the death of Jesus will create a community of committed friends of Jesus who indwell him and are indwelt by him/his Spirit. Within this relationship they will participate in his death in four ways: receiving his forgiveness, fulfilling the obligations of a covenant relationship by continuing his self-giving love for others, experiencing hatred and persecution similar to that which caused his death, and extending God’s mission to the world. That is, as a community of atonement they are a covenantal, cruciform, charismatic, missional community.
