THE DISMEMBERED BODY OF CHRIST

Having been associated with various Christian denominations through the years, I’ve only recently come to realize that the Lord had wonderful plans to use my experiences to lead me into re-evaluating His Word regarding the issue of denominationalism.

It isn’t uncommon to hear others suggest that there will always be dominations of Christians; I pray that they are wrong. Although I don’t deny that various denominations may have doctrinal differences, do we not have blood relatives within each of them? My heart hurts over the grief which Jesus must feel when He sees His Body so dismembered.

Did Jesus ever give permission to amputate His legs which are seemingly on a different path than His arms and walk them over to the Baptists? Where did He direct, “If My eyes don’t have the same perception as My ears, pluck them out and haul them off to the Lutherans?” Does He ever say that it is His will to have His Body attempting to function as mutilated parts, rather than being joined in loving fellowship and dependence upon one another?

It baffles me to consider that any sect believes that it has a handle on the fullness of God’s Truth while other denominations do not. Did the Holy Spirit speak more clearly to Martin Luther than he did John Calvin; maybe in some regards, but not in others. Did John Wesley have a handle on Truth that John Knox didn’t; maybe regarding some truths, but not others. These men received no knowledge which was not imparted to them through the Holy Spirit; consequently neither they nor their followers have any reason to boast! [1 Cor. 1:1-7]

When St. Paul heard that Jesus’ followers had begun to follow other men, dividing themselves into religious sects, he rebuked them for being worldly rather than spiritual [1 Cor. 3:1-4] and warned them:

“Do not go beyond what is written. Then you will not take pride in one man over against another. For who makes you different from anyone else? What do you have that you did not receive? And if you did receive it, why do you boast as though you did not?” [1 Cor. 4:6-7]

So then, no more boasting about men! All things are yours, whether Paul or Apollos or Cephas or the world or life or death or the present or the future—all are yours, and you are of Christ, and Christ is of God.” [1Cor 13:21-23]

Paul reminds them that those who are of Christ
are God’s building where God’s Spirit lives.
Then he warns,

“If anyone destroys God’s temple,
God will destroy him; for God’s temple is sacred,
and you are that temple.” [1 Cor. 3:16-17]

Do the 39,000+ denominations in the “Christian world”
today not realize that in all their factions, quarrels and
boasting they are actually tearing God’s temple to shreds?
Do they not fear the results of that?

Isn’t it wise to pay close attention when Paul warns that those who idolize men cause disagreements, factions, and finally ingrained forms of religious opinion? These “will not inherit the kingdom of God!” [Galatians 5:20]

Maybe we should spend some time visiting about what it looks like for God’s people to live in unity.

Whole-Heartedly,
Bonnie