Those that have a relationship with the Lord. Those that have experienced God. Those that are striving to live a life in obedience to God, this column is for you!
Today's subject is... UNITY IN THE BODY OF CHRIST.
A major part of the "ineffectiveness of the church is lack of unity! Pastoral leaders using the God given privilege and platform to spread their own ideals, creating a world around them that celebrates and reveres them, rather than revering the one true God and the Christ Jesus!
There is only but one Lord, one Faith, one baptism. But you wouldn't know it by the many "false prophets". You wouldn't know it by the "wolves in sheep's clothing" that is deep in the midst of the church, which is supposed to be the "body of Christ".
Many Pastoral leaders who have their own agenda, for years tearing down the very thing that God ordained and that is...THE CHURCH! I'm not going to go into how because I don't want to paint pictures into people minds who may be reading this article and unaware. But for those who are truly in the Body of Christ and AREA NOT blind, you understand where I'm going from!
But let's not also forget the many congregants that lack unity as well. They go to the "church house", gossipping, lying, stealing, just being mischievous and carrying their own agenda as well! Christians tearing each other down because of jealousy and such! I guess if one person doesn't like someone in the body, then others can't either?
Some Christians are sitting in the body, giving satan a foothold. Sure, they come to church regularly! They even come to Bible study and volunteer in the church, but they are also some of the people, who keep up the mess in the church! Those who are spreading mess about whose sleeping with whom and whose marriage is breaking up. Those are many of the "I heard", people. They say, "I heard that the Pastor This, the first lady that, that congregant over there is...."I heard that she...that they live in a basement! You go to confide in someone in leadership only to have them spread your business around and not out of concern! It's sad really. I mean it is REALLY! SO SAD!
Yes! Lack of unity in many cases is caused by leadership and spreading all the way down to the congregants and from the congregants all the way to the leadership! Female leadership sitting at a church function ripping other female congregants apart, talking negatively about their shoes, their hair, asking if someone is a lesbian or not! Tearing down their own congregants in one of their cackling sessions.
A few male congregants and even male leadership (in the history of the church) have used and abused their power against female and male members. Leadership stemming from the Vatican all the way down to the small town Southern Preacher with stops in between to the big city preachers and congregations! Many supporting each other in wrong living. Even still, many church leaders have tongue lashed members who leave, with harsh words and guilt trips RATHER THAN step down out of the church position themselves. They have yet to hold accountable guilty leadership under them, or any congregant who cause division in the church!Then they wonder why people are leaving the church in droves!
All this bad behaviour leads to division, lack of unity amongst the body.
I always tell you what Bible I'm using just so you know where I am getting my Scriptures and other pertinent information.
I use a Life Application Study Bible, N.I.V. (New International Version)
Tyndale House Publishers Inc.
Wheaton, Illinois
EPHESIANS 4:1-6
(v.1) "As a prisoner for the Lord, then, I urge you to live a life worthy of the calling you have received. (v.2) Be completely humble and gentle; be patient, bearing with one another in love.(v.3) Make every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace. (v.4) There is one body and one Spirit-just as you were called to one hope when you were called--
--(v.5) one Lord, one faith, one baptism; (v.6) one God and Father of all, who is over all and through all and in all.
Footnotes are below this article
Thanks, Meetta
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