Bobservations
by Pastor Bob Lawrenz
Among Christian Churches, one wonders why there are so many
different denominations. The Creeds of many of these denominations teach of one
God, one Lord, and one salvation. There is uniqueness to each denomination, yet
all are supposed to be based in the teachings of Jesus Christ.
Our Creed here at Whitestone regarding
denominations is found on the back of your bulletin: “We are not a
denominational Church, nor are we opposed to those that are. We choose to
remain independent because of doctrinal differences that have led to division
rather than unity within the Body of Christ.”
To that end, we are really quite inclusive,
and tend to not put more emphasis on one doctrine of the Bible more than
another. In other words, we find in the scriptures that there is a balance in
God’s Word that takes exception to one doctrine being promoted over another.
God’s Word is whole and complete in itself, and it sometimes takes careful
study between scriptures to find the balance that God has provided through a
number of different Bible scribes.
To that end, we also find that the Bible’s
scribes often wrote to specific groups of people for very specific errors in
which their faith was being lived. The unfruitful works of darkness in one
church were not necessarily the unfruitful works of darkness in another. The
church at Ephesus had difficulties that were different from
the churches of Corinth and Thessalonica. All the churches each
struggled with their own local cultural entanglements.
This is further born out in the 2nd
and 3rd chapters of the Book of Revelation, as John records
admonishing encouragement for each of the seven different churches which were
in Asia. All had problems unique to themselves.
We cannot read a single verse in scripture
with any accuracy unless we have the context in which it was written. In our
reading today, Paul offers a doctrinal truth about the
differences of light and darkness (Eph. 5:11). But he offers it in the context of that
church’s error: Idolatry, and the culture of the goddess Dianah of the
Ephesians (Acts 19).
“There is one body,
and one Spirit, even as ye are called in one hope
of your calling;
one Lord, one faith, one baptism, one God, and Father
of all, who is
above all, and through all, and in you all.” ~Eph. 4:4-6
