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Baptised offering unity to the unbaptised

Mai 15, 2024 par Marcus Ampe, publié dans Christadelphian, Faith, Jesus Christ - son of God, Thought for today

After some members were baptised, they left the unbaptised with questions. Those who have undergone baptism can now count themselves among Christ’s brethren. For them, Jesus has given assurance that they may look forward to a life without end if they continue to seek the truth and constantly absorb knowledge.

« Now this is eternal life, that they may know Thee, the only true God, and Him whom Thou hast sent, Jesus Christ. » (John 17:3).

Jesus made God’s Name public to those whom Jehovah gave him. Here in our ecclesia, too, we find those who were allowed to hear the Word of God and took it for true. They have taken Jesus’ words for true, recognising him as the representative of That One True God, Jehovah the Most High.

« 7 Now they know that all that You have given me is from You. 8 For I brought to them the words which Thou hast given me; they accepted them, acknowledging truthfully that I came forth from Thee, and believing that Thou hast sent me. » (John 17:7-8)

Through baptism, the new members have dedicated themselves to God and are those for whom Jesus now also prays and also hands them over to his father.

« 9 I pray for them; I pray not for the world, but for them which Thou hast given me, because they are thine. 10 All mine are thine, and thine are mine; I am glorified in them. » (John 17:9-10)

Left behind in the world, the baptised like the other brothers and sisters in Christ need His help in addition to God’s blessing. Jesus also expects them to be one as he and his heavenly Father are one.

« Henceforth I am no longer in the world; but they remain in the world, while I come to You. Holy Father, keep them in your name, which you have given me; that they may be one, as we are. » (John 17:11)

« I and the Father are one. » (John 10:30)

Now there are the covenants in the ecclesia who are one. But there is also the hope that those who have not yet taken the steps to be baptised, by full immersion in the purifying water, that these may be drawn by the faith and communion of the brothers and sisters present in Christ. They too, need the blessing of God and for them the baptised pray that they too will be allowed to be « sanctified » or set apart.

« For God has not called us to uncleanness, but to holiness. » (1 Thessalonians 4:7)

« By virtue of that will, we have been sanctified once and for all through the Sacrifice of the Body of Jesus Christ. » (Hebrews 10:10)

To this end, we remember Jesus words:

« 20 I pray not for them alone, but also for all who believe in me through their word. 21 May they all be one, as Thou, Father, art in me, and I in Thee; may they also be one in Us, that the world may have faith that Thou hast sent me. 22 And the glory which thou hast given me, I also have given to them, that they may be one, even as We are one: 23 I in them, and Thou in me.
May they possess perfect unity, that the world may recognise that thou hast sent me, and that thou hast loved them, as thou hast loved me.

24 Father, I desire that they whom thou hast given me may be with me, where I myself am; that they may behold my glory, which thou hast given me, because thou hast loved me before the foundation of the world. 25 Just Father, though the world has not known thee, yet I have known thee; and they have recognised that thou hast sent me. 26 I have made Your name known to them, and will continue to do so, that the love with which You have loved me may be in them, and I in them. » (John 17:20-26)

Now there are the baptised to further make Jesus known, and to show those who still belong to the world, the true path by which they will come to follow Jesus, so that those who present the wrong path will be exposed so that the truly interested will not be led to death.

« Sometimes one keeps a way for the straight, Which finally ends in death. » (Proverbs 16:25)

« Jesus spake unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me. » (John 14:6)

It is now up to the baptised to show their relatives and friends the right door, so that God’s blessing may come upon them too and they will know how to find a safe haven.

« I am the door: if anyone enters by me, he shall be safe, going in and out, and shall find pasture. » (John 10:9)

« Through him we have gained access by faith to this grace, in which we have become firmly established; through him also we glory in the hope of the glory of God. » (Romans 5:2)

« For by him we both have access to the Father in one Spirit. » (Ephesians 2:18)

» – a new and living way, which he has made for us through the veil, that of his flesh, » (Hebrews 10:20)

Find also to read

A Chief Shepherd Who gave us a shepherd who laid down his life for us.

Mai 3, 2024avril 29, 2024 par Marcus Ampe, publié dans Almighty God, Bible text quotes, Christadelphian, Jesus Christ - son of God, Thought for today

We as sheep in the world keep looking around. On the green pastures where we may graze, if we look closely we can see a sent helper sent by the Chief Shepherd to the fields to ensure that the sheep would all be driven together and brought to the stable.

The shepherd walks right up to the gate. The gatekeeper opens the gate to him and the sheep recognise his voice. He calls his own sheep by name and leads them out. When he gets them all out, he leads them and they follow because they are familiar with his voice.

Also for those who were in the dark and have seen the star lighting up, they won’t follow a stranger’s voice but will scatter because they aren’t used to the sound of it.

They heard the Voice of God, Who gave them this shepherd to follow. That sent one from God said to his disciples

“Verily, verily, I say to you, I am the door of the sheep.” (John 10:7 Darby)

In the darkness were enough other shepherds, but they are not the good ones.

“All whoever came before me are thieves and robbers; but the sheep did not hear them.” (John 10:8 Darby)

Good to notice the good sheep didn’t listen to the sheep stealers. They saw the lightening star, the Gate to go through.

“I am the door: if any one enter in by me, he shall be saved, and shall go in and shall go out and shall find pasture.” (John 10:9 Darby)

We want to be cared for, willing to freely go in and out, and find pasture.

After long grazing, we sheep should no longer doubt who that good shepherd can be. It is the sent one from the Chief Shepherd who came so the sheep can have real and eternal life, more and better life than they ever dreamed of. He is the Good Shepherd. The Good Shepherd who puts the sheep before himself, sacrifices himself if necessary.

“I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep:” (John 10:11 Darby)

Today we are together as sheep who matter to him. All gathered in our ecclesia look up to him who is sent by the Chief Shepherd. This sent one is the Good Shepherd who knows his own sheep and his own sheep know him. It is in the same way that the Father knows him, and that this good shepherd knows the Father.

“15 as the Father knows me and I know the Father; and I lay down my life for the sheep. 16 And I have other sheep which are not of this fold: those also I must bring, and they shall hear my voice; and there shall be one flock, one shepherd.” (John 10:15-16 Darby)

We know that the good shepherd has other sheep in addition to those in this pen. We look forward to the days that he shall be able to bring them also to the Chief Shepherd’s House. Therefore as helpers to the good shepherd shall his brothers and sisters go out into the world to call the sheep.

Those who shall hear the Good Message shall also recognise the shepherd’s voice. Then it will be one flock, one Shepherd. That shepherd even going so far that he freely lay down his life, free to take it up again.

“On this account the Father loves me, because I lay down my life that I may take it again.” (John 10:17 Darby)

Those who stepped out with the pilgrims now follow the sent shepherd from whom no one can take anything away. In him we trust that he received this authority personally from his Father. By him we can see how much God loved the world.

No one needs to be destroyed; by believing in him, anyone can have a whole and lasting life.

“For God so loved the world, that he gave his only-begotten Son, that whosoever believes on him may not perish, but have life eternal.” (John 3:16 Darby)