Knowing what’s important

Was everything in the past wrong? Absolutely not! New knowledge is not there to replace the tried and tested teachings, but to complement them—provided it is inspired by the Holy Spirit. Impulses from a divine service with the Chief Apostle.

“Love never fails. But whether there are prophecies, they will fail; whether there are tongues, they will cease; whether there is knowledge, it will vanish away. For we know in part and we prophesy in part. But when that which is perfect has come, then that which is in part will be done away” (1 Corinthians 13: 8–10). This was the Bible text Chief Apostle Jean-Luc Schneider used in Berlin-Charlottenburg (Germany) on 3 February 2019.

“No one can claim to know everything about God. God is so great, so wonderful, that we can only know a small part of Him,” the Chief Apostle said. “But if you allow the Holy Spirit to work in you, then something will develop and you will begin to know God better and better.”

God is love

“This does not mean that what we knew yesterday and what we preached in the past was false,” he pointed out. “It was just incomplete. Today we know a little bit more, and tomorrow we will know even more.” The Holy Spirit always reveals to us what is essential. He tells us who God is. He tells us that God is love.

God loves you

“The Holy Spirit does not show us everything that God does for us.” Much of the divine protection we enjoy remains invisible. And who could even begin to comprehend what all God has engineered to bring His children to Him. And who is truly aware just how many hearts God touches in order to bring about a divine service—not through the power of His authority, but through the power of His love. “The Holy Spirit tells us: God loves you. Trust Him.”

God loves your neighbour

“The Holy Spirit does not tell us everything about our neighbour.” People see the actions of their contemporaries, but they do not see the motivation behind them. Nor do they see the struggles that others have wage, the Chief Apostle said. “The Holy Spirit tells us what is essential: ‘You know, God loves her so much that the Son of God died for her. God wants to have eternal fellowship with her. This is something you must be aware of. Act accordingly.’”

God will complete His work of love

“The Holy Spirit does not tell us everything about the work of God. We only see what is visible, and that is only a small part of God’s work.” God sees things differently. For Him, this work constitutes the past, the present, and the future. For Him, the work is on earth and in the hereafter. “But the Holy Spirit tells us, ‘Don’t worry. God is love. He will complete His work of love. He will save you, and no one can stop Him from fulfilling His plan of salvation.”

God creates perfect love

“The Holy Spirit does not tell us everything about the future.” Nobody knows how the first resurrection will unfold or what the kingdom of peace will be like. “However, He assures us: ‘Once you are with God, you will no longer even think about the past. You will experience God’s perfect love, your own love will be perfect, and you will have eternal fellowship with God.”

In summarising, the Chief Apostle said: “Remain faithful to the end. It’s worthwhile.”

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Andreas Rother
10.04.2019
Chief Apostle, Divine service