Jesus
wants all
Denominations
to act in
Unity

[jcunity.jpg]

(Guess Again)

Some people assume that Jesus would love to see all the various Christian
    denominations we find today come together in perfect unity.   Some will go as far as
    claiming that Jesus specifically prayed for this unity when He said to His heavenly
Father:

"...And now I am no more in the world, but these [Christians] are in the world, and I
come to thee.   Holy Father, keep through thine own name those whom thou hast given
me, THAT THEY MAY BE ONE, as we are." John 17:11

Now, it's true that Jesus doesn't want disagreement among the brethren.   He doesn't want
born again Christians fighting among themselves while the world literally goes to Hell.
However, to say that Jesus wants unity among the different denominations goes totally
contrary to the verse we just read.   Let's read it again, only this time notice the major
stipulation Jesus assigns to His request:

"...Holy Father, keep through thine own name those whom thou hast given me, that
they may be one, AS WE ARE." John 17:11

Did you notice the last three little words?   Do you understand the full meaning of the phrase,
"AS WE ARE"?   In verse 22 of the same chapter, He says it again: "...And the glory
which thou gavest me I have given them [Christians]; that they may be one, EVEN AS
WE ARE ONE." John 17:22

You see, when Jesus prayed for unity, He wanted a unity MODELED after the unity He had
(and still has) with God the Father.   They were in agreement in every way imaginable. Jesus
said so Himself: "I AND MY FATHER ARE ONE." John 10:30

In fact, Jesus believed, said, and taught EXACTLY what the Father did. THEY SHARED
THE SAME DOCTRINE: "Then said Jesus unto them, When ye have lifted up the Son
of man, then shall ye know that I am he, and that I DO NOTHING OF MYSELF; but
as MY FATHER HATH TAUGHT ME, I SPEAK THESE THINGS." John 8:28

Likewise, anything that Christians believe, say, or teach, should be done with the same
perfect doctrinal agreement that existed between Jesus and His Father, which brings us to
this simple question:

How can the various denominations come together in unity when
they each believe and teach different doctrines?

Doctrine is an important part of Christianity.   Its teaching that mankind fell into sin and God,
     sacrificially, had to save him is unique.   By contrast, all major religions teach some form of
works; something the person must do in order to merit Heaven.   However, true Christianity is the
only one that teaches that one is saved by placing their trust (i.e. Faith) in the fact that Jesus
Christ has already paid for their sins when He died on the cross.   "Neither is there SALVATION
in any other: for there is NONE OTHER NAME under heaven given among men, whereby
we must be SAVED." Acts 4:12

Unfortunately, most "Christian" denominations today place an unscriptural emphasis on a
person's baptism as a means to their salvation.   Subsequently, the vast majority of professing
Christians are trusting in "the name of baptism," and the fact that they were baptized, rather than
trusting in the death and shed blood of Jesus Christ.   But Jesus warned: "I said therefore unto
you, that ye shall DIE IN YOUR SINS: for if ye believe not that I AM HE [The only means
of salvation], ye shall die in your sins." John 8:24

Ask yourself, why didn't Jesus get along with the Scribes and the Pharisees, the religious
leaders of His time?   Why didn't He, for the sake of unity, ignore their doctrinal differences?
After all, wasn't it the same Jehovah God they were all worshiping?   But Jesus didn't do
that, did He?   In fact, read the Gospels and you'll see Him, time and time again, rebuking
them for teaching a different doctrine from His.   On one occasion, He said to them:

"Ye HYPOCRITES, well did Esaias prophesy of you, saying, This people draweth nigh
unto me with their mouth, and honoureth me WITH THEIR LIPS; but their heart is far
from me.   But in vain they do worship me, TEACHING FOR DOCTRINES THE
COMMANDMENTS OF MEN." Mat. 15:7-9

Their doctrine was so far removed from what Christ was teaching, that Jesus told them:
"...Thus have YE made the commandment of Cod OF NONE EFFECT BY YOUR
TRADITION." Mat. 15:6

The Pharisees' doctrine contained many manmade TRADITIONS that were never part of
God's Word.   (Sound familiar?)   Their "denomination" taught the wrong things, which
resulted in Hell for their followers.   No, Jesus had no intention of establishing unity with
them.   On the contrary, He told His disciples:

"LET THEM ALONE: they be blind leaders of the blind.   And if the blind lead the blind,
BOTH SHALL FALL INTO THE DITCH." Mat. 15:14

You could say that when it comes to doctrine, Jesus is a separatist.   And He taught His
disciples to be the same way.   For example, after His ascension into Heaven, the Bible
says: "And they [the disciples] CONTINUED STEDFASTLY IN THE APOSTLES'
DOCTRINE and fellowship, and in breaking of bread, and in prayers." Acts 2:42

And because they practiced doctrinal separation and would not compromise, nor unify
themselves with anything other than the apostles' doctrine, the Bible says:

"And all that believed were together, and had ALL THINGS COMMON; And they,
continuing daily with ONE ACCORD in the temple, and breaking bread from house to
house, did eat their meat with gladness and SINGLENESS OF HEART." Acts 2:44-46

Common sense tells you unity is not possible when there are doctrinal differences.   The
Old Testament even says:

"CAN TWO WALK TOGETHER, EXCEPT THEY BE AGREED?" Amos 3:3

The answer is, OF COURSE NOT!   One will point you to Heaven while the other will take
you to Hell.   That's why the Bible, emphatically, teaches: "Now I beseech you, brethren,
MARK THEM which cause divisions and offences CONTRARY TO THE DOCTRINE
which ye have learned; and AVOID THEM." Rom. 16:17

"As I besought thee to abide still at Ephesus, when I went into Macedonia, that thou
mightest charge some that they TEACH NO OTHER DOCTRINE." 1 Tim. 1:3

According to Jesus Christ, unity today among the different denominations can only occur
if they agree upon ONE DOCTRINE - salvation by: "REPENTANCE toward God, and
FAITH toward our Lord Jesus Christ." Acts 20:21

That means infant baptism is NOT a means of salvation, nor is confirmation, nor
communion, repetitious prayers, sacraments, or any other man-made tradition.   Christ's
doctrine of salvation is simply: "That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus
[i.e. REPENT], and shalt believe in thine heart [i.e. FAITH] that God hath raised him
from the dead, THOU SHALT BE SAVED." Rom. 10:9

If you'd like to learn more about this topic, God's plan of salvation, or any one of the
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