UNITED IN CHRIST

UNITED IN CHRIST

When scripture scholars got together to present the letters of Paul to the world, there were always some doubts cast about when, where or who wrote it.  I don’t think that matters very much. I think what matters is who is reading it today.  The letter to the Ephesians, like the others, is written to Jews in areas outside of Israel; people who have embraced the Good News of Jesus.  Like all the converts, they had to keep focused on Him in order to change their thinking and their concept of God.  That was difficult to do because of all the outside influences. Paul saw it as his responsibility to keep them resolute. It is no different for us, so we can read Paul’s words and take them to heart because, even though he didn’t know it, they were written for us too.  

A case in point: Letter to Ephesians 2:19-23

“So then you are no longer strangers and travelers, but you are fellow citizens with the members of the household of God, built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, with Christ Jesus himself as the capstone. Through him the whole structure is held together and grows into a temple sacred in the Lord; in Him you also are being built into a dwelling place of God in the Spirit.”

The question we must ask ourselves is “Are we that?”  Do we ever think of ourselves, Christians that is, as a household with Jesus at the head?   The first time I ever saw anyone who evidenced that joy was when the first Charismatic group came to our church. They embraced each other in joy for being followers of Christ. Everyone sneered at them and called them ‘Holy Rollers’.  Which group of Christians do you think brought a smile to Jesus’s face?

I recently returned from a visit to West Point where my grandson is a Cadet. I met a man who graduated in 1967, 30 years before my grandson was born, and yet the bond between them and between every graduate or cadet, is all around you there and it is so strong it almost feels like a living thing.  It is because they all are focused on the same thing, Duty, Honor, Country.

We ought to strive for that kind of bond between all Christians.  Our focus must be Jesus Christ.  We need to ignore distinctions between religions and concentrate on the headship of Jesus.  It’s a tall order because some of those rifts go very, very deep, but the Spirit is stronger. It makes me feel very insignificant when I try to think of how we can achieve this; still, I know it is what God wants from us.  There are two types of churchgoers in the majority. There are ones who visit with everyone and the conversation, I dare say, is not about Jesus. Then there are those who sit quietly and talk to Jesus but don’t share him.  Let us pray daily that we will grow enough to take joy in a life lived in Jesus and because of it, form the bond that is so desperately needed.

Blessings,

Carol Lemelin OPA