Should Christians Believe The Same Thing?

[Maynard]

"That they may be ONE... THEN the world will know that you sent me"

Jesus prays to the Father;

“My prayer is not for them alone. I pray also for those who will believe in me through their message, THAT ALL OF THEM MAY BE ONE, Father, just as you are in me and I am in you. May they also be in us so that the world may believe that you have sent me. I have given them the glory that you gave me, that they may be ONE as we are one— I in them and you in me— so that they may be brought to complete UNITY. THEN the world will know that you sent me and have loved them even as you have loved me."


Christians have failed terribly in this regard, particularly in the last 500 years or so. It is no wonder today that non-believers look at the many thousands of separate denominations which exist in Christianity today and scoff at Christianity. There is virtually no unity, neither agreement of doctrine across the Christian landscape today.

 

[TomL]

Re: "That they may be ONE... THEN the world will know that you sent me"

Another reason for disunity is the influence the world has over the church. Charles H. Spurgeon once said, "I believe that one reason why the Church of God at this present moment has so little influence over the world is because the world has so much influence over the church."
This is just as true today as it was then, perhaps moreso.

 

[7seven7]

It also needs to be remembered that God gives as a great deal of room in many areas. Case in point, music in the worship. We know that in the OT that there were many who's sole job was musical. Many churches today will only play the psalms as music and forsake all other music. Worse they condemn other churches for employing more modern music. Compared to the psalms, every single hymn in a hymnal is new and modern. The churches that use today's modern music are condemned even more harshly.

The thing is, where does God every limit the music we worship Him with? The answer is nowhere. Worship primarily, is a heart and mind condition as it relates to a church service. It is preparatory for the message.

Ok let talk church. The Roman's say you must worship their way. Church aerobics, homilies, a reading, rote response, Latin in the mass and so on. Can anyone pinpoint this in the Bible? No, Further for the articles you can find is it a command? Again, no. the purpose of the church is 5 core values found in Acts, Biblical Instruction, Worship, Fellowship, Evangelism and Service or Ministry. The rest is practical application and is fairly mutable.

You can build a massive cathedral or a small church with a steeple or meet in a home or in the auditorium of a school ore a park or underpass and so on. The Bible doesn't tell us the condition for the meeting only that there is to be a meeting.

You can have a sermon or a reading or a homily. The Bible doesn't command any particular style only that isntruction be given from his Word.

You can go out in pairs, in group or singly. You can set up a venue at the mall on a corner or a stadium. God doesn't say how to bring the message to the lost but that go go and bring it.

You can have Sunday School, a Bible study, a home fellowship and so on. The Bible does not dictate how we are to carry out ministry or service just that we do.

The Bible does not say that we have to sing psalms, hymns or modern music. In fact it does not command of forbid music at all. You could, for worship have a time of prayer or a time of confession or a time of testimony. The bible does not give us a hard and fast manner to worship just that we do indeed worship.

There is a lot of room for us to make the Church. God does tell us how to do church He just gives us the Core Values and lets us find out what works best in our location, community or culture. As long as we do not add that which is in opposition to the Word we have a pretty free hand on application. With many churches stagnating and diminishing one saying comes to mind that shows that there is no specific way to do church: That's the way we have always done it. If you church is failing maybe its time to stop doing it that way and innovate. Try something new.

In Christ,

Bishop SEH

Hello Bishop, and God bless you!

Where does the bible say that it is the sole rule of our faith? You keep referring to the Bible and "does it say so and so". So I'm guessing it must say somewhere that IT is the only rule we must go by?

 

[wordhelpsme]

WhenPaul exhorted first-century to speak in agreement and be united inunderstanding and opinion he was going for unity not uniformity. 1 Corinthians 1:10

Paul would not have been trying to turn members of the Corinthian congregationinto unthinking automatons. Paul gave this counsel because the congregation inCorinth was experiences a serious problem.

Fractions had developed, so that some had viewed Apollos as their leader,others Paul or Peter or held only to Christ. This disunity threatens the peaceof the congregation. Paul counsel was to readjust their thinking and promoteunity, not uniformity.
2 Corinthians 13:11

The Beroeans set good examples in thoroughly examine the scriptures. When thereare too many who want to incorporate their thoughts and not thoroughly examinethe work of God through prayer and holy spirit there will be serious divisions,such as today. Everyone cannot be correct when serious Bible interpretations are so opposite.

Remember to the Jesus said that wolves in sheep’s clothing would infiltrate thecongregation and how to recognize them. Matthew 7:15-20.