“Was John Calvin crucified for you? How about John Wesley, John Knox, or Martin Luther? Then why the contentions?”
When you look at Godly men such as John Calvin (Calvinism-Presbyterians), John Wesley (Wesleyans), John Smyth (Baptists), Martin Luther (Lutherans), etc. do you think that within themselves that these men wanted a denomination that would take up their names? Absolutely not!
These men were magnifying the revelations given unto them by the Spirit of God, concerning their calls (Ephesians 4 :11), and as they continued to follow Christ, the One name under Heaven, whereby men might be saved (John 14:6; Acts 4:12!) carnal men failed to understand. They, in their carnalities, began to follow the men rather than the Christ that was crucified on their behalf that these men were preaching. What could be the result, you got it, division and contentions! Read 1 Corinthians 3:1-3.
What’s the most important issue for you in the 2024 election?
No wonder we have over 45,000 denominations around the world and why, because man had failed to understand that Christ and Christ alone is He who was crucified for the sins of the world (1 John 2:2), not their favorite preachers.
Scripture tells us,
“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?
I thank God that I baptized none of you, but Crispus and Gaius; Lest any should say that I had baptized in mine own name.
And I baptized also the household of Stephanas: besides, I know not whether I baptized any other.” – 1 Corinthians 1:10-16
In fact, if your favorite preachers truly follow Christ, he is not going to want you following him in the sense of contending over who gets the credit for their salvation. That is, not if they are faithfully preaching Christ crucified and Him alone (1 Corinthians 1:23-30).
Let’s end this short exposition by going over to Ephesians 4:3-7 and see what it says to us.
“Endeavouring to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace. There is one body, and one Spirit, even as ye are called in one hope of your calling; One Lord, one faith, one baptism, One God and Father of all, who is above all, and through all, and in you all.”
