Fellowship of believers
From Urantia Wiki, the encyclopedia of The Urantia Book
The fellowship of believers is the true institution that Jesus came to establish on Urantia, also called the brotherhood of the kingdom of heaven or the spiritual fellowship in eternal realities. Jesus delivered his apostles and his successors the keys of the outward kingdom, that is, the authority over things temporal, the social and economic features of this association of men and women. But not about the whole association. 157:4.5
Jesus declared that he who is not against us is with us. He warned against establishing unlimited administrative and jurisdictional control between groups of believers, which is just what happened with Christianity. 159:2.2
The true church—the Jesus brotherhood—is invisible, spiritual, and is characterized by unity, not necessarily by uniformity. 195:10.11
Jesus pledged full support for social and nonespiritual decissions of his apostles provided all agreed 144:6.3
Jesus used the term fellowship of believers as synonim for kingdom of heaven 170:2.24
this brotherhood of believers is destined to become a living organism in contrast to an institutionalized social organization. It may well utilize such social organizations, but it must not be supplanted by them. 195:10.11
The kingdoms of this world, being material, may often find it necessary to employ physical force in the execution of their laws and for the maintenance of order, but this does not nullify the right of social groups of believers to maintain order in their ranks and administer discipline upon unruly and unworthy members. 159:1.3 178:1.2
no intellectual, social, and moral distinction should be made in the spiritual brotherhood of men when they come together to worship in the presence of God 133:0.3
there should be no place for sectarian rivalry, assertions of moral superiority, or spiritual infallibility 182:1.8 195:10.14
Living associations, human families, social groups, or the Paradise Trinity are not augmented by mere arithmetical summation, is far in excess of the simple sum. 10:5.2 68:1.4 133:5.1
spirit gravity creates cohesiveness among believing persons, groups 7:1.6
Bible parallels
Passages that the paragraphs cited above parallel, quote or reinterpret, from Duane Faw’s Paramony cross-references. Hover a reference to read it.
- Keys of outward kingdom 157:4.5 — Mt 16:18-20; Mt 18:18; Jn 20:23.
- Who is not with me, against me 159:2.2 — Mt 12:30a; Lk 11:23a.
- A house divided 195:10.11 — Mt 12:25; Mk 3:24-25; Lk 11:17.
- Father's business, other realms 144:6.3 — Lk 2:49; Jn 10:16.
- Eternal and everlasting life 170:2.24 — Dn 12:2; Mt 19:16,29; Mt 25:46; Mk 10:17,30; Lk 10:25; Lk 18:18,30; Jn 3:15-16,36; Jn 4:14,36; Jn 5:24,39; Jn 6:27,40,47; Jn 6:54,68; Jn 8:51-52; Jn 10:28; Jn 11:25-26; Jn 12:25,50; Jn 17:2-3; Acts 13:46-48; Ro 2:7; Ro 5:21; Ro 6:22-23; Ga 6:8; 1 Ti 1:16; 1 Ti 6:12,19; Tit 1:2; Tit 3:7; 1 Jn 1:2; 1 Jn 2:25; 1 Jn 3:15; 1 Jn 5:11,13,20; Jud 1:21; Rev 22:5.
- Kingdom of God within 170:2.24 — Job 32:8,18; Is 63:10-11; Ezk 37:14; Mt 10:20; Lk 17:21; Jn 17:21-23; Ro 8:9-11; 1 Co 3:16-17; 1 Co 6:19; 2 Co 6:16; Ga 2:20; 1 Jn 3:24; 1 Jn 4:12-15; Rev 21:3.
- Family fellowship with God 170:2.24 — Mt 7:11; Mt 23:9; Lk 8:20-21. *Jesus used “family of God”*: Mt 12:48-50; Mk 3:33-35; Lk 8:20-21. *Paul used “family of God”*: Eph 3:14-15.
- Jesus taught “Father's will” 170:2.24 — Ps 143:10; Sir 15:11-20; Mt 6:10; Mt 7:21; Mt 12:50; Mt 26:39,42,44; Mk 3:35; Mk 14:36,39; Lk 8:21; Lk 11:2; Lk 22:42; Jn 4:34; Jn 5:30; Jn 6:38-40; Jn 7:16-17; Jn 9:31; Jn 14:21-24; Jn 15:10,14-16; Jn 17:4.
- Friends of God 170:2.24 — Jn 15:13-15.
- Fellowship of believers 170:2.24 — Jn 12:44-46.
- Brotherhood of man 170:2.24 — 1 P 2:17.
- Father's fold 170:2.24 — Jn 10:7-15; Jn 21:15-17.
- Children of God 170:2.24 — 1 Ch 22:10; Ps 2:7; Is 56:5; Mt 5:9,16,45; Lk 20:36; Jn 1:12-13; Jn 11:52; Acts 17:28-29; Ro 8:14-17,19,21; Ro 9:26; 2 Co 6:18; Ga 3:26; Ga 4:5-7; Eph 1:5; Phil 2:15; Heb 12:5-8; 1 Jn 3:1-2,10; 1 Jn 5:2; Rev 21:7; 2 Sam 7:14.
- Fellowship of faithful 170:2.24 — Acts 2:42; 1 Jn 1:3-7.
- Father's service 170:2.24 — Jn 12:26.
- Liberated sons of God 170:2.24 — 1 Ch 22:10; Ps 2:7; Is 56:5; Mt 5:9,16,45; Lk 20:36; Jn 1:12-13; Jn 11:52; Acts 17:28-29; Ro 8:14-17,19,21; Ro 9:26; 2 Co 6:18; Ga 3:26; Ga 4:5-7; Eph 1:5; Phil 2:15; Heb 12:5-8; 1 Jn 3:1-2,10; 1 Jn 5:2; Rev 21:7; 2 Sam 7:14.
- Reconciliation process 159:1.3 — Mt 18:15-17.
- Humans have secular authority 159:1.3 — Mt 18:18.
- Agreement on requests 159:1.3 — Mt 18:19-20.
- God is no respecter of persons 133:0.3 — 2 Ch 19:7; Job 34:19; Sir 35:12; Acts 10:34; Ro 2:11; Ga 2:6; Ga 3:28; Eph 6:9; Col 3:11.