Remembering Bro. Eraño G. Manalo

Photo by: GEMNET

On August 31, 2010, the Iglesia Ni Cristo (Church Of Christ) will commemorate the passing of the the late Executive Minister, Bro. Erano G. Manalo.

31 August last year, the Church grieved as the leader we dearly loved and who loved us dearly even more, passes away after 46 years of dedicated and fruitful service to God and to the whole Church of Christ.

He may not be here living with us anymore, but his memory and legacy will live forever in our hearts. The spirit of brotherhood and unity he painstakingly sowed all through the years of his being at the helm of the Church will be a lasting imprint of his successful leadership. He will always be remembered with much gratitude and respect. He will always be a dear brother to us all

Although his passing made us INC feel sad, and to the not-so-few detractors of the Church --- was a secret jubilation--- we members of the Church are taking the brighter side of it, being that his death was certainly of God’s will --- a gift of worthy respite from his invaluable labours for the sake of God’s last work of salvation and in administering the nation of God in these last days for 46 long and fruitful years.

God really cared for him. He gave the peaceful rest to our Bro. Erdy on the day the Filipino nation, the place where God's last work of salvation re-emerged, was celebrating its "National Heroes Day".

Fittingly indeed, the day was a Hero's Day.

We Iglesia Ni Cristo members take the reality of death as something of a rest (pagtulog lamang). Thus, we know that our Ka Erdy is just there in his grave resting in deep and peaceful respite. One day shall come when the trumpet of the archangel is sounded, and Christ in all His Glory descends from the heavens and shall come to take with Him all His faithful chosen ones on the day of judgement --- Bro. Eraño Manalo, the last messenger of God Bro. Felix Manalo, and all the faithful people of God and INC’s who died in loyal service to God and Christ Jesus inside the Church of Christ, shall be resurrected back to life. As it is written

“4:16 For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first: 4:17 Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord.” IThes. 4:16-17 KJV

Therefore, as long as we have the gift of life, the strength, and the right to serve God inside the true Church of His Son, our Lord Christ Jesus, we will remain steadfast in our calling and duty of worshipping and glorifying the Father and His Son.

Our Bother Eraño G. Manalo has undoubdtedly put a good fight throughout his service as a faithful servant soldier of God and of the Lord Jesus. And in his passing, we could but remember what had Apostle Paul said in his letter to the Ephesians:

“4:6 For I am already being offered, and the time of my departure is come. 4:7 I have fought the good fight, I have finished the course, I have kept the faith: 4:8 henceforth there is laid up for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, shall give to me at that day; and not to me only, but also to all them that have loved his appearing.”

We are firm in our faith, We will see each other again , there in a prepared place for all the blessed chosen people of God, there in the heavenly Kingdom, in the New Jerusalem.

The Book of Revelations show a peek of what and how marvelous that day and place wouldl be:

“20:12 And I saw the dead, small and great, stand before God; and the book= were opened: and another book was opened, which is the book of life: and the dead were judged out of those things which were written in the books, according to their works. 20:13 And the sea gave up the dead which were in it; and death and hell delivered up the dead which were in them: and they were judged every man according to their works. 20:14 And death and hell were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death. 20:15 And whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire. 21:1 And I saw a new heaven and a new earth: for the first heaven and the first earth were passed away; and there was no more sea. 21:2 And I John saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down from God out of heaven, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. 21:3 And I heard a great voice out of heaven saying, Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men, and he will dwell with them, and they shall be his people, and God himself shall be with them, and be their God. 21:4 And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes; and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain: for the former things are passed away. 21:5 And he that sat upon the throne said, Behold, I make all things new. and he said unto me, Write: for these words are true and faithful. 21:6 And he said unto me, It is done. I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end. I will give unto him that is athirst of the fountain of the water of life freely. 21:7 He that overcometh shall inherit all things; and I will be his God, and he shall be my son. 21:8 But the fearful, and unbelieving, and abominable, and murderers, and woremongers, and sorcerers, and idolaters, and all liars, shall have their part in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone: which is the second death.”

Rest a little time more for soon we shall finally see each other again.

Source: https://www.facebook.com/note.php?note_id=122787591103676&id=100000058279325