Comments on: Some Thoughts on Unity

By: Some Thoughts on Christian Unity « The View from Where I Stand

Some Thoughts on Christian Unity « The View from Where I Stand — Sun, 16 Sep 2007 23:34:36 +0000

[...] Posted by Will on September 16th, 2007 Phil Miller at CRN.Info and Analysis posted some interesting quotes on Christian unity from some of the leaders of the great religious movements of the last 500 years. As a United Methodist, I found the one by John Wesley to be of more than passing interest to me, but all of the quotes are of the same substance. â€œI ask that men make no reference to my name, and call themselves not Lutherans, but Christians. What is Luther? My doctrine, I am sure, is not mine, nor have I been crucified for anyone. St. Paul in 1 Corinthians 3, would not allow Christians to call themselves Pauline or Petrine, but Christian. How then should I, poor, foul carcass that I am, come to have men give to the children of Christ a name derived from my worthless name? No, no, my dear friends, let us abolish all party names, and call ourselves Christians after him whose doctrine we have.â€ – Martin Luther [...]

By: Rick

Rick — Sun, 16 Sep 2007 23:09:19 +0000

Phil – thanks, good point. And there’s another point in addition to the ‘division’ angle. John Wimber would say every denomination should plan its own demise. His reasoning was that every generation needs a fresh encounter with God.

We encounter God and start a movement. The movement becomes large and we form some ‘principles’. Those later become rules. We develop membership guidelines to define who we are but they becomes barriers to keep some out. Tradition is built and becomes unconsciously equal to Scripture. Etc.

The next generation miss the encounter with God and simply follow our forms. The third generation of course then rebels because they see empty religion, hypocrisy, division, etc..

So you are right on in that we do not worship man nor a movement but we worship a living Christ. To ensure that, we and our movements must die.

By: Rick Frueh

Rick Frueh — Sun, 16 Sep 2007 20:41:45 +0000

Is Christ divided? Was Luther crucified for you? Were you baptized in the name of Calvin?

Great post, Phil. May Christ and Christ alone be lifted up, not among men, but above, exalted, and august above the heavens!!