In 1st Corinthians 1 the Apostle Paul pleaded with the church that met there to be of (one mind). Many of the brethren were separating themselves into groups and saying that they were of Paul, Apollos and other men.
Paul condemned the brothers for their division and asked them "Is Christ divided?". Look at Christianity today and ask that same question. "Is Christ divided?" There are so many denominations in the world today teaching and preaching a wide range of different teachings. They are not unified.
We all know that there is strength in numbers, but that strength only exists when there is unity. Paul was pleading with the brethren to be unified. To be of the same mind and thought. He condemned the division that the brethren were causing and he also condemned them wearing the names of men. In 1st Corinthians 1 v 12 he mentions those who say they follow Paul, and others who said they followed Apollos and still others who said they followed Peter. Paul rebukes them harshly by asking them if Paul was crucified for them? Or whether they were baptised into his name? What was Paul really saying to these guys?
What was he trying to get them to be? The word unified comes to mind. These guys were separating, or denominating, themselves into lots of little groups and breaking the unity of the body. They were taking on the names of men rather than the name that the mouth of God had issued them as mentioned in Isaiah 62 v 2. That name from God was Christian. In Acts 11 v 26 the bible says that the disciples were first called Christians in Antioch. This was the new name that God had spoken of in Isaiah. To call yourself anything other that the Name which God has given is to imply that the name Christian is not enough.
If the Apostle Paul rebuked the early Christians for taking on the names of the apostles, doesn’t that teach us something about the names that we are wearing? The same rebuke and condemnation falls upon us over the wearing of names which were not given by God. It also falls upon us by our joining of numerous sects and denominations and ultimately for dividing the body.
In Matt 16 v18 Jesus said he would build his church on the solid confession of Peter that “You are the Christ the son of the Living God”. Jesus said he would build a church. 1 Church. Not many churches! Ephesians 4 v 4 says that there is only one body; in Colossians 1 v 18 we are told that the church is the body. If there is one body and that one body is the church, it means that there is one church which Christ is the head of. If there is one church which is the body of Christ, who do all the others belong to?
Paul appealed for unity of the brethren. That same unity is what Jesus prayed for in the Garden of Gethsemane (John 17 v 20-21) If you consider yourself to be a Pentecostal, Anglican, Jehovah’s Witness, Catholic, Wesleyan or any other name other than just a Christian, consider what Paul told the Corinthians. You can and should be just a Christian, this name honours and Glorifies Jesus Christ who gave His life for you. No day, organisation, country or man is worthy to give its name to any group of Christians. Only Christ will do, only being a Christian will do. That which is not of faith is sin, (Romans 14 v 23) Faith comes by hearing the word of Christ.(Romans 10 v 17) If you cannot find the name of your church in the new testament, then can it really be the church of the bible or is it an unscriptural organisation not borne of faith? Over again in the bible there are references made to the church being the body, and that there is one body. (1st Corinthians 12v12, Eph 4v4). What is the church? Think about that. What exactly is the church? The church is the body, and according to 1Co 12:12 the individual members are the body.
People are the church. The church are people. Without people there would be no church. We Christians are the church. It is not a building, or some entity. The church is comprised of people. It exists here on Earth; Christ is the one head of the one body ruling from Heaven. (Ephesians 1 v22) When Jesus taught he used everyday objects to get across spiritual points, and likewise concerning the church the same process was used in regard to Him being the head and the church being the body. Question. Is the Jehovah Witness body the same as the Roman Catholic Body? If not, Why not? The reason being that they teach different things. They are not united in their doctrine. They themselves would declare that they are different bodies. So how many bodies do they comprise? If we bring in some other "bodies" we can quickly see that in this day and age there is more than one body, contrary to what the scriptures say. Can a church have an earthly head and also Christ as its head? Is that not 2 heads?
The church of Christ is the one body. It is a body that glorifies its head by wearing His name alone. No bride takes on a name other than that of her husband. The church is known in the bible as the "bride of Christ" (Rev 21 v 9). Is it not fitting then that the name of the bride reflects the name of her husband? Who would be happy if their bride wore the name of another to which she has not married?
Modern day denominations need to Come Home. They need to come back to the practices of the bible and set aside those things which have been added and include those things which they have neglected. No person who accepts the truth of the bible becomes anything other than a Christian. It is only when the "tares" of denominational teaching are added that a persons seeks to be everything other than what the Master has called them to be.
Our invitation to you is to examine your practices with a sincere respect for what the bible says.
In Luke 6 V 46 says "Why call me Lord, Lord and not do the things that I say?" Also Matt 7 v 21-23 gives a stark warning about obeying what the Lord has said. You can only obey what the Lord has said by finding out what the New Testament teaches concerning the church. Too much is at stake to be accepting a teaching that is dividing the body of Christ.
Ephesians 5 v23 states that Christ is the saviour of the body. Only His body will be saved. Only His church will be saved. There is one Church. (Ephesians 4 v 4, Colossians 1 v 18). Do you belong to Christ’s church or some denominational body? You can be just a Christian. Come home and we will show you how.