The Realm of profession in Christianity

A realm can be a space or area or sphere, but also a community or territory over which a sovereign rules; a kingdom.

Christ Jesus asked his followers to have him as a cornerstone and to gather in union, being part of his spiritual body. We may look at the realm of Christ, his royal domain, the kingdom he may govern from his heavenly Father. Those belonging to Christ should all be partakers of the Body of Christ and as such also be members of the realm of Christ. Together as members of the Body of Christ the followers of the Nazarene Jeshua should have as their profession the proclamation of the Good News of the coming Kingdom of God.

In Scriptures we do find people mentioned to be part of the realm of Christ.

Prophetic Patterns and Descriptions of People Now Living Who Will Inherit the Earthly Realm of God’s Kingdom
 

Foreshadowed by the following groups or individuals:

(1) Noah’s sons and daughters-in-law (Genesis 6-9).

(2) Lot and his daughters (Genesis 19).

(3) Joseph’s ten repentant half brothers (Genesis 37, 42-45).

(4) Famine-stricken Egyptians who sold themselves to Joseph (Genesis 41; 47:13-26).

(5) Mixed company that left Egypt with Israel (Exodus 12:38).

(6) Twelve non-Levite tribes of Israel on Atonement Day (Leviticus 16; Matthew 19:28).

(7) Alien residents in Israel (Leviticus 19:34).

(8) Hobab the brother-in-law of Moses (Numbers 10:29-32).

(9) Rahab of Jericho (Joshua 2, 6).

(10) Gibeonites who sought peace with Israel (Joshua 9, 10).

(11) Jael the wife of Heber the Kenite (Judges 4, 5).

(12) Jonathan son of King Saul (1 Samuel 18; 23:16, 17).

(13) Foreigners who fought along with David (2 Samuel 15:18-22).

(14) Queen of Sheba (1 Kings 10).

(15) Naaman cleansed of leprosy (2 Kings 5).

(16) Jehonadab the son of Rechab (2 Kings 10:15-28).

(17) Foreigners who prayed toward Jehovah’s temple (2 Chronicles 6:32, 33).

(18) Nethinim and sons of non-Israelite servants of Solomon (Ezra 2, 8).

(19) Rechabites (Jeremiah 35).

(20) Ebed-melech the Ethiopian (Jeremiah 38; 39:16-18).

(21) Repentant Ninevites (Jonah 3).

Additionally, described prophetically as follows:

(1) Families of the ground that bless themselves by means of Abraham through his seed (Genesis 12:3; 22:18).

(2) Nations that are glad with Jehovah’s people (Deuteronomy 32:43).

(3) Righteous ones, those hoping in Jehovah (Psalm 37:9, 29).

(4) Virgin companions of the bride (Psalm 45:14).

(5) Upright and blameless ones (Proverbs 2:21).

(6) Nations being taught at Jehovah’s house and walking in his paths (Isaiah 2:2-4).

(7) Nations that turn inquiringly to the Signal (Isaiah 11:10).

(8) Nations that come out of darkness (Isaiah 49:6, 9, 10).

(9) Nation not previously known (Isaiah 55:5).

(10) Foreigners ministering to Jehovah and loving his name (Isaiah 56:6).

(11) “Wealthiness of the sea,” “resources of the nations,” those that come ‘flying like a cloud of doves’ (Isaiah 60:5, 6, 8).

(12) Strangers that shepherd Israel’s flocks, foreigners that are its farmers and vinedressers (Isaiah 61:5).

(13) Those marked in forehead by man with secretary’s inkhorn (Ezekiel 9).

(14) Persons who call on the name of Jehovah and get away safe on his fear-inspiring day (Joel 2:32).

(15) Desirable things of all nations (Haggai 2:7).

(16) Nations that become “joined to Jehovah” (Zechariah 2:11).

(17) ‘Ten men who take hold of skirt of a Jew’ (Zechariah 8:23).

(18) Nations to whom King speaks peace (Zechariah 9:10).

(19) “Sheep” who do good to King’s brothers (Matthew 25:31-46).

(20) Repentant prodigal son (Luke 15:11-32).

(21) “Other sheep” who listen to the Fine Shepherd’s voice (John 10:16).

(22) Persons who exercise faith in Christ and “never die at all” (John 11:26).

(23) Creation that will be freed from enslavement to corruption and have glorious freedom of children of God (Romans 8:20, 21).

(24) Those of the world who gain everlasting life because they exercise faith in God’s Son (1 John 2:2; John 3:16, 36).

(25) “Great crowd” that serve day and night in Jehovah’s temple (Revelation 7:9-17).

(26) Anyone drinking life’s water and himself saying to others, “Come!” (Revelation 22:17).

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In the Bible we find  people mentioned who as individuals showed their love for God and got them as persons separated from the nations that are gathered before Jesus his throne. They look forward to being blessed by the Kingdom of Jesus Christ and his spiritual “brothers.” So what they inherit is the earthly realm of the Kingdom, where Paradise is to be restored all around the globe. 

When Jehovah God made our earth he purposed for it to become a paradise everywhere, and he put man and woman on earth to make it that way, starting with the garden of Eden, or Paradise of Pleasure. The fall of Adam and Eve into sin and death did not deal out a defeat to God’s purpose. (Isaiah 55:11) He at once made preparation for bringing about the earth-wide Paradise by means of a heavenly Kingdom, in which his loyal Son would be the Ruler, or King. It had to be a celestial government if it is yet to crush out of existence the originator of sin and deception, Satan the Devil, a mighty spirit creature.​—Genesis 3:15.

Today we may still find people who want to be part of those close followers of Christ Jesus. They feel called by Jehovah God to unite as brothers and sisters in Christ and as such want to take up the profession of preaching the Gospel and being part of the realm of profession, the Church of Christ.

As “sons of the Realm” they want to be the children of God within that realm of profession, the Church of real followers of Christ, who want to be like a mustard seed becoming a big fruitful tree. though the real followers may be with not many, coming closer to the end times they shall find each other spread all over the world, willing to join hands and to unite under Christ.

Today Christendom, although having taken Christ’s title, is not expressing loyal love to God and his Kingdom Heir nor to Jesus Christ whom they have made into their god. Instead of remaining neutral, it has taken sides in the East-West struggle for world domination, sharing in this world’s materialism and militarism it also has taken opposition against other religions, not allowing other cultures and religions to around them, with the believe that it is God Who allows things to be. It will therefore perish with this old world at Armageddon. In that great war it are those who love God and His son who should share the brotherly love with others and show how there is a need to unite under Christ.

Unto the real of profession belong those who have Christian fruitage: sharing (Romans 15:27, 28; Philippians 1:22); holiness (Romans 6:21); goodness, righteousness, truth (Ephesians 5:9); good work ad knowledge (Colossians 1:10); praise and charity (Hebrews 13:15).

All those  things that build up character and make some one special should be mastered or professionalised by the one who wants to call himself Christian.

The test is on. To go counter to the whole world is not easy. To do so with success we must lean heavily on Jehovah’s loyal love. For our assurance He has caused to be recorded twenty-six times in Psalm 136 alone that “his loyal love is to time indefinite.” (Margin) But we must do our part, for as we read elsewhere: “All the paths of Jehovah are loyal love and truthfulness for those observing his covenant and his reminders.”—Ps. 25:10,

Synagogue, Church or Ecclesia for the Christian

If we are only academic and not practising what Christ taught then it is of little value that we come together as individuals.

By being “in Christ” we do indicate that we are trying to become like Christ and are made in him willing to daily following the Nazarene man Jeshua, Jesus Christ the Messiah. The word Christian indicates this following of Christ Jesus whereby the follower of the Master Teacher is called to a unique and beautiful life:  the life of a Christian.  This life truly calls for separation from the filth of this world, is an encouragement to others, gives glory to God, and prepares one for the Kingdom of God.  Without Christ, this would be not be possible.

English: Cathedral of Christ the Saviour. Moscow, Russia. Русский: Храм Христа Спасителя. Москва, Россия. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

An ecclesia should be formed by people who gather because they share the same love and truth and are willing to form a stronghold as a body of Christ. The regular meeting together with those of like, precious faith, should be an act of willingness to share the love of Christ and to build each-other up to help us on our walk with Christ. as such and ecclesial life can sometimes be very character-building, shaping us a molding us for the life to come. 

"There were pagans using the word “church” long before Christians ever began using it. The word “church,” originating from the Greek word 'kuriakon' which later evolved into our pronunciation “church” in English." Its basic meaning is a building belonging to (a) god. This is a significantly different meaning to the word - "Ecclesia" referring to the believers - the "called-out ones". This people for God’s own possession have been called out of darkness into his marvelous life.

“but you [are] a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for possession, so that you might speak of the praises of him who has called you out of darkness into his marvelous light;” (1 Peter 2:9 MKJV)

For that reason we prefer the use of ecclesia, the gathering of the set apart people, instead of church.

We do know that Brother Duncan Heaster is referred to as a "pastor" in the ecclesia of Riga in Latvia which is also often been called church overthere, like the one in Horley in the UK.

In other places the prayer space is known as synagogue which is as house of God a house of prayer, a house of worship which can be placed in a temple. That  place of worship, sanctuary, shrine can also be the gathering space of those who follow Christ. In the first century the synagogue was one of the common places to come together and have a discussion about the Word of God.

The main thing is that we do have to get others to see that the assembly is a gathering of people who feel like brothers and sisters in Christ and that their activities are those which are generally know in popular speech as "church". It does not matter so much to use the vernacular to get others to get the idea, but they should come accustomed to the proper use of the word "ecclesia"" to speak about the place for service.

Please do read:

1. What and why ecclesia
2. Reasons to come to gether
3. Congregate, to gather, to meet
4. Philippians 1 – 2
5. Look for your Refuge by God

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Integrity of the fellowship

"The first happy community became distressed by heresies and by men who liked to have the pre-eminence over others. This resulted in schism and fragmentation. The apostles made every effort to rebuke and educate those in error, sometimes with success and sometimes not. We might ask what happened to those who refused to return to their former belief. Such persons had already broken the fellowship based on a common belief and, when the position became intolerable or entrenched, the apostles instructed the congregation in which it occurred to exclude the delinquent person from their company. This would apply particularly to the breaking of bread service which was one of the highest expressions of fellowship. In other words, whilst the brethren strove hard to recover those who had gone astray in a matter of the faith, they also had a responsibility for the integrity of the fellowship itself which they had to preserve when recovery of the wayward proved impossible. This was secured by excluding the heretic from their midst. Often, of course, the heretic would leave of his own accord.

These verses illustrate the action taken:

"He that abideth in the doctrine of Christ, he hath both the Father and the Son. If there come any unto you, and bring not this doctrine; receive him not into your house, neither bid him God speed: for he that biddeth him God speed is a partaker of his evil deeds." (2 John 9, 10)

"Warn a divisive person once, and then warn him a second time. After that have nothing to do with him." (Titus 3:10, N.I.V.)

However, as will be seen from the many verses quoted in this chapter, fellowship is not only a matter of common tenets of faith, it is also a common way of life. The word "doctrine" means
teaching, and teaching concerns what we believe and what we do.

The apostles' doctrine therefore concerned a common faith and the life in Christ. Godliness is part of fellowship.

Unfortunately, all of us sin from time to time. What happens to the disciple when he sins? Does he leave the fellowship of Christ?
Certainly, if he knowingly persists in his sin and remains unrepentant, his fellowship is deeply affected and severance occurs. In the mercy of God provision is made for the disciple to receive forgiveness by seeking it through the Lord Jesus Christ in prayer:

"If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. If we say that we have not sinned, we make him a liar, and his word is not in us." (1 John 1:9, ­10)

There are, nevertheless, sins which, because they are grievous and bring the body of believers into disrepute, need more open treatment by the congregation. The elders should seek to restore the offender whilst also rejecting the sin which he has committed:

"Brethren, if a man be overtaken in a fault, ye which are spiritual, restore such an one in the spirit of meekness; considering thyself, lest thou also be tempted. Bear ye one another's burdens, and so fulfil the law of Christ." Galatians 6:1-2)

"Brethren, if any of you do err from the truth, and one convert him; let him know that he which converteth the sinner from the error of his way shall save a soul from death, and shall hide a multitude of sins." (James 5:19-20)

"Them that sin rebuke before all, that others also may fear." (1 Timothy 5:20)

Compassion and renewal in the right way are the twin components of this path of understanding and restoration. Tolerance of deeply offensive unChristian conduct would do neither the offender nor the congregation any good whatsoever; bitter and immediate rejection of the offending disciple would itself be unlike the patient and cleansing restorative work of the Lord himself. Wisdom in the Word of God, a deep desire to uphold the godly standards of the Lord Jesus Christ whilst keeping the fallen from destruction, and an awareness of our common frailty, are essential elements in this work of recovery."

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Brother Harry Tennant
Fellowship
The Christadelphians - What they Believe and Preach

Fellowship

"FELLOWSHIP is an important Bible word. It is particularly prominent in the New Testament. Fellowship means sharing, partaking and having in common. The word is translated in all of those ways as the following, fully representative selection of passages will indicate:

"Then they that gladly received his word were baptized ... and they continued stedfastly in the apostles' doctrine and fellowship, and in breaking of bread, and in prayers." (Acts 2:41-42)

"That which we have seen and heard declare we unto you, that ye also may have fellowship with us: and truly our fellowship is with the Father, and with his Son Jesus Christ." (1 John 1:3)

"God is faithful, by whom ye were called unto the fellowship of his Son Jesus Christ our Lord." (1 Corinthians 1:9)

"The cup of blessing which we bless, is it not the communion of the blood of Christ? The bread which we break, is it not the communion of the body of Christ? for we being many are one bread and one body: for we are all partakers of that one bread." (1 Corinthians 10:16-17)

"If there is any ... participation in the Spirit ... complete my joy by being of the same mind, having the same love, being in full accord and of one mind." (Philippians 2:1, R.S.V.)

"Be ye not unequally yoked together with unbelievers: for what fellowship hath righteousness with unrighteousness? and what communion hath light with darkness?" (2 Corinthians 6:14)

"If we say that we have fellowship with him, and walk in darkness, we lie, and do not the truth but if we walk in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin." (1 John 1:6-7)

"That I may know him (Christ) and the power of his resurrection, and may share his sufferings, becoming like him in his death, that if possible I may attain the resurrection from the dead." (Philippians 3:10, 11, R.S.V.)

"And do not forget to do good and to share with others, for with such sacrifices God is pleased ..." (Hebrews 13:16, N.I.V.)

"Command those who are rich ... to do good, to be rich in good deeds, and to be generous and willing to share." (1 Timothy 6:17, 18, N.I.V.)

"Our hope of you is steadfast, knowing that as ye are partakers of the sufferings, so shall ye be also of the consolation." (2 Corinthians 1:7)

"I (Peter) ... am ... a witness of the sufferings of Christ, and also a partaker of the glory that shall be revealed ..." (1 Peter 5:1)

"He has granted to us his precious and very great promises, that through these you may escape from the corruption that is in the world because of passion, and become partakers of the divine nature." (2 Peter 1:4, R.S.V.)

"The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the communion of the Holy Spirit, be with you all." (2 Corinthians 13:14, R.V.)

From the foregoing it will be seen that fellowship has many elements. Some parts seem to be the foundation for the others. Let us set out these different parts under the headings of foundations and life:

Foundations

The apostles and their teaching
The promises of God
The forgiveness of sins and the blood of Jesus Christ

Life

The Body of Believers
The Breaking of Bread (Communion)
The Unity of believers in love, purpose and mind
The life of the individual believer in association with Christ
Living close to the Father and the Son

In addition to these two parts, there is the promise of ultimately sharing the divine nature by being blessed with immortality.

Fellowship becomes a very practical and living thing when based on these principles. It embraces all that it means to be a disciple
Discipleship is fellowship.

Let us suppose that someone outside this fellowship came alone and asked how he might share it. What would the answer be? We could at once assure him that such fellowship is possible for anyone, because the way has been made known for us in the Bible.
We could say also that it is not a mysterious process by which we wait for God to impart something to us from heaven. Some people have burdened themselves with this latter notion, and have waited for God to act directly upon them. This is not the process described in any of the verses we have quoted. Fellowship is made possible through the Word of God.

To be specific, the way to fellowship is through the apostles' doctrine or teaching. This teaching is the challenge to our existing fellowship outside Christ. When we learn of the great and precious promises of God made certain by the sacrifice of Christ, the moment of choice comes along sooner or later. Am I to remain walking in darkness in fellowship with the world? Am I to stay in the fellowship of death? Or, shall I step into the light in response to the call of the Gospel, and come to the new fellowship in Christ?
Fellowship comes by enlightenment and belief, by repentance and baptism, and by commitment to the new way of life. In this way the blood of Christ cleanses us from all sin and we enter into the fellowship of God and His Son. We share the apostles' doctrine and the hope which they proclaimed.

The believer's fellowship is both inclusive and exclusive. He does not choose his companions in the fellowship; they are chosen by the very process which brought him into a relationship with God. There can be no artificial barriers of sex, colour, race, class or caste. All who hold the same faith in truth and submit to its discipline by baptism share a common heritage. They are members of the commonwealth of Israel and have a common hope.
The Lord makes believers one in him:

"There can be neither Jew nor Greek, there can be neither bond nor free, there can be no male and female: for ye all are one man in Christ Jesus." (Galatians 3:28, R.V.)

"There is one body and one Spirit, even as ye are called in one hope of your calling; one Lord, one faith, one baptism, one God and Father of all, who is above all, and through all, and in you all." (Ephesians 4:4-6)

From these declarations, it follows that there should be one united Christian community throughout the world. Throughout history this unity has suffered from the ravages of false doctrine and the human lust for power over one's fellow men. This evil was already at work or threatened in New Testament times:

"And they continued stedfastly in the apostles' doctrine and fellowship, and in breaking of bread, and in prayers ... and all that believed were together, and had all things common ... and they, continuing daily with one accord ... did eat their meat with gladness and singleness of heart, praising God." (Acts 2:42-47)

"Now I beseech you, brethren, by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that ye all speak the same thing, and that there be no divisions among you; but that ye be perfectly joined together in the same mind and in the same judgement. For it hath been declared unto me ... that there are contentions among you." (1 Corinthians 1:10-11)

"But if it is preached that Christ has been raised from the dead, how can some of you say that there is no resurrection of the dead?" (1 Corinthians 15:12, N.I.V.)

"Do not be misled: 'Bad company corrupts good character. 'Come back to your senses as you ought, and stop sinning; for there are some who are ignorant of God ­ I say this to your shame." (1 Corinthians 15:33-34, N.I.V.)

"For I (Paul) know this, that after my departing shall grievous wolves enter in among you, not sparing the flock. Also of your own selves shall men arise, speaking perverse things, to draw away disciples after them." (Acts 20:29-30)

"I marvel that ye are so quickly removing from him that called you in the grace of Christ unto a different gospel; which is not another gospel: only there are some that trouble you, and would pervert the gospel of Christ." (Galatians 1:6-7, R.V.)

"For many walk, of whom I have told you often, and now tell you even weeping, that they are enemies of the cross of Christ ..." (Philippians 3:18)

"They went out from us, but they were not of us; for if they had been of us, they would no doubt have continued with us: but they went out, that they might be made manifest that they were not all of us." (1 John 2:19)"

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Brother Harry Tennant
Fellowship
The Christadelphians - What they Believe and Preach