Le Koinonia Chrétien dans l’Economie de Dieu
1 Jean 1 :1-10
Si quelqu’un me demande de choisir un thème de thèse de l’étude théologique, je choisirais « l’économie de Dieu », non seulement parce que j’ai arrière-plan d’étude qui est l’économie, mais parce que dans ce terme est comporté une signification profonde. On peut expliquer de plusieurs façons ce terme, mais si on le définit très simplement, ce serait comme suit : Dieu partage lui-même en l’homme, afin de l’amener au salut. Comment ceci se fait-il ? Pas trop compliqué, nous récitons à chaque culte le credo des apôtres, et dedans il y a cette vérité. C’est la trinité. Même si ce terme n’est pas écrit dans la Bible, Dieu utilise cette vérité pour amener l’homme au salut. Donc, de la même manière que le titre du message dominical de la semaine dernière, nous pouvons nommer celui d’aujourd’hui de façon suivante : le chemin d’accès au salut. Par la trinité nous pouvons avoir accès au salut offert par Dieu. Le credo commence donc par ces mots : Je crois en Dieu tout puissant, créateur du ciel et de la terre. Dieu incite l’homme à venir vers lui soit par la Bible soit par l’ouvrage de la nature pour contempler Dieu Créateur. L’homme est inspiré par elle et en vient à reconnaître l’existence de Dieu. Comme la création est le temps de l’origine, c’est le temps du commencement de l’œuvre de salut en l’homme. A titre de référence, l’économie (économia en grec) est traduit dans la Bible soit mystère, soit œuvre, soit dispensation. L’œuvre du salut dispensé de Dieu est vraiment mystérieuse. Toutes les fois que j’y pense, je trouve que vous êtes heureux, parce que vous avez un pasteur qui vous dispense chaque fois ce genre de mystère profond.
L’économie signifie etymologiquement le management des biens de la famille ou la nation. Quand nous la disons, elle nous rappelle souvent l’épargne. Dieu, qui est le Créateur du ciel et de la terre est le « Gestionnaire » (en majuscule) du bien de la terre et de tout l’univers. Ainsi, Dieu qui est redoutable a épargné le peuple Hébreux quand il fut pressé de deux côtés, la mer rouge de devant et l’armée égyptienne équipé des chars de derrière et l’a fait traverser la mer comme une terre sèche et fait submerger les Egyptiens.
1P 2 :9 dit, « Vous, par contre, vous êtes une race élue, un sacerdoce royal, une nation sainte, un peuple racheté, afin d’annoncer les vertus de celui qui vous a appelé des ténèbres à son admirable lumière. » Notre sort a dû être le même que celui des Egyptiens submergés dans la mer. Mais par l’unique grâce de Dieu, nous sommes maintenant sain et sauf et de plus, il nous a établis comme ses précieux enfants dans le royaume de Dieu. Vraiment par rapport au peuple (même une personne) qui obéit à sa parole, tous les autres peuples (même des millions d’âmes) n’ont pas, selon le terme de l’économie, de valeur d’usage à Dieu. Dieu dispense et punit même comme il lui semble bon. Ainsi, le roi Ahazia envoya au prophète Elie un chef de cinquante avec ses cinquantes. Celui-ci dit arrogamment à Elie, descend. A sa place, le feu descendit du ciel et dévora le soldat avec ses cinquante. Dieu répéta ceci à chaque foi d’envoi des soldats par le roi, jusqu’à ce qu’un chef vienne lui dire : Homme de Dieu, je te prie, que ma vie et que la vie des ces cinquantes, tes serviteurs soit précieuse à tes yeux. »
Après qu’Elie monta au ciel sans subir la mort, Elisée le succéda. Un jour, Elisée était en train d’aller sur le chemin de Bethel. Les petits jeunes garçons sortirent de la ville et se moquèrent de lui. Quand, avant de rencontrer Jésus, j’étais en train de marcher dans une rue du village à Aix-en-Provence où j’ai fait mes études, un group de petits garçons sortirent et en me voyant, m’ont insulté, en me jettant des pierre. Franchement, j’ai pas eu à l’époque trop envie de rester au pays si peu accueillant, quoi que Dieu ait changé tout après. Peut-être la même situation. Ces jeunes gens dirent à Elisée : Monte, chauve ! Monte, chauve ! Alors deux ours sortirent de la fôret et mirent en pièces 42 de ces adolescents.
Dans ce monde, nous luttons pour avoir beaucoup de connaissances. Mais la première connaissance que nous devons acquérir, si nous sommes son peuple, est le fait que notre Dieu est le Dieu redoutable. Il est le Dieu qui n’a pas de considération de personne et celui qui dot par la bouche de Moïse et de Paul, « à moi la vengeance et la rétribution. C’est moi qui retribuerai. » (Dt 32 :35 ; Rm 12 :19) D’où notre marche devant sa face avec crainte et tremblement.
Puis 2e économie de Dieu pour le salut humain est le Fils de Dieu, Jésus-Christ. Depuis la chute d’Adam, Dieu voulut sauver l’homme qui est devenu esclave de Satan à cause de sa désobéissance à son commandement. L’amour de Dieu envers les hommes n’a pas été changé. Selon sa promesse, Dieu envoya son Fils Jésus-Christ comme sauveur du monde par le biais de son incarnation. Si la première économie concerne le temps de l’origine, cette 2e économie concerne le temps de l’événement central et celui de plénitude des temps selon l’expression de prêtre Sesboüé. Le salut se produit par la foi en 4 événements : incarnation, mystère pascal, résurrection, puis annonce de son retour.
Ensuite vient enfin la 3e économie, celle de la sanctification. Celle-ci se produit par le Saint-Esprit. C’est aussi une économie du type sacramentel, ou ecclésiale. Ainsi, le credo dit, « Je crois en l’Esprit Saint et Sainte Eglise Universelle, etc. De nos jours, le phénomène de déchristianisation s’accélère avec l’abandon accru des fidèles de l’église. Mais l’Eglise est un instrument que Dieu emploie pour accomplir son œuvre rédemptrice de Dieu pour l’homme. Un jour dans Jérusalem, il y a eu un grand bruit tumultueux puis des langues de feu descendant du ciel se séparèrent et demeurèrent chacune d’elles sur la tête des disciples. Puis ceux-ci se mirent à parler de différentes langues. C’est comme Dieu se sépare, entre et demeure dans le cœur de chaque homme comme expression de son économie. Que se passa-t-il pour que cette œuvre puissante se passe sur ces galiléens incultes ? C’était 120 personnes réunies dans un endroit et l’œuvre de Dieu accompli ainsi se propagea si puissamment que les régions et les pays voisins furent amenés à être évangélisé. Ce n’est rien d’autre que la réalisation de l’économie de Dieu dans le temps dernier.
Dieu veut accomplir son œuvre (ou son économie) de salut à travers son Eglise. Je nie pas que chacun et chacune – j’ai rencontré trop souvent les gens qui adoptent cette philosophie gnostique qui disent que sa propre spiritualité compte et l’Eglise n’a peu d’importance – peut recevoir quelque relation avec Dieu. Mais nous devons savoir que hors de l’Eglise, le salut ne peut être complet, comme le désirait Dieu. La symphonie inachevé de Schubert est quand-même une symphonie et elle est très jolie. Mais force est de dire qu’elle n’est pas achevé, c’est-à-dire qu’ils n’est pas conforme au règle de la composition de la musique de symphonie qui se fait en 3 ou 4 mouvements. Notre salut sans Eglise est un peu comme cela. Paul disait, « Ainsi, mes bien-aimés, comme vous avez toujours obéi, travaillez à votre salut avec crainte et tremblement. » Nous devons nous efforcer d’accomplir notre salut en nous engageant dans l’Eglise, communauté des saints, car c’est le moyen que Dieu emploie pour notre salut. Il est vrai que nous qui vivons dans le monde où l’individualisme est une vertu recommandée, avons de la difficulté de nous engager dans l’Eglise et sacrifier nos vies. Mais résumons l’économie de Dieu ; c’est la connaissance de Dieu qui nous a créé, et celle de Jésus qui fut envoyé pour nous sauver par son incarnation, sa mort et sa résurrection et son retour. Puis, le troisième économie qui est la sanctification par l’Esprit qui se réalise par la communion fraternelle dans l’Eglise.
Le texte d’aujourd’hui de 1Jean nous parle précisément de cette 3e économie. Les versets 1 et 2 nous disent que l’apôtre transmet cette vérité en son propre terme employé de « communion ». Ainsi ils disent, « Ce qui était dès le commencement, ce que nous avons entendu, ce que nous avons contemplé et que nous mains ont touché, concernant la parole de la vie – et la vie a été manifesté, nous l’avons vue, nous en rendons témoignage, et nous nous annonçons la vie éternelle, qui était auprès du Père et qui nous a été manifestée –. Puis le 3e verset continue : ce que nous avons vu et entendu, nous vous l’annonçons, à vous aussi, afin que vous aussi, vous soyez en communion avec nous. Or, cette communion est avec le Père et avec son Fils, Jésus-Christ. »
Jean transmet cette vérité à cause de la nécessité. L’apôtre écrivit cette lettre à Ephèse à toutes les églises de l’Asie. Le thème de cette épître est que le chemin du monde est faux et qu’il faut se garder des faux docteurs et que le croyant doit savoir la prééminence de l’amour : c’est-à-dire que Dieu nous aime et en réponse à ça nous avons ce devoir de nous aimer les uns les autres. La raison pour laquelle Jean écrivit cette lettre est parce que dans les église d’Asie Mineur, il y avait de faux docteurs qui enseignaient de fausses doctrines appelées le gnosticisme. Les gnostiques insistaient sur le fait que l’esprit est bon et le corps es mauvais. Leur philosophie est si vous vous souvenez du message s’il y a quelques semaines, « le soleil est à la vue et aux objets visible dans le monde visible ce que le bien est à l’esprit et aux pensées dans le monde intelligible. » La suprématie de l’idée du Bien, quoi que le philosophe lui-même avait, lors de sa mort, associé l’esprit au corps, avait une énorme influence sur le monde de pensée ultérieur, jusqu’aux gens modernes. A l’époque de Jésus, 2 écoles philosophiques grecs étaient dominantes : les stoïciens et les épicuriens. Les premiers étaient les ascètes qui disaient que pour le bonheur de l’homme, il faut mettre mors au corps qui est mauvais, et les seconds étaient les hédonistes qui disaient que pour le bonheur de l’homme, on n’a qu’à chercher le plaisir mental, sans se soucier de ce qui est de la chair. Tous les deux écoles étaient basés sur le concept platonicien de la sublimité de l’esprit du côté du corps qui est toujours mauvais. Les gnostiques suivaient le même fil de la pensée. Ils sont comme les dispensationalistes modernes qui disent « la mission mondiale est uniquement réservé à 11 disciples de Jésus, mais pas nous. » Ils dénonçaient l’incarnation de Jésus-Christ surtout, en disant, « Si jésus est Dieu parfait, et un homme parfait, Jésus ne peut être Dieu, parce que le corps est mauvais. »
Par exemple, au sujet du corps, de nos jours, les gens pensent que la jeunesse est meilleure. On cherche éperdument la rajeunissement ou l’amincissement du corps. Cette tendance de la recherche de la beauté du corps a cette arrière-plan de la pensée des grecs qui considéraient l’esprit est meilleure et le corps est mauvais. Le corps est périssable, le corps vieilli est laid. Mais le christianisme nous enseigne que le corps vieilli n’est pas laid, ni les vieillards pleins de ride ne sont pas laids. Bien au contraire, les vieux représentent le mûrissement des années qui donne la sagesse. Leurs corps, bien qu’ils soient moins beaux que celui des jeunes, s’approche de plus près du moment où ils revêtiront du nouveau corps ressuscité.
Le mystère de l’incarnation est caché aux yeux des incrédules et même aux yeux de ce pseudo chrétiens gnostiques. Ils ne comprennent rien du tout concernant la vérité de l’incarnation. Vraiment l’incarnation de Jésus comporte une grande et profonde vérité pour l’humanité. Jean 1 :14 dit, « La parole a été faite chair, et elle a habité parmi nous, plein de grâce et de vérité ; et nous avons contemplé sa gloire, une gloire comme celle du Fils unique venu du Père. » Jésus, Fils unique du Père, Dieu Créateur, en laissant toute sa gloire, son pouvoir et son honneur dans son trône du ciel, descendit sur la terre pour être semblable aux hommes. Il s’est revêtu du corps humain pour cela. Quelle humilité ! Dieu devint homme pour sauver l’humanité pécheresse. Quelle grâce dans laquelle nous ne pouvons nous empêcher d’avoir constamment les larmes aux yeux. Depuis la nuit des temps, il y avait les esclaves parmi les hommes. Les nobles étaient toujours les nobles et les paysans toujours paysans méprisables. Mais les paysans aspiraient toujours à être un jour les nobles. Un jour au Vietnam, un officier français peu éduqué dont la fierté fut blessé devant un petit paysan mais noble qui ne l’appelait pas « majesté » selon le règle colonial, descendit de son cheval, le frappa jusqu’à son demi-mort. Combien il est difficile pour l’homme qui aspire toujours plus à s’élever vers le haut de s’abaisser ne serait-ce qu’un centimètre vers le bas. Mais regardez Jésus qui était Dieu descendit sur la terre et se coucha dans le mangeoire. Personne dans ce monde, même l’avorton d’une femme paysanne n’a pas subi de tel pathétique sort. Il y avait un jeune pasteur. Il était un homme très humble. Il a servi Dieu plus de 10 ans. Entre-temps, pendant qu’il servait ses brebis étudiantes, beaucoup parmi eux devinrent docteurs. Les jeunes docteurs expérimentaient de tels désespoirs, humiliations, nuit de sommeil fuyard, qu’ils veulent être appelés docteur par leurs hommes d’entourage. Ce n’est pas parce qu’ils sont orgueilleux, mais parce qu’ils veulent être reconnus. Mais le jeune serviteur de Dieu n’adressait jamais à chacun de ses membres docteurs comme docteur. Le serviteur pensait que ne pas les appeler docteur est bon, parce qu’il vit le consensus social dans lequel il n’y a pas de respect. Mais pour les jeunes docteurs, leur berger semblait avoir l’attitude de ne pas reconnaître vraiment Dieu, ce qui fit qu’il ne les reconnaît pas ses membres docteurs proprement. Dans cette épisode, nous apprenons combien il est difficile de nous humilier nous-mêmes. Quand nous regardons le monde autour de nous, l’homme déchu semble être né pour être fier pour rien. Mais nous les chrétiens doivent reconnaître Dieu comme Dieu, les frère chrétiens comme frères chrétiens et reconnaître les docteurs comme docteurs. Les gens sont pour la plupart des cas, blessé à cause de leur péché coupable de la fierté.
Mais Jésus se revêtit du corps humain malodorant et vint sur la terre. Puis, il devint ami des malades. Jésus vint sur la terre pour sauver les pécheurs de leurs péchés. Un jour, Jésus était sur le chemin près du village. Les 10 lépreux le rencontrèrent et en se mettant à la distance, ils s’écrièrent : Jésus, maître, aie pitié de nous. Quand il les vit, il dit, « Va, montrez-vous aux sacrificateurs. » En s’en allant, ils furent tous purifiés. Puis, un autre jours, en passant au bord de la mer, il vit Lévi, assis dans le bureau du péage et lui dit : « Suis-moi. » puis, suite à l’invitation de Lévi, Jésus fit part de la table avec les péagers et les prostitués. Puis tous les convives ressentirent le royaume de Dieu venir dans leur cœur. C’était la communion divine qui rendit visite à chacun de ses hommes qui semblaient être comme une fleur coupé de Dieu pour faire revenir la vie nouvelle. Comment tout cela, toutes ces œuvres sont-elles arrivées si Jésus-Christ ne descendit pas en terre en se revêtant du corps humain, humblement ?
Le jour de fête des Juifs, certainement fête des huttes plein de joie et d’allégresse à cause de la délivrance des Juifs de l’esclavage d’autrefois, Jésus se tint devant la portique de Salomon. Cette communauté des malades qui criait en courant vers la piscine de Bethesda pour être le premier qui jette son corps à l’eau et guéri de sa maladie, est une caricature de la communauté humaine de survie. Or, il y avait un homme infirme de depuis 38 ans. Au bout des échecs répétés de sa vie, il devint comme ces feuilles détachés et mouillés du chou, sans moindre volonté de faire quoi que ce soit. Il s’était couché comme ça pendant 38 ans sur son canapé mal bâti en regardant la scène de la guérison d’autrui comme s’il voit l’écran de Télé sur le beau paysage d’un pays lointain. Jésus lui demanda du coup, « veux-tu retrouver la santé ? » Malgré sa moue, Jésus, poussé par sa compassion, le guérit. Mais, dans son ingratitude, il dénonça Jésus à l’autorité religieux, à la merci du tribunal de celle-ci, en disant que c’est Jésus qui l’avait poussé et enquiquiné à se lever. On dit que le tigre qu’on a sauvé du noyade, dès qu’il sort de l’eau, mange celui qui l’a sauvé. A ce degré, Jésus aurait fait mieux de ne pas commencé son œuvre de guérison. Mais Jésus n’arrêtait pas son œuvre rédemptrice des âmes malades. Il brava audacieusement toutes les oppositions, haines et persécutions et persévérait jusqu’au bout, tant qu’il trouva une âme de plus à sauver dans ce monde. C’était la communion que Jésus voulut toujours établir avec les hommes dont la communion avec Père a été coupé à cause de leur péché. Mais sa sollicitude hors commun a été rarement comprise et appréciée par les hommes coupables. Le comble de la communion divine de Jésus se trouve sur la croix de Jésus. Quand nous lisons les évangiles, la prière de Jésus est vraiment impressionnante. Il pria, « Père, pardonne-leur, car ils ne savent ce qu’ils font. » Cette scène si émouvante nous montre combien Jésus voulut offrir la communion aux hommes. Dans cette scène nous trouvons une communion de triangle. Déjà, Jésus avait communion avec Dieu son Père. Puis il a communion avec ceux qui ne savaient pas le mal qu’ils faisaient, et il eut cette communion avec sa mère et d’autres femmes qui soutenaient son ministère pendant quelques dernières années. Cette mort sur la croix est trop pathétique. Mais elle nous donne grâce sur grâce, car elle nous montre quelle est la vraie communion que l’homme peut nouer pour son bonheur. Pour toute cette œuvre merveilleuse du salut et du pardon, et cette communion restaurée, Dieu envoya son Fils au monde par le biais de son incarnation, si douloureuse soit-elle.
La dernière partie du texte de 5-8 nous indique qu’il y a un style de vie chrétienne exigée. Il y a en effet 2 exigences imposées pour la vie chrétienne. D’abord, les chrétiens doivent vivre dans la lumière. Comme nous le savons bien, il y a la lumière et il y a les ténèbres. Beaucoup de gens vivent une double vie, c’est-à-dire parfois ils vivent dans la lumière, parfois ils vivent dans les ténèbres. C’est pourquoi la responsabilité d’un chrétien est de conduire ceux qui vivent dans les ténèbres à la lumière merveilleuse de Jésus. 1 P2 :9 dit, « Vous, par contre, vous êtes une race élue, un sacerdoce royal, une nation sainte, un peuple racheté, afin d’annoncer les vertus de celui qui vous a appelés des ténèbres à son admirable lumière. »
Dans cette génération, les gens ne disent pas pourquoi quelque chose est arrivé ou ce qui a causé une événement à se produire. En conséquence, l’obscurité envahit l’esprit des gens qui ne savent pas « pourquoi » ? Nous devons savoir que les ténèbres représentent le chaos de la vie sans Dieu. Comme nous le savons bien, 100% de ceux qui vivent dans les ténèbres ont envie d’une vie immorale. Et la vie immorale rend les âmes humaines très malades. Ces jours-ci, la liberté illimité de l’homme est devenu le consensus social du monde occidental. Mais la liberté humaine rend les gens très égoïstes. L’égoïsme a des liaison avec la mentalité sans pitié.
Un autre style de vie d’un chrétien doit être la vie repentante. Regardez les versets 8-9. « Si nous disons que nous n’avons pas de péché, nous nous séduisons nous-mêmes, et la vérité n’est pas en nous. Si nous confessons nos péchés, il est fidèle et juste pour nous pardonner nos péchés et nous purifier de toute injustice. » Ces versets nous rappellent 1 Co 6 :9-11 qui se lisent, « Ne savez-vous pas que les injustes n’hériterons pas le royaume de Dieu ? Ne vous y trompez pas : ni les débauches, ni les idolâtres, ni les adultères, ni les dépravés, ni les homosexuels, ni les voleurs, ni les cupides, ni les ivrognes, ni les insulteurs, ni les accapareurs n’hériterons pas le royaume de Dieu. Et c’est là ce que vous étiez, quelques-uns d’entre vous. Mais vous avez été lavés, mais vous avez été sanctifiés, mais vous avez été justifiés au nom du Seigneur Jésus-Christ et par l’Esprit de notre Seigneur. » par le sang de Jésus, quand nous confessons nos péchés, si graves soient-ils, Dieu nous en lave complètement.
De nos jours, la plupart des gens pensent qu’ils n’ont aucune notion de péché parce que leur conscience est marquée au fer rouge et qu’ils sont engourdis comme un lépreux et ne sentent pas le péché. Mais s’ils ne se sentent pas la piqûre de la conscience et de la sensibilité envers le péché dans leur âme, ils ne peuvent duper eux-mêmes en pensant qu’ils sont justes. Ces jours-ci, de nombreux sorcières avec leurs soi-disant sciences aident les jeunes à être marqué au fer rouge dans leur conscience et à rendre leur sentiment coupable engourdi. Nous ne pouvons pas dire qu’ils sont de bons conseillers. Ils sont les responsables du sang de ceux à qui ils donnaient le conseil. D’un autre côté, si nous confessons nos péchés, Dieu nous pardonnera tous nos péchés et nous purifiera de toute injustice. Regardez de nouveau le verset 9. « si nous confessons nos péchés, il est fidèle et juste pour nous pardonner nos péchés et nous purifier de toute injustice.
Que Dieu vous bénisse et vous aide à grandir jusqu’à devenir un membre de la koinonia – certainement vous avez vu beaucoup se répéter ce mot, si vous avez étudiez cette parole en avance par votre enseignant berger. C’est un nom grec correspondant au mot : communion – chrétienne. Nous devons nous rappeler que la koinonia chrétienne commence avec Dieu et son Fils Jésus, puis enfin, avec l'église y compris ma maison église.
Christian Koinonia in God’s economy
1 John 1 :1-10
If someone asks me to choose a thesis topic of theological study, I would choose "God's economy," not only because I have background of study that is the economy, but because is included in this term a profound significance. Can be explained in several ways this term, but if it is defined very simply, it would be as follows: God shares himself in the man to bring him to salvation. How is done this? Not too complicated, we recite the creed of the apostles in each worship, and inside it is this truth. It is the trinity. Even if this term is not written in the Bible, God uses this truth to lead men to salvation. So, in the same manner as the message title of last Sunday, we can appoint today’s message in the following way: the mean of access to the salvation. Through the Trinity we have access to the salvation offered by God. The creed begins with these words: I believe in God almighty, creator of heaven and earth. God encourages man to come to him either by the Bible or by the creation of nature to contemplate God the Creator. Man is inspired by it and comes to recognize the existence of God. As the creation is the time of origin, it is also the time of commencement of the work of salvation in man. For reference, the Economy (Economia in Greek) is translated in the Bible either mystery or work, or dispensation. The work of salvation offered by God is really mysterious. Each time I think it, I find you're happy, because you have a pastor who provides you every time this kind of profound mystery.
The economy etymologically means the management of family property or the nation. When we say it, it reminds us often saving. God is the Creator of heaven and earth is the "Manager" (M majuscule) of the property of the earth and all the universe. Thus, God who is mighty has saved the Hebrew people when he was pressed on two sides, the red sea at front and the Egyptian army equipped with tanks behind and let them cross the sea as on dry land and submerge the Egyptians.
1P 2: 9 says, "But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God’s own people, that you may declaire the wonderful deeds of him who called you out of darkness into his marvellous light." Our fate must have been the same as that of the Egyptians overwhelmed in the sea. But by the only grace of God we are safe now and plus, he established us as his precious children into the kingdom of God. Really compared to the people (even a person) who obeys his word, all other peoples (even millions of souls) don’t, according to the terms of the economy, value of use to God. God provides and even punishes as it looks good. So when Ahaziah the king sent to Elijah a captain of fifty with his fifty, he arrogantly said to Elijah, come down. In his place, the fire came down from heaven and devoured the soldier with his fifty. God repeats this every time of sending troops by the king, until a chief comes to tell him: Man of God, I pray thee, my life and the lives of these fifty thy servants be precious in your eyes.
After Elijah ascended to heaven without suffering death, Elisha succeeded him. One day Elisha was about to go on the road to Bethel. The small boys came out of the city and mocked him. When, before meeting Jesus, I was walking in a village street in Aix-en-Provence, where I studied, a group of small boys came out and saw me, insulted me in throwing the stone. Frankly, I had not at that time the envy to stay at home so unwelcoming, whatever God has changed all, after. Perhaps the same situation. These young people said to Elisha, Monte, bald! Monte, bald! Then two bears came out of the forest and teared up to pieces 42 of these adolescents.
In this world, we struggle to have much knowledge. But first knowledge we must acquire, if we are his people, is the fact that our God is the dreadful God. He is the God who has no respect of persons and the one that said through the mouth of Moses and Paul, "to me vengeance and retribution. It’s me who will retribute. "(Deuteronomy 32: 35, Rom 12: 19) Hence our walk before Him with fear and trembling. It’s this dreadful God who saved us from eternal condamnation of which we were deserved because of our sins. Hallelua !
1P 2: 9 says, "But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God’s own people, that you may declaire the wonderful deeds of him who called you out of darkness into his marvellous light." Our fate must have been the same as that of the Egyptians overwhelmed in the sea. But by the only grace of God we are safe now and plus, he established us as his precious children into the kingdom of God. Really compared to the people (even a person) who obeys his word, all other peoples (even millions of souls) don’t, according to the terms of the economy, value of use to God. God provides and even punishes as it looks good. So when Ahaziah the king sent to Elijah a captain of fifty with his fifty, he arrogantly said to Elijah, come down. In his place, the fire came down from heaven and devoured the soldier with his fifty. God repeats this every time of sending troops by the king, until a chief comes to tell him: Man of God, I pray thee, my life and the lives of these fifty thy servants be precious in your eyes.
After Elijah ascended to heaven without suffering death, Elisha succeeded him. One day Elisha was about to go on the road to Bethel. The small boys came out of the city and mocked him. When, before meeting Jesus, I was walking in a village street in Aix-en-Provence, where I studied, a group of small boys came out and saw me, insulted me in throwing the stone. Frankly, I had not at that time the envy to stay at home so unwelcoming, whatever God has changed all, after. Perhaps the same situation. These young people said to Elisha, Monte, bald! Monte, bald! Then two bears came out of the forest and teared up to pieces 42 of these adolescents.
In this world, we struggle to have much knowledge. But first knowledge we must acquire, if we are his people, is the fact that our God is the dreadful God. He is the God who has no respect of persons and the one that said through the mouth of Moses and Paul, "to me vengeance and retribution. It’s me who will retribute. "(Deuteronomy 32: 35, Rom 12: 19) Hence our walk before Him with fear and trembling. It’s this dreadful God who saved us from eternal condamnation of which we were deserved because of our sins. Hallelua !
Then the second economy of God for human salvation is through the Son of God, Jesus Christ. Since the fall of Adam, God wanted to save the man who became a slave to Satan because of his disobedience to his command. The love of God toward men has not been changed. According to his promise, God sent his Son Jesus Christ as savior of the world through his incarnation. If the first economy concerns the time of origin, the second economy concerns the time of the central event and that of the fullness of times according to the words of a priest Sesboüé. The salvation occurs through the faith in 4 events: Incarnation, paschal mystery, resurrection, and then announc of his return. I think we will have the occasion to precise this economie later.
Then finally comes the third economy, that of sanctification. This occurs by the Holy Spirit. It is also an economy of sacramental type, or ecclesial type. Thus, the creed says, "I believe in the Holy Spirit and Holy Universal Church, etc.. » Nowadays, the phenomenon of de-Christianization is accelerating with increased abandonment of the faithful of the church. But the Church is an instrument that God uses to accomplish his redemptive work of God to man. One day in Jerusalem, there was a loud tumultuous noise and tongues of fire descending from the heavens departed and remained the each head of the disciples. Then they began to speak different languages. It's like God separates himself, enters and remains in the heart of every man as says the definition of economy of God. What happened there so that this powerful work is going on on these uneducated Galileans? It was 120 people gathered in one place and who prayed with one heart. The God's work begun like it spread so powerfully that the regions and neighboring countries were come to be evangelized.
God wants to accomplish his work (or economy) of salvation through His Church. I do not deny that everyone - I've met too many people who adopt this Gnostic philosophy who say that his own spirituality matters and the church has little importance - may receive some relationship with God. But we know that outside the Church, salvation can not be complete, as God wanted. The symphony is Schubert's unfinished symphony anyway and it is very pretty. But we must say that it is not completed, that is to say it is not conform with rule of composition of the symphony music which is done in 3 or 4 movements. Our salvation without the Church is like that. Paul said, "Therefore, my beloved, as ye have always obeyed, work out your salvation with fear and trembling. » We must strive to accomplish our salvation by engaging in the Church, the communion of Saints, because it is the means that God uses for our salvation. It is true that we who live in a world where individualism is a popular value, have difficulty to engage in church and sacrifice our lives. But let’s summarize : the economy of God is done by knowing God who created us, and by knowing Jesus who was sent to save us by his incarnation, death and resurrection and his return. Then, the third economy which is the sanctification by the Spirit and which is realized by the fellowship in the Church comes to complete our salvation.
Today's text of 1 John tells us precisely this economy de salut de Dieu. Verses 1 and 2 tell us that the apostle transfers this truth through his own term which is "communion." Thie word can be defined like economy, the share of God himself in men. God doesn’t abandon his people, but has fellowship with them. So they say, "That which was from the beginning, which we heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we have looked upon and touches with our hands, concerning the word of life – the life was made manifest, and we saw it, and testify to it, and proclaim to you the eternal life which was with the Father and was manifested to us -. » Then the third verse goes on: « that which we have seen and heard we proclaim also to you so that you too may have fellowship with us. And our fellowship is with the Father and His Son, Jesus Christ. "
First, for the comprehension of this lettre, some explanation of background is necessayr. John wrote this letter pushed by the need. The apostle wrote this letter at Ephesus to all the churches of Asia. The reason John wrote this letter is because in the church in Asia Minor, there were false teachers who were teaching false doctrine known as Gnosticism. The Gnostics insisted that the spirit is good and the body is bad. Their philosophy is if you remember the message a few weeks ago, "the sun is to sight and visible objects in the visible world what the property is to the mind and thoughts in the intelligible world." The supremacy of the idea of Good, even though the philosopher himself, at his death, associated the spirit with the body, had an enormous influence on the world of thought further, even to modern people. At the time of Jesus, 2 Greek philosophical schools were dominant: the Stoics and Epicureans. The first were the ascetics who said that for the happiness of man, we need to clamp the body that is bad, and the latter were the hedonists who said that for the happiness of man, we need only seek mental pleasure, regardless of what is of the flesh. Both schools were based on the Platonic concept of the sublimity of the spirit besides the body which is always bad. The Gnostics followed the same track of thought. They are like modern dispensationalists who say "global mission is only reserved to 11 disciples of Jesus, but not to us. » They denounced the incarnation of Jesus Christ above all, saying, "If Jesus is perfect God and perfect man, Jesus cannot be God, because the body is bad. "
So, John defend the church through this letter against the faulse doctors who denied the incarnatin. The mystery of the incarnation is hidden from the eyes of unbelievers and even to this pseudo Christian Gnostics. They do not understand anything about the truth of the Incarnation. Really the incarnation of Jesus has a great and profound truth for humanity. John 1: 14 says, "The Word became flesh and dwelt among us, full of grace and truth, and we beheld his glory, glory as of the only Son of the Father. "Jesus, only Son of the Father, God the Creator, leaving all his glory, his power and his throne of honor in heaven, descended to earth to be like men. He covered the body for it. What humility! God became man to save sinful humanity. What grace in which we can not stop us from constantly having to tears. Since time immemorial, there were the slaves of men. The nobles were always noble and peasant farmers still peasant farmeur despicable. But the peasants always aspired to one day be the nobles. One day in Vietnam, a French uneducated officer whose pride was wounded before a small peasant but noble family who did not call him "majesty" by colonial rule, got off his horse, knocked up to be half-dead. How difficult it is for the man who aspires to rise ever upward to descend even just a centimeter down. But look at Jesus who was God descended on earth and lay in the manger. Nobody in this world, even the runt of a peasant woman has not experienced such pathetic fate. There was a young pastor. It was a very humble man. He has served God for over 10 years. Meanwhile, while serving his flock students, many of them became doctors. Young doctors experienced such despair, humiliation, sleepless night, they want to be called doctors by their fellow men. This is not because they are proud, but because they want to be recognized. But the young servant of God never adressed each of his doctor members as « Doctor. » The servant thought not to call the doctor is good, because he saw the social consensus in which there is no respect. But for young doctors, their shepherd seemed to have the attitude as if he didn’t really recognize God, which made him do not recognize his doctor members. In this episode, we learn how difficult it is for us to humble ourselves. When we look at the world around us, fallen man seems born to be proud for nothing. But we Christians must recognize God as God, the Christian brother as fellow Christians and recognize the doctors as doctors. People are for the most cases, injured because of their sinful guilty of pride.
But Jesus took on the smelly human body and came to earth. Then he became a friend of the sick. Jesus came to earth to save sinners from their sins. Among many examples of the works of Jesus, incarnated God, I would like to take only some cases. One day Jesus was on the road near the village. The 10 lepers met him and putting himself at the distance, they cried, « Jesus, Master, have mercy on us. » When he saw them, he said, "Go, show yourselves to the priests." On the way, they were all purified. Then another day, passing beside the sea, he saw Levi, sitting in the office of the tax and said, "Follow me." Then, at the invitation of Levi, Jesus was part of the table with tax collectors and prostitutes. Then all the guests feel the kingdom of God come into their heart. It was divine communion who visited each of his men who seemed to be like a flower cut from God to bring back and bloom a new life. How did all this, all these works get if Jesus Christ did not descend into the ground by coating the human body, humbly?
The day of the Jewish festival of huts certainly full of joy and gladness because of the deliverance of the Jews from slavery in the past, Jesus stood before the portico of Solomon. This community of patients who shouted, running towards the pool of Bethesda to be the first to throw his body in the water and be cured of his illness, is a caricature of the human community to survive. However, there was a man crippled for 38 ans. At the end of his repeated failures of life, he became like detached cabagge leap on the ground and wetted, having no will of anything. He had been laid down for hours and hours like this girl fugace before TV, during 38 years regarding with bitterness the scene of healing of others and their joy. When Jesus asked him suddenly, "do you get healthy? » he answered, « there is no one to throw me into pool. » Despite his pout, Jesus, moved by his compassion, healed. But the suit of history is said. In his ingratitude, he denounced Jesus to the religious authority, at the mercy of it’s court, saying that it was Jesus who had bothered him to get up. They say the tiger that was rescued from drowning, once it leaves the water, eat the one that saved him. The problem of the invalid is to be searched. First, his unthankfulness. They say, that receive the blessing is more easy to keep it. Second, his opposition to change. Like slaves, his received the superiors command with his reluctance.
Then finally comes the third economy, that of sanctification. This occurs by the Holy Spirit. It is also an economy of sacramental type, or ecclesial type. Thus, the creed says, "I believe in the Holy Spirit and Holy Universal Church, etc.. » Nowadays, the phenomenon of de-Christianization is accelerating with increased abandonment of the faithful of the church. But the Church is an instrument that God uses to accomplish his redemptive work of God to man. One day in Jerusalem, there was a loud tumultuous noise and tongues of fire descending from the heavens departed and remained the each head of the disciples. Then they began to speak different languages. It's like God separates himself, enters and remains in the heart of every man as says the definition of economy of God. What happened there so that this powerful work is going on on these uneducated Galileans? It was 120 people gathered in one place and who prayed with one heart. The God's work begun like it spread so powerfully that the regions and neighboring countries were come to be evangelized.
God wants to accomplish his work (or economy) of salvation through His Church. I do not deny that everyone - I've met too many people who adopt this Gnostic philosophy who say that his own spirituality matters and the church has little importance - may receive some relationship with God. But we know that outside the Church, salvation can not be complete, as God wanted. The symphony is Schubert's unfinished symphony anyway and it is very pretty. But we must say that it is not completed, that is to say it is not conform with rule of composition of the symphony music which is done in 3 or 4 movements. Our salvation without the Church is like that. Paul said, "Therefore, my beloved, as ye have always obeyed, work out your salvation with fear and trembling. » We must strive to accomplish our salvation by engaging in the Church, the communion of Saints, because it is the means that God uses for our salvation. It is true that we who live in a world where individualism is a popular value, have difficulty to engage in church and sacrifice our lives. But let’s summarize : the economy of God is done by knowing God who created us, and by knowing Jesus who was sent to save us by his incarnation, death and resurrection and his return. Then, the third economy which is the sanctification by the Spirit and which is realized by the fellowship in the Church comes to complete our salvation.
Today's text of 1 John tells us precisely this economy de salut de Dieu. Verses 1 and 2 tell us that the apostle transfers this truth through his own term which is "communion." Thie word can be defined like economy, the share of God himself in men. God doesn’t abandon his people, but has fellowship with them. So they say, "That which was from the beginning, which we heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we have looked upon and touches with our hands, concerning the word of life – the life was made manifest, and we saw it, and testify to it, and proclaim to you the eternal life which was with the Father and was manifested to us -. » Then the third verse goes on: « that which we have seen and heard we proclaim also to you so that you too may have fellowship with us. And our fellowship is with the Father and His Son, Jesus Christ. "
First, for the comprehension of this lettre, some explanation of background is necessayr. John wrote this letter pushed by the need. The apostle wrote this letter at Ephesus to all the churches of Asia. The reason John wrote this letter is because in the church in Asia Minor, there were false teachers who were teaching false doctrine known as Gnosticism. The Gnostics insisted that the spirit is good and the body is bad. Their philosophy is if you remember the message a few weeks ago, "the sun is to sight and visible objects in the visible world what the property is to the mind and thoughts in the intelligible world." The supremacy of the idea of Good, even though the philosopher himself, at his death, associated the spirit with the body, had an enormous influence on the world of thought further, even to modern people. At the time of Jesus, 2 Greek philosophical schools were dominant: the Stoics and Epicureans. The first were the ascetics who said that for the happiness of man, we need to clamp the body that is bad, and the latter were the hedonists who said that for the happiness of man, we need only seek mental pleasure, regardless of what is of the flesh. Both schools were based on the Platonic concept of the sublimity of the spirit besides the body which is always bad. The Gnostics followed the same track of thought. They are like modern dispensationalists who say "global mission is only reserved to 11 disciples of Jesus, but not to us. » They denounced the incarnation of Jesus Christ above all, saying, "If Jesus is perfect God and perfect man, Jesus cannot be God, because the body is bad. "
So, John defend the church through this letter against the faulse doctors who denied the incarnatin. The mystery of the incarnation is hidden from the eyes of unbelievers and even to this pseudo Christian Gnostics. They do not understand anything about the truth of the Incarnation. Really the incarnation of Jesus has a great and profound truth for humanity. John 1: 14 says, "The Word became flesh and dwelt among us, full of grace and truth, and we beheld his glory, glory as of the only Son of the Father. "Jesus, only Son of the Father, God the Creator, leaving all his glory, his power and his throne of honor in heaven, descended to earth to be like men. He covered the body for it. What humility! God became man to save sinful humanity. What grace in which we can not stop us from constantly having to tears. Since time immemorial, there were the slaves of men. The nobles were always noble and peasant farmers still peasant farmeur despicable. But the peasants always aspired to one day be the nobles. One day in Vietnam, a French uneducated officer whose pride was wounded before a small peasant but noble family who did not call him "majesty" by colonial rule, got off his horse, knocked up to be half-dead. How difficult it is for the man who aspires to rise ever upward to descend even just a centimeter down. But look at Jesus who was God descended on earth and lay in the manger. Nobody in this world, even the runt of a peasant woman has not experienced such pathetic fate. There was a young pastor. It was a very humble man. He has served God for over 10 years. Meanwhile, while serving his flock students, many of them became doctors. Young doctors experienced such despair, humiliation, sleepless night, they want to be called doctors by their fellow men. This is not because they are proud, but because they want to be recognized. But the young servant of God never adressed each of his doctor members as « Doctor. » The servant thought not to call the doctor is good, because he saw the social consensus in which there is no respect. But for young doctors, their shepherd seemed to have the attitude as if he didn’t really recognize God, which made him do not recognize his doctor members. In this episode, we learn how difficult it is for us to humble ourselves. When we look at the world around us, fallen man seems born to be proud for nothing. But we Christians must recognize God as God, the Christian brother as fellow Christians and recognize the doctors as doctors. People are for the most cases, injured because of their sinful guilty of pride.
But Jesus took on the smelly human body and came to earth. Then he became a friend of the sick. Jesus came to earth to save sinners from their sins. Among many examples of the works of Jesus, incarnated God, I would like to take only some cases. One day Jesus was on the road near the village. The 10 lepers met him and putting himself at the distance, they cried, « Jesus, Master, have mercy on us. » When he saw them, he said, "Go, show yourselves to the priests." On the way, they were all purified. Then another day, passing beside the sea, he saw Levi, sitting in the office of the tax and said, "Follow me." Then, at the invitation of Levi, Jesus was part of the table with tax collectors and prostitutes. Then all the guests feel the kingdom of God come into their heart. It was divine communion who visited each of his men who seemed to be like a flower cut from God to bring back and bloom a new life. How did all this, all these works get if Jesus Christ did not descend into the ground by coating the human body, humbly?
The day of the Jewish festival of huts certainly full of joy and gladness because of the deliverance of the Jews from slavery in the past, Jesus stood before the portico of Solomon. This community of patients who shouted, running towards the pool of Bethesda to be the first to throw his body in the water and be cured of his illness, is a caricature of the human community to survive. However, there was a man crippled for 38 ans. At the end of his repeated failures of life, he became like detached cabagge leap on the ground and wetted, having no will of anything. He had been laid down for hours and hours like this girl fugace before TV, during 38 years regarding with bitterness the scene of healing of others and their joy. When Jesus asked him suddenly, "do you get healthy? » he answered, « there is no one to throw me into pool. » Despite his pout, Jesus, moved by his compassion, healed. But the suit of history is said. In his ingratitude, he denounced Jesus to the religious authority, at the mercy of it’s court, saying that it was Jesus who had bothered him to get up. They say the tiger that was rescued from drowning, once it leaves the water, eat the one that saved him. The problem of the invalid is to be searched. First, his unthankfulness. They say, that receive the blessing is more easy to keep it. Second, his opposition to change. Like slaves, his received the superiors command with his reluctance.
In coming to the world in flesh, Jesus wanted to heal the sinner who was sick physically and spiritually. Above all, Jesus wanted always establish fellowship with the men whose fellowship with the Father was cut because of their sin like pridigal son. But his sollicitude out of commun was rarely understood and appreciated by the guilty men. The height of the divine fellowship of Jesus is on the cross of Jesus. When we read the Gospels, Jesus' prayer is truly impressive. He prayed, "Father, forgive them for they know not what they are doing. » This scene so moving show us how Jesus would offer fellowship to men. In this scene we find a triangle fellowship. Already Jesus had fellowship with God the Father. Then he has fellowship with those who did not know the evil they did, and he had this fellowship with his mother and other women who supported his ministry for several years. His death on the cross is too pathetic. But it gives us grace upon grace, because through it the sinner can be forgiven from his all sin and become God’s children in his kingdom.
The last part of the text of 5-8 tells us that there is a required Christian lifestyle. There are indeed two requirements for the Christian life. First, Christians must live in the light. As we know, there is light and there is darkness. Many people live a double life, that is to say they live sometimes in the light, sometimes they live in the darkness. Therefore the responsibility of a Christian is to lead those who live in the darkness to the marvelous light of Jesus. 1 P2: 9 says, "But, you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God’s own people, that you may declaire the wonderful deeds of him who called you out of darkness into his marvellous light. "
In this generation, people do not tell why something happened or what caused an event to occur. Therefore, darkness invades the minds of people who do not know "why"? We must know that the darkness represents the chaos of life without God. As we know, 100% of those living in darkness have wanted a immoral life. And the immoral life makes human souls very sick. These days, unlimited freedom of man has become the social consensus in the Western world. But human freedom makes people very selfish. Selfishness is connected to lovelessness.
Another lifestyle of a Christian life should be repentant life. Look at verses 8-9. "If we say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness. "These verses remind us of 1 Cor 6 :9-11, which read," Do you not know that the unrighteous shall not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived: neither the immoral, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor sexual perverts, nor nor thieves, nor greedy, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor the robbers, will not inherit the kingdom of God. And such were some of you. But you were washed, you were sanctified, you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and the Spirit of our Lord." By the blood of Jesus, when we confess our sins, however serious they are, God help us wash thoroughly.
Nowadays, most people think they have no concept of sin because their consciousness is marked with a hot iron and they are numb like a leper and do not feel their sinsickness. God is a little like a nurse who give a prick. But even though they do not feel the prick of conscience and the sensitivity to sin in their souls, they can’t deceive themselves through thinking they are righteous. These days, many witches with their so-called scientifique know-how help young people to be seared in their consciousness and make their guilty feeling numb. We can not say they are good advisers. They are responsible for the blood of those to whom they gave advice. On the other hand, if we confess our sins, God will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness.Look back at verse 9. "If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness. »
May God bless you and help you to grow up to become a member of the Koinonia - surely you've seen this word repeated, if you studied this texte in advance with your Bible teacher. It is a Greek word that matches the word: fellowship – Christian Koinonia. We must remember that the Christian Koinonia begins with God and His Son Jesus, and finally, with his Church including my house church.
The last part of the text of 5-8 tells us that there is a required Christian lifestyle. There are indeed two requirements for the Christian life. First, Christians must live in the light. As we know, there is light and there is darkness. Many people live a double life, that is to say they live sometimes in the light, sometimes they live in the darkness. Therefore the responsibility of a Christian is to lead those who live in the darkness to the marvelous light of Jesus. 1 P2: 9 says, "But, you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God’s own people, that you may declaire the wonderful deeds of him who called you out of darkness into his marvellous light. "
In this generation, people do not tell why something happened or what caused an event to occur. Therefore, darkness invades the minds of people who do not know "why"? We must know that the darkness represents the chaos of life without God. As we know, 100% of those living in darkness have wanted a immoral life. And the immoral life makes human souls very sick. These days, unlimited freedom of man has become the social consensus in the Western world. But human freedom makes people very selfish. Selfishness is connected to lovelessness.
Another lifestyle of a Christian life should be repentant life. Look at verses 8-9. "If we say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness. "These verses remind us of 1 Cor 6 :9-11, which read," Do you not know that the unrighteous shall not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived: neither the immoral, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor sexual perverts, nor nor thieves, nor greedy, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor the robbers, will not inherit the kingdom of God. And such were some of you. But you were washed, you were sanctified, you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and the Spirit of our Lord." By the blood of Jesus, when we confess our sins, however serious they are, God help us wash thoroughly.
Nowadays, most people think they have no concept of sin because their consciousness is marked with a hot iron and they are numb like a leper and do not feel their sinsickness. God is a little like a nurse who give a prick. But even though they do not feel the prick of conscience and the sensitivity to sin in their souls, they can’t deceive themselves through thinking they are righteous. These days, many witches with their so-called scientifique know-how help young people to be seared in their consciousness and make their guilty feeling numb. We can not say they are good advisers. They are responsible for the blood of those to whom they gave advice. On the other hand, if we confess our sins, God will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness.Look back at verse 9. "If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness. »
May God bless you and help you to grow up to become a member of the Koinonia - surely you've seen this word repeated, if you studied this texte in advance with your Bible teacher. It is a Greek word that matches the word: fellowship – Christian Koinonia. We must remember that the Christian Koinonia begins with God and His Son Jesus, and finally, with his Church including my house church.
