Living in the Spirit
Living in the Spirit
July 16, 2021
Scripture Reading: Ephesians 2:11-22
So then, remember that at one time you Gentiles by birth, called ‘the uncircumcision’ by those who are called ‘the circumcision’—a physical circumcision made in the flesh by human hands—remember that you were at that time without Christ, being aliens from the commonwealth of Israel, and strangers to the covenants of promise, having no hope and without God in the world. But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far off have been brought near by the blood of Christ. For he is our peace; in his flesh he has made both groups into one and has broken down the dividing wall, that is, the hostility between us. He has abolished the law with its commandments and ordinances, so that he might create in himself one new humanity in place of the two, thus making peace, and might reconcile both groups to God in one body through the cross, thus putting to death that hostility through it. So he came and proclaimed peace to you who were far off and peace to those who were near; for through him both of us have access in one Spirit to the Father. So then you are no longer strangers and aliens, but you are citizens with the saints and also members of the household of God, built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, with Christ Jesus himself as the cornerstone. In him the whole structure is joined together and grows into a holy temple in the Lord; in whom you also are built together spiritually into a dwelling-place for God.
In John 17:20–23, Jesus called us to be one. Paul picks up this theme in both Ephesus and Galatians. Yet, we still cannot even find ways to be one among the groups that consider themselves to be Christ-followers. We are driving people away from Christ, not introducing them to him.
We humans pick out the strangest things about which to disagree. My faith community split the first time over whether the bible supported the use of organs in worship. This group was founded on the belief that we had no creed but Christ. I guess some folks had some other doctrines. My guess is some were concerned about their members moving toward the high church type worship from which their ancestors moved to the New World to escape. The problem presented is rarely the concern needing to be addressed.
Here in 2021, we are farther away from being one, as our ancestors in faith were when they fled religious oppression. Instead, we are following a well-established worldly competitive attitude that my god is better than your god. But, of course, often in such discourses, the god of choice is the one projected from our image. So, how did we get to this point? But, more importantly, how can we turn around from this place and seek God’s Kingdom where all people are capable of loving and being loved in return?
Prayer: Lord, fill us with your love to the extent that we can love ourselves and one another without question or dispute. Make us one, O Lord, Make us one. Amen.
*https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Christian_churches_and_churches_of_Christ
All scriptures are quoted from the New Revised Standard Version Bible: Anglicized Edition, copyright 1989, 1995, Division of Christian Education of the National Council of Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights are reserved.