Not 'Churches together' but the 'Church together’

If churches decide to work together it can only be on a superficial basis, as their rules, regulations, red tape etc. prevent them from being able to be completely surrendered to the will of God and to serve His purpose

Source: Lexington Baptist Church

What do you think of when you hear the term 'churches together'? Does it fill you with hope that at last churches of different denominations are coming together to work with each other where they can, to be able in some way to serve the community? Does it make you want to get involved so you can do your part? Whatever your thoughts are at this point, ask yourself this; is it scriptural? Is this what Jesus meant when He prayed in John 17:20-23 ‘My prayer is not for them alone. I pray also for those who will believe in Me through their message, that all of them may be one, Father, just as You are in Me and I am in You. May they also be in us so that the world may believe that You have sent Me. I have given them the glory that you gave Me, that they may be one as we are one— I in them and You in Me—so that they may be brought to complete unity. Then the world will know that You sent Me and have loved them even as You have loved Me’.

What do you think Jesus meant when He prayed to the Father ‘that they may be one as we are one - I in them and You in Me - so that they may be brought to complete unity’? Was it so that we as one could become so caught up in our own sense of self-importance that we thought we could do a better job of things here on earth than God could? After all it was man who decided that splitting the church by creating different denominations with different ideas and countless unbiblical rules, regulations, red tape and bureaucracy was a good way to go. Look how that's turned out! This is why if churches decide to work together it can only be on a superficial basis, as their rules, regulations, red tape etc. prevent them from being able to be completely surrendered to the will of God and to serve His purpose, so that His Kingdom can come and His will be done on earth as it is in Heaven.

Source: https://uk.pinterest.com/tinkee1/church/

Or was it that Jesus saw the mess we were going to make of it all, and that just maybe He was talking about the 'church' being brought to complete unity, not 'churches'. After all, if you know Christ as your Lord and Saviour do you not belong to the Church which is described in Colossians 1:17-18 which says 'He is before all things, and in Him all things hold together. And He is the Head of the body, the church; He is the beginning and the firstborn from among the dead, so that in everything He might have the supremacy’? Notice the scripture says 'He’ (that is Christ Jesus, and not a man elected sinner), ‘is the Head of the body, the church', also note the scripture also says 'church' not 'churches'. Isn't it therefore about time we took our hands off the church and once again let Jesus have complete supremacy over His body the church, and allow Him to hold us all together?

Wouldn't it be amazing if we saw a revival of 'church together' actually happening, so that Ephesians 2:17-22 which says 'He came and preached peace to you who were far away and peace to those who were near. For through Him we both have access to the Father by one Spirit. Consequently, you are no longer foreigners and strangers, but fellow citizens with God’s people and also members of His household, built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, with Christ Jesus Himself as the chief cornerstone. In Him the whole building is joined together and rises to become a holy temple in the Lord. And in Him you too are being built together to become a dwelling in which God lives by His Spirit.' along with the prayer of Jesus for the church in John 17 could be fulfilled in our time. How awesome would that be?

Sadly I believe this will not happen easily with many of the established churches, as they appear to have their own agenda's, are ingrained doctrinally and love to show they are working ecumenically to tick all the right boxes. They will never surrender these or the chattels they have built up around them for anybody, including God. I do pray that the leaders of fellowships and all the congregations who are 'born again' believers, will prepare themselves for the battle and the victory that is theirs in Christ Jesus, surrender their will to God's will, and live as bond servant's of Christ, coming together as His church to establish and advance His Kingdom here on earth as it is in Heaven, so that as the scripture states above; ‘In Him the whole building is joined together and rises to become a holy temple in the Lord. And in Him you too are being built together to become a dwelling in which God lives by His Spirit’.

Time is running out, the end of all time is near, so let us not procrastinate and let us come together as one body, the church...Now. Not 'churches together' but the 'church together'. To God be the glory for ever and ever. Amen.

Author: Kevin Hunt

May God bless and enrich your life

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