The reason for divisions within the Body of Christ often rest on our limited or expanding understanding of Scripture, according to some people.
Others point out that politics has a place in the divisions within the Body of Christ, as well. Some people are attached to certain pastors, and these leaders have espoused certain values.
I find that many denominations differ over topics like the gift of tongues, or other charismatic elements.
But the standard is the Bible, and the Bible alone.
Yet even then, there are matters of interpretation.
There is an Old Covenant, and there is a New Covenant.
If we take ourselves out of the focus of God's Word, everything begins to make sense.
Instead of looking at verses to confirm our own ideas, we let the Bible be its own standard.
"Let Bible interpret Bible" as one pastor had shared.
The Bible speaks of one Person: Jesus!
From the beginning to the end, the focus of God's Word is the Word made flesh: Jesus!
Paul made it very clear what his mission was:
"For I determined not to know any thing among you, save Jesus Christ, and him crucified." (1 Corinthians 2: 2)
The Gospel is simple:
"For our rejoicing is this, the testimony of our conscience, that in simplicity and godly sincerity, not with fleshly wisdom, but by the grace of God, we have had our conversation in the world, and more abundantly to you-ward." (2 Corinthians 1: 12)
Our own efforts make things complicated, in reference to Paul's claim that his testimony rests in sincerity and simplicity, by the grace of God.
God grants us all things through His Son Jesus!
So simple, yet so many have made it all too complicated.
Satan is behind this attempt to complicate the very simple, gracious truth:
"1Would to God ye could bear with me a little in my folly: and indeed bear with me. 2For I am jealous over you with godly jealousy: for I have espoused you to one husband, that I may present you as a chaste virgin to Christ. 3But I fear, lest by any means, as the serpent beguiled Eve through his subtilty, so your minds should be corrupted from the simplicity that is in Christ." (2 Corinthians 11:1-3)
The testing point comes down to this:
Either Jesus Christ died for all our sins, or He did not.
The argument that He died for some of our sins runs contrary to Scripture (Colossians 2: 13-15)
With His death and resurrection comes the knowledge of righteousness and the abundance of grace which God accords to all of us in Christ.
Righteousness and grace are the two focuses. We are made righteous in Christ, and we receive His grace because He has accomplished all things in His death and resurrection, and His ministry on our behalf at the right hand of God the Father.
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