Flee Sectarianism

Jesus spent a whole lot of time rebuking the sectarian spirits of the religious people of his day. If you don’t realize that then you need to do some serious studying of the Gospels. Matthew 23 is a good place to start, as he held nothing back in letting the Pharisees know exactly where they were at, and where they were not at. Jesus never instructed anyone to be a part of any of the religious affiliations of his day, but rather to follow him: “Come UNTO ME, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take MY yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light” (Mat. 11:28-30). The yoke of sectarianism is something else altogether. As for his instructions for his followers after he went away, it was all about following his Spirit that he promised to send back to them: “But the Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in my name, he shall teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto you” (Jn. 14:26). The apostle Paul, who did not hear Jesus teach, said the exact same thing: “For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, THEY are the sons of God” (Rom. 8:14). So that all begs the question, “What does the Spirit of God teach today, and where does it lead one to?” That’s easy, and the scripture gives us the plain answer: “Now the Lord IS that Spirit: and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty: (II Cor. 3:17). The Spirit of God teaches us about JESUS, and the Spirit ONLY leads us into MORE OF Jesus! I’m not talking about words and phrases, I’m talking about the reality and substance of what Jesus is all about. That reality and substance is the holy love of God, which love the Spirit is, "because the love of God is shed abroad in our hearts BY the Holy Ghost which is given unto us” (Rom. 5:5). A sectarian spirit influences those who are under it to believe that their affiliation is where the goods are really at. It causes its adherents to see others who are in Christ as being inferior to themselves in some way. That isn’t God’s love. Most people are not going to admit even to themselves that they think that way, but if they were to observe and listen to themselves for a little while, they would have no choice but to realize it.

The truth is almost everyone in Christianity is under the influence of some sectarian spirit, though some more so than others. The simple reason for this is that very few people have steadfastly followed God’s Spirit, and been taught by the Spirit enough to be set free from everything that is contrary to God’s love (Jn.8:31,32). Almost everyone has been taught and conditioned by one sectarian spirit or another because of the failure to follow what Jesus said, and what he exemplified. You may not realize this, but Jesus was the first person to refuse to establish a sect of his own, and he also straightly forbade his disciples from doing so. Sound strange? Well, here it is from the mouth of Jesus: “And John answered him, saying, Master, we saw one casting out devils in thy name, and he followeth not us: and we forbad him, because he followeth not us. But Jesus said, Forbid him not: for there is no man which shall do a miracle in my name, that can lightly speak evil of me. For he that is not against us is on our part” (Mk. 9:38-40). There it is friend. Jesus did NOT say, “Go get that man and let him know that he needs to be here where I’m at.” He knew that the man was doing the works of casting out devils through faith in him, and in his name. If he was doing that well, why disturb what’s working? Now if anyone had the right to establish a sect or affiliation of their own, I believe it would be Jesus. After all, he is “the author and finisher of our faith,” and “the captain of [our] salvation” (Heb. 2:2; Heb. 2:10). The reason that he did not was because he did not follow after pride, and pride is always the motivation for every denomination, sect, etc. If we want to do it right, then we should follow the instructions and example of Jesus, which in fact is what we WILL do if we are led by his Spirit. A whole lot of folks need to think long and hard about what Jesus told his disciples in this passage of scripture, and thereby learn to love and respect all of their brethren, wherever they may be; if they are making an effort to follow Jesus. But the only way that this can truly be accomplished is by forsaking the sects of Christianity and Pentecostalism, which have followed neither the instructions or example of Jesus in these things. Follow Jesus my friend, by means of his Spirit; and be a part of him only, with those who are like minded (I Cor. 12:13; Gal. 3:27; 11 Tim. 2:22). Amen.