Wednesday: Community of Faith
Isa: 66:21
The Israelites were “a priestly kingdom and a holy nation” (Exod: 19:6, NRSV), with special priests set apart to represent them as worship leaders. But in the future, some Gentiles would become worship leaders (Isa: 66:21).
How would this change affect the renewed community of faith? See Matt: 28:19, Acts 26:20, Gal: 3:28, Col: 3:11, 1 Tim: 3:16.
Image © Krieg Barrie at Goodsalt.com
In God’s “new world order,” Gentiles would not only join God’s people, they would be equal partners with Jews in a combined community of faith that would be a “royal priesthood.” Therefore, the distinction between Jews and Gentiles would become functionally irrelevant.
When was this prophecy of Isaiah fulfilled?
Paul, the missionary to the Gentiles, proclaimed: “There is no longer Jew or Greek, … for all of you are one in Christ Jesus. And if you belong to Christ, then you are Abraham’s offspring, heirs according to the promise” ( Galatians 3.28-29, NRSV).
Becoming heirs of the promise and therefore an exalted “royal priesthood” was not a mandate for smug elitism but a commission to join the Jews in proclaiming “the mighty acts of him who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light” (1 Pet: 2:9, NRSV; compare Isa: 66:19).
The elevation of Gentiles did not entitle Jews to grumble that God was unfair in giving them the same reward. Nor did it entitle Gentiles to treat their Jewish brothers and sisters with disrespect, any more than workers hired later in the day should look down on those hired earlier (see Matt: 20:1-16). The Jews had first been “entrusted with the oracles of God” (Rom: 3:2, NRSV) as God’s channel of revelation. Paul wrote to Gentiles: “But if some of the branches were broken off, and you, a wild olive shoot, were grafted in their place to share the rich root of the olive tree, do not boast over the branches” ( Romans 11.17-18, NRSV).
| In light of the Cross, in light of the gospel commission, why is any kind of spiritual or ethnic or even political elitism so abhorrent in the sight of God? Look closely at yourself; are you harboring any sense of spiritual or ethnic superiority? If so, repent! |
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It is very easy for us believers to fall into the trap of spiritual elitism. We think that we are better than the others because we have the truth. Opinion surveys among secular people about their perceptions of Christians typically show up our elitism. We are better than everyone else. We know how to fix the worlds problems. And so on.
When I am tempted to think we are better than the rest, I like to read the first few chapters of Romans. Here Paul takes pains to point out that we (spiritual Jews) are no better than the rest.
It took me rather too long in my teaching career to understand that just because I had teaching diplomas and degrees, that did not make me superior to my students. I had to learn that I was not a fountain of knowledge that they should look up to as the the great source. I had to model learning and to do that I had to think like a student. That was much harder than just sprouting knowledge in the classroom so that students could copy it down into their notebooks.
In our spiritual interaction with others, do we sound like a fountain of spiritual knowledge, or are we prepared to lead by example, showing how to search for it.
This lesson is good for us to know that we are to be better example and show the light of the gospel in practical examples for people to know the Lord better and live for him no matter the heavens fall.
Are we spiritually elevated? Do we have anything different or better to offer to others? So this is the time for us to share it! This is the time for us to share our light, knowledge, in "practical" words and deeds! The world may need this now, the world needs all the possible light or better way out than what's gone so far. Again, can we give away what we don't have? If we have any special truth for the moment we are all going through right now, isn't that the time to share it at once? Do we have Christ? What is so different that 7th Day Adventists have for the world right now?
I like what Luke and Paul say of how we go about community faith.
1. Be ready.
“Be dressed(full of spiritual knowledge) ready for service and keep your lamps burning,
Luke 12:35 NIV. 1 Peter 3:15.
2. Accept the power
For the Spirit God gave us does not make us timid, but gives us power, love and self-discipline.
2 Timothy 1:7 NIV
3. Take advantage of your biblical knowledge, with much wisdom.(Yes you can do it without harboring any sense of spiritual or ethnic superiority, through Christ.)
Be wise in the way you act toward outsiders(I am sure insiders also); make the most of every opportunity.
Colossians 4:5 NIV
And when those came who were hired about the eleventh hour, they each received a denarius. Matt 20:9.
Qu for today-In light of the Cross, in light of the gospel commission, why is any kind of spiritual or ethnic or even political elitism so abhorrent in the sight of God? Look closely at yourself; are you harboring any sense of spiritual or ethnic superiority? If so, repent!'
I being a foreigner, a stranger, an immigrant, and someone of a different culture and physical looks, most of the time is seen as someone lesser than those who were born here. What makes me pray more is when those sentiments come from Christians. Many times people think they are better and deserve more than others because of because e.g they are locals. People say I have rights!!! But in the sight of Christ we all have the same rights whether you are bond or free, citizen or non citizen, legal or illegal no one is better. The heather woman told Jesus if she/or her nation is a dog, she had a right to have the crumbs that falls from the children table. Jesus said he had not found such great faith in Israel.
As mentioned yesterday, I do learn so much from the unchurch/non Christian/heathen/non elite many times than some Christians because these people testimonies strengthen me. They like to share what is going on although many of them do not have it all put together. That is when I can tell them about Jesus and his power and he does not have favorites.
Many will say it is not fair for some to work from early in the morning and some to come later in the day to work and receive the same pay but with Jesus he treats all the same. I love my Jesus. We are all the same, Jews or Gentiles. Matt 20:9
The Community of Faith started right at the beginning of mankind's religious history and recorded in our Scriptures. I think that God chose for His work individuals in their capacity to have faith; hearing Him, receiving Him and following His Guidance by Faith. Their relationship with the Father was established for the purpose to bless mankind with the record of their encounters with a personal God.
In my opinion, it was their conscious or unconscious purpose in life to share with their fellow man the understanding that man receives his guidance from their God in Heaven, that there is only one God, that this God established Heaven and earth and all creatures living in them, always guiding them to live in and maintain unity with each other.
Certain people were chosen as His messengers to speak the Word/Will of God related to certain events, to let man know that his affairs are being guided/governed by the Hosts of Heaven. This has always been a world-wide message, designed to be accepted by the individual person.
The Father’s message is to guide His children to accept Salvation from the spiritual darkness of this world and to help them live their life by the Father's Light instead. Each Living Soul accepting His Salvation starts the process to live this new life of Light by faith, first believing and then knowing that the Heavenly Father’s guidance leads them on the Right Path.
I believe the Father’s plan in choosing Abraham, encouraging him to multiply and become a nation, was to show that He is the God of one man and of the nations of man, a spiritual Leader in any form of the governments of man – from the smallest family unit to the largest nation unit. His Heart's desire is to impress on man that He is the essential, vital, spiritual influence man needs when governing himself peacably here on earth.
Our Scripture records shows an uninterrupted flow of Mercy, Grace and guidance to foster this spiritual union with the Father. A dimly visible part of His Image is still in each of us, recognizing Him when He reaches out to us, and getting brighter when we become carriers of the Good News of His Love, Mercy and Peace.
Each individual keeping faithful contact with the Father of Loving Kindness becomes His Spirit's messenger. Faith was the means to stay close to Him at the beginning and is still the only means by which we can know and live according to His Will.
Christ Jesus has shown to us the Father, that it is Their Spirit which He based His life of loving kindness, justice, Mercy and Grace on - this message remains forever the same! We have met the Father in the Spirit of His Son, Christ Jesus, who provided all mankind a living example of Heaven's Truth and the Way to live in Heaven's Light.
All mankind are the children of God and as such brothers and sisters. We do not only have the same Father, we also have His Son as our brother - Jesus Christ – who lived the life of man, remaining faithful until the end of His life. Now, the faithful believer’s life is guided as he becomes one with the everlasting Spirit of the Son of God in whom we have our being.
Love and Mercy – these are the attributes of the Father’s Spirit that, when lived by man in faith, make him one with His Spirit.
Micah 6:6-8KJV - v.8 ”He hath shewed thee, O man, what is good; and what doeth the LORD require of thee, but to do justly, and to love mercy, and to walk humbly with thy God?