Experiencing God

Denominationalism refers to the existence of separate and distinct organizational branches within a broader religious tradition. In a Christian context, this term describes the various expressions of the faith that have developed differing doctrinal emphases, liturgical practices, and organizational structures while still upholding foundational elements such as the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus. Denominationalism in Christianity encompasses a range of fellowships, from ancient traditions such as the Eastern Orthodox and Roman Catholic Churches to more recent groups established during and after the Protestant Reformation.

Many of these groupings arose from theological disputes and reform efforts stemming from differing interpretations of Scripture and worship practices. Despite variations, most denominations affirm the authority of the Holy Bible, including central teachings on redemption and the shared commitment to proclaim the good news of salvation. Although denominations were effective in refining the doctrinal understanding of the attending church believer, they have also tended to cause great divisions within the universal body of Christ and its many manifestations. The New Testament Scriptures emphasize unity within the church communities, but more recent history suggests that denominations have created factions that undermine the spirit of unity in the bond of peace (Ephesians 4:3).

Schisms in Corinth

Now I exhort you, brethren, by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that you all agree and that there be no divisions [schisma – division in mind or sentiment, factions] among you, but that you be made complete in the same mind and in the same judgment. For I have been informed concerning you, my brethren, by Chloe's people, that there are quarrels among you. Now I mean this, that each one of you is saying, "I am of Paul," and "I of Apollos," and "I of Cephas," and "I of Christ." Has Christ been divided? Paul was not crucified for you, was he? Or were you baptized in the name of Paul?          1 Corinthians 1:10-13

Paul’s appeal was for harmony, not the elimination of diversity. He desired unity among all the parts, as a quilt of various colors and patterns blended into a harmonious whole. Instead of this unity, however, the fabric was coming apart at the seams, or so Chloe's servants said. While the divisions were certainly real, it is possible, based on Paul's remark, that he made adaptations about party heads so that the names cited - Paul, Apollos, Cephas - were illustrative, to avoid worsening an already deplorable situation. No man won salvation for the Corinthians, nor did any of them owe their allegiance to anyone except Christ. Denominationalism has emphasized the believer’s identity in the local church or denomination rather than in Christ.

Revelation

For I would have you know, brethren, that the gospel which was preached by me is not according to man. For I neither received it from man, nor was I taught it, but I received it through a revelation [apokalupsis – uncovering, unveiling] of Jesus Christ.                           Galatians 1:11-12

Saul of Tarsus, the Apostle Paul in a previous life, was a very intense man who took his belief in Judaism very seriously. His father was a Pharisee, and he was raised to follow in his father's footsteps. He left his home in Tarsus as a teenager to train in Jerusalem under Gamaliel; he was gifted in his command of the Torah, and he wore his Judaism on his sleeve. Once he got saved, all of his Biblical knowledge had to be relearned in light of this newfound truth – Jesus is the Messiah.

Galatians was most likely his first letter written that we recognize as Scripture. In the above verses, Paul certified that the gospel did not originate with man. Man-made religions emphasize human merit and the necessity of human works for salvation (or even sanctification). Paul's message did not. The Apostle also declared that he did not receive the gospel from any human source. Though he heard Stephen preach and had personal contacts with Ananias and Barnabas, he was not indebted to them for his knowledge of spiritual truth. Paul affirmed that he did not receive the gospel he preached through a course of instruction, but through a revelation of Jesus Christ. This was the highest authority. How then could the Galatians question his authority and message? And how did they dare deviate from this divinely revealed truth?

Obedience of Faith

Now to Him who is able to establish you according to my gospel and the preaching of Jesus Christ, according to the revelation [apokalupsis – uncovering, unveiling] of the mystery which has been kept secret for long ages past, but now is manifested [phaneroo – made visible], and by the Scriptures of the prophets, according to the commandment of the eternal God, has been made known to all the nations, leading to obedience of faith [hupakoe - faith which obeys God's will, of relationship and subjection to that of the sphere of divine power and revelation].                       Romans 16:25-26

Paul began his letter with a reference to obedience to the faith (Romans 1:5) as a byproduct of the grace he received for his apostleship as a ministry to the nations in Christ's name. He was referring to the Lordship of Christ when He becomes Master of all in the believer's life. The revelations (unveilings) Paul received from the beginning of his apostleship were the source of his commitment to follow Jesus as a bondslave, making God's will his highest priority. The mystery now revealed is that salvation came to the Gentiles as well as the Jews. Joseph, Jacob’s eleventh son, left the following testament to his sons as a prophecy of this reality:

"Hear also, my children, the visions which I saw. There were twelve deer feeding, and the nine were divided and scattered in the land, likewise also the three. I saw that from Judah was born a virgin wearing a linen garment, and from her went forth a Lamb, without spot, and on His left hand there was a lion. All the beasts rushed against Him, and the Lamb overcame them, destroyed them, and trampled them underfoot. Because of Him, the angels, men, and all the earth rejoiced. These things will take place in their season, in the last days. Therefore, my children, observe the commandments of the Lord, and honor Judah and Levi. From them will rise unto you the Lamb of God, by grace, saving all the Gentiles and Israel. For His kingdom is an everlasting kingdom, which will not be shaken, but my kingdom among you will come to an end as a watcher’s hammock, which after the summer will not appear.”                       Testament of Joseph, Chapter 19

The visions of twelve deer speak of the twelve tribes, nine on the west side of the Jordan River and the other three remaining on the east side. The reference to Judah predicts that the Lamb of God would come from his tribe, be rejected, and provide saving grace for all Gentiles and Israel. Joseph even predicts the end of the present world and the introduction of an everlasting kingdom.

Fellow Heirs & Fellow Partakers

That by revelation [apokalupsis – uncovering, unveiling] there was made known to me the mystery, as I wrote before in brief. By referring to this, when you read you can understand [noeo - perceive] my insight [sunesis – comprehension] into the mystery of Christ, which in other generations was not made known to the sons of men, as it has now been revealed to His holy apostles and prophets in the Spirit; to be specific, that the Gentiles are fellow heirs and fellow members of the body, and fellow partakers of the promise in Christ Jesus through the gospel, of which I was made a minister, according to the gift of God's grace which was given to me according to the working [energeia – energy] of His power [dunamis – divine ability]. To me, the very least of all saints, this grace was given, to preach to the Gentiles the unfathomable riches of Christ, and to bring to light what is the administration [oikonomia – spiritual dispensation] of the mystery which for ages has been hidden in God who created all things; so that the manifold [polupoikilos – multifaceted] wisdom of God might now be made known through the Church to the rulers and the authorities in the heavenly places.                       Ephesians 3:3-10

Other Patriarchs, including Enoch, had predictions of the events Paul writes about here. Paul is the central figure in bringing the good news to the Gentile world, and he would require special grace from God to carry out his call as the Apostle to the Gentiles. Much of his suffering would come from his fellow Jews, who would be resistant to including the Gentiles in any godly benefits. Even Peter had problems with this early on in the Church's establishment.

A primary aspect of Paul's faith in carrying out his call is the revelations he receives from God, personal unveilings that give strength and conviction to his faith. He also encouraged the Corinthians in 1 Corinthians 1:7-8: so that you are not lacking in any gift, awaiting eagerly the revelation of our Lord Jesus Christ, who will also confirm you to the end, blameless in the day of our Lord Jesus Christ. The strength of every believer's faith is based on the personal revelation of God in his life, not on the doctrine he knows or the church programs he may be successful in. It is this personal communication that each believer has with the living God through His Spirit that makes his faith personal and real, not just a horizontal, social experience.

Spirit of Wisdom and Revelation

In all wisdom and insight [phronesis – good judgment] He made known [gnorizo – unfolding divine understanding] to us the mystery of His will, according to His kind intention [eudokia – good pleasure] which He purposed in Him with a view to an administration [oikonomia – spiritual dispensation] suitable to the fullness of the times, that is, the summing up of all things [anakephalaioo – gather together into one] in Christ, things in the heavens and things on the earth.                      Ephesians 1:8-10

That the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give to you a Spirit of wisdom and of revelation [apokalupsis – uncovering, unveiling] in the knowledge [epignosis – deeper knowledge expressing more personal involvement] of Him. I pray that the eyes of your heart [ophthalmous – eyes of your mind] may be enlightened [photizo – bring to light], so that you will know [eido – perceive] what is the hope of His calling, what are the riches of the glory of His inheritance in the saints, and what is the surpassing greatness of His power [dunamis – intrinsic ability] toward us who believe. These are in accordance with the working [energeia – energy] of the strength [ischus – inherent strength] of His might [kratos – divine ability] which He brought about in Christ, when He raised Him from the dead and seated Him at His right hand in the heavenly places.                         Ephesians 1:17-20

God's grace is given to enable believers to understand His will. God gives them wisdom, objective insight into the true nature of God's revelation, and understanding, the subjective comprehension of it. So believers are able to grasp something of the divine purpose of the ages and to see its relevance in the present time. This is accomplished because God made known to us the mystery of His will. This mystery is God's good pleasure to purpose in Christ to bring all things in heaven and on earth under His headship in the consummation of time. This dispensation is the millennial kingdom, when God's purposes will be fulfilled and all things, both spiritual and material, will be under Christ's rule.

In verse 17, Paul prays for the Spirit, as a spirit of wisdom, who implants spiritual wisdom in the hearts of men, and instructs them in the gospel, the hidden wisdom of God, and leads them into all truths. He opens to them the treasures of wisdom and knowledge, which are hid in Christ, the wisdom of God. As a spirit of revelation, He reveals Christ and the things of Christ and His righteousness. By the Spirit of God, the true believer sees the exceeding sinfulness of sin, the insufficiency of his own righteousness, and the beauty, glory, fullness, and suitableness of Christ as Savior, as well as the excellency, truth, and usefulness of the doctrines of the gospel in which their understandings were previously dark, but now had light on them. Paul is emphasizing the all-sufficiency of the Spirit of Christ.

Transfigured

Some eight days after these sayings, He took along Peter and John and James, and went up on the mountain to pray. And while He was praying, the appearance of His face became different, and His clothing became white and gleaming. And behold, two men were talking with Him; and they were Moses and Elijah, who, appearing in glory, were speaking of His departure which He was about to accomplish at Jerusalem. Now Peter and his companions had been overcome with sleep, but when they were fully awake, they saw His glory and the two men standing with Him. And as these were leaving Him, Peter said to Jesus, "Master, it is good for us to be here; let us make three tabernacles: one for You, and one for Moses, and one for Elijah"—not realizing what he was saying. While he was saying this, a cloud formed and began to overshadow them, and they were afraid as they entered the cloud. Then a voice came out of the cloud, saying, "This is My Son, My Chosen One; listen to Him!" And when the voice had spoken, Jesus was found alone. And they kept silent, and reported to no one in those days any of the things which they had seen.                           Luke 9:28-36

The Transfiguration is covered in the three synoptic gospels. The account from Luke clearly emphasizes the appearance of the glory of God in the form of (1) Jesus’s face, (2) the appearances of Moses and Elijah, and (3) the cloud out of which came the voice of the Father, "This is My Son, My Chosen One; listen to Him!" Only Peter, James, and John were with Jesus and became eyewitnesses. Peter writes about the effect it had on him in 2 Peter 1:16-21. At first, Peter thought it was the Kingdom Age, so he suggested building tabernacles to celebrate the Feast of Tabernacles, the only Jewish festival to be observed during the Kingdom Age. It was then that He heard the Father speak: You have had Moses and the prophets, but you are to listen closely to what Jesus, my Beloved Son has to tell you. The event signifies the beginning of the end of Jesus’s public ministry, leading to His suffering, death, resurrection, and ascension.

Eyewitness of His Majesty

For we did not follow cleverly devised tales when we made known to you the power and coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, but we were eyewitnesses of His majesty. For when He received honor and glory from God the Father, such an utterance as this was made to Him by the Majestic Glory, "This is My beloved Son with whom I am well-pleased"— and we ourselves heard this utterance made from heaven when we were with Him on the holy mountain. So, we have the prophetic word made more sure [certain], to which you do well to pay attention as to a lamp shining in a dark place, until the day dawns and the morning star arises in your hearts. But know this first of all, that no prophecy of Scripture is a matter of one's own interpretation, for no prophecy was ever made by an act of human will, but men moved by the Holy Spirit spoke from God.                     2 Peter 1:16-21 

The Apostle Paul emphasized revelation as the means by which he came to understand, appreciate, and walk in God's power to fulfill his call, and he led four missionary journeys to the Gentile world. Peter seems to place great emphasis on his experience as an eyewitness to the glory of God as manifested in Jesus, Moses and Elijah, and the Father. Peter concludes that the words of prophecy, spoken by the Spirit of God through various men of faith, are more certain than ever, since they are supported by Peter's personal experience. 

In today's experience-oriented societies, many people, including Christians, seek to determine or assess truth by the particular way God has worked in their own lives. But for Peter, the splendor of his experience on the holy mountain (Mt. Hermon) faded as he spoke of the surety of the written revelation of the prophets.

Old Testament prophecy is a light compared with the darkness of a squalid room. God's prophetic Word is a Light, an oil-burning lamp shining in a dark place. Though the world is darkened by sin, God's Word, pointing to the future, enlightens believers about His ways. But the day of Christ's return is coming. In the daytime, lamps are no longer needed. And a lamp is nothing compared with the Morning Star, Light-Bringer. As a lamp at night anticipates and is outshone by the bright morning star, so Old Testament prophecy looks ahead to the coming of Christ, "the bright Morning Star". Until He comes, believers are to let the Scriptures illumine their hearts, though the light which it brings on that great day will be greatly exceeded by the understanding which will be in their hearts.

Life’s Meaning

Joseph died in 1616 BC, and he wrote these words at the end of his life to encourage those he cared about. He found in his own difficult experiences that the way he lived his life before God and treated others, including his oppressors, gave meaning to his life and fulfilled the call that God had for him. Below are some of his final words:

“My children, you see what great things I endured that I should not put my brothers to shame. Do you also love one another, and with patience hide one another’s faults? For God delights in the unity of families, and in the purpose of a heart approved unto love. When my brothers came into Egypt, and learned that I returned their money unto them, and did not accuse them, instead I comforted them, and after the death of Jacob, I loved them all the more. And everything that he commanded I did very abundantly, then they marveled. For I did not allow them to be afflicted even to the smallest matter, and all that was in my hand I gave to them. Their children were my children, and my children were as their servants. Their life was my life, and all their suffering was my suffering, and all their sickness was my infirmity. My land was their land, my counsel, their counsel, and I did not exalt myself among them in arrogance because of my worldly glory, but I was among them as one of the least.”

               Testament of Joseph, Chapter 17