Introduction
The apostle Paul, writing to the Christian believers at Ephesus, instructed them to endeavor to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace because there is: One body, and one Spirit and one hope of their calling; one Lord, one faith, one baptism, one God and one Father of all, who is above all, and through all, and in you all. The Holy Spirit will never be the source of disunity in a community of believers. The Holy Spirit will always promote and endeavor to maintain true spiritual unity.
There is no disunity in the Godhead. The Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit do not envy one another. Neither do they strive against each other for superiority of power, place or the need to be right. Nor are they divided concerning truth. Unfortunately this is not true concerning the spiritual body of the Lord Jesus Christ, the Church.
Paul, in reference to the reports from the house of Chloe, an assembly in the church community at Corinth, that there existed contentions among them, asked the Corinthian church elders this question: Is Christ divided? The obvious answer is no, which begs the question, then how is it that you, as members of Christ, are divided against one another? (1 Cor. 1:10-13)
Paul strongly implored them in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ that they all speak the same thing, and that there be no divisions among them; but rather that they be perfectly joined together in the same mind and in the same judgement. Paul emphatically taught the Corinthian elders that there should be no schism (division) in the body, period. It would have been foolish for Paul to instruct them to behave in this manner if it were not possible for them to do so. (1 Cor. 12:25)
To learn Christ is to learn that Christ is not divided. How is it that the Church today is so divided? It may be the answer lies in the fact that much of the leadership in the Church today has not been taught truth by the Lord Jesus Christ but rather error according to the precepts of men. Listen to what Paul said to the leadership at Ephesus in Ephesians 4:20-21; But ye have not so learned Christ; if be so that ye have heard him, and have been taught by him, as the truth is in Jesus.
Do you believe that if Jesus were teaching leaders that he would teach one group of leaders one thing and another group something completely different or even opposite concerning the same topic of instruction? Therefore we must conclude that many leaders in the body of Christ today are not being taught by Jesus, who is the truth, and in whom the truth is found, otherwise, there would be no divisions concerning doctrine in the Church today.
Do you believe that Jesus, who said that He would build his church, would teach one group of leaders to structure and govern their assemblies one way, and then tell other leaders to structure and govern their assemblies another? Or do you believe that because there is one body, that there would be one structure and government of that one body? Remember it is his body of which he is the head.
Listen to what Isaiah 9:6-7 reveals to us about the Governing Son. For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given: and the government shall be upon his shoulders…of the increase of his government there will be no end, upon the throne of David, and upon his kingdom to order it and establish it with judgment and with justice from henceforth even for ever. The zeal of the LORD of hosts shall perform this.
The government of the kingdom of God and the Body of Christ belongs to and will always belong to the Governing Son, the Lord Jesus Christ. Those that he calls to serve him in his kingdom, and in his government do not have the authority to change the order of that government. In fact, any attempt to do so would be considered an act of ignorant disobedience at best and purposeful rebellion at worst.
These teachings are not designed to find fault with any particular doctrine or group but rather they are an appeal for the people of God to serve him in the truth. These teachings are not for the purpose of being controversial or to cause further confusion in the body of Christ but rather to make us think and reconsider in an attempt to unify the body around Him who is the truth and the truth that is in Him. Paul taught Timothy that the church of the living God is the pillar and ground of the truth (1 Timothy 3:15). It is my prayer that these seminars will be used of the Holy Spirit to make it so!
Luke 5:39 No man having drunk old wine straightway desireth the new: for he saith, the old is better.
To continue reading click on Part One.