Key verse: Paul declared, "Do you remember the generosity of Jesus Christ, the Lord of us all? He was rich beyond our telling, yet he became poor for your sakes, so that his poverty might make you rich" (2 Corinthians 8:7-15).
Introduction
The Christ-centered spiritual and relational vitality of the incarnate LOGOS (ADONAI, JEHOVAH), is the central, invisible, divine Presence and dynamic, which brings unity among witnessing paschal faith communities, in all traditions, religions, cultures, ethnic and secular groups. In the power and guidance of the Holy Spirit, Jesus Christ, as the Son of Man and Messiah, pleased the Godhead. While physically here on earth, Jesus followed God's commands. He willingly took on fully, living his human life in the mind of the flesh. In obedience to God, he then laid down living in the mind of the flesh. In the power of the Holy Spirit, Jesus again obeyed God's command. He took up living his life again, in the mind of the spirit (John 10:14-18, Romans 6:9-11, Philippians 2:5-11, 1 Peter 2:18-25).
Jesus was fully acceptable and pleasing to God, because he lived, taught and fully consummated living the Paschal Mystery, both in the mind of the flesh as well as the mind of the spirit (Mark 8:31-34). As the fully orbed, incarnation and manifestation of the Godhead's loving kindness ('charis') and faithfulness concerning God's promises ('emeth') in human flesh, Jesus Christ is mankind's way, truth and life, to reconciliation with the Godhead and one another in Christ, here on earth (John 14:6, Colossians 2:9).
By following Jesus Christ as the Son of Man, and abiding in Christ as the Son of God, all mankind can now live lives, that are pleasing and acceptable to God, while in our human flesh. Through repentance, faith, humility, obedience and following Jesus Christ, we can be liberated from the pervasive and divisive spiritual deafness, blindness, sleep and death of the mind of the flesh. By abiding in Christ, in the mind of the spirit, we can pass over into the new, glorified and eternal life with the Godhead and one another in Christ, in the mind of the spirit.
An exhortation to benevolence
In today's Epistle, the Apostle Paul assures believers that like Jesus Christ, they must also give themselves first to God. He declares that if God has us, God should have all of us spirit, mind, attitudes, emotions, relationships and life. God should also have our packet books, so that we are steadfast in Bible based giving and sharing of our thoughts, talents, time, tithe and treasure. By following Jesus Christ, believes will please God and in the mind of the spirit, manifest God's loving kindness, grace and truth (Mark 8:34, John 1:14-18). By abiding in Christ in the mind of the spirit, believers can follow Jesus Christ in faithfulness concerning God's promises (2 Corinthians 5:7-9).
Fulfilling God's designs for witnessing paschal faith communities
The Apostle Paul assures us that, within witnessing paschal faith communities, believers can live Christ-centered lives, which are pleasing and acceptable to God. Through repentance, faith, humility and obedience, Christ-centered believers in all traditions, religions, cultures, ethnic and secular groups can excel in the generous undertakings of casting down and casting out the inappropriate dominion of the mind of the flesh, in their relationships and lives. Believers can in the power and guidance of the Holy Spirit, following Jesus Christ in living the Paschal Mystery in the mind of the spirit. Paul affirms that Jesus Christ is mankind's sure example of the self-givingness, selfless love, civility and generous sharing, which is acceptable and pleasing to God (2 Corinthians 5:10-15).
Conclusion
Christ-centered loving kindness and faithfulness form the driving force of agape love, which binds to together, witnessing paschal faith communities in all traditions, religions, cultures, ethnic and secular groups. In the mind of the spirit, believers are able to maintain the proper balance in meeting the spiritual and physical needs of others, which is acceptable and pleasing to God. By following Jesus Christ in living the Paschal Mystery in the mind of the spirit, we will develop the witnessing paschal faith communities which will transform human lives and manifest kingdom living here on earth, as it is in heaven (Matthew 6:9-10).
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