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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)
***
Sermon: |
"Works of Darkness" |
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