How are we brothers and sisters in Christ?

[Romans5_1]

Is it religion that makes us brothers and sisters in Christ or is it faith in the Messiah Jesus? If it is the latter what does it matter about religion and how many jump ship? As long as a person is a born again believer in Christ why is there division? There is only one God (Deuteronomy 6:4) and Jesus said he was the only way to the Father (John 14:6) so no matter which religion we observe if we love Jesus aren’t we all brothers and sisters through him? I wish that religion would just vanish so we could all be as one again with no division just like that church in the upper room. The folks in the upper room were not Catholic or Protestant they were Christians according to Acts 11:26. It wasn’t until 110 CE that Ignatious determined the Church that Christ established would be called universal (Katholicos or Catholic in English) and he was martyred for his faith in Jesus. Religion by its nature breeds contention and I see it as a means to divide and this is exactly what the enemy wants. To my Catholic brothers and sisters along with the few non-Catholics here would you agree that we would all be much better if we could agree upon the things that continue to divide us so that we could unite? Eph 1:10 says “that in the dispensation of the fullness of the times He might gather together in one all things in Christ, both which are in heaven and which are on earth–in Him.” Oh how I long for the following, “Eph 4:13 till we all come to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to a perfect man, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ”. For there truly is, “Eph 4:4 one body and one Spirit, just as you were called in one hope of your calling; Eph 4:5 one Lord, one faith, one baptism; Eph 4:6 one God and Father of all, who is above all, and through all, and in you all.” My prayer is for the one body of Christ to unite as one and with his Word in our hearts I believe we could if we would only read it and let it live in us. Love to you all in Christ. P.S. Jesus is big enough for all of us to love him after all he created the universe

 

[katewithak]

Romans5:1:

Is it religion that makes us brothers and sisters in Christ or is it faith in the Messiah Jesus? If it is the latter what does it matter about religion and how many jump ship? As long as a person is a born again believer in Christ why is there division? There is only one God (Deuteronomy 6:4) and Jesus said he was the only way to the Father (John 14:6) so no matter which religion we observe if we love Jesus aren’t we all brothers and sisters through him? I wish that religion would just vanish so we could all be as one again with no division just like that church in the upper room. The folks in the upper room were not Catholic or Protestant they were Christians according to Acts 11:26. It wasn’t until 110 CE that Ignatious determined the Church that Christ established would be called universal (Katholicos or Catholic in English) and he was martyred for his faith in Jesus. Religion by its nature breeds contention and I see it as a means to divide and this is exactly what the enemy wants. To my Catholic brothers and sisters along with the few non-Catholics here would you agree that we would all be much better if we could agree upon the things that continue to divide us so that we could unite? Eph 1:10 says “that in the dispensation of the fullness of the times He might gather together in one all things in Christ, both which are in heaven and which are on earth–in Him.” Oh how I long for the following, “Eph 4:13 till we all come to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to a perfect man, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ”. For there truly is, “Eph 4:4 one body and one Spirit, just as you were called in one hope of your calling; Eph 4:5 one Lord, one faith, one baptism; Eph 4:6 one God and Father of all, who is above all, and through all, and in you all.” My prayer is for the one body of Christ to unite as one and with his Word in our hearts I believe we could if we would only read it and let it live in us. Love to you all in Christ. P.S. Jesus is big enough for all of us to love him after all he created the universe

We are brothers and sisters in Christ because God has adopted us. The Holy Mother, Christ’s mother, is our mother. Jesus is God’s only son, but we are his adopted brothers and sisters.

 

[Tonks40]

Believe me, we want Christian unity, the unity that Christ wanted. He established a way for us to be united in the Body of Christ, which is the Catholic Church. Divisions in that unity were caused by man (I’m sure many here can name some of the ones I’m referring to), but if we are to be truly one in the Family of God, established through Jesus Christ, we must desire to follow His teachings, through written word and tradition, as established by His Apostles.

The Catholic tradition of worship isn’t just any man-made religion - it’s a Divine Faith that Christ handed down to us Himself! We cannot be one unless we follow what he truly taught! That is only possible in the Church that Christ established, and has been protected for centuries, the Catholic Church.

 

[Todd_Easton]

Romans5:1:

Oh how I long for the following, “Eph 4:13 till we all come to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to a perfect man, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ”. For there truly is, “Eph 4:4 one body and one Spirit, just as you were called in one hope of your calling; Eph 4:5 one Lord, one faith, one baptism; Eph 4:6 one God and Father of all, who is above all, and through all, and in you all.” My prayer is for the one body of Christ to unite as one and with his Word in our hearts I believe we could if we would only read it and let it live in us.

The answer to your prayer can be found in His Word. If you want what is described in Ephesians 4:4, 5, 6, 13 to come true, Christians must submit to God’s plan in Ephesians 4:11-12. The way to Christian unity will be found in obedience and submission to those men whom Jesus has given to the Church as leaders, the bishops of the Catholic Church. As long as Christians reject this God-given gift, there will be no Christian unity.

 

[Br.Rich_SFO]

Romans5:1:

Is it religion that makes us brothers and sisters in Christ or is it faith in the Messiah Jesus?

What makes us brothers and sisters in Christ is our valid Baptism into the mystical body of Christ.

 

[jpusateri]

To add to:
Br. Rich SFO:

What makes us brothers and sisters in Christ is our valid Baptism into the mystical body of Christ.

And we regularly reaffirm our own voluntary participation by receiving the blessed Sacrament in Holy Communion. As we assimilate Christ’s Body into ours via digestion, we are assimilated into His via sanctification!

(Well, I liked the metaphor.)

 

[Br.Rich_SFO]

jpusateri:

To add to:

And we regularly reaffirm our own voluntary participation by receiving the blessed Sacrament in Holy Communion. As we assimilate Christ’s Body into ours via digestion, we are assimilated into His via sanctification!

(Well, I liked the metaphor.)

Yes, that is why the Sacraments of Initiation are Baptism, Confirmation and Holy Communion.