That They May Be One Discerning the Lord's Body Today, Church of God groups are operating independently from one another. They have no policy to recognize the other groups, or the scattered brethren. The Scriptures do not allow for groups of Christians to co-exist side-by-side without recognizing one another. Unity is required, and unity comes only when we have a right relationship with God and man. Jesus tells us that, as Christians, our priority must be to reconcile, not only with God, but also with one another. Christ taught that reconciliation has a higher priority than even church attendance. "Be reconciled to thy brother, and then come and offer thy gift." (Matthew 5:24) It has become commonplace to hear the saying, “We will not have unity in the Church until after Jesus Christ returns.” Do not believe it, because there is danger in accepting this statement as fact. It is Jesus’ desire that we work toward unity and oneness. If we stop laboring for unity among God’s people, we have fallen into one of the Adversary’s traps. Groups are not exempt from the reconciliation that Christ says is necessary. We need to understand from Scripture that God does not allow us to have an attitude of independence from other brethren. Because some groups are not willing to be unified with the other members of the Church, they teach that the "oneness" that Jesus spoke about is only a spiritual concept. Or, they reason that “oneness” cannot take place until the Resurrection of the Just. They claim, "Those who are to be one with the Father and Son also are to be one with one another – a state possible only upon the resurrection of the dead and the Divine marriage to follow." In coming to that conclusion, they make the Scripture of no effect by relegating its intent and fulfillment to the hereafter. Oneness is obviously intended by Jesus Christ to apply here and now – how else could it be an example to this present evil world. Notice the purpose of this oneness. Jesus says that the Church of God must maintain and exhibit unity and oneness so that “the world may believe”! "That they all may be one; as Thou, Father, art in Me, and I in Thee, that they also may be one in Us: that the world may believe that Thou hast sent Me." (John 17:21) True Christians enter the Body of Christ at their baptism. Since our unity with the Father and the Son begins at baptism, then so does our unity with one another. It is not at the resurrection of the saints, but at our personal baptism that we are baptized into the Body of Christ – becoming one with all other members of the Body. At baptism, a convert is also baptized into the Spirit of God – the spiritual life of God. "For by one Spirit are we all baptized into one body … and have been all made to drink into one Spirit." (1 Corinthians 12:13) How much more clearly could it be written? Spiritually, brethren become unified – one in Spirit, and one in the Body of Christ. By definition, it is absolutely impossible to have Christian love for only a part of the Body of Christ. We cannot serve some and neglect the needs of other brethren. Artificially erected walls of division among church organizations, separating God's children, are frustrating, meaningless, and destructive. It is a non-Scriptural and un-Godly practice. "With all lowliness and meekness, with longsuffering, forbearing one another in love; Endeavoring to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace. There is one body, and one Spirit, even as ye are called in one hope of your calling." (Ephesians 4:2-4) That most certainly means that those who will become the Bride of Christ should not be divided. In the Kingdom of God there will be no one who insists on being isolated from other spirit-beings. This brings up a good question. How much will Jesus Christ accomplish when He returns – and how much is our responsibility, now, in our lifetime? The answer to this question is crucial. It is very clear what God's intent is – that people learn to live, to love, to work, to associate, etc., together. God wants us to learn how to live with one another now, so that we will know how to live with Him eternally. "How good and how pleasant it is for brethren to dwell together in unity!" (Psalms 133:1) The true Church is supposed to be a tight-knit, cohesive family unit – the household of God. Paul says that, by definition, it cannot be fragmented. ". . . Ye are no more strangers and foreigners, but fellow citizens with the saints, and of the household of God [the Church], and are built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ Himself being the chief corner stone, in whom all the building fitly framed together groweth into an holy temple in the Lord: In whom ye also are builded together for a habitation of God through the Spirit." (Ephesians 2:19-22). It is the unity and oneness among the saints that will make evident to the world that the Father sent Jesus. All of the broadcasts and publications did not convince the world, in a proper way, that God the Father sent Jesus Christ – because only the love of the brethren for one another could do that. The world still does not know. Oh, what an example we could have been – and must yet be! "O righteous Father, the world hath not known Thee: but I have known Thee, and these have known that Thou hast sent Me." (John 17:25) The unity among Church brethren would convince the world that Jesus was sent from the Father. We are privileged to know the Father because Jesus revealed the Father to us. And that because the Father sent Jesus into the world, and then called us. All too often, we in God's Church make the mistake of thinking about ourselves to the exclusion of others. Jesus has not "written off" anybody. Neither should we – especially not the scattered saints! "[Jesus Christ] is not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance." (2 Peter 3:9) What needs to be done to preserve the Truth? Do we just sit back and say, "Let's wait on God to fix it"? Or does God expect us to do everything we can to preserve the Truth once delivered? We need to ask ourselves, “Do we identify and encourage those who hold fast to the Truth?” God says that we must. Would we recognize Jesus Christ by His actions if He were on the earth today? He would not snub another Christian – would He? We need to find others who also represent the Truth. There must be no competition among the groups. Let us warmly receive and embrace all who have God's Holy Spirit. We must be doing everything possible to help one another in the Faith. Let us show ourselves friendly to all brethren. The Church of God today is not unified. We
are not one. We know that we are supposed to become one
by partaking of the Bread of Life, which is Jesus Christ, our Passover
(1 Corinthians 5:7). Addressing the division within the Church, Paul
shows that our very salvation depends on our caring for one another.
"For first of all, when ye come together in the church, I hear that
there be divisions among you." "Division" was the subject when Paul wrote that the Lord's body was not being properly discerned. He said that we must examine ourselves as to whether or not we are a part of any division before we take Passover. We cannot hate, despise, or reject any of the saints; as that behavior defines not discerning the Lord's body. We are obligated to extend our realm of fellowship to include all who have the earnest of God's Holy Spirit. Paul characterized our self-examination as properly "discerning the Lord's body." Do we understand the full intent of this Scripture? First of all, we must absolutely grasp the definition of the Lord's Body from the Bible itself. The Body of Christ is the Church of God. This concept of Christ’s Body being composed of all Church brethren is solidly established in Scripture. "For [Christ's] Body's sake, which is the Church." (Colossians 1:24) "Ye are the Body of Christ, and members
in particular." "…The Church, which is His Body." (Ephesians 1:22-23) "Ye are called into one Body; and be ye thankful." (Colossians 3:15) "For as we have many members in one body . . . So we, being many, are one Body in Christ, and every one members one of another." (Romans 12:4-5) "The bread which we break, is it not the [fellowship] of the Body of Christ? For we being many are one bread, and one Body." (1 Corinthians 10:16-17) "For the perfecting of the saints . . . for the edifying of the Body of Christ.” (Ephesians 4:12) “. . . All the members of that one Body, being many, are one Body: so also is Christ.” (1 Corinthians 12:12) Many verses firmly establish that "the Lord's Body" is a direct reference to the people of the Church of God. When Paul said that we must be properly "discerning the Lord's Body," he meant that we cannot take the Passover and at the same time be responsible for any of the division: the broken, shattered condition of the Church. The Church of God is not to be broken. Now, let's consider more closely what Paul meant by "discerning the Lord's Body." |
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