Going straight to the Cross
 

Big Boy Tomatoes

by Mike Benson

Question: "I am concerned about religious division. Surely the Lord isn't pleased with so many religious groups teaching different doctrines, wearing different names, and worshipping in different ways. What can we all do to become one in Christ?"

Answer: You are correct. Jesus is not pleased with religious diversity. In fact, nearly two thousand years ago He prayed, "I do not pray for these alone, but also for those who will believe in Me through their word; that they all may be one..." (John 17:20, 21a). To produce true unity we must:

  1. Sow the SAME seed. In the parable of the soils, Jesus said the "seed" was the word of God (Luke 8:11). That being so, preachers must plant the same seed/word into the hearts of men in order to reap unity. "Now I plead with you, brethren, by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that you all speak the same thing, and that there be no divisions among you, but that you be perfectly joined together in the same mind and in the same judgment" (1 Corinthians 1:10). As long as different seeds are sown, we can expect to reap a bumper crop of denominationalism and division.

  2. Sow the RIGHT seed. Since the seed is the word, and the word of Christ is truth (John 17:17), preachers must plant the right seed (John 1:17; 14:6) into the hearts of men in order to enjoy oneness in Christ. Sowing the seeds of human opinion will never produce the kind of crop for which Jesus petitioned His Father. Only the seed of truth (John 8:32) will yield unity (Ephesians 4:3).

  3. Harvest the SAME crop. If I plant "Big Boy" tomato seeds in my garden in the Spring, I should expect to reap Big Boy tomatoes in the Summer, right (cf. Galatians 6:7)? Tomato seeds will not produce cucumbers, cantaloupes, okra, corn, beans, onions, spinach, or potatoes; they will only produce after their own kind (Genesis 1:11). This same principle is true in religion.

"The seed of the kingdom will produce the kingdom; it will not produce anything different from the kingdom... It has never been known to produce anything other than the kingdom of God, the church of the Lord. The Word of God preached in this community always produced exactly what is produced in another community when preached there. But we see several hundred different religious denominations in the world today, differing from each other in name, doctrine and practice.

Why are all of these different bodies in existence? They have been produced by the sowing of the seed, the preaching of religious doctrines. Just as sure as there are bodies differing from each other, seeds differing from each other have been sown. If the same kind of seed had been sown in every community, the same results would have been produced... So the Gospel preached in Jerusalem which produced the kingdom of God, the church of Christ, will not when preached in America produce a hundred different denominations. The fact that the many denominations are in existence is positive proof that something different from the Gospel, the Word of God, has been preached."/1

When the apostles planted the seed of God into the fertile hearts of men (1 Corinthians 3:5), what kind of crop did they harvest (1 Peter 1:23; Acts 11:26)? Did Paul and Peter sow the same seed and yet reap radically different crops? Did they reap religious diversity (Philippians 2:2)? Did they reap different religious groups, who wore different names, and who worshiped God in different ways? Did they reap corn, beans, and potatoes (1 Corinthians 1:13)?

I appreciate this thoughtful question. May we all strive for the unity which Christ desires.

1/Roy H. Lanier, Sr., "Why We Preach the Word," Gospel Advocate, June 1991, 17-18.

      ... subscribe
   
Your Status
Menu
New Additions

Update on FMag


Forthright Magazine continues, more dynamic than ever! We have groups created for FMag on Facebook and the Churches of Christ Network. Announcement blog is up and going on Preachers Files. Email lists about FMag and FPress are available both on Yahoo and GoogleGroups. And, to top it all off, we're twittering for both on Twitter.com.
by randal @ 1/20/09, 11:55 AM

How to Make Sure That Your Judgment Is Flawless


by Don Ruhl Read the Bible in a Year This evening read John 5:24--47 How to Make Sure That Your Judgment Is Flawless Yes, it is popular to say that we are not supposed to judge, but the truth is we all make judgments about many things daily. Otherwise, we would never succeed in life. The real question is what is our guide for judging. Why can we not simply follow the example of our Master and Lord? He said, 30 "I can of Myself ... more ...
by diane amberg @ 5/18/05, 5:08 AM

Do You Ever Feel Like Just a Name?


by Don Ruhl Read the Bible in a Year This morning read First Chronicles 1--3 Do You Ever Feel Like Just a Name? Think on the manner, in which the Book of First Chronicles begins, 1 Adam, Seth, Enosh (1 Chr. 1:1). In this way begins the longest genealogy in the Bible. The names continue to the end of the ninth chapter! Were these just names? Adam; who is he? You know there is more in the Bible than the mere mention of his name in ... more ...
by diane amberg @ 5/18/05, 5:05 AM
...
by Don Ruhl Read the Bible in a Year This evening read John 5:1--23 Jesus healed a man. Praise God! However, Jesus healed him on the Sabbath. Uh oh. Some people were ready to kill Jesus for this perceived violation of the Sabbath Law. 16 For this reason the Jews persecuted Jesus, and sought to kill Him, because He had done these things on the Sabbath (Joh. 5:16). Jesus did a good thing. Yet, people criticized Him severely for it. And they were not people ... more ...
by diane amberg @ 5/18/05, 5:03 AM

They Were His Servants


by Don Ruhl Read the Bible in a Year This morning read Second Kings 24 and 25 They Were His Servants As the writer of Second Kings explains whom the Lord sent against Judah, the writer said that this was 2 ...according to the word of the LORD which He had spoken by His servants the prophets (2 Kin. 24:2). Those great men we have honored for centuries were nothing more than servants of the Lord God. What does that make us? Do you do something ... more ...
by diane amberg @ 5/18/05, 5:01 AM
...
by Don Ruhl Read the Bible in a Year This evening read John 4:30--54 The disciples went into a town to buy food while Jesus remained out of the town. There He engaged a woman in conversation. When the disciples returned, here is what happened, 31 In the meantime His disciples urged Him, saying, "Rabbi, eat." 32 But He said to them, "I have food to eat of which you do not know" (Joh. 4:31, 32). As you read the Gospel According to John, watch ... more ...
by diane amberg @ 5/18/05, 4:59 AM

Having a Tender Heart


by Don Ruhl Read the Bible in a Year This morning read Second Kings 22 and 23 Having a Tender Heart When Josiah heard the word of God for the first time, he tore his clothes, knowing of the wrath that was upon Jerusalem for the idolatry of his forefathers. Therefore, he sent messengers to a prophetess to inquire of the Lord. He did have a message for Josiah. God said through the prophetess, 19 "...because your heart was tender, and you humbled yourself before ... more ...
by diane amberg @ 5/18/05, 4:56 AM
March 2024
SunMonTueWedThuFriSat
12
3456789
10111213141516
17181920212223
24252627282930
31
August
last updated: 8/25/12, 10:32 AM online for 8000 Days

RSS Feed

Made with Antville
powered by
Helma Object Publisher