R. B. Kuiper wrote: “The plight of the Christian church seems almost as sad as that of the world. To all appearances it is a house divided against itself. It resembles a beautiful vase that, fallen from its perch, lies shattered in a thousand pieces. It is like a grand structure transformed by an exploding bomb into a tangled heap of wreckage”.
Christ wanted His bride (the believers in His church) to be united and to be as one as He and the Father are One. He advocated unity so that others might believe in Him. Today we have 43,000 denominations and the church is fragmented like that shattered beautiful vase that R.B. Kuiper so vividly described.
All who follow Jesus should obey Christ and work towards unity in our common bond Jesus Christ in advancing His kingdom here on earth.
Unity is the heart and soul of great accomplishment. Throughout the history of the world, whatever the task, significant individuals who triumphed in their endeavors surrounded themselves with a team thereby providing greater access to resources, ideas, and vitality.
The greatest and most significant leader in all the world, Jesus Christ, understood this principle of not trying to go it alone quite well. It is readily apparent in His prayers as recorded in John 17:20
“I do not ask for these only, but also for those who will believe in me through their word, that they may all be one, just as you, Father, are in me, and I in you, that they also may be in us, so that the world may believe that you have sent me. The glory that you have given me I have given to them, that they may be one even as we are one, I in them and you in me, that they may become perfectly one, so that the world may know that you sent me and loved them even as you loved me.”
Since its inception some 2000 plus years ago, the church has become heavily fragmented with the majority working as independent silos instead of collaborating. The divisions were the result of many factors including legalistic doctrinal disputes, insecurities, egos, logos, and competition for funding. Some look upon it as “their” church rather than “Christ’s” church.
This situation is devastating to the cause of Christ. We must not underestimate the enormity of what God has called His church to do and realize that we cannot succeed by going it alone. We must remember that God’s logic is perfect!
One is too small a number to achieve greatness!
Alone one cannot “Go into all the world and preach the Gospel to all creation”
Alone one cannot help those all over the world who are poor, comfort those who mourn, care for the sick, and feed those who hunger
Alone one cannot stop persecution and martyrdom of those who love Jesus and seek His righteousness
Alone one cannot change the downward spiraling culture and disintegration of morality.
Alone one cannot express the love of Jesus Christ and His church
TOGETHER WE CAN CHANGE THE WORLD!
The Jesus Alliance is trying to unite Christians of varying traditions and worship to work together as one in order to change the world. Bill bright once said, “If you love Jesus I can work with you”; we feel the same.
The Apostle Paul was in prison when he wrote to thank and encourage the Christians in Philippi. They faced their own trials and had their own problems. They, like many churches today, had some petty disagreements and selfishness. Paul pointed them to a Spirit led approach.
He did not ask them to think like one another or change their traditions of worship. He asked them to be like-minded with Christ — to be encouraging, comforting, sharing, tender and compassionate, in the same manner as Jesus Christ. He wanted them to have the same kind of love as Christ. He did not ask for uniformity, rather unification in working together for the common cause of advancing the Kingdom of God on earth as it is in heaven.
He told them to “do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit”. Do not be motivated by selfishness or pride, for they destroy unity and are the essence of sin. Instead, “in humility consider others better than yourselves.” Paul does not say that others are better — only that we should consider them better. Christian unity must be built upon considering others ahead of self.
Our enemies are unified, organized, smart, well financed, technology savvy, work passionately together because they believe in their common cause, and they have a strategic plan that is working. We the body of believers, squabble over petty disagreements and jealousies while they flood the globe with antichrist propaganda. It reminds me of Rome burning down as Nero fiddled. If you are fiddling around, then wake up and join the fire brigade.
Philippians 2:1
So if there is any encouragement in Christ, any comfort from love, any participation in the Spirit, any affection and sympathy, complete my joy by being of the same mind, having the same love, being in full accord and of one mind. Do nothing from selfish ambition or conceit, but in humility count others more significant than yourselves.
August 12, 2015 – Click here to listen