With us
Matthew 1:23 Behold, a virgin shall be with child, and shall bring forth a son, and they shall call his name Emmanuel, which being interpreted is, God with us.
Many people over the ages have thought that God was with them where in truth they were actually opposing God and working iniquity on earth and with their fellow man. Whole wars were fought and millions died at the hands of men who thought and claimed they were doing God's will or that God was with them and he was not with them at all.
So how do we know that God is with us or we with God.
There is strange encounter spoke of by the apostles.
Luke 9:49 "And John answered and said, Master, we saw one casting out devils in thy name; and we forbad him, because he followeth not with us. 50 And Jesus said unto him, Forbid [him] not: for he that is not against us is for us."
Jesus did not contradict the claim that certain people might not be with his ministers. The fact that these people were not a part of the appointment of Christ did not make them enemies as long as they were truly operating in the name of Christ.
Doing things in the name of Christ is doing things like Christ, according to his true character and teachings. The apostles were not talking about men who were not coming in His name. They were truly doing things according to his character but simply were not networked with Christs ministers.
We know Christ was going to take the kingdom from the Pharisees[4] who were running God's government. He was doing this because they were not attending to the Weightier matters and because their Corban was making the word of God to none effect. Both of these and their lack of love for one another was failing to bear fruit. He was going to appoint the kingdom to the chosen few of His little flock.[5]
Jesus did exactly what He said and appointed a kingdom,[6] a form of government, to His little flock and forbade them to exercise authority one over the other. You only progress in rank in the Church established by Christ by more service to others. One way to serve people is to empower them to make choices and serve one another.
So the Church is a particular group that are fulfilling the directives of Christ in a particular way without exercising authority over the people or appointing men to exercise authority. It is an institution of service. Others may serve Christ separate from the Church. If we are called and answer that call to fulfill the directive and purposes of Christ then they are not "with us", but neither are we against them.
In the viable network created by minister and people at Pentecost ministered were numbered or accounted for in a pattern as old as Israel. They gathered in a voluntary networked of faith and honor. The Network operated on love through faith and hope by way of charity.
Others who did not join with the men of the Church were said to not be "with us". As long as they truly displayed the character and works of Christ they may only be excluded from their working network. They were not shunned entirely unless they were backbiting and gossiping. If so then they should have nothing to do with them.
There was another group that might be shut out and that is the Foolish virgins.
Numbered and Companied
- Acts 1:17 For he was numbered[7] with us, and had obtained part of this ministry.
- Acts 1:21 Wherefore of these men which have companied with us all the time that the Lord Jesus went in and out among us, 22 Beginning from the baptism of John, unto that same day that he was taken up from us, must one be ordained to be a witness with us of his resurrection.23 And they appointed two, Joseph called Barsabas, who was surnamed Justus, and Matthias. 24 And they prayed, and said, Thou, Lord, which knowest the hearts of all men, shew whether of these two thou hast chosen,25 That he may take part of this ministry and apostleship, from which Judas by transgression fell, that he might go to his own place. 26 And they gave forth their lots; and the lot fell upon Matthias; and he was numbered[8] with the eleven apostles.
Acts 21:16 There went with us also certain of the disciples of Caesarea, and brought with them one Mnason of Cyprus, an old disciple, with whom we should lodge.
Acts 21:18 And the day following Paul went in with us unto James; and all the elders were present. Acts 21:19 And when he had saluted them, he declared particularly what things God had wrought among the Gentiles by his ministry.
1 Corinthians 16:13 ¶ Watch ye, stand fast in the faith, quit you like men, be strong. 14 Let all your things be done with charity. 15 I beseech you, brethren, (ye know the house of Stephanas, that it is the firstfruits of Achaia, and that they have addicted themselves to the ministry of the saints,) 16 That ye submit yourselves unto such, and to every one that helpeth with us, and laboureth. 17 I am glad of the coming of Stephanas and Fortunatus and Achaicus: for that which was lacking on your part they have supplied. 18 For they have refreshed my spirit and yours: therefore acknowledge ye them that are such.
2 Corinthians 8:19 And not that only, but who was also chosen of the churches to travel with us with this grace, which is administered by us to the glory of the same Lord, and declaration of your ready mind:
2 Thessalonians 1:7 And to you who are troubled rest with us, when the Lord Jesus shall be revealed from heaven with his mighty angels,
1 John 1:3 "That which we have seen and heard declare we unto you, that ye also may have fellowship[9] with us: and truly our fellowship [is] with the Father, and with his Son Jesus Christ."
1 John 2:18-19 "Little children, it is the last time: and as ye have heard that antichrist shall come, even now are there many antichrists; whereby we know that it is the last time. 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."
2 Peter 1:1 "Simon Peter, a servant and an apostle of Jesus Christ, to them that have obtained like precious faith with us through the righteousness of God and our Saviour Jesus Christ:"
2 Thessalonians 1:7 And to you who are troubled rest with us, when the Lord Jesus shall be revealed from heaven with his mighty angels,
== Footnotes ==
- ↑ 2316 ~θεός~ theos \@theh’-os\@ of uncertain affinity; a deity, especially (with 3588) the supreme Divinity; n m AV-God 1320, god 13, godly 3, God-ward + 4214 misc 5; 1343 1) a god or goddess, a general name of deities or divinities 2) the Godhead, trinity 3) spoken of the only and true God 4) whatever can in any respect be likened unto God, or resemble him in any way 4a) God’s representative or viceregent 4a1) of magistrates and judges
- ↑ 3326 ~μετά~ meta \@met-ah’\@ a primary preposition (often used adverbially); prep AV-with 345, after 88, among 5, hereafter + 5023 4, afterward + 5023 4, against 4, not depart
- ↑ 2257 ~ἡμῶν~ hemon \@hay-mone’\@ genitive case plural of 1473; ; pron AV-our 313, us 82, we 12, not tr 1, misc 2; 410 1) our, we, us
- ↑ Matthew 21:43 Therefore say I unto you, The kingdom of God shall be taken from you, and given to a nation bringing forth the fruits thereof.
- ↑ Luke 12:32 Fear not, little flock; for it is your Father’s good pleasure to give you the kingdom.
- ↑ Luke 22:29 And I appoint unto you a kingdom, as my Father hath appointed unto me;
- ↑ 2674 ~καταριθμέω~ katarithmeo \@kat-ar-ith-meh’-o\@ from 2596 and 705; ; v AV-number 1; 1 1) to number with
- other words translated number are:
- 705 ~ἀριθμέω~ arithmeo \@ar-ith-meh’-o\@ from 706; v AV-number 3; 3 1) to number
- 3049 ~λογίζομαι~ logizomai \@log-id’-zom-ahee\@ middle voice from 3056; v AV-think 9, impute 8, reckon 6, count 5, account 4, suppose 2, reason 1, number 1, misc 5; 41 1) to reckon, count, compute, calculate, count over 1a) to take into account, to make an account of 1a1) metaph. to pass to one’s account, to impute. This word deals with reality. If I "logizomai" or reckon that my bank book has $25 in it, it has $25 in it. Otherwise I am deceiving myself. This word refers to facts not suppositions.
- 4785 ~συγκαταψηφίζω~ sugkatapsephizo \@soong-kat-aps-ay-fid’-zo\@ from 4862 and a compound of 2596 and 5585; v AV-number 1; 1 1) be depositing a ballot in the urn (i.e. by voting for) to assign one a place among, to vote one a place among 2) to vote against with others, i.e. to condemn with others as we see in Acts 1:26.
- ↑ 4785 ~συγκαταψηφίζω~ sugkatapsephizo \@soong-kat-aps-ay-fid’-zo\@ from 4862 and a compound of 2596 and 5585; v AV-number 1; 1 1) be depositing a ballot in the urn (i.e. by voting for) to assign one a place among, to vote one a place among 2) to vote against with others, i.e. to condemn with others
- ↑ 2842 koinonia κοινωνία koy-nohn-ee’-ah from κοινωνός koinonos meaning partaker or a partner, associate, comrade, companion which is from κοινός koinos koy-nos’ meaning common. Koinonia is a noun translated fellowship 12 times, communion 4, communication 1, distribution 1, contribution 1, to communicate 1; 20 1) fellowship, association, community, communion, joint participation, intercourse 1a) the share which one has in anything, participation 1b) intercourse, fellowship, intimacy 1b1) the right hand as a sign and pledge of fellowship (in fulfilling the apostolic office) 1c) a gift jointly contributed, a collection, a contribution, as exhibiting an embodiment and proof of fellowship
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