May 23rd 2021
Please Pray For Unity In The Body Of Christ, Jesus Already Died To Assure It!
1 Timothy 6:12 (NIV)
Fight the good fight of the faith. Take hold of the eternal life to which you were called when you made your good confession in the presence of many witnesses.
Where is the unity in Christian churches in the USA today? It has troubled me greatly to see the different opinions expressed that result in separation of churches, instead of emphasizing the points of agreement that should bind us all together. Paul wrote about how we should be pulling together, rather than pushing us apart, in his letter to the church of the Galatians. You are all sons of God through faith in Christ Jesus, for all of you who were baptized into Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ. There is neither Jew nor Greek, slave nor free, male nor female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus. (Galatians 3:26-28). Unity in Christ transcends ethnic, social and gender distinctions.
Christian churches today seem to be advertising their plan that brings people salvation. However, there is only one way to obtain salvation, and it is not controlled by any church or group of churches! For there is no difference between Jew and Gentile—the same Lord is Lord of all and richly blesses all who call on him, for, "Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved." (Romans 10:12-13). Do Christians still believe that "Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved?" Salvation is not contingent on who you are, in any way, or what you do. Salvation is solely contingent on what Jesus did! Salvation can only be claimed not earned!
Many Christian churches seem to be hostile toward other churches that also claim Jesus Christ as their Lord and Savior. Each person is not a church; we are all bound together by only our belief in Jesus Christ as our Lord and Savior. Paul wrote to the church of the Ephesians about how Jesus is to be the catalyst for harmony through His work on the cross. For he himself is our peace, who has made the two one and has destroyed the barrier, the dividing wall of hostility, by abolishing in his flesh the law with its commandments and regulations. His purpose was to create in himself one new man out of the two, thus making peace, and in this one body to reconcile both of them to God through the cross, by which he put to death their hostility. (Ephesians 2:14-16).
Even Baptism has become a separating force used by Satan very successfully to keep Christian churches separated, and believing that their view on this sacrament is the only correct one. Thus, there is no unity to be gained through this supposed unifying force given to mankind by God! For we were all baptized by one Spirit into one body—whether Jews or Greeks, slave or free—and we were all given the one Spirit to drink. (1 Corinthians 12:13). God has given all His people the Holy Spirit to indwell them. For we have all been given, “the one Spirit to drink! “The big question here may be do we believe that baptism is the beginning or an end?
When Jesus walked this earth as a man even, He was baptized with water. When all the people were being baptized, Jesus was baptized too. And as he was praying, heaven was opened and the Holy Spirit descended on him in bodily form like a dove. And a voice came from heaven: "You are my Son, whom I love; with you I am well pleased." (Luke 3:21-22). While Jesus walked this earth as a man, He did not baptize anyone; His disciples handled this service of unity! This seems to indicate that God gave this sacrament to mankind to be a unifying event not something to separate us and cause dissention. What do you think? Jesus seemed to echo this belief when He commanded His disciples to administer baptism, as a means of growth for His church. Then Jesus came to them and said, "All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age." (Matthew 28:18-20).
It is disappointing to me how we, the body of Christ, seem to seek things to turn us away from each other, instead of unifying this body of believers, as Jesus wanted. This is one of those commentaries that really does not offer answers to questions, but points out areas for us to improve. Please pray for a reawakening of a Spirit of unity for this great church of God, as Paul has called it. Please try to look at the similarities in churches that claim to be members of the body of Christ, and do not dwell on the differences! You are either a member of the body of Christ, or you are not. Yes, it is an individual choice of salvation, but it puts us in a bigger picture, as another saved member of the body of Christ!
Membership in this body of believers is only possible through possessing the love that Jesus died to secure for His disciples. If you want to be a disciple of Jesus Christ, you must put on love for all mankind, and especially for those who have also chosen to be followers of Jesus Christ! Remember the love needed for unity is not of the human variety, which too often is based on lust! It started with God loving us. This is real love - not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as a sacrifice to take away our sins. (1 John 4:10, NLT).
Are you allowing the Holy Spirit to assist you in developing a love that includes all of mankind? You cannot do this on your own. Love like this starts with salvation, and this salvation is only possible through Jesus Christ. Please pray for unity in the body of Christ, Jesus already died to assure it!
Your brother in life through Adam, your brother in eternity through Jesus,
Bob Moak
1 Timothy 6:12 (NIV)
Fight the good fight of the faith. Take hold of the eternal life to which you were called when you made your good confession in the presence of many witnesses.
Where is the unity in Christian churches in the USA today? It has troubled me greatly to see the different opinions expressed that result in separation of churches, instead of emphasizing the points of agreement that should bind us all together. Paul wrote about how we should be pulling together, rather than pushing us apart, in his letter to the church of the Galatians. You are all sons of God through faith in Christ Jesus, for all of you who were baptized into Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ. There is neither Jew nor Greek, slave nor free, male nor female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus. (Galatians 3:26-28). Unity in Christ transcends ethnic, social and gender distinctions.
Christian churches today seem to be advertising their plan that brings people salvation. However, there is only one way to obtain salvation, and it is not controlled by any church or group of churches! For there is no difference between Jew and Gentile—the same Lord is Lord of all and richly blesses all who call on him, for, "Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved." (Romans 10:12-13). Do Christians still believe that "Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved?" Salvation is not contingent on who you are, in any way, or what you do. Salvation is solely contingent on what Jesus did! Salvation can only be claimed not earned!
Many Christian churches seem to be hostile toward other churches that also claim Jesus Christ as their Lord and Savior. Each person is not a church; we are all bound together by only our belief in Jesus Christ as our Lord and Savior. Paul wrote to the church of the Ephesians about how Jesus is to be the catalyst for harmony through His work on the cross. For he himself is our peace, who has made the two one and has destroyed the barrier, the dividing wall of hostility, by abolishing in his flesh the law with its commandments and regulations. His purpose was to create in himself one new man out of the two, thus making peace, and in this one body to reconcile both of them to God through the cross, by which he put to death their hostility. (Ephesians 2:14-16).
Even Baptism has become a separating force used by Satan very successfully to keep Christian churches separated, and believing that their view on this sacrament is the only correct one. Thus, there is no unity to be gained through this supposed unifying force given to mankind by God! For we were all baptized by one Spirit into one body—whether Jews or Greeks, slave or free—and we were all given the one Spirit to drink. (1 Corinthians 12:13). God has given all His people the Holy Spirit to indwell them. For we have all been given, “the one Spirit to drink! “The big question here may be do we believe that baptism is the beginning or an end?
When Jesus walked this earth as a man even, He was baptized with water. When all the people were being baptized, Jesus was baptized too. And as he was praying, heaven was opened and the Holy Spirit descended on him in bodily form like a dove. And a voice came from heaven: "You are my Son, whom I love; with you I am well pleased." (Luke 3:21-22). While Jesus walked this earth as a man, He did not baptize anyone; His disciples handled this service of unity! This seems to indicate that God gave this sacrament to mankind to be a unifying event not something to separate us and cause dissention. What do you think? Jesus seemed to echo this belief when He commanded His disciples to administer baptism, as a means of growth for His church. Then Jesus came to them and said, "All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age." (Matthew 28:18-20).
It is disappointing to me how we, the body of Christ, seem to seek things to turn us away from each other, instead of unifying this body of believers, as Jesus wanted. This is one of those commentaries that really does not offer answers to questions, but points out areas for us to improve. Please pray for a reawakening of a Spirit of unity for this great church of God, as Paul has called it. Please try to look at the similarities in churches that claim to be members of the body of Christ, and do not dwell on the differences! You are either a member of the body of Christ, or you are not. Yes, it is an individual choice of salvation, but it puts us in a bigger picture, as another saved member of the body of Christ!
Membership in this body of believers is only possible through possessing the love that Jesus died to secure for His disciples. If you want to be a disciple of Jesus Christ, you must put on love for all mankind, and especially for those who have also chosen to be followers of Jesus Christ! Remember the love needed for unity is not of the human variety, which too often is based on lust! It started with God loving us. This is real love - not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as a sacrifice to take away our sins. (1 John 4:10, NLT).
Are you allowing the Holy Spirit to assist you in developing a love that includes all of mankind? You cannot do this on your own. Love like this starts with salvation, and this salvation is only possible through Jesus Christ. Please pray for unity in the body of Christ, Jesus already died to assure it!
Your brother in life through Adam, your brother in eternity through Jesus,
Bob Moak
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