In our small Mid-West city of Terre Haute lives one of the most amazing women in the world. Eva Kor. Here’s a brief about Eva:
Eva Mozes Kor (born January 31, 1934) is a survivor of the Holocaust who, with her twin sister Miriam, was subjected to human experimentation under Josef Mengele at Auschwitz. Both of her parents and two older sisters were killed at the camp; only she and Miriam survived. In 1984 Kor founded the organization CANDLES (an acronym for "Children of Auschwitz Nazi Deadly Lab Experiments Survivors"), through which she located 122 other living Mengele twins, as the experiment survivors came to be known.[1]
Kor founded CANDLES Holocaust Museum and Education Center in 1995 to educate the public about eugenics, the Holocaust, and the power of forgiveness. Kor received international attention when she publicly forgave the Nazis for what had been done to her. This story was later explored in the documentary Forgiving Dr. Mengele. Wikipedia.
Joyce, and Eva are friends as both are Realtors.
I mention Eva as a springboard into today’s article on the fellowship and courage of those who have suffered similar pain, and humiliation. Eva clearly identifies with those who suffered the agony of Hitler’s Holocaust.
I came across another name for those who survived the first and second Atomic Bomb attacks that contributed to the swift end of WWII. “Hibakusha.” Note this from Bill O’Reilley’s, “Killing the Rising Sun.”
“Those who survived the Atomic bombing of Hiroshima will forever be known in Japan as the "hibakusha" The explosion affected people.” Martin Dugard.
There is a certain and special kind of Camaraderie among those who have suffered specifically.
All the above to point out an often-overlooked camaraderie, that of being identified with the suffering, the death and then the rising of Jesus Christ. Paul commented on this and though it’s passed over by most of Christianity, it is clearly taught on the pages of Holy Writ. Note this:
Philippians 3:10,” that I may know Him and the power of His resurrection, and the fellowship of His sufferings, being conformed to His death,”
We usually, correctly, show this fellowship of suffering as enduring rejection, loss, physical and mental punishment for following Jesus as what’s being discussed by Paul. Yet, while on this point, it misses the larger teaching. The “Fellowship” here is Koinonia, Greek for participation, which I take to mean having His suffering imparted to us as is His righteousness in the mystery of believers being born again into the spiritual linage of Jesus Christ as New Creatures. By faith we participate in His resurrection, therefore we have a joint experience with Christ. Romans 8:17 “and if children, then heirs--heirs of God and joint heirs with Christ, if indeed we suffer with Him, that we may also be glorified together.” Also, Col 3:1 “If then you were raised with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ is, sitting at the right hand of God.” The suffering we may endure here is incidental to the joint imparted Koinonia we share with Jesus.
We are on target if we decide, as believers in Christ, to identify as Koinonians. Think about it.
Copyright © 2016 Larry Lilly
Modern IT work. Oral Deckard
Comment are welcome larrylilly@larrylilly.net
Eva Mozes Kor (born January 31, 1934) is a survivor of the Holocaust who, with her twin sister Miriam, was subjected to human experimentation under Josef Mengele at Auschwitz. Both of her parents and two older sisters were killed at the camp; only she and Miriam survived. In 1984 Kor founded the organization CANDLES (an acronym for "Children of Auschwitz Nazi Deadly Lab Experiments Survivors"), through which she located 122 other living Mengele twins, as the experiment survivors came to be known.[1]
Kor founded CANDLES Holocaust Museum and Education Center in 1995 to educate the public about eugenics, the Holocaust, and the power of forgiveness. Kor received international attention when she publicly forgave the Nazis for what had been done to her. This story was later explored in the documentary Forgiving Dr. Mengele. Wikipedia.
Joyce, and Eva are friends as both are Realtors.
I mention Eva as a springboard into today’s article on the fellowship and courage of those who have suffered similar pain, and humiliation. Eva clearly identifies with those who suffered the agony of Hitler’s Holocaust.
I came across another name for those who survived the first and second Atomic Bomb attacks that contributed to the swift end of WWII. “Hibakusha.” Note this from Bill O’Reilley’s, “Killing the Rising Sun.”
“Those who survived the Atomic bombing of Hiroshima will forever be known in Japan as the "hibakusha" The explosion affected people.” Martin Dugard.
There is a certain and special kind of Camaraderie among those who have suffered specifically.
All the above to point out an often-overlooked camaraderie, that of being identified with the suffering, the death and then the rising of Jesus Christ. Paul commented on this and though it’s passed over by most of Christianity, it is clearly taught on the pages of Holy Writ. Note this:
Philippians 3:10,” that I may know Him and the power of His resurrection, and the fellowship of His sufferings, being conformed to His death,”
We usually, correctly, show this fellowship of suffering as enduring rejection, loss, physical and mental punishment for following Jesus as what’s being discussed by Paul. Yet, while on this point, it misses the larger teaching. The “Fellowship” here is Koinonia, Greek for participation, which I take to mean having His suffering imparted to us as is His righteousness in the mystery of believers being born again into the spiritual linage of Jesus Christ as New Creatures. By faith we participate in His resurrection, therefore we have a joint experience with Christ. Romans 8:17 “and if children, then heirs--heirs of God and joint heirs with Christ, if indeed we suffer with Him, that we may also be glorified together.” Also, Col 3:1 “If then you were raised with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ is, sitting at the right hand of God.” The suffering we may endure here is incidental to the joint imparted Koinonia we share with Jesus.
We are on target if we decide, as believers in Christ, to identify as Koinonians. Think about it.
Copyright © 2016 Larry Lilly
Modern IT work. Oral Deckard
Comment are welcome larrylilly@larrylilly.net
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