'United or Divided?'

What do you think God's ideal plan is for us? Is it to be united or divided? Well, the answer to this question can be found in many places.

One example is found in Psalm 133:1 "Behold, how good and how pleasant it is For brethren to dwell together in unity!"

God has always wanted His people to be united and to be of the same mind when it comes to worshiping Him.

Just as Paul says in Philippians 1:27 "Only let your conduct be worthy of the gospel of Christ, so that whether I come and see you or am absent, I may hear of your affairs, that you stand fast in one spirit, with one mind striving together for the faith of the gospel,"

God wants every individual Christian to be united in 'The Faith' of 'The Gospel.' God has always been very serious when it comes to obeying His commands and not straying from His truth. For example in the Old Testament we notice what God tells Joshua.

Joshua 1:6-8 we read "Be strong and of good courage, for to this people you shall divide as an inheritance the land which I swore to their fathers to give them. 7 "Only be strong and very courageous, that you may observe to do according to all the law which Moses My servant commanded you; do not turn from it to the right hand or to the left, that you may prosper wherever you go. 8 "This Book of the Law shall not depart from your mouth, but you shall meditate in it day and night, that you may observe to do according to all that is written in it. For then you will make your way prosperous, and then you will have good success."

God didn't want the children of Israel inventing their own commands and He certainly didn't want them to follow only part of His word.

As we see from the text we are not to turn to the right or to the left, we are to simply keep God's commands as they are written.

We are told exactly how we are to accomplish this goal. Notice he says that we are to meditate on His commands day and night. This is what used to be referred to as 'plain common sense.'

The more we think about and study God's Word, the easier it will be for you and I to know what we are called to do and how we are to live. It will help to keep you from turning to right or to the left.

This same principle is taught in the New Testament. In fact Paul was continually emphasizing the need to hold fast to sound doctrine.

2 Timothy 1:13 "Hold fast the pattern of sound words which you have heard from me, in faith and love which are in Christ Jesus."

Then in 2 Timothy 2:1-2 Paul says "You therefore, my son, be strong in the grace that is in Christ Jesus. 2 And the things that you have heard from me among many witnesses, commit these to faithful men who will be able to teach others also."

Paul wanted to make sure that only 'The Truth' would be taught and that it would be passed down through the generations. I believe there is a great need for people today to understand that we must live our lives and worship God according to His Divine Truth.

Man is not to rewrite God's Word and make a new denomination or religion but man is simply to accept God as He has already spoken.

God set up a pattern in the New Testament that we are to follow and the first century Christian understood the necessity of following God's authority even if it meant death.

For example, when Peter and John were arrested for speaking in the name of Christ, the opposing Jews tried to keep them quiet by threatening their lives but notice their response.

Acts 4:19-20 "But Peter and John answered and said to them, "Whether it is right in the sight of God to listen to you more than to God, you judge. 20 "For we cannot but speak the things which we have seen and heard." 

This is what you call being dedicated to God's truth no matter what the cost. There have been many Christians who have lost there lives because they were willing to die for 'The Truth'. 

Today we see people sacrificing God's Written Truth to resurrect their own point of view to life, and they will lead many down the same path of destruction.

As we look around in our world and notice all the ways to be tempted, we can see that there is a great need for us to handle the Word of God with care and do our best to worship God in spirit and in truth 24/7 never removing our priestly garment.

Again Paul emphasizes the need for us as Christians never to turn to the left or to the right when it comes to God's Word.

Galatians 1:6-12 "I marvel that you are turning away so soon from Him who called you in the grace of Christ, to a different gospel,
7 which is not another; but there are some who trouble you and want to pervert the gospel of Christ.
8 But even if we, or an angel from heaven, preach any other gospel to you than what we have preached to you, let him be accursed.
9 As we have said before, so now I say again, if anyone preaches any other gospel to you than what you have received, let him be accursed.
10 For do I now persuade men, or God? Or do I seek to please men? For if I still pleased men, I would not be a bondservant of Christ.
11 But I make known to you, brethren, that the gospel which was preached by me is not according to man.
12 For I neither received it from man, nor was I taught it, but it came through the revelation of Jesus Christ."

No gospel is 'The Gospel' if it came any other way than by The Holy Spirit through His inspired men. If any man or even an angel from heaven (Satan) preach anything other than 'thus says The Lord', reject it and study deeper.

May God bless until our next time...