Boaz—Malaysia

MAN'S ROLE IN SACRAMENTAL EFFICACY

In the study of sacraments, an ongoing debate regarding their efficacy concerns the extent of man's role—both the persons receiving and executing the sacraments—to complement the essential part played by the Holy Spirit. The True Jesus Church's Articles of Faith state that we are saved by grace through faith (Eph 2:8). Salvation grace is freely given to man through the sacraments. Salvation depends solely on God, the Giver of grace, not man's good deeds. Moreover, the Bible clearly states that man will be justified through faith. Therefore, the person who receives the sacraments must believe in Jesus and His gospel (Mk 16:14–16). And the person performing the sacraments must be sent by the church (Jn 20:21–23).

THE SPIRITUAL EFFECTS OF FOOTWASHING: HAVING A PART WITH THE LORD

            Peter said to Him, "You shall never wash my feet!"
Jesus answered him, "If I do not wash you, you have no part with Me." (Jn 13:8)

When Jesus made this statement, it would have been best understood by the person it was directed to—Peter—and the one who witnessed and recorded the exchange—John. To understand the full significance of the original word for "part" (Greek: méros), we must go back to these two apostles, Peter and John. One incident involving both of them is found in the Book of Acts.

            "You have neither part nor portion in this matter, for your heart is not right in the sight of God."…Then Simon answered and said, "Pray to the Lord for me, that none of the things which you have spoken may come upon me." (Acts 8:21, 24)

Peter and John had been sent to assist in the evangelistic ministry in Samaria. They encountered Simon, a believer, and ex-sorcerer, who egregiously offered to buy the power of bestowing the Holy Spirit through the laying of hands. Rebuked severely by Peter and told he would lose his part (Greek: merís), Simon's immediate response was to ask for forgiveness. This indicates the seriousness of this matter and the vital importance of having a part with the Lord.

What are the specific ways we can have a part with the Lord?

1. Have a Part with God's Word

The True Jesus Church has invested—and continues to invest—substantial money, time, and effort in religious education for all ages so that believers can have a part with God's word. Learning allows everyone to build a firm foundation in the word. Some think laying the foundation—learning the basic doctrines—is dry and dull. However, the loftiest and most magnificent towers are built from the ground up. Successful apprenticeship starts from mastering basic menial tasks.

Today, if we were required to hand-copy the Scriptures without making the slightest mistake (or risk having to start anew), would we have the patience to complete the task? Yet this is what the Lord commanded all future kings of Israel to do at the start of their reign:

            "Also it shall be, when he sits on the throne of his kingdom, that he shall write for himself a copy of this law in a book, from the one before the priests, the Levites. And it shall be with him, and he shall read it all the days of his life, that he may learn to fear the LORD his God and be careful to observe all the words of this law and these statutes." (Deut 17:18–19)

God knew the temptations that would come with wielding power—the desire to follow their own ways, form allegiances with other nations, and follow false gods. So He instructed the king to write his own copy of the law and read it daily. Why did the king have to copy the law by his own hand? Why was this seemingly menial and time-consuming task not assigned to the priests and scribes? It was so that the king's reign would be established on the firm foundation of God's word. This process enabled the king to internalize God's word so that he would carefully observe it and learn to fear God. It would prevent him from becoming proud and diverging from God's will. In doing so, God promised to bless him with a long and peaceful reign (Deut 17:20).

The world values quick wins and short-term rewards. Such influences may inadvertently lead us to over-emphasize immediate outcomes and overlook God's plan for our future. In summary, we must not lose patience and focus regarding this fundamental stage. We do not yet know what role God will send us to fulfill in the future. So whatever God commands and entrusts to us, we must do with all our hearts.

Apostolic spirit: teaching, preaching, and defending the word

            "[B]ut we will give ourselves continually to prayer and to the ministry of the word." (Acts 6:4)

Having a part with the word of God includes teaching the word (1 Tim 2:7), defending the word (2 Tim 2:15; 1 Pet 3:15–16), and preaching the word (2 Tim 4:2, 5). When we do these well, we contribute to building a solid foundation for future generations of believers. The objective of religious education is to ensure that the truth committed to the true church can be passed to the next generation as the unaltered pattern of sound words.

Towards the end of his life, Paul's greatest priority was to ensure that his son in faith would faithfully pass on what he had learned from Paul (2 Tim 2:2). The church then faced vehement attacks, both internally and externally. Those who faithfully taught the word were dwindling in number. Paul knew that after his death, people would rise in the church to speak perverse things when he could no longer pastor them. So in his last conversation with the elders in Ephesus, he entrusted them to God (Acts 20:30, 32). The elderly apostle John (the last of the apostles to die) too could only entrust the church to the Holy Spirit for preservation (1 Jn 2:26–27). ^[1]

After the apostles' deaths, when there were no more faithful men who could teach, the church was truly helpless under the onslaught of heresies. When the word of God is "attacked" by heresy, every believer is responsible for defending the word. Therefore, our pursuit and knowledge of the word must match the level of heretical attacks on the truth so that we are adequately equipped to "[cast] down arguments and every high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of God, bringing every thought into captivity to the obedience of Christ" (2 Cor 10:5).

Besides teaching and defending the word, evangelism is also key. The commission to preach was given by Jesus to the disciples before He ascended to heaven (Acts 1:8). To execute the mission, the apostles made preaching the gospel their top priority (Acts 6:2). Not even imprisonment could deter them from fulfilling this resolution. Just like Stephen, who was martyred, they preached boldly, enduring persecution even to the point of death.

2. Having a Part with the Lord's Holy City

            [A]nd if anyone takes away from the words of the book of this prophecy, God shall take away his part from the Book of Life, from the holy city, and from the things which are written in this book. (Rev 22:19)

To have a part with the holy city, we must play a part in mending its gaps (Ezek 22:30). This entails being able to see where these gaps exist. Mending the gaps in the holy city means bearing the weaknesses of the church (2 Cor 11:29). While carrying our brethren's burden may be troublesome or even painful, Apostle Paul reminds us that those who endure together with the Lord will reign with Him (2 Tim 2:12). Seeing the gaps does not mean merely observing what problems exist in our community of faith. Instead, we must perceive and resolve to fulfill—not shirk—our responsibility to the church and to restoring our brethren (Gal 6:1–2). Daniel and Nehemiah were righteous men who enjoyed high social status, being employed in trusted positions in the palace. But they grieved for the state of Israel and Jerusalem. When they interceded for the people, they did not dissociate themselves from the situation as though they were the self-righteous interceding for the weak. Instead, they humbly regarded themselves as part of God's erring people (Dan 9:8, Neh 1:6–7). 

Priestly spirit: bearing the weaknesses of the church

Five types of sacrifices are recorded in the Book of Leviticus. One of the sacrifices the priests could eat was the sin offering (Lev 6:26, 29–30). These were sacrifices offered on common occasions, and the male priests were allowed to eat them.  The people making the sacrifice put their hands on the animal to signify that the animal would bear their sins. So when the priests ate the sin offering, they also bore the people's sins (Lev 10:17).

In other words, the role of the priests included bearing the sins of the entire house of Israel. Throughout the Scriptures, we see God's workers who epitomized this. In the Old Testament, God's righteous judgment would have long destroyed the recalcitrant Israelites had it not been for generations of intercessors. For example, Moses was willing to sacrifice his soul in exchange for God's forgiveness of Israel (Ex 32:31–32). Another example is Samuel, who—even in his twilight years—never stopped praying for the people. Although these two saints were long gone, God remembered their intercessions of love and specifically made mention of them to subsequent generations (Jer 15:1)

Paul recognized this priestly role when he said, "Who is weak, and I am not weak? Who is made to stumble, and I do not burn with indignation?" (2 Cor 11:29). He made the problem of the church his own, he treated the weak and lost brethren as the nursing child in his bosom (1 Thess 2:7–8; Num 11:11–12). 

            I now rejoice in my sufferings for you, and fill up in my flesh what is lacking in the afflictions of Christ, for the sake of His body, which is the church. (Col 1:24)

In this verse, the afflictions of Christ refer to His suffering on the cross. He had once and for all offered the perfect sin offering without blemish. This was Christ's role in the salvation plan. However, in terms of the entire process of salvation, Jesus' sacrifice is just one part of the plan. The remaining part is for the gospel of God's salvation to be preached throughout the world.

Today, the church's mission on earth is to exalt Christ, preach the gospel, and endure various afflictions and persecutions. Christ, the head of the church, suffered afflictions in order to fulfill salvation. The body of Christ, the church, suffers afflictions in order to exalt this salvation and make it known. Although what the church suffers can never compare to the sacrifice Christ made, we have a part in His sufferings (1 Pet 4:13; Rev 1:9).

Not only was Paul willing to suffer physical afflictions and persecution for the gospel of Christ, but he was also willing to endure the mental pressure arising from the weaknesses (the gaps) in the church. In other words, he used the sufferings in his own body and soul as ointment to apply to the wounds on the body of Christ.

3. Having a Part in the Function of the Tree of Life

Believers ought to be like the tree of life, bringing healing to the nations (Rev 22:2). The tree of life bears fruit every month; its leaves are good for medicine, and its fruits are good for food (Ezek 47:12).

Bringing warmth and life to the world

As its name implies, the tree of life is an evergreen tree that does not grow old. Only those whom the Holy Spirit has regenerated can, in turn, bring life and nourishment to others. Consider two aspects of the Dead Sea as a contrast to the tree of life.

First, due to the high salinity of the Dead Sea (8.6 times more than normal sea water), organisms cannot live in it. The ecosystem is adversely affected, and only certain plants can survive. Ezekiel chapter 47 recorded that the water flowing from under the temple's threshold toward the east flowed into the Dead Sea, turning the bitter water sweet and bringing life to every living thing wherever the rivers go. The function of the trees growing along the banks of this river is consistent with the vision in Revelation chapter 22.

As the vegetation around the Dead Sea failed to flourish because of the high salt levels, our lives were once withered and oppressed by sin (Rom 7:24). But when the Holy Spirit comes (Rom 8:2), He frees and renews us. We receive abundant life in Jesus because His Spirit helps us to stop sinning (1 Jn 3:9), to put to death the evil deeds of the flesh (Rom 8:13), and finally, enables our corruptible flesh to overcome death (1 Cor 15:54).

Second, the Dead Sea is the lowest body of water on the earth's surface. Located south of the Sea of Galilee, it takes in the minerals injected by the upstream Sea of Galilee and Mount Hermon but does not have an outlet for the water. After a long period of accumulation, a huge amount of minerals has sunk to the bottom of the lake, increasing its salt content.

We lived like the Dead Sea in the past, receiving without knowing how to give. However, we must now live like the healing leaves on the tree of life, in sharp contrast to the nature of the Dead Sea. Believers exude bright rays of love in this cold and indifferent society. Do your friends around you feel blessed because you are a Christian? There are people in the world lying wounded. Do we stop to care for them like the good Samaritan, or do we hurry past like the indifferent priests? Many may see us as good believers based on the number of services we attend or the deep knowledge of the Bible we demonstrate. But in reality, have we lost our love and concern for the spiritual lives of the people of the world? Are we cold and unwilling to restore our weak and dying brethren?

We often feel our hands are tied as we undertake our labor of love. The "healing" that we bring to others is limited by our finite resources or ability. However, hands raised in supplication are more powerful because healing comes from God, who is infinite. We must never underestimate the power of prayer. We ought to make every effort to intercede for people around us, believers or non-believers. We may not know if God wants to heal them and how or when He will heal them. What we do know is that if we intercede for them according to God's will, it will be acceptable to Him. In this way, we can be healing as the tree of life.

CONCLUSION

In John F Kennedy's inaugural address as the thirty-fifth president of the United States in 1961, he spoke the famous line: "Ask not what your country can do for you—ask what you can do for your country."

The footwashing sacrament allows us to have a part with Jesus Christ. This is the grace we have received from the Lord. Rather than being satisfied with having a part, or asking what we gain from having a part, we ought to think about the responsibilities that having a part entails. Heirs have a part in their father's inheritance, but they are also responsible for safeguarding and growing this inheritance. As the children of God, who have a part with Christ through footwashing, let us cherish the salvation grace we have received and walk forward with the commitment to play our part in the ministry of the word, in building up the holy city, and bringing healing to the world.

 

APPENDIX: NEHEMIAH: THE COMFORT OF GOD

Nehemiah was a cupbearer to the Persian king, Artaxerxes. The favor he enjoyed from the king was indicated in his position as well as the king's concern for him (Neh 2:2, 6). Despite these, his heart still yearned after Jerusalem and the children of Israel (Neh 1:2, 6). He saw the part he had to play in the holy city; this spurred him to relinquish his high-level job to return and rebuild Jerusalem, which was in ruins. There were many sacrifices he made. He did not take the governor's pay (Neh 5:14–15). He paid for meals out of his pocket (Neh 5:18), and he did not take advantage of the situation by buying up land (Neh 5:16). The holy city and holy temple were actually "foreign" places to Nehemiah. But his heart was there. His high position, busyness, and distance from the city neither removed nor reduced his concern for God's temple and work. He had great compassion for brethren he had never seen. He treated the holy city's problems as personal, weeping and interceding for it (Neh 1:4–5). With such a heart, he truly was not only the comfort of God (the meaning of his name) but also comfort to God.