I come from a tradition that loves the church. I wouldn’t want that to change.

In the process of loving church and holding the bride up to a lost world, there are times I can be justly charged of holding church higher than I hold Jesus.

Jesus is Savior, not the church. Jesus died for me on the cross—not the church.

When I look at the church scene, it’s strange to me to see so much time spent arguing about church.

I have never seen a church spend time arguing about Jesus.

Christ followers unite in Jesus. The only division that exists in Jesus’ world is the division between the kingdom of light and the kingdom of darkness.  The power of Jesus to unite should get my attention.

In recent years, I’ve had the privilege of visiting the Washington D.C. area and becoming acquainted with a group of people who follow Jesus. They refer to themselves simply as a fellowship. Due primarily to their locale, many are associated with government and travel throughout the world visiting heads of state. What I find interesting is their affirmation of how easy it is to talk with world leaders about Jesus.

Because Christ followers throughout history caused such confusion in the name of Christianity and Church, those world leaders don’t want to hear of either one. Their interest is in Jesus.

I should determine to spend more time lifting up Jesus. Jesus unites.

Now back to the church I love.

What if I could affirm to any believer that Jesus Christ is the only standard my church holds for unity?

It was in the city of Jerusalem after believers asked the apostle Peter what to do to be saved, they heard the response to repent, and be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ. Immediately, 3000 people passed through baptismal waters. The author of The Acts of the Apostles sees those numbers explode—to a size no one could count.

Thousands, upon thousands of people entered Christ’s church with only His life to imitate and all their trust placed in Him for their salvation.

At that point in time, the New Testament letters were yet to be written. It was enough to follow Jesus and belong to His church—the fellowship of believers.

Is it not sufficient for today’s church to do the same?

On such ground, churches of the 21^st century all over the world can stop quarreling.

As the church of the first century attempted to follow Jesus, questions surfaced.

The letters of the New Testament, written by apostles and church leaders who knew Jesus addressed their questions. That inspired record of questions and answers is left for me to study and to gain insight offered by first century Christians in their attempt to follow Jesus and be His church.

Those same letters will enlighten Jesus followers today. However, here is where I want to step carefully.

All New Testament letters were addressed to first century believers. They understood perfectly the teaching and the intent of the author.  They understood precisely the message of the Revelation given to the Apostle John. Every inspired clarification from the Letters supported the life and teaching of Jesus.

As a 21^st century disciple of Jesus, I don’t have the same exact cultural insights into the first century letters held by the original readers.

The reflections in this blog generate two questions for me to answer.

1. Since I live 2000 years removed from the culture of the first century church, shouldn’t I be extremely careful as I seek to understand the Letters in the light of Jesus’ teachings? I don’t want to make doctrine items that Jesus did not make doctrine.
2. Shouldn’t Jesus be the doctrine and the unity of His church?

Stay tuned.

Gary J. Sorrells – Reflecting on God’s Cross Church – gary@godreflection.org