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NASB | Ephesians 4:3 being diligent to preserve the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace. |
AMPLIFIED 2015 | Ephesians 4:3 Make every effort to keep the oneness of the Spirit in the bond of peace [each individual working together to make the whole successful]. |
Subject: denominations. |
Bible Note: In all of this maze, this post stands out, and this question: “Is it worth being burned at the stake …?” The question as to whether denominations should exist is a troublesome thing, especially considering the very low probability that anyone can persuade the church that denominations should cease to exist. And then, there is this verse in 1 Corinthians 11: “For there must be also heresies among you, that they which are approved may be made manifest among you” (v. 19). “Factions have to exist in order to make it clear who the genuine believers among you are”. (???) (GW). The question for me is whether Paul is being straightforward here, or sarcastic. After all, this is the letter in which he had said there should be no divisions (1 Corinthians 1:10) and he would say there should be no schism in the body (1 Corinthians 12:25). But it is also the one in which he had said to the saints in that poor, weak, immature church: “Now ye are full, now ye are rich, ye have reigned as kings without us: and I would to God ye did reign, that we also might reign with you (1 Corinthians 4:8). Now is he saying that divisions in the church are an opportunity to show who is right and who is wrong? Some may even wrest a verse from 1 John to say that anyone who leaves their sect is wrong. “They went out from us, but they were not of us”. It is almost like not belonging to them is the same as not belonging to Christ. But now come this question, and this statement: “Is it worth being burned at the stake?” and “the much more Christian behavior is … to part company…”. What a choice! Is it not truly sad that the church has come to this, to a choice between parting company and being burned at the stake? We are repeating all the mistakes of the church in the Old Testament when the name of the Lord was being profaned among the heathen because of the behavior of his people. It is the same again today. Brethren persecute each other and part from each other, and new religions arise because the heathen cannot believe that our behavior was learned from the true God. Yet the Lord says, “And I will sanctify my great name, which was profaned among the heathen, which ye have profaned in the midst of them; and the heathen shall know that I am the LORD”, saith the Lord God, “when I shall be sanctified in you before their eyes” (Ezekiel 36:23). And Jesus says, “I will build my church; and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it (Matthew 16:18). It is amazing to me how God can do those things. The church, with all its denominations, is seemingly in a poor condition. Someone was heard to say in church he did not know how we could have the nerve to go preach to the world. And yet, I saw that same man respond to an invitation to be saved. We still bring the Gospel. And God is still bringing people to himself. O the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God! how unsearchable are his judgments, and his ways past finding out! Our God is awesome. |