By Joe Slater (Bulletin Digest)
Imagine that one of the apostles of Christ entered a time
machine and transported himself to Justin, Texas, in
December, 2019. When he realized it was the first day
of the week, he would surely want to gather with fellow-
Christians to worship the Lord and build one another
up. Not knowing his way around town, he might enter a
business and ask, “Where do the Christians meet?”
Aside from a bewildered look, what answer do you
think he would receive? Very likely the person would
say, “That depends on what kind you’re looking for!
The so-and-so church meets over there, and the such
and-such church over here. The something-or-other
church gathers on the other side of town,” and on and
on it would go. Perhaps the person would offer the
apostle a crash course in navigating the internet so he
could consider at least eight different churches with
Justin addresses.
Our poor apostle would be both confused and
disappointed! You see, in the first century there were no
denominations. Jesus began His church, and people
who heard and obeyed the gospel were added to it by
the Lord (Acts 2:47). On occasion, when division reared
its ugly head, the apostles stopped it in its tracks (see,
for example, 1 Corinthians 1:10-13).
Biblically, every seed produces fruit after its kind. Corn
produces corn; wheat produces wheat. The gospel is like
seed planted in the human heart (Luke 8:11). When the
pure seed is planted into receptive hearts, it brings forth
Christians (Acts 11:26). Human opinions and traditions
cause division when they conflict with God’s word or are
bound upon others as requirements.
Let us be Christians – nothing more, nothing less, nothing
else!
Groveland, FL