Prayer for faith and unity

 

 

Openingsprayer

Jehovah God,

Your Son prays you also to keep us.

The world around us is constantly changing and not in the way we had hoped.
We often stubbornly cling to our own ideas.
We need to seek Your love again.
This is the only way you can preserve us;
You can keep the faith of your children.

Let us also avoid misunderstandings,
even if they are so easily spread.

Only with Your love
can we cope with the innovations in the world.
It is also You that we fully trust to be guided in this world
that is so eager to take people far from You.

We pray Thee,
make us one in Thy love,
through our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ,
who Lives with Thee forever.
Amen.

 

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Preceding

Opening Remarks at the Service for Unity in Our Faith Community

Our first foreign guests

It was nice to receive our first foreign guests last Saturday.

From Down-Under We had Andrea Burgess visiting. This Australian lady is here in Belgium from May 18 to June 10, for a Congress on child psychiatry.

From Great Britain, we had Brother Malcolm from Newbury visiting, who took advantage of the bank holiday in his country to visit Brother Steve from Mons.

It was a good idea of Méthode that everyone introduced themselves, so that we can form an idea of the path that everyone has travelled on a religious level.

Before the service, we went into further detail on the reasons why those who have not enjoyed full immersion as baptism at a nontrinitarian church cannot actively participate in the sacrificial meal. In the coming Services we will also talk about this further and consider how the first Christians saw their meetings and the breaking of bread.

In any case, we can be satisfied with how a sense of unity has already been created here in Anderlecht.

The hostess had once again provided a delicious meal, which everyone could enjoy while still a lot of thoughts were exchanged before everyone was satisfied to go to his own place.

Colossians – An Exhortation for Unity in Love #4 Speaking the truth

 

Chapter 4 – Speaking the truth

We have seen that the central exhortation of this Epistle is, as expressed in the words of Paul’s prayer
for the believers:

« that their hearts might be comforted, being knit together in love, and unto all riches of the full assurance of understanding, to the acknowledgement of they mystery of God, and of the Father, and of Christ » (Col 1:2).

Being united together in a « full assurance of understanding », true brethren in Christ experience a joyous fellowship which greatly surpasses any friendship the world can offer. For the unity of the believers ought to mirror in measure, that perfect unity subsisting between the Father and Son. Thus the lord prayed:

« keep through thine own name those whom thou hast given me, that they may be one, as we are … neither pray I for these alone, but for them also which shall believe on me through their word; that they all may be one; as thou, Father, art in me, and I in thee, that they also may be one in us … and the glory which thou hast given me I have given them; that they may be one, even as we are one » (Joh 17:11,21,22).

Being risen with Christ in the baptismal waters of a typical grave (Col 3:1), this is a powerful influence which irresistibly draws brethren together, irrespective of their personal differences. By contrast to the morass of humanity who seek only their own, whose only desire is to satisfy the grovelling instincts of the flesh, Christ’s brethren have no regard for the temporal advantages of this life. Rather, being One with him, and in him, they seek to set their affections

« on things above, not on things on the earth », (Col 3:2),

for ‘above’ is where their Master is, and is therefore where their hope of life is hid (3:3). They are elements of a New Creation (cp 2 Cor 5:17), formed in the image and likeness of their maker (Col 3:10) – the constituent parts of a « new man » (Col 3:10), formed by the living influence of the Word upon the tables of their heart. And as a new man – complete in Christ, having no need of further addition by way of the traditions of men and the Judaising influence of those who would have them believe in « another gospel » – they stand whole, with mutual regard one for the other,

« forbearing one another, and forgiving one another » (Col 3:13),

even as Christ forgave them.

 

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Preceding

1. Colossians – An Exhortation for Unity in Love #1 Separation from the world
2. Colossians – An Exhortation for Unity in Love #2 Completeness of the united Body of Christ
3. Colossians – An Exhortation for Unity in Love #3 Living the Truth
4. Participants bonded together into one body
5. Oneness with Christ is like glue that ought to hold us together
6. Baptised believers left in the world to use
7. Jesus high priestly prayer for unity

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Additional reading

1. Not about personal salvation but about a bigger Plan
2. Looking at what the Gospel of Thomas Teaches
3. The night before Jesus his execution
4. The Hater of Jesus and Jesus’ followers having become a speaker for him
5. Days of Nisan, Pesach, Pasach, Pascha and Easter
6. A fact of History or just a fancy Story
7. Be Honest
8. Unity
9. Commitment to Christian unity
10. Being one in Jesus, Jesus in us and God in Jesus
11. Blindness in the Christian world
12. Not making a runner
13. Not bounded by labels but liberated in Christ
14. Today’s Thought: “Your life is hidden” (May 16)
15. Today’s Thought (August 10): Upon this I awaked
16. Today’s thought “Putting on the robe of compassion, kindness, humility and meekness” (November 15)
17. Taught by God to love one another
18. The Greatest of These is Love
19. Matthew 18:21-22 – The Nazarene’s Commentary: Forgive 77 Times!
20. Forgiveness always possible
21. He who knows himself, is kind to others
22. Forgiveness
23. Tunnel under resentment
24. Today’s thought “Forgive … from your heart” (January 16)
25. Beautiful feet of those who announce the good news
26. The Ecclesia

Colossians – An Exhortation for Unity in Love #2 Completeness of the united Body of Christ

Continuation of: Colossians – An Exhortation for Unity in Love #1 Separation from the world

Chapter 2 – The Completeness of the united Body of Christ

One of the themes that we noticed in Chapter 1, is that of the Body of Christ, and how individual members might become part of it. So we read:

“He is the head of the Body, the ecclesia: who is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead; that in all things he might have the pre-eminence. For it pleased the Father that in him should all fullness dwell” (Col. 1:18-19).

Chapter 2 takes up this theme of “fullness” dwelling in Messiah, emphasising the completeness of his united body:

“in him (that is, Christ) dwelleth all the fullness of the Godhead bodily, and ye are complete in him, which is the head of all principality and power” (v 9).

The fullness, or completeness of God dwells in Christ, who is

“the brightness of his glory, and the express image of his person” (Heb 1:3)

and we, being baptised into him (v 12) ought also to be complete in him. Nothing else needs to be added, for any deficiency
(and there are many) in the constituent members thereof are forgiven, because of the perfection of their Master with whom they are at one, being

“knit together in love” (v 2),

in a mutual acceptance of the Gospel of Truth.

But there were those who sought to impose the ordinances of the Law to the Gospel. These Judaisers comprised the Apostasy in Paul’s day, and sought to add to the Gospel, by imposing a burden that neither they, nor previous generations could not bear (Acts 15:10). So it was, that as the apostle exhorted the Galatians, the believers were to

“stand fast therefore in the liberty wherewith Christ hath made us free, and be not entangled again with the yoke of bondage” (Gal 5:1).

In these things, there is a need to recognise that there is a “fullness” in Christ, and his sacrifice for our sins. There is no need for anything to be added to it, for it to become efficacious. In our days, we don’t have Judaisers in just the same way, but their spirit of wanting to add something to make Christ’s sacrifice efficacious is present. For instance, there are those who insist on having unleavened bread, in order for our memorial meeting together to be acceptible – and there are those who insist on using leavened bread. But

“meat commendeth us not to God” (1 Cor. 8:8),

and the real danger of both positions is not to do with literal bread and how it is made – it is rather the notion that the saving
extent and nature of Christ’s sacrifice is limited according to what bread is used.
Again, there are those who believe it is necessary to have a direct bestowal of the Holy Spirit in order to be saved. The same problem remains: not only is it encouraging folk to have a false hope in something the Father does not provide in this dispensation, it limits the Sacrifice of Christ, by saying that something else (i.e. the Holy Spirit) is needed in addition to it. But the true situation is that we are “complete” in Christ, meaning that nothing else is needed to be saved, aside from our faith and obedient trust in him.

The means by which the Ecclesial body is held together, is said to be the unifying power of love:

“… that their hearts might be comforted, being knit together in love …” (Col. 2:2).

The allusion here, is to the circumstances of David and Jonathan, described in 1 Samuel chapter 18:

“and it came to pass, when he [i.e. David] had made an end of speaking to Saul, that the soul of
Jonathan was knit with the soul of David, and Jonathan loved him as his own soul (1 Sam. 18:1).

When we consider the intimate relationship between these two men of faith, we behold a love that was “wonderful, passing the love of women” (2 Sam. 1:13). There are those who would degrade that wonderful love into a carnal relationship – but quite plainly such do not know the sweet love and fellowship that exists amongst Christ’s brethren, who are of like precious faith.
The Unity of the Truth Holders is the greatest defence for the household of faith. Our Lord taught that

“every city or house divided against itself shall not stand” (Mat 12:25),

and similarly, his Apostle exhorted:

“if ye bite and devour one another, take heed that ye be not consumed one of another” (Gal 5:15).

We truly live in “perilous times” (2Tim 3:1), and there is no time for there to be “wars and fightings” (Jas 4:1) amongst the members of Christ’s Ecclesia. Rather than to contend against one another, the body ought to be one

“in the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ” (Eph 4:13).

The various members thereof ought to

“exhort one another daily, while it is called Today; lest any … be hardened through the deceitfulness of sin.” (Heb 3:13),

rather than to devour one another through petty squabbles emanating from those who seek to exalt themselves above measure. To be united in a “full assurance” of the revealed things of Truth is just as needful in our day, as ever before that the faith may be earnestly contended for (Jude 3) in the face of false brethren who would seek to beguile us by the enticing words of the world’s philosophy.

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Preceding

1. We must be faithful to God
2. What is expected of a Christadelphian?
3. Participants bonded together into one body
4. Baptised believers left in the world to use

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Additional reading

1. This Sunday Looking at Colossians ch 2
2. When you believe Jesus is God: who do you think is the mediator? #2 Firstborn from the dead our advocate
3. Congregate, to gather, to meet
4. Missional hermeneutics 4/5
5. Atonement And Fellowship 1/8
6. Atonement And Fellowship 2/8
7. Atonement And Fellowship 3/8
8. Atonement And Fellowship 4/8
9. Atonement And Fellowship 5/8
10. Atonement And Fellowship 6/8
11. Atonement And Fellowship 7/8
12. Atonement And Fellowship 8/8
13. Matthew 7:13-14 – The Nazarene’s Commentary: The True Disciple #1 The Narrow Gate and the way to destruction
14. Matthew 24:42-51 – The Nazarene’s Commentary: Stay Awake!
15. Bread and Wine
16. Compassion and Discipline
17. Fellowship
18. Integrity of the fellowship
19. Character transformed by the influence of our fellowships
20. Belonging to or being judged by
21. Possibility to live
22. Six Reasons Young Christians Leave Church
23. Making sure to be ready and to belong to the escaped ones
24. Forming a Christian bond
25. Church indeed critical in faith development
26. Intentions of an Ecclesia
27. A participation in the body of Christ
28. Reasons why you may not miss the opportunity to go to a Small Church
29. As a small church needing encouragement
30. 3 Reasons Why You Should Go To A Small Church
31. Challenge to our existing fellowship outside Christ
32. Today’s thought July 11 Reading 3 – Matthew 12:50
33. Today’s Thought: Rights and privileges
34. Today’s Thought: Rich men and the kingdom
35. Building the Body
36. Fellowship Matters – Thoughts on Fellowship and Ecclesial Membership
37. Sunday Observance
38. A particular night to share unleavened bread and red wine
39. Today’s thought “They flattered … they lied” (February 14)
40. Today’s thought “Clothing yourselves with the right attitude” (May 16)
41. Today’s Thought “Refresh my heart in Christ” (May 29)
42. Today’s Thought: Go, tell my brethren (July 27)
43. Today’s thought (September 05): “Bringing holiness to completion”
44. Today’s thought “Rooted and built up in him” (November 14)

Oneness with Christ is like glue that ought to hold us together

John 17:21-23

“That they may all be one; as thou, Father, art in me, and I in thee, that they also may be one in us…”

One with Christ is to be in union with Christ. By faith, a continual action of believing and not just a one-time thing, this union holds us together for justification, sanctification, and glorification (Rom 8:29,30). This is the process of regeneration (Col 3:10), that conforms us to Christ’s moral likeness. Our oneness with Christ is like glue that ought to hold us together, and this is accomplished by filling the mind with the Word. Union with Christ is in and through the Word richly dwelling in us (John 15:1-11; Col 3:16).

To be one with Christ is to be one with God (John 17:20,21), united in the deepest possible and holy relationship. It is only through Christ that this is possible. We cannot have the one without the other because they are ONE. This is where the marriage analogy becomes such a beautiful lesson for us! But, there is a difference between the ability to describe our marital relationship and actually having that marital relationship. It is not the same thing. Our actions are the proof if our faith is real.

To be one with Christ is not just the physical aspect of being baptised into Christ, it is so much more. It follows with the application of the spiritual oneness (1Cor 6:11), which if disobeyed, we will fail. There is no “one-ness,” natural or spiritual. The two cannot be separated, and if they are, there is no oneness, Scripturally speaking.

It is beyond amazing how God so desires for us to be one with Him in the same relationship He has with His son, made possible only by actually being one with Christ! Being one is a beautiful concept when applied Scripturally, and to use it in any other way is to cheapen it.

When the Father looks at us, does He see Christ in us?

Our journey is to come to this realisation of how the Father sees us according to His truth. This is where Jesus comes in to guide us along this journey that our destination with him be also our destination with the Father.

Valerie Mello

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Preceding

1. Faithful to God are baptised
2. Baptised offering unity to the unbaptised
3. Jesus high priestly prayer for unity

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Additional reading

1. Being one in Jesus, Jesus in us and God in Jesus
2. Unity
3. Preparation for unity
4. Commitment to Christian unity
5. Being Religious and Spiritual 7 Transcendence to become one
6. Avoiding friction and distraction in the body of Christ
7. Thought for today (January 17): Walking not after the flesh, but after the spirit
8. Atonement And Fellowship 7/8
9. Disciple of Christ counting lives and friends dear to them
10. Call for prayer to help with unity crisis
11. Be Honest
12. The Ecclesia

Baptised believers left in the world to use

 

In the previous chapter we have seen how Jesus prayed for unity among his followers whom he saw as people entrusted to him.

Jesus said in his prayer to God that his disciples, belong to his Heavenly Father and will be reflected in him.

« All mine is yours, and yours is mine; I am glorified in them. »(John 17: 10 Book)

« All That Is Mine Is Yours, and All That Is Yours Is Mine. They reflect who I am. »(John 17: 10 Book)

Jesus also asks that the disciples be one, just as the father and he Are One, and Jesus is one with his followers.

« I leave the world and come to you, but they still remain in the world. Holy Father, protect In Your Name those whom you have given me, so that they may be one like us. »(John 17: 11 Book)

Being « left behind » in this world, we need that protection from God. In our community, we need to stand up for each other. Together we must form one strong community that provides shelter for those who have not yet been baptised. We must show them that we are best formed by the word of God. By believing in that word we can gain knowledge and be purified.

« Make them pure and holy by teaching them in your word of truth. »(John 17: 17 Book)

For this, we have the master teacher in whom we have all confidence and recognize as our high priest.

26 therefore he is exactly the High Priest we need: he is holy, blameless, and undefiled; he has been set apart from sinners and has been given the highest place in the heavens. 27 ordinary high priests need the blood of sacrificial animals every day to cover their own sins and those of the people. But Jesus Christ once and for all erased all sins when he sacrificed himself on the cross. »(Hebrews 7:26-27 Book)

Through Christ’s act of sacrifice, everyone has been given the opportunity to be delivered from The Curse of death. Jesus did not ask God to take away the believers from the world, but rather to use them in the world. As Jesus was sent into the world, now the believers who have surrendered to Christ Jesus have also received the same commission as Jesus had. Jesus has given us the same task, namely to go out into the world.

« I am sending them into the world, just as you sent me into the world. »(John 17:18 Book)

«  »Peace! »said Jesus. « As the father sent me, so I send you. » »(John 20:21 Book)

« Therefore, go forth to make all nations My disciples. Baptize them in the name of the father and of the son and of the Holy Spirit. Teach them to always do what I have told you. » (Matthew 28:19 Book)

« For you must teach others what I have taught you and many others. Teach these great truths to reliable men, who, in turn, can pass them on to others. » (2 Timothy 2:2 Book)

We can now open our community to all who want to come to us or are curious about our teachings. By being open, we can give all our visitors the opportunity to see that we are committed to following the Bible. Then they can be convinced that this collection is our guide and that we are a community that does not adhere to church dogmas but only to the provisions and doctrinal rules specified in the Bible.

Even though we have not seen the signs of Jesus ‘ execution and have not experienced His resurrection and ascension, we are convinced that these miracles have taken place. The record in the Book of books is enough for us to believe and spread the good news.

30 many of the miracles Jesus performed before his disciples are not recorded in this book. 31 I have written some of these so that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the son of God. If you believe in him, you live in his name. »(John 20: 30-31 Book)

It was Jesus ‘ great desire that his disciples should become one. He wanted them to be united as a powerful testimony to the reality of God’s love.

Forming a community together, we must now be ready to bring others to God. As brothers and sisters of each other and of Christ, we must share together the love of Christ. To family and friends, wherever we go, we must proclaim what Jesus and his God have done.

« Go to your family, « he said, » and tell them what God has done for you. »The man went everywhere in the city to tell what Jesus had done for him. »(Luke 8:39 Book)

19  » go home, « he said, » to your family and friends and tell them what God has done for you, how good he has been for you. 20 the man went out and told all over the Decapolis region what Jesus had done for him. Everyone listened to him in amazement. »(Mark 5:19-20 Book)

Only baptised persons may sit at the Lord’s table. But those who are allowed to sit can help others to see that they too will be allowed to partake of the bread and wine, if they want to surrender to God and confirm this for the community with their baptism. In this way, the community must grow into a place where many will be able to be partakers, and thereby confirm their faith that Jesus has surrendered for them.

In unity we will be able to meet so regularly, to encourage each other and together to remember Jesus dead.

« We should not stay away from our meetings. Some make a habit of that, but that’s not good. We must encourage and warn one another, especially now that we see that it will not be long before the Lord Jesus returns. »(Hebrews 10: 25 Book)

« For every time you eat of this bread and drink from the cup, you confirm that the Lord has died. Do this until he comes back. »(1 Corinthians 11:26 Book)

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Preceding

1. Jesus high priestly prayer for unity
2. Faithful to God are baptised
3. Baptised offering unity to the unbaptised
4. Our first baptisms in our brand new ecclesia
5. Why were Catholics not allowed to take communion during the baptismal service
6. Brothers and sisters as one family
7. Lord God let us come together and grow

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Additional reading

1. Concerning Christ #2 Divine source, connection and divine human being
2. Authority given to him To give eternal life
3. Atonement And Fellowship 7/8
4. Live by Faith
5. The Church is Under Attack…
6. Christians remaining hidden not sharing the gospel
7. Religion and the essence of devotion
8. Disciple of Christ counting lives and friends dear to them
9. The Involvement of true discipleship
10. Testify of the things heard
11. Bringing Good News into the world
12. Jehovah’s Witnesses not only group that preach the good news
13. Avoiding friction and distraction in the body of Christ
14. Being Religious and Spiritual 7 Transcendence to become one
15. Preparation for unity
16. Looking for True Spirituality 7 Preaching of the Good News
17. Time for this and that
18. Preaching by example
19. Witnessing because we love

Jesus high priestly prayer for unity

Quotes from God’s Word. “1  Jesus spoke these things, and then raising his eyes heavenward, he said: “Father, the hour has come. Glorify your Son so that the Son may glorify You, 2 just as You have given authority to him over all flesh, in order that all You have given to him, he will give them endless Life. 3 But, this is the endless Life–that they may continue to know You, the only True God, and the One whom You sent forth, Jesus Christ.” (John 17:1-3 MHM) “6  “I manifested Your Name to the men whom You gave me from out of the world of humankind. To You they belonged, and You gave them to me, and they have observed Your Word. 7 Now they know that all the things, everything You gave to me, came from You. 8 Because the Sayings that You gave to me, I have given to them–and they accepted [them] –and for a certainty they realize that I came out from next to You. And they believed that You sent me forth. 9 I am making a request regarding them. I am not making a request regarding the world of humankind, but rather those [apostles] You have given to me. 10 Because they belong to You, and all my things are Yours, and Yours are mine. Also, I have been glorified in their midst.”” (John 17:6-10 MHM) ““Soon I will no longer be in the world of humankind. They will remain in the world of humankind, and I am returning toward You. Holy Father, watch over them because of Your Name which You have given to me.” (John 17:11 MHM) “15 “I am not requesting that You should lift them up out of the world, but rather that You should watch over them because of the Wicked One. 16 These [apostles] are not from out of the world of humankind, just as I am not from out of the world of humankind. 17  Sanctify them in the Truth. Your Word is the Truth. 18 Just as You sent me forth into the world of humankind, I am also sending them forth into the world of humankind.” (John 17:15-18 MHM) “20  “I am not making request regarding just these [apostles] –but also those believing in me by means of their word– 21 so that all of these [apostles] may be one just as You, Father, [are] in me and I in You, so that they may also be one in us, that the world of humankind may believe You sent me forth.” (John 17:20-21 MHM) “22 Also, the glory You have given to me I have given to them, so that they may be one just as we are one– 23 I in them and You in me, so that they may be perfected into one–so the world of humankind my know that You sent me forth, and You loved them just as You loved me.” (John 17:22-23 MHM) “25 Righteous Father, the world of humankind never knew You, but I knew You, also these [apostles] knew You sent me forth. 26 And I have made Your Name known to them, and I shall make it known further, so the love which You loved me may be in them, and I in them.”” (John 17:25-26 MHM)

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Preceding

Baptised offering unity to the unbaptised

Participants bonded together into one body

In the ecclesiae of Christadelphians, members meet regularly to pray with each other and share bread and wine together.
There is also an annual high day commemorating Jesus’ last supper. This year, that commemoration celebration will take place on Monday 22 April. That evening, 14 Nisan is commemorated in recognition of God’s acceptance of Jesus’ ransom offering, offering Himself as a Lamb before God and instituting the Last Supper as an event to be repeated regularly.

At the service of remembrance Jesus Christ initiated at the “last supper” on Nisan 14 he broke bread and asked his disciples to do that likewise in the future. Jesus commands us to do this (eat bread and drink wine) in remembrance of him, until he comes. For followers of Christ, it is an important message and an act of connection with the master teacher.

As Paul expounds later, doing this is a participation (communion, fellowship, partnership) in the body and blood of the lord.  He also emphasises that this is a communal act, and the participants are bonded together into one body. (1 Corinthians 10:16-17)

“16 The cup of blessing which we bless, is it not [the] communion of the blood of the Christ? The bread which we break, is it not [the] communion of the body of the Christ? 17 Because we, [being] many, are one loaf, one body; for we all partake of that one loaf.” (1 Corinthians 10:16-17 Darby)

As brothers and sisters, we want to go through life united and testify for the Nazarene teacher who declared himself willing to stand up for us and even die for us.

Before Jesus was betrayed, he had prayed that there could be unity among his followers. He said:

“20  And I do not demand for these only, but also for those who believe on me through their word; 21 that they may be all one, as thou, Father, [art] in me, and I in thee, that they also may be one in us, that the world may believe that thou hast sent me. 22 And the glory which thou hast given me I have given them, that they may be one, as we are one; 23 I in them and thou in me, that they may be perfected into one [and] that the world may know that thou hast sent me, and [that] thou hast loved them as thou hast loved me.” (John 17:20-23 Darby)

Note in which directions this unity extends. There is unity between Jehovah God and His son Jesus Christ. Likewise, there is unity between Jesus and his followers. These followers should be one with Jesus and His heavenly Father as Jesus is one with His heavenly Father. Some wrongly see Jesus’ unity with God as a reason to assume that Jesus would then be God. They then forget the text that people should also be one with Jesus and with God as Jesus is one with his heavenly Father. Their way of thinking would then mean that people are also God and would even be God. (So that mindset is more likely to invalidate their Trinitarian thinking.)

We must even recognise that Jesus expects that « All » his followers should be one, not only those who lived then, but that it also concerns those who, by their word — that is, by the word of his disciples — in him would put faith, so that this unity extends into the future and includes all true Christians living today.
At the same time, that unity reaches into heaven to enclose Jesus Christ and Jehovah God, so that his followers could be — as Jesus put it — „in us be one”. And that being one is what will now be commemorated and highlighted next Monday on Nisan 14.

This memory is not merely a ritual, it is something to think about, and it is a time for self-reflection. It is a look back at what Jesus received from his heavenly Father, Jehovah God. But also what Jesus did with those received gifts, such as performing miracles. In addition, it is also a special commemoration of the Lord’s Supper, when Jesus and his apostles were together around the table and saw Jesus break bread and say a blessing over it. Then Jesus indicated that he would hand over his body and that blood would flow. But from then onwards, his blood would be a sign of a New Covenant between God and people.

We cannot imagine a stronger and closer unity than that which exists between Jehovah God and his son, Christ Jesus.

“23  For *I* received from the Lord, that which I also delivered to you, that the Lord Jesus, in the night in which he was delivered up, took bread, 24 and having given thanks broke [it], and said, This is my body, which [is] for you: this do in remembrance of me. 25 In like manner also the cup, after having supped, saying, This cup is the new covenant in my blood: this do, as often as ye shall drink [it], in remembrance of me. 26 For as often as ye shall eat this bread, and drink the cup, ye announce the death of the Lord, until he come. 27 So that whosoever shall eat the bread, or drink the cup of the Lord, unworthily, shall be guilty in respect of the body and of the blood of the Lord. 28 But let a man prove himself, and thus eat of the bread, and drink of the cup. 29 For [the] eater and drinker eats and drinks judgment to himself, not distinguishing the body. 30 On this account many among you [are] weak and infirm, and a good many are fallen asleep. 31 But if we judged ourselves, so were we not judged.” (1 Corinthians 11:23-31 Darby)

Jesus asked whether his disciples could be included in the closest family association of God, a privileged sonship. The apostles should have seen „the glory as of a Only Begotten of the Father”.

“And the Word became flesh, and dwelt among us (and we have contemplated his glory, a glory as of an only-begotten with a father), full of grace and truth;” (John 1:14 Darby)

They learned how to be one with each other and with Christ. They also proclaimed that their followers should take care to be one. So they had to

„preserve the unity of the mind in the unifying bond of the peace”

and had to be aware that there is one body and one spirit, as those who call themselves followers of Christ were called

« in one hope, one Lord, one faith, one baptism; one God and Father of all, who is above all, by all and in all.

Given the many things they jointly possessed, what a closely connected and contiguous body its followers must have become!

The apostle Paul compares the community of followers of Christ to a human body. That body has several limbs, but they still belong to that one body.

Our religious community also consists of many people from different nations. Each ecclesia in turn, has many members, and all its members belong to the same body of that religious community. That body of Brothers and sisters in Christ, however many, form one body. Together they are connected to and in Christ, baptised with one Spirit soaked, absorbed into that one body.

This coming weekend and Monday to Tuesday, we remember, that through Christ and through one Spirit, we have all become one body in the name of Christ.
These special days we are thinking in particular that there should be no division in the body, but that we, as brothers and sisters, as the members of that one body, care for each other equally.

“12  For even as the body is one and has many members, but all the members of the body, being many, are one body, so also [is] the Christ. 13 For also in [the power of] one Spirit *we* have all been baptised into one body, whether Jews or Greeks, whether bondmen or free, and have all been given to drink of one Spirit. 14 For also the body is not one member but many. 15 If the foot say, Because I am not a hand I am not of the body, is it on account of this not indeed of the body? 16 And if the ear say, Because I am not an eye I am not of the body, is it on account of this not indeed of the body? 17 If the whole body [were] an eye, where the hearing? if all hearing, where the smelling? 18 But now God has set the members, each one of them in the body, according as it has pleased [him]. 19 But if all were one member, where the body? 20 But now the members [are] many, and the body one. 21 The eye cannot say to the hand, I have not need of thee; or again, the head to the feet, I have not need of you. 22 But much rather, the members of the body which seem to be weaker are necessary; 23 and those [parts] of the body which we esteem to be the more void of honour, these we clothe with more abundant honour; and our uncomely [parts] have more abundant comeliness; 24 but our comely [parts] have not need. But God has tempered the body together, having given more abundant honour to [the part] that lacked; 25 that there might be no division in the body, but that the members might have the same concern one for another.” (1 Corinthians 12:12-25 Darby)

Let us not lose sight of that message, of that last meeting of Jesus and his apostles around the table in the upper room in Jerusalem, and grow in love for each other with the truth, under the watchful eye of one shepherd, Christ Jesus our lord, so that we will not be ashamed when we have to appear before his judgment seat.

As brothers and sisters of each other, we listen to Jesus’ voice as we unite as one flock with one shepherd.

“15 but, holding the truth in love, we may grow up to him in all things, who is the head, the Christ: 16 from whom the whole body, fitted together, and connected by every joint of supply, according to [the] working in [its] measure of each one part, works for itself the increase of the body to its self-building up in love.” (Ephesians 4:15-16 Darby)

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

 

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Preceding

1. The Gathering and Meeting for God
2. Faithful to God are baptised
3. God’s Words for the Pilgrimage #2 Words of God for life
4. Questions to be posed by a baptism
5. Brothers and sisters as one family
6. The intentions of our Brussels ecclesia

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Find also to read

1. Feast days in Belgium and these in our Belgian ecclesia
2. 10 Nisan An entrance for a king
3. Entrance of a king to question our position #2 Who do we want to see and to be
4. Most important day in Christian year
5. “Let My People Go, that they may serve me!”: The Passover & The Exodus.
6. Today’s Thought (August 19): “Watch and pray”
7. The son of David and the first day of the feast of unleavened bread
8. The Anointed One and the first day of No Fermentation
9. Day of remembrance coming near
10. 14 Nisan a day to remember #1 Inception
11. 14 Nisan a day to remember #2 Time of Jesus
12. 14 Nisan a day to remember #3 Before the Passover-feast
13. 14 Nisan a day to remember #4 A Lamb slain
14. 14 Nisan a day to remember #5 The Day to celebrate
15. Matthew 26 – The Nazarene’s Commentary: The Last days of Jesus Christ #1 Matthew 26:1-2 – Two Days Before Execution
16. Matthew 26 – The Nazarene’s Commentary: The Last days of Jesus Christ #5 Matthew 26:17-19 – Passover Preparations
17. Matthew 26 – The Nazarene’s Commentary: The Last days of Jesus Christ #7 Matthew 26:26-30 – Keep Doing This in My Memory
18. On the first day for matzah
19. Most important weekend of the year 2016
20. Preparing for 14 Nisan
21. Preparing for the most important weekend of the year 2018
22. The Most important weekend of the year 2018
23. Soon it shall be Erev Pesach and Passover 2019
24. Another year of 14 Nisan with restricted access
25. Celebrating the evening of 15 April 2022 as a festival to Jehovah God
26. Preparation for Passover
27. Days of Nisan, Pesach, Pasach, Pascha and Easter
28. Observance of a day to Remember
29. Observance of the Lord’s Evening Meal
30. Coming together for a meal to remember a special lamb
31. Passover 7 days of meditation opening a way to conversion
32. The Last Supper was a Passover meal
33. Bread and Wine
34. How should we worship God? #7 The Breaking of Bread
35. A new exodus and offering of a Lamb
36. New Covenant Possesses
37. Jesus the suffering man who called to God
38. Imprisonment and execution of Jesus Christ
39. Lost senses or a clear focus on the one at the stake
40. Death of Christ on the day of preparation
41. Ransom
42. Ransom for all
43. After the Sabbath after Passover, the resurrection of Jesus Christ
44. When Belonging to the escaped ones gathering in Jesus name
45. Those who Jesus can call friends
46. Be Honest
47. A Living Faith #12 The Love for Jesus
48. Being one in Jesus, Jesus in us and God in Jesus
49. Bible Students and House Churches
50. Fellowship over meals
51. En Soma: One Body
52. Unity
53. To whom do we want to be enslaved
54. a Strong Family doesn’t just happen
55. United people under Christ
56. Commitment to Christian unity
57. Atonement And Fellowship 4/8
58. Atonement And Fellowship 6/8
59. The Ecclesia
60. #Peace . . . Praying together

Faithful to God are baptised

 

Foto door Robert Forever Ago op Pexels.com

 

There must be no Jew at all to be faithful to the God of Israel. That God of Abraham does not expect the goyim or non-Jews to comply with all Jewish laws to show their allegiance to Him.

Pure worship is something Almighty God desires. That pure and true worship will manifest itself from the actions of the believer.

The Book of Ezekiel teaches us that pure worship revolves around more than formal acts of worship. It requires us

(1) Giving Jehovah full devotion, (2) remaining united in pure worship and (3) showing love for others.

From the clues we receive in the Holy Scriptures about true worship, we learn that it first and foremost requires a certain attitude from the worshipper. Whoever wishes to address God, the Heavenly Father, must do so in all honesty. By the way, God knows and tests the heart, and so no one can pretend to God otherwise than that person actually is.

“But Jehovah, the Lord said to Samuel, ‘Do not rely on his appearance and his tall figure. I rejected him. It is not about what man sees: man looks at appearance, but the LORD looks at the heart.’” (1Sa 16:7)

“A man always chooses the right path in his own eyes, Jehovah tests what moves him internally.” (Spr 21:2)

“It is I, Jehovah the Lord, who understandeth the heart, who testeth kidneys, who rewardeth every man according to his walk of life, and giveeth unto every man what he earneth.” (Jer 17:10)

If we love God we will also be willing to give ourselves fully to Him. Baptism gives a sign to God that one wants to be purified from past sins and that one wants to enter a new life in which one wants to maintain loyalty to God.

Even though we as a people have countless religious, social and ethnic backgrounds, we realise that we must maintain the unity by which we can be recognised as God’s people, and with immersion in the water we indicate that we want to be purified or laundered from sins and want to be included in the community of baptised people.

Believing in Jesus Christ, with our immersion we also indicate that we want to bow down humbly and enter that world of Christ. Jesus prayed whether his true followers should be ‘one’, working together in unity towards the same goal, just as he and his Father are ‘one’ through their cooperation and unity of thought.

“I have caused them to share in the greatness which you have given me, that they may be one as we are:” (John 17:22)

Being one is an important fact for us. Jesus we want to follow wishes that we will be one, just as God the Father is in union with him and he is also in union with Jehovah.

“Brothers and sisters, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, I call you to be all united, to avoid divisions, to be completely one in your thinking and your conviction.” (1Co 1:10)

“So we are one body together in Christ and we are, each separately, each other’s body parts.” (Ro 12:5)

“There are no more Jews or Greeks, slaves or freemen, men or women-you are all one in Christ Jesus.” (Go 3:28)

Going under in the water we are purified and all differences are washed away. A baptism is not about sprinkling with some water, but about « going under ». We also think of immersing ourselves in Jesus’ blood, so that our conscience can be cleansed from dead works.

“how much more will not the blood of Christ, who thanks to the eternal Spirit has been able to offer himself as a sacrifice without blemish, cleanse our conscience from deeds that lead to death, and sanctify it for the service of the living God?” (Heb 9:14)

“let us then approach God with a sincere heart and firm faith, now that our hearts have been cleansed, we have been freed from a bad conscience and our bodies have been washed with pure water.” (Heb 10:22)

 

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Preceding

1. There were also loyal persons among the Jews
2. We must be faithful to God

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Additional readings

1. Picking Stones
2. The big agenda item
3. Roads leading to God
4. The Almighty Lord, God above all gods
5. God doesn’t call the qualified
6. God won’t ask
7. We should use the Bible every day
8. Man’s plans prevailed by God’s purpose
9. Rest thy delight on Jehovah
10. Sincerity not a test of truth
11. Let us not forget it was God who chose us
12. Not or well Ashamed of the gospel and admitting to be a God loving person
13. Only worship the Creator of all things
14. Acknowledge the majesty of the Lord’s reputation!
15. Holiness and expression of worship coming from inside
16. The chief function of the body is to carry the brain around
17. Keep your heart on the right path
18. A heart in the right place and brightly burning faith
19. Writing the Law on the Heart
20. Being one in Jesus, Jesus in us and God in Jesus
21. Unity
22. Commitment to Christian unity
23. Religion and believers #7 Independent and organised form of existence of a religion
24. Necessity of a revelation of creation 11 Believing and obeying the gospel of the Kingdom of God
25. A cheerful heart filled of hope good medicine
26. Sow and harvests in the garden of your heart
27. Open your heart
28. Sow and harvests in the garden of your heart
29. Our attitude at a difficult task
30. Purify my heart
31. Relapse plan
32. Being thankful
33. Today’s thought “Blessed people …” (July 27)
34. Reason to preach #5 Trained to do it God’s way
35. The Ecclesia