A Blogger from my wife’s home town of Londonderry wrote the
following;
A; ‘That God longs
for the church to be united’.
B; ‘I truly believe that a divided church is a weak one’
When I saw these two statements I immediately thought of
some television programmes concerning the reformation and the history of the
church and I have often mused the concept of why so many denominations?
.
These denominations, all with different worship styles and
different liturgy or no liturgy. Yes, they could all learn from one another as
different denominations do different things differently, some better than
others. But just why are there so many? The blogger wrote, 'I truly believe that a divided church is
a weak one'. Why is it so divided and who
is responsible, after all God is Sovereign?
Before Luther there was primarily but just one church of
Rome, despotic and corrupt as it was. There had been a number of monastic
splits along the way but Luther wanted the church to change and amend it’s ways
and recognise is theological errors but they excommunicated him and so the Reformation
and Protestantism began.
Martin Luther, John Calvin, and Huldrych Zwingli are
considered Magisterial Reformers and from their ministries, other ministries
followed, all with a different emphasis. From ministry to ministry, from person
to person the church expanded.
Was this a failure of man’s ambitions, each one believing that
they knew better than the last? Or did God allow the Church to develop this
way? He is after all Sovereign.
God is a Jealous God and an opinion I have considered is
that He wants all the glory to go to Him and just as the Tower of Babel was
destroyed because man said ‘now we can do anything’ and just as God did not
approve of the dictatorial authoritarian Roman Church at that time, he did not want
one new large Protestant church either.
God knows his people too well and knows they can’t always be
trusted. Mans ambitions exceed God’s purposes. We have seen this in the Mega
Churches where the leader’s Alter ego, alters their vision away from serving God to
serving themselves.
A united church would also be a politically powerful church.
I believe that God wants his purposes to be fulfilled through his almighty
power and not the workings of man. Prayers and supplications should be the
limit of mans achievements allowing God to take His Glory and to be seen to
have been Majestic in His work, throughout His Manifest Purpose.
Yes, men are used by God to be his servants and glorify his
Kingdom. Preachers such as Billy Graham
in recent years have been greatly used. He is a truly humble man who gave all
the Glory to God just as other great preachers in their time have served him faithfully.
In conclusion, the purposes of God are best worked out by
those who seek to do his will wherever they find themselves. Not in dissention,
but a genuine belief that God has called them to do his will within the ‘light’
that God has given them.
Before Luther there was primarily but just one church of Rome, despotic and corrupt as it was.
ReplyDeleteYou answered your own question to why the Christian church is divided: It was built on a lie that Jesus was Devine.
The roots of every child, (who are devine), crack open the slabs laid upon them.
One day they will be taught Jesus was just like every one of them, pushing thru the 2000 year slab of Judaism.
Then, they will drink the new wine made for new wineskins.
Can you give me one clear reason why I should believe your bundle of mindless superstitions which you seem intent to force down my throat over and above any other?
ReplyDeletePerson 1 - How ridiculous a statement! No one is forcing anything down your throat. Even Jesus didn't chase after the rich young ruler when he wouldn't take His advice. Go eat somewhere else so you won't gag on the truth going down your throat and swallow pretty lies instead.
ReplyDeletePsssst. Your banner. "religious", not "religeous".
ReplyDeleteCheers!
Funny how thigs slip the eye. Never was a good copy reader.
Delete