10/22/2021
Today’s world is defined by words like independence, freedom, rights, being my own man, doing it my way, and so many other thoughts, words, and phrases that, although seemingly good in one sense, tend to divide us, and push us away from one another when applied wrongly to our faith. When it comes to our faithfulness in Christ, these words can often separate us in ways that are very different from the desire of togetherness that Jesus envisioned for us. We were meant to love one another, be one in Christ, one with God, and of one Church, but our worldly definitions of these words encourage wedges to be driven between each of Christ’s ideas of oneness. Are we truly one as Jesus espoused, and wants us to be?
“And I am no longer in the world, but they are in the world, and I am coming to you. Holy Father, keep them in your name, which you have given me, that they may be one, even as we are one.”
John 17:11 ESV
This subject of division within the Church has come up in my daily life on more than one occasion in the past week, and now, as I was reading my morning devotional, it raised itself once again. This is not something new, and was important enough that Jesus is heard conveying the thought, “that they may be one”, five times in scripture. Here are two more examples to help us understand the importance of His desire for us…
““I do not ask for these only, but also for those who will believe in me through their word, that they may all be one, just as you, Father, are in me, and I in you, that they also may be in us, so that the world may believe that you have sent me.”
John 17:20-21 ESV
“So if there is any encouragement in Christ, any comfort from love, any participation in the Spirit, any affection and sympathy, complete my joy by being of the same mind, having the same love, being in full accord and of one mind.”
Philippians 2:1-2 ESV
So as I read my short devotional that was written in the late 1800s by Reverend Andrew Murray, his words resonated with me, and I felt the frustration felt by so many men and women of faith through the ages…
“It seems as though the church does not regard this command as a priority anymore, as though there is a lack of love for believers, whatever their denomination might be. Should we therefore not pray more seriously that this prayer — that they may be one — would become the most important plea of our daily fellowship with God?” - Andrew Murray
The disciples worked hard to keep the Church together as one by teaching the tenets of faith to them, and even came together to debate, and discuss, the difficult questions of faith they faced such as circumcision, and it’s place in the early Christian Church. Yet, despite their efforts, it didn’t take long before cracks, and divisions began to form, and men began to drive wedges between themselves. One of the big schisms came in the year 1050 when the Eastern and Western churches broke apart and became the Eastern Orthodox, and Roman Catholic Churches… but it didn’t end there, and if you study Christian history and read today’s news, you will read that similar divisions continue to this very day; some over an intransigence regarding legitimate arguments surrounding the adherence to commandments, and the tenets of faith, but many others occurring over petty disagreements, and more recently, man’s sin filled desire to twist faith to justify and conform to his worldly sinfulness… there is one such justification of particular prominence today as the modern churches debate homosexuality, and this has led to divisions over what God has called abomination (of which homosexuality is just one of the seven singled out in scripture), and here are some other scriptural examples…
“You shall not lie with a male as with a woman; it is an abomination.”
Leviticus 18:22 ESV
“Lying lips are an abomination to the Lord, but those who act faithfully are his delight.”
Proverbs 12:22 ESV
“He who justifies the wicked and he who condemns the righteous are both alike an abomination to the Lord.”
Proverbs 17:15 ESV
“Everyone who is arrogant in heart is an abomination to the Lord; be assured, he will not go unpunished.”
Proverbs 16:5 ESV
So how do we remain one in God, Christ, and faith, in the face of such divisive ideas, and behavior? How do we resist the subtle leads of Satan as he convinces us of our ill conceived “correctness”, of God’s fallibility, and as he attempts to turn one person of faith against another? To avoid these things we take refuge in God’s Word, we pray, we follow Jesus in our daily lives, and we listen to the guidance of the Holy Spirit… then we will be able to put away our pride, and our belief that we can determine the will of God without hearing it from Him.
“For the word of God is living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing to the division of soul and of spirit, of joints and of marrow, and discerning the thoughts and intentions of the heart. And no creature is hidden from his sight, but all are naked and exposed to the eyes of him to whom we must give account.”
Hebrews 4:12-13 ESV
So let’s put aside our divisive ideas, and beliefs, and look to the Word of God. Let’s pray that we can be one in our belief in God, and Jesus, so that in them we will forever remain as one with them. Let’s take a broom of straw and use it to sweep the dust and dirt from our churches, so that we can see the floor again, and know our foundation… no lies, no wrong sexuality, no pride, no arrogance, no wickedness, or those other ungodly things… only a love for God, an adherence to His Word, and an acceptance of the gospel of Christ, so that we will be one body. Though there is a dust storm blowing outside, let’s continue to work, study, and pray, so that our inner floors of faith will remain clean, and pristine… Holy!
Prayer:
Father, we thank you for your Son Jesus Christ, and how He has come to abide in us, and we in Him. We thank you Lord for our becoming one in this way with you, through Him. We thank you for your Word, and the Gospel of Jesus, that give us discernment, and we pray that you will lead us through them to know truth, and be one with one another. Holy, Holy, Holy, are you our God who desires us to be one with you, and to love you, Jesus, and one another. Praised be your name for those differences in our worship that add flavor without changing the meal of our faith. Merciful are you who forgives us our sins, even the abominations, and welcomes us home as prodigal sons and daughters to be one family again. Your grace pours out on us through Jesus, and He calls our names in intercession before you… now and always. Wash us in His blood Father, unite us in His righteousness, and free us of sin, make us perfect and Holy before you… now, and forevermore!
“…But God has so composed the body, giving greater honor to the part that lacked it, that there may be no division in the body, but that the members may have the same care for one another. If one member suffers, all suffer together; if one member is honored, all rejoice together. Now you are the body of Christ and individually members of it.”
1 Corinthians 12:24-27 ESV
Rich Forbes