Friday, March 13, 2009

Why so many denominations for "One Body?"

I would like to start this post by saying this, there seems to be so much controversy on what one person or church believes over another. Which in turn has caused so many "new" buildings and denominations to be built.
Paul stated in 1 Corinthians 1:9-17 "God who is faithful, by whom you were called into the fellowship of His Son, Jesus Christ our Lord. Now I plead with you, brethren, by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that you all speak the same thing, and that there be no divisions among you, but that you be perfectly joined together in the same mind and in the same judgment. For it has been declared to me concerning you my brethren, by those of Chloe's household, that there are contentions among you. Now I say this, that each of you says, 'I am of Paul,' or 'I am of Apollos,' or 'I am of Cephas,' or 'I am of Christ.' Is Christ divided? Was Paul crucified for you? Or were you baptized in the name of Paul?
I thank God that I baptized none of you except Crispus and Gaius, lest anyone should say that I had baptized in my own name.
Yes, I also baptized the household of Stephanas. Besides, I do not know whether I baptized any other.
For Christ did not send me to baptize, but to preach the gospel, not with wisdom of words, lest the cross of Christ should be made of no effect."

We have come so far from the true reflection of Jesus' words "I will build my church."
It has come down to who can have the bigger building or who has the right doctrine. Some fellowships have even split over the color of the carpet.
Come on get real! How stupid it is to be in such a state of selfishness as to leave fellow believers just because you don't agree what the color of the carpet should be.
As I have stated on some other forums I feel the biggest issue of why we have come so far and have so many disagreements is PRIDE!
Pride is sin. If we are truly a believer then we should be yeilding to the Holy Spirit. As that happens we should be walking in LOVE. Love one another. Instead we take each other to court and sue if we don't like what is going on. Or we leave and have bitterness towards another.
All of these go right against what the scripture says. Christians of all people should be the most forgiving, loving and God fearing people on the planet.
Yet there is so much disunity it is sickening.
We want power and prestige. We want to be right. We want to fulfill the lust of the flesh. When we need to be crucifying the flesh.
We should be falling on our knees daily and seeking God for each other.
We need to be in the inner court proclaiming our praises to the Father. We are adopted into the family of God.
Who is in control when a baby is adopted? Does that child have a choice on who they want to be with? No! God chose us first. So where do we get off thinking we can divide over issues that make no sense.
Paul pleaded that the Corinthians "speak the same thing" and "that there be no divisions among you," and that we be "perfectly joined" together in the "same mind" and the "same judgment".
What should we be speaking?
Nothing except Christ and Him crucified!
What if our eyes decide to stop functioning because they are jealous of the ears? We would be blind. Then we can't see where we are going. In turn our whole body would be off as we have to learn to adjust. In turn wasting precious time.
So we should be "perfectly" joined together. Who is it that keeps us perfectly joined?
Jesus Christ and Him crucified.
We need to be on the same mind and judgment. In turn the first shall be last and the last shall be first. Also the least will be the greatest. We will all be servants seeking to serve and not wanting to be served.
We would have all things in common. We would all forsake everything for the sake of Jesus.
We would have LOVE!
Love for Jesus and for one another.
Then the kingdom will grow from the inside out.
I don't see where a new building or house will help us gain souls.
I don't see where a new "pastor' would be helpful so let's get rid of the old one.
I don't see where a new "program" will help us.
No, we need the gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ. We need to be united under the cross of Christ.
We must be about our Father's business. Not our quirky agendas.
We each have a gift and we must all be helping each other exercise in those gifts in order that God will get all the glory.
That is the bottom line. Who gets the glory?
GOD does!

2 comments:

Anonymous said...

Steve,

That is about as staright as it can be said. Regardless how you slice it we need to rethink church.This professor wrote yesterday, if she could preach the gosepl wihtout stressing Americam imperialism. I believe we have this so congested that we have to be mindful that we do not suffocate Christ for the sake of teaching just that American Imperialism.

Steven O. said...

Amen brother....