Being faithful and unified in a local expression of the Church.. one that teaches the Bible accurately is so important. And maintaining that unity is too. How can the church be powerful in it's witness if those in it can't even learn to pray together or get along?
The enemy can’t defeat and destroy the church, he can only divide it.. that is if we believers aren't vigilant and allow him to. I say don’t cooperate with his twisted perverse team.
May I ask.. Are you a lumper or a spliter? What does your history show regarding this? How are you by nature? Are you gathering unto the Lord, or scattering people away from Him?
Let me tell you, lumpers are typically happier people in the long run. I say choose to be a catalyst if you will for real unity and harmony in Christ's Church. You'll be glad you did.
Do you remember when Christ said to ex-fisher of fish, Mr. Pete, "Now I say to you that you are Peter (which means ‘pebble’), and upon this rock I will build my church, and all the powers of hell will not conquer it. And I will give you the keys of the Kingdom of Heaven. Whatever you forbid on earth will be forbidden in heaven, and whatever you permit on earth will be permitted in heaven." Matthew 16:18 nlt
Well, God doesn't want us to forget these words. He can't stand it when there's "A false witness that speaketh lies, and he that soweth discord among brethren." Proverbs 6:19 kjv
But sometimes unpraying leaders do forget, including senior pastors. And they can sadly become religious, mean-spirited, and divisive just as easily as those who have been following after.
And it breaks the Lord’s heart when any of us act that way. Won't always happen.
One day soon there'll be the Rapture. And then after that the Chief Shepherd (Jesus) will return to this earth to rule flawlessly as He is flawless, but He will do that having first dealt with all the spliters, the divisive church people and skanky-filthy spirits ..putting em far out of the way from more hindering.
Until then, those churches with small divisive people who get too-busy ..they are guaranteed to stay small non-growing churches, unwinsome and anemic spiritually.
So why do dim and dumb people repeatedly shoot themselves in the foot? It's cuz they are proud and carnally minded, with one eye on the world to meet their needs.
Ever heard someone say, but Christians can be so weird, so I don't want to become one. I have, and I believe that weird, device people were actually that way before they became Christians. And some of them only think they are Christians but are really dead and religious inside.
Whatever, I don't know it all, but the enemy doesn’t really give a flip how big the church grows or how small it stays just as long as it stays divided, unpraying, unloving, carnal (fleshy-minded) and spiritually ineffectual with such disunity among the believers.
If you put your faith in Jesus Christ, know this: Satan has clearly declared war on you. Fight the good fight in the Spirit! Stay focused on the word of God and you will grow.
No worries. No need at all for focus on the enemy, or for any extended conversations with the enemy! Some Christians are into that kind of weirdness, but you were called to worship the Lord and to stay in communion with Him instead.
Just submit to the Lord's authority, to his delegated authorities as well.. short of sin. Just deny your fleshly nature, the message of the world and firmly resist the enemy outright. Overcome evil with good!
I say pray for your leaders, serve and help them. And pray for unity in the church. Sinners will know you're real by your love and unity in the Spirit.
Don't ditch the healthy local church that God leads you to be a part of. Don't stay in a sick church that refuses to listen to the gentle respectful admonitions of the Word. Don't think you are God's man or woman of the hour to change it and stay planted there.. if the Lord really wants you in a healthy church to flourish in.
The Lord has strong angels that will protect you, believer, as you submit to Jesus' Lordship. And Jesus Himself will be with you to lead-on every step of the way. He can easily mature, grow and guide you if you stay humble and prayerful. And He can use you powerfully as a spiritual witness.. as a balanced winsome representative for His great Cause!
In their own context, prayerfully meditate upon and appropriate apply these Scriptures as well...
Some men came down from Judea and began teaching the brethren, "Unless you are circumcised according to the custom of Moses, you cannot be saved." And when Paul and Barnabas had great dissension and debate with them, the brethren determined that Paul and Barnabas and some others of them should go up to Jerusalem to the apostles and elders concerning this issue. Therefore, being sent on their way by the church, they were passing through both Phoenicia and Samaria, describing in detail the conversion of the Gentiles, and were bringing great joy to all the brethren. Acts 15:1-5
Now I urge you, brethren, keep your eye on those who cause dissensions and hindrances contrary to the teaching which you learned, and turn away from them. Romans 16:17
Now I exhort you, brethren, by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that you all agree and that there be no divisions among you, but that you be made complete in the same mind and in the same judgment. For I have been informed concerning you, my brethren, by Chloe's people, that there are quarrels among you. Now I mean this, that each one of you is saying, "I am of Paul," and "I of Apollos," and "I of Cephas," and "I of Christ. 1 Corinthians 1:10-13
Now I urge you, brethren, keep your eye on those who cause dissensions and hindrances contrary to the teaching which you learned, and turn away from them. Romans 16:17
Now I exhort you, brethren, by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that you all agree and that there be no divisions among you, but that you be made complete in the same mind and in the same judgment. For I have been informed concerning you, my brethren, by Chloe's people, that there are quarrels among you. Now I mean this, that each one of you is saying, "I am of Paul," and "I of Apollos," and "I of Cephas," and "I of Christ. 1 Corinthians 1:10-13
..for you are still fleshly. For since there is jealousy and strife among you, are you not fleshly, and are you not walking like mere men? 1 Corinthians 3:3
Does any one of you, when he has a case against his neighbor, dare to go to law before the unrighteous and not before the saints? 1 Corinthians 6:1
For, in the first place, when you come together as a church, I hear that divisions exist among you; and in part I believe it. 1 Corinthians 11:18
Beware of the dogs, beware of the evil workers, beware of the false circumcision.. Philippians 3:2
They went out from us, but they were not really of us; for if they had been of us, they would have remained with us; but they went out, so that it would be shown that they all are not of us. 1 John 2:19
