The Manifestation Of His Kingdom: Our Presence!

"A new commandment I give unto you, That ye love one another; as I have loved you, that ye also love one another." (John 13:34).


Hello To All:

The manifestation of the Kingdom of God is directly related to the Presence of the power of God. This is evidenced by our opening text. We are to "love one another," as Christ has first loved us. How can this be? How can we, even in our redeemed condition, love as Jesus of Nazareth loves? The answer is found in His manifesting Presence, to empower us to love as He has first loved us!

This is a commandment! This is not an option! We must understand that if we are not loving as Christ has first loved us, then we are less then we should be and can be! Obedience to the new commandment is an essential component to "Victorious Discipleship In Jesus Christ." Apart from Jesus Christ, obedience cannot be achieved!

The Apostle Paul spoke of this manifesting power of Christ. We find written at Colossians 1:29, the following: "Whereunto I also labour, striving according to his working, which worketh in me mightily." It is only "according to his working," which is capable of working "mightily" in us, to empower us to love as He, that is Jesus of Nazareth, hath first loved us, that makes it possible for us to truly love one another.  His presence is manifested in our love one to another.

The commandment status of this love principal is confirmed at 1 John 3:23, where we find written: "And this is his commandment, That we should believe on the name of his Son Jesus Christ, and love one another, as he gave us commandment." As we have come to recognize that the fullness of the gospel is Jesus Christ, so should we also recognize that the only way that we can love one another is in and through Jesus Christ. This is the visible evidence of our status as the redeemed children of God.

As we ponder the realities of the visible evidence of our status, please carefully and prayerfully consider a portion of what has come to be called our Lord's high priestly prayer, recorded at John chapter 17.

20. "Neither pray I for these alone, but for them also which shall believe on me through their word;"
21. "That they all may be one; as thou, Father, art in me, and I in thee, that they also may be one in us: that the world may believe that thou hast sent me."
22. "And the glory which thou gavest me I have given them; that they may be one, even as we are one:"
23. "I in them, and thou in me, that they may be made perfect in one; and that the world may know that thou hast sent me, and hast loved them, as thou hast loved me."

Twice our Lord reminds us (verse 21 and verse 23),  that the world will have the certain knowledge that Christ has been sent by the Father, in the context of our being one as He and the Father are one! If there is a lack of visible oneness, the world will not recognize this saving truth of Christ being sent.

For centuries we have been a visibly divided church. We are not visibly one! The manifesting presence of Christ in us, will make us visibly one. But, this will not happen if we are set one against the other. Our divisions oppose the visible manifestation of Christ's kingdom.

In a previous letter, we were reminded that the first step, in this journey to visible oneness, is the acceptance of the truth that Christ might not be manifesting Himself in us. He will not involve Himself in our divisions!

If we are willing to submit to Christ's willingness to empower us to love one another as He has first loved us; then we will have taken our next step towards the visible oneness that will happen at the end of this age. This will happen because Christ will manifest Himself in us, to empower us to love one another as He has first loved us! This is the outward mark of our presence in His visible kingdom!

Until next time my beloved brethren, I continue to be:

Your servant and your fellow pilgrim,
Elder Theophilus