Post by Messenger on Feb 25, 2008 18:28:33 GMT -5
I would like to talk about the curse of denominations.
We begin by looking at the early church, as talked about in:
Acts 2:42-47 (New International Version)
The Fellowship of the Believers
42They devoted themselves to the apostles' teaching and to the fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer. 43Everyone was filled with awe, and many wonders and miraculous signs were done by the apostles. 44All the believers were together and had everything in common. 45Selling their possessions and goods, they gave to anyone as he had need. 46Every day they continued to meet together in the temple courts. They broke bread in their homes and ate together with glad and sincere hearts, 47praising God and enjoying the favor of all the people. And the Lord added to their number daily those who were being saved.
Then there is:
Acts 4:32-35 (New International Version)
The Believers Share Their Possessions
32All the believers were one in heart and mind. No one claimed that any of his possessions was his own, but they shared everything they had. 33With great power the apostles continued to testify to the resurrection of the Lord Jesus, and much grace was upon them all. 34There were no needy persons among them. For from time to time those who owned lands or houses sold them, brought the money from the sales 35and put it at the apostles' feet, and it was distributed to anyone as he had need.
And then there is:
Acts 4:24-31 (New International Version)
24When they heard this, they raised their voices together in prayer to God. "Sovereign Lord," they said, "you made the heaven and the earth and the sea, and everything in them. 25You spoke by the Holy Spirit through the mouth of your servant, our father David:
" 'Why do the nations rage
and the peoples plot in vain?
26The kings of the earth take their stand
and the rulers gather together
against the Lord
and against his Anointed One.' 27Indeed Herod and Pontius Pilate met together with the Gentiles and the people[c] of Israel in this city to conspire against your holy servant Jesus, whom you anointed. 28They did what your power and will had decided beforehand should happen. 29Now, Lord, consider their threats and enable your servants to speak your word with great boldness. 30Stretch out your hand to heal and perform miraculous signs and wonders through the name of your holy servant Jesus."
31After they prayed, the place where they were meeting was shaken. And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and spoke the word of God boldly.
What do we see in the early Christian Church, from these passages? It can be summed up in one word-UNITY! There was Absolute unity among ALL Believers! Can we truley say that there is that same unity in the Christian Church today? No. The Christian Church is so fractured today, that there is very LITTLE unity today!
What qualities did the early Christian Church have?
1. They all prayed together DAILY!
2. They were ALL of one mind!
3. They shared EVERYTHING!
4. They prayed for their leaders DAILY!
*SIGH* Can the Christian Church of today, claim to be like the early Christian Church was? No. Why? Because MAN has intriduced all kinds of doctrines into the Church over the centuries, doctrines that God never intended to be introduced, & created DENOMINATIONS, instead of following the very principles tthat the early church was run. Praying together, sharing everything that they had with other Believers, praying for their leaders DAILY, meeting together DAILY! And what happened when they did? GOD BLESSED THEM, & ADDED TO THEIR NUMBERS DAILY!
Why is the witness of the Christian Church, so weak today, my Brothers & Sisters? It is because we have introduced so many man made beliefs into the simple faith of the early Church & the Christian Church SPLIT-into denominations created by MAN-NOT GOD! MAN decided to try to interpret Scripture, instead of letting the Holy Spirit guide them, & the CHURCH, AS JESUS MEANT IT TO BE, fractured into beliefs that were ruled by MAN'S beliefs-NOT GODS!
Look at:
Psalm 133:1 (New International Version)
1 How good and pleasant it is
when brothers live together in unity!
In what? In doctrinal beliefs? No-in UNITY! They very unity that makes EVERY SINGLE MAN & WOMAN WHO HAS RECEIVED CHRIST JESUS AS THEIR LORD & SAVIOR, WHO HAS BEEN BORN AGAIN-ONE!
There was NO DIVISION in the early Chruch-they were all ONE! Look at:
Ephesians 4:13 (New International Version)
13until we all reach unity in the faith and in the knowledge of the Son of God and become mature, attaining to the whole measure of the fullness of Christ.
The Christian Church is still very much IMMATURE today, my Brothers & Sisters. Instead of banding together, as the early Christian Church was, we have followed MAN'S beliefs, instead of God's teachings. Look above, at what happened when all the Believers were gathered together in one place, to pray about the persucution that Peter & John went through at the hands of the Sadducees! What happened? "................THE PLACE WHERE THEY WERE MEETING WAS SHAKEN, & they were all filled with the Holy Spirit, & spoke the Word of God BOLDLY!
We who are Believers, ARE Believers because of ONE BELIEF-that Jesus Christ came to earth to die for each one of our sins. We have accepted that gift offered to ALL MANKIND, & have been BORN AGAIN because of it! The message of the Gospel is so simple, my beloved Brothers & Sisters-"SALVATION IS THROUGH CHRIST JESUS + NOTHING!!!!!!!!!!!!!
This & ONLY THIS is the message of our Savior! Not all hese MAN MADE doctrines! CHRIST JESUS, & Him ALONE is the ONLY way to be saved!
Look at:
1 Timothy 2:5-6 (New International Version)
5For there is one God and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus, 6who gave himself as a ransom for all men—the testimony given in its proper time.
Look at what our Lord said about Himself:
John 14:6-7 (New International Version)
6Jesus answered, "I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me. 7If you really knew me, you would know my Father as well. From now on, you do know him and have seen him."
NOT through water baptism, (although EVERY Believer SHOULD have this done), not by the baptism of the Holy Spirit, (although it IS available to all who seek it), but through Christ Jesus, & HIM ALONE!
Is this message really so difficult to understand, that men need to clutter it up with MAN-MADE doctrinal beliefs? No, my Brothers & Sisters! It is about Christ Jesus, & Him Crucified.
Period.
Bill
We begin by looking at the early church, as talked about in:
Acts 2:42-47 (New International Version)
The Fellowship of the Believers
42They devoted themselves to the apostles' teaching and to the fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer. 43Everyone was filled with awe, and many wonders and miraculous signs were done by the apostles. 44All the believers were together and had everything in common. 45Selling their possessions and goods, they gave to anyone as he had need. 46Every day they continued to meet together in the temple courts. They broke bread in their homes and ate together with glad and sincere hearts, 47praising God and enjoying the favor of all the people. And the Lord added to their number daily those who were being saved.
Then there is:
Acts 4:32-35 (New International Version)
The Believers Share Their Possessions
32All the believers were one in heart and mind. No one claimed that any of his possessions was his own, but they shared everything they had. 33With great power the apostles continued to testify to the resurrection of the Lord Jesus, and much grace was upon them all. 34There were no needy persons among them. For from time to time those who owned lands or houses sold them, brought the money from the sales 35and put it at the apostles' feet, and it was distributed to anyone as he had need.
And then there is:
Acts 4:24-31 (New International Version)
24When they heard this, they raised their voices together in prayer to God. "Sovereign Lord," they said, "you made the heaven and the earth and the sea, and everything in them. 25You spoke by the Holy Spirit through the mouth of your servant, our father David:
" 'Why do the nations rage
and the peoples plot in vain?
26The kings of the earth take their stand
and the rulers gather together
against the Lord
and against his Anointed One.' 27Indeed Herod and Pontius Pilate met together with the Gentiles and the people[c] of Israel in this city to conspire against your holy servant Jesus, whom you anointed. 28They did what your power and will had decided beforehand should happen. 29Now, Lord, consider their threats and enable your servants to speak your word with great boldness. 30Stretch out your hand to heal and perform miraculous signs and wonders through the name of your holy servant Jesus."
31After they prayed, the place where they were meeting was shaken. And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and spoke the word of God boldly.
What do we see in the early Christian Church, from these passages? It can be summed up in one word-UNITY! There was Absolute unity among ALL Believers! Can we truley say that there is that same unity in the Christian Church today? No. The Christian Church is so fractured today, that there is very LITTLE unity today!
What qualities did the early Christian Church have?
1. They all prayed together DAILY!
2. They were ALL of one mind!
3. They shared EVERYTHING!
4. They prayed for their leaders DAILY!
*SIGH* Can the Christian Church of today, claim to be like the early Christian Church was? No. Why? Because MAN has intriduced all kinds of doctrines into the Church over the centuries, doctrines that God never intended to be introduced, & created DENOMINATIONS, instead of following the very principles tthat the early church was run. Praying together, sharing everything that they had with other Believers, praying for their leaders DAILY, meeting together DAILY! And what happened when they did? GOD BLESSED THEM, & ADDED TO THEIR NUMBERS DAILY!
Why is the witness of the Christian Church, so weak today, my Brothers & Sisters? It is because we have introduced so many man made beliefs into the simple faith of the early Church & the Christian Church SPLIT-into denominations created by MAN-NOT GOD! MAN decided to try to interpret Scripture, instead of letting the Holy Spirit guide them, & the CHURCH, AS JESUS MEANT IT TO BE, fractured into beliefs that were ruled by MAN'S beliefs-NOT GODS!
Look at:
Psalm 133:1 (New International Version)
1 How good and pleasant it is
when brothers live together in unity!
In what? In doctrinal beliefs? No-in UNITY! They very unity that makes EVERY SINGLE MAN & WOMAN WHO HAS RECEIVED CHRIST JESUS AS THEIR LORD & SAVIOR, WHO HAS BEEN BORN AGAIN-ONE!
There was NO DIVISION in the early Chruch-they were all ONE! Look at:
Ephesians 4:13 (New International Version)
13until we all reach unity in the faith and in the knowledge of the Son of God and become mature, attaining to the whole measure of the fullness of Christ.
The Christian Church is still very much IMMATURE today, my Brothers & Sisters. Instead of banding together, as the early Christian Church was, we have followed MAN'S beliefs, instead of God's teachings. Look above, at what happened when all the Believers were gathered together in one place, to pray about the persucution that Peter & John went through at the hands of the Sadducees! What happened? "................THE PLACE WHERE THEY WERE MEETING WAS SHAKEN, & they were all filled with the Holy Spirit, & spoke the Word of God BOLDLY!
We who are Believers, ARE Believers because of ONE BELIEF-that Jesus Christ came to earth to die for each one of our sins. We have accepted that gift offered to ALL MANKIND, & have been BORN AGAIN because of it! The message of the Gospel is so simple, my beloved Brothers & Sisters-"SALVATION IS THROUGH CHRIST JESUS + NOTHING!!!!!!!!!!!!!
This & ONLY THIS is the message of our Savior! Not all hese MAN MADE doctrines! CHRIST JESUS, & Him ALONE is the ONLY way to be saved!
Look at:
1 Timothy 2:5-6 (New International Version)
5For there is one God and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus, 6who gave himself as a ransom for all men—the testimony given in its proper time.
Look at what our Lord said about Himself:
John 14:6-7 (New International Version)
6Jesus answered, "I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me. 7If you really knew me, you would know my Father as well. From now on, you do know him and have seen him."
NOT through water baptism, (although EVERY Believer SHOULD have this done), not by the baptism of the Holy Spirit, (although it IS available to all who seek it), but through Christ Jesus, & HIM ALONE!
Is this message really so difficult to understand, that men need to clutter it up with MAN-MADE doctrinal beliefs? No, my Brothers & Sisters! It is about Christ Jesus, & Him Crucified.
Period.
Bill
