Disunity Of The Flesh

Ephesians 4:1 I therefore, the prisoner of the Lord, beseech you that ye walk worthy of the vocation wherewith ye are called,

2 With all lowliness and meekness, with longsuffering, forbearing one another in love;

3 Endeavouring to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace.

4 There is one body, and one Spirit, even as ye are called in one hope of your calling;

5 One Lord, one faith, one baptism,

6 One God and Father of all, who is above all, and through all, and in you all.

7 But unto every one of us is given grace according to the measure of the gift of Christ.

8 Wherefore he saith, When he ascended up on high, he led captivity captive, and gave gifts unto men.

9 (Now that he ascended, what is it but that he also descended first into the lower parts of the earth?

10 He that descended is the same also that ascended up far above all heavens, that he might fill all things.)

11 And he gave some, apostles; and some, prophets; and some, evangelists; and some, pastors and teachers;

12 For the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ:

13 Till we all come in the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ:

14 That we henceforth be no more children, tossed to and fro, and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the sleight of men, and cunning craftiness, whereby they lie in wait to deceive;

15 But speaking the truth in love, may grow up into him in all things, which is the head, even Christ:

16 From whom the whole body fitly joined together and compacted by that which every joint supplieth, according to the effectual working in the measure of every part, maketh increase of the body unto the edifying of itself in love.

The fact that we have over 80 churches in a town of 30K proves many have ripped this passage out of their Bible. Yea, for all our churches only a third of the town attends church. Instead of a new church starting every six months with a new twist on something or reaching niche groups, we need the Body to unite as we were called to do. Jesus had no gimmicks or programs and reached all groups.

In the Church at Jerusalem, there was every nationality, old, young, poor, rich and even the societal rejects present. We do not need more buildings and groups. We need revival.

The truth be told there are few new converts in most new churches where there is already a plethora of churches. They are started with the disgruntled or bored from other churches or the ones who want to hear some new thing. Some mean well, but are misguided. Ask them what they do different and you may get a puzzled look and silence.

I know one that was started only because a pastor was fired and those who liked him started a new church. After the initial growth of hopefully already saved people, there comes stagnation and then holding on for dear life to not close. Many churches around the country are in that last stage.

When revival comes and saints get right with God all the things that caused some churches to start will fade away. Indeed, if people go back to make amends at the church they left in a huff or for other non-biblical reasons many churches will close as people will stay at the original church.

When the splinter groups disappear and saints get back on target then souls will be saved and the large buildings we have that are not near to capacity will fill. Buildings that will be emptied by the restored unity will be turned into shelters for the homeless or sold and the money used more wisely than maintaining needless buildings that will be burned when this world is destroyed and the new earth created.

If we are all going to be in Heaven together then we all should be able to worship in the same building or at least the ones who teach the same doctrine. More than one church teaching the same doctrine in the same town is redundancy, waste and dividing the Body called to be one. May God help us to put away our carnality for the love of God and people going to Hell.

Father, may this year be one of holy unity. Close all churches built by man and not You. Restore broken relationships that caused the splits. Let all colors come together for we are one race. Let not the old despise the young nor the young to despise the old. Let all of satan's device fail and Your Body made whole! Truth and love unites people, not divides them. The Holy Spirit unites. Division is not of You though You said through Paul that divisions would occur that the approved would stand out. Lord, diminish the unapproved and set Your people on fire consuming division so that we may be used to bring our city to Christ. Indeed, I pray this for every area of our country and the world. We have been selfish and soulish too long with the "I am of" mentality. Come quickly, Lord Jesus and end the madness! Maranatha!