Sunday, July 13, 2014

Two Minutes With The Bible ~ Unions Or Unity?

Unions Or Unity? 

by Pastor Cornelius R. Stam

Here is a company of Bible-believing Christians joined together in, let us say, an evangelistic endeavor. All are trusting in the shed blood of Christ for salvation, though some are Baptists, some Presbyterians, some Episcopalians and some represent other denominations.

Are all these believers one? Yes, in Christ, for “there is one body” (Eph. 4:4).

What united them? The “one baptism” (Eph. 4:5) by which the Holy Spirit unites all believers to Christ and to each other: “For by one Spirit are we all baptized into one body whether we be Jews or Gentiles…” (I Cor. 12:13).

Yet these same believers, all trusting in the finished work of Christ for salvation, remain sadly divided as far as fellowship in the work of the Lord is concerned. They may have blessed fellowship in their evangelistic endeavor, but at its conclusion they go back to their mutually exclusive church organizations.

The reason? Basically it is that they have confused “the gospel of the kingdom,” proclaimed by Christ on earth and His twelve apostles, with “the gospel of the grace of God,” proclaimed by the ascended, glorified Lord through the Apostle Paul (Acts 20:24; Eph. 3:1-3).

Striving over baptismal modes and meanings, most of them still require their particular forms of baptism for entrance into their churches, while explaining at the same time that the ceremony has no saving value and that it is not required by God for entrance into the true Church.

Can’t we stop being Presbyterians, Baptists and Methodists and just be Christians? Why should the Church of Christ remain divided and weak, when God says:
“WE BEING MANY ARE ONE BODY IN CHRIST, AND EVERY ONE MEMBERS ONE OF ANOTHER” (Rom. 12:5).

To the Reader:
Some of our Two Minutes articles were written many years ago by Pastor C. R. Stam for publication in newspapers. When many of these articles were later compiled in book form, Pastor Stam wrote this word of explanation in the Preface:
"It should be borne in mind that the newspaper column, Two Minutes With the Bible, has now been published for many years, so that local, national and international events are discussed as if they occurred only recently. Rather than rewrite or date such articles, we have left them just as they were when first published. This, we felt, would add to the interest, especially since our readers understand that they first appeared as newspaper articles."
To this we would add that the same is true for the articles written by others that we continue to add, on a regular basis, to the Two Minutes library. We hope that you'll agree that while some of the references in these articles are dated, the spiritual truths taught therein are timeless.

6 comments:

  1. I cant answer why we cant all just quit fussing and fighting that 'our' way is right and all others, wrong. God isnt happy about that. Happy Sunday and love your new green background.

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  2. Hey! Your going Scottish on us (giggles)--love your new look. I agree with Linda..I am having trouble with the church we have been attending, in order to be a member, you have to go through classes..say what? Perhaps that is why I am having a hard time going on Sunday. Are we not believers in Christ? Why do I have to attend classes? ANYWAYS--great post. Blessings

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  3. We gave up on the Presbyterians--(Baptists)---Methodists back in the late 1980's.
    We ask God to guide us in His teaching of His word. He Did
    We Study with a church that presents the Gospel of Jesus Christ to unbeliever and teach the believer the plan and will of God for his life. Only Bible doctrine not man's thinking.

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  4. I love that last line. It is one of my favorites. We are the body of Christ and each one is a part of it. Too bad we don't act like the Body of Christ.

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  5. A very good message. I've always believed and felt in my heart that it doesn't matter what's written above the door where you worship, it's what's in your heart. There's just too many people around that feel if you don't go to their church, you are doomed. I feel sad for them. Have a great day, my friend.

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  6. What a wonderful message today. God bless you this week. Remembering you in prayer, sweet friend. Hugs to the pups!

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⭐ A real friend is one who walks in when the rest of the world walks out. ~ Walter Winchell