We were talking in a recent article about how men are trying to organize the church and unify it on human principles rather than accepting the fact that God's church is one even now, and through the Spirit in unity with His Body the work of saving the world has begun and will continue without political force.
It is the Father's intention to continue answering the prayer of His Son in John 17, making people one in Him as He is in the Son. This is true spiritual unity. An externally "United Church" with no opposition was experienced by the planet from the days of Constantine until the Reformation was in full swing. About 1000 years. Not a pretty sight.
Never has Jesus been ignored by the Father in prayer. Jesus prayed the perfect will of the Father and therefore all His prayers were answered, including the phrase, "that they may be one." Yes, that prayer was heard and we humans can stop trying to put the church together. There is one church. It defies description. But it exists in unity with the Father, as the Father and Son have unity. Theirs is not a physical unity because the Father is not physical.
John 17:20-21. How will the later disciples, like us, ever hear of and believe in Christ? Through the Word of the apostles. How will that Word go out? Through unity of Christ with them and in them. He does not say that [external] unity brings people to Christ. He is talking about the Spirit bringing people to Christ. When God and His people are of the right Spirit, the Holy Spirit, that Spirit will reach to a fallen world, calling out His own through men. He prays for our communion with the Godhead, the same communion He had, so that we, Spirit-filled believers, will touch our world.
Collectively, that which the Spirit fills is Christ on the earth today. We start from a position of unity and are perfected from there. We are not striving for unity with God and therefore with each other. The unity already exists. Churches may split. The Church cannot. Denominations may form. The unity continues. Rome, pagan or papal, may rise and control the masses (in more ways than one). But Christ knows His own and His church remains defined by the Spirit, not the Emperor, or any other human leader.
Oh we long for the day when the current world regime moves aside and makes way for new things. We long for Christ to have His rightful place, for people to breathe free and drink in Christ. But we must step aside and allow the Spirit of God to call whom He will to get this task done, not assume that human organizing will do it.
Oh, God, breathe Your Spirit on Your true Church and raise them up from all the earth's peoples, even now, as You choose. May we not be in the way, but following Your Way. May we not assume You need us but may we not be disobedient when we hear Your call.
Amen
http://chosunhouse.com is a website I put together a few months back to get the word out to believers that they need to pray for North Korea. Just about every day I'm writing a blog featuring some news, a book, or a story of North Korea. There's a live news feed on the site, lists of resources, picture essays, and ways to respond to the overwhelming need in North Korea. Let's love Chosun together!
And who am I? A man found of God over 50 years ago, called to the ministry, serving the Lord as needed in my world. Married, member of a local church in the Chicago area, with full time work in public education. Who are you? Would love to fellowship with believers who respond on my site.
Backup Plans Feel Good
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