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We Are All In This Together |
Dear Brethren,
We have spoken a number of times on the teaching that the Body
of Christ is a spiritual community that exists in unity and oneness. The Body of Christ is not
divided. God has only one Family. Whenever an individual or group of people reject
other brethren of the Church of God - the Body of Christ - and refuse to communicate with, and fellowship
with other brethren – they critically violate the integrity of Christ’s Body – which is
not to be broken. It is the responsibility of each and every Christian to maintain and heal any breach
that exists in the unity of the Body. Notice the words of Jesus Christ:
"I say unto you, That whosoever is angry with his brother without a cause shall be in danger of
the judgment:.. Therefore if thou bring thy gift to the altar, and there rememberest that thy brother hath
ought against thee; Leave there thy gift before the altar, and go thy way; first be reconciled to thy
brother, and then come and offer thy gift". (Matthew 5:22-24)
The Scriptures are clear as to how to bring about this reconciliation. If my brother or sister has
something against me - I must take the initiative to bring about a reconciliation. Reconciliation
is more of a priority than even attending church functions. Jesus Christ says so. It goes
without saying then, that if I have something against my brother or sister, I must be the one to heal
the breach.
Christ insists on unity and oneness among His people. There must be reconciliation between
individuals, and reconciliation between larger groups, as well. Some groups today do not
teach and practice the ministry of reconciliation as God commands us, and as Jesus gave us example.
"All things are of God, who hath reconciled us to himself by Jesus
Christ, and hath given to us the ministry of reconciliation To wit, that God was in
Christ, reconciling the world unto himself, not imputing their trespasses unto them;
and hath committed unto us the word of reconciliation."
(2Corinthians 5:18,19)
Brethren, the problem with
individuals, and with church groups, is that they make excuses for
not doing what God so clearly requires of His people. This is a
serious matter - we, and they, are being held accountable. As we
saw in Matthew 5 above, "Whosoever is angry with his brother
without a cause shall be in danger of the
judgment." - there must be a just cause for reconciliation not
to take place. Are we ready to say that such a one with whom we are
not speaking is not converted? Not a brother in Christ? Church
organizations and individuals are treating God's clear instructions
too lightly.
It is true that in the past
there has been very little success in the Matthew 18:15 process of
reconciliation - but it was not the fault of the Scriptural
process. The weakness and fault was in the way the process was
administered by those
involved. Here are God's clear instructions:
"If thy brother shall
trespass against thee, go and tell him his fault between thee and
him alone: if he shall hear thee, thou hast gained thy brother. But
if he will not hear thee, then take with thee one or two more, that
in the mouth of two or three witnesses every word may be
established. And if he shall neglect to hear them, tell it
unto the church: but if he neglect to hear the church, let him be
unto thee as an heathen man and a publican." (Matthew 18:15-17)
If we are not successful in
our heartfelt approach to gain our brother, we are to persevere with
one or two more brethren who truly desire reconciliation. If that
fails, the matter must come before the entire congregation. Notice:
"tell it unto the church."
The brethren of the congregation are, according to the Scriptures,
to possess ownership of the process. The Scripture does not read as
James 5:14, "call for the elders
of the church." Why? Because we are all in this
together.
The ministry cannot force
reconciliation - that is not their responsibility. The third step
in the reconciliation process should not have been handled solely by
the ministry - but brought before the entire congregation.
When ministers attempt to deal with the matter privately, it
violates Christ's instruction to tell it to the Ekklesia - the
called out ones. The brethren would never learn to "heal
the breach," when they are left out of the process. Paul
taught in 1Corinthians 5:12
that the body of believers were to judge such matters. Paul asked,
"Do you not judge them that are within [the church]?
The "ministry of
reconciliation, word of reconciliation," falls to each and
every one of us - the entire Body of Christ - so that we may learn
to be like Jesus Christ. "Speaking the truth
in love, [we] may grow up into Him in all things, which is the head,
even Christ: from whom the whole body
fitly joined together and compacted by that which every joint
supplieth, according to the effectual working in the measure of
every part, maketh increase of the Body unto the edifying of itself
in love." (Ephesians 4:16)
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| Sermon: |
"We're All in this Together" |
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