Monday, August 10, 2009

Bible Reading

Have you ever tried taking however much time is needed to read through one whole epistle in a single sitting? I've found it to be a very interesting and effective way to better understand the book as a whole. For instance: when I read Galatians I see a theme of freedom from the law, liberty in Christ, and walking in and guarding that freedom. In Ephesians, I see a theme of unity: unity in the brotherhood, unity in the family, and our example of unity, God himself.

Speaking of unity, it seems that Christians have had a real problem in that department for a long time. Why else would we have a dozen different churches in one town, and who knows how many different denominations around the world? What's more, each denomination has a little different set of beliefs than the rest of them, and so feels that it cannot fellowship with the others. But is doctrine what saves us from our sins? True, it is important to know what you believe - what is true and what is false. But is it everything? On the contrary, doctrine is nothing without Christ! Jesus Christ is all in all, our salvation, and the only way to the Father.

The Bible says that we have access to the Father through one Spirit. If this is so, should any true Christian refuse to fellowship with any other true Christian? I don't think so. I'm not promoting the ecumenical movement, by any means, but I think true Christians need to recognize each other as such and band together in prayer in one accord.

"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. For it has been declared to me concerning you, my brethren, by those of Chloe's household, that there are contentions among you. 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 1:10-13)

When we lose sight of Christ, we lose sight of reality. When this happens, we begin to accept strange doctrines that have no support in the Bible. The result is division in the body of Christ. But if we keep our focus on the Lord and His Word, and allow His Spirit to open our understanding of His Word, we will continue to walk in unity, and great things will happen.

"And He Himself gave some to be apostles, some prophets, some evangelists, and some pastors and teachers, for the equipping of the saints for the work of ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ, till we all come to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to a perfect man, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ; that we should no longer be children, tossed to and fro and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the trickery of men, in the cunning craftiness of deceitful plotting, but, speaking the truth in love, may grow up in all things into Him who is the head—Christ— from whom the whole body, joined and knit together by what every joint supplies, according to the effective working by which every part does its share, causes growth of the body for the edifying of itself in love." (Ephesians 4:11-16)

"For this reason I bow my knees to the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, from whom the whole family in heaven and earth is named, that He would grant you, according to the riches of His glory, to be strengthened with might through His Spirit in the inner man, that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith; that you, being rooted and grounded in love, may be able to comprehend with all the saints what is the width and length and depth and height—to know the love of Christ which passes knowledge; that you may be filled with all the fullness of God. Now to Him who is able to do exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that works in us, to Him be glory in the church by Christ Jesus to all generations, forever and ever. Amen." (Ephesians 3:14-21)