Who is my Neighbor

Dear Brethren,

What is the answer to the question, "Who is my neighbor?"  A Jewish lawyer had asked Christ the question, attempting to justify himself (Luke 10:28-29).  Jesus had admonished him "to love his neighbor as himself."  While being able to quote God's law accurately, the lawyer had been unwilling to live up to the spirit and intent of God's principles.  For us in the Church of God, that question and parable are as relevant today as they were then.

In this time of the scattered Children of God, we find the challenge of trying to rebuild relationships among our brethren to be most difficult.  Forgiveness and patience are the order of the day as we reach out to one another, try to put past mistakes behind us, and learn again how to walk together as faithful members of the Church of God.  This must be foremost in our minds.

"Then those who feared the Lord spoke to one another, and the Lord listened and heard them; so a book of remembrance was written before Him for those who fear the Lord and who meditate on His name." (Malachi 3:16)

We are to be faithful to God and to one another.  Let us also remember that we must include the others in our efforts - those future Children of God, who are not yet called, among whom we live and work.  We refer to them as, "the world" - in one sense an appropriate term.  In another sense, however, we should remember that they, too, are being created in the image of God, with the same ultimate destiny we share.  Without their realizing God's timing in their lives, they await His calling to repentance and conversion.

"For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ all shall be made alive.  But each one in his own order: Christ the firstfruits, afterward those who are Christ's at His coming.  Then comes the end, when He delivers the kingdom to God the Father, when He puts an end to all rule and all authority and power." (1Corinthians 15:22-24)

On the earth, we have more than six billion future brothers and sisters in Jesus Christ who have not yet been called by our Father.  They have not had the opportunity to repent.  They are not yet converted by God's Spirit.  Many of them are hostile to God and His truth.  By God's allowance, they are ignorant of their incredible human potential and awesome destiny -- but, one day, they will know.

Unlike the lawyer who justified his own lack of performance toward his neighbor - we Christians are to be an example to the world, not stooping to their level, but living up to God's higher standard.  Jesus gave us the example of the unjust steward who "cooked the books" when his career failed, and then rhetorically asks if we too should lower our standard of conduct in order to have a fall back position.  The Christian answer is "No," because the world is not able to reward us with "everlasting habitations."  We must set the higher standard of being faithful in all things in order to be in the Kingdom of God.

"And I say unto you, 'Make to yourselves friends of the mammon of unrighteousness; that, when ye fail, they may receive you into everlasting habitations.'  He that is faithful in that which is least is faithful also in much: and he that is unjust in the least is unjust also in much.  If therefore ye have not been faithful in the unrighteous mammon, who will commit to your trust the true riches"  (Luke 16:9-11)

You and I are to interact with this present evil world and its unrighteous mammon as Jesus did.  He did not sin - ever.  Remember that in His prayer to the Father, Jesus said, "I do not pray that You should take them out of the world, but that You should keep them from the evil one."  (John 17:15)

Christ's will is that we live and work among our fellow human beings and that we remain faithful to Him while doing so.  We should show great care and concern for our parents, children, brothers and sisters, coworkers, friends, etc.  There are occasions when we must decline an invitation, hopefully politely, for the wrong kind of activity: e.g., a Halloween party.  There will be other right occasions when we can attend and, perhaps, should consider doing so.  In the future, they will remember how we behaved toward them, and hopefully, their memory will be a good one.  Jesus Christ willingly walked among the people of His day -- every single one of them was unconverted.  We need to emulate His example.  In addition to making peace among our church brethren, we need to walk in peace among all the people around us.

"For how do you know, O wife, whether you will save your husband? Or how do you know, O husband, whether you will save your wife? But as God has distributed to each one, as the Lord has called each one, so let him walk. And so I ordain in all the churches."  (1Corinthians 7:16-17)

God eventually will call them all to salvation, just as He already has called us. "The Lord is... not willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance." (2Peter 3:9)

Let us live the words Christ inspired through Paul: "And let us not grow weary while doing good, for in due season we shall reap if we do not lose heart. Therefore, let us do good to all, especially to those who are of the household of faith." (Galatians 6:9-10)

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Sermon:  "Works of Darkness"  

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