Of one mind and heart

Acts 15:10

10

Now then, why do you try to test God by putting on the necks of Gentiles a yoke that neither we nor our ancestors have been able to bear?

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No! We believe it is through the grace of our Lord Jesus that we are saved, just as they are.”

Acts 16:3

3

Paul wanted to take him along on the journey, so he circumcised him because of the Jews who lived in that area, for they all knew that his father was a Greek.

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Why did Paul have Timothy circumcised when the elders in Jerusalem had come to the decision that this was not necessary under our new mediation?

Paul speaks of this later when he describes his method of teaching.

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1 Corinthians 9:

19

Though I am free and belong to no one, I have made myself a slave to everyone, to win as many as possible.

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To the Jews I became like a Jew, to win the Jews. To those under the law I became like one under the law (though I myself am not under the law), so as to win those under the law.

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To those not having the law I became like one not having the law (though I am not free from God’s law but am under Christ’s law), so as to win those not having the law.

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To the weak I became weak, to win the weak. I have become all things to all people so that by all possible means I might save some.

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I do all this for the sake of the gospel, that I may share in its blessings.

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Timothy was circumcised not for his sake, and not for Paul's recognition, but because Paul's method of ministry was his own. He was free to do what was necessary, all in the hope of winning souls for Christ. " he circumcised him because of the Jews who lived in that area, ".

Just as Jesus sat with drunkards and tax collectors, Paul did not judge people by their sin, or by their place in the world. Paul, ministered to all who were placed in front of him. 

Did Peter and the elders do differently? Since the majority of their ministry was to Jews, we can see that many acts were still followed to accommodate those who were 'old wine in old wine skins'. 

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Acts 10:45

45

The circumcised believers who had come with Peter were astonished that the gift of the Holy Spirit had been poured out even on Gentiles.

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For they heard them speaking in tongues and praising God.

Then Peter said,

47

“Surely no one can stand in the way of their being baptized with water. They have received the Holy Spirit just as we have.” 

48

So he ordered that they be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ. 

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In this case, the Gentiles who had received the Holy Spirit baptism, which is the only baptism of our new mediation, were then baptized with water. Why? Because this accommodated the circumcised believers, as so to not disturb their beliefs. Was it necessary? No. But instead it was a way to justify there being no question, or doubt as to the group being common in faith.

Among believers there are differences in origin. And this continues today. One of the great misdeeds of our generation is we do not group together all our worldly possessions so to be similar. This leaves us imbalanced, unequal, and creates among believers envy and all things tied to envy. How can the Holy Spirit be among a group of believers who themselves do not treat one another as they would have themselves be treated?

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Acts 4:32-35

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All the believers were one in heart and mind. No one claimed that any of their possessions was their own, but they shared everything they had.

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With great power the apostles continued to testify to the resurrection of the Lord Jesus. And God’s grace was so powerfully at work in them all

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that there were no needy persons among them. For from time to time those who owned land or houses sold them and brought the money from the sales

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and put it at the apostles’ feet, and it was distributed to anyone who had need.

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So we can agree that ministry has changed. The Holy Spirit has not changed, and the testimony of Jesus has not changed. But over time, our faith has become limited, and we are charitable on our own terms, and we are loving on our own terms. It is not surprising that in the poorest regions of the known world, where groups of believers share everything for survival, that we here of miracles of healing of the sick, and even raising of the dead. So ministry is void of the power of God, when it does not accommodate those who are present with being 'one in heart and mind'.

I am alone. I do not have a house of worship. I cannot lend myself to one because there are none who are one in heart and mind. Do they do good works? Yes, but one their own terms. Do they celebrate Jesus as their savior? Yes, but only on their own terms. So to keep my ministry alive, I remain alone, and I evangelize openly, publically through this medium of communication. I have no doubt that if a ministry treated others as themselves, that what would happen would change belief structure completely throughout the world.

The new wine in the new wine skin included treating others how you would have yourself be treated. Yes, this is good as individuals who supply the helpless and the homeless. But further, a group of believers should accommodate one another in this same way.

Paul said it best, "to make myself a slave to everyone". We should serve one another and others with all we are, and all we have.

The power of the Holy Spirit does not change, nor does the authority of Christ Jesus. Souls can be saved. But the house of believers, the grouping of one mind and heart, is not possible without following the commandment of treating others how you would have yourself be treated. Without this, we are worshipping on our own terms, giving on our own terms, and sadly believing on our own terms.

Food for thought.