Greetings to all!
How much potential do we have as new creations in Christ to do exploits for God? How many potential Paul's and Peter's are there among us?
Jesus said...
"Verily, verily I say unto you, except a corn of wheat fall into the ground and die, it abideth alone: But if it die it bringeth forth much fruit." <a href="http://www.biblestudents.com/htdbv5/htdb0043.htm#John12:24">John 12:24.
He meant this about His own death that would bring life to many.
We, usually leave the import of this reality in it's first stage...our foundation, but neglect to build in the same fashion. We must also die in order to bring forth fruit. We have received a seed...but we will not bear the fruit we have the potential for unless that seed fall into good ground and DIE. We then are raised in newness of life in order to bear fruit to eternity.
Another aspect of this truth is that we tend to abide alone...as in "it abideth alone"...
Being a Christian is not an individual pursuit, but rather a communal witness to the world of the body of Christ and the nature of the kingdom that is coming. "See how they love one another!' is our witness to the world. The world will know us when we show the love and unity towards one another.
[sup]16[/sup] Or what agreement has the temple of God with idols? For we are the temple of the living God; just as God said,
“I WILL DWELL IN THEM AND WALK AMONG THEM;
AND I WILL BE THEIR GOD, AND THEY SHALL BE MY PEOPLE.
[sup]17[/sup] “Therefore, COME OUT FROM THEIR MIDST AND BE SEPARATE,” says the Lord.
“AND DO NOT TOUCH WHAT IS UNCLEAN;
And I will welcome you.
[sup]18[/sup] “And I will be a father to you,
And you shall be sons and daughters to Me,”
Says the Lord Almighty.
Jesus died to bring us into His community of the Father and the Holy Spirit. But we have stopped short of entering into the body which is the community of God on earth. Once God is present in us He wishes to impart His power by walking IN OUR MIDST. But sadly, we don't accept that truth.
We would rather be contented with whatever gifts we can receive and have for ourselves.
But God wants us to be joined one to another in a life commitment as in the early church. From there He will show Himself to the world as being in our midst. We must die to the idea that we have our own life to live. We are created to be a divine community. That is our witness and our testimony.
Let us not fall short of the purpose of our salvation and grace. We need to be joined to God in Christ through the Spirit and to each other in an ongoing community of selfless sacrifice.
How much potential do we have as new creations in Christ to do exploits for God? How many potential Paul's and Peter's are there among us?
Jesus said...
"Verily, verily I say unto you, except a corn of wheat fall into the ground and die, it abideth alone: But if it die it bringeth forth much fruit." <a href="http://www.biblestudents.com/htdbv5/htdb0043.htm#John12:24">John 12:24.
He meant this about His own death that would bring life to many.
We, usually leave the import of this reality in it's first stage...our foundation, but neglect to build in the same fashion. We must also die in order to bring forth fruit. We have received a seed...but we will not bear the fruit we have the potential for unless that seed fall into good ground and DIE. We then are raised in newness of life in order to bear fruit to eternity.
Another aspect of this truth is that we tend to abide alone...as in "it abideth alone"...
Being a Christian is not an individual pursuit, but rather a communal witness to the world of the body of Christ and the nature of the kingdom that is coming. "See how they love one another!' is our witness to the world. The world will know us when we show the love and unity towards one another.
[sup]16[/sup] Or what agreement has the temple of God with idols? For we are the temple of the living God; just as God said,
“I WILL DWELL IN THEM AND WALK AMONG THEM;
AND I WILL BE THEIR GOD, AND THEY SHALL BE MY PEOPLE.
[sup]17[/sup] “Therefore, COME OUT FROM THEIR MIDST AND BE SEPARATE,” says the Lord.
“AND DO NOT TOUCH WHAT IS UNCLEAN;
And I will welcome you.
[sup]18[/sup] “And I will be a father to you,
And you shall be sons and daughters to Me,”
Says the Lord Almighty.
Jesus died to bring us into His community of the Father and the Holy Spirit. But we have stopped short of entering into the body which is the community of God on earth. Once God is present in us He wishes to impart His power by walking IN OUR MIDST. But sadly, we don't accept that truth.
We would rather be contented with whatever gifts we can receive and have for ourselves.
But God wants us to be joined one to another in a life commitment as in the early church. From there He will show Himself to the world as being in our midst. We must die to the idea that we have our own life to live. We are created to be a divine community. That is our witness and our testimony.
Let us not fall short of the purpose of our salvation and grace. We need to be joined to God in Christ through the Spirit and to each other in an ongoing community of selfless sacrifice.
