How many denominations or religious groups can you name? Make a list, out loud. Having done that, doesn’t it seem that there are too many if there is only one true God? What do the Scriptures have to say about who is a member of the Body of Believers worshipping this one true God? Listen: For as the body is one and has many members, but all the members of that one body, being many, are one body, so also is Christ. For by one Spirit we were all baptized into one body — whether Jews or Greeks, whether slaves or free — and have all been made to drink into one Spirit. 1 CORINTHIANS 12:12-14 NKJV

Paul places the Son of God, Jesus, in the middle of this issue. He says we are all one body who are baptized into one body, no matter what our race or economic standing. What is that body? It is the Body of Believers, the Church. What does Paul say about someone who is a true member of the Body of Believers? Does he say they are of a particular denomination or religious group? No, what does he say is the common denominator of all Believers? …we “have all been made to drink into one Spirit”.

The argument then is not whether we disagree about the rituals and traditions of churches, some which have been advanced by men, but that we are all born of the same Spirit, the Spirit of Jesus Christ that abides in the heart of all believers. The yardstick between right and wrong has nothing to do with what people call themselves, it has to do with whether they have declared Jesus as their personal savior, the only One with the power to forgive sins and to present us to the Holy Father, wrapped in the righteousness of Jesus.

As to people who believe they have a corner on the truth, listen to the word of God:“These people draw near to Me with their mouth, and honor me with their lips, But their heart is far from Me. And in vain they worship Me, Teaching as doctrines the commandments of men”.’ MATTHEW 15:8-9 NKJV

The Bible makes it clear that adding to or subtracting anything from the Bible is a major mistake. Listen: If anyone adds to these things (to the Book of Revelation), God will add to him the plagues that are written in this book; and if anyone takes away from the words of the book of this prophecy, God shall take away his part from the Book of Life, from the holy city, and from the things which are written in this book. REVELATION 22:18-19 NKJV

Discuss which of the denominations that you named are adding the words of man to the Bible or subtracting from the primary teachings of the Bible. Then live a life that is an effective witness of your love for your heavenly Father and for all men.

Core Christian Value: Christians may be united or divided but there is only one Body of Believers. There is only one true and living God and only one Holy Word of God.

Bruce Caldwell

The Sola Scriptura Project, PO Box 302 Franklin TN

He has delivered us from the power of darkness and conveyed us into the kingdom of the Son of His love,
in whom we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins.
He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation.
For by Him all things were created that are in heaven and that are on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or principalities or powers. All things were created through Him and for Him.
And He is before all things, and in Him all things consist.
And He is the head of the body, the church, who is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, that in all things He may have the preeminence.
For it pleased the Father that in Him all the fullness should dwell,
and by Him to reconcile all things to Himself, by Him, whether things on earth or things in heaven, having made peace through the blood of His cross.
And you, who once were alienated and enemies in your mind by wicked works, yet now He has reconciled
in the body of His flesh through death, to present you holy, and blameless, and above reproach in His sight.

Colossians 1:13-22, www.solascriptura.com

Father, Jesus and the Holy Spirit, Paul has clarified that you are One and that You, Jesus came to us from the presence of the Father. Sometimes Father we speak to You and do not think about Jesus and You as One and sometimes Jesus we speak to you as separate from the Father, sent by the Father.

Help us O’God not to worry about such matters but to learn that You are three in one, serving us in distinct capacities. Thank You Jesus for the redemptive act of the Cross and for sending the Holy Spirit to abide with and in us.

Is it any wonder Father that Jesus and His angels will come to separate the saints from the sinners? You have extended all power to Him and it is by His shed blood that we will enter into Your presence. You, Yourself Father will judge among the saints, and although that is a comfort, because we will be with You, it reminds us that our salvation was purchased at a great price and that our enthusiastic response of love and obedience is Your expectation.

Our righteousness is as filthy rags. It is your righteousness Jesus that enables us to stand in the presence of the Father. Help us be “over comers” every moment of every day, turning to You for empowerment and comfort.

Bruce Caldwell

The Sola Scriptura Project, P.O. Box 302, Franklin TN 37064

And He said to them, “Which of you shall have a friend, and go to him at midnight and say to him, ‘Friend, lend me three loaves;
’for a friend of mine has come to me on his journey, and I have nothing to set before him’;
”and he will answer from within and say, ‘Do not trouble me; the door is now shut, and my children are with me in bed; I cannot rise and give to you’?
”I say to you, though he will not rise and give to him because he is his friend, yet because of his persistence he will rise and give him as many as he needs.
”So I say to you, ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you.
”For everyone who asks receives, and he who seeks finds, and to him who knocks it will be opened.
”If a son asks for bread from any father among you, will he give him a stone? Or if he asks for a fish, will he give him a serpent instead of a fish?
”Or if he asks for an egg, will he offer him a scorpion?
”If you then, being evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask Him!”

Luke 11:5-13, www.solascriptura.com

Jesus, being taught by You personally is a privilege indeed. To whom else shall we turn? Jesus, these scriptures seem at first to tell us about an insensitive friend who was a neighbor. On closer examination, that part may be true, but Your lesson leads us to understand that perseverance in prayer is encouraged if not always rewarded.

Why Jesus, isn’t every prayer answered as asked? Your response seems obvious, given the entirety of Your Word. You have taught us that we must pray in a Spiritual way and seek results that are consistent with Your perfect will.

Jesus, it seems that a prayer not responded to is a prayer that is “on hold”, either for a “not now” answer or “no, that is not My will for you at this time.” Yet Jesus, you say “ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you.”  What is it that is promised? Thank You for the answer: “how much more will your heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask Him!” It is Your Holy Spirit in us that is promised if we but ask.

Your Spirit in us is our Light and may we be content to know You care more than we can possibly understand and that you will direct our steps, daily, if we but ask. We seek to be led by You and serve You. Thank You Father for the reality of Your leading Spirit. In Jesus Holy name, we pray, amen.

Bruce Caldwell

The Sola Scriptura Project, P.O. Box 302, Franklin TN 37064

 ”Two men went up to the temple to pray, one a Pharisee and the other a tax collector.
”The Pharisee stood and prayed thus with himself, ‘God, I thank You that I am not like other men—extortioners, unjust, adulterers, or even as this tax collector.
’I fast twice a week; I give tithes of all that I possess.’
”And the tax collector, standing afar off, would not so much as raise his eyes to heaven, but beat his breast, saying, ‘God, be merciful to me a sinner!’
”I tell you, this man went down to his house justified rather than the other; for everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted.”

Luke 18:10-14, www.solascriptura.com

Father, we do “works” in Your name of all kinds and we sometimes we feel proud, when joy would have been a better response. Thank You for teaching us that our heart must be right with You for our works to be blessed. You teach us that humility and contrition must precede our efforts to please You.

Father, we each respond so positively when people praise us that we end up, at times, being tempted to take the credit for that which was intended to glorify You. Teach us today that even good works count for nothing if we act as though they stem from our own resources.

Father, bless our efforts but more importantly help us experience the humility that is indicative of a servant, grateful to be Your friend. Mold us and make us in Your image, afresh, every day. In Jesus Holy name, we pray, amen.

Bruce Caldwell

The Sola Scriptura Project, P.O. Box 302, Franklin TN 37064

… “Behold, the days are coming, says the Lord, when I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel and with the house of Judah–
”not according to the covenant that I made with their fathers in the day when I took them by the hand to lead them out of the land of Egypt; because they did not continue in My covenant, and I disregarded them, says the Lord.
”For this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those days, says the Lord: I will put My laws in their mind and write them on their hearts; and I will be their God, and they shall be My people.
”None of them shall teach his neighbor, and none his brother, saying, ‘Know the Lord,’ for all shall know Me, from the least of them to the greatest of them.
”For I will be merciful to their unrighteousness, and their sins and their lawless deeds I will remember no more.”
In that He says, “A new covenant,” He has made the first obsolete. Now what is becoming obsolete and growing old is ready to vanish away.

Hebrews 8:8-13, www.solascriptura.com

Father, we see that the old covenant, based upon the promises to Israel if they obeyed the law (The Ten Commandments), was replaced by the new covenant. Why? You tell us that Israel did not continue in Your covenant. They sinned and You disregarded them. But thank you Father that was not the end, it was the beginning, for Israel and for all Gentiles. You sent Your only Son, Jesus, to live for us and teach us and He died for our sins.

Now every person lives under the new covenant, one in which You have placed Your truth upon our hearts. We no longer need to be taught by man, You are our teacher. We have equal opportunity and status before You. If we but acknowledge our sin to Jesus and ask for His Light to shine upon our hearts, You have promised to remember our sins no more. Thank You Father that the only sacrifice needed forever more, has been made. Atonement, perfect atonement, once and for all.

Help us this day to rejoice over the new covenant, one which permits us to have the mind of Christ, in us. In His precious and Holy name we pray, amen.

Bruce Caldwell

The Sola Scriptura Project, P.O. Box 302, Franklin TN 37064