A: The Spirit applies Christ's purchased redemption to us by working faith in us, and thus uniting us to Christ in our real calling.
“No one can come to me unless the Father who sent me draws him, and I will raise him up at the last day. (John 6:44)
remember that at that time you were separate from Christ, excluded from citizenship in Israel and foreigners to the covenants of the promise, without hope and without God in the world. 13 But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far away have been brought near through the blood of Christ.
14 For he himself is our peace, who has made the two one and has destroyed the barrier, the dividing wall of hostility, (Ephesians 2:12-14)
Thoughts: The Holy Spirit draws us to Christ. The Holy Spirit unites us to Christ. We who were far away from Christ, and far away from each other, are drawn to each other in a special communion- a tie that binds. We become one in Christ and one with Christ. He is the head of our body. He is the pioneer for the rest of us. He is the elder brother who goes before us- clearing the path- the path through the gate of death into life. He is the cornerstone of our building- of which we are building blocks. We are a part of the same building- the same movement. We link ourselves to Him, and He leads us to salvation.
We become one with Him when we accept Him into our lives- which is in itself a gift.
We do not come to Christ in a vacuum-- all on our own. We know the choices we make are complicated with influences of our environment (do we get to hear about Christ- which is not usually up to us), and our tendencies and preferences (often shaped from our genes- again of which we have no control). But when we are drawn to choose Christ, we unite ourselves with the One Holy Catholic and Apostolic Church- His body- of whom He is the Head. Communion- or the Eucharist- is a sign of our oneness. Singing together, praying together, focusing together in worship are also signs of our oneness with Him that makes us brothers and sisters with each other. We are all in the same stream, all in the same family, all pulling in the same direction. We not only have the same Lord and Head. But all of us are under the same-one- baptism. We share the same trust and faith with each other- but that He shares. We share our mutual burdens and sorrows but also our joys and blessings. We are drawn to each other as a magnet draws steel together.
We are of one mind and one communication and in agreement. Despite what the world sees of the divisions, in Christ's eyes the invisible church is one- different branches on the same tree. We pray to the same God, and know the same Great Friend in conversation, sharing even the same Word from Him. We abide in Him and He in us, and thus we abide with each other. The unity in Christ is deeper and longer than any earthly union. In heaven this invisible unity will be seen. He is the center- on the throne at the vortex of the circle of love in heaven.
We do not come to Christ in a vacuum-- all on our own. We know the choices we make are complicated with influences of our environment (do we get to hear about Christ- which is not usually up to us), and our tendencies and preferences (often shaped from our genes- again of which we have no control). But when we are drawn to choose Christ, we unite ourselves with the One Holy Catholic and Apostolic Church- His body- of whom He is the Head. Communion- or the Eucharist- is a sign of our oneness. Singing together, praying together, focusing together in worship are also signs of our oneness with Him that makes us brothers and sisters with each other. We are all in the same stream, all in the same family, all pulling in the same direction. We not only have the same Lord and Head. But all of us are under the same-one- baptism. We share the same trust and faith with each other- but that He shares. We share our mutual burdens and sorrows but also our joys and blessings. We are drawn to each other as a magnet draws steel together.
We are of one mind and one communication and in agreement. Despite what the world sees of the divisions, in Christ's eyes the invisible church is one- different branches on the same tree. We pray to the same God, and know the same Great Friend in conversation, sharing even the same Word from Him. We abide in Him and He in us, and thus we abide with each other. The unity in Christ is deeper and longer than any earthly union. In heaven this invisible unity will be seen. He is the center- on the throne at the vortex of the circle of love in heaven.
Prayer: Help me, O Lord, to cherish my union with you and with others who believe in you.
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