WHAT IS THE FATE OF OUR FAITH? FAITH AND UNITY – IMPORTANCE OF CHRISTIAN UNITY (continuation) There is no doubt that one of the dying declarations of Jesus Christ is that his followers should be one just as He and his father are one. (1020) John 17:11, 20-23. From this passage, we can see Jesus interceding before God the Father for His people who will be given to Him out of this world. Jesus prayed for unity among his chosen ones so that the world may know that Jesus has been sent by God and that Jesus loved his people even as God the Father loved Jesus. (1021) angelfire In the Old Testament, Prophet Ezekiel, with reference to the situation of Gods People at that time, and using the simple sign of two broken sticks which are first divided and then joined together, expressed the divine will to gather from all sides the members of his scattered people of Israel and Judah whom he will gather together in their own land, unite them as one nation Israel under one king. The prophet said: “I will be their God, and they shall be my people. Then the nations will know that I the Lord sanctify Israel.” (1022) Ezekiel 37:16-28. On its part, the Gospel of John sees Jesus death the reason for the unity of Gods children. The evangelist said: “Jesus would die for the nation, and not for the nation only, but to gather into one the children of God who are scattered abroad.” (1023) John 11:51-52. Indeed, Christ has brought us peace by making Jews and Gentiles one people. This is because with his own body Christ broke down the walls of prejudice and segregation that separated the Jews from the gentiles. (1024) Ephesians 2:14-16. This is an antithesis to the position of Cain that he is not his brother’s keeper. (1025) Genesis 4:9. This is because Cain killed his brother Able. He gave his brother death instead of life. He showed his brother anger, jealousy and wickedness instead of love and unity. He acted contrary to the unity which Christ had wished for his followers. Of course Christ paid the supreme price to ensure that his followers are one and hence the book of Revelation said: “You are worthy to take the scroll, and to break open its seals. For you were killed, and by your sacrificial death you bought for God, people from every tribe, language, nation, and race.” (1026) Revelation 5:9. (1027) 1 Peter 1:19. (1028)Galatians 4:4-5. Today, the blood of Christ purifies us from every sin we might have committed. (1029) 1 John 1:7. Of course the death of Christ united the whole world and won us our salvation. Throughout his ministry of evangelization, Paul was a prisoner of the Christian unity. He did all he can to ensure that the Church and its members were one in Christ. He often referred to himself as a “prisoner” who had been imprisoned because he was a servant of Christ. (1030) Ephesians 3:1; 4:1. (1031) Philippians 1:13. (1032) Philemon 1:9 & 13. (1033) 2 Timothy 1:8. Paul was both a prisoner “of Christ” and a prisoner “in the Lord.” (1034) Ephesians 3:1 & 4:1. This apostle of the gentiles was a prisoner on many occasions during his ministry to the extent that one can comfortably say that the prison was his second home. In his second letter to the Corinthians Paul gave a graphic picture of his various travails for the sake of the Gospel and Christain unity when he said: “Are they Christ’s servants? I sound like a madman – but I am better servant than they are! I have worked much harder, I have been whipped much more and I have been near death more often. Five times I was given the thirty-nine lashes by the Jews; three times I was whipped by the Romans; and once I was stoned. I have been in three ship wrecks, and once I spent twenty-four hours in the water. In many travels I have been in danger from floods and from robbers, in danger from my own people and from gentiles; there have been dangers in the cities, dangers in the wilds, dangers on the high seas, and dangers from false friends. There has been work and toil; often I have gone without sleep; I have been hungry and thirsty; I have often been without enough food, shelter, or clothing. And not to mention other things, every day I am under the pressure of my concern for all the churches. When someone is weak, I feel weak too, when someone is led into sin, I am filled with distress.” (1035) 2 Corinthians 11:23-29. This is a typically example of self-sacrifice for the unity of the body of Christ. The question is: Can today’s Christians replicate this faith in the Lord? However, it must be told that despite these travails, Paul became richer but in a richer sense he had become a prisoner of Jesus not out of compulsion but voluntarily and surrendered his self-interests to the bondage of his Lord for whom he gladly suffered. (1036) Philemon 1: 1, 9, 10 &13. Again, the only way our unity will be exhibited to the world is in keeping the word of God and following it day and night no matter our situation. In the first letter of John, the Evangelist said: “…, if you keep that message, then you will always live in union with the Son and the Father. And this is what Christ himself promised to give us eternal life.” (1037) 1 John 2:24-25. It should be noted that Christianity is not merely “a religion,” but “the religion” of divine sanction. Jesus echoed this sanction when he said to Thomas who said the Apostles did not know the way to the father: “I am the way, the truth, and the life; no one goes to the Father except by me.” (1038) John 14:6. (1039) Acts of the Apostles 4:12; 9:2; 19:9, 23; 22:4; 24:14. This is because we are nourished and held together when we are under Christ’s control. (1040) Colossians 2:19, 3:14. In other words, our unity shows our desire to honour Christ who is the Alpha and the Omega of all creation. The book of Revelation said: “I am the Alpha and the Omega,’ says the Lord God, ‘who is, and who was, and who is to come, the Almighty” (1041) Revelation 1:8. May the Alpha and Omega of the universe strengthen our Christian unity.
Posted on: Wed, 29 Jan 2014 13:15:43 +0000
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