Two sets of principles that lead to spiritual growth

More than 7,400 brothers and sisters participated in the divine service—either directly or via webcast—which the Chief Apostle conducted in our church in Woodbury, New York (USA) on 14 June 2015. The sermon, which he conducted in English, was interpreted into Spanish. He based it on 2 Thessalonians 1: 3, “We are bound to thank God always for you, brethren, as it is fitting, because your faith grows exceedingly, and the love of every one of you all abounds toward each other.”

Growing faith and increasing love

“Paul had a very precise understanding of his mission as an Apostle. He knew, I have to teach the gospel and I have to prepare the bride of Christ for His return,” Chief Apostle Schneider explained. The blessing of God, so the Chief Apostle, was not reflected in the size of the congregation or in an absence of problems. “The sign of God’s blessing was a growing faith and an increase in mutual love.”

The Apostles of today have exactly the same mission: to prepare the bride. The standards used to measure the progress of this mission are the same today, “The bride can be recognized because she has a strong faith and a strong love for others,” the Chief Apostle emphasized. “Let us examine our faith and our love.”

Three steps in our life of faith

The Chief Apostle listed three touchstones that indicate how strong our faith is.

• Faith in the word of God. “We live in a time, in a society, in which everybody wants to see, know, and understand everything. We want proof for everything.” In Hebrews, however, we read, “Faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen” (Hebrews 11: 1). “God reveals Himself through His word. So we have to believe in the word of God.”
• Faith in the love of God. Jesus did not come in order to provide man with a better life on earth. He came to save souls. “So the love of God consists in saving us and leading us into eternal fellowship with God.” An expression of this love is the blessing of God and His care that we experience. “He will provide us with everything we need in order to be part of the bride.”
• Faith in the promise of God. “As Christians we believe: God will deliver us from all suffering. We will be with God in heaven and have eternal joy.” But it is not enough to be sealed with water and the Spirit, to receive the sacraments, and to keep the commandments given by God. “We have to do a little bit more. We have to change. A living faith produces a change in our nature.”

Three steps towards Christian love

The Chief Apostle also listed three touchstones that indicate how genuine our love for our neighbour is.

• “We have to forgive our neighbour. That is the first step.” Has our preparedness to do this increased over time? “If we forgive more, faster, and more often it is a sign that love has increased in us.”
• Love your neighbour as yourself. “The Lord Jesus gave a very simple explanation for this,” the Chief Apostle said and referred to Luke 6: 31, “And just as you want men to do to you, you also do to them likewise.” The Chief Apostle said that we have to ask ourselves, “Would I like him to treat me as I am treating him? This is something we need to ask ourselves more and more.”
• Love like Jesus loves. “Do not tell the sinner that he must change. Let him know that we love him as Jesus loves him.” That is the third stage: helping the neighbour to discover and experience the love of Christ so that he too can learn to love Christ.”

“That is the mission of the Apostle ministry today,” the Chief Apostle said in conclusion, “to prepare the bride, and to help the believers that their faith grows and their love increases.” All those who want to enter into fellowship with God have been promised by God, “I will not forget you. I will help you. You will make it.”