January - February 1999 The Sabbath Sentinel

Where is the Body of Believers?

Lars G. Harrison

The Body of Believers is spread throughout the globe, and we can know who is a believer and learn to cooperate with all of them for the fulfillment of God's work.

When traveling or when walking in a crowded mall, I often wonder if I passed another Sabbath-keeper. I don't know any other Sabbath-keepers at the company where I work. Rarely do I hear of people keeping the Sabbath. In our area there are only a few hundred people, out of a million plus, observing the Sabbath. I know many Sabbath-keepers in different organizations; but sadly, contact with them is limited due to their animosity triggered by the difference in church (non-Sabbath) doctrines.

It would be a pleasure to converse and meet with more Sabbath-keepers, since the beauty of life is clearly enhanced by the friends you have. Faith, hope and friendship can help you endure almost everything life dishes out.

By editing this magazine I have learned of Sabbath-keeping groups that I didn't know existed. Even Elijah, the prophet, was puzzled when the Eternal revealed to him that there were 7,000 saints in Israel (1 Kings 19:18). Amazingly then, where are the believers of the Messiah, and how can we know who is a believer?

Where Are the Believers?

After the destruction of the tower of Babel, the earth's population was spread toward the four corners of the globe (Genesis 11:1-9). Messiah commissioned the disciples to preach and proclaim the gospel of the kingdom of God and what God required of people (Matthew 28:19-20). We can conclude that there are believers all over the world. There are many reasons we haven't heard about believers in foreign lands, due to persecution suffered for revealing their beliefs and lack of communications. Many believers are not privileged with religious freedom. Certain believers may not be vocal about their beliefs. This means that there could be Sabbath-keepers in your town or in a small village outside Chita, Russia.

How Can We Know Who is a Believer?

Religious belief is the conviction of a body of fundamental principles. A believer is a person who explicitly follows everything established by the founder of that religion. This means, of course, that believers of Jesus Christ should live and conduct their lives like the Messiah did. A believer who claims to be a Christian (follower of Christ), is therefore obligated to conduct his life according to Christ's example of Sabbath-keeping, and the observance of all commandments and godly principles. The intent must be to solidify a strong, loving relationship with God the Father.

Core Beliefs Shared By Christ's Believers

Jesus said that we would know a true believer "by their fruits" (Matthew 7:16). John admonished the believers to "try the spirits, whether they are of God [or of Satan]" (I John 4:1). In this context, here is a short list of some of the core beliefs shared by Messiah's believers.

• Recognizing that Jesus Christ, Yahshua the Messiah (or whichever foreign name used) is the only Savior of mankind, able to forgive our sins (acts contrary to the commandments and the relationship to God) (Acts 4:11).
   
  
• Following through the repentance process (Acts 2:36-40) granted to a believer by God (Romans 2:4) to be baptized for the forgiveness of sins and to receive the Holy Spirit, which God the Father only gives to those of this body (Acts 5:29-32). If you can declare that someone has God's Spirit and being led by it, that person is a true believer and part of the ekklesia (body of believers).
   
  
• Willing to follow the Messiah's way of life (Luke 9:24, 62, Galatians 2:16-21) and His example, and be willing to be conformed to the likeness of Him (Philippians 2:1-17).
   
  
• Keeping the Sabbath from Friday sunset to Saturday sunset (Exodus 20:8-11)
   
  
• Making the Ten Commandments their guiding principles for their mental and physical activities (Deuteronomy ch. 5, 6:4-9, 10:12-13).
   
  
• Striving to live by every word of the Eternal (Deuteronomy 8:3, Matthew 4:4), that is further abbreviated by our Savior's statement to love God and love your neighbor as yourself (Matthew 22:26-40).
   
  
• Learning to love another believer regardless of the differences in opinions, perceptions and beliefs (John 15:34)
   
  
• Exhibiting the characteristics of a believer in Messiah and a child of God (i.e. Matthew 5-7). Willing to be led by the Holy Spirit shown through a believers exhibition of the fruits of the Spirit (Galatians 5:18-25).
   
  
• Looking forward to the praise of God, rather than the praise of men (John 12:43). Displaying an attitude that no man is better than another in Jesus Christ (Galatians 3:26-29), but may possess different gifts and talents.
   
  
• Praying and waiting for the return of the Savior to rule all nations, and preparing now in this physical life to serve with Him (Luke 9:10, 21:36; 2 Thessalonians 4:16-18; Revelation 5:10).
   
  

Ekklesia

The word for church comes from the Greek word ekklesia. It simply means "a gathering of citizens called out from their homes into some public place, an assembly, for the purpose of worship as an united body." The ekklesia (called out ones) is comprised of individuals who have been baptized and have received, and are led by the Holy Spirit.

A Spiritual Organism

Believers and followers of the Messiah are not of a particular physical Sabbath-group affiliation. A particular Sabbath-keeping church, assembly or fellowship cannot solely be the only living "Church of God," no matter how much leaders of these organizations claim in publications or from the pulpit to members that "we are the one true church of God, direct descendant from the church Christ started."

The "Church of God" or ekklesia is a spiritual organization, of which, the membership is defined by God the Father (John 6:44). God the Father drives individuals out of the world's beliefs and places them in His ekklesia. God the Father knows who are His (Philippians 4:3).

You can believe in Christ and in general live a somewhat righteous life. However, righteousness in its core, means to have a right relationship based on faith, obedience and love toward God the Father and Jesus Christ (Yahshua the Messiah). A person who doesn't keep the Sabbath and observe a spiritual life like our Messiah did, cannot be a true believer.

Churches in Revelation

At the time when John wrote the Revelation from Jesus Christ, there were many churches throughout Asia Minor, Arabia, Europe, East Asia, and other parts of the Roman Empire. The seven churches in Revelation were only types of attitudes and characteristics of many of these churches. Some erroneously claim that they are the true church based on their attitude. Well, let God judge! The Sabbath is a sign of God's true believers (Exodus 31:13, 17).

What is the Body Supposed to Do?

Each believer is foremost responsible to strive to become like Christ and God the Father (1 Peter 2:21, Philippians 2:2-16, Galatians 2:20). This relationship is more important than anything else in human life.

The believer should learn to love self; and love everyone around them, since every human being is created in the image of God. Once that is fulfilled the believer is spiritually accountable to uphold the commission of preaching the truth by his faithful example (Isaiah 61:1-3).

We must all use our spiritual talents and gifts, coupled with the fruits of the Holy Spirit (Galatians 5:22-26) in full cooperation to unify the body, perform services/ministries and other spiritual activities God intends (1 Corinthians 12:1-31). The Holy Spirit and Christ indwelling in them link all believers to each other.

Yet, believers often refuse to realize that the more they help the body, the more they help themselves. When our human body parts work together, we accomplish what we planned. We walk, talk, and perform incredible human feats with each body part working in unison and full cooperation. This is done without a particular body part trying to get the glory. What a lesson this shows us in how we could cooperate among Sabbath groups to promote the Sabbath and accomplish what the Father wants us to fulfill.

Will Christ find faith on earth and a unified body of believers when He returns (Luke 18:8)? It is really up to us to make this happen.

Lars G. Harrison, the editor of the Sabbath Sentinel, can be reached at insearch@mindspring.com or at 6325-9 Falls of Neuse Rd., Suite 193, Raleigh, NC 27615 USA.

TSS

January - February 1999 The Sabbath Sentinel