Tests Of Christian Togetherness

TESTS Of CHRISTIAN TOGETHERNESS—Galatians 3:22-29

Attention:

Homecoming is a time for...

A. Regathering—with our brothers & sisters in the faith of our Lord Jesus Christ. We worship, pray, learn, sing, give, & fellowship with our brothers & sisters in Christ.

B. Recollection—Fond remembrances, joyous as well as difficult recollections color this gathering.

C. Reconnection—With God’s people(the church) who have been instrumental in bringing lasting positive strides to our lives thru Christ. We are aided in the seasons of our faith journey.?•There may be some here today who have drifted away from the Church as a whole. This is your opportunity to reconnect.

D. Mutual Encouragement—Vividly rekindle the times of mutual encouragement among fellow ministers, in the power of the Holy Spirit.

E. Refreshing—Responsibilities are maintained & rekindled with those brothers & sisters in Christ.

F. Friendships—Established & Restored.

We are proud to be Americans. And much of that pride has to do with Our nation’s motto: ‘E Pluribus Unum’—‘Out of many, One’

That motto is vital to who we are, & it exists because God’s people are to be one body in Christ!(Rom. 12:5; Eph. 1:23)

Rom. 12:4-5—“For as we have many members in one body, but all the members do not have the same function, so we, being many, are one body in Christ, and individually members of one another.”

Eph. 1:22-23—“And He put all things under His feet, & gave Him to be head over all things to the church, which is His body, the fullness of Him who fills all in all.”

•The apostle Paul described some foundational commonalities of belief that draw God’s people together.

•God’s people share commonalities of belief that ensure their togetherness/cohesiveness.?•And so, there is Divine justification for the ‘home-coming’ of God’s people.

•What commonalities of belief/justifications lie behind any ‘home-coming’ of God’s people?

•7 biblical justifications for celebrating ‘homecoming’ among God’s people.

OR--•7 Tests Of Christian Togetherness.

1—A Test Of Christian Togetherness is a Shared...

APPROACH To SIN(:22a)

Explanation:(:22a)Understanding

:22—“But the Scripture has confined all under sin, that the promise by faith in Jesus Christ might be given to those who believe.”

*“The Scripture” is that body of written revelation FROM God Himself, that has been granted TO mankind, thru various people, times, & means. Thus “the Scripture”—being God’s word—holds authority for those who accept it as God’s word. “The Scripture” when coupled with relationship with God Himself, grants sure direction for believers.

*What is “sin”? “Sin” describes my & your lack of obedience to God. “Sin” describes any personal disallowance of God’s will in someone’s life. So “sin” describes a personal human self-interest placed above that of God’s interest/glory.

*And the authoritative written body of God’s revelation(“the Scripture”) plainly “has confined” or placed every manner of people(“all”) together. “All” humanity of every era is ‘in the same boat’ as it were.

*God says that “all” people are victims of “sin” along with it’s deceptive & resulting effects...

•Thus, no matter an individual’s or group’s ‘perceived’ bragging rights, privileges, limitations, or heritages, “all” people are, in fact, susceptible to(“under”) “sin.”...They are “under” sin’s curse.

•“Sin” is unaffected by which ‘side of the railroad tracks’ you live on. “Sin” is unaffected by your economic status—the vehicle you drive, or the domicile you live in. “Sin” is unaffected by location, language, privilege, race, or creed adhered to...

•If you are into secular self-help...you “sin.”

•And if you are a humbled servant of God...you “sin.”

•God does not tolerate “sin” in heaven(Hab. 1:13). So thru every person’s personal choice to “sin”, they condemn themselves to hell. God created hell for the specific purpose of containing & the devil & his demonic angels(Mat. 25:41). *The only way a person can undo that same condemnation for themselves, is to personally trust Jesus!(:22b)

•Thus “ALL” people are personally accountable to or answerable to God Himself!(Heb. 4:12-13) They are accountable to God because of the inherent presence of “sin”, which “confines” them “all” together, whether they “all” like it &/or accept it or not!

“Scripture”—grafh—Noun Nominative Sing. Fem.—1) A writing, thing written; 2) The Scripture, used to denote either the book itself, or its contents; 3) A certain portion or section of the Holy Scripture. Strong—a document, i.e. Holy Writ(or its contents or a statement in it).

“Confined/Concluded/Shut Up”—sugkleiw—1Aorist Active Indicative 3rd Sing.—1) To shut up together, enclose—1a) Of a shoal of fishes in a net; 2) To shut up on all sides, shut up completely. Strong—To shut together, i.e. Include or figuratively--Embrace in a common subjection to. Used 4X--Lk. 5:6; Rom. 11:32; Gal. 3:22, 23.?From—sun—1) With. Strong—With or together(but much closer than meta or para), i.e. By association, companionship, process, resemblance, possession, instrumentality, addition, etc.; a primary preposition denoting union.—&—kleiw—To close(literally or figuratively).

“All”(See :25, 26, 28)—pav—Adj. Accusative Plural Neuter—1) individually—1a) Each, every, any, all, the whole, everyone, all things, everything; 2) collectively—2a) Some of all types. Strong—All, any, every, the whole; apparently a primary word.