That They May Be One

A Christian’s Duty

If we could ask Jesus Christ, right now, who would He say should be preserving the precious Truth that we have received?  No one has it today, except the scattered children of God.  Brethren, we have God’s Truth.  The Truth is ours to live, to preserve, and to safeguard.  Scripture compares us to a building that is built upon a foundation that will not be moved, because we, the saints, are built on that Rock – Jesus Christ.  Do not reason that the preservation of the Truth lies with corporations or organizations.  No; it is we, personally, who must continue to live the Truth of God.

“He is like a man which built a house, and digged deep, and laid the foundation on a rock: and when the flood arose, the stream beat vehemently upon that house, and could not shake it: for it was founded upon a rock. But he that heareth, and doeth not, is like a man that without a foundation built a house upon the earth; against which the stream did beat vehemently, and immediately it fell; and the ruin of that house was great.” (Luke 6:48-49)

Since our Father loves us so much that He was willing to give up His Son that we might have eternal life – and Jesus loves us so much that He willingly and literally died in our place – what must we do to demonstrate that kind of love?

“Hereby perceive we the love of God, because He laid down His life for us: and we ought to lay down our lives for the brethren.”  (1 John 3:16)

Thankfully, we can be spiritual sacrifices – that is, we are able to put everything on the line for Godly principles – while maintaining our physical lives.  Paul found this to be a reasonable and well-pleasing way to lay down our lives.

“I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service.”  (Romans 12:1)

Most people will be cordial when approached, but we must be the ones who will take the initiative to reach out to other brethren to build and to restore friendships.  We can start easy – with cards for anniversaries, and then letters and calls of encouragement.  The next thing you will know, you will have an old friend.  God says that when we do the “right thing” in reaching out to, serving, and loving our fellow man, it will be contagious among His children.  “He that loveth his brother abideth in the light, and there is none occasion of stumbling in Him.”  (1 John 2:10)

By reaching out to all our brethren, at every opportunity, we willingly make ourselves vulnerable.  Paul uses the more expressive phrase living sacrifice to convey the meaning.  Those who will be forced to endure the Tribulation eventually will see that they have not followed Christ’s example of laying down their lives for the brethren. Here is a lesson for us.  Remember when the prodigal son “came to himself” and returned home? (Luke 15:17)  Then the prodigal son’s elder brother had the wrong attitude and was not happy to see him return.  We must not make that same mistake.  We must have the attitude of the father who welcomed his once-wayward son with open arms.  Those who have forgotten the importance of unity and oneness within the Family of God must return to basics.  We must pray that God will soften our hearts and soften the hearts of those who have not yet “come to themselves.”  Pray also that those who have left the true essence of Christianity for a substitute form of religion will be able to come home.  Our attitude even now must be that of the prodigal son’s father.  We must work to include the scattered brethren in a common fellowship and show them that they are genuinely respected.

What is a Christian to do?  What is our individual responsibility for bringing about Christian unity – now at this present time?  Are we living our Christianity correctly? 

Our very salvation is at stake.  It is extremely important for us to check our spiritual growth.  We must be convinced that we are doing the right thing.  Do we know how to recognize a true Christian?  Have we taken for granted that the faith we practice is the one Jesus came to establish?  Do we deduce that “we must be Christians” just because we go through the motions of going to “church” on Saturday?  We know that Jesus came preaching the Kingdom of God and that the reward of the saved is not heaven.  Does that make us Christians?  We know about the feast days, place of safety, clean and unclean foods, the beast power, and anointing.  Does knowing these precious truths make someone a true Christian?

We have been privileged to understand a great deal of prophecy through the key of knowing who Israel is.  We have known the importance of going into all the world to preach the gospel as a witness.  We have established our own unique church culture, with sermonettes, hymns, potlucks, and Spokesman Clubs.  Do these things make us Christians?  No, they do not.

Knowing these things does not make us Christians, per se, but we are accountable for what we know.  Most of these practices are rather pleasant and gratifying and have brought very little persecution on us.  Oh yes, some have been “beaten and battered” for the Truth’s sake and for resisting the apostasy – but we have not resisted unto blood or death, striving against sin (Hebrews 12:4).  More persecution will come upon those who put Christ’s words into practice.  Jesus said that all who followed Him would suffer persecution. 

“Yes, and all that will live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution.”  (2 Timothy 3:12)

“They shall put you out of the synagogues: yea, the time cometh, that whosoever killeth you will think that he doeth God service.”  (John 16:2)

Taking a stand for Godly principles is a right cause, and does not cause division worthy of being disfellowshipped from the Church.  Those who have “put us out” were only putting us out of their organizations – not the Church of God.  Men who were serving only an organization rejected us.  God has not rejected us.  They said, “shame on you,” as they made outcasts of us.  But that is okay.  It is good to be rejected for the right causes.  Christ left us an example, that we should follow in His steps.  God prophesied that His people will have gone out in order to follow the Truth.

“Him that overcometh will I make a pillar in the temple of My God, and he shall go no more out.”  (Revelation 3:12)

If nothing that has happened in the Church so far has been enough of a bother to take a stand against – to cause us to be a living sacrifice – then we should question whether we are awake or asleep.  There are some members and ministers who have not seen cause to rock the boat in their organizations.  So far everything is okay with them.  They have been able to put up with the doctrinal changes, political practices, and church policy on the way other members have been mistreated.