Commitment to Christian unity

When the pope, at Westminster Abbey in London where he participated in an ecumenical celebration of Vespers on September 17, said:   "Our commitment to Christian unity is born of nothing less than our faith in Christ. ... It is the reality of Christ's person, His saving work and above all the historical fact of His resurrection, which is the content of the apostolic 'kerygma' and those credal formulas which, beginning in the New Testament itself, have guaranteed the integrity of its transmission. The Church's unity, in a word, can never be other than a unity in the apostolic faith, in the faith entrusted to each new member of the Body of Christ during the rite of Baptism. It is this faith which unites us to the Lord". did he wanted all around to believe that the Roman Catholic Church is the only apostolic church?

Speaking for a trinitarian public he could further say: "I come here today as a pilgrim from Rome, to pray before the tomb of St. Edward the Confessor and to join you in imploring the gift of Christian unity. May these moments of prayer and friendship confirm us in love for Jesus Christ, our Lord and Saviour, and in common witness to the enduring power of the Gospel to illumine the future of this great nation". Because we think he would not like to see the non-trinitarian Christians in unity with their church.

Important to remember is: "Here we cannot help but be reminded of how greatly the Christian faith shaped the unity and culture of Europe and the heart and spirit of the English people. Here too, we are forcibly reminded that what we share, in Christ, is greater than what continues to divide us".
Benedict XVI recalled how this year marks the centenary of the modern ecumenical movement which "began with the Edinburgh Conference's appeal for Christian unity as the prerequisite for a credible and convincing witness to the Gospel in our time. In commemorating this anniversary, we must give thanks for the remarkable progress made towards this noble goal through the efforts of committed Christians of every denomination. At the same time, however, we remain conscious of how much yet remains to be done. In a world marked by growing interdependence and solidarity, we are challenged to proclaim with renewed conviction the reality of our reconciliation and liberation in Christ, and to propose the truth of the Gospel as the key to authentic and integral human development".

You can wounder what the Church's unity should be. Is a unity in the apostolic faith not to believe what the apostles themseves believed? And would this not mean that all Christians should keep to the first centuries believe of those who really  knew Jesus from first hand? But more important should Christians not go back to their leader they are proclaiming to follow?

Normally we all should strive to Christian unity, but we should be following all that Jesus asked us to do. We should keep to the tasks he gave to his disciples. In case Trinitarian Christians would like to their idea that Jesus is also God they should also accept those who keep to the words of Jesus and his Holy Father. In the Holy Scriptures their relationship is clearly described.

The Vatican see themselves as the “mother” church. The universal church. The word Catholic means “universal”. They see other Christian churches as wayward daughters that need to be brought back under her wings. The Pope’s ambition therefore is to become head of all Christian religion. But do we not have to look at what the Scriptures gave as warning to the next generations? Revelation 17:2 says that the “kings of the earth” have committed fornication with the harlot woman of Rome.

What happened yesterday is important for Christians to see in the light of the Bible.
As the Anglicans and Catholics all sang together in London (latter day Tyre) we heard not joyful words but the singing of “an harlot” as prophesied in Isaiah 23. “Tyre shall sing as an harlot”. The singing which began in 1996/7 is reaching a crescendo. The judgement of latter day Tyre will soon come. The next chapter says “the noise of them that rejoice endeth…” Isaiah 24:8

Get to know more in the  Weekly World Watch 12th - 18th Sept 2010‏

The work I do, let it be done good

"If a man is called to be a street sweeper, he should sweep streets even as Michelangelo painted, or Beethoven composed music, or Shakespeare wrote poetry. He should sweep streets so well that all the hosts of heaven and earth will pause and say, here lived a great street sweeper who did his job well."
- Martin Luther King, Jr.

Do not pray for tasks equal to your powers.
Pray for powers equal to your tasks.
Then the doing of your work shall be no miracle,
but you yourself shall be the miracle.
- Phillips Brooks

"We must begin to search for God in our workplaces.
God is already there, do not mistake you.
We simply have not trained ourselves to see our creator."
- William E. Diehl

Have thy tools ready, God will provide thee work.
- Charles Kingsley

"So, whether you eat or drink (sweep streets), or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God.
1 Corinthians 10:31 

.." 'Do your best to present yourself to God as one approved,
a workman who does not need to be ashamed and who correctly handles the word of truth."
2 Timothy 2:15

Dear Father, Creator of heaven and earth,
I behold your works with joy.
I'm just a small worker on this earth,
but leave those tasks I performed be properly implemented.
And let others see my commitment and enjoy my work done.

Dutch version > Laat ik mijn werk goed doen
+++
2013 update:

Cover of Martin Luther King, Jr.

 “As we live and move and have our being, so from this vision, we create heaven in our own lives… and perhaps even heaven on earth.”
– craig (as inspired by Acts 17:28 and the words of Felicia Searcy)
“Aim at the earth and you may not get off the ground.
“Aim at the stars and you may reach the moon.”
“Aim at heaven and you’ll have earth thrown in…
and you may even hit the stars.”
– craig (as inspired by the famous quote by CS Lewis – 24th May 2012)
“When once you have tasted flight, you will forever walk the earth with your eyes turned skyward, for there you have been, and there you will always long to return.”

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Whom can we trust to govern us?

This month's survey question:
Whom can we trust to govern us?

POSSIBLE ANSWERS:

- There are some good politicians but they are the exception
- All politicians are unreliable and cannot be trusted
- We can only REALLY trust the Lord Jesus Christ when he rules in the Kingdom of God.
- We should implicitly trust our elected politicians
- Don't know.

Go to www.thisisyourbible.com to submit your answer!

If you look around you can find people that you think you do best not to tell too much and others where you could tell your deepest secrets.
What about your living conditions and for the future that lays in front of you? You might think that there are politicians you can rely on or not trust. Or maybe you think that no one in politics is to be trusted. You think that they are slime balls or still do those things they find important to them. Or that they do not keep to their word.

If you think politics is nonsense perhaps you can ask whether you should be engaged. But as a Christian you can examine to what extent we agree with our politicians or may have to attend to it.
You may wonder whether we actually need to vote or whether we can join a political party or even go further and imagine us to come forward as a candidate?
In the world so many things that happen there are plenty of events or things we want to resist to. But to what extent we can resist against the chest punching things? Can we join reactive groups or join a group demonstration? Which are groups we would consider valuable to join and which not worthy or even wrong to join?

What we also need to ask is how it is about the obligations of the country where we live or are citizens from.
I think you must obey laws of that country if they do not go against the will of God. And nowhere has God forbidden voting. If it is required to vote, as in Belgium you should keep to that commitment. (Give to Caesar what belongs to Caesar) How you vote is up to your conscience. This is not to imply that you would not think that God is the only one who can solve everything.

Because we believe that it will ultimately be Jesus Christ that will bring the world order in its place, and give the start to the most complete and accurate Kingdom. The Kingdom of God will have the best management and is the only way to give full happiness.

Dutch version >

Faith a commitment to the promises of Christ and to to the demands of Christ

Dutch version / Nederlands > Geloof een verbintenis tot de beloften van Christus en een verbintenis aan de eisen van Christus

"Faith is not only a commitment to the promises of Christ;
faith is also a commitment to the demands of Christ."
- William Barclay

"In this you greatly rejoice, though now for a little while
you may have had to suffer grief in all kinds of trials.
These have come so that your faith - of greater worth than gold,
which perishes even though refined by fire -
may be proved genuine and may result in praise,
glory and honour when Jesus Christ is revealed."
1 Peter 1:6-7

I am aware of what Jesus Christ did preach and listen to his words brought to us by the gospel.
God let that Good News penetrate me and be as cement for a brick of my faith.

English: Jesus Christ - detail from Deesis mosaic, Hagia Sophia, Istanbul (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

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Commit your self to the trustworthy creator

Dutch version / Nederlands > Verbindt u met de geloofwaardige Schepper

“So, then, also let those doing good continue to suffer in harmony with the will of The God, committing their souls to a trustworthy Creator.” (1Pe 4:19 MHM)
“For it is better for persons to suffer because of doing good–if that be the wish and will of The God–than be persons suffering for doing bad.” (1Pe 3:17 MHM)
“And so I continue to suffer as I do. However, I am not ashamed, for I know the One in whom I believe, and I am persuaded he is able to guard what I have laid up in trust until that Day.” (2Ti 1:12 MHM)
“Because this is the will of The God that those doing good muzzle ignorant and senseless persons.” (1Pe 2:15 MHM)

“Happy is he that hath the God of Jacob for his help, Whose hope is in Jehovah his God:” (Ps 146:5 ASV)

“Devolve upon Jehovah thy ways, And trust in him, and he will bring it to pass.” (Ps 37:5 Calvin_Bible)
“Into thy hand I will commend my spirit; For thou hast redeemed me, O Jehovah! God of truth.” (Ps 31:5 Calvin_Bible)
“I, even I, am he that comforteth you: who art thou, that thou art afraid of man that shall die, and of the son of man that shall be made as grass;” (Isa 51:12 ASV)
“[The God] will reward each one in harmony with [their] works. Indeed, to those who endure in good works–glory, honor, and incorruption to those searching for everlasting life. But, to those who out of selfishness disobey the truth, obeying rather unrighteousness–wrath, anger,” (Ro 2:6-8 MHM)