Sir</td><td>:</td><td>a wish (niat), a fantasy (angan-angan)</td><td> </td></tr> <tr><td>Budi</td><td>:</td><td>clear thinking, a step of inner-self (batin)</td><td> </td></tr> <tr><td>Cipta</td><td>:</td><td>the forefront of feeling (rasa)</td><td> </td></tr> <tr><td>Rasa</td><td>:</td><td>feeling</td><td> </td></tr> </tbody></table>Sir, budi, cipta and rasa are under the power of our life, to be properly used to perfect our life, for the benefit of mankind in order to be cared by Lord. The physical body only obeys their order. </li><li>Sir :a wish or a fantasy has to act properly in accordance with its character. Budi:the clear thinking, to achieve the proper wish which is good for the man himself and others. The influence of budi is very strong. The bad or the good wish should occurred, sooner or later. So, take a good care of budi's action. Budi gives sign to cipta, do your best to have only a noble cipta. Budi has influence to rasa/feeling. Have a rasa which does not disappoint anyone else. </li><li>You know that a human-being has five-senses (Pancadriya) as the door of your lust/desire/passion (nafsu), consisting of : sight, smell, hearing, feeling and taste. If the action of the inner cipta (the forefront of feeling) thru the five senses is not proper, only following the outer feeling which is considered as noble, but in fact it is forwarding to bad luck or accident, it should be avoided. Otherwise, you should be in trouble, degraded, your human character becomes low, disappointed, and you should be in a state of Panalongso (suffer for a quite long time, before reaching the consciousness of total devotion to all-loving God) (I have to tell you frankly, that Panalongso is a strong obstacle to reach the true knowledge. It is a difficult examination of life). The analogy is : Be a good rider who can control entirely the horse. Don't let the power of outer appearance received by the five-senses defeat the wish of cipta for noble deed or accomplishment. </li><li>Whatever you do, 3 things are involved: cipta, rasa and karsa (wish). Before you do something check with clear cipta, then feel (rasa) whether it's OK. If it's OK, the karsa (wish) will start doing. </li><li>Pancadriya (the five senses) plays a great role in your conduct. The sight is always eager to see something nice, as it should be. It is okay if it is not against the rule of good conduct. </li><li>The hearing needs to listen to nice voices and gamelan music. Do not listen to anything which arise your lust. The smell or the nose needs fragrant smell. Avoid any action which put down others. The same thing, you should do with the feeling and the taste. If you could control your cipta to be calm and clear, you should be able also to put the five senses under control. It is good for you. </li><li>There are 4 kinds of lust (nafsu): <ol type="a"><li>Aluamah, the color is black. The place is in the stomach, the door is the lip. Your physical body wants to eat a lot. When you are going back to eternity, do not follow the black light, it will transform to a reptile, your physical body should be a gendruwo, a very bad spirit, a criminal-spirit who is always eager to disturb human-beings. </li><li>Amarah, the color is red. The place is in the gall, the door is in the ears. The physical body is eager to fulfilling the lust and easy to be angry. When you are going back to eternity, do not follow the red light. It will transform to an animal, your physical body shall be a Banaspati, a very bad spirit with burning fire on the head. </li><li>Supiyah, the color is yellow The place is in the spleen. The physical body is eager to own something good and beautiful. When you are going back to eternity, do not follow the yellow light, it will transform to a flying animal, your physical body shall be a Kemamang-a very bad spirit, the burning head. </li><li>Mutmainah, the color is white. </li></ol>The place is in the bones, the door is in the nose. The physical body is always eager to do a good thing, to do ascetism (tapa brata). When you are going back to eternity, do not follow the white light, it will transform to a fish, your physical body shall be a wedhon, a spirit who likes to disturb people early in the morning before sunrise. </li><li>You should always remember to be able to control your lust of greediness which is burning like a flame, otherwise your physical body shall be thrown in the deep of humiliation. </li><li>There are 4 kinds of heart/ati, namely: <ol type="a"><li>Ati Sanubari - The Mighty of feeling The perfect speech. </li><li>Ati Maknawi - The holder of feeling The perfect hearing. </li><li>Ati Siri - The perfect of feeling The perfect smell. </li><li>Ati Puat - The disappearance of feeling </li></ol> The perfect sight. </li><li>People with good behavior Everyone should be happy if all people in the world are having good behavior. This is a question of how to "produce" a good baby. The seed of life is from father, from cipta (the head of feeling) to Pramana (supreme substance) and then by the feeling of father during intercourse, the seed of life drops in mother's womb. The cipta of the father is important as it should be the basic character of the newly born child. The best, if a couple could make love when the father's cipta/mind is peaceful and holy (in Javanese Lejar). The color of the seed of life in the flame of supreme substance is bright green. The child should have a good character and he/she should be always eager to worship God. The time of intercourse is also important, the best is sometime after midnight until before sunrise. It is advisable to purify your soul and pray before the love making. The child should have a strong cipta and thinking. During the day is not good, the child should have a weaker thinking and cipta due to the influence of the heat of the sun. You are advised not to make love too frequently. You should know that sperm is important to your back brain, which gives power to know the secret knowledge of life. Let's see different situation of a father's mind. <ol><li>Ambitious mind. The color of the seed of life during love making is red. The child would not have a good character. </li><li>Happy and satisfied mind. The color of the seed of life during love making is bright yellow. The child should like to enjoy himself and envy to other success. </li><li>Sad mind; The color of the seed of life during love making is black. The child should have a low and bad character. </li></ol> </li><li>Triloka, 3 mystical levels of the body. <ol type="a"><li>Guru Loka, the upper level world (jagad duwur). The place of brain, in the wayang is the domain of the supreme God Guru, who control and (at the same time the place) of the five senses. The name of the domain is Jonggring Salaka. </li><li>Endroloka, the middle level world (jagad tengah). The place of angan-angan (fantasy of mind), budi (clear thinking), cipta (the head of feeling) and rasa (the feeling of heart). It is in the chest. The name of the domain is Endrobawana. </li><li>Janaloka, the lower level world (jagad ngisor). In the center of love instruments, in the lower part of the body. The name of the domain is Nguntara segara. </li></ol> Triloka is under the control of Sang Hyang Wisesa Tunggal. </li><li>The life (gesang or urip) of a human being. After you know the division of your body, you should know also your life, originating from the power of nature or God's will as follow: <ol type="a"><li>Eternal absolute substance, it draws </li><li>Gesang/life or atmo, it draws. </li><li>Nur/light - cahya => nur cahya - the light of heart - peaceful mind, it draws. </li><li>Sir, feeling, it draws. </li><li>Nyawa, soul or roh or suksma, it draws. </li><li>Nafsu, lust/desire, it draws. </li><li>Akal means budi, the clear thinking, it draws. </li><li>Jagad, physical body. </li></ol>You have to know the above 8 things. It is the existance of your body until becomes a complete humanbeing. Some say: curigo manjing warangka. Curigo-a keris; manjing = in warangka = scabbard It means: curigo (keris) is the inside part, the soul. Warangka is the outer part, the body. Keris inside the scabbard is the same like a soul inside the body. </li><li>Whom do you have to respect/adore (ngabekti)? <ol type="a"><li>God the Almighty who has created all creatures and anything in the universe. The Javanese call Him Gusti or Pangeran. Gusti kang Murbeng Dumadi - Lord, the Creator of all creatures. Gusti kang Maha Kuasa - God, the Almighty Gusti kang Maha Asih - All-loving God Pangeran kang Maha Agung - God, the greatest. Pangeran kang Maha Wikan - God who knows everything. Deep in your heart, you are obliged to worship Him. In the middle of night, when many people are asleep, you adore Him solemnly. Alone in a clean room/place, your body is clean, your mind is clear and peaceful, you sit on a mat/floor, cross-legged, close the nine holes of your body by concentration of mind, forget anything else, your attention is only to Him. Meditate solemnly, control your breathing by inhaling and exhaling calmly. You see the peak of your nose. Make a total surrender to Him. You should do it regularly at midnight for at least one hour. Hopefully, there would be a mystical signal or message (sasmita gaib). That's mean, it is starting, servant knows Lord and Lord knows servant. It is the feeling of your true life. </li><li>Mother and Father. Thru them, you were born in this world. You have to respect them deeply even when they have already passed away. Remember them, pray for them. Take a well care of their graves, visit them from time to time, clean them. Also you have to respect your grandma and grandpa, thru them your parent were born and consequently also to your ancestors, even they have passed away. </li><li>Mother and father-in-law You have married their daughter or son, be grateful with the marriage, you could perform your duty to have children, that's mean to continue the existance of live. </li><li>If your parents have passed away, respect the elder families. </li><li>Teachers, who have educated you and also to your spiritual teachers, if you have any, who have shown you the way to true knowledge of life. </li></ol> </li><li>The concept of lahir (outer side) and batin (inner side) There are two sides in human beings i.e. the outer side (lahir) and the inner side (batin). A man is seen from his outer being (body, speech, movements etc), but in fact he has his inner side (batin) i.e. the inner life. It is a reality. Lahir and batin are influencing each other. So lahir and batin must fit each other (in Javanese term is keplok-hand clapping). The lahir must have character of: <table> <tbody><tr><td>Rila</td><td>:</td><td>not envy to other people' success, never grumble</td><td> </td></tr> <tr><td>Nrima</td><td>:</td><td>grateful, accepting the destiny consciously</td><td> </td></tr> <tr><td>Temen</td><td>:</td><td>loyal, never lie, also in batin</td><td> </td></tr> <tr><td>Sabar</td><td>:</td><td>patient</td><td> </td></tr> <tr><td>Budi luhur</td><td>:</td><td>noble character</td><td> </td></tr> </tbody></table> The batin must: <table> <tbody><tr><td>Eling</td><td>:</td><td>knows good and bad, right and wrong</td><td> </td></tr> <tr><td>Percaya</td><td>:</td><td>believe sincerely to God</td><td> </td></tr> <tr><td>Mituhu</td><td>:</td><td>follow the wish of life as determined by God</td><td> </td></tr> </tbody></table> The above must be implemented by a man seeking the path of true reality. </li><li>The seekers of true knowledge have to know the advice of elderly people saying that every man has: 1. To have a job 2. To be physically healthy 3. To have a holy budi (clear thinking). Everybody has to remember 2 things: <ol><li>Change of situation The change of situation or time (zaman)-owahing zaman (owah-change; zaman-time, situation). Never forget that anytime could be owahing zaman. It could be trouble for some people. Those who have good jobs, lose them. This people become sad, moreover if they have families (wife and children). For those who are not mentally well-prepared, they could do something bad. </li><li>Bad fate A bad fate or apes. As if there is no way to improve a bit his/her life. A jobless person who can not find a job, despite his tough effort to find it. At home there is no food, he has nothing to sell, no one wishes to borrow him money. No one trusts him. No one wishes to help him. No one opens door if he wants to visit someone. This is worst of the worst. Luckily there is a teaching says: The misfortune is a path to happiness. This is a very high level of teaching, very close to the path of nobility (kautaman). One should not always suffer, there is an end of it. You know that a kid won't be kid forever, he would be an adult and becomes old and one day he would die. This lesson would like to say: Don't feel exaggeratedly happy when you have a good position, don't complain too much when you are suffering. You must always be grateful to Lord, i.e. Panarimo, accepting your way of life consciously. Look and learn to some of our ancestor's way of life, oppressed, suffering a lot, imprisoned, but they have carried on their life with tough determination, at the end, they became noble and successful persons. </li></ol> </li><li>We wish people around the world live in 'rukun' (harmony). But why do many conflicts or fights happened in many places? Because the level of budi (clear thinking) among people are different. That's why they are quarreling for wealth, for dignity, for superiority. They do not know yet who win and who lose and how the winners should feel happy and the losers feel sad. </li><li>Some ask, is the condition better now or worse. Seeing the fact that many are in good condition but also many are suffering. </li><li>Some should be happy if their orders are followed, but why they don't want to follow others. </li><li>Some are happy to accept a gift, why they don't want to make a gift. </li><li>You love your beloved ones, you help to the 'haves', you give to rich people, you praise strong people, so you are praised by them. Now, if you love your enemy, you help people who are in trouble, you support the weak, you give to poor people. Is it no meaning for you? Tell the truth, in order to accomplish the best, what is your choice? In short, the above advises would like to say: A group of very poor people and a group of very rich people are very dangerous. The poor wish to walk inside the house/store to take their need, but the rich are guarding the door of the house/store. If both sides could not reach a wise agreement, it could be dangerous for one side or both sides. </li><li>Some people are learning magic, it is one of the ways to contact with creatures of mystical world or from other dimension of this world. There are 2 kinds of magic: white magic is used for protection for the benefit of mankind, while black magic is directed to make other people to suffer a.o. make the recipient sick, out of his mind, dead etc. Hopefully if people learn about magic, learn the white one, which is not harmful to others. </li><li>Some people practicing the calculation of good or bad days, date, months etc. (Petungan). It is an inherited knowledge of Javanese used for instance when someone is going to organize a wedding-ceremony, what would be the good time for the party as well as for the future life of the couple. Also to choose a good time to start building a house, move to another place etc. </li><li>There are people who like to practice hypnotism, magnitism, astrology, the mantras (mystical words) etc. </li><li>The most important for human-beings is the implementation of knowledge which is used to protect others, for the benefit of all people, directed to Karahayon. (from the word Rahayu => rah-life; ayu-beautiful, good; for the good life of human-beings). </li><li>You should be aware that life is rolling like the cakra weapon (cakra is the powerful weapon of Kresna) - Cakra Manggilingan, sometimes it is 'up' and another time 'down' in accordance with your darma (good deed) and karma. According to karma law, you would be rewarded as in accordance with what you have done. Might be the reward should not be received now, but sometimes later, directly or indirectly. Every night, before you sleep, remember what have you done to day. Have you done a proper or bad thing? If you have done bad thing due to bad cipta, you have to confess it. Put your self in the position of Panalongso, (the consciousness of total devotion to all-loving God) Tomorrow, you have to do better things. </li><li>If you are able to sit in the position of eneng (in total calmness) and ening (crystal clear of thinking), you love your Pangeran (Master), you should start to have an open cipta (tinarbuko), beginning to see 'the duplicate' of your body vaguely. (Kejatenira). </li></ol> By patient and devoutly regular practice, your cipta should be more and more 'sharp'. Unnoticed by yourself, your clear sight (Waskita) grows, also alertness (waspada) and wisdom (wicaksana). You should begin to see mystical signs, if you dream, it will come true. (Suryo S. Negoro)

Exposing the Universe

http://www.joglosemar.co.id/kejawen/univers.html It is a Translation of Gumelaring Jagad For those who are seeking the knowledge of life, y...

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MENJADI SERUPA DENGAN ALLAH

http://www.akupercaya.com/forums/renungan-harian/10160-menjadi-serupa-dengan-allah-pdt-erastus-sabdono-m-th.html oleh : Pdt. Erastus Sabdono, M.Th. Setelah sekian lama kita menjadi orang Kristen, kita harus sungguh-sungguh menemukan jiwa kekristenan yang sejati, hakekat kekristenan yang benar yang harus kita miliki. Bila kita belum memiliki jiwa kekristenan yang benar, maka kita belum menjadi anak Allah yang berkenan kepada-Nya. Lalu apa artinya kekristenan kita bila tidak ada jiwa atau intinya? Masihkah kita berjalan mengarungi hidup ini dengan kekristenan tanpa jiwa kekristenan? Puaskah kita dengan pengalaman-pengalaman keagamaan kita yang kadang justru membuat kita menjadi angkuh di hadapan manusia dan di hadapan Tuhan. Pergi ke gereja, mengikuti liturgi atau misa, mengucapkan pengakuan iman di gereja, menyanyikan lagu-lagu rohani belumlah inti dari kekristenan itu sendiri. Adalah kebodohan kalau seseorang merasa sudah menjadi umat Allah yang benar dan layak bagi-Nya hanya karena sudah melakukan kegiatan keagamaan seperti yang disinggung di atas. Semua itu hanyalah atribut lahiriah atau semacam baju luar saja. Tentu itu belum merupakan inti kekristenan. Bahkan pengalaman mujizat atau mengalami kuasa Tuhan bukan atau belumlah menjadi inti kekristenan yang sejati. Perlakuan istimewa Tuhan kepada kita yang menunjukkan bahwa kita adalah umat kesayangan-Nya, tidak bisa dijadikan ukuran bahwa kita adalah umat kesukaan-Nya. Inti kekristenan pada hakekatnya adalah warna batin yang terus menerus diperbaharui untuk menjadi sewarna dengan Bapa. Maksud sewarna dengan Bapa adalah berkepribadian seperti Allah yang melahirkan kita. Jiwa atau inti kekristenan atau hakekat kekristenan yang sejati dapat kita peroleh melalui apa yang ditulis oleh Yohanes dalam Yohanes 1:13, “orang-orang yang diperanakkan bukan dari darah atau daging, bukan pula secara jasmani oleh keinginan seorang laki-laki, melainkan dari Allah.” Ayat ini tidak boleh kita lalui begitu saja dan kita anggap tidak penting. Berangkat dari ayat ini kita menemukan maksud dan tujuan Tuhan dalam memilih kita. Di dalam ayat ini juga terkandung berita tentang rencana Allah yang kekal dan besar bagi umat pilihan-Nya. Dilahirkan oleh Allah, ini adalah suatu peristiwa besar dalam kehidupan manusia dan lebih luar biasa dari kelahiran anak manusia secara fisik. Dalam teks bahasa Inggris versi King James: Which were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man but God. Kata dilahirkan dalam teks aslinya adalah “egenneetheesan” kata ini dari akar kata gennao, yang bisa diterjemahkan be born, bring forth, conceive, be delivered of, gender, make, spring, yang pada intinya adalah bahwa kita telah diubah dengan nature yang berbeda dengan nature manusia pada umumnya. Dilahirkan oleh Allah meliputi dua aspek : Pertama, kita diberi wewenang untuk memiliki apa yang disediakan Allah bagi pewaris-pewarisNya, yaitu kerajaanNya. Kedua, kita diberi kemampuan untuk berwatak atau berkarakter seperti Dia. Hal ini berati bahwa kita diberi kemampuan untuk menjadi serupa dengan Bapa setelah Allah mensahkan kita menjadi anak-anak-Nya. Ini merupakan sebuah peristiwa besar, sebab dalam Perjanjian Lama kita tidak menemukan peristiwa besar seperti ini, juga dalam kepercayaan lain di dunia ini. Kelahiran dari atas ini terjadi ketika kita percaya kepada Tuhan Yesus sebagai Tuhan dan Juruselamat kita secara pribadi. Tidak ada mujizat yang besar dari ini. Kesungguhan Allah mengadopsi kita ini, Ia memberikan Roh-Nya didalam diri kita. “Di dalam Dia kamu juga -- karena kamu telah mendengar firman kebenaran, yaitu Injil keselamatanmu -- di dalam Dia kamu juga, ketika kamu percaya, dimeteraikan dengan Roh Kudus, yang dijanjikan-Nya itu.” (Ef 1:13). Dimeteraikan artinya distempel (Yun. esfragistheete, lengkapnya: esfragistheete too pneumati tees epangelias too hagio. Ingg: you were sealed with that holy spirit of promise). Kejadian ini suatu peristiwa luar biasa yang menjadi titik tolak pengiringan kita kepada Tuhan. Titik tolak kita bukan karena kita mau memeluk suatu keyakinan agama. Bukan pula karena kita mau memiliki petualangan baru dalam hidup, yaitu memiliki sumber baru guna memperoleh kemudahan hidup, dalam hal ini kekristenan dan Tuhan menjadi alat memuaskan ambisi kita. Kekristenan menjadi kendaraan kita memenuhi maksud dan rencana Tuhan. Sebenarnya maksud dan rencana Tuhan adalah menciptakan manusia yang berkualitas seperti diri-Nya. Untuk itu dalam kelahiran dari atas oleh Allah itu, Bapa memberikan kemampuan kepada kita untuk memenuhi kehendak-Nya. Kemampuan ini suatu anugerah yang lebih dari segala berkat yang bisa kita terima dari Tuhan. Kemampuan inilah yang harus dikembangkan atau dimanfaatkan agar encana-Nya digenapi dalam hidup kita masing-masing. Kemampuan inilah yang tidak dimiliki tokoh-tokoh iman dalam Perjanjian Lama. Dengan cara inilah kita dipanggil untuk sempurna (bnd. Mat 5:48: Karena itu haruslah kamu sempurna, sama seperti Bapamu yang di sorga adalah sempurna). Perhatikan kata haruslah dalam ayat ini. Kata haruslah (Yn. esomai, yang juga dapat diterjemakan “hendaknya”) merupakan sebuah panggilan yang mutlak yang harus mengisi perjalanan hidup kita. Hal ini merupakan keharusan yang tidak boleh kita hindari. Hal yang lain bisa dihindari atau dikurangi intensitasnya, tetapi hal menjadi serupa dengan Bapa merupakan keharusan yang tidak dapat ditawar. Apalah artinya kelahiran seorang anak manusia apabila pada akhirnya ia tidak memiliki persekutuan dengan Tuhan dan dibuang kedalam api kekal. Lebih baik seseorang tidak pernah dilahirkan di dunia ini dari pada dilahirkan di dunia ini hanya untuk menjadi sekutu kuasa dunia dan memberontak kepada Tuhan. Apa artinya kelahiran kalau hanya menjadi permulaan dari kebinasaan kekal. Hidup terpisah dari hadirat Tuhan selama-lamanya. Menjadi kehendak Bapa dalam hidup kita adalah kita bertumbuh menyerupai Dia. Inilah inti kekristenan itu. Tidak ada yang lebih besar dari hal ini. Itulah sebabnya Tuhan Yesus berkata: Kamu harus sempurna seperti Bapamu yang di sorga sempurna (Mat 5:48). Rasul Paulus menulis hal ini dalam Roma 8:29 : Sebab semua orang yang dipilih-Nya dari semula, mereka juga ditentukan-Nya dari semula untuk menjadi serupa dengan gambaran Anak-Nya, supaya Ia, Anak-Nya itu, menjadi yang sulung di antara banyak saudara. Tuhan Yesus yang adalah wujud Allah yang kelihatan menjadi cermin yang jelas bagi kita. Kita harus meneladani-Nya. Oleh sebab itu, marilah kita kembali kepada maksud Tuhan yang agung ini dan memfokuskan diri kepada rencana agung-Nya. Jangan hanya terpaku pada usaha mengejar berkat-berkat Allah belaka, tetapi mengabaikan tujuan yang sesungguhnya dari karya Allah atas hidup kita, yaitu menjadi serupa dengan Allah. Mari kita terus mengejar inti kekristenan ini dan menjadikannya tujuan yang utama dalam kehidupan kita. Amin. Disarikan dari : [url=http://www.rehobot.net]Rehobot Online | Membangun Umat Kerajaan Surga dalam Kebenaran[/url]

MENJADI SERUPA DENGAN ALLAH

http://www.akupercaya.com/forums/renungan-harian/10160-menjadi-serupa-dengan-allah-pdt-erastus-sabdono-m-th.html oleh : Pdt. Erastus Sabdono...

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