There Can Be Only One – Part Three

²¹ “Not everyone who calls out to me, ‘Lord! Lord!’ will enter the Kingdom of Heaven. Only those who actually do the will of my Father in heaven will enter.²² On judgment day many will say to me, ‘Lord! Lord! We prophesied in your name and cast out demons in your name and performed many miracles in your name.’ ²³ But I will reply, ‘I never knew you. Get away from me, you who break God’s laws.’ Matthew 7:21-2

Jesus addressed the subject of unjustly judging a person.  I am referring to those who know evil has been allowed to operate and no one dare speak up.  It isn’t my responsibility to judge outsiders, but it certainly is your responsibility to judge those inside the church who are sinning. ¹³ God will judge those on the outside; but as the Scriptures say, “You must remove the evil person from among you.”1 Corinthians 5:12 &13 (NLT) I encourage you to read the entire chapter.

The church started as one, with one and from the one many sprang forth. The church is supposed to function as “one” and make disciples of all the nations.  She’s also supposed reveal to the world what God the father, God the Father and God the spirit is really like, “one.”

Years ago, during my bible studies, I discovered that the word church means, “one called out” and the Greek name is Ekklesia.  I like the sound of Ekklesia; it adds character and makes the church sound like a person.  The church after all is the bride of Christ so why shouldn’t she have a name?

Since Jesus removed the wall of partition from between the Jews and Gentiles, church leaders have rebuilt that wall and it’s time to tear it down.

Ephesians 4:4 “There is one body, and one Spirit, even as ye are called in one hope of your calling, One Lord, one faith, one baptism, one God and Father of all, who is above all, and through all, and in you all.”

Careful study and examination of the bible reveal the purpose of the body of Christ and should eradicate all forms of division and partiality in the church.  Some prominent church leaders walk around with bodyguards and are unapproachable.

Members are leaving the church feeling worse than when they first entered.  Something is very wrong.  Churches are now focused on fashion shows, big convocation meetings and extravagant fund-raisers.  The church is supposed to be about relationship and bringing the lost into the kingdom of Christ.  All one has to do is read a newspaper, turn on the television or listen to the radio to see that there is something drastically wrong with the Bride.

I’ve heard many believers criticize those who follow other religions such as Hinduism, Kabbalah, Buddhism, Satanism etc. and I can understand their concern because these religions do not believe that Jesus Christ is the Messiah of the world and that He’s the only way to the One true living God.  What I don’t understand is how believers can condemn these religions but accept the legalism and false doctrines that go against everything the Christ stands for.

1 Corinthians 12^th chapter as well as Ephesians 4 explains very profoundly that the church is “one” body made of many members and how each member is responsible for carrying out it’s purpose to benefit the body.  The universal body as well as the local body should benefit from the spiritual gifts and talents of each member but because of the walls of denomination that now stand, the body of Christ is suffering.

Diversity within the church was established by God (1 Corinthians 12:4) but division within is the work of carnal Christians. Unity must be restored.  Lutherans must reach out to Baptists and C.O.G.I.C must reach out to Pentecostal, etc. members of the body of Christ must reach out to one another until a big circle around this world is formed, ridding this world of all forms of prejudices which hinder the church.

I can’t help but wonder if the present state of Ekklesia is responsible for the delay of Christ?  Maybe, maybe not, but one thing is for sure, she’s definitely not ready for His return and that must be corrected.  We sing worship songs like, “Come Lord Jesus”.  We should be glad that He’s giving us more time to tear down the walls of false doctrines and legalism.

I long to see the church return to her former glory and stand ready to meet her groom. Christ is not returning for a denomination or a religion, but a body, his body.  Surely, every Christian leader must know that, “In the end, there can be only one.”

There Can Be Only One – Part Two

Please understand, I am not against churches providing classes, workshops and seminars that teach believers how to apply biblical principles to their everyday lives.  I also know that due to the age we live in, church leadership must meet people where they are and minister to them where they are.

Being an associate Pastor opened a whole new world for me, a world I could not believe existed.  A world in which I now wish I had remained ignorant. I was no longer a lay member who sat in the congregation and “enjoyed” the services from Sunday to Sunday.  I no longer had the cover of innocence to the behind the scenes responsibility of what it took for the church to function year round.  Nor was I any longer shielded from the ugliness that resided in the hearts and minds of those vying to be “the one.”

If my faith had not been in God and my feet not firmly planted on the rock, Christ Jesus, the sinful behavior I have seen in leadership in the past ten years would have caused me to fall away as well.  The greed, arrogance, hatefulness, jealousies, and lascivious behavior I saw of those in leadership broke my heart.  I was surprised to see how many served hiding behind the masks of hidden agendas.

What would make a Pastor’s trusted disciple plot against him and take a majority of the church members.  What makes one pastor publicly speak against another, stirring up doubt and mistrust in the church members?  What, other than sin enters a man and woman of God and cause them to see themselves in exalted positions to the point where titles become more important that serving God’s people?

One that really grieves me is how someone in leadership can commit sexual immorality and the members not hold him/her accountable.  How can this evil exist in the leadership of the church and the church members continue to blindly follow them and never hold them accountable for their actions?  Is it enough to say we cannot judge because God will judge them?  No!  ^13b“But you can’t say that our bodies were made for sexual immorality. They were made for the Lord, and the Lord cares about our bodies. ¹⁸Run from sexual sin! No other sin so clearly affects the body as this one does. For sexual immorality is a sin against your own body.” 1 Corinthians 6:13b & 18 (NLT)

Angela Spivey and the Voices of Victory recorded a song, “It Shouldn’t Be In The Church.”  This song denounces all of the sins that has been spreading in the church body like cancer.  Ms. Spivey then goes on to tell us what should be in the church. The Apostle Paul puts it this way, “So put to death the sinful, earthly things lurking within you. Have nothing to do with sexual immorality, impurity, lust, and evil desires. Don’t be greedy, for a greedy person is an idolater, worshiping the things of this world.” Colossians 3:5 (NLT)

            Believers do not fool yourselves into thinking you will not be held accountable for your inaction against sin in the assembly you attend.  “For the time has come for judgment, and it must begin with God’s household. And if judgment begins with us, what terrible fate awaits those who have never obeyed God’s Good News?” 1 Peter 4:17 (NLT)

There Can Be Only One – Part One

I use to be an avid “Highlander” fan.  It all began with the soft-spoken Christopher Lambert and the silver tongue Sean Connery in the 1986 movie and ended with the handsome Adrian Paul in the 1992 television series.  For those of you not quite up to speed on, “Highlander” it is a tale about immortals beings that live for centuries, fighting to be the coveted, and “only one.”

The only way to kill an immortal the head had to be severed from the body, gross, I know. I’m sure you are wondering, “Why is a Christian woman watching such a gruesome show, right?”

Well, I’m not fascinated about the head severing as I am the sword fighting (I also love The Three Musketeers), and how once an immortal takes the head of another, the conqueror absorbed the power, strength and essence of the dead immortal.

I was also fascinated by the lives each immortal lived.  On each episode of the television series, different immortals were introduced.  There were good immortals, versus evil immortals.  I couldn’t help see the parallelism to the spiritual realm of angels, except I don’t think they go around cutting off each other heads.  Anyway, I hope not.

The phrase prior to each battle was the same, “In the end, there can be only one.”  Wow, what focus and determination those immortal had!  The fight wasn’t only about ultimate power and possibly controlling the world one day, but survival.

You are probably wondering where I am going with all this, so I will leave Adrian Paul’s world and tell you.  I am concerned about the state of the church.  It seems to me so many people are falling away from the true Gospel of Jesus Christ.  A close observation of the current body of believers shows evidence of division, partiality, nepotism, and prejudices.  The sad thing is these things are going on within ministries.  The sanctity of Christianity has been replaced by conformity. (see Romans in the Amplified Translation)

The original “unified body” of Christ is now a mere shadow of her former self.  I know that Jesus said the gates of hell shall not prevail against her, but from where I stand, hell is not the church’s biggest enemy right now.

The church (body of members) is her own worst enemy and I believe the spirits of darkness are possibly standing on the sidelines with bowls of popcorn watching the so call Christians tear each other apart with words, over the pulpit, on Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, Youtube and any other media available.  I see churches cancelling services for fashion shows, flea markets, rock concerts, pageants and conventions.

In addition, there are churches that have so many services the staff and volunteers neglect themselves and/or their families all for the sake of serving.  Your families are your first ministry.  Your relationship with God should be your first priority.  Jesus should be your main focus, not becoming someone’s armor bearer. Who’s going o bear your armor?

Marriages are failing and children are turning away from the church because they are burnt out from church work.  They are tired of Sister Suzie cooking dinner for them because mama and daddy are too busy serving in the church. This is so far from what Christ intended his bride to be.