Why no unity?

[firestormx]

 

Thanks. But I honestly believe we should be united. Christ is 1. Not many. So we should be 1 in him. I just feel so lost over this right now. Tired of all the bickering and fighting over every single thing. I just don't know, I just don't know.

You should not be so discouraged. Reread how the apostles did disagreed about the gentiles, where to go and what to do. They were not always in one accord.

 

Thanks for the encouragement.

[JohnD]

 

Answer:

 

People add to or take away from God's word to create traditions of men. The disagreement is mainly in the traditions of me, which Mark 7:7-13 indicates nullifies the word of God. 

 

OK, so if that is the problem, if that is why there is no unity. Then how do we as believers become unified? I ask for this reason. You can't fix a problem if you don't know what it is.

 

 

We need to spread the message.

 

The biggest obstacle is the Church establishment (the Church organization) which has divided and conquered the Church organism.

 

[JohnD]

Exodus 19:6 (KJV)
6 And ye shall be unto me a kingdom of priests, and an holy nation. These are the words which thou shalt speak unto the children of Israel.

 

What blew this was the terrible tragedy in Exodus 32 where only the tribe that came to Moses' (and therefore God's) aid were priests henceforth under the Old Covenant. 

 

The division between clergy and laity was OLD covenant NOT new covenant.

 

Revelation 1:6 (KJV)
6 And hath made us kings and priests unto God and his Father; to him be glory and dominion for ever and ever. Amen.

 

Revelation 5:10 (KJV)
10 And hast made us unto our God kings and priests: and we shall reign on the earth.

 

1 Peter 2:3-10 (KJV)
3 If so be ye have tasted that the Lord is gracious.
4 To whom coming, as unto a living stone, disallowed indeed of men, but chosen of God, and precious,
5 Ye also, as lively stones, are built up a spiritual house, an holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices, acceptable to God by Jesus Christ.
6 Wherefore also it is contained in the scripture, Behold, I lay in Sion a chief corner stone, elect, precious: and he that believeth on him shall not be confounded.
7 Unto you therefore which believe he is precious: but unto them which be disobedient, the stone which the builders disallowed, the same is made the head of the corner,
8 And a stone of stumbling, and a rock of offence, even to them which stumble at the word, being disobedient: whereunto also they were appointed.
9 But ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people; that ye should shew forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvellous light:
10 Which in time past were not a people, but are now the people of God: which had not obtained mercy, but now have obtained mercy.
 

Jesus was not interested in building another religion. He was interested in building a kingdom.

 

Interesting quite the opposite was sought by Constantine emperor of Rome who saw in illegal Christianity a unity and cohesiveness his crumbling empire sorely lacked. He even had to establish a second capital city (Constantinople) because the empire was imploding under its own weight. Through legalizing Christianity and adopting it as the state religion he set Rome on a course for its preservation to this day. Not the empire per se, but in what the Roman Empire would morph into 5 centuries later (a religion). For what outlasts kings and kingdoms emperors and empires but religion? The Roman Catholic Empire is still run from Rome...

 

Only in God's economy (the first shall be last and the last first) is a kingdom greater than a religion.

[TsukinoRei]

 

 

Answer:

 

People add to or take away from God's word to create traditions of men. The disagreement is mainly in the traditions of me, which Mark 7:7-13 indicates nullifies the word of God. 

 

OK, so if that is the problem, if that is why there is no unity. Then how do we as believers become unified? I ask for this reason. You can't fix a problem if you don't know what it is.

 

 

We need to spread the message.

 

The biggest obstacle is the Church establishment (the Church organization) which has divided and conquered the Church organism.

 

 

 

 Nicely put!

[Guest Butero]

 

 

 

Why is there no unity in the body of Christ?

 

 

If there is no unity, can it really be called the body of Christ?  

 

 

To make the next four years shorter, because it took me four years of dedicated research, I eventually found the Church that Christ founded at Pentacost.  It does still exist in this world, it still teaches, believes and practices the same faith as the Apostles did in ;the beginning.

 

 

 

You said a lot of things I agree with, and have observed myself, but this is what I want to focus on.  You claim that you found a church that operates the same as the church did at Pentecost.  Why leave us in suspense?  What church is this, and are they all over the country?  I have been looking for a church like that for over 30 years and haven't come across it.  I have found some that weren't as far off as others, but none that are like they were when the church was founded.

 

I would really appreciate it if you would let us know what church you found that believes and practices the same faith as the Apostles did in the beginning?  If I had found such a church, I wouldn't keep it a secret.  Is it a denominational church, a group of indepentent churches united with the same beliefs, or a group of house churches?  That was a strong claim you made in the middle of a large post, and I would like to know who they are, so I can check them out for myself? 

 

This is not sarcasm.  I am truly hoping you have found such a church. 

[rebbell]

The majority is not being led by the Holy Spirit but a self spirit.

Unity in Christ;

One mind, One body, One Spirit. Worshipping HIM

If you can get a congregations attention on this, the congregation will witness a move in the congregated body by the Holy Spirit.

God Bless

[Thaddaeus]

 

 

 

Why is there no unity in the body of Christ?

 

 

If there is no unity, can it really be called the body of Christ?  

 

 

To make the next four years shorter, because it took me four years of dedicated research, I eventually found the Church that Christ founded at Pentacost.  It does still exist in this world, it still teaches, believes and practices the same faith as the Apostles did in ;the beginning.

 

 

 

You said a lot of things I agree with, and have observed myself, but this is what I want to focus on.  You claim that you found a church that operates the same as the church did at Pentecost.  Why leave us in suspense?  What church is this, and are they all over the country?  I have been looking for a church like that for over 30 years and haven't come across it.  I have found some that weren't as far off as others, but none that are like they were when the church was founded.

 

I did not want to just give you a name without you doing the research.  By giving just a name will not explain the magnitude of information that must be assimulated in order to rationally make a decision of faith. 

However, having said that, it is the Orthodox Church, the Church that began at Pentacost, known as the Way at first, then catholic.  In the 5th century the so called Orientals left over  the definition of the natures of Christ. However, for all practical purposes all four groups have agreed to rejoin the Orthodox Church.  After a long  difficult relationship with the See of Rome, mostly over the Supremacy of the Pope, Rome separated from the others and established the Roman Catholic Church. The eastern Patriarchates, the four remaining, became the Orthodox Church.

 

Your research will show that it still exists and has spread over the world, but more importantly, none of the doctrines, none of the original beliefs have been changed, added to since the beginning. several have been further clarified such as the Trinity, and the Incarnation. There has only been two Liturgies since the beginning with the existing two, Basel's and Chrysostom coming from the fourth century and were adaptations of the original one of St James of Jerusalem. 

However, don't take my word for it, you should study for your own.  You will have a much easier time than  I had because I did not have the internet.  Just about everything is on the interent for your perusal.

[JohnD]

 

 

 

Answer:

 

People add to or take away from God's word to create traditions of men. The disagreement is mainly in the traditions of me, which Mark 7:7-13 indicates nullifies the word of God. 

 

OK, so if that is the problem, if that is why there is no unity. Then how do we as believers become unified? I ask for this reason. You can't fix a problem if you don't know what it is.

 

 

We need to spread the message.

 

The biggest obstacle is the Church establishment (the Church organization) which has divided and conquered the Church organism.

 

 

 

 Nicely put!

 

Thanks.

[GoldenEagle]

Split a portion of this topic into this thread for it's own discussion:
 

 

[Guest shiloh357]

Why is there no unity in the body of Christ?

 

There are disputes on every single point of doctrine there is. Very few agree on a lot of things. Even fewer agree on most things. I've never come across 2 believers that agreed on everything. The bible states in the book of Acts that the Apostles were of 1 accord. The first believers were in unity. With each other and Christ.

 

Why aren't we?

 

People often say it's ok, because we are never going to agree on everything. But, the bible says Christ is not divided. Where is the unity? Is it we understand the scripture differently? Well, if we are all being led to the truth by the same Holy Spirit, then shouldn't it be the same truth we arrive at?  Is it because we are at different places in our walk with Christ? But even then, the same core truth should be there, should be the same. Just built upon. Line upon line. An unfolding living revelation coming from the living Word.

 

How can every believer be hearing and being led by the same Holy Spirit and all of us come to different answers to the exact same questions? Why is it seen as such a bad thing to say " I don't know " or " I was wrong ". If Christ is love, then shouldn't unity start there to? Isn't forgiveness apart of love?

 

Where is the Unity?

 

May the living Lord Jesus Bless you all

 

Firestormx

Joseph

One very big reason is that we each have unique needs the Lord ministers the Word of God to us to meet those unique needs.   The Lord can minister a verse or passage of Scripture to you to meet a need in your life and then minister the same passage to me to meet a completely different need in my life.  Our difference in perspective is based on the different needs we had that were met in that passage.  Therefore, we come away with unique and different ways of approaching that passage.

 

There are cultural differences as well.   If you live in Southern California, you are going to have a different take on Scripture than someone living in rural, East Tennessee.

 

Denominations are, by and large divided more over traditions than essential doctrine.  Many of the theolgical differences are over secondary issues, not primary issues.

 

Let me ask you this.  If being "unified" means that we all have the same doctrinal views, wouldn't that stymie personal study of the Word of God?  I mean, think of it like this.  Whose views win out if we all have to believe the same things in order for there to be "unity?"   It requires a willingness on the part of everyone to forego the ability to think and study for themselves and simply believe what they are told they must believe in order preserve unity.   So whose doctrinal views become the views of the collective?  Who gets to decide what everyone must agree upon (whether they like it or not)?

 

We have to be careful that we are not confusing "unity" with comformity of thought and manipulation/control.  I always have a problem when people start defining unity in doctrinal terms because it means that we must leave our own convictions at the door and simply follow what we are told to believe.