Part 1 – Genuine Unity is Impossible Apart from Christ As Our Absolute All.

This Article is part of a multi-part Study Series called Religious Disunity Born of God’s Truth .

The fact is that unity among people with diametrically opposing views is impossible. This is because the ones claiming to seek unity with other religious factions within Christendom really are asking that this unity come from others setting their view aside in order to conform to the opposing view. They essentially say, “We can be united only if you adopt MY view.”

Well, this then answers the petition so commonly heard from naïve people who complain, “Why Can’t we All just get Along?” This is a question we’ve all heard from those who want unityat any cost,’ even at the cost of ‘the Truth.’ Concerning religious unity, if you ask the Catholic who says he seeks unity if he will drop the Pope as the vicar of Christ he will still say “No way!” And any genuine faith believer in “the grace of God” will reply similarly.

Those who claim to want unity really only want unity want it on their terms, they want your conformity, whether religious or political. Nowhere is this more of a question concerning TRUTH than in ‘religious circles’ where actually “the Truth” is not debatable since we have it clearly written of in a book called The Bible, wherein Jesus said “I am the way the truth and the life” (John 14:6). Though many off-handedly say ‘well it’s a matter of interpretation,’ this verse is very clearly stated and thus not debatable.

The fact is that any other ‘way’ and any other ‘truth and any other life than the eternal life of God which is in Jesus Christ CAN NOT be the genuine ‘way, truth, and the life.’ So, we as Bible students recognize that the Only Truth in the universe is of the eternal “Godhead” that is ‘in Christ’ as written of in “the word of God,” The Bible.

9 For in him [Jesus Christ] dwelleth all the fulness of the Godhead bodily. Colossians 2:9 (KJV)

We as believers have found that Christ as the Only reliable “Truth” … is central to our faith and eternal security. All else is of the corrupt and unreliable ideas of men (even religious men) who are influenced by the ‘other source of knowledge’ – the Devil. This is due to the fact that every human born since Adam was “conceived in iniquity [sin],” it was by Adam that “Sin entered this world” (Rom. 5:12) when he and Eve believed the Serpent’s Lie. Sin is the nature and mind of Satan that dwell in all men as a type of spiritual viral infection.

If you travel the lands that were once ruled, built, and occupied by the Roman Empire of old you will still see the many standing ‘arches’ used in the construction of their walls and doorways. In reality Christ as “The Truth” to be seen as what is called the ‘Center-Stone’ at the very top of the Roman arch, it needs no pillar to support it. It also is sometimes referred to as ‘the cornerstone,’ as the Bible refers to Jesus.

7 Unto you therefore which believe he [Jesus] is precious: but unto them which be disobedient, ‘the stone’ which the builders [of religion] disallowed, the same is made ‘the head’ of the corner, 1 Peter 2:7 (KJV)

Pure “truth” holds everything reliably together in proper unity. Truth is seen in the integrity that constitutes a righteous believers, giving them consistency of character. Take away the Truth and all of a man’s virtues, if he has any at all, like the arch missing its ‘center-Stonefalls to the ground. The “Truth” of Christ as all is the cardinal point of all the strength to be found in Scripture.

11Where there is neither Greek nor Jew, circumcision nor uncircumcision, Barbarian, Scythian, bond nor free: but Christ is all, and in all [genuine grace age believers].” Colossians 3:11 (KJV)

The Bible is “the word of God” and thus it is “the word of Truth.” Therefore, Christ and the Bible are to be placed at the center of the Christian’s life and in their assemblies. With the recovery of TRUTH in Protestant Reformation of the 1,400-1,500s … gone were the altars and rituals of corrupt manmade Christendom… in favor of Bible Truth … set at the center as the focus of the assemblies of genuine believers who gather to Study “the word of truth. Thus, we are admonished by Paul as follows and as seen only in the KJV Bible.

15 Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing ‘the word of truth.’ 2 Timothy 2:15 (KJV)

Paul’s use of the figure of the Christian’s “armor of God,” that Truth” is the ‘girdle that binds up, holds and interweaves the real power of the man of God.

14 Stand therefore, having your loins girt about with TRUTH, and having on the breastplate of righteousness; Ephesians 6:14 (KJV)

Among the religious people of organized manmade religion, any change or challenge from ‘the way things’ always brings disunity - division. The declaration of genuine ‘Bible truth’ whenstood for’usually sets up opposition and disunity. Oftentimes as we see in politics and religion ‘the truth’ is opposed by ‘the stakeholders of religious position an authority’ who want to maintain ‘the way things are.’

Truth being ‘The Truth is unshakeable, certain, and sure. The Truth being spoken and upheld by one party usually assures opposition expressed in the form of what the Bible calls ‘The Lie.’ Anything but the Truth is of ‘the Lie Program’ of the Evil one, even it is simply a mistaken view. But the many organized sects of Christendom have longperverted the truth’ using ‘the lie’ to deceive, gain and hold people captive to their sect or denomination; 1) for power and position 2) for monetary gain. This was the practice among the religious leaders of Israel in Jesus’ day and so it is today in Christendom.

There essentially are Two Programs to be noted in the Bible. They could be called ‘The Pure Truth Program of God’ and ‘The Lie Program of Satan.’ Satan spread his ‘lie program’ from the corrupted angelic realm of heaven (cf. Job 15:15) to all mankind from the time of Adam being deceived to Sin. Satan’s lies are always in opposition to God’s words, attacking the fabric of ‘the Truth of God.’

The religious stakeholders are the ‘elite leadership of religion’s denominations, sects, and assemblies.’ They are self-interested individuals who have their religious groupies, just as we see in corrupt governments worldwide who rely upon ‘The Lie’ for their authority and power.

Jesus did not shrink back from confronting ‘the men of the religious lie program,’ addressing the Pharisaical leaders of Israel as seen here.

Jesus to the ‘Pharisees’ of Israel says;

44 Ye are of your father the devil, and the lusts [desires] of your father ye will do. He was a murderer from the beginning, and abode NOT in the truth, because there is NO Truth in him. When HE SPEAKETH A LIE, he speaketh of his own: for He Is A Liar, and the Father Of It (Of Untruth).
45 And because I [Jesus] tell you the truth, ye believe me not. John 8:44-45 (KJV)

[The Devil] 22 Who is a liar but he that denieth that Jesus is the Christ? He is antichrist, that denieth the Father and the Son. 1 John 2:22 (KJV)

8 He that committeth sin is of the devil; for the devil sinneth from the beginning. For this purpose the Son of God was manifested, that he might Destroy The Works Of The Devil. 1 John 3:8 (KJV)

Most so-called ‘religious people’ are usually considered ‘nice,’ but being ‘nice’ is a ‘political term’ referring to one gaining favor and reputation - which are all for ‘self-interest,’ not God. Truth-tellers may not appear to be ‘nice,’ yet they hold to the Truth of God for this age of “the dispensation of the grace of God.” Religious people don’t necessarily care for ‘the TRUTH’ of Christ according to “the word of truth,” the Bible. Many in the pulpits of the religious churches of Christendom today frequently ‘pretend,’ appearing to be pious. They often speak in platitudes and tell emotional man-centered stories while avoiding the preaching of the clear “word of truth’ centered on Christ Crucified and Risen. They certainly avoid any confrontation concerning ‘the Truth,’ not wanting to be exposed. Just ask the average hired pastor some pointed questions whereby the church practice conflicts with “the word of truth” and he usually will simply avoid making definitive statements that may expose his real views. As Jesus said;

12 But he that is an hireling [a paid pastor], and not the shepherd, whose own the sheep are not, seeth the wolf coming, and leaveth the sheep, and fleeth: and the wolf catcheth them, and scattereth the sheep. 13 The hireling fleeth, because he is an hireling, and careth not for the sheep. John 10:12-13 (KJV)

I saw this hireling motive exposed when I was once sharing with a regenerated fundamentalist pastor concerning the sufficiency of God’s grace in Christ working in the believers as the all-sufficient Onenot needing the externalities of religion’s practices and demands ofdo this and don’t do that.

13 For it is God which worketh IN YOU both to will and to do of his good pleasure. Philippians 2:13 (KJV)

His answer to me was; “Yes, I agree with you about such grace but if I don’t preach a little law these people won’t come to church.” There it was, he admitted that he has been dishonestly used ‘the Law’ to condemn and gilt the believers into attending the church services. They were required to forsake their families in order to keep the laws of his denomination that called for Wednesday and Sunday church attendance and much more. Plainly, he did not trust in the pure preaching ‘the Truth’ and power of Christ’s Cross and Resurrection life in the believer’s and all that Paul wrote such as seen here below.

14 For sin shall not have dominion over you: for ye are NOT Under The Law, but under grace. Romans 6:14 (KJV).

As a ‘hireling’ his real concern was that if they did not come to his church he could be out of a job and lose his income. In today’s churches the hireling Pastor is hired and paid by the church ‘boardand they call the tune for the piper to pipe... or he is out. Such is the power of man’s religion among Christians even today.