We Are in This Together
I really missed writing this article last week. I am recovering from shoulder surgery and am not able stretch far enough to type again. It is good to be back.
It is interesting to me that Jesus prayed we would be one, but the Church has been working to divide into smaller and smaller groups almost from the very instant Jesus prayed that prayer. The Book of Romans was written to a church divided between Jewish-born and Gentile-born believers.
The Book of 1 Corinthians saw further splinters into those who followed Peter, Paul, Apollos and those who just wanted to follow Jesus (to sound superior and above the fray).
2 Corinthians was written because a group was trying to replace Paul through drawing a following due to aesthetic or aural beauty.
In Galatians, the church was being encouraged to return to the Law for their justification and thus, was being divided between those who would and would not return.
Ephesians addressed the universal Christian experience and attempted to get them to see that we are saved by grace and should be one.
Colossians was written much like Philippians to instruct followers of Jesus how to live for Him with others who are also trying to live for him, even at home and not to be divided.
1 and 2 Thessalonians was written to remove confusion that had entered the church in an attempt to separate the church due to their understanding of the end times.
1 and 2 Timothy was written to the young pastor to help him know how to set up the churches for long-term ministry and to prevent division.
Titus was written for the same reasons, but to Titus, another of Paul’s young proteges.
Philemon was written by Paul to Philemon to encourage him to forgive Onesimus and accept him back as a brother and servant so as to prevent division in the church.
Hebrews was written to show Jesus as superior to Moses, the High Priesthood, the Priesthood, and the Law in an attempt to help unify the church that was being divided over the issues of the Law.
James was partially written to combat partiality in the church that destroys unity.
1 and 2 Peter were written to combat false teachers w h o were trying to divide the church in order to create a following for themselves. Instead of fracturing the church, they were to return to following Jesus and the gospel they knew so well.
1 John was written to teach the church how to pursue a relationship with Jesus so that their joy would be complete. They needed to be mature enough to recognize the spirit behind various teachers and were to cling to that which was good and shun that which was evil.
2 and 3 John were written to warn the church against following false teachers who wanted to divide them.
Jude joins the focus of 2 and 3 John.
Revelation reminds each of the seven churches of their need to be genuine in their affection for, obedience to, and perseverance in Christ. Since the church will be raptured and removed to heaven for a time, will return to reign with Christ in the Millennium, and will spend eternity with God in the New Heaven and New Earth, we need to be unified around the gospel.
With all of these corrections written throughout the New Testament, we probably should look for ways we can stand together instead of being so ready to splinter. Perhaps we should listen to Rupertus Meldenius, “In Essentials Unity, In Non-Essentials Liberty, In All Things Charity” Perhaps it is time to stop seeing other gospel-preaching, Biblically-faithful churches as enemies to be conquered or outdone and see them as allies for the battle. We can still have our own churches with our own traditions (as long as they do not contradict Scripture) and still work together for the Kingdom.
This week is the National Day of Prayer and a chance to stand and pray with other believers for our nation. Let’s stand together and remember that it is not me against you, but us together against the enemy.