Posted on 10/24/2021 5:31:49 AM PDT by Kaslin
If there is one thing that seems spiritually certain it is that the Church will always be divided. Our factions and differences and divisions seem as fixed as the rising of the sun. Yet the Bible speaks of a day when we will all come together in the unity of the faith. How can this possibly be true?
To be clear, when I speak of “the Church” I’m not speaking of all who profess to be followers of Jesus. I’m speaking of those who are genuine believers, those whom God considers to be His sons and daughters, those who have been truly redeemed.
But the truth be told, even in our local assemblies there is often massive disunity, let alone in the various assemblies within our community, let alone in our city or state or country, let alone the whole world. How can there possibly be even a semblance of unity? It really does seem impossible and far-fetched.
Yet Paul himself wrote these words: “So Christ Himself gave the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, the pastors and teachers, to equip His people for works of service, so that the body of Christ may be built up until we all reach unity in the faith and in the knowledge of the Son of God and become mature, attaining to the whole measure of the fullness of Christ” (Ephesians 4:11-13, my emphasis).
Yes, this is something that is supposed to happen in this world, before the Lord returns, as opposed to something that will happen after He returns, when we will have shed our fallen humanity.
As Paul continued, “Then we will no longer be infants, tossed back and forth by the waves, and blown here and there by every wind of teaching and by the cunning and craftiness of people in their deceitful scheming. Instead, speaking the truth in love, we will grow to become in every respect the mature body of Him who is the head, that is, Christ. From Him the whole body, joined and held together by every supporting ligament, grows and builds itself up in love, as each part does its work” (Ephesians 4:14-16).
Paul wrote these words as if this was an attainable goal, something that we should work towards. Yet how many of us even give this much thought, let alone believe for it to happen, let alone do our best to make it happen?
To be sure, Paul is not speaking of some kind of sloppy, compromised, watered-down, ecumenism. Not is he speaking of putting on a veneer of unity for ulterior purposes, like a religious coalition with the goal of sharing power. To the contrary, it is an integral unity, a transcendent unity, a unity that comes about as a result of our unity with the Lord, even in the midst of our diversity and human differences.
As Jesus Himself prayed, “My prayer is not for them alone. I pray also for those who will believe in Me through their message, that all of them may be one, Father, just as You are in Me and I am in You. May they also be in Us so that the world may believe that you have sent me. I have given them the glory that You gave Me, that they may be one as We are one—I in them and You in Me—so that they may be brought to complete unity. Then the world will know that you sent Me and have loved them even as You have loved Me.” (John 17:20–23)
Will not God answer this prayer? And was this merely the Lord’s human desire, or did it reflect the very will of His Father? Surely this prayer reflects the heart of our heavenly Father. Surely He, too, longs to see us united in His Son.
And take careful note of what will happen when we come into this glorious unity: “Then,” Jesus said, “the world will know that you sent Me and have loved them even as You have loved Me.” Talk about shaking the world!
Looking at this through human eyes, it really does seem impossible, like some kind of spiritual pipe dream. Yet the Lord prayed for it and Paul wrote about it, both of them with certainty and expectation.
Unfortunately, our deep lack of unity, our constant fleshly bickering, our sense of competition more than comradery, and our extreme judgmentalism (as opposed to healthy discernment), gives ample testimony to just how far off the mark we really are.
That’s one reason we need to experience corporate revival in a massive, life-changing way. During times of genuine renewal, there is also a great outpouring of love (even in the midst of controversy and misunderstanding). As one old saying goes, when the waters rise, you don’t see the fences anymore.
That’s one reason why revival remains a deep, burning cry of my heart, and one reason why I wrote my latest book Revival Or We Die: A Great Awakening Is Our Only Hope. Revival brings us into a fresh encounter with Jesus the Lord which, in turn, brings us into a greater love for one another.
Persecution can also unite believers, as followers of Jesus find themselves sharing prison cells with other believers from other denominations and expressions, only to realize they are one in the Lord. We may experience more of this in the days ahead.
And always, even without revival or persecution, based on the principles laid out by Paul, above, we can take steps every day of our lives to walk in love towards our brothers and sisters, doing our best to build up rather than simply tear down. There’s even a way to correct error that has the goal of unifying around truth rather than dividing around personalities and doctrines. May we learn to step higher here too.
Decades ago, I heard about how a little girl learned to apply the biblical call to “love one another.” She looked at her friend and said, “I’m one, and you’re another.”
This sounds like a good place to start.
Again...NOT NEWS. Does not belong in “News/Activism”. Religious philosophical discussion.
Division and unity. God calls for both, how can that be? It is the point of the division and unity that is important.
In God’s case, that point is , “who is Jesus”
Trump is good at this model also. Everyone looks at him as devicive and focus on that. But look at the point of division. What is Trumps point of division and unity?
I attended a revival meeting. It was mostly about getting everyone amped up emotionally rather than appealing to our intellects. It was a great feeling, but only while it lasted. This is not a long term solution.
Decades ago, I heard about how a little girl learned to apply the biblical call to “love one another.” She looked at her friend and said, “I’m one, and you’re another.”
The 2nd is not about guns, it is about the militia. If you are not grouped up, get so.....................................
Deuteronomy 4:2 addresses this.
NEXT TIME I WILL POST THEM IN THE FUNNIES. I HOPE THAT MAKES YOU HAPPY!!!!
See, even discussing disunity causes disunity about where the disunity discussion belongs!!
Jesus told us “Do you think that I have come to bring peace on earth? No, but rather division; for henceforth in one house there will be five divided, three against two and two against three; they will be divide father against son and son against father, mother against doughtier “Luke 12:49-53
“In the beginning was the Word and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.” John 1:1
If we want peace and unity, we need to accept the Word (Truth) of Jesus and live accordingly. We say that we are followers of Jesus, yet reject His Truth, reject the Church Jesus established and the Sacraments that he left us for our path to salvation.
How can we have unity when we follow our own beliefs and not the Truth that Jesus gave us? Jesus told us that every one that commits sin, then we are a slave to sin. John 8:34
“Truly, truly, I say to you, if anyone keeps my word, he will never taste death.” John 8:51
Good post. And the Most Intellectual Dr. Michael Brown can start by NOT sowing discord among the brethren when he calls Christians that support Trump and Nov 3rd and that we believe there WAS election fraud - delusional. And ANYONE who prophesied about Trump and it yet hasn’t fully taken place then the Most Intellectual Dr. Michael Brown assembles an ‘accountability’ panel that he puts himself on and those elite ‘prophets’ to judge, according to THEIR judgments, who has spoken heresy or not or is worthy or not.
Start with your own attitudes and actions Doc. This past year you’ve shown your true character.
But I do agree that it will take a great revival to make this happen. And I believe it is coming. In spite of what some may EXPONENTIALLY say is not in the destiny of America.
We (the saved by grace ones) will be united in heaven, not before.
Indeed, the only one true church is that which only and always consists 100% of regenerated believers, regardless of Rome which wants to basically copyright the term.
Complete New Agey tripe.
Revelations|22:19
And if any man shall take away from the words of the book of this prophecy, God shall take away his part out of the book of life, and out of the holy city, and [from] the things which are written in this book.
There are plenty of places on FR that you can legitimately post this kind of thing. “News/Activism” is not one of them.
WHY, exactly, do you insist on having it here?
See I can ask you the same question. Now leave me alone. Got it?
There is only one way to be unified... and that is by the same Holy Spirit in each believer.
The Same Holy Spirit will be consistent on doctrine with ALL those who HEAR HIM.
If the Gospels differ, then it is NOT the same Spirit.
Because the rules of Free Republic say it doesn't belong in this category.
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