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Cooperation
(From Forerunner Commentary)

John 1:1-4  (Go to this verse :: Verse pop-up) In the very beginning, before all else, there existed two living Beings composed of Spirit, possessing supreme mind, intelligence, and power, and of perfect, righteous character. They are revealed in the biblical book of John, chapter one. One was named the Word (the Spokesman—the revelatory thought). The other was named God. The Word ultimately—almost 2,000 years ago—was born as Jesus. The Word also was God—the second personage of the God Family. As a human, Jesus was "God with us"—or God in human flesh, born of a virgin woman, but sired by God. "All things" were made by Him. In Ephesians 3:9, it is revealed that God created all things by Jesus Christ. The Word and God lived. What did they do? They created. How did they live—what was their "lifestyle"? They lived the way of their perfect character—the way of outflowing love. When Christ was baptized, God the Father said, "You are my beloved Son." God loved the Word. And the Word loved God—obeyed Him completely. Two cannot walk together except they be agreed (Amos 3:3). They were in total agreement and cooperation. Also two cannot walk together in continuous peace except one be the head, or leader, in control. God was leader. Their way of life produced perfect peace, cooperation, happiness, accomplishment. This way of life became a law. Law is a code of conduct, or relationship, between two or more. One might call the rules of a sports contest the "law" of the game. The presence of law requires a penalty for infraction. There can be no law without a penalty for its violation. The very fact of law presupposes government. Government is the administration and enforcement of law by one in authority over the law. This necessitates authoritative leadership—one in command. When the only conscious life-Beings existed, God was leader—in authoritative command. Thus, even when the only conscious life-Beings were God and the Word, there was government, with God in supreme command. Since they created other conscious thinking life-beings, this very fact of necessity put the government of God over all creation, with God supreme Ruler. Bear in mind the government of God is based on the law of God, which is the way of life of outflowing love, cooperation, concern for the good of the governed. And this law of God produces peace, happiness, cooperation through obedience. Herbert W. Armstrong (1892-1986) A World Held Captive

Romans 12:10  (Go to this verse :: Verse pop-up) We are to prefer others over ourselves. We, in humility, ought to abase ourselves and let him do his job, because in the scheme of things, we are to consider him as over us. Say, he is the knee, and we are the toe. The knee has a function, and when the knee needs to perform its function, the toe must follow. However, when the toe must do its job, the knee should take orders from the toe. We each have our areas of responsibility, and if we leave each other alone to do our jobs and give the other precedence in doing his job, then maybe we will all get the work done. We will not be stepping on his job, and he will not stepping on ours. When we need his cooperation, he follows us, and when he needs our cooperation, we follow him. There is no need to fight. Everyone just does his job. When we must follow, follow, and when we must lead, lead. That is how it works. We have no need to worry about other people's jobs. They will get done. If they are doing theirs well, and we are doing ours well, then the whole body, the church, moves forward. Richard T. Ritenbaugh Psalm 133

 

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