"THE INCREASE OF THE VINEYARD WILL BECOME DEFILED"!

Moses instructed the physical descendants of Abraham in Deuteronomy 22:9, "You shall not sow your vineyard with two kinds of seed..."

The reason?

"...or all the produce of the seed which you have sown and the increase of the vineyard will become defiled."

Abraham's spiritual descendants (Romans 9:7-8), are those who have been born anew (John 3:3, 5); they make up Christ's church (Galatians 3:26-27).

Spiritual Israel was given the same advice as physical Israel in regard to sowing two kinds of seed. There is truth and there is error. If both are sown (mixed together), the increase of the vineyard will become defiled. The seed is the word of God (Luke 8:11). If it is mixed with "doctrines and commandments of men" (Matthew 15:8-9), the increase of the vineyard will become defiled. This points to teaching. There is truth from God (scripture); and then there are "interpretations" of what God "meant" by what HE said in HIS word (scripture).

If ONLY God's word had been taught as declared by Jesus to His apostles, there would be only the church that Jesus built, in existence (Matthew 16:18). All would be members of THAT church; we would all be preached the same thing on the subject of "WHAT MUST I DO TO BE SAVED". We would all be called by the same name ~ Christians, for only the church that is OF Christ would exist. Our worship would be alike; we would (and could) support one another in evangelistic efforts; in benevolence, and in edification, for we would all be walking "by the same rule" (Philippians 3:16).

This is the unity for which Jesus prayed among all who believe in Him. Please read John 27:20-21. Is this possible, you ask? Well it DID exist initially...for early Christians "continued stedfastly" in the same doctrine...the doctrine taught by the apostles (Acts 2:42) What happened? Please read the warning from the apostle Paul in Acts 20:28-30.

If you read this text, you will understand why there are the divisions in the religious realm today. So sad...Christ did NOT die for us to be segregated into separate bodies. He died to UNITE us into ONE body...HIS church. Ephesians 4:4 - speaks of ONE BODY, just as there is ONE GOD, ONE LORD, ONE FAITH, ONE SPIRIT...

ONE!
UNITY!
LOVING AS BRETHREN!

A FAMILY!

Never forget the warning from the apostle Paul to the pastors of the church of Christ in Ephesus: "Be on guard for yourselves and for all the flock, among which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers, to shepherd the church of God which He purchased with His own blood. I know that after my departure savage wolves will come in among you, not sparing the flock; and from among your own selves men will arise, speaking perverse things, to draw away the disciples after them." ~ Acts 20:28-30

Christ's church has been severed by corrupt seed (false doctrine). The result is, "the increase of the vineyard" HAS "become defiled."

Is there a cure; a remedy to religious division? Certainly! Teach (speak) the same things as did the apostles. That was what they urged: 

"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." ~ 1 Corinthians 1:10

"Nevertheless, whereto we have already attained, let us walk by the same rule, let us mind the same thing." ~ Philippians 3:16

Jesus prayed for this; shall we pursue His prayer?

7/22/2020
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