“You could easily read the above as One of you says, “I follow Luther”; another, “I follow Calvin”; another, “I follow Wesley”; still another, “I follow Christ.” “
You could, but that would be changing the meaning of what Paul wrote.
It is Christ. It is never a man. It is never a sect.
There is one Savior. One universal Church Triumphant. One Body of Christ.
One faith. One Lord. One Baptism.
The Body of Christ is comprised of all who receive His Gospel of Grace
throughout history. The gates of Hell will not prevail against this
Church.
I follow Christ.
So how would you make sense of the following Scripture?
"If your brother sins against you, go and show him his fault, just between the two of you. If he listens to you, you have won your brother over. But if he will not listen, take one or two others along, so that 'every matter may be established by the testimony of two or three witnesses.' If he refuses to listen to them, tell it to the church; and if he refuses to listen even to the church, treat him as you would a pagan or a tax collector. "I tell you the truth, whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven. Mat 81:15-18
So where do you take your concerns? Which Church? This makes no sense whatsoever without the visible Church Christ established with teaching authority, and the power to loose and bind. Christians cant even agree on what the meaning of the word is is.
The Church of the apostles was definitely one: "There is one body and one spirit," Paul wrote, "just as you were called to the one hope that belongs to your call, one Lord, one faith, one baptism, one God and Father of us all" (Eph. 4:4-5). Paul linked this unity to the Church's common Eucharistic bread: "Because there is one bread, we who are many are one body, for we all partake of one bread" (1 Cor. 10:17). Jesus had promised at the outset that "there would be one flock, one shepherd" (John 10:16).
Think about it. Would Christ establish his Church to teach the way, the truth and allow thousands of interpretation as to what is the truth? If the Church doesnt teach the Truth, Christ is a liar. If He would allow multiple versions of Truth, hed be an idiot. I dont believe He is either.
Amen....case closed.
Perfectly said.