QT 14/12/2024 Sat. Church Camp Day 02. Same Roots Originally. 本是同根生.

QT 14/12/2024 Sat. Church Camp Day 02. Same Roots Originally.

We read yesterday that Unity is Reality in the spiritual realm, and it is now up to our response to that truth to make it a reality on the ground and in our daily experiences too.

Renewed service and ministry are best done with those who feel, think and act together in similar ways. Finding commonalities aid believers trying to live out this unity in practice. What should we think so that the commonalities that build togetherness are solid rather than flimsy factor, based on Word rather than trends and other human/AI generated ideas? Look at the other person in the eye, or from the side if not convenient to do so. What do you see?

Firstly, do you see "a sinner previously condemned"? (Romans 3:22–23) Many would see the faults and sins of others easily. The more challenging part would be to see ourselves within that same category too—once upon a time a big sinner.

The first basis for this "same root" would be that both you and him/her were previously condemned sinners (no subsequent change in economic, social, geographical environment is going to change that historical fact). No pride should overcome any believer such that you look at others with a constant sneer. Remembering that we were once fellow convicts in the eyes of God the judge would prevent us from cancelling out others frequently with dismissive comments and thoughts.

Secondly, Paul gave an extreme example of distance that divided peoples of different backgrounds–(1) The Jews who prides themselves in being the descendants of Abraham (Romans 4:1–8) and (2) The Gentiles who are not historically nor emotionally attached to that Abraham. Paul tried to bridge this distance with the common factor of "common ancestry"—justification by faith.

Romans 3:29–30 [29] Or is God the God of Jews only? Is he not the God of Gentiles also? Yes, of Gentiles also, [30] since God is one—who will justify the circumcised by faith and the uncircumcised through faith. (ESV)

This ancestry is not one that is based on the flesh or blood lineage, but in the commonality of how all of us attained the present righteousness—by faith. We must quickly see that the other person who is now in Christ is now also justified—declared righteous by God.

We would learn more about ministry and serving God these few days. Let us view one another correctly in Christ first, before continuing to enjoy better and better dynamics between all of us in the coming year of serving together.

QT 14/12/2024 星期六. Church Camp Day 02. 本是同根生.

我们昨天读到 “合一是事实”的属灵工课，现在我们要做的就是对这真理做出回应，使它在我们的日常生活中也成为事实。

更新的事奉和事工最好与那些感觉、思想和行动相似的人一起进行。找到共同点有助于信徒在实践中活出合一。我们应该如何思考，才能使建立合一的共同点是稳固的而不是脆弱的因素，是基于话语而不是趋势和其他人类/人工智能产生的想法？看着对方的眼睛，如果不方便，也可以从侧面看。你看到了什么？

首先，你看到的是 “一个先前被定罪的罪人 ”吗？(罗马书 3：22-23）许多人很容易看到别人的缺点和罪过。更具挑战性的是，我们是否也要看到自己也属于同类行的——曾经的大罪人？

这种 “本是同根生 ”的首要基础是，你和他/她都是先前被定罪的罪人（后来经济、社会、地理环境的任何变化都不会改变这一历史事实）。任何信徒都不应该骄傲，以致于总是用讥讽的眼光看待他人。记住在审判者上帝的眼中，我们曾经是同罪人，这将避免我们经常用轻蔑的评论和想法来否定他人。

其次，保罗用了一个极端的例子来说明不同背景的人之间的距离——(1）犹太人，他们以自己是亚伯拉罕的后裔而自豪（罗马书 4：1-8）；（2）外邦人，他们与亚伯拉罕既没有历史渊源，也没有情感联系。保罗试图用 “共同祖先 ”这一共同因素——因信称义，来弥合这种距离。

罗马书 3:29-30 [29] 难道神只作犹太人的神吗？不也是作外邦人的神吗？是的，也作外邦人的神。[30] 神既是一位他就要因信称那受割礼的为义，也要因信称那未受割礼的为义。

这个祖先不是基于肉体或血统，而是基于我们所有信徒如何因信而获得现今公义的共同点。我们必须尽快看到，现在在基督里的另一个人也称义了——被神宣布为义了。

这几天我们会学到更多关于事奉神的知识。让我们先在基督里正确看待彼此，然后在未来一年的共同服事中继续享受大家之间越来越好的动力及互动。