Division of The Church

[lastofall]

[for me anyway] just to add to the Truth you have mentioned, that Repenting is the only matter that remains: indeed it is evident that the nation is in the last stage of downfall "a reprobate mind" (Romans 18-32) and God is abandoning it, and except the nation repent much after the manner that the Nineveh repented after Jonah warned them.  The difference unfortunately is that their leaders, then the people hearkened to the warning: but now with our nation it can only be said after how Isaiah said "Lord who hath believed our report" we say "Lord who will hear our report?"

[simplejeff]

45 minutes ago, LightShinesInTheDarkness said:

The unity God wants and is pleased with is (true) Christians being united with one another in His truth. All of us having the same understanding, based on Scriptural truth, and keeping in step with the Spirit of Christ, not with each other. Trying to keep in step with someone who is out of step with the truth either requires him to come to where you are in right understanding and practice, or you to go astray from the truth in order to be in harmony with the one who has swerved, which means both of you are walking crooked, in step, whether morally or doctrinally or both. 

I'm not talking about having consideration for other believers in disputable matters of personal faith, mind you, or not making considerations for those who are young or weak in faith, but about compromising indisputable doctrinal truths which comprise the faith itself--which the demons are always keen to confuse and undermine. We're supposed to contend for the faith that was once for all delivered to the saints, not cede it to make peace with people who don't have peace with God. That is not the unity of the Spirit; that's apostasy.

And He gave the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, the pastors and teachers, to equip the saints for the work of ministry, for building up the body of Christ, until we all attain to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to mature manhood, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ, so that we may no longer be children, tossed to and fro by the waves and carried about by every wind of doctrine, by human cunning, by craftiness in deceitful schemes. Rather, speaking the truth in love, we are to grow up in every way into Him who is the Head, into Christ...

(Ephesians 4:11-15)

 

James 4:11Complete Jewish Bible (CJB)

¹¹ Brothers, stop speaking against each other!

Whoever speaks against a brother or judges a brother is speaking

against Torah and judging Torah.

And if you judge Torah, you

are not a doer of what Torah says, but a judge.

Complete Jewish Bible (CJB)

Copyright © 1998 by David H. Stern. All rights reserved.

James 4:11 in all English translations

[ScottA]

On 1/22/2018 at 10:51 AM, TheGospelSaves28 said:

I agree with you completely ScottA. However, the fact still stands that not only was the Corinthian church out of Gods will, but it was also divided, was it not? The overall point I was trying to make was too many times we stand at variance to our brothers and sisters in Christ when dealing with denomination and differences, whether convictions, opinions, or theology differences. We spend too much time arguing and debating (Examples: the Baptist are right in their conservatism, and Pentecost are wrong in their theology, Catholics practice idolatry when worshipping Mary over Jesus, so on and so forth) than we do uniting as one body in Christ with different members yes, but the fact that we need to be one body in one accord still stands. 

I share your sentiments and agree the arguing and debating just seems unbecoming.

But I have to yield, and do so by choice, to the fact that in God's grand design, it is even natural for the thumbs to oppose the fingers, and the body would not move forward at all if one leg did not push forward while the other pushes back. Which leads me to surmise that it is only the core and the heart and the blood and, yes, the mind (which is Christ), that must agree. Which is to say, the leg and the eye and the fingers...have no mind, but must follow, and if detached will die. And when one part reaches the edge, I am afraid, and cry out and grown, but also cheer when I see the great things that are being done and the progress that is being made, unbeknownst to many members whose focus is limited to their own part. Nonetheless, if they reach the finish, their parts too have been validated by God. Some, unfortunately, will not.

Edited January 23, 2018 by ScottA

[Dennis1209]

On 1/21/2018 at 11:29 PM, TheGospelSaves28 said:

As I have been reading through the Pauline Epistles (the letters wrote by Paul) I am now currently starting in Second Corinthians. As we all know, the Church of Corinth was a church that Paul had part in establishing. However, due to the culture of Corinth, they inevitably reverted back to their pagan ways and beliefs, took part in sexual immorality, divided into factions, didn’t believe in the resurrection of Christ, so on and so forth. This got me thinking about the current state of “The Church” today and how divided we are. It’s a given, not everyone has the same convictions and opinions, there are also some theological differences and disagreements, so what do we do?? Time and time again, we keep to our own denominations, worry about ourselves and our salvation (completely set in our ways and traditions) and we pretty much write off or condemn all those who don’t agree with us to a T. However, I believe Paul was facing worse circumstances in his day, but, did that cause Paul to condemn and become selfish and self righteous?? NO, because Paul understood the importance of the unification of The Church, and new how destructive division could be for The Church. So Paul wrote a letter to the Corinthians with intentions of correcting them, begging them to REPENT, while at the same time encouraging and exhorting them to become better followers of Christ!! This is what we need so desperately today as The Church!! Y’all have a good night and God bless 

2Ti 4:3 For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but after their own lusts shall they heap to themselves teachers, having itching ears;

I think part of the reason is the above verse. Wouldn't it be much more pleasurable sitting in a pew listening to a sermon on "the prosperity Gospel" or there's different methods to become saves and go to heaven, etc. Rather than a Hell, fire and brimstone sermon of the Gospel truth, and narrow is the gate to Heaven, through the precious sacrifice of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. 

Ever watch a sermon from one of the mega-churches and the message? How much the Gospel was preached and the way to heaven? Or did it come down to tithes, gifts, offerings, selling something and entertainment value? 

People want to sit down and hear something that makes them feel better about themselves, and not condemnation, or trying to live a Holy life following in Jesus' foot steps. No, they want their ears tickled and hire Pastor's to do just that. I'll reserve my comments about the ecumenical coalition gaining ground that Jesus, Buddha, Allah, Baal, etc. are all one and the same god we worship. 

Just my thoughts.
 

[Marilyn C]

On ‎22‎/‎01‎/‎2018 at 4:29 PM, TheGospelSaves28 said:

As I have been reading through the Pauline Epistles (the letters wrote by Paul) I am now currently starting in Second Corinthians. As we all know, the Church of Corinth was a church that Paul had part in establishing. However, due to the culture of Corinth, they inevitably reverted back to their pagan ways and beliefs, took part in sexual immorality, divided into factions, didn’t believe in the resurrection of Christ, so on and so forth. This got me thinking about the current state of “The Church” today and how divided we are. It’s a given, not everyone has the same convictions and opinions, there are also some theological differences and disagreements, so what do we do?? Time and time again, we keep to our own denominations, worry about ourselves and our salvation (completely set in our ways and traditions) and we pretty much write off or condemn all those who don’t agree with us to a T. However, I believe Paul was facing worse circumstances in his day, but, did that cause Paul to condemn and become selfish and self righteous?? NO, because Paul understood the importance of the unification of The Church, and new how destructive division could be for The Church. So Paul wrote a letter to the Corinthians with intentions of correcting them, begging them to REPENT, while at the same time encouraging and exhorting them to become better followers of Christ!! This is what we need so desperately today as The Church!! Y’all have a good night and God bless 

Hi TheGospelSaves,

Good topic. I believe that the Lord Jesus Christ, the Head of His Body has been building and maturing His Body over the centuries and over the world. Thus the Body of Christ is well on the way to coming to the fullness of Christ, the unity of the faith, by the Holy Spirit. If we look back over the centuries we can see those truths that the Holy Spirit has clarified -

- Salvation by Christ,

- Baptism, for dying with Christ and rising to new life,

- Holiness - way of life by the Spirit,

- Infilling and gifts of the Spirit,

- the ascension ministries of the risen Lord,

All these great truths (we often take for granted) have been contended for and often people have died for. All these truths have come across the Body and are not the sole ownership of any particular denomination of man. If we look at the various truths we can see that over time a denomination grew around that truth, but could never stop others from coming to know it. Thus each denomination was man`s way of trying to protect a certain truth (eg . Baptism in water - Baptists, Infilling of Holy Spirit - Pentecostals...etc) But God continues to flow through the whole Body and people from all sorts of denominations have received all those truths.

So now to the denominations - well they are like scaffolding and are only of use when people are persecuted for a particular truth, but when that truth flows over to all the Body well then the scaffolding becomes the actual and people are really fighting about scaffolding. It will all pass away.

1. The scaffolding (denominations) are partnering with the world system and the poison of (we can change the world) is permeating every part.

2. Those who do not want to uphold the scaffolding (denomination) any more will be led by the Holy Spirit to connect with 2`s & 3`s together and encourage each other in their walk with the Lord and reaching out around them to others in real ways & not trying to get others hooked into the scaffolding.

regards, Marilyn.

 

[TheGospelSaves28]

1 hour ago, Dennis1209 said:

2Ti 4:3 For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but after their own lusts shall they heap to themselves teachers, having itching ears;

I think part of the reason is the above verse. Wouldn't it be much more pleasurable sitting in a pew listening to a sermon on "the prosperity Gospel" or there's different methods to become saves and go to heaven, etc. Rather than a Hell, fire and brimstone sermon of the Gospel truth, and narrow is the gate to Heaven, through the precious sacrifice of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. 

Ever watch a sermon from one of the mega-churches and the message? How much the Gospel was preached and the way to heaven? Or did it come down to tithes, gifts, offerings, selling something and entertainment value? 

People want to sit down and hear something that makes them feel better about themselves, and not condemnation, or trying to live a Holy life following in Jesus' foot steps. No, they want their ears tickled and hire Pastor's to do just that. I'll reserve my comments about the ecumenical coalition gaining ground that Jesus, Buddha, Allah, Baal, etc. are all one and the same god we worship. 

Just my thoughts.
 

Loved it Dennis. There is a false and deceiving form of Christianity that does not preach repentance for salvation. Reading through Gods Word, it is full of urging Gods people to REPENT (change/turn) from their sins, ultimately leading to becoming new creations in Christ once you put believing in Jesus as Lord and Savior AND repenting together. However, for example: if a homosexual is still willingly living in that homosexual life style (with homosexuality as being sinful) but yet that individual identifies their self as Christian, after reading scripture, I can say with assurance that that individual has a false sense of salvation and is not truly saved through Christ Jesus. (This is not a popular belief, but is THE TRUTH of scripture) 

[frienduff thaylorde]

On ‎1‎/‎23‎/‎2018 at 2:47 PM, Dennis1209 said:

2Ti 4:3 For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but after their own lusts shall they heap to themselves teachers, having itching ears;

I think part of the reason is the above verse. Wouldn't it be much more pleasurable sitting in a pew listening to a sermon on "the prosperity Gospel" or there's different methods to become saves and go to heaven, etc. Rather than a Hell, fire and brimstone sermon of the Gospel truth, and narrow is the gate to Heaven, through the precious sacrifice of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. 

Ever watch a sermon from one of the mega-churches and the message? How much the Gospel was preached and the way to heaven? Or did it come down to tithes, gifts, offerings, selling something and entertainment value? 

People want to sit down and hear something that makes them feel better about themselves, and not condemnation, or trying to live a Holy life following in Jesus' foot steps. No, they want their ears tickled and hire Pastor's to do just that. I'll reserve my comments about the ecumenical coalition gaining ground that Jesus, Buddha, Allah, Baal, etc. are all one and the same god we worship. 

Just my thoughts.
 

I'll reserve my comments about the ecumenical coalition gaining ground that Jesus, Buddha, Allah, Baal, etc. are all one and the same god we worship. 

 

I will speak a word about this mindset for you, on which I am sure you already agree.

I will select this word carefully so as all will hear it and receive it .

the overall summation of that movment if I can put it in a single word is this.      D     U      N    G