347. That They Should All Be One

“And with many such parables He spoke the word to them, as they were able to hear it. But without a parable He did not speak to them. And when they were alone, He explained all things to His disciples.” Mark 4:33-34. [Emphasis added].

It is just the same today. People get to hear as much as they are able to hear. But when the disciples are alone, God’s Spirit explains all things to them.

“For He Himself is our peace, who has made both one, and has broken down the middle wall of separation.” Eph. 2:14. He did this by abolishing in His flesh the enmity, that is, the law of commandments contained in ordinances, so as to create in Himself one new man from the two, thus making peace.

Jesus Christ broke down the middle wall of separation between the Jews and Gentiles. How much more has He not broken down the walls that separate the various denominations and parties of today from one another? People just do not believe the Scriptures. It is unbelief that creates these denominations, and it is unbelief that keeps them going. New denominations spring up after new revivals. New sins follow new revivals.

In His high-priestly prayer, Jesus prayed “that they all may be one, as You, Father, are in Me, and I in You; that they also may be one in Us, that the world may believe that You sent Me.” John 17:21.

“And the glory which You gave Me I have given them, that they may be one just as We are one.” Verse 22.

We understand from this that we must suffer our way into unity since it is written that if we suffer with Him, we shall also be glorified with Him. Jesus suffered when the middle wall of separation, the enmity, was broken down. When the walls around the denominations are about to be broken down, protesting and lamenting begin. But let the walls fall so that you can attain to the glory that leads to oneness. It is obvious that within these parties there is no glory that brings oneness.

It is only audacious people who dare to create sects and denominations among God’s people. If you do not fall in line with their protocols, you will be kept outside. Has God given them this authority? I doubt that He who allowed the middle wall of separation to be broken down would want to re-establish this enmity.

Sects and denominations are works of the flesh; they are manifest sins and belong in the same class as fornication, idolatry, envy, etc. Those who practice such things will not inherit the kingdom of God. Gal. 5:19-21.

“Yes,” some say, “but we have seen that some of the people who create parties have received God’s Spirit, so they must surely have inherited the kingdom of God.” No, they have disobeyed the Word and the Spirit, and with that have quenched the Spirit. Therefore they do not possess the Spirit that gives knowledge of God and of God’s kingdom. Isa. 11:2.

They create parties and cause splits among God’s people; they enroll and expel. Yet despite these manifest works of the flesh, they say the body of sin has been done away with. No, they have not even crucified “the old man,” far less dealt with the hidden body of sin. Rom. 6:6.

What a tragedy that God’s people end up in such darkness! They themselves do not inherit the kingdom of God, and they try to hinder those that want to do so.

To make it clear: Parties are a work of Satan; they are manifest works of the flesh. You cannot get around this fact. Such people will not inherit the kingdom of God. The requirements of the law are not fulfilled in people who create parties, because parties are never created by people who are following the leadings of the Spirit of God.

Parties never become one with each other. There are high walls around each party. Therefore the world cannot believe. The enmity is not broken down. The work is complete in Christ, but because of unbelief, it is as though it were not complete. The head of Satan is also crushed in Christ, but because of unbelief, Satan goes around like a roaring lion. Therefore the Word of God must be believed and practiced if it is to become truth in us. Only then can God be honored by our lives.

He abolished in His flesh the law of commandments contained in ordinances. Jesus suffered death according to the flesh. Since Jesus always walked in the Spirit, every jot and tittle of the law was fulfilled. It is the same way for us. If we walk in the Spirit, we will fulfill the requirements of the law, or to put it another way, we abolish the law in our flesh just like Jesus did. This must be rightly understood in order to be right.

When the middle wall of separation is broken down, we become one—and not before. Then we have access in one Spirit to the Father, for we are reconciled in one body to God through the cross, thereby putting to death the enmity.

Here we receive power through the cross and the word of the cross. This is what is needed in this time of shaking and division. We do not just need forgiveness every time we sin, we need grace to crucify the flesh with its lusts and desires, so that we do not commit sin, but overcome it. “He that overcomes” was the message to the seven churches. So clearly, the intention is that we overcome.

We should endeavor to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace—through the cross, of course.

One body, one Spirit, one Lord, one faith, one baptism, one God and Father of all. Eph. 4:3.

Jesus explained all these things to His disciples—and He does the same today.

It is true, as has been said, that each New Year ladders are erected along the dividing walls of the denominations so that people can peek over the wall at one another. But with lightening speed the ladders are taken down again so people have no chance to clamber over the wall into another denomination.