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I guess we must be on Issue 21, for anyone who's keeping track. Of course, this is going to others besides the illustrious
Random Recipients (including most of the FWCI ISCF), because it is VERY important. Before I say anything in my own words,
allow me to quote a few verses and whatnot.
"God does not show favouritism." (Romans 2:11)
"Everyone
who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved." (Romans 10:13, Joel 2:32)
"Let us stop passing judgment
on one another. Instead, make up your mind not to put any stumbling block or obstacle in your brothers way." (Romans
14:13)
"Let us therefore make every effort to do what leads to peace and to mutual edification." (Romans
14:19)
"Just as each of us has one body with many members, and these members do not all have the same function,
so in Christ we who are many form one body, and each member belongs to all the others." (Romans 12:4-5)
"There
is one body and one Spiritjust as you were called to one hope when you were calledone Lord, one faith, one baptism; one God
and Father of all, who is over all and through all and in all." (Ephesians 4:4-6)
"From him [Christ] the
whole body, joined and held together by every supporting ligament, grows and builds itself up in love, as each part does its
work." (Ephesians 4:16)
"What I mean is this: One of you says, 'I follow Paul'; another, 'I follow Apollos';
another, 'I follow Cephas'; still another, 'I follow Christ.'
Is Christ divided? Was Paul crucified for you? Were you
baptised into the name of Paul? . . . For Christ did not send me to baptise but to preach the gospelnot with words of human
wisdom, lest the cross of Christ be emptied of its power." (1 Corinthians 1:12,13,17)
"What, after all,
is Apollos? And what is Paul? Only servants, through whom you came to believeas the Lord has assigned to each his task.
. . . For we are Gods fellow workers; you are Gods field, Gods building." (1 Corinthians 3:5,6,9)
"MAKE
EVERY EFFORT TO KEEP THE UNITY OF THE SPIRIT THROUGH THE BOND OF PEACE." (Ephesians 4:3)
Personally, I think
our efforts to keep that unity have been half-hearted or else non-existent. Anyway, I have more quotes. I know Ive quoted
them before, but heres a song by Audio Adrenaline:
People Like Me
I could tell you a story of shame.
I could
talk for hours on how we became.
A flower that bloomed in one day.
The next day our glory faded away.
Divided
by hostilities.
Hung up on issues, we disagree.
A body thats been torn apart.
Were still a body with a healthy
heart.
People like me, persons like you.
We want to be, closer to God.
Closer to free.
All you people
like me.
What do you think when you see.
Continuous losers the people like me.
I hope you never believe
Just
for a moment youre better than me.
The truth is that we are the same.
All different people but only one name.
I
hope that you will agree.
That all of you are people like me.
I cant stand by myself any more.
I forgot what
were fighting for.
Please come take my hand.
We will make our stand.
Feels so good to be,
Be so free.
What more could be said? We are one body. We all have one faith, one hope, one God and Father. Yet we spend countless
hours wrangling over things we neednt worry about. I had a good discussion about this a few days ago. I declared that it
really doesnt matter. People have told me time and time again that doctrine, theology, et cetera, all matter because they
represent what you think about God and nothing exists in this universe that is greater than God. I know. What I mean to
say is that we must not quarrel amongst ourselves. We mustnt avoid members of other denominations. We mustnt cut down other
churches, calling them "unChristian". And we dont need to all agree. I was just at the Anglican Essentials website,
which has this quote at the very top of the page:
In Essentials, Unity. In Non-Essentials, Liberty. In All Things,
Charity.
We have to remember that, my friends. If the church is not united, it will fall. I ask for unity, not
unanimity. Some days it feels as if that is too much to ask. I ask you, is it? John Wesley says, in "The Character
of a Methodist, "We believe the written word of God to be the only and sufficient rule both of Christian faith and practice
. . . . But as to all opinions which do not strike at the root of Christianity, we think and let think." Let us think
and let think, my friends. Let us be united together to spread the news of Jesus, remembering that "our struggle is
not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against
the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms." (Ephesians 6:12)
Peace of Christ, in Whom we are all united,
Matthew Hoskin
"Vis unita fortior." In unity is strength.
--the Hoskin motto
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