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Created: Sunday, 26 February 2012 02:53

Last Updated: Tuesday, 19 June 2012 16:51

Published: Sunday, 26 February 2012 02:53

Written by Mark Neddeau

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An organization is a social group which distributes tasks for a collective goal. The word itself is derived from the Greek word organon, itself derived from the better-known word ergon - as we know `organ` - and it means a compartment for a particular job.

1 COR. 12:12-27  For just as the body is one and has many members, and all the members of the body, though many, are one body, so it is with Christ. For in one Spirit we were all baptized into one body—Jews or Greeks, slaves or free—and all were made to drink of one Spirit. For the body does not consist of one member but of many. If the foot should say, “Because I am not a hand, I do not belong to the body,” that would not make it any less a part of the body. And if the ear should say, “Because I am not an eye, I do not belong to the body,” that would not make it any less a part of the body. If the whole body were an eye, where would be the sense of hearing? If the whole body were an ear, where would be the sense of smell? But as it is, God arranged the members in the body, each one of them, as he chose. If all were a single member, where would the body be? As it is, there are many parts, yet one body.  The eye cannot say to the hand, “I have no need of you,” nor again the head to the feet, “I have no need of you.” On the contrary, the parts of the body that seem to be weaker are indispensable, and on those parts of the body that we think less honorable we bestow the greater honor, and our unpresentable parts are treated with greater modesty, which our more presentable parts do not require. But God has so composed the body, giving greater honor to the part that lacked it, that there may be no division in the body, but that the members may have the same care for one another. If one member suffers, all suffer together; if one member is honored, all rejoice together.

Now you are the body of Christ and individually members of it.

Friends, when someone asks you "What faith are you?" How do you respond?  Is it by saying "I'm UPC.", or "I'm ALJC.", or "I'm this or that."  If so, you have fallen into the trap that captures most of us in the One God Jesus Name family.  That trap is being so "organized" that you have fallen away from the true nature of what God has called you to: a unity of FAITH.  I have no problem with organizations.  My wife and I belong to a powerful one now.  I was baptized in a particular organization's church and I understand both the need and desire to belong to a collective of like-minded souls. 

But when you respond that you "are" such and so, you are identifying yourself as having no more spiritual connection or depth than that particular organization allows you to.  Follow me - in this.  An organization is a collective that distributes tasks for a collective goal. Is that all God called you to be?  Is that what he died on Calvary for?  I understand fully what has caused such deep fractures in the apostolic movement, but also what the apostolic movement was meant to be.  Remember something sincerely true, friends:  There were no apostolics BEFORE the apostles, but their DOCTRINE existed from the moment GOD DID.  That is to say Deuteronomy 6:4 laid out for us the fact that God has always had ONE GOD Followers who knew that basis of faith.  Whether called Jews, Gentiles, or whatever, they were people who understood the true nature of God and responded in kind - linking together to worship him in his unique nature!

Nowadays, however, if you don't look right, or speak right, or do just what your neighbor does, you must not have the truth!  But nothing could be further from it.  John 10:16 does not negate Acts 2:38 dear ones, anymore than Acts 2:38 stops Deuteronomy 6:4 from carrying through and setting the pace for what Jesus came to reveal.  Remember something...he preached in Jewish synagogues this message!  He revealed depths of truth to people who changed from being Jews and became, ultimately, APOSTOLICS.  Under the guidance of the Apostles we see the truth above.  We are members of ONE BODY.  One FAITH, One LORD, One BAPTISM, One TRUTH, One GOD.  Yet here we are, divided and withheld - stopped by the folly of ORGANIZATION; the SOCIAL NETWORK OF LIKE MINDED PEOPLE WHO'S THEOLOGY HAS USURPED DOCTRINE AND STOPPED US FROM FELLOWSHIPPING. 

It's time to start working together.  His time is near - ours is closing!  He is coming again for a CHURCH - a BODY OF BELIEVERS who don't have divisions caused by the lines of our THEOLOGICAL GUIDELINES.  Do you know the power of those who have reached beyond in their cities?  Have you experienced the love and anointing that comes from freely loving, reaching out to, and embracing those who have LIKE PRECIOUS FAITH?

 2 PET: 1:1  Simon Peter, a bond-servant and apostle of Jesus Christ, To those who have received a faith of the same kind as ours, by the righteousness of our God and Savior, Jesus Christ: 2Grace and peace be multiplied to you in the knowledge of God and of Jesus our Lord; 3seeing that His divine power has granted to us everything pertaining to life and godliness, through the true knowledge of Him who called us by His own glory and excellence. 4For by these He has granted to us His precious and magnificent promises, so that by them you may become partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world by lust. 5Now for this very reason also, applying all diligence, in your faith supply moral excellence, and in your moral excellence, knowledge, 6and in your knowledge, self-control, and in your self-control, perseverance, and in your perseverance, godliness, 7and in your godliness, brotherly kindness, and in your brotherly kindness, love. 8For if these qualities are yours and are increasing, they render you neither useless nor unfruitful in the true knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. 9For he who lacks these qualities is blind or short-sighted, having forgotten his purification from his former sins. 10Therefore, brethren, be all the more diligent to make certain about His calling and choosing you; for as long as you practice these things, you will never stumble; 11for in this way the entrance into the eternal kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ will be abundantly supplied to you.

Realize what that means.  Re-read it - and pray over it.  If you are one who is bound, who is locked into thinking that only your organization has the truth - re-read it.  Please.  God is calling us out.  He is calling to his body.  Don't believe for a moment that he is returning for the name on your fellowship card, but rather HIS NAME ON YOU.  Praise God for his vision, and his love.  We can fellowship even if we don't agree on all aspects of the THEOLOGY.  DOCTRINE IS THE KEY.  THEOLOGY is the study of doctrine, as we have stated before, and being bound to it as commandment is the major weakness in the apostolic faith today.

Romans 14:3 The man who eats everything must not look down on him who does not, and the man who does not eat everything must not condemn the man who does, for God has accepted him.

1 Corinthians 8:9 Be careful, however, that the exercise of your freedom does not become a stumbling block to the weak.

1 Corinthians 8:13 Therefore, if what I eat causes my brother to fall into sin, I will never eat meat again, so that I will not cause him to fall.

It is time we stood as APOSTOLICS.  Not as UPCI, ALJC, PAW, AMI, ETC....ETC....ETC.... but as APOSTOLICS, and prepare for the coming of the Lord.  We have organized ourselves out of unity.

In Love,

Elder Mark Neddeau