Across the sphere of Christianity, there are a diversity of denominations. In fact, there is such wide-ranging diversity across Christendom that an objective person could accurately say as a religion, it is a “diversity of faiths”. But, true Christianity is not a “diversity of faiths”…it is not a “diversity of denominations”. Rather, true Christianity is characterized by the “unity of the faith“.
Till we all come in the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ: — Ephesians 4:13
As a whole, this verse perfectly encapsulates the Christian ideal that each and every one of us is to be moving towards: becoming more and more Christ-like!
Jesus Christ is our example and model…and we are to become more and more like Him.
But in this particular article, I want to zoom in on the first half of this verse…
Faith and knowledge are a necessary part of our Christian experience and walk.
Here is why…
As we exercise faith…and as we develop knowledge…we will move into the “unity of the faith” and into the “knowledge” that God wants us to have of Him through Jesus Christ.
In terms of knowledge…we must use the Word of God to inform us…that is, we must study and absorb the Word of God so that it inwardly-forms us.
And, as the entirety of the Word of God inwardly-forms us, we WILL come into the “unity of the faith“…we WILL move into the singleness of God’s truth through Jesus Christ.
What I am talking about here ties right back to topic of this article about Christian denominations…
There are many people who classify themselves as Christians who are not properly “informed“…who are not inwardly-formed by God’s proper truth…because they have not studied and absorbed the entirety of the Bible for themselves.
Instead, they have been “informed“…inwardly-formed…by a denomination that teaches, preaches, and emphasizes a few PET doctrines.
Their Christian “formation” is based upon what they have heard sitting in a denominational church.
And in some denominations, that means their “formation” is limited to a subset of God’s truth.
And in other denominations, that means their “formation” is based upon false doctrines.
The point is, the ONLY way to come into the “unity of the faith“…and the only way to have the true knowledge of God and His Son…is to study the entirety of the King James Bible for our own self.
To come at this from a different angle…
If you have ever been in an environment where you were able to interact with different types of denominational-Christians who were loyal to their denomination…then you have encountered first-hand some of the differences and divisions that exist within the realm of “Christianity”
On the other hand, if you will consider everything you know about those rare individuals you have known:
- Who have fully loved the Lord…
- Who deeply loved and studied the Word of God…
- Who prayed consistently and sincerely…
- Who were definitely spiritually-minded everywhere you saw them and every time you saw them…
- Who clearly had the Spirit of Christ…
- Who distinctly had God’s Spirit and anointing…
Then you will undoubtedly discover that the way they each believed was virtually identical…and that was because in developing their knowledge of God through Jesus Christ, they HAD come into the “unity of the faith“.
So again, true Christianity is not a “diversity of faiths”…it is not a “diversity of denominations”. Rather…
True Christianity is characterized by the “unity of the faith“.
— SLF