After commanding His saints to separate themselves from false saints, He then commands in Ephesians 5:11 that there be no divisions among His true saints: “And have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness”–religiosity and churchiness known Scripturally as “filthy rags” (Isa. 64:6). He calls such false holiness “great darkness” because it is in reality Satan’s darkness (church doctrine) disguised as His light (Truth) (Mat. 6:23). “Now I beseech you, BRETHREN (true saints), by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ (only true saints have made Jesus their LORD) that ye all speak the same thing, and that there be no divisions among YOU, but that YE be perfectly joined together in the same mind and in the same judgment” (1 Cor. 1:10). “That there should be no schism in THE (one) body” (1 Cor. 12:25). “Now I beseech YOU, BRETHREN, mark them which cause divisions and offenses contrary to the doctrine which YE have learned, and avoid them” (Rom. 16:17). In 1 Corinthians 11:18,19 we are told that divisions are cause by men speaking heresy–contrary to God’s Word.

Some might doubt that one who has come to God’s Truth, left the Institutional Church and is serving Him in that Truth could then leave Him and return to serving Satan. God, through the Apostle Paul, settles this issue in chapter five of his second letter to the Corinthian Church: “But I fear, lest by any means, as the serpent beguiled Eve through his subtilty, so YOUR (the true saints) minds should be corrupted from the simplicity that is in Christ” (vs 3). In verses 13-15 Paul warns about those in the church (or family) who would lead true saints away from their Lord: “For such are false apostles, deceitful workers, transforming themselves into the apostles of Christ, … (they are self-designated) ministers of righteousness whose end shall be according to their works.” “If there be any come unto you and bring not this doctrine (gospel), receive him not into your house, neither bid him godspeed. For he that biddeth him God speed is partaker of his evil deeds” (2 Jn. 10:11). See All That Glitters. I will end this series with the Lord’s Words of warning: “HOLD THAT FAST WHICH THOU HAST (HIS TRUTH), THAT NO MAN (FALSE SAINT) TAKE THY CROWN” (Rev. 3:11). We must fiercely hold onto God’s Truth, for there are many in the Institutional Church and in our families who would entice us to reject His Way and thereby “take our crown”–eternal life. L.J.