Christian Manifesto
Being convinced that there is one God, that He is the maker of all things, that He is holy and above reproach, that He for love of Humanity has revealed Himself as God by His Spirit and through the Inspired books of the Christian Scriptures, that He in the character of Jesus the Christ died to restore fallen and sinful Humanity to Himself by His Sacrifice and rose in triumph over Death, and that said God will hastily return to judge both the living and the dead, wherein all Humanity both believing and disbelieving shall appear bodily before His throne to face eternal determination regarding the acceptance or rejection of Jesus as Lord and Savior during their lifetimes, it is fitting that His Body, the church, being grafted into the Root of Jacob, should reconsider itself: whether it is living fruitfully according to the Spirit of Christ.
In consideration of this question, it is necessary to consider at least Three elements of our existence as those who lay claim to the Treasures of a Relationship with the Almighty through the Blood of Jesus: the Testimony of God’s Holy Spirit with those who call upon His name, the Demonstration of Charity for each other in our various Fellowships, and the Witness of Eternal Concern for the unbelieving of our Kindred Humanity.
It is written in the Word of God, “The Spirit Himself testifies with our spirit that we are children of God.” (Romans 8:16) Therefore, if we are indeed children of God, we must consider whether the things written with this promise apply to our lives. Are our minds set on the things of the Spirit rather than the things of the Flesh? Have we subjected ourselves to His will? Do we struggle toward Righteousness as those in whom the Spirit of Christ is alive? Are we living according to the Spirit and putting to death the deeds of the body? Is ours the Spirit of Adoption? Do we suffer with Him so we may also be glorified with Him? Is the Glory of God being revealed in us? Do we groan, do we eagerly wait, do we truly hope for the redemption of our bodies? Do we persevere? Do we trust? Or, do we still cherish Sin? Are we merely fooling ourselves? Do we allow ourselves the sin of Greed, Sloth, Hatred, or Gluttony even as we reject the sin of Sexual Deviancy, Violence, or Terrorism in another? Is Christ our Standard, or are we satisfied with seeming better to ourselves than those who do not claim to know the Lord?
It is written as well, “By this all men will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another.” (John 13:35) There is no mention here of conditionality, no exemption for time restrictions, economic status, race, rank, or nationality. Here we must consider the oft-neglected Sacrament of Servanthood, which our Lord displayed and commanded to us in the washing of His Disciple’s feet on the night He was betrayed, even within the hour of His command to Love one Another. Is our Charity toward each other a match for the Love displayed by Jesus? Do we see that it is in our Love for one another that God is Glorified, or do we too play Judas even while being served by the Body of Christ? Are we bearing the Fruit of Charity by loving and serving each other? When we come to the Fellowship of Christ, do we come to serve or to be served? Do we come to love or no?
Also, the Scriptures declare, “For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish, but have eternal life. For God did not send the Son into the world to judge the world, but that the world might be saved through Him. He who believes in Him is not judged; he who does not believe has been judged already, because he has not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God.” (John 3:16) Additionally, the Lord’s Command is “Go into all the world and preach the gospel to all creation,” (Mark 16:15) and “Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age." (Matthew 28:19-20) If Jesus displayed such concern for lost Humanity, should not the activities and actions of our lives Witness the same Eternal Concern? If we truly believe what we say we believe, if what our Scriptures declare is actually true, then how is it that our world is so unobtrusively turned away from the Salvation of Christ? Why have we failed to answer to the prevalent cultures of Humanism, Abortion, Disrespect, Self-worship, Evolution, Self-indulgence, Irresponsibility, Drugs, Pop-stardom, Violence, Homosexuality, Adultery, and Entitlement?
If we still believe in God the Father, Almighty, Maker of heaven and earth, and in Jesus Christ, His only begotten Son, our Lord; that He was conceived by the Holy Ghost, born of the Virgin Mary, suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, dead and buried; that He descended into hell, rose again from the dead, and ascended into heaven to sit at the right hand of God the Father Almighty; and that from thence He shall come to judge the quick and the dead… if we still believe in the Holy Ghost, in the holy church, in the communion of saints and the forgiveness of sins… if we still believe in the Resurrection of the body and the Life Everlasting… (see The Apostle’s Creed) if we are truly Convinced of these things, and our reconsideration verifies it, then We are charged to “Take care, brethren, that there not be in any one of you an evil, unbelieving heart that falls away from the living God. But encourage one another day after day, as long as it is still called ‘Today,’ so that none of you will be hardened by the deceitfulness of sin.” (Hebrews 3:12-13) We are the Body of Jesus, and if We are not absolutely Convinced, than the World is truly without Hope.
Therefore, in recognition of these Realities, we are charged by God to take up His Word as our Banner, our Command, our Commission, and our Manifesto. To God be the Glory in our Essence, in our Charity, and in our Testimony. Amen.
In consideration of this question, it is necessary to consider at least Three elements of our existence as those who lay claim to the Treasures of a Relationship with the Almighty through the Blood of Jesus: the Testimony of God’s Holy Spirit with those who call upon His name, the Demonstration of Charity for each other in our various Fellowships, and the Witness of Eternal Concern for the unbelieving of our Kindred Humanity.
It is written in the Word of God, “The Spirit Himself testifies with our spirit that we are children of God.” (Romans 8:16) Therefore, if we are indeed children of God, we must consider whether the things written with this promise apply to our lives. Are our minds set on the things of the Spirit rather than the things of the Flesh? Have we subjected ourselves to His will? Do we struggle toward Righteousness as those in whom the Spirit of Christ is alive? Are we living according to the Spirit and putting to death the deeds of the body? Is ours the Spirit of Adoption? Do we suffer with Him so we may also be glorified with Him? Is the Glory of God being revealed in us? Do we groan, do we eagerly wait, do we truly hope for the redemption of our bodies? Do we persevere? Do we trust? Or, do we still cherish Sin? Are we merely fooling ourselves? Do we allow ourselves the sin of Greed, Sloth, Hatred, or Gluttony even as we reject the sin of Sexual Deviancy, Violence, or Terrorism in another? Is Christ our Standard, or are we satisfied with seeming better to ourselves than those who do not claim to know the Lord?
It is written as well, “By this all men will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another.” (John 13:35) There is no mention here of conditionality, no exemption for time restrictions, economic status, race, rank, or nationality. Here we must consider the oft-neglected Sacrament of Servanthood, which our Lord displayed and commanded to us in the washing of His Disciple’s feet on the night He was betrayed, even within the hour of His command to Love one Another. Is our Charity toward each other a match for the Love displayed by Jesus? Do we see that it is in our Love for one another that God is Glorified, or do we too play Judas even while being served by the Body of Christ? Are we bearing the Fruit of Charity by loving and serving each other? When we come to the Fellowship of Christ, do we come to serve or to be served? Do we come to love or no?
Also, the Scriptures declare, “For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish, but have eternal life. For God did not send the Son into the world to judge the world, but that the world might be saved through Him. He who believes in Him is not judged; he who does not believe has been judged already, because he has not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God.” (John 3:16) Additionally, the Lord’s Command is “Go into all the world and preach the gospel to all creation,” (Mark 16:15) and “Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age." (Matthew 28:19-20) If Jesus displayed such concern for lost Humanity, should not the activities and actions of our lives Witness the same Eternal Concern? If we truly believe what we say we believe, if what our Scriptures declare is actually true, then how is it that our world is so unobtrusively turned away from the Salvation of Christ? Why have we failed to answer to the prevalent cultures of Humanism, Abortion, Disrespect, Self-worship, Evolution, Self-indulgence, Irresponsibility, Drugs, Pop-stardom, Violence, Homosexuality, Adultery, and Entitlement?
If we still believe in God the Father, Almighty, Maker of heaven and earth, and in Jesus Christ, His only begotten Son, our Lord; that He was conceived by the Holy Ghost, born of the Virgin Mary, suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, dead and buried; that He descended into hell, rose again from the dead, and ascended into heaven to sit at the right hand of God the Father Almighty; and that from thence He shall come to judge the quick and the dead… if we still believe in the Holy Ghost, in the holy church, in the communion of saints and the forgiveness of sins… if we still believe in the Resurrection of the body and the Life Everlasting… (see The Apostle’s Creed) if we are truly Convinced of these things, and our reconsideration verifies it, then We are charged to “Take care, brethren, that there not be in any one of you an evil, unbelieving heart that falls away from the living God. But encourage one another day after day, as long as it is still called ‘Today,’ so that none of you will be hardened by the deceitfulness of sin.” (Hebrews 3:12-13) We are the Body of Jesus, and if We are not absolutely Convinced, than the World is truly without Hope.
Therefore, in recognition of these Realities, we are charged by God to take up His Word as our Banner, our Command, our Commission, and our Manifesto. To God be the Glory in our Essence, in our Charity, and in our Testimony. Amen.
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