The “Voice of Christ”

Next Part Learning to Defend in Unity

Let’s further understand. The true Jesus Christ of the Bible taught that His sheep “know His voice” (John 10:4). Later in John, Jesus stated, “Everyone that is of the truth hears My voice” (Jn 18:37).

The true Christ’s sheep know—can discern—the true Christ’s voice, and can distinguish it from the “voice of a stranger” which is the voice of “another Jesus.” Get this straight! The spirit of the true Christ, who taught the only true gospel, does not direct the “churches” and “works” of those worshipping another Jesus inside the trinity, who, again, is part of another gospel, derived from another spirit, all of which appears with another counterfeit “body of Christ”—the divided, disagreeing, competing confusion that is supposed to be Christianity.

The true Christ’s voice is in part directly identified with its emphasis on commandment-keeping, and this must never be forgotten in light of all that you have come to understand throughout this book!

I have tried to repeat all of this over and over in different ways for emphasis. This is so the reader can see the clear connection between several fundamental elements of true Christianity, in contrast to the counterfeits of each.

Read and reread all that you have seen here until it becomes crystal clear in your mind—until it is impossible to misunderstand what is at stake in which church you attend. Remember, the true Christ is not divided (I Cor. 10:13)—meaning there is only one true Church of God! Until you find that Church—the one, unified Body of Christ—you cannot have contact with the living Christ who heads it—and only it!

As Corinth attests, this wrong but subtle teaching about Christ’s counterfeit Body is so clever, so seductive, so elusive to those who do not examine it closely, that it has fooled even many of God’s people—those of Christ’s true Church—down through the ages.

The problem in Corinth was traced to the fact that the brethren there were listening to false ministers. Almost immediately after warning of a false Jesus, gospel and spirit, Paul identified this problem, explaining how they had been fooled: “For such are false apostles, deceitful workers, transforming themselves into the apostles of Christ. And no marvel; for Satan himself is transformed into an angel of light. Therefore it is no great thing if his ministers also be transformed as the ministers of righteousness; whose end shall be according to their works” (II Cor. 11:13-15).

The Purpose of the Ministry

Before leaving this chapter, we must briefly discuss what the true Church of God looks like, how it began and how it functions. As you read, compare it to the church or churches that you have attended.

Let’s begin in Ephesians 4:1-32, which describes the Body of Christ and His faithful ministry, and how their role and responsibility is to help keep Christ’s Body unified in truth.

The chapter opens with Paul “beseeching” the brethren in Ephesus to “endeavour to keep the unity of the Spirit…” (Eph 4:3) with the reminder that there is only “one body, and one Spirit” (Eph 4:4). The purpose of the ministry is introduced in Eph 4:11, where the offices of apostles, prophets, evangelists, pastors and other teachers are mentioned.

Eph 4:12 begins to describe their function—what these offices are supposed to do. For several verses, the continual theme is unity within the Body of Christ, and therefore the need to avoid the wrong kinds of doctrine brought by the “sleight of men.”

Notice carefully this extensive description of the duty and work of faithful ministers: “For the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ: till we all come in the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ: that we henceforth be no more children, tossed to and fro, and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the sleight of men, and cunning craftiness, whereby they lie in wait to deceive; but speaking the truth in love, may grow up into Him in all things, which is the Head, even Christ. From whom the whole body fitly joined together and compacted by that which every joint supplies, according to the effectual working in the measure of every part, makes increase of the body unto the edifying of itself in love.” (Eph 4:12-16).

Consider all the elements in this passage, including the need to “speak the truth,” and to do this “in love”—obedience to the commandments. That is the only way that God’s people—“the saints”—can be “perfected,” as they are “fitly joined together and compacted.” Look again at what could only be called “churchianity.” There is no room for thousands of differing groups to comprise Christ’s Body and to fit this description with all of the rest of what we have read. True Christians are to “grow up” and to hold to the truth in the face of those called “cunning, crafty” deceivers, who are usually easily able to toss unwitting people “to and fro…with every wind of doctrine.”