ALPHA MAAMA (A.M.)

Sapate Sanuali 16, 2022

THE FOUNDATION OF FAITH

KO E MAKATU‘UNGA ‘O E TUI

The grass withers and the flowers fall, but the word of our God endures forever.

ISAIAH 40:8

‘Oku mae ‘a e mohuku, ‘oku maheikau ‘a e fisi: ka ko e folofola ‘a hotau ‘Otua ‘e tu‘u ‘o ta‘engata.

‘AISEA 40:8

 

Sola Scriptura - Scripture Alone - Ko e Folofola´ pe    

True faith is ignorant of all division; for "there is," saith the apostle, "one Lord, one faith, one baptism, one God and Father of all (Eph 4:5-6). For there remaineth, from the beginning of the world even unto the end thereof, one and the same faith in all the elect of God. God is one and the same forever, the only Well of all goodness, that can never be drawn dry.

The truth of God, from the beginning of the world, is one and the same, set forth to men in the Word of God. Therefore the object and foundation of faith, that is, God and the Word of God, remain forever one and the selfsame. In one and the selfsame faith with us have all the elect ever since the creation of the world believed that unto us through Christ all good things are freely given, and that all truth necessary to be believed is declared in the Word of the Lord. Wherefore the faithful of the old world always settled their faith on God and His Word, so that now, without all doubt, there cannot be any more than one true faith.

MARTIN LUTHER

Ko e tui mo’oni, ‘oku ‘ikai te ne toe ‘ilo ‘e ia ha tui kehe; he ‘oku talamai ‘e he ‘apositolo, “’oku taha pe ‘a e ‘Eiki, taha pe ‘a e tui, taha pe ‘a e papitaiso, taha pe ‘a e ‘Otua mo e Tamai ‘a e kakai kotoa pe” (‘Efeso 4:5-6).  He ‘oku tu’uloa, talu mei he tanupou ‘o mamani ‘o a’u ki he ngata’anga, ‘a e mo’oni ko ‘eni, ‘a e taha mātē pe ‘a e tui ‘i he kakai fili ‘a e ‘Otua.  ‘Oku taha pe ‘a e ‘Otua pea ‘oku ta’eliua ‘o ta’engata, ko e Matavai pe ia ‘e taha ‘o  e lelei kotoa, pea ‘e ‘ikai ke maha ia ‘i ha taimi.

Ko e mo’oni ‘a e ‘Otua, mei he kamata’anga ‘o mamani, ‘oku taha pe ia pea tatau ma’u pe, pea kuo tuku mai ki he tangata ‘o fou ‘i he Folofola ‘a e ‘Otua.  Ko ia ai ko e taumu’a mo e makatu’unga ‘o e tui, ko e ‘Otua pea mo e Folofola ‘a e ‘Otua, pea ‘oku laulōtaha pea fa’oaki kotoa pe ‘iate Ia.  ‘Oku taha mātē pe ‘a e tokotaha ‘oku hu’u ki ai ‘a e tui ‘a e kakai fili ‘a e ‘Otua, talu mei hono fakatupu ‘o mamani.  Pea ‘ia Kalaisi ‘oku fou ‘iate Ia ‘a hono foaki kiate kitautolu ‘a e koloa lelei kotoa ta’e ha totongi, pea ko e ngaahi mo’oni kotoa pe ‘oku taau mo totonu ke fai ki ai ‘a e tui, ‘oku fakae’a kotoa ‘e he Folofola ‘a e ‘Otua.  ‘Io, ko e kau mā’oni’oni ‘o ono’aho na’e tu’u ‘enau tui mo e falala ‘i he ‘Otua mo ‘ene Folofola, pea tatau pe mo e kau lotu mo’oni ‘i onopooni, ‘e kei pikitai pe ‘i he tui tatau ‘o ta’e toe ue’ia.