By Tim Borys
Amongst other things, there are THREE foundational tenets of the Jesus movement that Jesus Himself launched with His teachings, His actions, His death, His resurrection, and His spirit visiting since He ascended. These are evident in the scriptures.
- Jesus broke down the boundaries of exclusivity. He was clear that a personal relationship with God, including all the peace and joy and eternal hope that goes along with that, was no longer bound by ethnicity, religious affiliation, gender, height, physical health, marital status, or anything other than belief in Him.
- Jesus ended the priesthood. There would no longer be a need for a priestly mediator to receive, inspect, accept, and deliver sacrifices to God. Jesus himself became the mediator, inviting everyone to pray, to be baptized, to speak, to listen, and to remember Him in the bread and wine. The veil was rent in twain, essentially removing human authority over souls and removing the need for a select group to represent God.
- Jesus is the Saviour of the world. The lamb. Exactly as prophesied. He was not just a living version of the law for us to follow in an attempt to achieve moral perfection so that God would love us. He told us and showed us that God already loves us. He initiated the mind blowing good news that salvation is through our acceptance of a wondrous gift of unconditional love, and that once accepted, the holy spirit would fill us, influencing every word and thought and deed in loving thankfulness. Ergo, salvation by grace, not by works.
Coincidentally, and amongst other things, there are three foundational tenets of this church that started approximately 127 years ago, launched by the teachings of William Irvine, and tweaked by others since then, and upheld by the Worker ministry today. These are evident in the words and actions of this church and its ministry around the world today.
- The church upholds a doctrine of exclusivity. The church and its ministry believe that the peace and joy and eternal hope that goes along with a personal relationship with God can only be experienced by members of THIS specific church community.
- The church upholds their Ministry (the Workers) as a modern priesthood and that the Jesus story must be heard through them, and that they have authority regarding who may pray, be baptized, speak, listen, and who may memorialize Jesus in the act of partaking of the bread and wine in His remembrance.
- Jesus is the perfect pattern of how to live in order to achieve a moral standard required for God to love us and accept us into heaven at the end of life. If the example is not followed, or followed poorly, then it’s hell and eternal damnation. His death and resurrection are only enacted as a provision of salvation if by dogged determination and self sacrifice we achieve a threshold moral standard. Ergo, salvation by works!
Take your pick.
Originally posted 9/28/24 on CCF:
https://connected-and-concerned-friends.mn.co/posts/three-on-three