ha MASHIACH IS NOT DIVIDED

By Tom Campbell

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"Wherefore also it is contained in the scripture, Behold, I lay in Zion a chief cornerstone, elect, precious; and he that believeth on him shall not be confounded. Unto you therefore which believe, He is precious: but unto them which be disobedient, the stone which the builders disallowed the same is made the head of the corner. And a stone of stumbling and a rock of offence, even to them which stumble at his word, being disobedient whereunto they were appointed. But ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a peculiar people, that ye should show forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvellous light." (1 Peter 2:6-9)

"God is faithful, by whom ye were called unto the fellowship of His Son Jesus Christ our Lord. Now I beseech you, brethren, by the Name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that ye all speak the same thing, and that there be no divisions among you; but that ye be perfectly joined together in the same mind and in the same judgment. For it hath been declared unto me of you, my brethren, by them which are of the house of Chloe, that there are contentions among you. Now this I say, that every one of you saith, I am of Paul, and I of Apollos; and I of Cephas; and I of Christ. Is Christ divided? was Paul crucified for you? or were ye baptized in the name of Paul?" (1 Corinthians 1:9-13).

The abundance of New Testament evidence, reveals that in the days following Pentecost, the apostles did not separate themselves from the religious life of Israel, as seen in the Temple worship or synagogue, but supplemented this with apostolic teaching, prayer, and fellowship by the breaking of bread. (Acts 2:42,46)

It is only custom that the New Testament meeting has come to be referred to as a "church service." Or Greek rhetoric that gatherings intended to refresh one spiritually because of the fact that they are orchastrated by God in Mashiach/Christ, should become so program oriented as to be called "The order of worship." Yeshua walks amid His church, our great high priest. (Rev. 1-2) He did not ordain the dry services which many call "revival." In God's presence is fulness of joy, and where two or more are gathered, he is there in the midst, as the Lord our provider, to supply our hungry souls with "heavenly manna." He is the True and Living Bread. (John 6:32-48)The very Bread of heaven! (John 6:50)

Biblically the New Testament word which is translated "synagogue," was first used of the Jewish religious service where the apostles taught. The word is derived from sunagoge, meaning "Gathering." (Acts 1:43, Luke 7:5) A similar meaning is seen in the Greek term episunagoge"Now we beseech you brethren, by the coming of our Lord Yeshua haMashiach/Jesus Christ, and our "gathering together unto Him." (2 Thess. 2:1) The following are examples of the preaching and teaching of the apostles in the synagogues.

What did these ancient synagogues look like? From excavations in Palestine, the stone of the country was used. The lintels of the doors were ornamented with different forms of ornamentation, i.e. 7 branched candlesticks, an open flower, 2 Paschal lambs, vine leaves with grapes, or as at Capernaum, a pot of manna between 2 representations of Aaron's rod. Inside were 2 colonades. The oldest Jewish tradition does not indicate a gallery for the women. With regard to the furniture, there was a moveable ark in which the scrolls of the Law were kept. It was called aron ha-kodhesh, but chiefly tebhah,and it stood facing the entrance. It was taken out and carried in procession on fast days. In frontof the ark, facing the congregation were the "chief seats, for the rulers of the synagogue and the learned men." (Matt. 23:6) The bema a platform from which the law was read, was of an ancient date and used in the time of Yeshua.

At least 10 men had to be present. The synagogue gatherings, that the apostles consisted of the following:

1) The recitation of the Shema. (Deut. 6:4-9, 11:13-21, Num. 15:37-41) 2) Prayers The most important prayers were Shemoneh, (Eighteen Eulogies) a cycle of 18 prayers. also called "The Prayer." Berakhoth; Taanith. 3) The Reading of the Law And the Prophets. After the prayers the parashah, i.e. pericope. The Penteteuch contained 118 pericopes, so it took 3 years to read through. The ruler (Heb. rosh hakeneseth Some synagogues had several rulers. (Mark 5:22, Acts 13:15) of the synagogue could ask anyone he wanted to preach, or someone might ask permission of him to teach. 4) The Sermon. 5) The Benediction. The congregation answered Amen!

• They preached the word of God in the synagogue. (Acts 13:5)
• They went both together into the synagogue of the Jews, and so spake, that a great multitude both of the Jews and also of the Greeks believed. (Acts 14:1)
• Thessalonica, where there was a synagogue of the ews, and paaul as his manner was, went in unto them, and three sabbath days reasoned with them out of the scriptures, opening and alleging that Mashiach/Christ must needs have suffered and risen again from the , and that this Yeshua/Jesus whom I preach unto you is Mashiach/Christ. And some of them believed, and consorted with Paul and Silas; and of the devout Greeks a great multitude and of the cchief women, not a few." (Acts 17:1-4)
• Paul...came to Ephesus and entered into the synagogue. (Acts 18:19)
• "And a certain Jew named Apollos born at Alexandria, an eloquent man, mighty in the scriptures came to Ephesus. This man was instructed in the way of the Lord, and being fervent in spirit, he spake and taught diligently the things of the Lord, knowing only the baptism of John. And he began to speak boldly in the synagogue: whom when Aquila and Priscilla had heard, they took him nto them, and expounded unto him the way of God more perfectly." (Acts 18:24-26)
• And he went into the synagogue and spake boldly for the space of three monthes, disputing and persuading the things concerning the kingdom of God...And God wrought special miracles by the hands of Paul. (Acts 19:8-11)

Proseuche "a place of prayer," (Acts 16:13) was probably an enclosure marking off the sacred spot." The early believers prayed by the riverside too. "And on the sabbath we went out of the city by a riverside." (Acts 16:13) In Palestine, the synagogues were scattered throughout the country, with larger towns having one or more. (Mark 13:54) In Jerusalem, in spite of the Temple being there, the city contained many synagogues. (Acts 6:9)

We read of the "Synagogue of the Libertines," in Acts 6:9.

"There arose certain of them from among the Libertines, and of the Cyrenians, and of the Alexandrians, and of them of Cilicia, and Asai, disputing with Stephen."

YESHUA'S BOYHOOD

A very important part of Hebrew family life, was the pilgrimage to the place of the sanctuary. "Thrice in the year shall all your men children appear before the Lord God of Israel. (Exodus 34:23) The whole family could go, but the men were required to attend these pilgrimages. The focus was largely thanksgiving to God. The Lord gave a special promise to those men that attended, that He would guard their homes against possible attack from an enemy while on the pilgrimage.

"Neither shall any man desire thy land, when thou shalt go up to appear before the Lord." (Ex. 34:24)

On such pilgrimages, kinfolk traveled together, in large groups, with the young people considered perfectly safe, so long as they traveled with the group. On these trips parents go for hours without seeing their sons. When Yeshua's family started out, he was there, but it became noticed that he'd become detached along the way, as his family noticed that he was gone.

It is likely that after Yeshua returned from the pilgrimage, he would borrow the manuscript from the synagogue in Nazareth, if he did not have a copy in his home, and study it, especially the books of Moses and the Prophets. In His teachings, He frequently referred to these writers, and was especially fond of Isaiah and Jeremiah. In Nazareth he probably attended synagogue school, beginning with the fifth or sixth year of his life. The students stood or sat in a semi-circle facing their teacher. Talmud was studied by those over 15.

The Apostle Luke records the pilgrimage of Joseph, Mary and Yeshua. "Now is parents went up to Jerusalem after the custom of the feast." (Luke 2:41-42, 49) For Messiah to be "in His father's house," was an extremely happy event in His life.

CHANGES IN THE SYNAGOGUE OR EKKLESIA

Changes in the New Testament ekklesia, or "body of Messiah," came only with emerging needs. (Acts 6:1,Acts 15) Temple worship was still adhered to. (Acts 2:46,31)

The New Testament body of believers found in scripture, is made up of local congregations formed within cities and towns where the apostles preached the gospel, and converts came to Yeshua/Jesus Christ.(1 Corinthians 1:2) The body of believers, incorporated all converts who believed on Yeshua haMashiach/Jesus Christ. Messiah said their witness of Him would be "First in Jerusalem, and in all Judea, and in Samaria, and unto uttermost parts of the earth." (Acts 1:8) And it was. Jerusalem. (Acts 2:1-38) Judea. (Acts 8:1,9:31,10:37) Samaria. (Acts 8:5-25) Uttermost parts of the earth. (Eph. 19:5, Col. 1:2, Rev. 2-3)

Initially the doctrine of salvation was set, when on the Day of Pentecost, the Apostle Peter defined for the waiting crowd from many nations, the way of salvation, Three thousand of those Jews who were assembled at Jerusalem for the Feast of at Pentecost, were saved, when the Apostle gave explicit instructions in answer to their question: "Men and brethren, what shall we do? (i.e. to be saved?" (Acts 2:18, Acts 2:37-39, Ephesians 1:22,23). This salvation message did not change as the apostolic church planting teams went from city to city. The body of Yeshua/Christ found in the New Testament church is not and was never owned by any manmade denomination or organization. It is the Body of Christ, and is presided over by the Living Christ, now resurrected and ascended.

THE CHURCH OF YESHUA/JESUS IN THE FIRST CENTURY

(a) The Judaic system of the Old Testament forms the apostolic Jewish roots of our New Testament faith in Messiah. It's built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets. (Rom. 7:1-4; I Cor. 3:11, Eph. 2:20, Colossians 2:14,17; Hebrews 8:8-13) When the New Testament "sunagoge" or gathering began, the New Testament epistles had not yet been written. The apostles preached and taught from the words of Messiah, and writings of the prophets. (b)Those who comprise the body of Yeshua haMashiach/Jesus Christ are not "a Protestant denomination." When the New Testament body of Yeshua is described as "one new man," made up of those reconciled unto God by the work of the cross, who have access to God through "one Spirit," we must understand that this ekklesia which Paul addresses, was made up primarily of those who obeyed the apostles doctrine, to "Repent, be baptized in the name of Yeshua haMashiach for the remission of sins and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit."

(Acts 2:38, 8:16, 10:46-48, 19:5, Eph. 2:15) Any dissenters would have received a letter or epistle from the apostle, rebuking and correcting the error.

Although there are some 450 Protestant denominations today, claiming to be Mashiach/Christ centered, or who have entered into what they feel is a saving knowledge of Yeshua/Jesus or who feel their focus is that which He has called His church to, it was not Messiah that "denominated them," but man. These denominations were established by men as many of them chose to retain Catholic dogma in their thinking, in spite of the fact that the scriptures have been available to the common man for many years. The order in which the people of God were conquerored by the Nicolaitan charletans was systematic: 1) Intimidate-The intimidation came through repeated presecutions, church councils, and pograms. The church actually flourished in this phase, with many being martyred for their witness of Mashiach/Christ. But they also grew weary of the violence, and longed for peace. When Constantine took persecution to a new eschalon of demonic authority through religious compromise, the church was just as persecuted, but they just weren't as aware of it. The Edict of Toloration was like the gift of a Trojan Horse. The church was delightedly deceived and their ground taken through "flatteries," with which the Prophet Daniel prophesied the kingdom would be obtained. (Dan. 11:34) 2) Endoctrinate-The apostles of the Lamb who'd been with Yeshua/Jesus instructing the church in God's word is one thing. So called church fathers, who distorted truth is another. The scriptures were removed father and farther away, till the only copies of these were chained to the pulpit in Rome. In time the educated priests of Rome came to be thought of as the "interpretors of doctrine from the scriptures." 3) Denominate-What could not be removed immediately, had to be neutralized, and devoured bite by bite. 4) te-The Harlot, Mystery Babylon in her full regalia.

To varying degrees the denominations came to believe dogmas which they interpret as proven in the New Testament, or rejected truthes which they found offensive or repugnant to them. i.e. "I accept being born again. Or "I don't believe I have to be baptized in the name of Yeshua/Jesus Christ, as the bible states in Acts 2:38, 8:16, 10:46-48, 19:5, or that I need to speak in tongues," although the Apostle Peter said: "This promise is to you, your children, all that are afar off, as many as the Lord our God shall call. And Paul said: I would that you all spake with tongues." (1 Cor. 14:5) The miriad of denominations continue to exist in spite of the fact that the New Testament doctrine of the New Testament disproves certain premises which they hold. God has placed responsibility both on leaders to be faithful, providing qualifications for leaders in the scriptures, and on members themselves to "study" God's word and familiarize themselves with truth, so they can judge truth and error. The bible tells us to "Prove all things, and hold fast to that which is good." (1 Thess. 5:21) Some hold to these false doctrines in direct opposition to God's word, because they have failed to "prove all things."

Denominations are absent in the church of Yeshua/Christ, found in the New Testament. They were however, existent within Judaism, in the form of sects such as Pharisees, Sadduccees, Nazarenes. The apostles taught that by "being placed in Christ," we are all one in haMashiach/Christ Jesus.

"And have put on the new man, which is renewed in knowledge, after the image of He that created him: Where there is neither Greek, nor Jew, circumcision nor uncircumcision, Barbarian, Sythian, bond nor free: but Christ is all, and in all."

"For there is no difference between the Jew and the Greek, for the same Lord over all, is rich unto all that call upon Him." (Rom. 10:12, Col. 3:11)

(1)The Old Testament says: "The life is in the blood." (Gen 17:11) Old Testament animal sacrifices were ordained by God and pointed symbolically to the Messiah, as the Lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world. (Heb. 10:5) When the believer believes in the atoning work of Yeshua/Jesus Christ, he or she is quickened or made alive through the shed blood. They become "one Spirit" with God's Spirit. The union in which we are made members of His body, of His flesh and of His bones, is described as "a great mystery," in Paul's message to the Ephesians. (Eph. 5:23-33)

(2) The New Testament derivation of the term "Church"

The word "church" is derived from the Greek term "kuriakos," which means "Belonging to the Lord," or ekklesia, meaning "The called out ones." Originally, ekklesia, designated a regular assembly of citizens in a free city state, called out by the herald for a discussion or decision concerning business."

The word "church" was first used by Yeshua, to Peter:

"And I say also unto thee, That thou art Peter and upon this Rock I will build my church, and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it." (Matt. 16:18)

The New Testament church is that body of people who have been called out of the darkness of this present world system, into the light of haMashiach/Christ. This enlightenment comes as a result of hearing the word of God, and responding by faith to the gospel of Yeshua/Jesus Christ. (2 Thessalonians 2:14), (2 Thess. 1:7-9). The Head of the Church is Christ.(Colossians 1:18), The Church is filled with the Spirit of God. (Ephesians 2:22, 23).

(3) The church as Christ's body is one. The scriptures define Messiah as one Shepherd, with but "one fold." (Ezek. 34:14, John 10:16). According to John 10:

AS THE GOOD SHEPHERD: YESHUA/JESUS

• 1) Is the Door of the sheepfold. (John 10:1-2)
  He's the one and only way to the Heavenly Father, who incarnated Himself in Messiah.
• 2) Knows His sheep, (John 10:14, 17:21-24)
  
• 3) He calls each one by name. (John 10:3)
  God is invisible to you, but you are not invisible to Him, and His eyes are over the righteous. You are intimately known of God.
  
• 4) The porter (under-shepherd) is to open the door to the Head-Shepherd=Yeshua haMashiach. (John 10:3)
  We see examples of this in scripture. It was as the apostles "ministered unto the Lord," that the Lord said: Separate unto me Saul and Barnabus for the work to which I have called them." You need not be an apostle for God to make known His will to you, as you "minister unto the Lord."
• 5) The Good Shepherd puts forth His own sheep. (John 10:14)
  Again, Acts 13:2, is an example of the Lord separating out the Lord's sheep, for the purpose of work, etc. The Lord goes before His own sheep.
• He goes before them. (John 10:4)
  
• He leads them out. (John 10:14) In the Epistle to the Romans, we read: "As many as are lead of the Spirit of God, these are the sons of God." (Rom. 8:14)

There is but one body of Mashiach/Christ. (Ephesians 4:4) That body is a mystical body in that it is seated in Mashiach in heavenly places. (Eph. 2:6) You will find members of Messiah's body, in small cell churches or house churches in the New Testament. The church at Jerusalem met at mary's house. (Acts 12:12) Lydia had a church in her house. (Acts 16:40) At Ephesus, Aquila and Priscilla pastored a house church. (1 Cor. 16:19) When they moved to Rome, they continued to pastor in their home. (Rom. 16:5) At Colosse, a church met at the home of Philemon. (Philemon 2) The apostle Paul stayed in the home of Aquila and Priscilla, as he carried on his missionary work in Corinth. (Acts 18:1-3)

HOSPITALITY & NEW TESTAMENT HOUSE CHURCHES

One important qualification for being a bishop (minister) in New Testament times, was "being given to hospitality." (1 Tim. 3:2) Believers in general were given this admonition by the Apostle Paul in Romans 12:13. The Apostle Peter exhorted: "Use hospitality one to another without grudging." (1 Pet. 4:9)

House churches and cell groups exist throughout the world today. The believers themselves are Mashiach's Temple, synagogue or church (Ephesians 1:22, 23). There is one Lord, one faith, one baptism. The Lord's teaching stresses the importance of oneness or monogamy of marriage, (Romans 7:1-4) and the importance of the fidelity of the church as His holy bride (Ephesians 5:22-33).

The church of Christ that is one, in the New Testament church is what existed in the first century. They are called "holy brethren," and partakers of the heavenly calling. All have this calling.

NOTE:When Messiah's church must disregard doctrine, and allow error to run rampant for the sake of unity, this ia false ecumenicism, in that Satan has appeared as an angel of light, enticing believers to feel it is "loving" to embrace many faiths or religions, while not upholding or lifting up He who is Truth personified. It's the scriptures themselves which outline true faith in Messiah, as far as what it is and what it isn't. Nothing is any more pointed than the stress put on the necessity for doctrinal purity, in the synagogue or church.

GOD IS ONE & WE ARE ONE WITH HIM IN & THROUGH MASHIACH

(1) Yeshua haMashiach did not polarize himself with any of the divisive sects of His day, during his earthly ministry. While on earth, there were divisions among Judaism:

• 1) the Pharisees,
• 2) the Sadducees,
• 3) the Nazarenes
• 4) Herodians,
• 5) Essenes.

These each advocated some form of truth, and the Lord identified himself with truth in discussions, teaching, but not validating their various denominations, or the errors held, so as to maintain unity. He pointedly said: You err not knowing the scriptures nor the power of God. (Matt. 22:29) While Yeshua and the apostles advocate not wrangling over doctrine, or being argumental, neither were they intimidated, when the truth needed to be shared.

(2) (a) Our Lord prayed for unity, and taught us to pray that His kingdom would come and God's will be done on earth, as it is in heaven. (Luke 11:2) Therefore it's not manmade denominations in focus, but God's kingdom being manifest on earth, as it is in heaven, which should be our focus. God is Spirit and they that worship Him must worship Him in Spirit and in truth. It is not enough to worship in Spirit, but to live in error. Both are essentials. (John 4:23, 17:20, 21); (b) Yeshua paid the ultimate price that believers might experience the peace and unity of heaven, the antithesis of the divisiveness of man-made denominationalism. (1 Cor. 1:10) (c) Yeshua's goal was for believers to be "In Yeshua/Christ," where the anointing would flow like the oil on the head of Aaron the high priest, flowing down onto His garments. One head, with one body, which is the antithesis of denominationalism as seen in the world today. (Psalm 133:1-3, Eph. 4:1-6). Yeshua was/is non-denominational and anti-denominational. While the body is many membered, they are one. (Eph. 4:4) In John 17:21, Messiah prayed: "They they all may be as Thou Father in Me, and I in Thee, that they may be in us, that the world might believe that Thou hast sent me." Thus, must his church be truly and intrinsically one, but not falsely united or joined as one.

VARIOUS REASONS WHY THE CHURCH OF CHRIST IS NOT A DENOMINATION

1. Denominationalism is contrary to Yeshua's prayer for unity. (John 17:20, 21).

2. It has created much confusion for those who are lost but wanting to know God. Which church do I join? (John 17:20, 21).

3. Christ is not divided (1 Cor. 1:11-13).

4. Denominationalism is wrong because the body of Christ is one, not many. (1 Cor. 12:

13, 20; Eph 4:4; Col 3:15).

5. Denominationalism is contrary to the body being one as of twain "one new man" is formed, through the atoning work of Yeshua on the cross

(Eph. 2:15, 16).

6. Denominationalism is a vain attempt to serve God through man's will and ways, rather than the "higher way" to which God has called mankind. (Matt. 15:9; Psalm 127:1).

7. Denominationalism is not the pattern for godly homes, because God wants homes united in Yeshua/Christ. As Joshua lead the people into the fulness of what God had for them, and Christ is the Head of the church, so God's word states, that The husband is the head of the wife. In Genesis 2:24 we read: Therefore shall a man leave father and mother, and cleave unto his wife, and they two shall be one flesh." The husband and wife have a "one flesh" relationship through their marriage covenant in Mashiach/Christ. (Joshua 24:15; Eph. 5) Amos 3:3; Mark 3:25).

8. Denominationalism is contrary to Paul's exhortation to unity among the brethren, or for non- denominationalism. "Endeavoring to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace, till we all come in the unity of the faith." (Eph. 4:13)

Christianity (1 Cor. 1:10).

9. Denominationalism is contrary to the apostles' doctrine: "Now I beseech you brethren, mark them which cause divisions and offences contrary to the doctrine which you have learned, and avoid them." (Rom. 16:17, 18).

10. Denominationalism is a sin that God hates (Proverbs 6:6-19).

11. Denominationalism implies that God is the author of confusion. But the scripture states emphatically that God is not the author of confusion. Rather confusion lect the truth of God's unchanging word. It is man that must raise his standards to that which God's word deems correct.

13. Denominationalism is destined for destruction. "If a kingdom be divided against itself, that kingdom shall not stand. And if a house be divided against itself, that house cannot stand." (Mark 3:24, 25)

THE CURE FOR DENOMINATIONALISM

We must have an unreserved committment to the Bible as the sole rule of authority, and be committed to being nothing less than totally scripturally-based, in meekness instructing those that oppose themselves. Only then will we as believers in Yeshua, see the tideof doctrinal abberation turn, and we will realize the unity of the spirit promised in Ephesians 4:1-6: one body comprising the worldwide believers in Messiah, One Spirit of God, who alone is over all and in you all, one Living Hope, one true biblical faith, one message; one Yeshua our Lord and our God, and authority in and through His name; one baptism in the name of Yeshua, as outlined by the apostles as they baptized at Pentecost, Samaria, the Gentile converts, the Ephesians. (Acts 19:5) One God whom we worship in Spirit who is the Father of us all. Yeshua said: He that has seen Me has seen the Father. I and My Father are one.

God's immutable word bears fruit after its kind. (Genesis 1:12). If the gospel is preached, if truth is portrayed with accuracy, we will see continuity of doctrine, which will produce "that nation born in a day." That one true New Testament church seen in the days of the apostles, who rebuked divisiveness and where no denominations existed. To be otherwise minded is not to understand ones heavenly calling according to scripture. It is to bring God's higher ways, His unchanging word, down to man's platform!

The church of Yeshua/Christ is not a denomination. It's a vital living body or organism, in and of Mashicah/Christ. (Matt. 15:13).

The cure for the Babel of denominationalism confusion, is to return to the doctrinal purity of the New Testament. To agree with God's word. The apostles said: "They went out from us...but they were not of us, for if they had been of us, they would no doubt have continued with us: but they went out that they might be made manifest that they were not all of us." (1 John 2:19)

The Spirit and the Bride of Revelation 22:17, say: Come! Come into Yeshua through obedience to the apostles doctrine. (Acts 2:38, Acts 8:16, Acts 10:46-48, Acts 19:5) Do not consider yourself to be exclusive. Or so busy to make the doctrine which is your living bread, so inconsequencial as to not be worth your time. What is the cure for denominational division? Be as the Bereans who searched God's word daily, to see if what is being taught you is so.