Jun 19

Written by:
6/19/2010 6:58 AM 

Many times in the body of Christ, there is division. This was not always so and this is not how God intended it to be. 1 Corinthians 12 goes into great detail discussing the body:

                “For as the body is one and has many members of that one body, being many, are one body, so also is Christ. For by one Spirit we were all baptized into one body – whether Jews or Greeks, whether slaves or free – and have all been made to drink into one Spirit. For in fact the body is not one member but many.” ~ 1 Corinthians 12:12-14, New King James Version (NKJV)

For the sake of condensing this entry I will summarize the rest of the chapter, but yet encourage you to go read the rest of 1 Corinthians 12 in your spare time (even if you are familiar with this section of Scripture, a little refresher never goes without some fruit). Paul describes various body parts (foot, hand, eye, ear) and how all of them work together to form one body and how each has its’ own special function and compares this with how a church is supposed to function.

I must admit that it is a little discouraging to me that when people that I work with or otherwise meet find out that I’m a Christian, usually the first question out of their mouth is, “What denomination are you?” My response usually is either, “Well, I’m not a denomination,” which generally confuses them, so I’ve reverted to saying, “I’m non-denominational.” Unfortunately, though, in this day and age, even non-denominationals have almost become a denomination of their own, so I don’t even much care for saying that. Going back some chapters of our opening verses toward the beginning of 1 Corinthians, we discover this is divisive and never intended for the bride of Christ (which is the church).

                “Now I plead with 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….Now I say this, that each of you says, ‘I am of Paul,’ or ‘I am of Apollos,’ or ‘I am of Cephas,’ or ‘I am of Christ.’ Is Christ divided? Was Paul crucified for you? Or were you baptized in the name of Paul?” ~ 1 Corinthians 1:10, 12 & 13

If you take where the above verses spell out “I am of _____” and substitute the name of any denomination, I believe this is where many people in the Body get hung up. That’s why I am thankful for CMF and other interdenominational ministries in these times. They do the work of Christ, quietly, without fanfare, without being divisive; looking to reconcile people to Christ and help them grow and flourish in their relationship to Him. We have a hurting world looking for the answer and the church has The Answer. When the world sees division, chaos, and disunity among the Body, no wonder why they don’t recognize Jesus as The Answer. Let me leave you with words from the last prayer of Jesus before His betrayal and arrest:

                “I do not pray for these alone, but also for those who will believe in Me through their word; that they may all 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. And the glory which You gave Me I have given them, that they may be one just as We are one: I in them, and You in Me; that they may be made perfect in one, and that the world may know that You have sent Me, and have loved them as You have loved Me.” ~ John 17:20-23

This is Jesus’ prayer for the church. Let’s work together to accomplish this, accentuate our agreements, humble ourselves, and be one body in Christ!