Interesting discussion.
But, back to the original question.
I would like to draw everyone's attention to three important issues that have been identified on this thread that stands against church unity, harmony, and the expression of true brotherly love among the saints (
Joh 13:34-35).
(1) Each congregation is a stand-a-loan assembly. Ministers are united along organizational lines, not biblical principles and precepts, and congregational members are under the lordship of the raining pastor. Translated as an individual church member must conform their relationship with God and their fellow believers according to the dictates of the local pastor.
(2) Each assembly is governed according to performance based standards, leaving little room for either grace, faith, or the expression of God with in an individual. The object is not to promote unity, but to demand uniforimity. Each congregation sets its own standards of acceptable performance, from types and styles of worship to clothing regulations. This mindset fosters competition among the brethren, not unity. It attempts to address the question of, "Who is more acceptable unto God, me or thee?", This leads directly into spiritual right-wrong games with churches of the same organization, even congregations within the same city refusing to talk to one another.
(3) Unholy comparisons, the physical and spiritual effect of the above.
There can be no interaction between Oneness churches and Trinitarian congregations because of two items. (a) The false dichotomy between the two camps over how to view God's deity (Godhead), and (b) the complete of disunity among the different Oneness camps. The one bright spot is that there are individual pastors, church leaders and members who are growing tired of this division in the body of Christ and are seeking out the unity found only in the Spirit of God.
What to look for:
First, we will see individuals who will stand against the continued right/wrong games, the spiritual one-upmanship comparisons that are being played out in so many churches (Oneness and Trinitarian). These people will fellowship, study, and pray with fellow believers, without regard to first examining their religious pedigree.
Second, we will see a shift in spiritual standards away from performance (external conformity) based spiritually, to seeing men and women who demonstrate the fruit of the Spirit (
Gal 5:22-24, 2Pet 1:1-11). This will cause great consternation within many congregations and ministerial organizations. We have been witnessing these kinds of events for several years now, and they continue to grow and old structures are being shaken.
Personal note: Am I in favor of this shaking and the falling apart of the established structures? Absolutely! Yet, neither am I being naive in my thinking. The evil one shall take full advantage of this movement and use it to help create the religion of the beast, using both the established churches (bringing them together under one banner - not under one name), and will also include some of those who are seeking the one true remnant church of the Living God. Deception shall continue to grow and it shall prevail over many.
We must reexamine our doctrines. Not to re-validate our positions, but to discover their weakness and correct them. Look not to the scriptures to find support for your doctrines, but look to the scriptures for doctrines to support.
A final comment.
If anyone is truly seeking to work in harmony and with fellow believers in Jesus Christ, the Son of God, the Living Word of God, the manifested deity of God in His chosen and anointed one, the promised Messiah, then look first to individuals and not to organizations, not even churches.
Twenty years ago I discovered four families, who meeting in individual homes, were Bible believing, God fearing, Jesus loving, Spirit filled, tongue talking Christians who were living out the scriptural mandate to love one another and to help out those of the brethren who were in need (spiritually and physically). Also, please note the initial shock and dismay for this old mountain man who has nothing but disdain for the Church of Rome, when he discovered that all of these followers of The Way were Catholic!
In shock and disbelief I asked these Spirit filled Christians what they were doing remaining within the Roman church and influence? They each had their one statements, but in essence they all said the same thing. "This is where God found us and established us. If we do not remain among the lost and witness to the truth concerning Jesus to these fellow men and women, who will?" Implying that it would not be me who would go and seek out Catholics to share the Good News with. And, to my shame, they were right!
Our self-center, self-justified judgments of who gets to go to hell might just earn us that ticket. This is not to mean that one should not contend for the Faith! But, when we do - let us use our testimony and the word of God, not a handbook of man selected/generated doctrines.
Linear Mode
