How Divine Life and Power Unites Christians in the Mission of Christ

All Scripture quotations are taken from the New American Standard Bible 1995 Ed. (NASB95)

In examining the usefulness and detriments of Christian denominations and so-called “Churches,” we must turn to Scripture’s descriptions of Christ’s people on earth. Most believers in Jesus understand that denominations aren’t a Scripturally commanded policy, but few understand what the Scriptures actually teach about the unity and indivisibleness of Christ’s body. I want to argue that in all but the rarest cases, denominations as commonly practiced are unwise, counterproductive, and contrary to biblical teaching.

Before we continue thinking about the legitimacy of denominations, a definition is in order. It’s obvious that believers can’t gather in one place at one time, and engage in the services we’re commanded to in Scripture. Rather, the New Testament describes the life of Christians being worked out in the context of relatively small groups made up of those from a confined area, with qualified leaders overseeing their teaching, mentorship, service, and discipline. However, this is as far as the New Testament goes in righteously dividing the body of Christ. Any idea of dividing ourselves into groups of distinctively named and separatist parties is largely spoken against, especially in 1 Corinthians 1.

Yet with denominations, most believers do the very thing that the New Testament calls a hindrance to our unity, devotedness, and witness. The basic definition of a Christian “denomination” is a group of congregations that agree on a clearly defined set of beliefs and practices that set them apart from other believers, and name their group based on their distinctive beliefs. It all has to do with what divides us, rather than with what unites us. At the very least, the practice of giving ourselves an official title, and separating ourselves from believers of differing opinions, serves as a dividing wall to our unity, and a confusion to the watching world.

According to the New Testament, there are possible circumstances under which it’s right and necessary to cut off partnership with differing believers. This comes into play when a whole group of Christians is engaging in unrepentant sin. If that’s the case, then our assembly must renounce their fellowship, and deliver them to Satan for the destruction of their flesh, as with the incestuous man of 1 Corinthians 5. Yet, matters that are morally neutral, and regard issues of conscience, should almost never separate our assemblies from working together. This is what we should understand from Paul’s declaration that “there is one body” (Eph. 4:4).

But Paul continues with the seven uniting realities all believers share. He next states that there’s also “one Spirit” (Eph. 4:4).

It logically follows from the fact that there’s one body of Christ on earth that there’s also one spirit, since every human person (“body”) possesses a spirit. And if the Lord Jesus is manifesting Himself on earth through His people, then they must also possess His Spirit, as they make up His body. Because every believer is a part of Jesus, then every believer is empowered by His Spirit.

The descriptions of humanity in Scripture show us that every person possesses a spirit. This is evidenced from the beginning of man’s creation, since Genesis speaks of God breathing “into his nostrils the breath of life, and man became a living being” (Gen. 2:7). The original word translated “breath” here is elsewhere translated “spirit” in the Bible. Hence, the verse is saying that God gave man the spirit of life. That is, God puts His life-giving power within each person through a spirit, and it is this part of man that allows him to intimately connect with God.

In the same way that every person possesses a life-giving spirit, every Christian possesses the life-giving Spirit who proceeds from God. This isn’t a human spirit, but the Person whom Jesus promised He would send as another Comforter, Helper, and Teacher. The Spirit that every believer experiences is the Holy Spirit of God, who hovered over the earth’s waters at the beginning; empowered the prophets and mighty men of the Old Testament; who empowered and led Jesus during His earthly ministry; and the One who filled and empowered the first Christians to speak in foreign tongues, do miracles, and prophesy.

If every Christian possesses the life of the Spirit within him, then all believers share in the same divine life and power. They all experience the works of the Spirit, which include regeneration, repentance, faith, understanding, conviction, and the production of Christlike love and reverence. This means that no matter how different we may be as to our outward behavior and appearance, our inward affections, purposes, aspirations, and desires are fundamentally aligned. Because we all have the Spirit, we all ultimately desire the glory of God, the salvation of sinners, and the growth of the saints.

Thus, all believers share the same ultimate goal, aspiration, and mission. Consider a few Scriptures that describe the united direction that all Christians are, and should be, going:

“. . . I will hear of you that you are standing firm in one spirit, with one mind striving together for the faith of the gospel . . .” – Phil. 1:27b

“And the congregation of those who believed were of one heart and soul . . .” – Acts 4:32

“Now I exhort you, brethren, by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that you all agree and that there be no divisions among you, but that you be made complete in the same mind and in the same judgment.” – 1 Cor. 1:10

Although these passages were mostly written to single congregations, they still should be applied to the body of Christ at large. Because the Person inside us only has one main goal, all of us should share this goal. That goal is to “glorify Jesus”, since He takes what belongs to Him and discloses it to us (John 14). And how does He glorify Jesus through us? By making us like Jesus, and leading us to win sinners to repentance and faith. This is simply to say He guides and motivates us to make disciples of the nations (Mt. 28).

The main application of our common possession of the Spirit is simple. If we have the same Person who lives through our minds, hearts, and bodies, then we’re about the same business. We’re all living our lives to make Jesus known, and to allow the ignorant to know Jesus through conversion. If we’re all striving for the promotion of “the faith of the gospel,” why would we dare divide ourselves into self-confined groups that ignore each other? Why would we want to deny the fundamental “unity of the Spirit” that we all share? If we’re all working toward the same goal, why would we use non-essential, preferential, and even petty differences as excuses to refuse to work together? All believers, especially in the West, need to recognize that there’s only one Spirit living inside us, and He is the Spirit of Jesus Christ, love, and holiness.

To follow up this examination, we’ll next look at the doctrinal content of our life together in Christ. Until then, be filled with the Spirit by letting the word of Christ dwell in you richly!