Church Reformation For Today

"Jesus said to him, I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me." - John 14:6 Have you ever wondered why there are so many different varieties of the Church? Consider for example the new believer who saw a TV evangelist's message and believed, then confessed Jesus Christ is the Son of God and that God raised him fron the dead. This new member of the body of Christ should have no difficulty plugging in to the body of Christ as a functioning new member...right? Well, not as things are today. He's told to find a Bible believing church to attend and then sees in the Yellow Pages 100 plus varieties of what he is seeking. How is he to choose, now he's totally confused...what variety is the right one? God did not set this situation into being and Jesus Christ is not the head of hundreds of churches or hundreds of bodies. The scriptures say that Jesus Christ is the Head of The Church (singular) and that the Church is the Body of Christ (singular).

The reason we position this ministry as a Non-Denominational Ministry is because it is the proper way it should be according to the directives to the church recorded in the New Testament. Before covering the verses concerning divisions in the Church (divisions in the Body of Christ), lets look at the words used by Christians today concerning Christian denominations and the words used to label those who do not agree with their doctrines. There are three particular words used in the referring to a grouping of believers in the dictionary. According to Websters Dictionary:

Denomination means "n. general name for a class of things; religious sect." - This term is used by the divisions in the main stream divisions as denominations that are appoved and OK.

Sect means - "n. body of persons united by philosophical beliefs; religious denomination." - This term is used by the main stream denominations as churches and groups that are appoved but questionable.

Cult means - "n. formal religious veneration; ritualistic sect." This term is used by the main stream denominations as churches or groups that are not appoved, that go against the current religious philosophy of the day, and make the main stream denominations appear slightly out in left field in light of God's Word.

Technically, if you look at the definition of the word "Cult" for example, churches like the Catholic Church, Lutheran Church, and the Eastern Orthodox Church fit the definition of a "cult" because they are deeply ritualistic in worship practices. The common reaction to a voice speaking and teaching the correction and reproof of God's Word to the church, by any source, is to label the source as a "cult." Once you get the word out that they are a "cult," everyone shys away and the Government (who is so adamant about keeping sererated from the church today) even takes notice and action of one sort or another. Anyway...that is a whole topic in itself. The truth of the matter is, all three words, when observed carefully, mean the same thing according to the Word of God..."divisions in the Church and in the Body of Christ.

This was not an un-heard of situation in the first century church and the really old and big denominations got their start shortly after the first century. Divisions are covered in the epistles of correction written to the church in some locations. This indicates that divisions were not OK in God's sight and reproof and correction was necessitated to correct the situation in the church. Instead of saying when asked about our belief - I'm a Baptist, Methodist, Catholic, Presbytarian, Episcopalian, etc., we should simply be able to say, I'm a Christian or I'm a member of the body of Christ. Lets go to the scripture and get an enlightenment on the subject of division in the church today.

During his ministry on earth, Jesus Christ made a statement concerning the end result of divisions. That a kingdom, city, or house divided will fall to opressors and the same is true of the church. As long as the church is divided against itself we will not have the witness of the signs and wonders spoken of in Mark 16:17 that confirm God's Word we speak.

Matthew 12:25
25 And Jesus knew their thoughts, and said unto them, Every kingdom divided against itself is brought to desolation; and every city or house divided against itself shall not stand:

Mark 3:25
25 And if a house be divided against itself, that house cannot stand.

Luke 11:17 But he, knowing their thoughts, said unto them, Every kingdom divided against itself is brought to desolation; and a house divided against a house falleth.

Jesus Christ also stated that he did not come to bring peace to the world, but to cause divisions. The divisions he spoke of were not in the body of believers, the church, but divisions between the un-believers and believers in the world. He was not giving anyone license to set up division in the church.

Luke 12:51-53
51 Suppose ye that I am come to give peace on earth? I tell you, Nay; but rather division:
52 For from henceforth there shall be five in one house divided, three against two, and two against three.
53 The father shall be divided against the son, and the son against the father; the mother against the daughter, and the daughter against the mother; the mother in law against her daughter in law, and the daughter in law against her mother in law.

Now lets look specifically at the scriptures that address the divisions in the church and those who cause them. In the letter to the Romans, Paul statement of God's doctrine to the church says that those that create divisions in the church were to be avoided. That in their creations of divisions they were not serving God and our Lord Jesus Christ. That they were serving themselves for their own profit and deceiving people.

Romans 16:17
17 Now I beseech you, brethren, mark them which cause divisions and offences contrary to the doctrine which ye have learned; and avoid them.
18 For they that are such serve not our Lord Jesus Christ, but their own belly; and by good words and fair speeches deceive the hearts of the simple.
19 For your obedience is come abroad unto all men. I am glad therefore on your behalf: but yet I would have you wise unto that which is good, and simple concerning evil.
20 And the God of peace shall bruise Satan under your feet shortly. The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you. Amen.

In Paul's first letter to the Corinthians, Paul addressed the issue of divisions in the church three (3) times. The first instance stresses that in the Church, we must all speak the same thing. That means speaking the same things and teaching the same things. There was no room allowed for doctrinal division due to how someone takes the scripture and interprets it other than it literally states. This instance also addresses the prevelant problem today of people following people (another form of division). There was contention between people in Corinth who labeled themselves followers of three of the main leaders in the church of the day and Christ: Paul, Apollos, Cephas [Peter], and Christ. Paul's question to them was, "Is Christ divided?" According to God's Word Christ is not divided.

1 Corinthians 1:10
10 Now I beseech you, brethren, by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that ye all speak the same thing, and that there be no divisions among you; but that ye be perfectly joined together in the same mind and in the same judgment.
11 For it hath been declared unto me of you, my brethren, by them which are of the house of Chloe, that there are contentions among you.
12 Now this I say, that every one of you saith, I am of Paul; and I of Apollos; and I of Cephas; and I of Christ.
13 Is Christ divided? was Paul crucified for you? or were ye baptized in the name of Paul?
14 I thank God that I baptized none of you, but Crispus and Gaius;
15 Lest any should say that I had baptized in mine own name.
16 And I baptized also the household of Stephanas: besides, I know not whether I baptized any other.
17 For Christ sent me not to baptize, but to preach the gospel: not with wisdom of words, lest the cross of Christ should be made of none effect.
18 For the preaching of the cross is to them that perish foolishness; but unto us which are saved it is the power of God.

The second instance stresses the heightened situations that had developed as a result of the same thing not being spoken and the identification with individual ministers (divisions) instead of identifying with Christ. This division had produced envying and even strife. Paul points out to them that the preacher is not important, the Word of God is. We are not supposed to be followers of personalities/individuals, we are to follow Christ.

1 Corinthians 3:3
3 For ye are yet carnal: for whereas there is among you envying, and strife, and divisions, are ye not carnal, and walk as men?
4 For while one saith, I am of Paul; and another, I am of Apollos; are ye not carnal?
5 Who then is Paul, and who is Apollos, but ministers by whom ye believed, even as the Lord gave to every man?

6 I have planted, Apollos watered; but God gave the increase.
7 So then neither is he that planteth any thing, neither he that watereth; but God that giveth the increase.
8 Now he that planteth and he that watereth are one: and every man shall receive his own reward according to his own labour.
9 For we are labourers together with God: ye are God's husbandry, ye are God's building.
10 According to the grace of God which is given unto me, as a wise masterbuilder, I have laid the foundation, and another buildeth thereon. But let every man take heed how he buildeth thereupon.

Third, is the warning against false doctrine that division allows to creep into the Church. Basically heresies are false doctrines.

1 Corinthians 11:18
18 For first of all, when ye come together in the church, I hear that there be divisions among you; and I partly believe it.
19 For there must be also heresies among you, that they which are approved may be made manifest among you.

In the letter to the Philippians the believers are told to do all things without murmuring (complaining and protesting) which leads to disputes which leads ultimately to divisions. While this type of divisional activity is going on it is impossible to shine as the light of God in the midst of a crooked and perverse nation.

Philippians 2:14-16
14 Do all things without murmurings and disputings:
15 That ye may be blameless and harmless, the sons of God, without rebuke, in the midst of a crooked and perverse nation, among whom ye shine as lights in the world;
16 Holding forth the word of life; that I may rejoice in the day of Christ, that I have not run in vain, neither laboured in vain.

When Paul wrote to Timothy, while Timothy was handling some situations in Ephesus, to tell certain individuals in no certain terms to teach no other doctrine than the original doctrine they had received.

1 Timothy 1:1-4
1 Paul, an apostle of Jesus Christ by the commandment of God our Saviour, and Lord Jesus Christ, which is our hope;
2 Unto Timothy, my own son in the faith: Grace, mercy, and peace, from God our Father and Jesus Christ our Lord.
3 As I besought thee to abide still at Ephesus, when I went into Macedonia, that thou mightest charge some that they teach no other doctrine,
4 Neither give heed to fables and endless genealogies, which minister questions, rather than godly edifying which is in faith: so do.

Paul to Timothy, in his second letter, shares the prophecy to come when evil men and seducers (those who teach a doctrine other than what was originally given) will become more and more previlant, deceiving people and themselves. That it would eventually reach the point where they (the people) would not endure sound doctrine and would seek out teachers (churches and preachers) who would present the Word of God the way they want to hear it. That they would turn their ears away from hearing the truth. They would seek out doctrine that "pats them on the back" when they "need a swift kick of correction" somewhere else. Sort of sounds like our times today. Paul also states the four (4) things that the scriptures, as written without inclusion of the doctrine of men, are to be utilized for: doctrine, reproof, correction, and instruction in righteousness.

2 Timothy 3:10-4:5
10 But thou hast fully known my doctrine, manner of life, purpose, faith, longsuffering, charity, patience,
11 Persecutions, afflictions, which came unto me at Antioch, at Iconium, at Lystra; what persecutions I endured: but out of them all the Lord delivered me.
12 Yea, and all that will live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution.
13 But evil men and seducers shall wax worse and worse, deceiving, and being deceived.
14 But continue thou in the things which thou hast learned and hast been assured of, knowing of whom thou hast learned them;
15 And that from a child thou hast known the holy scriptures, which are able to make thee wise unto salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus.
16 All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness:
17 That the man of God may be perfect, throughly furnished unto all good works.
2 Timothy 4:1-5
1 I charge thee therefore before God, and the Lord Jesus Christ, who shall judge the quick and the dead at his appearing and his kingdom;
2 Preach the word; be instant in season, out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort with all longsuffering and doctrine.
3 For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but after their own lusts shall they heap to themselves teachers, having itching ears;
4 And they shall turn away their ears from the truth, and shall be turned unto fables.
5 But watch thou in all things, endure afflictions, do the work of an evangelist, make full proof of thy ministry.

Divisions are a sign of the End Times and the return of Jesus Christ to gather together his Church. Paul went into this prophecy to a small extent in 2 Timothy 4:1-5, but in the next section of scripture takes the progression of this division to its end product. Where the anti-Christ comes on the scene with the ultimate deception, to unify all of the divisions, the scripture says God would send them strong delusion so that they would believe a lie since they refused to receive the truth of the Gospel.

2 Thessalonians 2:1-12
1 Now we beseech you, brethren, by the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, and by our gathering together unto him,
2 That ye be not soon shaken in mind, or be troubled, neither by spirit, nor by word, nor by letter as from us, as that the day of Christ is at hand.
3 Let no man deceive you by any means: for that day shall not come, except there come a falling away first, and that man of sin be revealed, the son of perdition;
4 Who opposeth and exalteth himself above all that is called God, or that is worshipped; so that he as God sitteth in the temple of God, shewing himself that he is God.
5 Remember ye not, that, when I was yet with you, I told you these things?
6 And now ye know what withholdeth that he might be revealed in his time.
7 For the mystery of iniquity doth already work: only he who now letteth will let, until he be taken out of the way.
8 And then shall that Wicked be revealed, whom the Lord shall consume with the spirit of his mouth, and shall destroy with the brightness of his coming:
9 Even him, whose coming is after the working of Satan with all power and signs and lying wonders,
10 And with all deceivableness of unrighteousness in them that perish; because they received not the love of the truth, that they might be saved.
11 And for this cause God shall send them strong delusion, that they should believe a lie:
12 That they all might be damned who believed not the truth, but had pleasure in unrighteousness.

The Church today does not need a Revival, it needs another Reformation. It needs Rebuilding into a unified church and thereby re-uniting the body of Christ. The Church can only function effectively, as it was intended to, when it is united. Presenting this topic in this manner, by speaking the truth for the purpose of reproof and correction, is an requirement of God that can not be put aside. Each member in the body of Christ is responsible for the knowledge of God they have in them. God has given to us the ministry of reconciliation and that does not just apply to individuals, it also applies to the church (2 Corinthians 5:18). We will adhere to the instructional statement God made to Ezekiel:

Ezekiel 3:20-21
20 Again, When a righteous man doth turn from his righteousness, and commit iniquity, and I lay a stumblingblock before him, he shall die: because thou hast not given him warning, he shall die in his sin, and his righteousness which he hath done shall not be remembered; but his blood will I require at thine hand.
21 Nevertheless if thou warn the righteous man, that the righteous sin not, and he doth not sin, he shall surely live, because he is warned; also thou hast delivered thy soul.

The obligation upon a man of God is to give a warning message to those who have headed in the wrong path, and, if he fails to give the warning the responsibility for the repercussions to them he should have warned will be held accountable to him. Once warned, the people addressed are responsible.

1 Peter 4:10-11
10 As every man hath received the gift, even so minister the same one to another, as good stewards of the manifold grace of God.
11 If any man speak, let him speak as the oracles of God; if any man minister, let him do it as of the ability which God giveth: that God in all things may be glorified through Jesus Christ, to whom be praise and dominion for ever and ever. Amen.

Of a final exortation, be you all of one mind.....

1 Peter 3:3-8
8 Finally, be ye all of one mind, having compassion one of another, love as brethren, be pitiful, be courteous:
9 Not rendering evil for evil, or railing for railing: but contrariwise blessing; knowing that ye are thereunto called, that ye should inherit a blessing.

As I see it, I've heard the music out there and refuse to dance to the tune!

Luke 7:32-35
32 They are like unto children sitting in the marketplace, and calling one to another, and saying, We have piped unto you, and ye have not danced; we have mourned to you, and ye have not wept.
33 For John the Baptist came neither eating bread nor drinking wine; and ye say, He hath a devil.
34 The Son of man is come eating and drinking; and ye say, Behold a gluttonous man, and a winebibber, a friend of publicans and sinners!

35 But wisdom is justified of all her children.