1 Corinthians 12:12-27
12 For even as the body is one and yet has many members, and all the members of the body, though they are many, are one body, so also is Christ
13 For by one Spirit we were all baptized into one body, whether Jews or Greeks, whether slaves or free, and we were all made to drink of one Spirit.
14 For the body is not one member, but many.
15 If the foot says, “Because I am not a hand, I am not a part of the body,” it is not for this reason any the less a part of the body.
16 And if the ear says, “Because I am not an eye, I am not a part of the body,” it is not for this reason any the less a part of the body.
17 If the whole body were an eye, where would the hearing be? If the whole were hearing, where would the sense of smell be?
18 But now God has placed the members, each one of them, in the body, just as He desired.
19 If they were all one member, where would the body be?
20 But now there are many members, but one body.
21 And the eye cannot say to the hand, “I have no need of you”; or again the head to the feet, “I have no need of you.”
22 On the contrary, it is much truer that the members of the body which seem to be weaker are necessary;
23 and those members of the body which we deem less honorable, on these we bestow more abundant honor, and our less presentable members become much more presentable,
24 whereas our more presentable members have no need of it. But God has so composed the body, giving more abundant honor to that member which lacked,
25 so that there may be no division in the body, but that the members may have the same care for one another.
26 And if one member suffers, all the members suffer with it; if one member is honored, all the members rejoice with it.
27 Now you are Christ’s body, and individually members of it.
Are you baptized into Calvin or Polycarp? Are you baptized into Paul or Peter? Are you baptized into Roman Catholic or Evangelical? If it is you are in Christ's body you are not divided. I will not say we do not need the RC church, nor will I say we do not need Protestants. All members hold value.
Ephesians 1:22-23
22 And He put all things in subjection under His feet, and gave Him as head over all things to the church,
23 which is His body, the fullness of Him who fills all in all.
Man can say what he wishes or believe what he desires, yet God will always be true. What is the church but the body of Christ? Strong can define it any way he wants, and so can any denomination for that matter, I will choose to believe the word of God. And He knows His sheep, and they listen to His voice.
Ephesians 2:19-22
19 So then you are no longer strangers and aliens, but you are fellow citizens with the saints, and are of God’s household,
20 having been built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Christ Jesus Himself being the corner stone,
21 in whom the whole building, being fitted together, is growing into a holy temple in the Lord,
22 in whom you also are being built together into a dwelling of God in the Spirit.
This tells of the church proper which is a holy temple in the Lord. No man can divide what Christ Jesus is building, nor can powers or principalities,
nor any created thing stand against what the Almighty is creating for Himself! It is Jesus Himself that holds all things together (Colossians 1:17)
Let me leve this with an exhortation.
Ephesians 4:11-16
11 And He gave some as apostles, and some as prophets, and some as evangelists, and some as pastors and teachers,
12 for the equipping of the saints for the work of service, to the building up of the body of Christ;
13 until we all attain to the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to a mature man, to the measure of the stature which belongs to the fullness of Christ.
14 As a result, we are no longer to be children, tossed here and there by waves and carried about by every wind of doctrine, by the trickery of men, by craftiness in deceitful scheming;
15 but speaking the truth in love, we are to grow up in all aspects into Him who is the head, even Christ,
16 from whom the whole body, being fitted and held together by what every joint supplies, according to the proper working of each individual part, causes the growth of the body for the building up of itself in love.
Let not the winds of doctrine carry you away into a hateful mindset against other members of the body, leaving behind the path of maturity. I may disagree with certain teachings of every denomination, yet I still see fellow citizens in most. There may be differences in culture, practices, and even dogmas, but Christ is not divided. If there is something you disagree with, speak truth in love. If you can not or do not then you are not mature and you should not be teaching anyways. Teachers will be judged by a higher standard. (James 3:1) If there is a doctrine that divides, will Christ bring that false doctrine into the body? Never! If you witness this false doctrine, do not allow it to overcome you, either in truth or in passion. Spoken another way, let your obsession be on Christ not on anti-christ. For Christ is the truth to all those chosen to be in His ambassadors.
I can partake in the Eucharist, enjoying the true presence in the unity of the Holy Spirit as well as lifting my holy hands, singing and rejoicing in worship before the pastor begins to exegete in passion for the word in that same unity. To those who rely on the Law due to their weakness, I show a holy respect for their needs, in order to strengthen our unity, and with those who eat and drink all to the glory of God, I lift my goblet in unity.
