We Are United in Christ

Arguments and debates about doctrine and interpretations of scripture usually divide more than unite. We must understand that as the Church, we are united in Christ.

Estimated reading time: 9 minutes

Downloads and Links

Watch the video of this teaching at https://www.celllifechurch.tv/we-are-united-in-christ/ or on our YouTube channel at https://youtu.be/lL4-8TDpcg0

Introduction

Recently we have received many messages and comments on our teachings wanting to know which denominational doctrine we follow or which theologian we ascribe to. These questions are usually only posed by people who wish to divide the Church and raise their own level of importance or feel more important. Simply put, we follow Jesus and his teachings. We believe Jesus started the Church and is the head of it.

We often talk about the concept of One Church. The fact that we are all part of the body of Christ and are one church despite the denominational and doctrinal lines we draw ourselves toand divide us. This is nothing new. Even in Jesus’ day, the Jews had different sects or factions that Jesus was able to use to his favor. There were the Pharisees and the Sadducees. There was a doctrinal disagreement between the two that separated them, though they worshipped together and served God together. Of course, they also crucified Christ together, but that’s another topic.

When Jesus ascended almost 2000 years ago, he left behind apostles and disciples to preach the gospel and make more disciples, thereby growing the Church; the one Church. He didn’t give them instructions to divide up doctrinally. He told them to go and make disciples by spreading the gospel throughout the land. Over time it is mankind who has created all these divisions and doctrinal lines, well-intentioned or not. It is also mankind who has been the one to start arguing over who is right and who is wrong over these doctrinal differences, not unlike when the Pharisees and Sadducees started arguing over the concept of resurrection.

We believe the Church could do so much more for the Lord in his name if we stopped arguing and debating and focusing on minor doctrinal differences and started doing exactly what Jesus told us to do, the way he showed us to do it. The world is getting more and more difficult to practice Christianity the way we have over the past centuries. The idea of building bigger buildings and paying for advertising on bigger billboards is coming to an end. The more we focus on attendance, donations, and building size, we will lose more ground in the spiritual war being waged all around us. We are being separated spiritually by the enemy of our soul and will be easier to conquer that way. We must be united in Christ.

Jesus’ Church

We are here to tell you today that that is not the church Jesus started. Now we can’t go back in time. We can, however, make some changes and get back to the plan Jesus has for the Church. With that, we want to look at Ephesians chapter 4. Ephesians is a great book of instruction for a growing church. It contains all sorts of great wisdom for growing groups and congregations as they serve their communities. Chapter 4 also really cements the thought of a unified church body, not a fractured one.

Let’s read Ephesians 4:1-7

Ephesians 4:1-7

(1)  As a prisoner for the Lord, then, I urge you to live a life worthy of the calling you have received.  (2)  Be completely humble and gentle; be patient, bearing with one another in love.  (3)  Make every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace.  (4)  There is one body and one Spirit, just as you were called to one hope when you were called;  (5)  one Lord, one faith, one baptism;  (6)  one God and Father of all, who is over all and through all and in all.  (7)  But to each one of us grace has been given as Christ apportioned it.

The Apostle Paul clearly starts this portion of his letter to the church in Ephesus giving simple instructions on how they ought to act and why. He starts by urging them to live a life worthy of the calling they have received. Friends, when you said yes to Jesus’ invitation for forgiveness and salvation you were adopted into the family of God. You took on the name of God as anyone does when they are adopted into a family. Live worthy of the name you have taken on; that of Christian. Don’t do or say anything that will reflect poorly on the Lord. And when you do, because none of us is perfect, repent immediately and ask for forgiveness. Jesus is faithful to forgive you, in the name of the Father.

That’s not easy to do, and we can’t do it in our own power or ability. It takes the Holy Spirit living and working in us every day. Once again, Paul shares how we do these things. We’re supposed to be gentle and patient, loving each other as brothers and sisters because we are. We have all been adopted into the family of God. He tells us to make every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit. He even tells us how to do that. He says to do that by keeping the peace with our brothers and sisters in the Lord.

Paul then points out what many church leaders don’t want to hear today. They want to focus on their group and ignore the rest. They want to only minister to their own and not the ones they disagree with. Verse 4 of Ephesians chapter 4 starts, “There is one body”. There is one body, friends. That is one Church or one Bride of Christ.

We are united in Christ and we need to act that way and live that way. We need to preach and teach that way. The arguing over minor doctrinal differences must stop and we must celebrate the eternal life we have all received through Christ Jesus. We must understand that we are united in Christ.

Servant Leaders

If you have been with us for long, or are part of a Cell Life Church ministry somewhere in the world, verses 11 and 12 of Ephesians chapter 4 should be quite familiar to you. Ephesians 4:11-12 says:

Ephesians 4:11-12

(11)  So Christ himself gave the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, the pastors and teachers,  (12)  to equip his people for works of service, so that the body of Christ may be built up

This is a cornerstone piece of scripture for Cell Life Church and we preach it often. Whenever we have the opportunity to teach pastors and church leaders, this is foundational for our teaching.

Church leaders, you have a responsibility and biblical mandate to equip the people you have been entrusted to lead so they can effectively go into all the world and preach the gospel and make disciples. That is your first and most important priority with respect to ministry. When we, as church leaders, effectively build up the people God has entrusted us to lead, the church is built up.

Let’s look at the next verse though. Because this instruction for us has a limit when it is no longer necessary. Let’s read verse 13.

Ephesians 4:13

(13)  until we all reach unity in the faith and in the knowledge of the Son of God and become mature, attaining to the whole measure of the fullness of Christ.

In other words, our role as church leaders only lasts until the people we are leading reach unity with the rest of the body and mature in Christ. Many church leaders do not lead their people to spiritual maturity. They prefer to keep their people dependent on them their whole lives. Much like a mother who refuses to allow her grown children to make their own decisions. This is not biblical! You should be teaching and equipping the people in your groups and congregations to pray, study the Bible, and serve on their own as they grow in Christ. Unfortunately, the more we focus on building bigger buildings, attracting more people, or raising more money, teaching and equipping our people becomes counterproductive to those goals.

When our primary focus is on Christ and giving him all the glory, it is easy. When our primary focus starts to try and keep some of the glory for ourselves, especially in the form of pride, we miss the mark and our efforts will be our own, not those of the Lord.

Church, this leadership model is nothing new. When we go back to Moses in Exodus chapter 18, we read about his service to all of Israel and how overwhelming it was. He was not a dictator. He was merely a prophet speaking for the Lord. At one point, Moses is so overwhelmed with the day-to-day duties of leading all of Israel and mediating their squabbles and arguments, his father-in-law speaking with the Spirit of the Lord, told him to appoint wise elders to hear these arguments and squabbles and mediate between them. Moses was not a dictator. He was the chief servant of the Lord. Servant leaders help the Church be united in Christ.

The Church Will Grow

The point of all this is found in the next 3 verses of Ephesians chapter 4. Ephesians 4:14-16 says:

Ephesians 4:14-16

(14)  Then we will no longer be infants, tossed back and forth by the waves, and blown here and there by every wind of teaching and by the cunning and craftiness of people in their deceitful scheming.  (15)  Instead, speaking the truth in love, we will grow to become in every respect the mature body of him who is the head, that is, Christ.  (16)  From him the whole body, joined and held together by every supporting ligament, grows and builds itself up in love, as each part does its work.

That is the result of following Jesus’ plan for growing the Church, that is His Body. The people who have taken on the name Christian will no longer be like infants. We will no longer be tossed back and forth by popular teachings and the cunningness of the devil. We will be able to discern the devil’s tactics and point them out to others. We will see the dangers of new teachings that are not based on scripture in its entirety but based on twisting small pieces of scripture and taking them out of context. We will speak the truth in love and will grow to respect one another as we grow together loving Christ as our head. Each member will do their part, trusting everyone else will be doing their part, and the whole of the Church, that is the Body of Christ, will grow and the devil will hasten to defeat. This is a Church that is united in Christ.

Conclusion

Friends, we won’t stop saying it, preaching it, or teaching it. We are one Church. We are united in Christ. This is the Church that Jesus is building that the gates of Hell cannot stand against. A mature body of believers who have the wisdom and joy of the Lord and the patience to act when and how the Lord asks.

The Church is not buildings or individual great evangelists or preachers with many followers. The Church is a living growing mature group that follows Jesus, worships God, and lives in the Spirit. We do not argue doctrine. We approach life humbly and with reverence for God, showing people who God is through our words and actions. We are one Church and we are united in Christ.

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