Further Thought: Ellen G. White, “The Spirit of Unity”, pages 179-188, in Testimonies for the Church, vol. 9. “Christ recognized no distinction of nationality or rank or creed. The scribes and Pharisees desired to make a local and a national benefit of all the gifts of heaven and to exclude the rest of God’s family in the world. … Continue reading –>
It has become an iconic line from the movie, A Few Good Men, back in 1992. Colonel Nathan R. Jessep, played by Jack Nicholson, is being interrogated during a military trial. He and Lieutenant J.G. Daniel Kaffee, played by Tom Cruise, have the following exchange: Col Jessep: I’ll answer the question. You want answers? LTJG … Continue reading –>
Christianity is a religion of relationships: relationship with God and with one another. It makes no sense to claim to have a deep relationship with God without that relationship having an impact on the relationships one has with other people. Christianity cannot be lived in a vacuum. The principles of unity Paul discusses in his Epistle … Continue reading –>
“But to each one of us grace was given according to the measure of Christ’s gift” (Eph. 4:7, NKJV). While salvation is a gift given to all people who will receive it, some spiritual gifts are given to certain people for a special purpose. Read Ephesians 4:11. What gifts of leadership does God give to the church? … Continue reading –>
Our unity comes as being a member of the body of Christ: Hymn 570, “Not I, But Christ”. We are reminded on Sunday that we are all family in Christ, and therefore: “Heir of the Kingdom”, Hymn 594. “God prepared salvation before the foundation of the world” : Hymn 646, “To the Name That Brings Salvation”. … Continue reading –>
The key to unity. Those words seem to imply that unity is a goal of God’s people. But what kind of unity? A cohesive group of criminals unites to attack a boarding school of young Christian children. It took a lot of planning to organize this offense. But is that what God wants us to do–unite … Continue reading –>
Paul is practical in his inspired words to the Ephesians. The unity that exists between Jews and Gentiles, between people of different cultural and ethnic backgrounds, is not a myth or simply a theoretical construct; it is a reality that demands us “to walk worthy of the calling with which you were called” (Eph. 4:1, NKJV). … Continue reading –>
Some of the deepest divisions among people are caused by differences of race, ethnicity, and religion. In many societies, identity cards indicate the ethnicity or religion one belongs to, and these distinctions often are connected with privileges or restrictions that people have to live with on a daily basis. When wars or conflicts arise, these … Continue reading –>
Read Ephesians 1:3-14. What, according to Paul here, have we been given in Christ? The followers of Jesus have much to praise God for. In Christ, God has chosen to adopt us as sons and daughters and to represent Him to the world. Paul uses many images to describe our new relationship to God in Christ. … Continue reading –>
Read for This Week’s Study: Eph. 1:3-14; Gal. 4:7; Eph. 2:11-22; Eph. 4:1-6, Eph. 4:11; Matt. 20:25-28; Eph. 5:15-6:9. Memory Text: “Having made known to us the mystery of His will, according to His good pleasure which He purposed in Himself, that in the dispensation of the fullness of the times He might gather together in one all things in Christ, both which … Continue reading –>
