Question

58. Philipians 1:27 "NIV:Whatever happens, conduct yourselves in a manner worthy of the gospel of Christ. Then, whether I come and see you or only hear about you in my absence, I will know that you stand firm in the one Spirit, striving together as one for the faith of the gospel" 1. My question is that despite Paul's strong warning to the philipians church and the present Christians,why do we lack one spirit,one mind and with different gospels ? 2. How can we stop this in the church 3.what should we do to mitigate the effect of this divisions. 4. Is the two above possible to achieve ? Thanks.
Asked by: Male, 26-35, Africa on April 22, 2022 6:29:05 pm

Answer

Hello,

Thanks for the time-relevant question!

It certainly is an excellent question where some truths of it hurt the Christian witness to the world. Why do divisions happen? It is due to misinformation taught by perhaps misinformed people. The circulation of misinformation has occurred throughout the last two millennia (1000 years) since Jesus left earth.

So, let's start from the beginning. The book of Acts shows what the beginning churches looked like. It was based on relationships, just as our priority today should be focused on relationships with God and others. It was also based on the study and the focus on the Word of God and prayer (See Acts 2:42-47). Your question is, how did we diverge from that and become a separated church?

At around 325 AD, Rome accepted Christianity to be its national religion. It sounds great, but it also institutionalized what the Church should do. It meant regulations that ALL people in the country must follow. The pragmatic aspect led to the religion-like setting where church attendance meant salvation and that the person was a "Christian." (Isn't it interesting that many "Christians" today believe they are people of faith because of their attendance?)

In the year 1517, Martin Luther began a reformation from the universal church (called the Catholic Church) that it has become too religious and bound by laws, from which Jesus came to free us (Galatians 3:10-14). This reformation was a major division that led to the multiple denominations we have today. Before this, there were other divisions, such as the beginning of monks in monasticism who wanted to go deeper with God where the national faith did not allow it.

The various denominations differ in organizational structure and minor beliefs, such as should a person be immersed in water or sprinkled for baptism. Yet, the differences are often minor and do not cause division in the foundational faith. Yet, due to many cults who claim to be "Christian," unfortunately, we need to review their foundational faiths. For example, Mormons and, at times, the Catholic Church.

Now, back to your question. Assuming you ask about the churches that hold the true faith, what causes divisions among them, and how can we remove them? In many ways, it may not be possible until Jesus returns. Part of me also recognizes that the divisions that exist today may be a blessing of God. People who have experienced life differently can choose to fit into a community that fits them better. That is how the first churches operated—small groups of people similar to each other while also gathering together.

The churches need to go back to their first love, a deep, loving relationship with God and others. When their focuses shift from the attendance mindset, perhaps we can see greater unity in the Church. Yet, we also must recognize the world's influence, such as the business world structuring some of the churches we see today. Money-strapped churches may also hedge in some structures. Some church leaders feel they need to protect their members from other churches due to different teachings. With various reasons why many local churches cause diversification, we can only look to God and ask Him to heal our land.

So, you ask, what can you do? Love God and others deeply. It begins with you and me, from where we are. See how much you can love God with your heart, soul, mind, and strength. Then, as a result, how much you can love others. Perhaps we will see how much we need Jesus, and recognize the body of Christ, the Church of Jesus, needs Him to enable us to do what is impossible.

Answered by Dr. Sang Sur

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