The Lord has put in my heart a strong desire to make a call for unity.
One of the greatest philisophical searches of mankind...
How do we get unity in diversity?
I will make this short and sweet, and wish to see where this leads.
Can we who preach the biblical gospel of Jesus unify together and preach the gospel with one spirit, one heart, and one mind in cooperation?
can many issues within the body, concerning doctrine apart from salvation, that do not effect the gospel be put aside in an effort to unify the body of christ in regaurds to the world and the lost? I am not saying forget it, but can it be laid aside in the name of unity?
Can we fellowship and rejoice in the Gospel in unity, while living in diversity?
I see many different views on non salvational issues that do not effect the gospel, effecting the unity in the body.
calvanism, arminianism, universalism etc.....
If there is one agreeable truth and that is Jesus himself, and the Gospel by wich we are saved, why must the untiy be depleted over smaller issues?
the gospel :yay:
let us preach it, teach it, proclaim it, and hinge on it.
also many things are not clearly defined in scripture, but many diverse forms of the explanation of the issue itself.
gap theory, young earth, old earth, evolutionists, etc....
I am not saying lets all join in one big church and deal with it, but rather put it aside for the lost. Accept the fact that we could possibly be wrong, but by all means hold confident beliefs about those certain issues.
Im not saying noone practices this, but I am simply asking for more to consider, and am trying to encourage unity.
Is there a problem in this? as long as the salvific message is true and as it is written, why do the little things take away fellowship, and unity, as well as sometimes hinder cooperation in spreading the message of grace.
:stop:
I can't proclaim anymore than I already have, but I am not saying we are all divided on the little issues, and all are not cooperating.
same scripture + same Jesus + same gospel = same God = same result to the lost who hear and believe. :angel:
Ephesians 4:13-14 "Until we all attain to the unity of faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to a mature man, to the measure of the stature which belongs to the fullness of Christ.
As a result we are no longer to be children tossed here and there by waves, and carried about by every wind of doctrine, by trickery of men, by craftiness in decietful scheming.
Truth is Unity, diversity of gifts builds up the body of Christ.
Matthew 7:13-14 "Enter by the narrow gate; for wide is the gate and broad is the way that leads to destruction, and there are many who go in by it. (14) "Because narrow is the gate and difficult is the way which leads to life, and there are few who find it.
Rom 9:27 Esaias also crieth concerning Israel, Though the number of the children of Israel be as the sand of the sea, a remnant shall be saved:
Rom 11:5 Even so then at this present time also there is a remnant according to the election of grace.
Ezekiel 14:22-23 "Yet behold, there shall be left in it a remnant who will be brought out, both sons and daughters; surely they will come out to you, and you will see their ways and their doings. Then you will be comforted concerning the disaster that I have brought upon Jerusalem, all that I have brought upon it. (23) "And they will comfort you, when you see their ways and their doings; and you shall know that I have done nothing without cause that I have done in it," says the Lord GOD.
Titus 2:11-14 For the grace of God that brings salvation has appeared to all men, (12) teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly in the present age, (13) looking for the blessed hope and glorious appearing of our great God and Savior Jesus Christ, (14) who gave Himself for us, that He might redeem us from every lawless deed and purify for Himself His own special people, zealous for good works.
Mic 7:18 Who [is] a God like unto thee, that pardoneth iniquity, and passeth by the transgression of the remnant of his heritage? he retaineth not his anger for ever, because he delighteth [in] mercy.
1 Kings 19:18 Yet I have reserved seven thousand in Israel, all whose knees have not bowed to Baal, and every mouth that has not kissed him."
Zephaniah 3:12-13 I will leave in your midst A meek and humble people, And they shall trust in the name of the LORD. (13) The remnant of Israel shall do no unrighteousness And speak no lies, Nor shall a deceitful tongue be found in their mouth; For they shall feed their flocks and lie down, And no one shall make them afraid."
Luke 13:22-30 And He went through the cities and villages, teaching, and journeying toward Jerusalem.
(23) Then one said to Him, "Lord, are there few who are saved?" And He said to them, (24) "Strive to enter through the narrow gate, for many, I say to you, will seek to enter and will not be able. (25) "When once the Master of the house has risen up and shut the door, and you begin to stand outside and knock at the door, saying, �Lord, Lord, open for us,� and He will answer and say to you, �I do not know you, where you are from,� (26) "then you will begin to say, �We ate and drank in Your presence, and You taught in our streets.� (27) "But He will say, �I tell you I do not know you, where you are from. Depart from Me, all you workers of iniquity.� (28) "There will be weeping and gnashing of teeth, when you see Abraham and Isaac and Jacob and all the prophets in the kingdom of God, and yourselves thrust out. (29) "They will come from the east and the west, from the north and the south, and sit down in the kingdom of God. (30) "And indeed there are last who will be first, and there are first who will be last."
Some believe and live God's word others read God's word and live as the think is right in their own eyes. This is why there are over 32,000 different denominations. Everyone want's to believe their own thing. They do not want to submit ti God's authority. That is why there will never be unity in this vale l of tears. The only place I find unity is in my church.
JB, you make a very good point, as you have bascially summarized what Paul speaks about in Ephesians 4, and Romans 12 about unity in diversity, in other words, unity among the members in the body.
Paul teaches us that there is one body, and one Holy Spirit one Lord, one God, one hope, one faith, and one baptism in Christ, which as Christians believers in Christ we should all be unified as one in the teachings and preaching of the gospel of Christ without any division, but in harmony as people of God when it comes to God's Word.
IF we are in Christ as we all confess and profess speaking through the revelation of the Holy Spirit, we should all be in agreement when it comes to God's word and what is already written, not man's theology or doctrines, but God's Word, becuase nothing else matter what man's says and especially if it is not of God.
The Holy Spirit is not divided nor as Paul points out in Romans and Corinthians the body can't be divided among its members, as the eye can't tell the hand it doesn't need the feet, nor can the head tell the bidy it doesn't need it, becasue they eyes, hands, feet, head are all diverse members of the same body therefore, if of the same body there should be unity in the faith and in the diverse use of our gifts as each member is given, but ALL in agreement without conflict, by reconizing each others differences in the body. Yet in unity in the Holy Spirit and God's Word of Truth which birng about such untiy among God's people.
However, man's or self taught error of God's Word does not birng about untiy, nor does weak faith, and in many cases the lack of godly faith to believe God at His word brings about division in the body.
We are asked in scripture how can two person walk together in unity of the faith unless they are in agreement? We are also taught that when we pray if two or more agree as touching (concerning) anything when we pray together, it will be done... but there FIRST MUST BE UNITY IN AGREEMENT, and this involves humility, patience, good conduct in truly caring for, and toward each other(member) to maintian the wholesome Christian peace, as Paul says, as much as it depends on each person to know when to hold 'em, when to fold'em, when to run, and when to walk away, especially when another member is not speaking spiritually as God has spoken in His Word... Paul says if a person is ignorant let them stay ignorant if they refuse to hear the truth of what is written.
If a person does not know the spiritual things about Jesus Chirst or the truth God's word and concerns themselves with more of the non-esstianials of what he/she thinks is the gospel, and those things that have nothing to do with salavtion to the lost, it is very difficult for there to be unity, because "ANOTHER GOSPEL" is being taught as if it is the true gospel of God's Word.
I think Paul makes it very clear in I Corinthians chapters 1-3, the Holy Spirit helps the beliver to understand the spiritual things of God, and those who think they are wise, are so in thier own conceit of their own wisdon, and do not have the Spirit of the living God.
"That is why there will never be unity in this vale l of tears. The only place I find unity is in my church."
I do agree that we should find doctrinal unity within our local church.
I understand a remnant will only be saved
but the call for unity is not doctrinal unity. I am saying we who agree in unity on the message of salvation - gospel, and disagree on other things, not effecting the gospel, should unify in one purpose together in reaching the lost, while placing the other issues aside.
if the gospel by wich we are saved, the one preached wich is the power of God unto salvation is the same apart from other doctrines not effecting the gospel, we should unify to reach the lost on the common ground of the gospel.
Rom 1:16 For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth; to the Jew first, and also to the Greek.
Rom 1:17 For therein is the righteousness of God revealed from faith to faith: as it is written, The just shall live by faith.
Act 11:14 Who shall tell thee words, whereby thou and all thy house shall be saved.
1Co 15:1 Moreover, brethren, I declare unto you the gospel which I preached unto you, which also ye have received, and wherein ye stand;
1Co 15:2 By which also ye are saved, if ye keep in memory what I preached unto you, unless ye have believed in vain.
1Co 15:3 For I delivered unto you first of all that which I also received, how that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures;
1Co 15:4 And that he was buried, and that he rose again the third day according to the scriptures:
1Co 15:5 And that he was seen of Cephas, then of the twelve:
1Co 15:6 After that, he was seen of above five hundred brethren at once; of whom the greater part remain unto this present, but some are fallen asleep.
1Co 15:7 After that, he was seen of James; then of all the apostles.
1Co 15:8 And last of all he was seen of me also, as of one born out of due time.
1Co 15:9 For I am the least of the apostles, that am not meet to be called an apostle, because I persecuted the church of God.
1Co 15:10 But by the grace of God I am what I am: and his grace which was bestowed upon me was not in vain; but I laboured more abundantly than they all: yet not I, but the grace of God which was with me.
1Co 15:11 Therefore whether it were I or they, so we preach, and so ye believed.
2Th 2:13 But we are bound to give thanks alway to God for you, brethren beloved of the Lord, because God hath from the beginning chosen you to salvation through sanctification of the Spirit and belief of the truth:
2Th 2:14 Whereunto he called you by our gospel, to the obtaining of the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ.
Joh 3:16 For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.
Joh 3:17 For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved.
Joh 3:18 He that believeth on him is not condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God.
Joh 5:23 That all men should honour the Son, even as they honour the Father. He that honoureth not the Son honoureth not the Father which hath sent him.
Joh 5:24 Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that heareth my word, and believeth on him that sent me, hath everlasting life, and shall not come into condemnation; but is passed from death unto life.
JB, (young Timothy) please let your spiritual leader/pastor know that he has been a good sound teacher of God's Word rightly dividing it, and that you are putting God's Word and what you leanrt in the word through relevation of the Holy Spirit, and studying to show yourself approved by God, and what you have learnt from his teachings as a good student and listener under spiritual authority into good practice.
Good word you have spoken, May God contiue to lead and guide you into all His marvelous Truths for the edifying and equiping of the body of Chirst, until we all come into the UNITY OF THE FAITH AS CHRISTIAN BELIEVERS IN CHRIST.
You are rather refreshing for such a young person in age, but welled seasoned spiritually in the knowledge and understanding God's Word of Truth:glow::applause::applause::yay::hearts:
