In today's Epistle to the Thessalonians, the apostle Paul focuses on this witnessing paschal faith community's relationship with the indwelling Godhead through Christ, Jesus Christ, his fellow workers Silas and Timothy, himself and each other. He was not concerned about their adherence to ceremonies, rituals and sacraments. He honored and encouraged them in revealing and manifesting true Christ-centered, Holy Spirit-based, repentance, conversion, transformation and kingdom living, here on earth. Their lives and works were real proof of their Christ-centered faith, witness, balance, stability, listening and spiritual companioning.
These spiritually awake believers followed Jesus Christ and Paul in recognizing and honoring God as the universal Father of all mankind. Like Paul they sought, discerned, worshipped and served Christ, the universal, indwelling Revealing One, God's image and likeness, in the spiritual body of Jesus Christ, themselves and all persons. They steadfastly followed Jesus Christ as Messiah, the full incarnation and fully orbed and manifested, Revealed One (Colossians 2:9). In the presence and power of the Holy Spirit, they manifested the fruit of the spirit by their good works, as proof of their faith and Christ-centered spiritual mindedness (Galatians 5:22-26, Colossians 1:24-29, 1 Thessalonians 1:1-4).
As a witnessing, paschal faith community, the effectiveness of their ministry was based in the presence and power of the Holy Spirit, in their midst and within them. They followed Paul, as Paul followed Jesus Christ, as Messiah. Like Jesus and Paul they endured and embraced the suffering, casting down and casting out the mind of the flesh, in their hearts, minds, relationships and lives, for the sake of the Gospel of Christ (Matthew 4:1-11). In the mind of the spirit, they realized great joy and became great examples for all witnessing paschal faith communities, in all traditions, religions, cultures, ethnic and secular groups (I Thessalonians 1:5-8).
In turning from the mind of the flesh, they chose to steadfastly clothe themselves in the mind of the spirit. By worshipping, seeking and serving Christ, in the spiritual body of all persons, they awaited, discerned and experienced, the Revealing One, the universal, indwelling and incarnation of the Christ of Faith, God's image and likeness, through their spiritual bodes. As spiritually awake believers they affirmed, Christ has died! Christ is risen! Christ is risen indeed! Christ is risen in me! They honored and proclaimed Jesus Christ as the Way, the Truth and the Life, the Revealed One and the Messiah (John 14:6, Colossians 2:9). They were being delivered from bondage and slavery to sin of the mind of the flesh, and were realizing passing over into the liberty, freedom and glory of the love of God in Christ, by following Jesus Christ in living the Paschal mystery (1 Thessalonians 1:9-10).
Is your witnessing faith community inclusive, collaborative, Christ-centered and Holy Spirit-based in leadership, sharing and dialogue? Do they discern the importance of first changing mindsets, if they expect Christ-centered changes in human relationships, attitudes, behavior and actions? Does your faith community avoid focusing on differences, uniqueness, individuality and incivility? Are you committed, with God's help, to doing your part in building Christ-centered, Holy Spirit-based, witnessing paschal faith communities, who seek and model kingdom living here on earth, as it is in heaven (Matthew 6:9-10, Luke 17:20-21)?
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