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What Christian Group/Organization Should I Belong to?
Catholic? Lutheran? Methodist? Some sect/synod/offshoot of them? Charismatic, Pentecostal, Evangelical, Evangelical Free. YWAM (Youth with a Mission), Campus Crusade for Christ, Fellowship of Student Athletes. Which one?
The answer is any one, as long as your true spiritual identity does not spring out of your involvement with that group. These groups/sects are temporary….but the true church is everlasting.
I Corinthians 1:9 spells out….the true Church, which is the only group you should ever identify with.
Verse 9 God is faithful, by Whom you were called unto the fellowship of His Son Jesus Christ our Lord.
Called is eklaleo, the verb form of the word church. So, literally, God churched us unto (eis – into the heart of) the fellowship of His Son. The group we’re a part of is the one God Himself put us into.
See study What is Fellowship?
I Cornthians 3:3-7
For you are yet carnal; for whereas there is among you envying, and strife (arguing), and divisions, are you not carnal, and walk as men? For while one says, I am of Paul; and another, I am of Apollos; are you not carnal? Who then is Paul, and who is Apollos, but ministers by whom you believed, even as the Lord gave to every man? I have planted, Apollos watered; but God gave the increase. So then neither is he that plants anything, neither he that waters, but God who gives the increase.
If you identify yourself as belonging to any group, other than the one God Himself has put you into….that is, the body of Christ, the one true church……you will be hindered from walking in the fullness of the spiritual gifting which the spirit of Christ genders within and through you toward others.
And if the leader of your group is not leading you to the “feeding trough” of the grace of God, where the spirit of Christ is in abundant supply, where your sonship of God is continually being confirmed and established, where your spiritual abilities are continually being pointed out (by God), cultivated, strengthened and bearing fruit…….then that leader is not a very good servant of Jesus Christ. Walk away from that one. Do not identify yourself with anyone or any group other than the one true church…….the fellowship of Jesus Christ our lord.
See study What or Who is antichrist?
If you were looking for a short, quick answer….the above should do it. If you’d like to get into a little more meat, read on:
I John 1:3
Verse 3 That which we have seen and heard declare we unto you, that you also may have fellowship with us; and truly our fellowship is with the Father, and with his Son Jesus Christ.
We saw this word “fellowship” in our most recent study of the same name. Fellowship is the Greek word koinonia, translated “communion” or “a partaking.” The root word koinos is translated “common”…… In a religious sense, it is translated “unclean.” I find that interesting. The Jews were taught by their Old Testament law to be very clean when it came to eating, and by their lifestyle in general…..in fact, how they ate set them completely apart from the rest of the nations (Gentiles).
The opposite of “common” is “sanctified” (set apart) or “holy.” So a beautiful picture of fellowship emerges. The body of Christ is a group of UNcommon individuals (those set apart by their unique gifting by Christ) who share fully the benefits of their individual uniqueness, in communion (in common) with one another,
That which gives us our uniqueness is shared into the “reservoir” of the body of Christ, in order to be a benefit for the whole. First it happens between each individual member and God (via their relationship with Jesus Christ), and then that ensuing enrichment is fully shared with the body of Christ as a whole, as individual relationships with one another develop.
I John 4-7 And these things write we unto you, that your joy may be full. This then is the message which we have heard of him, and declare unto you, that God is light, and in Him is no darkness at all. If we say that we have fellowship with Him, and walk in darkness, we lie, and do not the truth: But if we walk in the light, as He is light, we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanses us from all sin.
In context, “walking in the light” is walking in the light of this fellowship, or full sharing, one with another. If the result of my growth “in Christ” is a separating myself from sharing with and into the body of Christ, then this growth is no growth at all, but is a lie.
I Corinthians 1:4-8
Verses 4-8 defines the operation of the true group or fellowship (called, the church) we are a part of when we are walking in Christ.
Verse 4 I thank my God always on your behalf, for the grace of God which is given you by Jesus Christ;
It operates in the grace of God (that which God supplies, motivated by His generosity, not being able to be earned by any certain behavior or works on the part of the recipient).
Also defined here is what a true leader in the body of Christ does……he thanks God for God’s grace which comes when Jesus Christ, the head, is preached, taught, proclaimed and magnified. A true leader guards against giving jobs to people….instead, he allows Christ to inspire, lead, direct. He guards against anyone thinking they have to do anything to please God. He ensures that God’s grace is in steady, continuous and abundant supply!
See study The True Purpose of Christ’s Ministers ….. Ephesians 4:11-24
Verse 5 That in everything you are enriched by him, in all utterance, and all knowledge (gnosis….an experiential knowing).
Each member is enriched by his/her personal relationship with Jesus Christ. So that their words come out of that spiritual enrichment, their experiences come out of that spiritual enrichment. And that is what a true leader is thankful for…..that the people of their group are being enriched by God.
Verse 6 Even as the testimony of Christ was confirmed in you:
What confirms (establishes, makes firm) the testimony (marturion – witness) of Christ in each of us is the job of the Holy Spirit, and that job is carried out when the Holy Spirit of God is evidenced in the senses realm through our lives. Devil spirit afflictions no longer hold the power over us they once had. Instead of complaining and fearing comes thankfulness and blessing. Instead of worry and anxiety comes a knowing that we are being led, filled and provided for by the true God. We speak in tongues, we get revelation (word of knowledge, word of wisdom), we discern spirits, we prophecy). Not just a single thing, but rather, these things are in operation more and more within the group.
Verse 7 So that you come behind in no gift; waiting for the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ;
The gift being spoken of here is the different strengths, or giftings, in operation through different individuals, in the body of Christ. That whatever is needed, is supplied for the benefit of the body as a whole. Need an evangelist?……..God will supply that gift. Need gifts of healing? God will supply those gifts. Need a prophet? God will supply that gift. Need helps? Administration? Teacher? Need someone good at ministering music by the spirit of God? God will supply. Need someone good at prayer? God will supply.
Verse 8 Who shall also confirm you unto the end, blameless in the day of our Lord Jesus Christ.
Even as the testimony (witness) of Christ was established in us, so will that witness (the spirit of Christ) establish us blameless in the day of the judgment of God, Who will judge all things through that man whom He sent, Jesus Christ. We don’t do it ourselves, by our good behavior and rationalizing and good works, and judging others, and preaching against sin, etc. Our blamelessness is Christ in us. So let Christ have his way in your life!
Verse 9 God is faithful, by Whom you were called unto the fellowship of His Son Jesus Christ our Lord.
Enjoy your true spiritual identity as a member of the one true church, the body of Christ, no matter what group(s) or organization(s) you happen to be involved with at the moment. The unique attributes which are developing within you by means of the spirit of Christ are meant to be shared by you, in communion with the whole body
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Other related studies are:
Do I HAVE to go to Church?
True Christianity – in a Nutshell
What or Who is antichrist?
The True Purpose of Christ’s Ministers ….. Ephesians 4:11-24
Belonging to the Tribe
