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Rooted in Christ |
Dear Brethren,
Are we rooted and founded in Jesus Christ? What does it mean to be
rooted in Him? If we were not rooted in Christ, would it
show? Would we know it if we were not rooted and built up in
Christ? It should go without saying that a right understanding of
how to live a Christian life is deeply rooted in the example of the
life of Jesus Christ. In the book of Colossians, Paul tells us that
when we are rooted in Christ our ways will become like His
ways.
“As ye have therefore received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk ye in Him:
Rooted and built up in Him, and established in the faith, as ye have been
taught, abounding therein with thanksgiving.” (Colossians 2:6-7)
Being rooted in Christ, means that we embrace His doctrine,
His principles, His teachings, and His values. A deep-rooted
connection to Christ includes trusting in all of His words, and
greatly appreciating the forgiveness He earned for us. It also
includes looking to God in faith, realizing our total dependence on
our Creator while demonstrating the fruits of God's Holy Spirit, and
expressing true Christianity through good works. When we are
rooted in Christ, it means that we know His ways, and love His
ways more than the ways of the world. When we are rooted in
Christ, we put on Christ – created in righteousness
and true holiness (Romans 13:14, Galatians 3:27, Ephesians
4:24).
At the very time that the Church should be pulling together in unity
of spirit, we find old grudges festering and factions continuing.
Why is that? Why won’t the ministers of the various groups bury
the hatchet and come together? If they won’t do that, they owe it
to the brethren to spell out in detail their doctrinal position for
not working toward Christ’s desire for a unity of the body (John
17). The reason for the disunity, even after so many years, attests
to the fact that there are those who have not yet become rooted
in Christ as they should be.
It is simply unfathomable to have Church of God organizations
existing side by side, while ignoring each other’s very existence as
brethren of Christ. Because of the reluctance of the various
off-shoots of the scattered brethren to work toward harmony, you
would think that we had all the time in the world. It is high time
that all the converted brethren who are rooted in Christ pull
together and recognize one another – despite which corporate
organization they find themselves in. When we are all truly
rooted in Christ as we should be, unity of the body will be the
sure outcome.
Make no mistake about it - Jesus Christ is not going to return to a
scattered bunch of churches. Jesus Christ has only one Church,
and it is made up of all the brethren who are being led by His Holy
Spirit. Christ is not divided – how can we remain so? Fightings,
quarrelings, strivings, and contentions clearly demonstrate the
carnal nature of those who will not seek peace. “For ye are
yet carnal: for whereas there is among you envying, and strife,
and divisions, are ye not carnal, and walk as men? For while one
says, I am of [Fill in the name of a minister]; and another says, I
am of [Fill in the name of an organization]; are ye not carnal?”
(1Co 3:3-4)
If we claim that we are not carnal, but
spiritually rooted in Christ, then we must admit
that all this church party spirit we see all around us is wrong.
What are we to do about the problem? The answer is that we must be
instrumental in healing the breach. Take a stand! Recognize your
brothers and sisters in other groups who have a right relationship
with God and strive to be rooted in Christ.
Reestablish a fellowship that is pleasing to Jesus Christ. Yes, the
Bible reveals that there are many false ministers that the brethren
are to be careful of – they are not rooted and founded in Jesus
Christ. Have the courage to do what God requires of us. Our task
is not to find the single corporate organization that Christ is
fully pleased with – it does not exist on earth. Every true
Christian's mission is to be firmly rooted in Jesus Christ.
This world is about to unravel at the seams. We live in an
insolvent world of increasing debt – a world in financial chaos,
without solutions. Europe, China, and the USA are all overextended
and at their rope’s end. The Gulf of Mexico oil spill is an
environmental and ecological quagmire of immense proportions. How
long will prophetically significant Israel be restrained from using
nuclear force against Iran, and massive conventional armament
against Syria, Hezbollah and Hamas? Conditions are ripe for a world
ruling dictator who will rise up overnight (Daniel 4:15).
When the famine of the word comes upon us, will we be firmly founded
and rooted in Christ and be able to withstand the onslaught
of secularism (Amos 8:11-12)? Could it be that we’ve already begun
to experience the famine of the word – in the lack of spiritual meat
the brethren are receiving? God describes the final spiritual
famine as one in which the brethren do not even know what they
are missing. “You say, I am rich, and increased with goods,
and have need of nothing; and know not that thou art
wretched, and miserable, and poor, and blind, and naked.” (Rev
3:17 )
Brethren, it is time to be firmly rooted in Christ.
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Sermon: "Rooted in Christ"
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