The Most Important Things

I’m feeling a bit heart-broken lately, y’all. I want to kind of pour my heart out to all five or so of you who will read this 🙂

Words are hard sometimes, you know? Some situations are complicated, and trying to communicate things in writing while accounting for important nuances can be difficult. Things get left out, especially when one feels a bit overwhelmed by it all. Thank the Lord for the peace He gives in knowing that God is in control!

I’ve been very immersed with the problem of Christian division. Like I mentioned in a recent article, this is nothing new…but my perspective on this “problem” and the “solution”varies a great deal over time.

In the past few days, I keep randomly turning to Bible passages that speak of Christians being united. Philippians 2. John 17. 1 Corinthians 1.

On top of that, I’ve been learning about Christian history and Jewish history…and the same theme repeats. The people of God become divided, scattered, and destroyed.

I don’t know what Christianity is really like in other countries. I’ve heard stories, but I can only speak to Christians in the United States. We are terribly divided.

On one hand, God is in control, right? I believe that all things are working according to His will, so that means all of this division among the brethren in the form of denominations is also His will. Yet, I feel like I should be doing some small part to unify Christians.

Then I think, what about the past? Anytime God’s people are going astray, God allows it right? Yet, there are consequences. There are also those who God preserves. How does He preserve them? He sends people to pull them out before the wrath of God is unleashed.

I think we need to get out, but how?

Do we come to a single doctrine and demand we all obey that? Goodness no! That’s what I used to think…but then I realize, anytime someone comes along demanding we all believe a single teaching, worship a certain way, or otherwise create strict rules, oppression follows. Then comes rebellion. Then comes destruction. Then comes fraction.

We will disagree on much, and that is okay.

There are only a few doctrines or Christian ideas that I will keep pushing heavily, and these are the small things–yet the most important things–the things of salvation. This includes:

• The gospel of the kingdom of heaven — in truth, and subsequently:
  • The meaning of sin.
  • The meaning of grace.
  • The meaning of salvation.
  • The Holy Spirit.
  • Seeking Jesus above man.

I’m working on a article series, that I fully intend to publish, entitled “The Problem with Kings.” The whole purpose is to look at the real cause of division–and the real solution.

The real cause? Looking to man. Making “kings” out of our doctrines, our denominations, our Christian leaders–and placing these things so highly that we hold them above the Lord. In so doing, we fight. We are scattered. We rebel against one another, and the Body of Christ is destroyed. Just as all “kings” in Christian history, looking to Man or man’s wisdom leads to our demise.

Does God allow it? Does God purpose it? Certainly. Yet, there is time and place for all things. All things in our history as God’s people ultimately works out for our good. Our preservation as a faith, and our correction. Our understanding that there is ONE God–and Man is not that God!

Even in the end-times, the point is to overthrow all things that are “proud and lofty” so that the Lord alone is exalted.

Guess what? That includes our exalted men of God. Our denominations. This also includes the worldly, of course. The idolatry of Hollywood, the calling of evil good and good evil, corrupt governments, and so on.

The wrath of God is not for His people…but…we must return to being His people. We need to let go of our “kings” and return to The King of Kings.

I cannot expect people to listen. In-fact, I know they won’t. People are afraid. They are attached to their ways. They trust in “kings” when the unbelieving world comes crashing down on them. This also repeats over and over…yet…some will hear.

Some will put the Lord above all else, and in doing so, our petty matters of disagreement and division are dissolved by our love for Jesus and each other. As we seek the Holy Spirit and become baptized with the Truth in our heart, we will be one as the Son and the Father are one. We will learn to take care after the most important things: the issues of the gospel in truth. We will understand that as a body, we need each other in order to grow. We need each other’s strengths to help us conform to the image of Christ. We need each other’s understanding to form sound doctrine.

We need each other if the Bride is going to “make herself ready.” She cannot be ready if she is divided, scattered, and destroyed. Let the Great Whore be scattered and destroyed, while we come together. I’m not saying those times are here, or that they are soon coming. However, the time will come, and we need to learn from our history. A nation divided will be destroyed, and trusting in our “kings” will not save us.