DOES GOD HAVE TWO PEOPLES ON THIS EARTH, OR ONE?

Does God have two peoples on this earth, or one?

The Bible is very clear in saying that without Christ people are aliens from the commonwealth of Israel, strangers from the covenants of promise, having no hope, and without God in the World. The Bible is also very clear in telling us that there is only one people of God, not two. We Gentiles have become a part of, not replaced, the true Israel of God. Man says God has two peoples, but God tells us in His Word that He has one people. Who will you believe?

Ephesians 2:11 Wherefore remember, that ye being in time past Gentiles in the flesh, who are called Uncircumcision by that which is called the Circumcision in the flesh made by hands;

Ephesians 2:12 That at that time ye were without Christ, being aliens from the commonwealth of Israel, and strangers from the covenants of promise, having no hope, and without God in the world:

Ephesians 2:13 But now in Christ Jesus ye who sometimes were far off are made nigh by the blood of Christ.

Ephesians 2:14 For he is our peace, who hath made both one, and hath broken down the middle wall of partition between us;

Ephesians 2:15 Having abolished in his flesh the enmity, even the law of commandments contained in ordinances; for to make in himself of twain one new man, so making peace;

Ephesians 2:16 And that he might reconcile both unto God in one body by the cross, having slain the enmity thereby:

Ephesians 2:17 And came and preached peace to you which were afar off, and to them that were nigh.

Ephesians 2:18 For through him we both have access by one Spirit unto the Father.

Ephesians 2:19 Now therefore ye are no more strangers and foreigners, but fellowcitizens with the saints, and of the household of God;

Ephesians 2:20 And are built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ himself being the chief corner stone;

Ephesians 2:21 In whom all the building fitly framed together groweth unto an holy temple in the Lord:

Ephesians 2:22 In whom ye also are builded together for an habitation of God through the Spirit.

BORN AGAIN

When we are born again, and the Holy Spirit comes to dwell within us and we are changed. We no longer walk “according to the course of this world.”

 

Ephesians 2:2 Wherein in time past ye walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that now worketh in the children of disobedience:

Ephesians 4:22 That ye put off concerning the former conversation the old man, which is corrupt according to the deceitful lusts;

 

LITTLE THINGS

I found this little poem this morning on “raindrop”.  I thought it was appropriate for Thanksgiving day.

LITTLE THINGS

Too often we don’t realize what we have until it is gone;
Too often we wait too late to say “I’m sorry – I was wrong.”

Sometimes it seems we hurt the ones we hold dearest to our hearts;
And we allow foolish things to tear our lives apart.

Far too many times we let unimportant things into our minds;
And then it’s usually too late to see what made us blind.

So be sure that you let people know how much they mean to you;
Take that time to say the words before your time is through.

Be sure that you appreciate everything you’ve got;
And be thankful for the Little things in life that mean a lot.

(Author unknown)

CHURCH

CHURCH

Strong’s Concordance

1577. ekklesia, ek-klay-see’-ah

HELPS Word-studies (source: biblehub.com)

1577 ekklēsía (from 1537 /ek, “out from and to” and 2564 /kaléō, “to call”) – properly, people called out from the world and to God, the outcome being the Church (the mystical body of Christ) – i.e. the universal (total) body of believers whom God calls out from the world and into His eternal kingdom.

A building is not “the church.” Born again believers are the church. An organization is not “the church.” Born again believers are the church. The true church is a family, and should function similar to a family, each person having a role. If all the buildings that we call “churches” were to close their doors, there would still be a church. If all the organizations and institutions that are called “churches” were to fall into apostasy, the true church would still be in existence. How? Why? Because the church is the faithful remnant of people who follow the Lord Jesus Christ in Spirit and in truth.

ASSEMBLING

If we are not gathering in Spirit and in truth our gathering is pointless. It has become nothing more than a legal formality. The Lord told us that when two or three are gathered together in His name, He would be in the midst. 

MINISTRY

There can be, and there is, ministry outside of the institution/organization called the “church.” We are to be salt and light in this world. Our whole life can be, is to be, ministry. Ministry does not have to be confined to belonging to a particular “church” and then signing up for a specific “ministry.” We can be salt and light wherever we are. There are people all around us who need to hear the Gospel. There are people all around us who need comfort and help. There are people all around us who need prayer. Whatever the Lord puts before us to do for others is ministry. I have found in my experience that it is possible for “ministry” to become nothing more than a legal formality. On the other had I have also experienced the joy of ministry that flows from the heart, and is a very real part of the world we live in.

GIVING

Giving can also become a legal formality. We can give in a compulsory manner, or give with eyes closed to serious false doctrines being propagated in our local church. We think we have done our duty, and say we are not responsible for what is done with the money once it leaves our hands. But is that really true? I don’t think so. When the institutional/organizational church has gone astray, there are many other ways we can give to further the Gospel and help the poor.  We should provide for our family also, including our parents etc. if they have need.  If we pray and seek the Lord through His Word, He will lead us in the right direction.

Before I was born again I attended the Roman Catholic church. They have what they call “holy days of obligation.” You must attend a church on those days or you are guilty of what they call “mortal sin.” Many Catholics attend church in legal obedience to this Roman Catholic law.  But we, as born again Christians, are to be concerned with truth, not a legal obedience void of truth. We must follow the Lord Jesus Christ, the Son of Man who had nowhere to lay his head. If our local congregations have fallen into apostasy, we may have no choice but to go forth and worship Him outside the camp, and by doing so we will surely bear his reproach.

Matthew 5:13-16 Ye are the salt of the earth: but if the salt have lost his savour, wherewith shall it be salted? it is thenceforth good for nothing, but to be cast out, and to be trodden under foot of men. Ye are the light of the world. A city that is set on an hill cannot be hid. Neither do men light a candle, and put it under a bushel, but on a candlestick; and it giveth light unto all that are in the house. Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven.

Matthew 8:20 And Jesus saith unto him, The foxes have holes, and the birds of the air have nests; but the Son of man hath not where to lay his head.

Matthew 18:20 For where two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of them.

John 4:23-24 But the hour cometh, and now is, when the true worshippers shall worship the Father in spirit and in truth: for the Father seeketh such to worship him. God is a Spirit: and they that worship him must worship him in spirit and in truth.

Hebrews 10:25 Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as the manner of some is; but exhorting one another: and so much the more, as ye see the day approaching.

Hebrews 13:13 Let us go forth therefore unto him without the camp, bearing his reproach.

TWO DEATHS

At the end of 2000 we spent almost a whole month visiting with my parents and other family members. We were living quite far from them at the time, and it was wonderful to be able to see everyone, and to spend the Thanksgiving holiday together. My aunt called my mother a few days before Thanksgiving and invited her and my father to her home for Thanksgiving dinner. They usually didn’t spend the holiday together but I guess my aunt was concerned that my parents might be alone, so she kindly extended the invitation. A day or so after her conversation with my mother, my aunt was not feeling well. Her son asked her if she wanted to see a doctor, and my aunt said yes. Her son later told us that he knew something was very wrong because his mother never said yes when he asked her a question like that. He called an ambulance right away.

She never made it to the hospital. She died in the ambulance.

She died on my husband’s birthday. (Oddly enough, her husband, my uncle, died five years later, also on my husband’s birthday.) That date will always be etched in my mind. My aunt was planning Thanksgiving dinner, just a few days away, but she never lived to see it.

A short time after Thanksgiving, during this same extended visit, we received news that my uncle had a stroke and was in the hospital. We went to see him. Though the stroke left him unconscious, my husband whispered God’s word into his ear, and we prayed for him. When my uncle’s roommate heard us pray he said “I wish somebody would pray like that for me.” So we prayed for his roommate too, and the Lord graciously touched this sweet elderly man.

My uncle died the next day.

Isn’t it strange that on the night before my uncle died, we should be providentially led to his bedside, his deathbed, to pray for him and speak the word of God to him again. We stayed for the funeral, and I had an opportunity to share a little about my uncle’s life. More importantly I had the opportunity to share the Gospel.

When I was in that hospital room, on that cold dark night eight years ago, I noticed a small white paper on the floor. I picked it up. It was a bible tract. Here is what I wrote on it …

“Uncle Joe, December 3, 2000,

Brookdale Hospital, Brooklyn, New York”

The title of the tract . . . PREPARE TO MEET THY GOD