Spirit and Life Devotional is a daily publication by Pastor Chinaemerem Ibezim, senior pastor of Able Ministers Chapel, a church based in Calabar, Cross River State.
“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.” I Corinthians 1:10 NKJV
The reason that the church is not making as much impact in the world as we ought to is no other reason than disunity. The Early Church was one and you can read for yourself all the exploits they did because they were united. When they gathered together, the Bible said severally that they were together in one accord: can we say same about our local churches today? Not to even talk about the universal Church.
There were contentions in the church in Corinth which had to do with personalities; some said, “I am of Paul,” others said, “I am of Apollos,” and the rest, “I am of Cephas,” or “I am of Christ.” It seems like what we do today, right? And Paul asked them, “Is Christ divided? Was Paul crucified for you? Or were you baptized in the name of Paul?” He also said to them, “you are still carnal. For where there are envy, strife, and divisions among you, are you not carnal and behaving like mere men? For when one says, “I am of Paul,” and another, “I am of Apollos,” are you not carnal?”
Brothers and sisters, it’s time for us to grow up! If having more churches will further divide us then I dare say that there’s really no need for more churches! But having more churches shouldn’t be a problem if we stop glorifying ourselves and exalting mere men instead of Christ, the One Who died for us. Jesus prayed that we may be one, and it’s my prayer today that God will unite us. Amen.
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