40 Days of Purpose Week 3 YOU WERE FORMED FOR GOD’S FAMILY 9 May 04

DAY 15 When God created Adam and Eve, he created a family between Adam and Eve and between them and himself. Sin changed the automatic entry into his family. Children before accountability are part of the family. But the choice to sin makes a person a member of the family of Satan. (Eph 1:5 RSV) "He destined us in love to be his sons through Jesus Christ, according to the purpose of his will," “Destined” does not mean it will come to pass. So many sayings and past songs say we are all part of the family of God. This is not true. “Destined” in context of the Bible means God wants this to happen but any person must repent and intend for Jesus to be the person’s Savior and Lord of the person’s remaining life to be adopted into God’s eternal family. Book page 118 “When we place our faith in Christ, God become our Father, we his children, other believers our brothers and sisters, and the church becomes our spiritual family. The family of God includes all believers in the past, the present, and the future.

The Trinity is three distinct Persons of God. God is the Trinity. The Trinity has God the Father sitting on the Throne of Heaven. Jesus the Son now stands at the right hand of the Father. The Holy Spirit is before them to be the action agent for God. Rev 4-5. To not believe in the Trinity is not to gain salvation, according to the Bible. (Rom 10:9 RSV) "because, if you confess with your lips that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved." Jesus did not get himself out of death. God the Father did. To not believe in the trinity makes this impossible and untrue. The Greek word for “raised” can mean raise or rise, depending on context and subject. Here and several other verses it can only be translated raised, an action done on something. Some many people preach and teach that God is One Person who pretends to be one or the other of the Trinity. This is NOT the picture the Bible paints of God. Old Testament Israel once believed in the Trinity, although the Trinity was not as clearly defined as in the New Testament. But, because they wanted to be like other nations (1 Sam 8) yet be different, they started believing in one God versus the multiple gods of other nations. This “one God” they defined as a single entity Person. Thus when Jesus came and said he was the Son of God, they rejected this because they did not believe the Trinity was a fact. Today the Jews still do not believe in the Trinity. They do NOT believe in the God of the Bible. Islam believes in a single person god. Both are lost until they recognized that the Trinity exists and worked together in Jesus to make salvation a reality for all who do Rom 10:9-10 as part of Act 20:21.Without belief in the Trinity and faith in the Son Person of the Trinity, there is no salvation. I understand people want the plan toward salvation to be as easy as possible. But changing what the Bible says is not it. Paul said you must believe the Father raised Jesus from death in order to be accepted into the family of God. Who are we to change that? The author in his opening video for Week 1 gave an invitation to lost people that meets none of the Bible’s requirements. If a lost person does what he said, the lost person would think he was saved while he remained lost. That is a prime reason we have so many lost people on church roles. Jesus said (Mat 7:21 RSV) ""Not every one who says to me, 'Lord, Lord,' shall enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of my Father who is in heaven." THIS IS SERIOUS! This is no mere matter of semantics. Jesus and the Bible are very specific about the Bible’s requirements to be saved. There are costs to pay. Jesus said to “count the cost” of following him before you make such a commitment. Matt 7:21 and (Luke 14:25-28 RSV) "Now great multitudes accompanied him; and he turned and said to them, {26} "If any one comes to me and does not hate his own father and mother and wife and children and brothers and sisters, yes, and even his own life, he cannot be my disciple. {27} Whoever does not bear his own cross and come after me, cannot be my disciple. {28} For which of you, desiring to build a tower, does not first sit down and count the cost, whether he has enough to complete it?" If we don’t tell a lost person the costs involved (and there are always costs to following Jesus), then we do not do Matt 28:19 as Jesus commanded us to do.

“BENEFITS OF BEING IN GOD’S FAMILY” Once a person does Acts 20:21, the Father formally and eternally adopts the person. (Gal 4:6-7 RSV) "And because you are sons, God has sent the Spirit of his Son into our hearts, crying, "Abba! Father!" {7} So through God you are no longer a slave but a son, and if a son then an heir." “Sons” of course mans male and female. Note particularly (Gal 3:28 RSV) "There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is neither male nor female; for you are all one in Christ Jesus." ALL FAMILY MEMBERS HAVE EQUAL WORTH TO THE FATHER! No person, no matter the tasks assigned to them, is more valuable or more one than any other person in the family. Adam and Eve were of equal value to God. This inheritance is eternal life on New Earth with the Trinity *Rev 21) with a new resurrection body. It has nothing to do with any earth inheritance, Jesus specifically told Pilate his kingdom is on an earthy kingdom. (John 18:36 RSV) "Jesus answered, "My kingship is not of this world; if my kingship were of this world, my servants would fight, that I might not be handed over to the Jews; but my kingship is not from the world."" Christians are his kingdom. (Rev 1:6 RSV) "and made us a kingdom, priests to his God and Father, to him be glory and dominion for ever and ever. Amen."

“BAPTISM: IDENTIFYING WITH GOD’S FAMILY” The first thing a new Christian is commanded to do in the Bible is a command from Jesus himself. (Mat 28:19 RSV) "Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit," Baptism is an act of obedience and declaration that you intend to follow Jesus as Lord of your life. The Greek means to be immersed. Interesting, no one baptizes in the name of the Trinity. That name is Yahweh (Hebrew I am that I am from (Exo 3:14 RSV) "God said to Moses, "I AM WHO I AM." And he said, "Say this to the people of Israel, 'I AM has sent me to you.'"" Further this is the ONLY and eternal name of the Trinity. (Exo 3:15 RSV) "God also said to Moses, "Say this to the people of Israel, 'The LORD, the God of your fathers, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob, has sent me to you': this is my name for ever, and thus I am to be remembered throughout all generations." Yet people teach God has many names. That is not Bibical and pagan in origin. God does many things and wears many hats, but God’s name is Yahweh. We are to be symbolically immersed in a visual way into the Trinity.

“LIFE’S GREATEST PRIVILEGE” It is to be part of the family of God. Jesus is proud of us. (Heb 2:11 RSV) "For he who sanctifies and those who are sanctified have all one origin. That is why he is not ashamed to call them brethren," Further Jesus declared for all to hear: (Mat 12:49-50 RSV) "And stretching out his hand toward his disciples, he said, "Here are my mother and my brothers! {50} For whoever does the will of my Father in heaven is my brother, and sister, and mother."" We are adopted. To be proper children we MUST do the will of our Farther as in any proper family.

DAY 16 Book page 123 “Life is all about love. Because God is love, the most important lesson he wants you to learn on earth is how to love.” The author picks the usual verse to talk about Christian love: (Gal 5:14 RSV) "For the whole law is fulfilled in one word, "You shall love your neighbor as yourself."" It is addressed as if that is for us. Paul specifically wrote that Christians are NOT UNDER LAW! (Gal 3:18 RSV) "For if the inheritance is by the law, it is no longer by promise; but God gave it to Abraham by a promise." (Gal 5:18 RSV) "But if you are led by the Spirit you are not under the law."

THE definitive statement on love is by Jesus: (John 15:12 RSV) ""This is my commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you." AS Jesus LOVES WE ARE TO LOVE PERIOD! You are to do nothing less.

Book page 124 “Why does God insist that we give special love and attention to other believers?” God does NOT tell us to give “special love” to Christians versus the lost. We are to love (agape) like Jesus who loves like the Father in (John 3:16 RSV) "For God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life." God loves each and every person with agape because each and every person has infinite worth. The author’s basis and conclusions are wrong.

God does emphasize that we do love each other who are saved for the essential reason that it has major impact on the salvation witnessing of Christians to the world. Like carefully at (John 17:21-23 RSV) "that they may all be one; even as thou, Father, art in me, and I in thee, that they also may be in us, so that the world may believe that thou hast sent me. {22} The glory which thou hast given me I have given to them, that they may be one even as we are one, {23} I in them and thou in me, that they may become perfectly one, so that the world may know that thou hast sent me and hast loved them even as thou hast loved me." If we love like Jesus we will be united with one another as Jesus is with the Father. The fact is this is not a suggestion but a command. The command is directed to achieving “that they may become perfectly one.” If this were to happen it would result in the lost knowing, even if they don’t want to know, the vital following situation:

1. “that the world may believe that thou hast sent me”: The lost will know that God exists. That God is real. That God has sent Jesus as his EXCLUSIVE interface with the lost.
2. “that the world may know that thou hast sent me”: Jesus repeats this twice, hence the extreme importance of this is emphasized. They will know Jesus is a separate but divine person of God.
3. “that the world may know hast loved them even as thou hast loved me”: They live know God loves them as in John 3:16. And that this love is the same as the Father loves Jesus.

Imagine if this were to happen. It is obvious that it has not. Look at all the denominations, doctrines, views of God, forms of baptism, variations of the Plan of Salvation etc. that exists. It is a wonder that any lost are saved. Consider that with numerous lost people we have to start with establishing that there is a god, let alone a God that loves them. Loving now is critical because it has prime impact on the witness effectiveness to the lost. Imagine that every person we get to witness to already knows that God the Father and God the Son exists, that Jesus is the sole interface with lost humans, and God loves them as he loves Jesus. Imagine the kind of witness we could give. Yet the author does not recognize that this is why we must love like Jesus NOW!

“THE BEST USE OF LIFE IS LOVE” This is obvious since God said it is. The top priority is the learn to love like Jesus commanded as quickly as possible.

“Life without love is really worthless.” This is true whether saved or lost. But as a Christian, love is vital to achieving the two basic purposes of being alive.

“Love will last forever.” This Jesus notes at his White Throne Judgment. (Mat 25:34-40 RSV) "Then the King will say to those at his right hand, 'Come, O blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world; {35} for I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me drink, I was a stranger and you welcomed me, {36} I was naked and you clothed me, I was sick and you visited me, I was in prison and you came to me.' {37} Then the righteous will answer him, 'Lord, when did we see thee hungry and feed thee, or thirsty and give thee drink? {38} And when did we see thee a stranger and welcome thee, or naked and clothe thee? {39} And when did we see thee sick or in prison and visit thee?' {40} And the King will answer them, 'Truly, I say to you, as you did it to one of the least of these my brethren, you did it to me.'"

“We will be evaluated on our love.” Note above. Gal 6:10 "So then, as we have opportunity, let us do good to all men, and especially to those who are of the household of faith." We are to love “all men.”

Christians are to love at their new birth onward. BUT no one loves like God immediately. To love like God is not done by saying “I will love like God.” You must do the Growth Process of Peter. (2 Pet 1:5-7 RSV) "For this very reason make every effort to supplement your faith with virtue, and virtue with knowledge, {6} and knowledge with self-control, and self-control with steadfastness, and steadfastness with godliness, {7} and godliness with brotherly affection, and brotherly affection with love." It is a time-involved process of many steps of hard work before we can begin to God like Jesus (agape). Unfortunately people throw around the English word “love” with no appreciation for the Greek in the Bible. We have to go through brotherly love and do it well before we reach the ability to love like God. This is another major benefit of Discipleship Training. Note that several of the steps require correct and in-depth Bible study and understanding along with life practice as we grow.

DAY 17 Book page 130 “You are called to belong, not just believe… We are created for community, fashioned for fellowship, and formed for a family, and none of us can fulfill God’s purposes by ourselves.” This is the Church and there are local sub-groups commonly called churches. All saved of all time are part of the Church. Local churches are another story. Just because the sign says church does not mean it is one nor does it mean we should join it. Any local church must stand on solid Bible doctrine and application. Local churches are a main method God uses to grow us into being able to love like him and to see the unity of the family. But new Christians are confused by all the variety of groups calling themselves denominations and churches. So how do you think lost people feel? Many local groups are not Biblical and should not be considered churches. (Rom 12:5 RSV) "so we, though many, are one body in Christ, and individually members one of another." All this is NOT from God. He expects “one body in Christ” and in that single (denomination if you wish) “individually members one of another” growing toward the unity and love of Jesus. However, “member” is a bad translation. Local churches Biblically do not have memberships but are fellowships. As Dr. H. H. Hobbs would say, the church is a fellowship and not a membership. That is quite a difference that many do not recognize or appreciate. The New Testament never speaks of church membership but only of church fellowship [koinonia]. It denotes sharing in both privileges and responsibilities, but not as a commune. We MUST use the right words and meanings. Dr. Hobbs in his Studying Life and Work Lessons, October-December 1992, page 82 wrote, “The world is filled with falsehoods parading under the umbrella of religion. Many of these falsehoods exist under the guise of Christianity. We face all of these in Bold Mission Thrust, in our nation and in far-off lands. Our only weapon against them is the truth of the gospel. People peddle these false ideas. The only thing that will destroy them is a better idea." Thus a question is, "Is the local church still a good partner to families?" "Is it the source of better ideas?"

Certainly it was Jesus and his appearance on the road to Paul that was the "effectual power" that turned Paul into a believer. Paul waxes modest. But he certainly is not the least of all saints. Paul used the Greek word 2842. koinonia, koy-nohn-ee'-ah; from G2844; partnership, i.e. (lit.) participation, or (social) intercourse, or (pecuniary) benefaction:--(to) communicate (-ation), communion, (contri-), distribution, fellowship. He did not use "membership" as most do today. This is a vast difference between being a member of a group and being a part of the inner fellowship of the group. A local church is to be a fellowship of believer and not a group of members. You can be a member of something by getting your name on their roll and then do nothing else. But a church is a fellowship which demands time and love. Paul's use of 421. anexichniastos, an-ex-ikh-nee'-as-tos; from G1 (as a neg. particle) and a presumed der. of a comp. of G1537 and a der. of G2487; not tracked out, i.e. (by impl.) untraceable:--past finding out, unsearchable is not to be confused with what he said in Col 2.2. All Christians can come to an assured understanding and the knowledge of God's mystery, of Christ that is sufficient to achieve success in Peter's Steps in Christian Growth in 2 Pet 1:5-7.

Dr. H. H. Hobbs wrote in his Studying Adult Life and Work Lessons, April-June 1992, page 95-96 wrote of the church group at Sardis96 "What an accusation! Here was a church that was well-organized and had a full program of activities. They were as busy as a beehive…Outsiders seeing this "much ado about nothing" say that it is a live and going church, but Christ said with perceptive knowledge (oida) "You are a dead church."…Some called it a church of dead formalism. It can be true of a church. A class, or an individual." Finding a proper church is not easy. Even among a particular denomination, local church groups can be vastly different as to spiritual quality. So just to tell a lost person or a new Christian to join a local church is bordering on irresponsibility.

When Jesus used “church” he normally meant the Church of all believers or occasionally referred to a local fellowship of believers. It is to be a fellowship of family members who love each other and love the lost.

“YOUR LOCAL FELLOWSHIP” (Eph 2:19-22 RSV) "So then you are no longer strangers and sojourners, but you are fellow citizens with the saints and members of the household of God, {20} built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Christ Jesus himself being the cornerstone, {21} in whom the whole structure is joined together and grows into a holy temple in the Lord; {22} in whom you also are built into it for a dwelling place of God in the Spirit." A local church is a coming together of some local family to worship God buildup each other in growing to love like God.

“A church family identifies you as a genuine believer.” The author states “I can’t claim to be following Christ if I’m not committed to any specific group of disciples.” This is only partly true. Look at Paul. But the general idea is no Christian will grow well and project Jesus well if not part of some correct local fellowship.

“A church family moves you out of self-centered isolation.” (Heb 10:23-25 RSV) "Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for he who promised is faithful; {24} and let us consider how to stir up one another to love and good works, {25} not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another, and all the more as you see the Day drawing near." Book page 133 “The local church is the classroom for learning how to get along in God’s family.” This is true as far as it go. We are to love each other as Jesus loves us. They means we are loyal, concerned, caring, and helpful.

“A church family helps you develop spiritual muscle.” That is suppose to happen but too many churches lack the will and tools to do so. Do you really think one or two hours on Sunday morning will provide all the time you need to grow in encouragement? What ever happened to the idea that Sunday is the Lord DAY? Once a fellowship would spend a day in fellowship to worship and study. Gradually that has slipped away. Now we are lucky to Bible teaching one hour on Sunday. What ever happened to Discipleship Training? Most Southern Baptists thing two structured hours of Bible study and training in application is too much these days. The fact is the more complex our lives become, the more we need both Sunday School and Discipleship Training as a minimum.

“The body of Christ needs you.” That is true on many levels. We each have various functions and abilities that we bring to a local fellowship the others need and WE need have the others offer as well. The issue is how well will all of us share in a competent manner.

“You will share in Christ’s mission to the world.” Jesus did not tell the churches to witness. He told each disciple to witness. Matt 28:19. The fellowship helps to make the witnessing of each more effective, particularly when unity and love can be seem in the family.

“A church family will help keep you from backsliding.” (Heb 3:13 RSV) "But exhort one another every day, as long as it is called" today," that none of you may be hardened by the deceitfulness of sin." Churcjes are to use both formative and reformative disciple within the family. Many churches do little of either.

“IT’S ALL IN THE CHURCH” The church is a helper but the individual remains solely responsible to the Father for how the person lives and works for God.

“YOUR CHOICE” So it is with becoming a Christian and so it is in living a life that honors and glorifies the Father. Book page 137 “The Christian life is more than just commitment to Christ; it includes a commitment to other Christians.” AND a commitment to the lost to give to them a living and loving witness!

DAY 18 Book page 138 “Real fellowship is so much more than just showing up at services. It is experiencing life together…. When it comes to fellowship, size matter: Smaller is better.” It is easier to fellowship in a small group. But we must take care this does not become a click. And we must always remember our life is ours alone to live. No one can do it for us, not even Jesus. So we are not to make fellowship an excuse for not doing on our own. We are not to take physical residence in a church building and become a commune. We are to come together regularly and then DEPART into the world to live, witness, and enjoy work and pleasure. Think of the church as a spiritual filling station and a repair station.

“In real fellowship people experience authenticity.” Book page 139 “It is genuine, heart-to-heart, sometimes gut-level, sharing… Authenticity is the exact opposite of what you find in some churches.” Authenticity starts with Authentic Faith. 50 to 66% of SBC church attendees are lost but most of these think they are save. With such a percentage, that has little changes in a century, finding and having an authentic experience is very hard to do. Therefore the selecting of the author’s small group becomes a challenge for the mature Christian and a quick-sand maize for the babe in Christ. Mere words do not make a fellowship authentic.

“In real fellowship people experience mutuality.” Book page 140 “Mutuality is the art of giving and receiving.” This is not exclusive to a church. Clubs, lodges, and other organizations, whether spiritual or secular, do this. Some clubs provide more mutuality than many churches. Book page 141 “You are not responsible for everyone in the Body of Christ, but you are responsible to them.”

“In real fellowships people experience sympathy.” Again a secular group of family may do better at this than a church. It out not to be this way, but it too often is. And each Christian has individual capability to do the levels of fellowship of sharing, study, serving, and suffering together. We are to help in ways we can best do so and seek help from others are we find a need or lack in ourselves.

“In a real fellowship people experience mercy.” Book page 142 “Fellowship is a place of grace, where mistakes aren’t rubbed in but rubbed out. Fellowship happens when mercy wins over justice.” This is not to be taken an absolute premise. Remember Paul’s justice in (1 Cor 5:11-13 RSV) "But rather I wrote to you not to associate with any one who bears the name of brother if he is guilty of immorality or greed, or is an idolater, reviler, drunkard, or robber -- not even to eat with such a one. {12} For what have I to do with judging outsiders? Is it not those inside the church whom you are to judge? {13} God judges those outside. "Drive out the wicked person from among you."" There needs to be strong love but also tough love. The whole cannot be brought down for the sake of the few. For these people Jesus said (Mat 18:17 RSV) "If he refuses to listen to them, tell it to the church; and if he refuses to listen even to the church, let him be to you as a Gentile and a tax collector." What did Jesus mean “to you as a Gentile and a tax collector.” In that day the Jews thought of such people as lost. Jesus said to treat them as lost children who need to be sought again to come back into correct fellowship. It does not mean to drop them. If anything such people will take even more time and effort. But in the mean time, they are not directly influencing the babe in Christ and the children of people in the church. It is true, we are not to be judges. (Luke 6:37 RSV) ""Judge not, and you will not be judged; condemn not, and you will not be condemned; forgive, and you will be forgiven;" However, this is not to mean do not discern. “Judge” here means to pronounce a sentence. God is the only authorized Judge. But we are to discern and take steps of formative and reformative discipline. When the person really repeats, we are to forgive. We are not to hold a grudge. We are to forgive as God forgives. His forgiveness comes after repentance. Book page 143 “Forgiveness must be immediate, whether or not a person asks for it.” This is true upon repentance. To just forgive is not how God does it. There is a song of the 60’s that says “God will always forgive.” That is NOT true. God forgives upon repentance. We must be willing and open to the person repenting and we are to work to have the person we still love them, even without repentance. But love and repentance is not simultaneous. God loves for all people but most will send themselves to Hell because they do not repent of their sins.

A fellowship must be authentic in all things. We are not to be other than in the image of God.

DAY 19 Book page 145 “Only the Holy Spirit can create real fellowship between believers, but he cultivates it with the choices and commitments.” The author is wrong on how the Holy Spirit works. What the Holy Spirit does it transform a lost person into an adopted person once the person does Acts 20:21. He makes a person a part of the Family of God as he indwells that person at the moment of salvation. Fellowship is an active state of getting along with our brothers and sisters. The Holy Spirit does not create this at all. He does foster it, promote it, guide in it, and motivates to do it, but “real fellowship between believers” is the action and responsibility of each believer. If you hold the author’s position, any failure to establish “real fellowship” is the Holy Spirit’s fault. (1 Th 5:11 RSV) "Therefore encourage one another and build one another up, just as you are doing." The author misuses Eph 4:3. (Eph 4:1-3 RSV) "I therefore, a prisoner for the Lord, beg you to lead a life worthy of the calling to which you have been called, {2} with all lowliness and meekness, with patience, forbearing one another in love, {3} eager to maintain the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace." Note who has the action and responsibility. The Holy Spirit establishes at the New Birth a spiritual unity with other believers because we go into the Father’s family. We have the responsibility to maintain that unity by leading a life worthy of being in the Family of God.

The author is right that maintaining what the Holy Spirit stated will take work. Book pages 145-146 “They must be taught how to get along with and relate to others in God’s family.” Careful Bible study and regular coming together with other Christians will provide the knowledge and practice to do this.

“Cultivating community takes honesty.” Honesty in caring and love is a basis for any good human relationship. It is also necessary in a church where we are to have a spiritual as well as normal human fellowship. The dealing with problems must be done with wisdom and understanding. Sometimes it is best not to openly state to the crowd all you know about someone. There is both a private and public way of dealing with problems. An example is: (Mat 18:15-17 RSV) ""If your brother sins against you, go and tell him his fault, between you and him alone. If he listens to you, you have gained your brother. {16} But if he does not listen, take one or two others along with you, that every word may be confirmed by the evidence of two or three witnesses. {17} If he refuses to listen to them, tell it to the church; and if he refuses to listen even to the church, let him be to you as a Gentile and a tax collector." It is in private when you are to be frank about matters. However, there are friendly and hurtful ways of being frank.

Book page 147 “Sadly, thousands of fellowships have been destroyed by a lack of honesty.” But even when the truth comes out people often will do nothing because it will hurt feelings and stir the pot. There does come a time when action must be taken, no matter the feelings of anyone, as Paul did on several occasions. Yet even then, care must be exercised on how it is done.

“Cultivating community takes humility.” Motivation is a prime elements on any interface with others. You must never have an attitude of “I’m better than you are.” That is not what Paul said in (Mat 18:15-17 RSV) ""If your brother sins against you, go and tell him his fault, between you and him alone. If he listens to you, you have gained your brother. {16} But if he does not listen, take one or two others along with you, that every word may be confirmed by the evidence of two or three witnesses. {17} If he refuses to listen to them, tell it to the church; and if he refuses to listen even to the church, let him be to you as a Gentile and a tax collector." And: (1 Cor 12:22-27 RSV) "On the contrary, the parts of the body which seem to be weaker are indispensable, {23} and those parts of the body which we think less honorable we invest with the greater honor, and our unpresentable parts are treated with greater modesty, {24} which our more presentable parts do not require. But God has so composed the body, giving the greater honor to the inferior part, {25} that there may be no discord in the body, but that the members may have the same care for one another. {26} If one member suffers, all suffer together; if one member is honored, all rejoice together. {27} Now you are the body of Christ and individually members of it." And never forget with are humans. We each have characteristics that some will like and other will not. There is always a complexity of human aspects of relationships that go on in any gathering, including the church. There is no magic prayer of verse that will set things right. It requires dedication to get along with others. Remember the steps of the Growth Process of Peter (2 Pet 1:5-7)? Brotherly love must be developed before we can love like God. All this talk about cultivating community is part of learning and developing brotherly love.

“Cultivating community takes confidentiality.” As noted before, there are times for discretion.

“Cultivating community takes frequency.” The adage “Practice makes perfect” is certainly true of developing spiritual fellowship. We both need to give and need to get from others. Book page 151: “Community requirements commitment.”

DAY 20 Book page 152 “Relationships are always worth restoring.’ The author primarily addresses being in the church. However, he ignores that there are so many lost church members. This introduces vast complexities. Paul had plenty of problems with Christians warring against Christians on a wide variety of matters from doctrine to how and what to eat. The author quotes (Mat 5:9 RSV) ""Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called sons of God." This refers to person to person relationships. Book page 153 “Peacemakers are rare because peacemaking is hard work…. Unfortunately, most of us were never taught how to resolve a conflict. Peacemaking is not avoiding conflict.” Wrong approaches can make a conflict into a war. Book page 153 “Peacemaking is not appeasement.” Only the truth can make right, but the truth can be brutal. So its use has to be carefully done.

“Talk to God before talking to the person.” We are to discuss all things with the Father. Don’t forget the blessing of the indwelling Holy Spirit. He is so often forgotten in life, whether when life is easy or hard. The Holy Spirit is our Guide, our Counselor. We should ask for help to better learn to listen to his perfect guidance. We should ask the Father to help shape the circumstances for the meeting we will have with those we seek to gain peace.

The vital thing is to learn to be peacemakers. Just a couple of prayers to the Father will not be enough. There is a lot to learn about how humans think and react. Just reading a couple of books will not be enough either. The author outlines a few basic aspects of peacemaking, but don’t think they are comprehensive. They are like a checklist after you learn all the details of the big subject. Take extreme care in trying to apply them. Careless peacemaking can do far more harm than seeking the help from other Christians who are trained peacemakers. Every Christian is to do what they can to not make the situation worse. But peacemaking is an intelligent and skillful endeavor.

“Always take the initiative.” (Mat 5:23-24 RSV) "So if you are offering your gift at the altar, and there remember that your brother has something against you, {24} leave your gift there before the altar and go; first be reconciled to your brother, and then come and offer your gift." Jesus gives no timeline. This may well take more than a few minutes. And it may be very complex and involved. You may well need to seek the help of other peacemakers. Jesus stress timely action because such a personal issue can fester into a major breach in fellowship.

“Sympathize with their feelings.” If you cannot place yourself in their position and see things from their eyes, then you need to spend time doing this before you go. You can easily make matters worse from an insensitive approach. This may cause you to learn some things about yourself that you might have trouble dealing with. Interfacing with people always has its risks.

“Confess your part in the conflict.” Jesus did say (Mat 7:5 RSV) "You hypocrite, first take the log out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to take the speck out of your brother's eye." But this is a private action. Book page 156 “Confession is a powerful tool for reconciliation.” But this is not to be done without thinking. And there may be secular legal reasons not to say certain things to someone, whither a Christian or not. Don’t just blindly confess. There is much more to “take the log out of your own eye” than an open confession to someone. BE CAREFUL!

“Attack the problem, not the person.” Book page 157 “You cannot fix the problem if you’re consumed with fixing the blame.” How you do things is often more important than what you say. But the problem may include major aspects of what is a person. To gain peace it may be that you and the person both need to change various things. Again remember this may take a lot of time, even years to achieve. Seek help in short order if necessary.

“Cooperate as much as possible.” (Rom 12:18 RSV) "If possible, so far as it depends upon you, live peaceably with all." But living peaceably never depends just on you. But it best starts to improve with you. It will take time and effort.

“Emphasize reconciliation, not resolution.” It takes to t reconcile. The other person may not what to. The other person may hold a grudge. The other person may take you to civil court. And you may have done a crime that makes reconciliation a major problem to the affected person. You may need to pay a price to society.

Cultivating community is an involved, complex, life-long effort on the part of everyone. Jesus expects you to do your part and then some.

DAY 21 Book page 160 “It is your job to protect the unity of the church. Unity is the church is so important that the New Testament gives more attention to it than either heaven or hell. God deeply desires that we experience oneness and harmony with each other.” This is true for a local church. But Jesus means the whole of God’s family. Churches are to be in unity with other churches. There are to be no denominations. Book page 160 “Our supreme model for unity is the Trinity.” It is vital that they be united. God is the Trinity. Yet in their unity they are separate Persons. The importance of unity is not just to stop fights between brothers and sisters, but is essential to witness to the lost, as we have covered before with Matt 17:21-23. The Church is God’s sole method to witness to the lost and to train babes in Christ to be mature Christians. As fantastic as it may seem. God is not his own best witness. (Luke 16:27-31 RSV) "And he said, 'Then I beg you, father, to send him to my father's house, {28} for I have five brothers, so that he may warn them, lest they also come into this place of torment.' {29} But Abraham said, 'They have Moses and the prophets; let them hear them.' {30} And he said, 'No, father Abraham; but if some one goes to them from the dead, they will repent.' {31} He said to him, 'If they do not hear Moses and the prophets, neither will they be convinced if some one should rise from the dead.'"" God’s witness is to be from God’s priests (Rev 1:6 RSV) "and made us a kingdom, priests to his God and Father, to him be glory and dominion for ever and ever. Amen." So the verse about keeping the unity is about far more than just having a friendly worship service. (Eph 4:3 RSV) "eager to maintain the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace." Without unity the churches have no good witness to the world. The world is as it is in large part to the almost total lack of unity in the Christian world. And unity is more than agreeing on when to start the worship time on Sunday. Its foundation is correct Bible doctrine. This cannot be downplayed in priority and importance. We can have a friendliness between competing churches and their variation of beliefs, there that is NOT the unity Jesus demands (not just desires) from his followers. Remember Jesus said (John 15:14 RSV) "You are my friends if you do what I command you." NOTE “IF”! It is the biggest little word in the Bible. It demands conditions be met. We are eternally brothers and sisters of Jesus if we have done Acts 20:21. But friends do friendly things. WE MUST THE COMMANDS OF Jesus. One command is to be as Jesus prayed in (John 17:21a RSV) "that they may all be one; even as thou, Father, art in me, and I in thee". Jesus’ merest wish should be our priority command.

“Focus on what we have in common, not our differences.” This is what we do now. And how is the vision of the church to the world now? It is not of unity in either message or actions. The authors declares Page 161 “As believers we share one Lord, one body, one purpose, one Father, one Spirit, one hope, one faith, one baptism, and one love.” This is NOT TRUE. This might be true within a single church or perhaps a church denomination, But it is not true in the Christian world. This is pie-in-the-sky thinking. It is what we should have, but do not. So “protect” is a very nebulas idea versus what we really have: the need to establish unity in all churches with all churches. The “differences” are often huge in doctrine. These cannot be overlooked. (Gal 5:12 RSV) "I wish those who unsettle you would mutilate themselves!" Paul did not focus on the common. He drove to get rid of the differences for the differences stop real unity.

The issue of worship styles is a totally different matter. But difference doctrines that are not true to the Bible are not mere “preferences.” Paul said (Rom 14:19 RSV) "Let us then pursue what makes for peace and for mutual upbuilding” he was not thinking of bad doctrines like that held by Gnostics. The context of his statement is (Rom 14:17 RSV) "For the kingdom of God is not food and drink but righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit;", it is the context of style and personal preferences, mixed with immature understanding of what he taught. Book page 161 “But for unity’s sake, we must never let differences divide us.” This is never true for doctrine! Truth is what we must stay focused on, not what the author says “learning to love each other as Christ has loved us.” There can be no unity as Jesus is with the Father with wrong doctrine because wrong doctrine is error. Paul stated (Rom 14:1 RSV) "As for the man who is weak in faith, welcome him, but not for disputes over opinions." His “opinions” are not matters of doctrine but rather matters like (Rom 14:2 RSV) "One believes he may eat anything, while the weak man eats only vegetables." The author is proof-texting to make his point. He is ignoring doctrine. Doctrines hold God’s truth. Doctrine cannot be ignored. If there is no common doctrine, there cannot be unity like the Trinity.

“Be realistic in your expectations.” This is true once true doctrine is established. The church members consists both of lost who think they are saved and saved people who range from a new babe in Christ to the mature and those who should know better. Book page 162 “Other believers will disappoint you and let you down, but that’s no excuse to stop fellowshipping with them.” That is true within the context of Rom 14-15. Unrepented sin is another issue where Paul says we may have to stop fellowship. (1 Cor 5:11 RSV) "But rather I wrote to you not to associate with any one who bears the name of brother if he is guilty of immorality or greed, or is an idolater, reviler, drunkard, or robber -- not even to eat with such a one."

“Choose to encourage rather than criticize.” Once again Paul’s words of Rom 14-15. Note (Rom 15:1-2 RSV) "We who are strong ought to bear with the failings of the weak, and not to please ourselves; {2} let each of us please his neighbor for his good, to edify him." But bearing the “failings of the weak” does not mean to overlook or ignore them. We are to work in the right attitude of brotherly love to (1 Cor 14:5 RSV) "Now I want you all to speak in tongues, but even more to prophesy. He who prophesies is greater than he who speaks in tongues, unless some one interprets, so that the church may be edified." Paul aim is always that what we do in the church edifies the church. Edify in the Greek means to buildup. And there is a difference between judging and assessment. (Luke 6:37 RSV) ""Judge not, and you will not be judged; condemn not, and you will not be condemned; forgive, and you will be forgiven;" and (1 Cor 4:3-4 RSV) "But with me it is a very small thing that I should be judged by you or by any human court. I do not even judge myself. {4} I am not aware of anything against myself, but I am not thereby acquitted. It is the Lord who judges me." The meaning is to pronounce a sentence as does a judge in a trial. But Paul speaks many times about assessing Christians and spiritual situation for god and evil. Again do nut forget that a church is responsible for both formative and reformative discipline. (1 Cor 5:5 RSV) "you are to deliver this man to Satan for the destruction of the flesh, that his spirit may be saved in the day of the Lord Jesus." The necessity of such grave action arises out of the inevitable result of a little leaven in a lump of dough. The whole lump is soon leavened (v. 6). The effect of grave sin tolerated within the church would eventually be a widespread loss of purity. A loss of purity automatically is a lose of unity like Jesus has with the Father and like we are to have with fellow Christians.

“Refuse to listen to gossip.” This is a fine and necessary thing to do.

“Practice God’s methods for conflict resolution.” If it gets to “telling the church”, Jesus went on to say (Mat 18:17b RSV) "if he refuses to listen even to the church, let him be to you as a Gentile and a tax collector." A church must take action when the situation calls for it. Most teachers and preachers want to ignore that God said to old Israel, (Deu 28:15 RSV) ""But if you will not obey the voice of the LORD your God or be careful to do all his commandments and his statutes which I command you this day, then all these curses shall come upon you and overtake you." And (Deu 28:45 RSV) "All these curses shall come upon you and pursue you and overtake you, till you are destroyed, because you did not obey the voice of the LORD your God, to keep his commandments and his statutes which he commanded you." This corresponds with Jesus serious warning of (Mat 7:21 RSV) ""Not every one who says to me, 'Lord, Lord,' shall enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of my Father who is in heaven." God used and uses formative AND reformative disciple. God has killed evil Christians so they will not leaven the whole church with their veil. (Acts 5:10 RSV) "Immediately she fell down at his feet and died. When the young men came in they found her dead, and they carried her out and buried her beside her husband." Churches have died because of similar things.

“Support your pastor and leaders.” This is in the order God wants in a church. But again it is not a blind mandate. Dr. H. H. Hobbs wrote and said many times that a pastor is not to be a dictator, but a fellow Christian who has the task of being the guiding leader. Pastors are not infallible and some sin. The real sin Southern Baptists do (we are not alone) is hid the sexual sins of pastors and other sins as well. They are rarely told to another church who may be seeking a pastor. Southern Baptists have a system of secretly searching for a pastor. They will go to the person’s church to hear a sermon under the guise of being just a visitor. Certainly they will not find out the real character of the person this way. It is the Baptist version of quietly moving a priest to another Parrish and not informing the new Parrish of all the reasons. Our leaders are equal Christians who are fellow priests unto Christ. They will sin at times and Christians in the church must take the same formative and reformative actions with them and all church leaders and teachers as with any church member. Unity only comes on the basis of true doctrine and believing and practicing that all Christians are equal before God. (Rom 2:11 RSV) "For God shows no partiality." Only then will we move to do the two prime purposes God ahs for us and do it in a growing really of unity that the world can see and want to respond to our witnesses.

Marvin Ganote, Hobbs Study Class Adult Teacher, ganotemd@dma.org Lesson at: http://www.dma.org/~ganotemd/lesson.htm or http://homepages.udayton.edu/~ganotem/bible/lesson.htm