Was talking with a friend last night. He is a Godly man that wants his children raised knowing and loving God. As we talked about our faith in a loving graceful God, we noted a few things that we believed differently. The more we talked, the more we discovered that on the issues of Jesus Christ being the Son of God, His death and resurrection, and our salvation by the grace of God we agreed. The other issues are doctrinal (teachings) from the different denominations that we attended over the years. We also discovered that we didn’t always agree with the denominational doctrines, once they got away from the basic salvation teaching. Our faith in the One God – that is the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit – and the salvation bought for us by Jesus the Christ is a common bridge that connects us as brothers in Christ.

By the end of our conversation, we came to an agreement to pray for one another and ask God reveal to each of us those things that we needed to do the work of faith that God has assigned to each of us. We don’t have to agree on when or if there is a rapture. We don’t have to agree on the details of water baptism. We don’t have to agree on the titles of church offices or ministers. We do have to agree on the fact that Jesus Christ is salvation given to us by God because of His grace. The works of faith that we do is because we have been saved and not to gain salvation. Our works will demonstrate our faith in the salvation provided by Jesus Christ.

We do have to believe in the authority of Jesus Christ, given to Him by God the Father. Jesus is the greatest servant that ever lived as a man, and is the greatest leader that ever lived as a man. God is the author and the authority. All authority comes from God, but not all authority is in line with God. We are all sinners that have been forgiven by grace. We do not live in the perfect will of God, but we live forgiven in the knowledge of Jesus Christ as our Savior King. As believers, we try to live in a way that will not bring shame on the name of our Savior King. Sometimes we fail and we are forgiven.

As, believers, we are told to edify each other (for the equipping of the saints for the work of ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ (Ephesians 4:12) – Therefore let us pursue the things which make for peace and the things by which one may edify another (Romans 14:19)). To edify is to instruct especially so as to encourage. What is the thing that makes peace? What is the thing that encourages? The fact that we are all sinners that have been forgiven by grace. The basic salvation message. Anything else? The fact that God is in charge and not mankind – the authority of God. How about the fact that we pray for one another? Praying for one another means that we take the issues to the authority and don’t try to solve them all by our self. How about forgiving each other? Jesus said, “This is My commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you” (John 15:12). Jesus forgave.

The Church today is a house divided and we are divided by denominations and denominational doctrines. Jesus knew their thoughts, and said to them: “Every kingdom divided against itself is brought to desolation, and every city or house divided against itself will not stand” (Matthew 12:25). “And I also say to you that you are Peter, and on this rock I will build My church, and the gates of Hades shall not prevail against it” (Matthew 16:18). The Church cannot remain divided. The Church is not denominations and the Word of God is not denominational doctrines. We, the believers are the Church. Jesus is the Word of God. The Word of God said, “By this all will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another” (John 13:35). Jesus commanded us to love one another. To obey that commandment we need to understand that we are saved by grace and that the works (obeying the command) is done out of our faith in our Savior. Our salvation is our common bridge.

2007, Tim D. Coulter Sr.