We have recently returned from the Feast of Tabernacles and Last Great Day of the Feast, and now have begun the long pull through the fall and winter months, aiming our spiritual sights at the Passover and Days of Unleavened Bread just a few months from now in 2016. We, as a Church and individually, have faced much over the past year, not all of it easy and some of it just plain overwhelming. Nevertheless, we go on because we are Christians, and Christians always go on. Discouragement is not an option.
By this time, thinking back over the past year and sifting through the dimming memories of the Feast, something should be evident to all of us. Truly, we are unique people! Unique? Why would that be true? We are unique, because our worship of God is so far out of the mainstream, it brands us in the eyes of the mainstream as outcasts.
You may have never thought of yourself as being unique, but you are. God says you are—Jesus living His life in us makes it so. Scripture tells us this is true: “…looking for the blessed hope and glorious appearing of our great God and Savior Jesus Christ, who gave Himself for us, that He might redeem us from every lawless deed and purify for Himself His own special people, zealous for good works” (Titus 2:13–14). God says true Christians are “special people.” The Greek for “special” people, “peculiar” in the KJV, is: periousios [per-ee-oo’-see-os], being beyond usual.This uniqueness is important to God. And God wants it to be so.
The questions we need to ask ourselves are: How supportive are we of God’s wishes in this regard? Or, how supportive are we as Christians, being aware that we are unique? The logical concluding question then is: How does one support God? This is something we need to explore in depth so as to come to an understanding of this concept of “supporting God.”
There is a vitally important principle God wants us to use—a yardstick that Jesus, the Author and Finisher of our faith, said would set the Christian apart from the rest of humanity: “Then the King will say to those on His right hand, ‘Come, you blessed of My Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world: for I was hungry and you gave Me food; I was thirsty and you gave Me drink; I was a stranger and you took Me in; I was naked and you clothed Me; I was sick and you visited Me; I was in prison and you came to Me.’ Then the righteous will answer Him, saying, ‘Lord, when did we see You hungry and feed You, or thirsty and give You drink? When did we see You a stranger and take You in, or naked and clothe You? Or when did we see You sick, or in prison, and come to You?’ And the King will answer and say to them, ‘Assuredly, I say to you, inasmuch as you did it to one of the least of these My brethren, you did it to Me’” (Matthew 25:34–40).
The Apostle Paul reveals a surprisingly intimate relationship between God and His Church, one of cooperation and companionship: “For we are God’s fellow workers; you are God’s field, you are God’s building” (1 Corinthians 3:9). Can you, personally, think of yourself as a fellow worker with God or, as the KJV puts it: “a laborer together”? The Greek word used here is sunergos [soon-er-gos’] meaning a companion in work.
We in God’s Church support God’s Work as His team, as we reach out to the world through the proclamation of His coming Kingdom. Yet the word “support,” as we commonly use it, is found only twice in the Bible, where both instances illustrate our cooperative effort with God.
We read: “I have shown you in every way, by laboring like this, that you must support the weak. And remember the words of the Lord Jesus, that He said, ‘It is more blessed to give than to receive’” (Acts 20:35).
Also, we find: “Now we exhort you, brethren, warn those who are unruly, comfort the fainthearted, uphold [support], the weak, be patient with all” (1 Thessalonians 5:14).
The Greek word for “support” is antilambanomai [an-tee-lam-ban’-om-ahee] “to take hold of in turn, that is, succor; also to participate: help, partaker, support” (SEC). The context of Acts 20:35 shows that we labor with God to support others. God has other words He uses in this regard: help, labor, give, and strive together, forbear, bear, comfort, and—the really big one—love.
The most vital aspect of our cooperative relationship is that God supports us. This was a recurring theme of Jesus as He instructed His disciples: “And whatever you ask in My name, that I will do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son. If you ask anything in My name, I will do it” (John 14:13–14).
God not only supports us, He gives us the means to be supportive in concert with Him—His Holy Spirit: “And I will pray the Father, and He will give you another Helper, that… may abide with you forever—the Spirit of truth, [which] the world cannot receive, because it neither sees [it] nor knows [it]; but you know [it], for [it] dwells with you and will be in you” (vv. 16–17).
Christ Gave His All
Jesus Christ made the ultimate sacrifice for the sake of His creation: “For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life. For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through Him might be saved” (John 3:16–17).
With this striking example of God’s dedication to His creation and willingness to serve to the extent of even sacrificing His own son for it, how can we, His begotten children, be more supportive of His desires? How can we apply Matthew 25:31–46: “when I was hungry”? We could explore this in a number of areas, including the ministry, husbands and wives, children, parents, neighbors, the world around us and the Church. These would be far too broad a study for the scope of this article, so here we will focus simply on the Church, which in a sense encompasses all the other areas.
This should not be dismissed as a vague and general topic. The Apostle Paul gives an example of the personal commitment he expects of Church brethren: “Epaphras, who is one of you, a bondservant of Christ, greets you, always laboring fervently for you in prayers, that you may stand perfect and complete in all the will of God. For I bear him witness that he has a great zeal for you, and those who are in Laodicea, and those in Hierapolis” (Colossians 4:12–13). Now, that is involvement! The word “zeal” is zēlos [dzay’-los], meaning excitement of mind, ardor, fervor of spirit.
As members of God’s Church, we must become people-oriented—being not just fellow church members, but truly brothers and sisters to each other. That is why we call each other brethren. Paul taught this throughout his epistles: “I, therefore, the prisoner of the Lord, beseech you to walk worthy of the calling with which you were called, with all lowliness and gentleness, with longsuffering, bearing with one another in love” (Ephesians 4:1–2). The word “bearing” or “forbearing” in the King James Version is anechomai [an-ekh’-om-ahee], generally meaning putting up with one another, regardless. Strong’s Exhaustive Concordance introduces it as “to hold oneself up against”—which is a much more meaningful description of true Christian fellowship.
This certainly gives much more meaning to the next five verses, “endeavoring to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace. There is one body and one Spirit, just as you were called in one hope of your calling; one Lord, one faith, one baptism; one God and Father of all, who is above all, and through all, and in you all” (vv. 3–6).
God, Jesus, you, we—we are all one. Or, as Crocodile Dundee of movie fame stated: “Yep, me and God, we’d be mates.” If this is true with us, we had better not be caught playing favorites. We are made one to support one another: “Therefore, as the elect of God, holy and beloved, put on tender mercies, kindness, humility, meekness, longsuffering; bearing with one another, and forgiving one another, if anyone has a complaint against another; even as Christ forgave you, so you also must do. But above all these things put on love, which is the bond of perfection” (Colossians 3:12–14).
Do Not Neglect God’s People!
In Sabbath services, sitting next to you are flesh and blood, sentient human beings of incredible worth to God—precious and unique, just like you. If you hurt them, they will cry out. If you neglect them, they will cry out. And, you had better believe—neglect is far worse in God’s eyes than we may think. In fact, God calls our concern for others who are alone and hurting, the purest form of worship we can address towards Him: “Pure and undefiled religion before God and the Father is this: to visit orphans and widows in their trouble, and to keep oneself unspotted from the world” (James 1:27). If we neglect the widow and orphan, then we neglect God.
As stated earlier, Paul makes this very clear to us in his epistles: “Brethren, if a man is overtaken in any trespass, you who are spiritual restore such a one in a spirit of gentleness, considering yourself lest you also be tempted. Bear one another’s burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ” (Galatians 6:1–2). The Christian is to be “spiritual,” displaying the attributes of God and Christ. We are to “bear” bastazō [bas-tad’-zo], meaning to bear what is burdensome with the idea of carrying it away. God allows us the opportunity to help one another, but He does not give us the right to dictate. Reproving is especially for the ministry—they bear that responsibility. But that does not exclude us from the process of carefully supporting one another in times of trial.
Paul continues to lay out the responsibility of being proactive, dedicated Christians: “And let us not grow weary while doing good, for in due season we shall reap if we do not lose heart. Therefore, as we have opportunity, let us do good to all, especially to those who are of the household of faith” (vv. 9–10). This clearly describes the feeding, giving drink, caring for, clothing, tending and visiting Jesus said we should be doing.
We should not let down in extending the helping hand for those in or out of the Church. Paul states it in an even more emphatic way, deepening the responsibility: “We then who are strong ought to bear with the scruples of the weak, and not to please ourselves” (Romans 15:1). The warning is not to just please yourself, which means taking advantage of others in these situations: “Now may the God of patience and comfort grant you to be like-minded toward one another, according to Christ Jesus, that you may with one mind and one mouth glorify the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. Therefore receive one another, just as Christ also received us, to the glory of God” (vv. 5–7).
There is much more to what Paul was driving at and the Greek reveals his mindset and how it affects us as Christians today. Notice the word “strong” in verse 1; it is dunatos [doo-nat-os’], meaning not only strong, but capable and able to use the strength. In today’s world, we share in everything the world offers: death, taxes, disease, war, pollution, economic woes, etc. Some of those unique, precious individuals who sit next to you in Sabbath services may be sharing more of these woes than you know. If we continue in ignorance, we may be missing the point of being Christian.
Paul’s message was clear—if they need it and we are capable of providing it, then we need to provide it to them. There are any number of lists of things to provide, outlined in the Bible.
True brothers and sisters in Christ are supposed to know, should know and should understand one another—that is why we are called Christian. “If someone says, ‘I love God,’ and hates his brother, he is a liar; for he who does not love his brother whom he has seen, how can he love God whom he has not seen? And this commandment we have from Him: that he who loves God must love his brother also” (1 John 4:20–21).
On a personal responsibility note, if you do not know who needs your love, your capability and your support, taking part in Church activities, such as Sabbath services and Bible studies, attending the Feast, and generally being an active member of the Church helps. The optimal word is “fellowship.” God does not say for you to judge your brother—He says for you to help your brother.
Concern for One Another
Jesus says Christians, indeed, are to be unique, not only to God and Him, but unique to one another: “This is My commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you. Greater love has no one than this, than to lay down one’s life for his friends. You are My friends if you do whatever I command you” (John 15:12–14). Jesus demonstrated this to us by laying down His life for us, His friends. It must be pointed out that Jesus was describing much more than the death He would endure a few hours later.
It is important to notice a proper translation treatment in verse 13: “Greater love has no one than this….” Jesus did not use the word “man” anēr [an’-ayr] as in the KJV; He used the term oudeis [oo-dice’] meaning “no one,” as it is properly translated in the NKJV. He was not just speaking of Himself, and what He was going to do. He had done it and now we must reciprocate that friendship, showing our support by laying down our lives for Him. We can only do that by obeying Him and our Father, and serving our brothers and sisters as well as—on into the future—all of mankind.
Is it really important to emphasize this concern for one another? “Then those who feared the Lord spoke to one another, and the Lord listened and heard them; so a book of remembrance was written before Him for those who fear the Lord and who meditate on His name” (Malachi 3:16). So often we just look at this Scripture from the simple point of view that it is only referring to fellowship. However, the truth goes much deeper than that. The Hebrew word for “spoke” is dâbar [daw-bar’] and while it means literally speaking words, the voice is more pointed in what words we are to speak to one another. The context is set in verses 14–15 of people speaking against God. The godly speak for God. The prophet says when we do this we serve. We support God, thereby fulfilling what Jesus commanded in Matthew 25:34–40.
Consider One Another
Throughout the Apostle Paul’s epistles, this theme of mutual support, representative of Jesus’ sacrifice, abounds: “And let us consider one another in order to stir up love and good works, not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as is the manner of some, but exhorting one another, and so much the more as you see the Day approaching” (Hebrews 10:24–25). The Greek word for “exhorting” is parakaleō [par-ak-al-eh’-o] and means to call to one’s side, to comfort and instruct—an act of invoking support. This means having very deeply involved concern for each other, as this sinful world attempts to distract and Satan seeks whomever he can devour (1 Peter 5:8).
What better way, then, than for us to support the least—those who are the hungry, the thirsty, the naked, the sick and those in prison. For, indeed, we then support our great God.
Jesus clearly states that God will give special reward to those who labor together with Him and Jesus. The Apostle John describes the ultimate result for the Philadelphian Christian who keeps the word of God’s truth, does not deny His name and perseveres to the end in that support: “I will make him a pillar in the temple of my God” (Revelation 3:12). We will become the pillars, stulos [stoo’-los], those who will uphold, support—throughout eternity—the very basis of God’s house at the Headquarters of the universe.