Is Christ Divided?

Is Christ Divided?

“Holy Father, keep through Your name those whom You have given Me, that they may be one as We are.” John 17:11.

We know there are hundreds of religious assemblies under various names. If one group separates from a congregation, they have to find a good, biblical name, which is not so easy, because there are so many of them. When they gather, they gather people to that name and to a certain doctrine which they defend. All of these groups maintain that they have the biblical doctrine.

It is obvious that the Bible cannot contain many contradictory doctrines. Jesus did not promise to be in the midst of them who gather in these various names; but He would be in their midst even if only two or three gathered in His name.

“Now I exhort you, brethren, by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that you all speak the same thing, and that there be no divisions among you, but that you be perfectly joined together in the same mind and in the same judgment.” 1 Cor. 1:10. That is how it is in the church, which is the body of Christ, the fullness of Him who fills all in all. Eph. 1:22-23. This is so when Jesus is the head, but it can never become a fact in a religious denomination where one man in particular—with the help of some others—rules everything. 3 John 9.

What is the cause of all this confusion? The cause of it is that they do not proclaim the gospel. They proclaim the forgiveness of sins through Jesus’ blood, but not that those who believe in Jesus can now be justified from all the things from which they could not be justified by the law. Acts 13:38-39. They proclaim that Jesus bore our sins on the tree, but not that we should die to our sins and live for righteousness. 1 Pet. 2:24.

They receive Jesus as a sacrifice for sins, but not as Lord. Col. 2:6-7. They proclaim that we have been reconciled to God through the death of His Son, but they do not proclaim the “much more” salvation by His life. Rom. 5:10. Jesus arose from the dead to the end that He might be our Lord. Rom. 14:9. We become partakers of the gospel with Jesus as our Lord. They speak about Jesus as the One who was totally obedient to His Father, but they do not believe that obedience is part of the gospel. They reckon that obedience is something that only pertains to the law. Heb. 5:9.

We know that Paul was chosen to proclaim the gospel, but few people know that he “received grace and apostleship for obedience to the faith among all nations to the glory of His name.” Rom. 1:5. All the religious denominations are one when it comes to preaching the forgiveness of sins, but they are far from one when it comes to proclaiming our calling to walk in Jesus’ steps—He who did not commit sin. 1 Pet. 2:21-22. This is the reason there are so many religious denominations, and this is the cause of all the deception.

“Though He was a Son yet He learned obedience by the things which He suffered. And having been perfected, He became the author of eternal salvation to all who obey Him.” Heb. 5:8-9. Obedience is the only way by which we can come into contact with Jesus as our Lord and Head. Only then can He join us together to be one body with many members serving one another. Eph. 4:15-16. Many members—yet one body. 1 Cor. 12:12-14.