And now these three remain:
correct interpretations, biblical worship, and church hierarchy.
But the greatest of these is . . . wait a minute!
I often heard this phrase growing up: the one true church.
I thought I knew who it was: my church.
Now I know differently. I have for awhile.
But the past sickens me still. I don’t doubt that my church then was part of the one true church—I don’t doubt it now, but only by the grace of God are they still in, any of us in—but I know now that many other groups were also part of the one true church.
Because the single, unifying factor that makes the church ONE and TRUE is this:
It’s Jesus.
Not your doctrinal precision.
Not your worship patterns.
Not your leadership hierarchy chosen from the cream of the crop of your group.
It’s Jesus.
If you’ve got him, he’ll pour grace in the gaps of your knowledge (none of us have it all figured out). He’ll delight in unlimited modes of praise that originate from your heart (isn’t the heart what he’s always been after?). He’ll guide your leaders just as much but no less than he’ll also guide and lead through all his followers (a big topic for another day).
It’s Jesus.
So even though you may brag about your correct biblical interpretation on this and that . . .
Or boast about your achievement of unity through diversity . . .
Or claim great deeds your church has done . . .
That’s not what it’s about.
It’s still about Jesus.
Only Jesus.
Always Jesus.
And only because of his grace are we in his church at all.
Therefore, as it is written: “Let the one who boasts boast in the Lord.”
1 Corinthians 1:31
And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love.
1 Corinthians 13:13
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