IN A TIME WHEN WE SEE INCREASED DIVISION WORLDWIDE, IT IS CRUCIAL FOR US AS THE BELOVED CHURCH TO DEFINE AND UNDERSTAND WHAT IT MEANS TO WALK IN THE UNITY OF CHRIST THROUGH TRUTH OF THE GOSPEL

COLOSSIANS 3:1-17 CLARIFIES THE NATURE OF WALKING IN THE UNITY OF CHRIST BY GIVING US FOUR MAIN POINTS THAT WE WILL FOCUS ON THIS RBYA TERM:

- WHO IS THE SOURCE OF UNITY?
- WHAT IS THE SOURCE OF DIVISION?
- WHY SHOULD WE WALK IN UNITY?
- HOW SHOULD WE WALK IN UNITY?

IN VERSES 1-4, APOSTLE PAUL FOCUSES ON THE SOURCE OF OUR UNITY. HE EXPLAINS THAT UNITY COMES FROM THE CREATOR, GOD HIMSELF. IT IS IN CHRIST THAT WE ARE RECONCILED TO GOD THE FATHER, “OUR LIFE IS HIDDEN WITH CHRIST IN GOD.” OUR REPOSNSE, AS CHILDREN OF GOD, IS TO SEEK AND SET OUR MINDS ON THINGS ABOVE AND TO LIVE A CHRIST-LIKE LIFE.

HE THEN SHIFTS HIS FOCUS ON THE SOURCE OF DIVISION IN VERSES 5-7, WHICH IS SIN. SIN IS EVER PRESENT IN OUR LIVES, HOWEVER, IT MUST BE PUT TO DEATH! WE MUST PUT OFF THE OLD SELF AND ITS PRACTICES. 

IN VERSES 10-11, APOSTLE PAUL REMINDS US WHO ARE SAVED BY GRACE, THAT WE HAVE PUT ON THE NEW SELF, WHICH MUST BE RENEWED IN THE IMAGE OF CHRIST. HE ANSWERS “WHY WE SHOULD WALK IN UNITY” ON A PERONAL LEVEL. WE MUST WALK AWAY FROM SIN AND NOT LET IT CAUSE DIVISION IN THE BODY OF CHRIST! 

IN VERSES 12-17 THE PERSONAL AND RELATIONAL ASPECT OF UNITY IS DISSECTED. AS GOD’S CHOSEN ONES WE SEE “HOW” ONE SHOULD WALK IN UNITY. AT THE CENTER IS THE LOVE OF CHRIST WHICH HELPS US ENCOURAGE AND BUILD ONE ANOTHER UP THROUGH HIS WORD.

OUR THEME FOR THE 2024-2025 TERM IS “WALKING IN THE UNITY OF CHRIST”. WE HOPE TO BUILD UPON LAST YEARS THEME OF A GENUINE LIFE OF FAITH AND PUT IT INTO ACTION IN THE PERSONAL AND RELATIONAL ASPECTS OF OUR LIVES.

OUR PRAYER IS THAT YOU WILL COME TO A SAVING KNOWLEDGE OF THE PERSON AND WORK OF JESUS CHRIST, AND THAT YOU WILL BE EQUIPPED TO CONTINUE TO LIVE A LIFE OF CHRIST-LIKE OBEDIENCE, LOVE, AND MATURITY IN CHRIST WHO UNITES HIS CHILDREN BY HIS SACRIFCE ON THE CROSS FOR OUR SINS!

Because we believe that Jesus Christ is the only way to eternal salvation and because we understand the many difficulties young people encounter in their pursuit of Christ, our mission is to serve the Romanian Baptist youth of the United States and Canada by pointing them to Jesus Christ in everything that we do.

Every event we organize (Converge conferences, winter camp, summer camp, etc.) and all the social media content we will publish will be for the glory of God and for the salvation and sanctification of the youth.

RBYA does not replace the local church. That is why we strive to encourage pastors, youth leaders and especially parents, to support and serve in their local churches and in their homes by teaching, encouraging, , uniting, loving and discipling their youth.