THE VARIATIONS IN THE KINGDOM OF GOD

THE VARIATIONS IN THE KINGDOM OF GOD.

BEFORE YOU START READING THE TEXT, I WANT TO EXPLAIN WHY YOU HAVEN’T BEEN ABLE TO ENTER MOTHERELSE. IT WAS HACKED AND IT TOOK SOME TIME BEFORE I GOT HELP AND HAD IT REPAIRED WITH HIGHER SECURITY. PLEASE PRAY THAT IT WILL BE PROTECTED FOR THE FUTURE.

 

Many people are asking why we have so many differences in our congregations and why we are having so many different churches with different names. Isn’t there only One God and one Bible? We think that there is only One God, but there are many gods, but we think they are idols. Our God has created heaven and earth and everything that has life. I do not believe neither in fate nor in “the Big bang”. I believe in the God judging both the living and the dead.

There is only one Bible, but it isn’t easy to understand everything. This is one of the reasons  many have studied Greek and the Hebrew language. They want to go back to the original. There have been many different people translating the Bible through the times and we find many translations. I find differences just between the latest version and the one coming a few years back. The main truths are the same, but there are different nuances.

I have been reading the history of revivals and none of them is exactly alike. The Holy Spirit came in different ways and emphasized different truths. We can just think how the Pentecostal movement came with the revival of the Holy Spirit and speaking in tongues. Others have emphasized signs and wonders and others again have emphasized faith. We have had those speaking mainly about purification and holiness. In connection with that confessing of sins was emphasized. We have had a Jesus revival and a love revival. Some have said that Jesus is the most important thing. Others have talked about known preachers. Some movements cried a lot while others emphasized holy laughter. There are great differences even within the same movement. When Martin Luther turned against Catholicism, we got the Protestants, but they are far away one single group. There are a huge number with lots of variations. We will also find a lot of variations within the Catholic church. We have the Greek Orthodox, the Russian Orthodox and the Roman Catholic church. They are also practicing differently in different countries. Who is right and who is on the wrong track? Some people have misinterpreted, but many times there is not a question about wrong or right, but people emphasize different truths and revelations from God. Martin Luther wanted to come away from the Catholic view that we come to God through good deeds. He said that we are justified by faith and emphasized grace. The Catholics do not believe even today that we are saved through the redemption of Christ. They are actually not using the word salvation before the Day of Judgment. The Protestants should actually be against self-righteousness, but I do not know any other group being more divided into small groups as the Protestants. I actually do not like the word Protestant. What are we protesting against? Back to the divisions. When I was in New Delhi in India, I could look up names and addresses to over 600 different Christian churches and groups. Some of them were very small, but so many wanted to be a pastor. In some places you could almost find a church at every corner. I do believe that quite a few people start a church out of wrong motives. If you are supposed to start something new, it should be because of a direct saying by God or a prophetic word through another brother or sister. One doesn’t start a church because of bad economy or because one is lacking a permanent work. Everything that is started by God, will give results and a lot of fruits.

Some congregations have had a wrong form of control. The pastors or the eldest have not recognized the gifts and the revelations of the members unless they have been very close to the pastor or the elder. God wants all His children to function and this attitude creates sorrow in His heart as a Father. We have another ditch where the members have a difficult time to submit to a healthy authority and leadership. God is a God of order so any form of anarchy is not wanted in a healthy church.

Is it the meant that all Christians should believe exactly the same and worship God in the same way? I do believe that all Christians should have the Bible as their highest authority, but the Bible says in 1.Cor.13 that we know in part and we prophesy in part. We certainly do not know the entire Bible the day after we received Christ. It will take a life time. We must not forget that we have been given different tasks in the kingdom of God. A prophet will emphasize different things in the Bible than a teacher will. They will both convey different truths, but they should not contradict each other. There are certain things we all should do and we can read about that in Mark 16, but a great portion of the Christians are not speaking in tongues, laying hands on the sick or driving out demons. I have a hard time understanding that.. I do understand that many lack teaching and revelation. On the other hand, I have seen newly saved laying hands on the sick and the person got healed. They came into an environment where this was practiced.

When we talk about variations, we cannot merely talk about theology. We human beings are different and we come from different countries and cultures. I do not believe that a person praying with uplifted hands is more holy than one praying with folded hands. I do believe that we Christians must have a lot of tolerance for each other’s different forms. I do not talk about allowing sin or ignoring the Word, but we must know the difference between our likings and what is sin. I am not a young person and I do not like all modern music, but that doesn’t mean that all is wrong. Older people might criticize the new songs and the young might criticize the older psalms. They might both be born of the Spirit and should probably be more used by both age groups. Everything modern isn’t demonic. Now I have to say that there are things coming from another source. Let us pray that more people receive the gift of discernment. Different countries have different traditions and I am following them as long as they do not contradict the Word.

What should we have in common in order to call ourselves Christians? When we say that we are Christians, we say that we believe in Christ and we want to follow Him. We human beings are born into this world and we must also be born again in order to call ourselves Christians. When we get born again, we recognize that we are sinners and in need of a Savior. He has taken our sins and His Spirit is filling our spirit. We receive a new nature that is perfect. Our spirit cannot sin because it is born by a sinless God. Both our soul and body can sin and need sanctification. Everybody who is born again is my sister and brother no matter Pentecostals or Lutherans or whatever. I do want as much as possible of the Holy Spirit, but the common unity we all must have is to recognize Jesus as our Savior. I am invited to different kind of churches and groups, but I speak in tongues, pray for the sick and drive out demons. If this is not accepted where I am invited, they should invite somebody else.

LET US UNITE IN WHAT WE HAVE COMMON IN CHRIST, BUT AT THE SAME TIME RESPECT EACH OTHER’S DIFFERENCES.

LET US LOVE EACH OTHER!    

Mother Else