Unity In the Church

Matthew 18:15-20 Unity in the church of God will come through unity between every individual. The aim of Jesus advice is first to win over each other and be in harmony. Second to protect his true followers from false accusation and third to protect his true followers from the influence of the unconverted. We still love and try to reach the unconverted in the church, but we do not trust them. Jesus is looking to work through even just two or three people who are united in his love.

We must be focussed on the relationships around us.

A Wasted Life

Matthew 16:5-28 I tend to think of this life as being the main thing and the future life as secondary. Peter couldn’t imagine Jesus having his life and ministry cut short by death, in the same way this idea seems very unappealing to me. But ultimately, our only hope for a full and delightful life is when Jesus has restored this world to perfection. It is in the future life we should be aiming for the fulfilment of our dreams.

Romans 11:1-6 // Israel is Not Cast Away

I say then, Hath God cast away his people? God forbid. For I also am an Israelite, of the seed of Abraham, of the tribe of Benjamin. 2 God hath not cast away his people which he foreknew. Wot ye not what the scripture saith of Elias? how he maketh intercession to God against Israel, saying, 3 Lord, they have killed thy prophets, and digged down thine altars; and I am left alone, and they seek my life. 4 But what saith the answer of God unto him? I have reserved to myself seven thousand men, who have not bowed the knee to the image of Baal. 5 Even so then at this present time also there is a remnant according to the election of grace. 6 And if by grace, then is it no more of works: otherwise grace is no more grace. But if it be of works, then is it no more grace: otherwise work is no more work. (Romans 11:1-6)

And he said, I have been very jealous for the Lord God of hosts: for the children of Israel have forsaken thy covenant, thrown down thine altars, and slain thy prophets with the sword; and I, even I only, am left; and they seek my life, to take it away. 11 And he said, Go forth, and stand upon the mount before the Lord. And, behold, the Lord passed by, and a great and strong wind rent the mountains, and brake in pieces the rocks before the Lord; but the Lord was not in the wind: and after the wind an earthquake; but the Lord was not in the earthquake: 12 And after the earthquake a fire; but the Lord was not in the fire: and after the fire a still small voice. 13 And it was so, when Elijah heard it, that he wrapped his face in his mantle, and went out, and stood in the entering in of the cave. And, behold, there came a voice unto him, and said, What doest thou here, Elijah? 14 And he said, I have been very jealous for the Lord God of hosts: because the children of Israel have forsaken thy covenant, thrown down thine altars, and slain thy prophets with the sword; and I, even I only, am left; and they seek my life, to take it away. 15 And the Lord said unto him, Go, return on thy way to the wilderness of Damascus: and when thou comest, anoint Hazael to be king over Syria: 16 And Jehu the son of Nimshi shalt thou anoint to be king over Israel: and Elisha the son of Shaphat of Abelmeholah shalt thou anoint to be prophet in thy room. 17 And it shall come to pass, that him that escapeth the sword of Hazael shall Jehu slay: and him that escapeth from the sword of Jehu shall Elisha slay. 18 Yet I have left me seven thousand in Israel, all the knees which have not bowed unto Baal, and every mouth which hath not kissed him. (1 Kings 19:10-18)

Seven thousand is not a large number compared to the hundreds of thousands of Israelites who must have lived at this time. But it is a remnant. God is looking for a remnant at this time. Nevertheless when the Son of man cometh, shall he find faith on the earth? (Luke 18:8) There will always be some who still hang on to Jesus and his gospel, will you be one of these?

The Jews are not cast away completely by God because there are some people of Jewish descent who believe in Jesus, this is Paul's reasoning, and I agree with him. But this does not mean there is any continued significance of the Jews or Israel in Bible prophecy, Israel has abandoned his covenant, and it is no more.

Romans 10:20-21 // Holier Than Sow

But Esaias is very bold, and saith, I was found of them that sought me not; I was made manifest unto them that asked not after me.
21 But to Israel he saith, All day long I have stretched forth my hands unto a disobedient and gainsaying people. (Romans 10:20-21)

I am sought of them that asked not for me; I am found of them that sought me not: I said, Behold me, behold me, unto a nation that was not called by my name. 2 I have spread out my hands all the day unto a rebellious people, which walketh in a way that was not good, after their own thoughts; 3 A people that provoketh me to anger continually to my face; that sacrificeth in gardens, and burneth incense upon altars of brick; 4 Which remain among the graves, and lodge in the monuments, which eat swine's flesh, and broth of abominable things is in their vessels; 5 Which say, Stand by thyself, come not near to me; for I am holier than thou. These are a smoke in my nose, a fire that burneth all the day. (Isaiah 65:1-5)

I don't know about you, but it looks to me like Paul is quoting Isaiah from memory, and he's not getting it quite right. He's got the meaning right, but not only is the wording different, the order of ideas in the sentence is different too (I am referring to the first verse in both passages). This suggests to me that being familiar with the ideas of the Bible is more important than knowing the exact wording of it. We have been too fastidious over precision in our Bible study and fallen short on accuracy. I refer to myself and others who consider themselves diligent students of the Bible. We have strained at a gnat and swallowed a camel. We have debated over the Johannine Comma and ignored Isaiah 58. We are really a lot like the Israelites in Isaiah 65.

God's people have adopted the worship practices of the rest of society for convenience (or relevance?) and still have the nerve to claim to be holier than thou yes, that's where this phrase comes from. They also dare to be unclean, not in the moral sense, but in the hygiene sense, like eating foods the Bible declares unclean. Yes, this describes the Israelites, but it describes the diligent Bible students of today even better.

Be a diligent Bible student, but strive not about words to no profit (2 Tim 2:14) and meditate on all the scriptures. Live up to a high standard of moral and also hygienic purity, as laid out in the Bible and expounded by research. In all of this don't even think you are holier than the unrepentant sinner, we are no better than him, just a lot happier.

Romans 9:7-12 // The Scorner

He that reproveth a scorner getteth to himself shame: and he that rebuketh a wicked man getteth himself a blot. 8 Reprove not a scorner, lest he hate thee: rebuke a wise man, and he will love thee. 9 Give instruction to a wise man, and he will be yet wiser: teach a just man, and he will increase in learning. 10 The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom: and the knowledge of the holy is understanding. 11 For by me thy days shall be multiplied, and the years of thy life shall be increased. 12 If thou be wise, thou shalt be wise for thyself: but if thou scornest, thou alone shalt bear it. (Proverbs 9:7-12)

It is perhaps unfortunate (or perhaps a Satanic snare) that the people we most feel like correcting are the last people we should be trying to correct. Are you trying to reach someone who continually insults and humiliates you? You had better try to stop reaching them, and reach someone who will respond.

Wisdom has often been defined as "the fear of the Lord", but I think this is reading into the text more than was intended. Fearing God is a significant part of wisdom, one who does not fear God will not have true wisdom.

What do I mean by true wisdom? A person who is wise enough to get rich, attain greatness in the eyes of the world, or even just have a good life is not truly wise unless he has made the necessary preparations for his eternal destiny. There are many people who think themselves very wise who will be absolutely humiliated in the resurrection.

So to the people of this world, who do not take eternity into account, we as Christians are truly foolish, but the truth is that they are the fools. But as Christians we love these people and we want to turn them from the error of their ways. Forget it. We will only hurt ourselves if we try to win these un-winnable people. That is what proverbs says.

But what about our duty to reach the lost? It is simple. We do not have unlimited time. Find the people who are willing to be persuaded, humble enough to be taught. Find these people and win them. Win them even if you don't happen to like them personally. Win them even if you can't help thinking they will only be a burden to the church. Win them no matter how unlovely they are, there are many people who are willing to be taught that are hard to get on with, or hard to love. Love them and win them for Jesus. Give them the salvation that they crave.

When a man has showed himself to be a scorner, who will not listen to reason and uses mockery to win arguments of his own making, leave him alone.

Romans 10:18 // Individual vs. Corporate

But I say, Have they not heard? Yes verily, their sound went into all the earth, and their words unto the ends of the world.
19 But I say, Did not Israel know? First Moses saith, I will provoke you to jealousy by them that are no people, and by a foolish nation I will anger you. (Romans 10:18)

It is personal faith, not national or ethnic identity that makes a person a follower of God.

This faith is so generic that all people who have ever lived have had the opportunity to have it, but it is so refined that no matter how much knowledge a person has, they may not have that faith. Israel had the knowledge, but not many of them had the faith. The Gentiles were given the knowledge, but not many Gentiles truly have the faith. God works in mysterious ways, but all his ways are ways of pleasantness and all his paths are peace. (Proverbs 3:17)

Romans 10:16-17 // Missionaries, seeing is believing.

But they have not all obeyed the gospel. For Esaias saith, Lord, who hath believed our report? 17 So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God. (Romans 10:16-17)

Who hath believed our report? and to whom is the arm of the Lord revealed? 2 For he shall grow up before him as a tender plant, and as a root out of a dry ground: he hath no form nor comeliness; and when we shall see him, there is no beauty that we should desire him. (Isaiah 53:1-2)

But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him. (Hebrews 11:6)

We have seen earlier in Romans that God is just and fair, and that people can be saved even if they have never had a chance to meet a Christian. Salvation depends on a relationship with Christ, even a very basic one, not on a relationship with Christianity. So then why do we do missionary work?

Enter ye in at the strait gate: for wide is the gate, and broad is the way, that leadeth to destruction, and many there be which go in thereat: (Matthew 7:13)

Despite the fact that anyone can be saved, very few actually are. This is a sobering thought, especially if it still applies in a world where the majority of the population nominally worships God, or at least some kind of God.

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)

Sincerely thinking that you are worshipping the true God does not mean that you are, and does not mean you will be saved. So what is it?

Isaiah's original prophecy, which Paul quotes, describes the Messiah as a loving but suffering servant. It demonstrates God's generous attitude/spirit. Hebrews 11:6 shows that the beliefs that are most fundamental to Christianity are the belief in the existence of a God and the belief that he is willing and able to reward people who try to serve him, in more modern words, people who try to have a relationship with him. Having a relationship with God mean learning about him from the Bible (John 5:39) and doing what he says therein (John 14:15) and spending time with him in prayer (John 14:16).

As missionaries our task is to show by word and action that we really believe God is real and that he will reward us for submitting to him in a patriarchal relationship where he is the patriarch. When we do this properly, people will see and believe.