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Relationships: Covenant Community Part 1
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Biblical Tips On Relationships:
Church: A Covenant Community - Part 1
Christ created the church as a covenant community for His followers.
I spent four months of my life traveling across America, visiting Christian churches of all sizes, cultures, races, and denominations. Almost all welcomed me with open arms. Every church I visited read the Bible and talked about God the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. The majority of the services and classes I attended mentioned love somewhere during my time with them. Until the trip, I had thought of Southside Baptist Church as my church and Baptist as my denomination. Now I have sense of being a part of a larger community, Christ’s church. Since returning home, I have had the opportunity to visit many different churches. I feel a sense of covenant community most places I attend. I am still committed to Southside Baptist Church but my sense of belonging is so much more.
The “Body” is one unit with many parts
Please, in the spirit of being baptized by one Spirit, do not “religion bash.” Yes, the Christian community has many parts. They are quite different. All are necessary and part of the body. Chose the body part you are most like but do not discount the others.
1 Corinthians 12:12-13 NIV
The body is a unit, though it is made up of many parts; and though all its parts are many, they form one body. So it is with Christ. For we were all baptized by one Spirit into one body-whether Jews or Greeks, slave or free-and we were all given the one Spirit to drink.
We are One in Christ
Please, for the sake of letting the world know Jesus Christ was sent by God, be “One in the Spirit” with other Christians. Focus on the common love of Christ instead of the differences.
John 17:20-23 NIV
"My prayer is not for them alone. I pray also for those who will believe in me through their message, that all of them may be one, Father, just as you are in me and I am in you. May they also be in us so that the world may believe that you have sent me. I have given them the glory that you gave me, that they may be one as we are one: I in them and you in me. May they be brought to complete unity to let the world know that you sent me and have loved them even as you have loved me.
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