Recognition Of A Follower Of Christ
By Isaac Aluochier
All scriptural quotations are from the World English Bible available at http://www.ebible.org/bible/WEB/. "Yah'shuah" is a Hebrew rendition of "Jesus".
When a particular individual does not fellowship with the group of people one fellowships with, is that person excluded from being a follower of Christ, on the presumption that all followers of Christ fellowship in one group? Do all followers of Christ fellowship in one group, or are there followers of Christ who do not habitually fellowship with the group that one habitually fellowships with?
Not All That Are Of Christ Follow Together
Mark 9:38-40 reads,
9:38
John said to him, "Teacher, we saw someone who doesn’t follow us casting out demons in your name; and we forbade him, because he doesn’t follow us."9:39
But Jesus said, "Don’t forbid him, for there is no one who will do a mighty work in my name, and be able quickly to speak evil of me. 9:40For whoever is not against us is on our side.It appears that John and other disciples were of a view that if a person did not follow them or follow with them then that person was not recognised as one of them. But Yah'shuah taught that we should not have this mental framework, failing to recognise someone as belonging to him simply because he does not follow with us or fellowship with us. Yah'shuah taught that there are others who are on the same side that he is on despite their not appearing to follow or fellowship with disciples we recognise as his own. Implying that not all followers of Yah'shuah follow together or meet in the same fellowship. Yah'shuah has his followers, doing similar works, yet not following together or meeting together in the same fellowship. Yah'shuah's disciples should therefore recognise other followers of Yah'shuah despite these other followers not following with them or fellowshipping with them.
Yah'shuah Has Different Servants Of His Working In Different Groups Of His Disciples
It should also be noted that the person who was on Yah'shuah's side, yet did not follow the company of Yah'shuah and his disciples, lived during Yah'shuah's time. If Yah'shuah accepted a person as belonging to him, yet he did not habitually follow his company of disciples during his own human lifetime, then surely Yah'shuah's servants must accept that the same can and does occur subsequent to the end of Yah'shuah's human lifetime. It is therefore the case that not all of Yah'shuah's followers, doing Yah'shuah's works, fellowship or follow together in the same group of people. Yah'shuah has different servants of his working his works in different groups of his disciples.
Elijah Knew Obadiah, Who Greatly Feared Yahweh
1 Kings 18:1-16 reads,
18:1
It happened after many days, that the word of Yahweh came to Elijah, in the third year, saying, Go, show yourself to Ahab; and I will send rain on the earth. 18:2Elijah went to show himself to Ahab. The famine was sore in Samaria. 18:3Ahab called Obadiah, who was over the household. (Now Obadiah feared Yahweh greatly: 18:4for it was so, when Jezebel cut off the prophets of Yahweh, that Obadiah took one hundred prophets, and hid them by fifty in a cave, and fed them with bread and water.) 18:5Ahab said to Obadiah, Go through the land, to all the springs of water, and to all the brooks: peradventure we may find grass and save the horses and mules alive, that we not lose all the animals. 18:6So they divided the land between them to pass throughout it: Ahab went one way by himself, and Obadiah went another way by himself. 18:7As Obadiah was in the way, behold, Elijah met him: and he knew him, and fell on his face, and said, Is it you, my lord Elijah? 18:8He answered him, It is I: go, tell your lord, Behold, Elijah is here. 18:9He said, Wherein have I sinned, that you would deliver your servant into the hand of Ahab, to kill me? 18:10As Yahweh your God lives, there is no nation or kingdom, where my lord has not sent to seek you: and when they said, He is not here, he took an oath of the kingdom and nation, that they didn’t find you. 18:11Now you say, Go, tell your lord, Behold, Elijah is here. 18:12It will happen, as soon as I am gone from you, that the Spirit of Yahweh will carry you I don’t know where; and so when I come and tell Ahab, and he can’t find you, he will kill me: but I your servant fear Yahweh from my youth. 18:13Wasn’t it told my lord what I did when Jezebel killed the prophets of Yahweh, how I hid one hundred men of Yahweh’s prophets by fifty in a cave, and fed them with bread and water? 18:14Now you say, Go, tell your lord, Behold, Elijah is here; and he will kill me. 18:15Elijah said, As Yahweh of Hosts lives, before whom I stand, I will surely show myself to him today. 18:16So Obadiah went to meet Ahab, and told him; and Ahab went to meet Elijah.It is noted that Obadiah feared Yahweh greatly, having feared Yahweh from his youth, and demonstrated his fear of Yahweh by delivering Yahweh's prophets out of the hand of Jezebel. It is also noted that Elijah knew or recognised Obadiah, and was also aware of the righteous works of Obadiah.
Elijah Apparently Did Not Recognise Obadiah As A Prophet Of Yahweh
1 Kings 19:7-18 reads,
19:7
The angel of Yahweh came again the second time, and touched him, and said, Arise and eat, because the journey is too great for you. 19:8He arose, and ate and drink, and went in the strength of that food forty days and forty nights to Horeb the Mount of God. 19:9He came there to a cave, and lodged there; and, behold, the word of Yahweh came to him, and he said to him, What are you doing here, Elijah? 19:10He said, I have been very jealous for Yahweh, the God of hosts; for the children of Israel have forsaken your covenant, thrown down your altars, and slain your prophets with the sword: and I, even I only, am left; and they seek my life, to take it away. 19:11He said, Go forth, and stand on the mountain before Yahweh. Behold, Yahweh passed by, and a great and strong wind tore the mountains, and broke in pieces the rocks before Yahweh; but Yahweh was not in the wind: and after the wind an earthquake; but Yahweh was not in the earthquake: 19:12and after the earthquake a fire; but Yahweh was not in the fire: and after the fire a still small voice. 19:13It was so, when Elijah heard it, that he wrapped his face in his mantle, and went out, and stood in the entrance of the cave. Behold, there came a voice to him, and said, What are you doing here, Elijah? 19:14He said, I have been very jealous for Yahweh, the God of hosts; for the children of Israel have forsaken your covenant, thrown down your altars, and slain your prophets with the sword; and I, even I only, am left; and they seek my life, to take it away. 19:15Yahweh said to him, Go, return on your way to the wilderness of Damascus: and when you come, you shall anoint Hazael to be king over Syria; 19:16and Jehu the son of Nimshi shall you anoint to be king over Israel; and Elisha the son of Shaphat of Abel-meholah shall you anoint to be prophet in your room. 19:17It shall happen, that he who escapes from the sword of Hazael shall Jehu kill; and he who escapes from the sword of Jehu shall Elisha kill. 19:18Yet will I leave me seven thousand in Israel, all the knees which have not bowed to Baal, and every mouth which has not kissed him.It is noted that Elijah thought that he was the only one of Yahweh's prophets still alive. It is also noted that Yahweh told Elijah that he had reserved for himself 7,000 people in Israel who had not worshipped Baal. It therefore appears that of the 7,000 people that Yahweh had reserved for himself Elijah did not recognise even a single one of them as a prophet of Yahweh. He did not even recognise Obadiah as a prophet of Yahweh, despite being aware that Obadiah feared Yahweh greatly.
Obadiah Was A Prophet Of Yahweh, Despite Elijah's Failure To Recognise Him As Such
Nevertheless Obadiah was indeed a prophet of Yahweh. For Yahweh gave him a vision about Edom, even as Obadiah 1:1 states,
1:1
The vision of Obadiah. This is what the Lord Yahweh says about Edom.It should therefore be appreciated that just because a particular servant of Yahweh might not recognise another person as a fellow servant of Yahweh does not automatically mean that the other person is not a fellow servant of Yahweh. For a particular servant of Yahweh does not necessarily know all other servants of Yahweh, even as Elijah did not appear to recognise Obadiah as a fellow prophet of Yahweh.
Yah'shuah's Brethren Do The Father's Will
Matthew 12:46-50 reads,
12:46
While he was yet speaking to the multitudes, behold, his mother and his brothers stood outside, seeking to speak to him. 12:47One said to him, "Behold, your mother and your brothers stand outside, seeking to speak to you."12:48
But he answered him who told him, "Who is my mother? Who are my brothers?" 12:49He stretched out his hand towards his disciples, and said, "Behold, my mother and my brothers! 12:50For whoever does the will of my Father who is in heaven, he is my brother, and sister, and mother."Yah'shuah here shows us that those who are his disciples, those who belong to the same household that he belongs, are those who do the will of his Father in heaven. Therefore anyone doing the will of Yah'shuah's Father in heaven is indeed part of the same household that Yah'shuah belongs. And as already seen in Mark 9:38-40 these who belong to Yah'shuah's Father's household do not necessarily follow together at any given point in time at a particular geographical locality. Nevertheless they remain Yah'shuah's brethren, despite being in the same geographical area and still not following together.
Not All Of The Father's Children Follow Yah'shuah In The Same Manner
For what the Father wills a particular child of his to do might not be what he wills another child of his to do. Such as he might will a particular child of his to follow Yah'shuah in one manner, and will another child of his to follow Yah'shuah in a different manner. Yet both children are doing the Father's will, as apportioned to them, and are therefore Yah'shuah's brethren.
Yah'shuah's True Disciples Remain In His Word
John 8:31-32 reads,
8:31
Jesus therefore said to those Jews who had believed him, "If you remain in my word, then you are truly my disciples. 8:32You will know the truth, and the truth will make you free."Seeing that Yah'shuah's word includes his disciples who follow together recognising another disciple who does not follow with them, Yah'shuah's disciples should not exclude from recognising someone as Yah'shuah's disciple simply because the one does not follow with them. For there are disciples of Yah'shuah in the same geographical location who do not necessarily follow together, as Mark 9:38-40 shows.
How Everyone Can Know Yah'shuah's Disciples
John 13:34-35 reads,
13:34
A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another, just like I have loved you; that you also love one another. 13:35By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another."Yah'shuah taught his disciples how to be and behave that people, both those who are disciples and those not disciples, may indeed recognise them as Yah'shuah's disciples. And this entails both possessing love for one another, and loving one another. Therefore a way of ascertaining whether or not a particular person is a disciple of Yah'shuah is seeing whether or not that person loves Yah'shuah's disciples. For those who love Yah'shuah's disciples are indeed his disciples.
Yah'shuah's Disciples Must Bear Much Fruit
John 15:8-21 reads,
15:8
"In this is my Father glorified, that you bear much fruit; and so you will be my disciples. 15:9Even as the Father has loved me, I also have loved you. Remain in my love. 15:10If you keep my commandments, you will remain in my love; even as I have kept my Father’s commandments, and remain in his love. 15:11I have spoken these things to you, that my joy may remain in you, and that your joy may be made full.15:12
"This is my commandment, that you love one another, even as I have loved you. 15:13Greater love has no one than this, that someone lay down his life for his friends. 15:14You are my friends, if you do whatever I command you. 15:15No longer do I call you servants, for the servant doesn’t know what his lord does. But I have called you friends, for everything that I heard from my Father, I have made known to you. 15:16You didn’t choose me, but I chose you, and appointed you, that you should go and bear fruit, and that your fruit should remain; that whatever you will ask of the Father in my name, he may give it to you.15:17
"I command these things to you, that you may love one another. 15:18If the world hates you, you know that it has hated me before it hated you. 15:19If you were of the world, the world would love its own. But because you are not of the world, since I chose you out of the world, therefore the world hates you. 15:20Remember the word that I said to you: ‘A servant is not greater than his lord.’ If they persecuted me, they will also persecute you. If they kept my word, they will keep yours also. 15:21But all these things will they do to you for my name’s sake, because they don’t know him who sent me.Yah'shuah shows in John 15:8 that it is those who bear much fruit who are indeed his disciples. At the time that he spoke this to his disciples they were coming to the conclusion of their training while in close physical contact with Yah'shuah. Once Yah'shuah would no longer be with them the manner by which they would retain their status as his disciples would be by results, by the fruits they would bear. It is therefore evident that another way of recognising Yah'shuah's disciples is by seeing the fruits that they bear.
Yah'shuah's Disciples Should Do Whatever Yah'shuah Tells Them To Do
To facilitate their bearing much fruit Yah'shuah's disciples must remain in his love, even as he remained in his Father's love and bore much fruit. The manner he remained in his Father's love was by doing whatever the Father commanded him to do. Likewise the manner Yah'shuah's disciples are to remain in his love is by doing whatever he commands them to do.
Yah'shuah's Disciples Should Share Amongst Themselves Whatever Knowledge Yah'shuah Gives Them
A manner Yah'shuah showed his love for his disciples was by sharing with them whatever knowledge his Father imparted to him. Likewise a manner Yah'shuah's disciples ought to show their love for one another is by sharing with their fellow brethren whatever knowledge that Yah'shuah has imparted to them. This entails not only a willingness to share knowledge that Yah'shuah has imparted to one, but also a willingness to receive that knowledge from a disciple that Yah'shuah has given that knowledge to. Yah'shuah's disciples must therefore be receptive to any knowledge from Yah'shuah coming via another disciple of Yah'shuah, even one who does not follow with them, despite being in the same geographical area.
Yah'shuah's Disciples Should Receive His Word From Other Disciples Of His
In contrast, those who are not Yah'shuah's disciples will not only refuse to receive his disciples and his word, but will act against and persecute his disciples. Therefore, to avoid abiding in the hatred in the world Yah'shuah's disciples must not refuse to receive his other disciples, even other disciples who have not been following with them. For it is those who fail to receive Yah'shuah's disciples who manifest the hatred inherent in the world, rather than the love inherent in both Yah'shuah's Father and Yah'shuah.
Matthew 10:11-15 reads,
10:11
Into whatever city or village you enter, find out who in it is worthy; and stay there until you go on. 10:12As you enter into the household, greet it. 10:13If the household is worthy, let your peace come on it, but if it isn’t worthy, let your peace return to you. 10:14Whoever doesn’t receive you, nor hear your words, as you go out of that house or that city, shake off the dust from your feet. 10:15Most assuredly I tell you, It will be more tolerable for the land of Sodom and Gomorrah in the day of judgment than for that city.It is evident that there is an obligation on everyone to both receive Yah'shuah's disciples and to hear their words. Yah'shuah's disciples should therefore receive others of Yah'shuah's disciples, and hear the words that these other disciples of Yah'shuah have. Even when the other disciples of Yah'shuah have not been following with them, for not all of Yah'shuah's disciples follow together, even in the same geographical area.
Those Who Receive Yah'shuah's Servants Receive Him And His Father
Matthew 10:40-42 reads,
10:40
He who receives you receives me, and he who receives me receives him who sent me. 10:41He who receives a prophet in the name of a prophet will receive a prophet’s reward: and he who receives a righteous man in the name of a righteous man will receive a righteous man’s reward. 10:42Whoever gives one of these little ones just a cup of cold water to drink in the name of a disciple, most assuredly I tell you he will in no way lose his reward."Those Who Receive Yah'shuah's Servants Will Receive A Reward
Yah'shuah shows his disciples that there are rewards to be obtained in receiving his servants. Yah'shuah's disciples should therefore be alert to receiving these rewards, so received when they receive or welcome in their territory a servant of Yah'shuah.
Yah'shuah's Servants Do Not Necessarily Arise From The Group Of Disciples One Fellowships With
It should also be noted that such servants that Yah'shuah sends to his disciples do not necessarily come from their immediate vicinity, whether that vicinity is defined as geography or fellowship group. Yah'shuah's disciples should therefore be alert to receiving his servants who may not necessarily arise from within their immediate vicinity or the group of disciples with whom they follow or fellowship. For not all of Yah'shuah's servants are found in a single group or fellowship of followers in a particular locality.
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