Isaiah: 57:15:” For thus saith the high and lofty One that inhabiteth eternity, whose name is Holy; I dwell in the high and holy place, with him (person) also that is of a contrite (crushed) and humble spirit, to revive the spirit of the humble, and to revive the heart of the contrite ones.”

Since the dawn of time, humans have given themselves over to a fatal flaw in thinking, it is absolutely rooted in self-righteousness and basically holds the doctrine of if it doesn’t look, sound, or express like me, or my group, it must be reprobate, and we’d better put a stop to it.

Of course, I completely agree when it comes to false doctrine which truly must be exposed and shunned trough the truth of the Word of God for the purpose of leading those who may have fallen prey to such teaching to true salvation in Christ.

However, the thought that all must look alike, think alike, and believe every single detail alike has been the bane of the church since the beginning.

Think of all those who actually came against Paul, and Peter, those who hated and persecuted the disciple’s screaming “Heretic”, just as the persecuted Christ himself.

Think of all those, including the Jews who were persecuted during the Inquisition simply because they did not fit the mold held by the church of that day.

And we know, these are people of God, the true God, even today with many denominations but still the one and same God.

Differences in doctrines, baptisms, and orders, same core and same Gospel.

The test is this:

Jesus Christ was born as a human to a virgin mother.

Jesus Christ is the Son of God.

Jesus is the only one who has ever or will ever live a perfectly sinless life, even though he was tested in all arears of human existence, navigating life without sin.

Jesus Christ was crucified, taking upon himself the sins of the entire world, for all time.

Jesus Christ rose from the dead on the third day, allowing eternal life for all who will accept him as their Savior, making atonement for their sin and washing them in his own blood as the perfect spotless Lamb of God, the supreme sacrifice for mankind.

He will one day return to Earth, putting all of humanity under His rule.

Keeping his commandments and living according to his word should not have to be expressed.

It is a non-negotiable requirement, that is why we were given his word.

Everything else is doctrine. We all have different thoughts and ideas on different issues, that is why were given different denominations.

Until Kingdom come and all things are fulfilled.

John 10:16: “Other sheep I have, which are not of this fold: them also I must bring, and they shall hear my voice: and there shall be one fold, and one shepherd.”

Deuteronomy 6:4: ” Hear, O Isreal: The LORD our God is one LORD.”

Mark 12: 28-31: “And one of the scribes came, and having heard them reasoning (discussing) together, and perceiving that he (Jesus) had answered them well, asked him, Which is the first commandment of all?

And Jesus answering him, The first of all commandments is Hear, O Israel; The Lord our God is one Lord:

And thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind, and with all thy strength: this is the first commandment.

And the second is like, namely this, Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself. There is none other commandment greater than these.”

This is a verse is taken from the Book of Zechariah, which accounts the return of Christ and His reign, I want us to notice the words of Jesus echoed and fulfilled here.

Zechariah 14:9: “And the LORD shall be king over all the earth: in that day shall there be one LORD, and his name one.”

That is the fundamental of the Gospel.

The reason we needed to go back through and establish that is this:

Ephesians 4:29-32:”Let no corrupt communication proceed out of your mouth, but that which is good to the use of edifying the hearers.

And grieve not the holy Spirit of God, whereby ye are sealed unto the day of redemption.

Let all bitterness, and wrath, and anger, and clamour, (confusing, protest), and evil speaking, be put away from you, with all malice:

And be ye kind one to another, tenderhearted, forgiven one another, even as God for Christ’s sake hath forgiven you.”

The only words we should speak in a ministerial setting are those that encourage, bring hope, and gently warn of snares and traps.

Gently being the operative word there.

Jesus is gentle, he is kind, he is humble, and he does not need us to beat his lambs  over the head when he has chosen to lay down his life for them, nor has he given any of us the right to decide who is going to hell and who isn’t.

I get so fed up with hearing so many discourage lambs by saying things based on their beliefs. And their interoperations.

After a while, it sounds more like an exclusive club rather than an open invitation to eternal life.

Not Catholic, never going to be Catholic, but does anyone really want to argue that all these Nuns, who have devoted their lives to service and truly love and revere Jesus are just going to be lost forever because they are of a different denomination?

Or that the Pentecostals are all going to hell as a lot of the Baptists want to argue?

That the Holiness are all wrong because the operate in the gifts of the Spirit and many denominations believe in their own thinking that the gifts were for the apostles only?

Some Apostolicos who truly believe that anyone, even one professing Christ, will be lost forever if they do not recognize Jesus as God before they die.

And others who flow in the opposite direction, calling Apostolic, “Jesus Only: accusing them of denying God and considering them lost.

Ones who argue that you must be baptized to be saved, baptism is great but what about the thief on the cross? Jesus told him he would be with him in paradise that very day, he didn’t have time to be baptized.

Messianic Jews shunned by Judaism for “leaving the faith” and ridiculed by many for retaining their Judaism with the understanding of who Messiah truly is,

People who accept Jesus with their last breath don’t have time; it does mean that they are not saved. It means that in His mercy and grace God will save those who call upon him with a true heart.

We are called to unity, the outpouring of the Spirit in the Book of Acts, points us to the fact that they were in one mind and one accord.

But when we are constantly bombarded with people’s thoughts and preferences instead of the word of God, we will never be allowed in that holy place God desires to take us.

That is not saying we are not saved, we are, saved or unsaved people are subject to their flesh and flesh is what must be moved away.

God never gave us permission to malign our brothers and sisters who live by the fundamentals of the Gospel. 

We are all sheep of another fold in comparison to another fold.

In doing and allowing these thoughts, attitudes, and teachings we are only hindering the work of God, wounding lambs, who are often already wounded and further breaking an already broken body

I linked content concerning the Lambs and the Body if you would like more on those subjects.

But know as we seek God and his kingdom it is imperative that we put ourselves, our thoughts, and our flesh aside to truly fulfil his purpose for our lives in these last days, to see souls saved, and deliverance come and it is not going to happen until we realize our place and that place is not high or lifted us above any one, that place is in humility an servitude to him and truly preferring others above ourselves.

We are not  going to look alike, sound alike, worship alike.

There are different gifts and there is different manifestations of his Spirit in believers.

Just because someone is quiet and reserved does not mean they are unsaved and just because someone is outspoken and vocal does not mean they are.

This is long, so grab a cup of coffee, but it is so vital that you get this.

1st Corinthians 12:1-13:” Now concerning spiritual gifts, brethren, I would not have you ignorant (unlearned)

Ye know that ye were Gentiles, carried away unto these dumb idols, even as ye were led.

Wherefore I give you to understand, that no man speaking by the Spirit of God calleth Jesus accursed: and that no man can say that Jesus is the Lord, but by the Holy Ghost.

Now there are diversities (a range) of gifts, but the same Spirit.

And there are differences of administrations, but the same Lord.

And there are diversities of operations, but it is the same God which worketh in all.

But the manifestation of the Spirit is given to every man to profit withal (all).

For to one is given by the Spirit the word of wisdom; to another the word of knowledge by the same Spirit;

To another faith by the same Spirit; to another the gifts of healing by the same Spirit;

To another  the working of miracles; to another prophecy; to another discerning of spirits; to another divers (various) kinds of tongues; to another the interpretation of tongues:

But all these worketh that one and selfsame Spirit, dividing to every man severally (giving individually) as he will.

For as the body is one, and hath many members (body parts), and all the members of that one body, being many, are one body. So also is Christ.

For by one Spirit we are all baptized into one body, whether we be Jews or Gentiles, whether we be bond or free; and have been made to drink into one Spirit.”

That does go on to explain the body, but for sake of reading I stopped there but please click the blue sentence portion concerning the broken body above and it will give you those teachings.

We are all one when we are in Christ and as scripture tells us:

Romans 10:13:“For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.”

It does not say whoever has specific gifts, specific denominations, or whosoever does as we say.

It says whosever calls upon him because it is all about him not what we think and if a person is saved and confesses Christ and are not out in blatant sin, it is not our place to question their salvation and discourage them by putting out a list of requirements to “prove” their salvation, when God’s word is clear as stated in the passage above.

This kind of pressure is one main reason that sheep leave the flock and end up hurt and wounded.

Finally, as we wrap this one up, I do apologize, part 2 was to deal with living sacrifice, however, we have to get this concept before we can understand what being a living sacrifice means.

So please join me for part 3, the final post in this series, next time.

I want to circle us back around with this passage, we can understand how God has all in his hand and in that day he will reconcile all of us together in him.

Ephesians 4: 1-6: ” I therefore, the prisoner of the Lord, beseech you that ye walk worthy of the vocation wherewith ye are called,

With all lowliness and meekness, with longsuffering, forebearing one another in love;

Endeavouring to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace.

There is one body, and one Sprit, 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.”

Powerful words concerning the need for true unity, lets live by them today!

Peace & Love till next time!

Φλογιζω NBJ 2025/ Rev. N. Brown Johnson