"We" are a Nation?!?

[Sparkey]

Is it possible that those of us who are called by God and grafted into the Branch (who is Christ, Jesus --called 'Our Lord') are *NOW * part of His family? Or is there still division amongst us?

Can Christians consider themselves to be one nation? Should we?
Will there ever come a time that we will "speak as one" and say the same thing?
Why not?

This I say therefore, and testify in the Lord, that you should not walk from now on as other nations walk, in the vanity of their mind, having the understanding darkened, being alienated from the life of God through the ignorance that is in them, because of the blindness of their heart. For they, being past feeling, have given themselves up to lust, to work all uncleanness with greediness.

Brothers, sisters? Allow me to admonish: Set down the "debate".
Try to prove what is being suggested here, please.
Find scriptures, recall them and reply here.
The question centers on this: Is there really ONE church? ONE faith? Or have we been lied to?

~Sparrow

For those interested: Romans Chapter 11

 

[Rev Kevin]

As long as there are some who think that they are the only one and true church founded by Jesus 2000 years ago and will not accept any other denomination as being part of Christs family. In order to justify their possion the use this verse from Matther 16:18-19, "Now I say to you that you are Peter, and upon this rock I will build my church, and all the powers of hell will not coquer it. And I will give you the keys of the Kingdom of Heaven. Whatever you lock on earth will be locked in heaven, and whatever you open on earth will be opened in heaven." Now if you look at Matthew 16:22-23, "But Peter took him (Jesus) aside and corrected him. Heaven forbid, Lord, he said, This will never happen to you!" Jesus turned to Peter and said, Get away from me, Satan! You are a danerous trap to me, You are seeing things merely from a human point of view, and not from God's." Jesus would not give the Keys to the Kingdom in Heaven to a fallible human who tryed to correct him as he was over Jesus. All Jesus wanted Peter to do was to spread his word to all the nations, if he and the other disciples brought people to Christ here on earth then that is bound in Heaven and who ever rejects Christ will be rejected in Heaven.
Now if you look at Ephesians 1:22-23 it says, "And God has put all things under the authority or Christ, and he will give him this authority of the benefit of the church. And the church is his body, it is filled with Christ, who fills everything everywhere with his presence." And again in Colossians 1:18 says, "Christ is the head of the church, which is his body..." The church is not one single demonination. The church is all who believe and accept Christ. When Jesus said that Peter was the rock and upon this rock I will build my church, Jesus was telling Peter and the other disciples that I want you to go out into the world and preach and teach the Good News that I have taught you. 2 Timothy 4:2 says Preach the word of God. Be persistent, whether the time is favorable of not. Patiently correct, rebuke, and encourage your people with good teaching."

 

[KumiOri]

It my be helpful for some to understand the greek word used in the original text, english translitoration is ekklesia. They will find it has absolutely nothing to do with so called denominational institutions.

"The mechanism of religion, while not necessarily and end in it itself, was thought to be the indispensable vehicle by which men might hope to rise higher in God's esteem. This was an attitude not unlike that of a later Christian ecclesiastic who affirmed that one who will not have the church for the mother cannot have God for a father. Such is the distinctive trend of institutional piety in all ages."

 

[JudaicChristian]

Revelation 1:20
The mystery of the seven stars that you saw in my right hand and of the seven golden lampsticks is this: The seven stars are the messengers of the seven congregations, and the seven lampsticks are the seven congregations.

Revelation 10:3
and he gave a loud shout like the roar of a lion. When he shouted, the voices of the seven thunders spoke.

Mark 3:17
James son of Zebedee and his brother John (to them he gave the name Boanerges, which means Sons of Thunder);...