Spiritual Community

Dear Brethren,

All those of the Family of God are in one spiritual community.  When Jesus spoke of being "one" with the Father, what did He mean?  "I and my Father are one."  (John 10:30)  Did Jesus mean that He and the Father were the same person, the one and the same being - with differing manifestations?  No. That is close to what the Catholics believe in their Trinity doctrine.  If God manifests Himself as Jesus sometimes, and manifests Himself as the Father at other times, then Jesus did not really die for us, nor pay for our sins - because, how then could He raise Himself to Life- if He were dead.

When Jesus said, "I and my Father are one."  He  meant that He and the Father share the same Spirit, God Life, and the same values, goals, purposes, love, nature and attitude.  There is no contention in God - there is only Godly love between the Father and Jesus. "Therefore doth my Father love me, because I lay down my life, that I might take it again." (John 10:17)

Recently the question was asked, "Do you really believe that all of God's people will get back together into one organization?"  The answer to that question is, "No. "  It is not God's intention that all of the brethren come together into one physical organization, and be under one government of men.  It is also not God's intention that all of His people be scattered under diverse physical organizations of men.  Paul had to address the lack of spiritual unity among those who wanted to be parts of smaller organizations.   Paul calls that division into separate organizations, "spiritual immaturity."

"...There are contentions among you. Now this I say, that every one of you saith, I am of Paul; and I of Apollos; and I of Cephas; and I of Christ. Is Christ divided?... And I, brethren, could not speak unto you as unto spiritual, but as unto carnal, even as unto babes in Christ."  (1Corinthians 1:11-13; 3:1)

One spiritual community is what Jesus Christ intends.  "That they all may be 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." (John 17:21)  After Worldwide went into apostasy, we tended to think in terms of finding the "right organization," rather than being Christians unified in the same Spirit as Jesus and the Father are unified.   In Worldwide, we had been mostly physically together as brethren - but not fully spiritually unified.

It is a terrible thing, today, when Church organizations place the objectives of the corporation over the spiritual needs and spiritual welfare of the individual brethren.  That is not putting God's way first.  That wrong priority of placing the physical organization ahead of the spiritual individual is covetousness and it goes well beyond the spiritual immaturity of which Paul spoke.  "...Covetousness, is idolatry."   (Colossians 3:5)

Corinth, Ephesus, Thessalonica, and all the other early churches, rightly considered themselves to be smaller parts of one greater spiritual community of brethren.  It should be the same today.  We should not be wondering which corporation or organization we should all unite under - that concept misses the Mark .

God's people are beginning to recognize one another for the saints that they are.  We are acknowledging our true spiritual community more and more as time goes by.  We greet the brethren at weddings, funerals, and when tragedy strikes the Church.  "Greet every saint in Christ Jesus."  (Philippians 4:21)  "He that is joined unto the Lord is one spirit."  (1Corinthians 6:17)

Brethren, let's walk worthy of our calling and our vocation with all the brethren - wherever they are. "With all lowliness and meekness, with longsuffering, forbearing one another in love; Endeavouring to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace. There is one body, and one Spirit, even as ye are called in one hope of your calling; One Lord, one faith, one baptism, One God and Father of all, who is above all, and through all, and in you all."   (Ephesians 4:1-6 )

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Sermon:  "Spiritual Leprosy"

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