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Introduction:
I don’t know about you, but one of the character defects I have
is to read the Scriptures to learn how they apply to everyone else
and forgetting God gave them to me to apply to me. One passage
that quickly comes to mind with which I have been guilty of this
is Ephesians
4:4-6. I have taught many times from this passage against
denominationalism. Certainly, there is application there. However,
keep in mind when Paul wrote Ephesians
4:4-6 there were no denominations. He did not have
denominationalism in mind. Instead, he was fighting against
division within the church as it existed. In fact, though he spoke
of the church universal, he was making application to the local
congregation at Ephesus. He was encouraging them to be united. He
was encouraging them to be one body. With that in mind, instead of
looking at the evils of denominationalism, I want us to look
squarely at ourselves. We’ll consider the concept of the
universal church for a few moments but then look at the context to
see what the members of the local congregation must do to allow
each congregation to be a miniature representation of that one
universal body. Discussion: I.
Though there are numerous religious bodies in existence,
there is only one universal body belonging to Christ. According to
Matthew
16:18, Jesus was going to establish His church, not His
churches. One. Singular. It was not to be splintered into numerous
sects and denominations. In fact, the splintering and dividing has
not changed that there is only one body. Do not misunderstand. I
am not saying all those divisions and denominations make up the
one body. The one body is not made up of sects, denominations or
divisions. Additionally, the one body is not made up of all the
local bodies. The one universal body of Christ is made up of the
individual Christians God has added to His church (cf. Acts
2:47; Colossians 1:13). II.
If we are not part of Christ’s one body, being part of
some church or some religious organization does us absolutely no
good. We should not rest upon membership in a local church.
Rather, we should endeavor to be part of the universal body of the
elect and saved. III.
Paul provides six qualifications to be part of the one
body. If these things are not true for us, we are not part of the
one body no matter how many religious organizations we are part
of. A.
We must be led by the one Spirit (cf. Romans
8:14; Galatians 5:16, 25). If our spirituality is led by
anything other than the one Spirit, we are not in the one body. B.
We must rest in the one hope of our calling (cf. Ephesians
1:18-19; I Peter 1:3-5). If our hope is anything other
than resurrection through Jesus Christ, we are not part of the one
body. C.
We must submit to the one Lord (cf. Luke
6:46). If we do not do what Jesus says, we are not part of
the one body. D.
We must be growing in the one faith (Jude
1:3). If we are growing in something other than the faith
delivered through the apostles by the revelation of Jesus Christ,
we are not growing in the one body. E.
We must enter through the one baptism (Acts
2:38). If we were baptized in any way other than immersion
in water for the remission of sins or not baptized at all, we are
not part of the one body. F.
We must worship and be empowered by the one God and Father
of all (I
Corinthians 12:6). If we worship, seek or gain strength
from anything or anyone other than the one God and Father of all,
we are not part of the one body. Conclusion:
Again,
keep this in mind. This body exists and there is only one. There
is one for every age, race, gender, socio-economic class,
politics, level of intelligence, background (cf. Galatians
3:28). This is important for everyone, including us, to
understand. We are not part of this one body because we are
members of any particular congregation. We are not part of this
one body because we are members of a congregation that has
“church of Christ” written on its sign or letterhead. We are
part of this one body when the above six requirements are part of
our lives. Yes, we should also be part of a local congregation but
being part of that local congregation does not make us part of the
Lord’s one universal body. Are you part of it? Enter through the one baptism today.
Glory
to God in the church by Christ Jesus
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