For ye are yet carnal: for whereas there is among you envying, and strife, and divisions, are ye not carnal, and walk as men?For while one saith, I am of Paul; and another, I am of Apollos; are ye not carnal?1 Cor 3:3-4
Is Christ divided? was Paul crucified for you? or were ye baptized in the name of Paul?1 Cor 1:13
For God is not the author of confusion, but of peace, as in all churches of the saints. 1 Cor 14:33
There are so many opposing doctrines amongst professing Christians in
our world today that it is very hard to know which of them to believe.
Some sects teachings totally contradict those of other sects and yet they claim that they adhere to the teachings of the same Bible and worship the same God.
Source of Divisions
All divisions come from our unwillingness to accept God's Word the way it is i.e based on our own interpretation of it and on the way we want it to conform to our own desires.
Eve Analogy
Before her fall into sin, Eve had only one consciousness: The
consciousness of God. There was no difference between the way she
perceived things and the way God perceived things. She was only aware of
one reality: God's Word.
Sadly, Eve allowed herself to be deceived by the serpent to see things
different from the way God saw them. The tree that God said was bad
for food and would destroy her became a tree that was good for food and
could give her life and wisdom and when she ate from it she became
separated from God i.e. She started to perceiving herself in a new way
contrary to the way she used to perceive herself (She became aware of
her nakedness):
That
is the same way that the serpent deceives us to see things the way we
want to see them or the way our minds interpret them and not the way
the Holy Spirit reveals them to us and when we choose to interpret
Scripture apart from the Holy Spirit, we start to see things different
from the way God sees them and we become alienated from God and His
saints:
They
went out from us, but they were not of us; for if they had been of us,
they would no doubt have continued with us: but they went out, that
they might be made manifest that they were not all of us.1 John 2:19
Classmates Analogy
Why do you think that students in the same class who are taught the same things at the same time by the same teacher and who study together at the same time score differently when they are examined based on the same
things that they were taught? The answer to that question is it is
because they understood and interpreted the facts that they were taught differently.
The only way the students would be able to understand and interpret the same things they were taught in the same way that they were taught them is if they understand and interpret them in the exact way that they were taught by their teacher .
Now I beseech you, brethren, by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that ye all speak the same thing, and that there be no divisions among you; but that ye be perfectly joined together in the same mind and in the same judgment.1 Cor 1:10
Divisions exist when we are more focused on the many (our own
individual and collective understanding and desires). Unity exists when
we look beyond them and focus on the One (Our teacher the Holy
Spirit's) revelation of God's Word and Will. The Holy Spirit must be our standard for truth not our own way of perceiving it.
Howbeit when he, the Spirit of truth, is come, he will guide you into all truth:
for he shall not speak of himself; but whatsoever he shall hear, that
shall he speak: and he will shew you things to come. John 16:13
Who also hath made us able ministers of the new testament; not of the letter, but of the spirit: for the letter killeth, but the spirit giveth life. 2 Cor 3:6
Knowing this first, that no prophecy of the scripture is of any private interpretation.For the prophecy came not in old time by the will of man: but holy men of God spake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost. 2 Pet 1:20-21
Christ's Church is not a divided Church. A divided Church is powerless
against the devil and his agents. His Church is a united Church, one
that is united by the same understanding of God and His law. It is a Church that sees God the way He is and not the way that it wants Him or imagines Him to be.
And
Jesus knew their thoughts, and said unto them, Every kingdom divided
against itself is brought to desolation; and every city or house
divided against itself shall not stand:Matt 12:25
Unity will be attained when there is unity between the vertical
(Heaven) and horizontal (Earthly) levels. It will be attained when
God, Jesus and His Church see things in the same way.
I in them, and thou in me, that they may be made perfect in one; and that the world may know that thou hast sent me, and hast loved them, as thou hast loved me.John 17:23
And all that believed were together, and had all things common;Acts 2:44
Which things also we speak, not in the words which man's wisdom teacheth, but which the Holy Ghost teacheth; comparing spiritual things with spiritual.1 Cor 2:13
When we look beyond our prejudices and interests and desires and our individual and collective understanding of scripture and begin to see God's Word the way
our Teacher the Holy Spirit reveals them to us, we would become united
and that is when the devil and his agents would tremble at our
presence.
Beloved,
now are we the sons of God, and it doth not yet appear what we shall
be: but we know that, when he shall appear, we shall be like him; for
we shall see him as he is.1 John 3:2
Jesus said unto them, If ye were blind, ye should have no sin: but now ye say, We see; therefore your sin remaineth.John 9:41
No comments:
Post a Comment