DENOMINATIONALISM AND THE CHURCH 2

DENOMINATIONALISM AND THE CHURCH 2

 

DENOMINATIONALISM as defined in our previous discourse is the grouping of local churches into identifiable units based on the leadership, doctrines and structure. We established that the personality of the founder of a denomination eventually becomes the most important factor. We also hinted at how the growth of the Church of Christ has made it inevitable for denominationalism to evolve especially for ease of organization. We concluded that denominationalism may have come to stay until Christ returns and how that we must learn to live with it in the light of the pattern set by Christ Himself as revealed in Scriptures.

 

Denominationalism began right from the days of Christ on earth. But before we look at that, let us see the days of the apostles after Christ ascended. Please read the scriptures below;

 

1 Cor 1:

10 Now I beseech you, brethren, by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that ye all speak the same thing, and that there be no divisions among you; but that ye be perfectly joined together in the same mind and in the same judgment.

 

11 For it hath been declared unto me of you, my brethren, by them which are of the house of Chloe, that there are contentions among you.

12 Now this I say, that every one of you saith, I am of Paul; and I of Apollos; and I of Cephas; and I of Christ.

13 Is Christ divided? was Paul crucified for you? or were ye baptized in the name of Paul?

14 I thank God that I baptized none of you, but Crispus and Gaius;

15 Lest any should say that I had baptized in mine own name.

16 And I baptized also the household of Stephanas: besides, I know not whether I baptized any other.

 

They did not call it denomination, but they noticed it was dividing them. They also noticed it was built around personalities. As at this time, there were three of them; Paul, Cephas and Apollos. A set of people managed to set aside these three to say they were of Christ (though it was in a divisive manner).

 

At that time, as read in the scriptures above, it appeared as if baptism was the ultimate seal of denominational membership. As if whoever baptized you showed where you belonged. I suspect that baptism or the baptizer started out simply as a means of identifying church groups. For instance, Paul asked some disciples whose baptism they had. See this scripture below;

 

Acts 19:

3 And he said unto them, Unto what then were ye baptized? And they said, Unto John's baptism.

4 Then said Paul, John verily baptized with the baptism of repentance, saying unto the people, that they should believe on him which should come after him, that is, on Christ Jesus.

5 When they heard this, they were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus.

 

So we see here that John's baptism made it easy for Paul to identify those people. Once he knew whose baptism they had, he also identified the core of their doctrine which he termed 'baptism of repentance'. It is the same experience in our days when we know what denomination a person belongs to, we quickly identify under whose teachings (or baptism) has been. We know the person whose baptism is that of Prosperity. We know the person whose baptism is of Holiness. We know others to be of Grace, Wisdom, Miracles and the likes. So the baptism is tied to the baptizer to identify the denomination.

 

We can see that the stage for denominationalism had been effectively set as far back as the days of Paul.

 

Now in the days of Jesus we found denominationalism too. The slight difference is that in the days of Paul, we relate it more to the Church of Christ. in the days of Jesus, there were many rabbis (religious teachers or leaders) who had their own followers. So Jesus was seen to be just one those rabbis who had recently began to make waves in the city of Jerusalem and environs.

 

See what some disciples of John spoke of Jesus Christ;

 

John 3:

25 Then there arose a question between some of John's disciples and the Jews about purifying.

26 And they came unto John, and said unto him, Rabbi, he that was with thee beyond Jordan, to whom thou barest witness, behold, the same baptizeth, and all men come to him

 

We can see here that as soon as the people heard Jesus was baptising people (though Jesus Himself did not baptise. See John 4:1-2), they raised the question about purification. And they felt obliged to let John know that his disciples were leaving for the very man John had introduced. Is that the reason preachers are careful to invite other ministers to preach in their denominations?

 

Baptism traditionally was a purification ritual. God had sent John to baptize ahead of the coming of Christ as a symbol of preparing the people for the move of God. So those disciples wanted to know, maybe, if Jesus was doing the same thing by baptising people.

 

What is most important to this write up, is response of John which Paul also emphasied in the passage we read earlier. He pointed them to Jesus.

 

John said as quoted in the scripture below;

 

John 3:

27 John answered and said, A man can receive nothing, except it be given him from heaven.

28 Ye yourselves bear me witness, that I said, I am not the Christ, but that I am sent before him.

29 He that hath the bride is the bridegroom: but the friend of the bridegroom, which standeth and heareth him, rejoiceth greatly because of the bridegroom's voice: this my joy therefore is fulfilled.

30 He must increase, but I must decrease.

31 He that cometh from above is above all: he that is of the earth is earthly, and speaketh of the earth: he that cometh from heaven is above all.

 

Profound words.

 

He told them it was all about Christ. That His assignment was to point them to Christ and his joy was that they had found Him. He said Christ must continue to take the stage of their hearts above his own (John's) person. How glorious if this is the mind set of leaders of modern day denominations; de-emphasing their person and prestige while promoting vigorously the person of Christ. and the glory. Paul confronted those disciples with this checker; 1 Cor 1:13 '... was Paul crucified for you?...' If Church members can ask whether it was the Pastor that died for them, maybe it will just solve the many unnecessary negative fallout of denominationalism. If preachers would stop acting like they died for the Church, we would not be so divided.

 

We will conclude in the next episode.

 

- Adeolu O V.

DENOMINATIONALISM AND THE CHURCH 1

DENOMINATIONALISM AND THE CHURCH 1
 

DENOMINATION evolved out of the growth of the Church of Jesus Christ. It is not necessarily a bad thing, it serves as a means of identifying groups of Christians in a location led by a minister (supposedly) of Jesus Christ. They have a common name, leadership, doctrines and structure.
 

Denomination is not the church, but it is the easiest way as human to organise ourselves. It was not meant to divide us, but like the denominator that divides a number into fractions, it has done just that to the church.
 

Denomination as a word, is also used to describe the several categories of currency or bank note (or coin) used in a country. But no doubt, it has become more commonly associated with the Church than with Money. Just like Money draws its acceptabilty from the government to be a legal tender, and there is always a possibility of fake currencies to be in circulated, Christian groups (or denominations) draw their 'legality' from the Church. And there is always that possibility of fake churches (no, fake groups; fake denominations).
 

So what is the Church? The Church is an organisation founded by Jesus Christ.

 

This definition might appear too simple for many. But ask a Christian the name of his church (denomination), he mentions the name, and then your mind goes straight to the identify the founder.

 

Okay. The Church is the assembly of the followers of Christ Jesus.

 

I know about Ecclesia. I will come to that shortly. But for now, let us just keep it simple. The Church is (should be) about Jesus Christ.

 

The first time that word appeared in the Bible is traced to the founder Himself; Christ.

 

Matthew 16:

18 And I say also unto thee, That thou art Peter, and upon this rock I will build my church; and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it. 19 And I will give unto thee the keys of the kingdom of heaven: and whatsoever thou shalt bind on earth shall be bound in heaven: and whatsoever thou shalt loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven

 

He was going to set up a structure on earth that would antagonise hell and allign with heaven. This looks like a very serious business.

 

The Church has the capacity to make decisions that are binding- not only on earth, but in heaven also.

 

As if to drive home the seriousness of the set up called 'Church', the next time Church was mentioned (still by the Founder Christ Himself), He said the Church had enough government on earth to legislate or judge the members. See it here;

 

Matthew 17:18

And if he shall neglect to hear them, tell it unto the church: but if he neglect to hear the church, let him be unto thee as an heathen man and a publican.

 

The Church had governmental powers. They were going to operate like a kingdom of people under an authority. Yes, under the authority of the Founder, the Lord Jesus Christ. How was this going to be possible?

 

That was the understanding that even the non Christians in those days had of the Church. See this statement in this scripture;

 

Acts 17:5-7 (KJV)

5 But the Jews which believed not, moved with envy, took unto them certain lewd fellows of the baser sort, and gathered a company, and set all the city on an uproar, and assaulted the house of Jason, and sought to bring them out to the people.

6 And when they found them not, they drew Jason and certain brethren unto the rulers of the city, crying, These that have turned the world upside down are come hither also;

7 Whom Jason hath received: and these all do contrary to the decrees of Caesar, saying that there is another king, one Jesus.

 

The Church was an assembly of people called out (or saved) by the Lord Jesus Christ Himself to be under His authority or lordship. Now that is why Ecclesia is the appropriate Greek word for 'Church'.

 

Ecclesia means 'Called Out Ones'.

 

Ecclesiastes, a book by King Solomon as inspired by God, paints the picture of the Church. The book did not have Twelve Chapters by accident. 12 is the number of the Church.

 

In that book, there is a Preacher. That Preacher

typifies Christ the son of David (See Eccl 1:1). Now that Preacher started out by crying to his audience 'Vanity of vanities; all is vanity'.

 

Indeed if you must compel a people to follow you you must establish the worthlessness of their present engagement and pursuit. That is exactly what the preacher did. And then he ended his (sermon) by saying to the people in the last two verses of the book;

 

13 Let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter: Fear God, and keep his commandments: for this is the whole duty of man.

14 For God shall bring every work into judgment, with every secret thing, whether it be good, or whether it be evil.

 

He was calling people out from the vanities of this world to the realities of God's dominion. Keeping the commandments of God means submitting to the rulership of God.

 

That was what Moses preached to the people who left Egypt. They were called the Church in the wilderness. (Acts 7:38).

 

Having defined the Church, how then did denominationalism set it?

 

Simple. The Church began in Jerusalem officially after Jesus ascended into the heavens and the Holy Spirit was sent from heaven to fill and empower the believer.

 

Then persecution arose upon the church till they people scattered beyond Jerusalem. Now, the Church had to be identified by localities. (Acts 9:31; 13:1, 1 Cor 1:2), They had a common root in Christ but had a common voice speaking from Jerusalem. Now this is what has been replicated and bastardised over a long time.

 

Things got more complex when the apostles were martyred. The Council in Jerusalem was no more and yet the church kept on growing till churches became identified mainly by the personality and the influence of the founder. Each denomination now has a founder that names the group and sets up structures based his own convictions,

 

This sincere move to stay organized in the midst of an explosive growth brought about denomination. Denomination is organic and will continue till Christ returns.

 

We shall consider the template that Jesus provided for us to manage denominationalism while the Church continue to function on earth till He returns.

 

Amen.

 

Adeolu O. V,

LIBERTY v. LICENSE or GRACE v. LASCIVIOUSNESS

LIBERTY v. LICENSE or GRACE v. LASCIVIOUSNESS


Gal 5 (KJV)
13 For, brethren, ye have been CALLED UNTO LIBERTY; only use not liberty for an occasion to the flesh, but by love serve one another.

GRACE is the LIBERTY TO SERVE GOD.

Exo 9 (KJV)
1 Then the Lord said unto Moses, Go in unto Pharaoh, and tell him, Thus saith the Lord God of the Hebrews, LET MY PEOPLE GO, THAT THEY MAY SERVE ME.

Luk 1 (KJV)
74 That he would grant unto us, THAT WE BEING DELIVERED OUT OF THE HAND OF OUR ENEMIES MIGHT SERVE HIM WITHOUT FEAR,
75 In holiness and righteousness before him, all the days of our life.

LASCIVIOUSNESS is the LICENSE TO SERVE SELF.

Gal 5 (KJV)
13 For, brethren, ye have been called unto liberty; only USE NOT LIBERTY FOR AN OCCASION TO THE FLESH, but by love serve one another.

TO WALK IN LIBERTY, YOU MUST DENY SELF.

Luke 9 (KJV)
23 And he said to them all, If any man will come after me, LET HIM DENY HIMSELF, and take up his cross daily, and follow me.

TO WALK IN LASCIVIOUSNESS, YOU MUST DENY THE LORD

Jude (KJV)
4 For there are certain men crept in unawares, who were before of old ordained to this condemnation, ungodly men, TURNING THE GRACE OF OUR GOD INTO LASCIVIOUSNESS, AND DENYING THE ONLY LORD GOD, AND OUR LORD JESUS CHRIST.

2 Peter 2 (KJV)
2 But there were false prophets also among the people, even as there shall be false teachers among you, who privily shall bring in damnable heresies, EVEN DENYING THE LORD THAT BOUGHT THEM, and bring upon themselves swift destruction.

VERDICT:

For a child of God; believer in Christ Jesus, to walk in lasciviousness, he would first DENY THE LORD.

DENYING THE LORD for a Saved Person is not so easy.

It means DISOWNING YOUR SAVIOUR.
It means UNDOING YOUR SALVATION.

2 Tim 2 (KJV)
10 Therefore I endure all things for the elect's sakes, that they may also obtain the salvation which is in Christ Jesus with eternal glory.
11 It is a faithful saying: For if we be dead with him, we shall also live with him:
12 If we suffer, we shall also reign with him: if we deny him, he also will deny us:
13 If we believe not, yet he abideth faithful: he cannot deny himself.

See? DENYING HIM means 'BELIEVE NOT'.

DENYING HIM means YOU STOPPED TAKING UP YOUR CROSS (your own personal experience of Christ's finished work).
It means YOU STOPPED FOLLOWING CHRIST.
DENYING HIM means YOU BEGAN TO TRUST IN YOUR SELF AND NOT THE LORD.

This is the REAL REASON SINCERE BELIEVERS GO INTO ERROR. THEY HAVE FALLEN FROM GRACE.

Read this scripture.

Galatians 5:3-5New English Translation (NET Bible)
3 And I testify again to every man who lets himself be circumcised that he is obligated to obey the whole law. 4 You who are trying to be declared righteous by the law have been alienated from Christ; you have fallen away from grace! 5 For through the Spirit, by faith, we wait expectantly for the hope of righteousness.

TAKE NOTE OF THE ISSUE OF 'CIRCUMCISION' and read the scripture below,

Philippians 3:2-4 (KJV)
2 Beware of dogs, beware of evil workers, beware of the concision.
3 For we are the circumcision, which worship God in the spirit, and rejoice in Christ Jesus, AND
HAVE NO CONFIDENCE IN THE FLESH.
4 Though I might also have confidence in the flesh. If any other man thinketh that he hath whereof he might trust in the flesh, I more:

CIRCUMCISION IN THE FLESH is the epitome of confidence in self outside of Christ's finished works.

Phil 3 (KJV)
9 AND BE FOUND IN HIM, NOT HAVING MINE OWN RIGHTEOUSNESS, which is of the law, BUT THAT WHICH IS THROUGH THE FAITH OF CHRIST, THE RIGHTEOUSNESS WHICH IS OF GOD BY FAITH:

RECOMMENDATION AND CONCLUSION:

1. STANDING AND WALKING IN LIBERTY IS STANDING AND WALKING IN GRACE.
2. IF YOU TRUST IN FLESH YOU WILL WALK IN LASCIVIOUSNESS
‪#‎midnightblues‬
‪#‎2016ismyyearofGraceforGrace‬
‪#‎expectmore‬
‪#‎helpingtheignorant‬
‪#‎stayinGrace‬
‪#‎Amen‬

- Adeolu O. V

 

LIKE KING SOLOMON 1

King Solomon lived the kind of life I long to live. He simply had it all going for him.

Born into a wealthy home; born into royalty. And just then he took wealth and royalty to another level entirely.

He became the benchmark of lifestyle for all times.

I want to live like Solomon lived. This life of mine; I want to enjoy every bit of it.

But then, aside being born by a king- which for me, it is too late to claim- what can I learn from King Solomon?

How did he come about so great a living?

Okay, let us forgive him for being born by the king, because I was not. Solomon was not the first heir known to the world. His dad was not even the first king of Israel. So, it is hardly about his father being the king. It was about his father being David.

A quick look at the person of David and his values shows why it was very likely he produced a Solomon.

David loved God.

God loved David.

God actually said this concerning David.

'I have found David the son of Jesse, a man after mine own heart, which shall fulfil all my will' Act 13:22

God said concerning a man that the man gave Him real pleasure. There was a real romance between God and David. It was like marriage. Hear again what God said about David;

'If ye can break my covenant of the day, and my covenant of the night, and that there should not be day and night in their season;²¹ Then may also my covenant be broken with David my servant' Jer 33:20-21.


God never said that about any man.
Okay. This should be about Solomon, not David. But just how do you begin to understand Solomon outside David?
Solomon as a concept, came about when David and God were having one of their private moments. David had suddenly realized that he was living in a furnished apartment already and God's ark was still in a tent. Pronto, he sprang to action. He must build God a far better house than the one he dwelled it. In fact, it must be world class building for His God. So God had to politely turn David down, explaining to him why he could not have the luxury. God told David he had shed too much blood to be a builder of His house. , God was not blaming David for it. He Himself is a 'Man of War', and David suited Him well in that role. But certain spiritual principles would deny David that unique privilege. However, God made a promise to David. That his own son would build that dream house for the ark of God's covenant. That was how Solomon was conceived. Oh dear.
But embedded in that discussion, was a higher promise. God was talking eternally too and David knew. The Messiah would come from the lineage of David who would build God's house- or Church. Oh lovely.
So David was one major secret of Solomon.
Oh, how I love to be the David to my son. How I long to be his very model and mentor. For Solomon, who else in the whole wide world was worthy of emulation than his own father? I just want to love God like that, that the heat from my embrace with God be strong enough to warm his way. That the glow from my walk with God be bright enough to light his path. That I would have fought all the battles at least, that he may live life on the highest plain.
So Solomon had a father. A worthy father.
Then Solomon asked for wisdom.
What is wisdom? Wisdom is an understanding heart.
2 Chronicle 1¹⁰ Give me now wisdom and knowledge, that I may go out and come in before this people: for who can judge this thy people, that is so great?
1 King 3⁹ Give therefore thy servant an understanding heart to judge thy people, that I may discern between good and bad: for who is able to judge this thy so great a people?


It is not that God gave him wisdom that struck me here. It is that he asked for it.
Or let me take it further back. Something else struck me more than the 'wisdom' that made him ask for wisdom.
It is the 'wisdom' that made him bring God to that point where God would tell him 'ask anything'. After all, it was not the first time anyone would offer God a sacrifice.

So Solomon had wisdom before he asked for wisdom.


We will continue next time.
Good morning.

- Adeolu Olumodeji

JESUS THE PROFESSIONAL; THE PHILANTHROPIST

1. Jesus was a Great Carpenter. Mark 6³ Is not this the carpenter, the son of Mary, the brother of James, and Joses, and of Juda, and Simon? and are not his sisters here with us? And they were offended at him. Spiritualize your work sometimes or give spiritual meaning to what you do daily. It helps you value it and further dignifies it.                                       Zechariah¹⁹ And I said unto the angel that talked with me, What be these? And he answered me, These are the horns which have scattered Judah, Israel, and Jerusalem.²⁰ And the Lord shewed me four carpenters. (craft men. skilled workers. blacksmith. work men. etc)
   ²¹ Then said I, What come these to do? And he spake, saying, These are the horns which have scattered Judah, so that no man did lift up his head: but these are come to fray them, to cast out the horns of the Gentiles, which lifted up their horn over the land of Judah to scatter it.
   
2. Jesus was a Great Teacher.  John 3 There was a man of the Pharisees, named Nicodemus, a ruler of the Jews:² The same came to Jesus by night, and said unto him, Rabbi, we know that thou art a teacher come from God: “Sir,” he said, “we all know that God has sent you to teach us. “Rabbi, we all know you’re a teacher straight from God. Rabbi, we know that You have come from God as a teacher. “Teacher, we know that you are a teacher sent from God. “Rabbi (Teacher), we know [without any doubt] that You have come from God as a teacher; for no man can do these miracles that thou doest, except God be with him. Read Ecclesiastes 12:8-11.
   
   
3. Jesus was a Great Lawyer. 1 John 1My little children, these things write I unto you, that ye sin not. And if any man sin, we have an advocate with the Father, we have an Advocate [who will intercede for us]. Jesus Christ always does the right thing, and he will speak to the Father for us. we have a ·helper [counselor; advocate; Rom. 8:34] in the presence of the Father. But if you sin, there is someone to plead for you before the Father. Jesus Christ the righteous: He must be damn good to beat all the lawyers of His time in arguments. Remember Him at age 12? Luke 2:46, 47. Lawyers from all over the land. Luke 5:16-18. He had to make a good case. Oh Glory! Eating with sinners. Luke 5:30. Healing on Sabbath. Luke 6:7. Etc.
   
4. Jesus was a Great Doctor. Yes He was a Healer. You see, one of Jesus's follower was Dr. Luke. What Matthew and Peter would call 'miracle', Luke called 'healing'. Miracles are instantaneous and mysterious; healings are procedural and gradual. There are too many remedies than there are maladies. God only need doctors who have a heart to serve humanity. Hallelujah. And no case was too bad for Him to redeem. You, you are a doctor. Your own is to toy with people's lives and come out saying 'I'm sorry, we tried our best'. You are a damboroba kobani! Laughs. Can patients come to your hospital and say 'Heal me and I shall be healed...' ? Jeremiah 17:14. Some times, some people's healing comes by soothing words 'He sent his word, and healed them...' Psalms 107:20. Matthew 4:24 And his fame went throughout all Syria: and they brought unto him all sick people that were taken with divers diseases and torments, and those which were possessed with devils, and those which were lunatick, and those that had the palsy; and he healed them. Mark 6:13 And they cast out many devils, and anointed with oil many that were sick, and healed them. If I were a doctor, I will use anointing oil a lot o. Ehen. 
   
   
5. Jesus was a Great Philanthropist. This one came by fire. This is what your end on this earth should be like. Give, Give. Give. Amen. State the Dangote, GwD, KBI example. State the Rockefeller example. Matthew7⁷ Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you:⁸ For every one that asketh receiveth; and he that seeketh findeth; and to him that knocketh it shall be opened. Feeding of Five Thousand Matthew 14:21 Feeding of Four Thousand Matthew 15:38.
   
   - Pastor Adeolu Olumodeji

#rawfrommysermonotes