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March 2025 is now posted.

We will be posting the Glorious Gospel articles individually below. A PDF file (large print) can be downloaded under the Archives tab and printed if desired, as well as past editions.

 Chariot of the Cherubim

Part 2

Jack Davis

Interesting symbols: The pattern and construction concerning the Ark, as well as everything in the tabernacle, teach about Jesus Christ and His work of redemption. 

What was to be placed in the ark? Read Heb. 9:1-11. In the temple of Solomon it contained only the table of stone. I Kings 8:9.

What was placed on the ark? The mercy seat, which also acted as a lid. The blood of the sacrifice was sprinkled thereon. God said He would neet and commune with His people there. Ex. 25:21

What was on the mercy seat and covered it? The cherubim of glory – Heb. 9:5.

Where was the ark to dwell when Israel camped? In the Holy Place (the Holiest of Holies) the throne room. With the blood sprinkled upon the mercy seat, represents for us the throne of grace. Heb. 4:14-16 and 10:19-22.

What do the Cherubim Represent? Can you see redeemed, glorified humanity, who have by the power of the Holy Spirit entered the glorious liberty of the Children of God? In the Word of God they seem to be enjoying the spacious, gracious freedom of performing the will of the throne. They seem to be carrying out and calling forth the mode, mood, and movement in harmony with that glorious throne of glory.

I greatly appreciate Pastor Richard’s series on “Liberty” and quote the last paragraph. “In eternity each of us is an integral unit. Our faith takes hold of  it now. The cherubim of Ezekiel and the seraphim of Isaiah, show the full character of Christ in man. He has the nature, the humility, the power, the durability that a God-man should have. Who are these cherubim and seraphim? They can be you…me…an entirely new “I.” Praise the Lord! Liberty from all the bondage of corruption!” 

The cherubim’s wings tell us some wonderful things about how full overcomers are enabled by the Holy Spirit to rise and reign. Eze. 10:15-17; Isa. 40:28-31. The expression in our translation is “mount up.” Ezekiel 10:15 also identifies the cherubim as living creatures. These “living creatures” with four wings joined one to the other (unity of the Spirit), straight feet, and four faces, (a man, a lion, an ox, and an eagle) show the fourfold characteristics of our Lord Jesus 

Christ pictured in the four gospels, and reproduced in His dependant people.

In Revelation chapters four and five the living creatures are referred to as “beats.” Their description in 4:6-8 is comparable to those in Ezeklel ten. When these redeemed and glorified beings joyfully express their knowledge of Christ’s right to reign both as Creator and Redeemer, all creation seem to react. That which is said of them affords us some marvelous insight to the conveyance of the King of kings, for they are always acting in perfect harmony with the will of the throne. These will have taken the name of Jesus with them, carried His life, as treasure in earthen vessels, born His reproach, made Him known to others, and shown forth His light.

Transport for dignitaries of most countries are elaborate. But what is the president’s limo, copter, or plane compared to a chariot of cherubims? For seven years our assemble took a bus load of young people to youth camp out in the Colorado rockies, what trips! The Lord was certainly with us, and watched over us. One year we got behind a bus named the ‘Lord’s Ford.’ Someone wondered if we could call our bus “The bride’s ride.” We had some real blessings and mechanical problems with the old bus, but it was far easier to take them than Rebecca’s camel.

“The Lord reigneth; let the people tremble: He sitteth (enthroned, above, among, on or between) the Cherubims; let the earth be moved.” – Psa. 99:1. We here have a chariot that it is a living vehicle, made up on living creatures. 

In Songs of Solomon 1:9; the king compares the great love of his life, to a company (how significant) not of wild horses, but to a highly trained company of powerful creatures that move swiftly in  perfect unison at the will of the chariot master, and which otherwise stood perfectly still. In Songs of  Solomon 3:9-11, We read that the king built for himself a palanquin, His car of state. Some have called it a litter. By definition this has characteristics of a curtain covered couch for carrying a crowned one.

He made has chariot of wood which teaches of our Lord’s work with humanity, having become man to redeem mankind. He made the pillars of silver, in other words His work, it’s solid supports were established on redemption. In Old Testament type the redemption money was silver. Of course under the new covenant we are redeemed by the precious blood of Jesus. The floor of His car of state was of gold. He became man to make mankind a partaker of the divine nature, pictured by the gold. The covering of purple indicates that those who are born into the family of God by faith in Jesus Christ are heirs of God, born to royalty. The midst paved with love, that is what the gospel story is all about. The greatest love story ever told, from start to finish, first to last, least to the greatest. This is the chariot of charity. “Unto Him that loved us, and washed us from our sins in His own blood, and hath made us kings and priests unto God and His Father; to him be glory and dominion for ever and ever. Amen.” Rev. 1:5-6. Read and rejoice in 5:11-14.

He who is the king maker, house builder, foundation, and chief corner stone will soon finish His work in the objects of His love. Then will He forever be highly honored as the King of all kings, and Lord of all lords. He who is the maker of true priests must be acknowledged as the High Priest forever.

Oh, what a Redeemer, what a Savior, none other name can claim such fame, for no one in heaven and earth has borne the blame, and suffered the full measure of reproach and shame. Oh, yes the highest praise must go to our lover, liberator, and lifter of our heads forever.

“Or ever I was aware, my soul made me like the chariots of Ammi-nadib.” S.O.S. 6:12.

In a grand surprise, the king of love seems to dip too low on His inspection tour. Then all of sudden with love’s magnetic force the king and His greatest love get caught up and carried away in translation’s embrace. He might be heard to say, “Before I realized what was happening, my heart set me on the chariots of my princely, or willing people.” I am told such is the meaning of Ammi-nadib. The Lord Himself will soon descend with a shout, and His watching waiting bride shall ascend to that glad meeting in the air! What comfort this hope affords.

 FRUIT

Gordon Crook, Pastor

Grace Assembly, Wichita, Kansas

“I am the true vine, and my Father is the husbandman. Every branch in me that beareth not fruit he taketh away: and every branch that beareth fruit, he purgeth it, that it may bring forth more fruit. Now ye are clean through the word which I have spoken unto you. Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, except it abide in the vine; no more can ye, except ye abide in me. I am the vine, ye are the branches: He that abideth in me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit: for without me ye can do nothing.” John 15:1-5

God has always used things from His creation to teach us spiritual lessons. We can easily understand that a tree is identifiable by the fruit that it bears. If you see a tree that has apples growing on it, you will know that it is not an orange tree. So, remember, fruit is what can be observed.

Jesus told us “by their fruits ye shall know them.” He is giving us an understanding that a person’s actions and behavior and speech will allow you to know something about them. It is easy to say, “I am a Christian,” but is there any evidence. On the other side, if you are a true Christian, can others tell? Can they observe your life, your behavior and know that you are a Christian?

If you think that non-Christians don’t know what to look for, you would be wrong. Even if they are not sure, you will hear them say, “that doesn’t seem very much like a Christian.” They do know what they expect someone’s behavior to be when they claim to be Christian. 

And this brings me to the problem that we often have. We claim to be Christians. That means we are bearing the name of Jesus Christ. In the Old Testament, God told His people that they should not bear His name in vain. Israel bore the name of Jehova their God. Others would take note of this and the actions of the Israelites would reflect on their God.

First, in our passage, Jesus does not leave us to try to figure out how to live a Christian life. He very clearly tells us that we cannot bear fruit except we remain in Him. That is a life that is yielded to the life of Christ. We are created in Christ (new birth) unto good works (fruit). “For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them.” Ephesians 2:10

Secondly, I want you to notice that He uses the word “bear,” that is, to “carry.” We are not creating the fruit, we are bearers of the fruit that is the result of the life of Christ. The fruit comes as a result of the work of the Holy Spirit. He works through God’s Word to produce fruit in our lives. “For the hope which is laid up for you in heaven, whereof ye heard before in the word of the truth of the gospel; Which is come unto you, as it is in all the world; and bringeth forth fruit, as it doth also in you, since the day ye heard of it, and knew the grace of God in truth:” Colossians 1:5-6

Thirdly, notice He emphasizes the word “abide.” This speaks of a continuation. Not leaving Him. I think it indicates our need for continual study of God’s Word, and continual communion with Him in prayer. It is those times when we think we finally have everything under control and can take it on our own, that we end up failing. Our human tendency is to be independent, but scripture teaches us differently. “Blessed is the man that walketh not in the counsel of the ungodly, nor standeth in the way of sinners, nor sitteth in the seat of the scornful. But his delight is in the law of the LORD; and in his law doth he meditate day and night. And he shall be like a tree planted by the rivers of water, that bringeth forth his fruit in his season; his leaf also shall not wither; and whatsoever he doeth shall prosper.” Psalms 1:1-3.

The tree that is planted “fixed in place” by the rivers of water gets continual nourishment from the source. When we delight (take pleasure) in God’s Word, we are nourished from it and are able to bear fruit. The Holy Spirit knows what fruit to produce in our life in every season. If we abide in Jesus in every aspect of our life, we will bear fruit that others will see and they will be drawn to Him. In Acts we read that the people “took knowledge of them, that they had been with Jesus.” This is what I want from my life, and you should too. Our main purpose should be to draw other to Jesus. 

 THE DEDICATION OF OUR MIND TO GOD

Anita Clark – Pastor, Carbondale, KS

Jesus spoke in Matthew 22:37 with a quote from Deuteronomy 6:15, saying “Thou shalt love the Lord, thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind.” The “mind” speaks of “deep thought, imagination, and understanding.”

Deuteronomy 6:5 tells about Moses going off the scene, and would die before going into Canaan land.  He said, this very scripture mentioned by Jesus there in Matthew 22:37 - “And thou shalt love the Lord God with all thine heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy might.” The part “all thy soul” means “all thy life, mind, heart, desire, or breath.”  He said this is what God wants from Israel, but God wants this also from all His people.

This same word for “mind” is used in Ephesians 2:1-3.  Vs. 3 -”Among whom also we all had our conversation in the times past in the lusts of our flesh, fulfilling the desires of the flesh, and of the mind, and were by nature the children of wrath, even as others.”  Before knowing Christ, our sinful mind led us. (vs. 3).  This word “mind” means - “imagination, and deep thought.”  

In Romans 1:28-29, the Scripture says, speaking of people with “reprobate minds,” And even as they did not like to retain God in their knowledge, God gave them over to a reprobate mind, to do those things which are not convenient.” When, by Adam, sin entered the world, man became more and more vile. i.e. Cain killed Abel. The word “reprobate” means “unapproved, rejected, worthless morally.” Why don’t many people, those without Christ want to accept the “the natural man?”  I Corinthians 2:14 tells us, “But the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God for they are foolishness unto him; neither can he know them, because they are Spiritually discerned.”  I Corinthians 2:16 says, “For who hath known the mind of the Lord, that He may instruct him? But we have the mind of Christ.” I Corinthians 1:18 says, “For the preaching of the cross is to them that perish foolishness (or silliness, absurdity); but unto us which are saved it is the power of God.”

Ephesians 4:17 tells us to “Walk not as other Gentiles in the vanity of their mind.” The word “vanity” means “moral depravity.” Vs. 18 says “Having the understanding darkened, being alienated from the life of God through the ignorance that is in them; because of the blindness of the heart.”

Romans 8:5 tells us, “For they that are after the flesh do mind the things of the flesh; but they that are after the Spirit the things of the Spirit. For to be carnally minded is death but to be spiritually minded is life and peace.”  The term “carnally minded” means to be “fleshly, human nature, with its failure, physically and morally.” Vs. 7 says “Because the carnal mind is enmity against God, for it is not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can be.” We have victory through Christ over our flesh. Great Victory is in our midst and our Church.

Philippians 1:27 says, “Only let your conversation be as it becometh the gospel of Christ: that whether I come and see you, or else be absent, I may hear of your affairs, that ye stand fast in one spirit, with one mind striving together for the faith of the gospel.” Chapter 2:2, “Fulfill ye my joy; that ye be likeminded having the same love, being of one accord, of one mind.”  Vs. 3 - “Let nothing be done through strife or vainglory; but in lowliness of mind let each esteem others better than themselves.”  “Lowliness of mind,” means “humiliation of mind, modesty, and the state or quality of being moderate in the estimation of one’s own abilities, accomplishments or value.”  Vs. 5 tells “Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus.”  The Amplified Version says, “Have the same attitude in yourselves which was in Christ Jesus (look to Him, as your example in selfless humility.”

In Philippians 3:10-12 Paul declares, “That I may know Him, and the power of His resurrection, and the fellowship of His sufferings, being made conformable unto His death; If by any means I might attain the (out) resurrection of the dead.  Not as though I had already attained, either were already perfect, but I follow after, if that I may apprehend that for which also I am apprehended of Christ Jesus.” In verse 11, where Paul spoke of “I might attain unto the (out) resurrection” the word “attaining” means “to take, to get hold of, seize, to obtain.”

In Philippians 3:15, Paul says, “Let us therefore, as many as be perfect, be thus minded: and if otherwise minded, God shall reveal even this unto you.”  It would be great if we were all “perfect.”  The Lord is working in our lives right now to perfect us into His likeness. The word “perfect” in this verse above, means “complete, in various applications of labor, growth, mental or moral character, completeness, of full age.” Has anyone reading this reached their complete, and full age?  Make up your mind!  Choose where you will go.  Who will you give your mind, attention, and duration to?

 A Crown of Thorns

Vicky Moots

Matthew 27:27-30: “Then the soldiers of the governor took Jesus into the common hall, and gathered unto Him the whole band of soldiers. And they stripped him, and put on him a scarlet robe.  And when they had platted a crown of thorns, they put it on his head, and a reed in his right hand: and they bowed the knee before him, and mocked him, saying, hail, King of the Jews! And they spit upon him, and took the reed, and smote him on the head.”

The placing of the crown of thorns on Jesus’ head is also recorded in Mark 15:17-20. When we read these accounts of the crown of thorns, we obviously think of the amount of pain which Christ endured physically and emotionally. He was a true king, but he was mocked and scorned and rejected even though they bowed their knees to him. But I believe that the thorns on his head had a more significant meaning than just pain and rejection.

Thorns entered into this world because of man’s sin in the Garden of Eden, as we read in Gen. 3:17-18. God told Adam after he had eaten of the fruit of the tree which he was commanded not to eat, “…cursed is the ground for thy sake; in sorrow shalt thou eat of it all the days of thy life; Thorns and thistles shall it bring forth to thee...” This means that thorns were a part of the curse, and are identified with sin. Therefore, the crown of thorns being placed on Jesus’ head represented Him being identified with our sin. Even though He was sinless, He was made sin for us so that He could bear our penalty.

The Mosaic law also pronounced a curse on all those who could not keep it, as God declared in Deut. 11:26-28: “Behold, I set before you this day a blessing and a curse; A blessing if you obey the commandments of the Lord your God, which I command you this day: And a curse if ye will not obey the commandments of the Lord your God…” However, no one could keep the law, so Christ had to die to redeem us from the curse of the law.

In Duet. 21:22-23 we read further regarding the curse: “And if a man have committed a sin worthy of death, and he be put to death, and thou hang him on a tree: His body shall not remain all night upon the tree, but thou shalt in any wise bury him that day; (for he that is hanged is accursed of God)...”

But, praise God, Christ bore the curse of the law for us, as Paul proclaimed in Gal. 3:13: “Christ hath redeemed us from the curse of the law, being made a curse for us: for it is written, Cursed is every one that hangeth on a tree.”

As Christ hung upon the tree of Calvary, His blood poured down upon the ground, which was cursed, just like the blood from the sacrifice of the sin offering was poured out at the bottom of the Altar of Burnt Offering in the Tabernacle in the wilderness. (Lev. 4:18). He became our sin offering on that day.

His crown of thorns became a Victor’s crown as he cried out, “It is finished.” He no longer wears a crown of thorns, for He is now crowned with glory and honor, as Paul stated in Hebrews 2:9: “But we see Jesus, who was made a little lower than the angels for the suffering of death, crowned with glory and honor; that he by the grace of God, should taste death for every man.”

JOY

Gary Giddings – Broken Arrow, OK

Lk. 2:10-11, “And the angel said unto them, Fear not: for, behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people. For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, which is Christ the Lord.” These were the words that the angel spoke to the shepherds the night Jesus was born. It is interesting that God gave this announcement of joy to such lowly, common workers like shepherds. God wants all people to know and experience the joy of knowing Jesus as Savior.

According to Webster Dictionary, the basic definition of joy is ‘The passion or emotion excited by the expectation of good.’ This is something that we all can be excited about: Jesus our Savior has saved us from our sins. BELIEVE, RECEIVE Him into your heart, and you will BECOME a child of God! We have joy because we have acquired the goodness of God through Jesus, we live with the expectation of more of God’s goodness through Jesus. Consider the Grace & Glory song, Joy, Joy Is Mine, my Savior divine – Comes to abide with me, with me, Comes to abide, ever to abide, My own loving Savior abideth with me.

The presence of Jesus in our heart gives us never-ending joy. No one and nothing can give us joy like Jesus. We like to have fun, but joy is better. A sister in the Lord told me years ago that fun is spoken from the lips, it is shallow. But joy is spoken from deeper within and resides deep within us. I want to look at each of the FOUR VERSES of the song, ‘Joy, Joy Is Mine’ [song credits to Mrs. J.H. Knowles and Mrs. J.F. Knapp].

1) He has come! He has come! My Redeemer has come, He has taken my heart as His own chosen home; At last I have given the welcome He sought, He has come, and His coming– all gladness has brought.

Rev. 3:20,  “Behold, I stand at the door, and knock: if any man hear my voice, and open the door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with me.” Jesus doesn’t want to enslave us; He wants to love us. To “sup” to “dine” with Him. We have fellowship and communion with Him when we give ourselves to Him. Jn. 15:10-11, “If ye keep my commandments, ye shall abide in my love; even as I have kept my Father’s commandments, and abide in His love. These things have I spoken unto you, that my joy might remain in you, and that your joy might be full.” First we welcome Jesus into our heart, and then we make Him welcome on the throne of our heart as we obey God’s Word. God showed His love to us by GIVING us His Son Jesus. We show our love to God by OBEYING Him. Obedience to God opens the way for us to experience His love and joy.

2) He has come! He has come! My Love and my Lord, Every thought of my being is swayed by His Word; He has come, and He rules in the realm of my soul, And His scepter is love, O blessed control!  

Hab. 3:17-18, “Although the fig tree shall not blossom, neither shall fruit be in the vines; the labor of the olive shall fail, and the fields shall yield no meat; the flock shall be cut off from the fold, and there shall be no herd in the stalls: Yet I will rejoice in the LORD, I will joy in the God of my salvation.” Jesus comes to rule in the realm of our soul, and He rules with love. Even if all things seem to fall apart, it is because of His unending love we can rejoice in the Lord. We may not understand it all, but we TRUST Him. 1 Pet. 1:6-8, “Wherein ye greatly rejoice, though now for a season, if need be, ye are in heaviness through manifold temptations: That the trial of your faith, being much more precious than of gold that perisheth, though it be tried with fire, might be found unto praise and honor and glory at the appearing of Jesus Christ: Whom having not seen, ye love; in whom, though now ye see him not, yet believing, ye rejoice with joy unspeakable and full of glory:” We can rejoice in the Lord, even when circumstances aren’t so great. Why? God is working in and through us to be the people that He wants us to be. It is our honor to praise Him when times are tough. After all, things will change, but God and His promises will not change! He will see us through and give us greater joy than we had before. Remember, joy is the expectation of the good coming.

3) He has come! He has come! O happiest heart, He has given His Word that He will not depart; No trouble can enter, no evil can come To the heart where the God of peace has His home.  

Heb. 13:5-6, “Let your conversation be without covetousness; and be content with such things as ye have: for He hath said, I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee. So that we may boldly say, The Lord is my helper, and I will not fear what man shall do unto me.” This is the happy heart of joy, when we live according to the promise that God will always be with us. We may feel afraid when certain things happen to us or to others. But God is greater than whatever may be trying to threaten us. Our  body is  God’s temple  and He  takes  care of us! 

2 Cor. 1:8-10, “For we would not, brethren, have you ignorant of our trouble which came to us in Asia, that we were pressed out of measure, above strength, insomuch that we despaired even of life: But we had the sentence of death in ourselves, that we should not trust in ourselves, but in God which raiseth the dead: Who delivered us from so great a death, and doth deliver: in whom we trust that He will yet deliver us;” The Apostle Paul is our “pattern racer” he learned to trust God in very difficult times, not ourselves. We don’t deny our feelings but we learn to look to the One who is the Deliverer, our Lord Jesus Christ. 

4) He has come to abide, And holy must be The place where my Lord deigns to banquet with me; And this is my praise, Lord, since Thou art come, Made meet for Thy presence my heart as Thy home.  

Jn. 15:4-5, “Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, except it abide in the vine; no more can ye, except ye abide in me. I am the vine, ye are the branches: He that abideth in me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit: for without me ye can do nothing.” A relationship of love between Jesus and each one of us. We love Him because He first loved us. Because His love is never-ending and His love never wavers, we learn to trust Him more and more. Continued trusting, we abide, remain, dwell in Him. This relationship has a business side to it in the sense that if we don’t trust Him in a practical way, we won’t experience the joy of this relationship. But God is patient and longsuffering and He assures us in times of trouble. 1 Pet. 3:15, “But sanctify the Lord God in your hearts: and be ready always to give an answer to every man that asketh you a reason of the hope that is in you with meekness and fear:” Sanctify means “to make holy, purify or consecrate” (Strong). We are to separate ourselves FROM the world and UNTO Jesus. Our lives can’t be joyful in the true sense of the word without Jesus ruling and reigning in our heart. We can’t be involved in sinful things and still have a good relationship with the Lord. We must walk in the light, and this light is our Lord Jesus Christ. 

Again, the chorus:

Joy! Joy is mine, my Savior divine – Comes to abide with me, with me, Comes to abide, ever to abide, My own loving Savior abideth with me.

No one can take this joy from you, only as you allow someone to take it. But we are learning to TRUST our Lord and Savior in all things and to be the people that God wants us to be. With His joy in our heart, we can continually worship and serve Him all the days of our lives.

 The Headship of Christ

Earlene Davis

I Cor. 12:12, “For as the body is one, and hath many members, and all the members of that one body, being many, are one body: so also is Christ.”

Apostle Paul Uses our natural body to illustrate the body of Christ, the Church. Just as our natural body has many members, hands, feet, etc., yet it is one body. “So also is Christ,” referring to the mystical body of Christ. All believers on Jesus belong to His body, the Church. There are many members, but they are one body. I might add, that the local assemblies are a miniature picture of the whole body.

Vs. 13-14, “For by one Spirit are we all baptized into one body, whether we be Jews or Gentiles, whether we be bond or free; and have been all made to drink into one Spirit. For the body is not one member, but many.” When were we all baptised into one body? It was provisional accomplished on the day of Pentecost - Acts 2. We do not have anything to do with making that unity of it members. For it was made one body by the one baptism of the Holy Spirit. All believers on the Lord Jesus Christ, whether they know it or not. It did not originate with man or a set of men, but we do read of many fillings of the Holy Spirit. 

For all believers have been given the privilege to drink of the One Spirit. Have you taken your privilege? Eph. 5:18, “And be not drunk with wine, wherein is excess; but be filled with the Spirit.” Eph. 4:4-5, “There is one body, and one Spirit, even as ye are called in one hope of your calling; One Lord, one faith, one baptism.” Gal. 3:26-28, “For ye are all the children of God by faith in Christ Jesus.

 For as many of you as have been baptized into Christ have put on Christ. There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither bond nor free, there is neither male nor female: for ye are all one in Christ Jesus.” A new creation in Him – Praise God!

Col. 1:12-13, “Giving thanks unto the Father, which hath made us meet to be partakers of the inheritance of the saints in light: Who hath delivered us from the power of darkness, and hath translated us into the kingdom of his dear Son:” We have redemption through His blood. Vs. 18, “And he (Christ) is the head of the body, the Church…that in all things he might have the preeminence.” There is only one body or Church with One Head, Christ.

Our natural body is an amazing marvel when contemplating its workings. But its many members cannot work independent of the head. Never does one member of the body seek its own thing. Neither does one member become angry with the others. Instead, I think we all have experienced one member in sympathy with an injured other member. “So also is Christ.” May we  honor Christ as our head and no other. God has made this union. 

Man has made divisions. What is the cause? Mainly it is because of not holding Christ as Head of the Church, His body. In Eph. 4:3-4, We are  urged “to keep” the unity of the one body in the bond of peace. We are not admonished to make the unity, but to keep the unity  God has made. Today there are many division. Whenever the Lord works or revives His Church, another sect results which is against the teachings of the Scriptures.  There is but one body regardless of what man does or says.

In Revelation chapters 2 & 3, Jesus’ last words to His Church. He addresses seven local assemblies which typically and prophetically describes the Church Age. Each one beginning with Ephesus who lost her first love for Christ soon after the apostles passed off the scene. Continuing on down to Laodicea where Jesus is on the outside knocking for individuals to invite Him into their hearts. These churches tell the story of the decline of the Church during this Church Age. The rebuke Christ gives in these letters to them, applies to all sects who turn to human authority rather than to the Spirit of God, the teacher of the Church. “He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches” is repeated, ending each letter.

The Church of Jesus Christ is an organism, not an organization. God does not need a manager. Is He not sufficient to manage His own sheep? God always has a faithful remnant and in each of the churches, there are promises of rewards to the overcomers. Smyrna saints are faithful unto death and are given a crown of life. Philadelphia saints have kept Christ’s word and because they have kept the word of His patience, they will be kept from the hour of temptation coming upon all the world. They are admonish to hold fast that which thou hast, that no man take thy crown – Rev. 3:12-13 & 22:7, 12-13, 16, 20.