Caring For All Believers Explained

One will have observed that, my teachings and sharing during this year (2015) have been proceeded with the phrase “Caring for all believers”. I was therefore delighted when a brother from Russia pointed that out that, it made no sense, as it is only the church leaders who cares for the saved. With humility and as expected I invited him to bring out his reasons based on Christian teachings only, to show that it doesn’t make sense.

I am not going to show the sharing publicly since after he realised that it was easier said than done he retracted his statement. But I have the brother’s permission to say that such has been so rewarding that I have decided to state my reasons for using such a phrase.

My focus on using the term has been biblical, but most importantly it has a personal reflection too. Those words always sounds very familiar to me.With my struggle as a wealthy young and proud man becoming a Christian. The next couple of weeks I am going to try and share this not my experience but the basis for emphasising on the term.

And it is of course many of you may be familiar with the answer to the question, by God raised in Genesis 4:9 by Cain: "Am I my brother's keeper?" The answer of course is yes, and for better or worse, this is mine as well, and I hope it is yours as well. But it is rather the opposite of what we are about to share.

That answer of course given by Cain upon much reflection wasn’t a healthy answer, based on the conversation recorded in Genesis. However, to that which drew me to use this phrase I invite you to read, and upon which I invite you to comment. I will draw on other commentaries which were truthful and fruitful (Luke 20:21). The lawyer one will say was having a crafty insinuation to his question, yet here he spoke the truth.” Jesus Christ does not teach to impress or seek the approval of man; but teaches the way of God in truth”.Neither did Paul our brother and leading ones' did nor should ours.

So as I am saying, in the New Testament we encounter another expression of this concept. Too often people mistake the story for a real account, which it was not. It is a teaching in parable, the one we know as The Good Samaritan. And too often we forget that the parable is told in a larger framework of spiritual significance, in response to a question from the Jewish lawyer. Actually looking at the overview of Luke; which emphasised on the Gospel of Forgiveness and also portrayed Jesus Christ as the Man-Saviour? It made a lot of Spiritual sense:

And who is my neighbour?
A good teacher does not answer the question of the student, but helps the student achieve the answer on his own. We tend to forget that Jesus often demonstrated how masterful a teacher He was. And not only that, but God who Himself is also the source of wisdom. The truth He teaches and commands us to teach, preach, evangelise or live has to have a relevance to the desire and expression of God. Especially in Luke 20:25-37.

Allow me to offer the complete King James version, then offer my analysis and others I have come across which is of greater truth and helpfulness.

25 ¶ And, behold, a certain lawyer stood up, and tempted him, saying, Master, what shall I do to inherit eternal life?

26 He said unto him, What is written in the law? How readest thou?

27 And he answering said,
Thou shalt love the Lord thy God
with all thy heart, and with all thy soul,
and with all thy strength, and with all thy mind;
and thy neighbour as thyself.
28 And he said unto him, Thou hast answered right: this do, and thou shalt live.

29 But he, willing to justify himself, said unto Jesus, And who is my neighbour?

30 And Jesus answering said, A certain man went down from Jerusalem to Jericho, and fell among thieves, which stripped him of his raiment, and wounded him, and departed, leaving him half dead.

31 And by chance there came down a certain priest that way; and when he saw him, he passed by on the other side.

32 And likewise a Levite, when he was at the place, came and looked on him, and passed by on the other side.

33 But a certain Samaritan, as he journeyed, came where he was; and when he saw him, he had compassion on him,

34 and went to him, and bound up his wounds, pouring in oil and wine, and set him on his own beast, and brought him to an inn, and took care of him.

35 And on the morrow when he departed, he took out two pence, and gave them to the host, and said unto him, Take care of him: and whatsoever thou spendest more, when I come again, I will repay thee.

36 Which now of these three, thinkest thou, was neighbour unto him that fell among the thieves?

37 And he said, He that showed mercy on him. Then said Jesus unto him, Go, and do thou likewise.

First, allow me to note the overall structure. Lawyer ask question - what must I do to inherit eternal life? Jesus, not only being a good Jew (and great teacher),but God, answers that questions with 2 questions of His own - What is written? How do you read? Let me ask you how well do you get the Bible expanded in the right truth to you? How well do the truth in Gospel compel and guide you in whatever you do or say?

The Lawyer answers referring to Deuteronomy 6:5 and Leviticus 19:18.Jesus as teacher affirms that the student KNOWS the answer to his own question. Note something here with the interaction, the first two being questions, the second two being statements. That structure is paralled in the rest of the quoted verses.

Lawyer - who is my neighbour?
Jesus prefaces his next question with the teaching of the parable

Jesus - who was neighbour unto Him set upon by thieves?

Lawyer - the one who showed mercy on him
NOTE the lawyer, a Jew, can still not properly call the man as Jesus did, Samaritan, perhaps because of the hatred of Jews towards Samaritans. That is PART of the teaching. Is it any different today; how we sadly look down on those whom we may sometimes or often not considered to be one of our own? Christians separated by our own ideology, denominations or understanding of the Scriptures.

Jesus: Go, and do thou likewise. Though an advise to the lawyer, but a command to all who follow or learn of or from Him(disciples) (Mathew 28:18-20). Similarly like Peter, we were told to feed the flock of the Lord. You can only give to the Church only what God has given to you on returning that which was initially giving to you (for the building of the Body of Christ).I am not at all saying we are those who build the Church,the Body of Christ, whose foundation is Christ, yet the Lord sees us as useful tools in His arsenal of doing His work. Becoming those who express God, strengthened by His Spirit us with our human virtues and divine attributes (Luke 4:14-9:50), becoming worthy ambassadors. Some call it church and spiritual living. (This is to be continued).