District Apostle Enrique Eduardo Minio of South America examines the question of what people of different cultures and languages have in common—and finds an answer.
At the beginning of the year, when we received the Chief Apostle’s annual motto “Together in Christ”, we were taught that there are four levels to this togetherness: our fellowship with the triune God, our fellowship in the divine service, our living together in fellowship, and the fellowship of the living and the dead. In other words, the actions of the motto are centred on the word “fellowship”.
One of the definitions of “fellowship” of the Oxford English Dictionary Online states: “the fact or condition of participating in something with or of having something in common with another specified person”.
You and I possibly live in different countries, speak different languages, and our cultures are different. So, what do we have in common?
The answer for the children of God is that we have God in common, who has given us a promise that leads to a hope. This goes beyond our nationality, language, or culture. The promise is that Christ is coming for us, and we all wish to be worthy so that we can partake in His return.
Let us come back to the teachings in the Scriptures. In Acts 1: 4 it says about the first disciples: “And being assembled together with them, He commanded them not to depart from Jerusalem, but to wait for the promise of the Father, which, He said, you have heard from Me.” What was their reaction to this word? The Bible says: “When the day of Pentecost had fully come, they were all with one accord in one place” (Acts 2: 1).
Clearly, the first disciples trusted in Jesus’ promise and waited with one accord for the power from on high to come (Luke 24: 49). They were waiting together.
Like them, we have also been given the beautiful promise: “And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you to Myself; that where I am, there you may be also” (John 14: 3). The way is the one shown by our Chief Apostle: to remain together in Christ in the right environment. Let us trust in Him, just as our forefathers did.
God invites us—He does not impose it on us—to reflect upon that which we still must learn in order to achieve the unity He expects of us: to love each other, to help one another, and to pray for one another.
There is also a hymn that answers the question posed at the beginning of what we have in common. “God’s love is our great standard by which we shall be known” (Hymnal 366). Let us continue to strive and walk together in Christ! We all have a priceless treasure in common that we are eager to reach!
Photo: INA Sud América