Devotion 223
“The Denomination of Ephraim”
Reference: Judges Chapter 12
The disease of Denominationalism runs deep. Today, we have over nine hundred church denominations. Every one of the denominations believe they are right.
How do we tell which denomination is right and which is wrong?
If the Catholic is right, then what happens to the rest of the denominations on the Day of Judgement?
If the Jehovah witness is right, then the rest of the denominations are wrong.
Ephraim, a type of a denomination, comes against Jephthah (the man after the Word)
Let’s read:
Judges 12:1 “And the men of Ephraim gathered themselves together, and went northward, and said unto Jephthah, Wherefore passedst thou over to fight against the children of Ammon, and didst not call us to go with thee? we will burn thine house upon thee with fire.”
The spirit of Denominationalism started with Cain. He had a denomination without the blood. He killed his brother because his sacrifice was accepted.
Genesis 4:7-8 “If thou doest well, shalt thou not be accepted? and if thou doest not well, sin lieth at the door. And unto thee shall be his desire, and thou shalt rule over him. [8] And Cain talked with Abel his brother: and it came to pass, when they were in the field, that Cain rose up against Abel his brother, and slew him.”
It was the same spirit of Denominationalism that stood before Christ the Word and called Him a blasphemer.
John 19:7 “ The Jews answered him, We have a law, and by our law he ought to die, because he made himself the Son of God.”
The Son of God is a blasphemer because He made Himself the Son of God.
The Spirit of Denominationalism always look to kill the Word. Remember Abel was a type of the true believer, the one who has lined up with the Word. Jesus Christ is the Word.
Mark 14:63-64 “Then the high priest rent his clothes, and saith, What need we any further witnesses? [64] Ye have heard the blasphemy: what think ye? And they all condemned him to be guilty of death.”
Like Abel, like Jesus Christ, like Stephen, the spirit of Denominationalism seeks to kill. That’s exactly what these Ephraimites want to do with Jephthah.
We continue our reading:
Judges 12:2-3 “And Jephthah said unto them, I and my people were at great strife with the children of Ammon; and when I called you, ye delivered me not out of their hands. [3] And when I saw that ye delivered me not, I put my life in my hands, and passed over against the children of Ammon, and the LORD delivered them into my hand: wherefore then are ye come up unto me this day, to fight against me?”
“The LORD delivered them into my hands.”
The true believer takes credit for nothing. They point to the LORD. The denominational believer points to the denominational creed and doctrine in addition to the Word.
The Catholic church has their Bible. The Mormon has their Bible. The Jehovah witnesses have their Bible, and the list goes on. Different translations, different interpretations.
How do we know who is right and who is wrong?
We conclude our reading:
Judges 12:4-15 “Then Jephthah gathered together all the men of Gilead, and fought with Ephraim: and the men of Gilead smote Ephraim, because they said, Ye Gileadites are fugitives of Ephraim among the Ephraimites, and among the Manassites. [5] And the Gileadites took the passages of Jordan before the Ephraimites: and it was so, that when those Ephraimites which were escaped said, Let me go over; that the men of Gilead said unto him, Art thou an Ephraimite? If he said, Nay; [6] Then said they unto him, Say now Shibboleth: and he said Sibboleth: for he could not frame to pronounce it right. Then they took him, and slew him at the passages of Jordan: and there fell at that time of the Ephraimites forty and two thousand. [7] And Jephthah judged Israel six years. Then died Jephthah the Gileadite, and was buried in one of the cities of Gilead. [8] And after him Ibzan of Beth–lehem judged Israel. [9] And he had thirty sons, and thirty daughters, whom he sent abroad, and took in thirty daughters from abroad for his sons. And he judged Israel seven years. [10] Then died Ibzan, and was buried at Beth–lehem. [11] And after him Elon, a Zebulonite, judged Israel; and he judged Israel ten years. [12] And Elon the Zebulonite died, and was buried in Aijalon in the country of Zebulun. [13] And after him Abdon the son of Hillel, a Pirathonite, judged Israel. [14] And he had forty sons and thirty nephews, that rode on threescore and ten ass colts: and he judged Israel eight years. [15] And Abdon the son of Hillel the Pirathonite died, and was buried in Pirathon in the land of Ephraim, in the mount of the Amalekites.”
The denominational believer believes and preaches a historical Jesus Christ. The true believer is the one who can call Jesus Christ to the scene. They do not look to a denomination. They do not preach a historical but a risen Christ Who is dwelling among His people, healing and saving them today, now. Making Him the same Jesus Christ yesterday, today, and forever.
Mr. Catholic, Jehovah Witness, Mormon, Baptist, Pentecostal, can you call Jesus Christ to the scene today to heal the sick, to open a blind eye just like He did when walked on earth? He did not belong to a denomination.
If you cannot, then you just have a historical Jesus Christ. For He said these signs shall follow them that believe.
Mark 16:17 “And these signs shall follow them that believe; In my name shall they cast out devils; they shall speak with new tongues;”
Either He is the same yesterday, today and tomorrow or you have historical denominational Jesus Christ.
Let the Word draw you out of Denominationalism. BELIEVE and confess Christ the Word as we’ve revealed Him from the First Adam. He’s the same yesterday, today, and forever, in Christ!
Reference: Judges Chapter 12
The disease of Denominationalism runs deep. Today, we have over nine hundred church denominations. Every one of the denominations believe they are right.
How do we tell which denomination is right and which is wrong?
If the Catholic is right, then what happens to the rest of the denominations on the Day of Judgement?
If the Jehovah witness is right, then the rest of the denominations are wrong.
Ephraim, a type of a denomination, comes against Jephthah (the man after the Word)
Let’s read:
Judges 12:1 “And the men of Ephraim gathered themselves together, and went northward, and said unto Jephthah, Wherefore passedst thou over to fight against the children of Ammon, and didst not call us to go with thee? we will burn thine house upon thee with fire.”
The spirit of Denominationalism started with Cain. He had a denomination without the blood. He killed his brother because his sacrifice was accepted.
Genesis 4:7-8 “If thou doest well, shalt thou not be accepted? and if thou doest not well, sin lieth at the door. And unto thee shall be his desire, and thou shalt rule over him. [8] And Cain talked with Abel his brother: and it came to pass, when they were in the field, that Cain rose up against Abel his brother, and slew him.”
It was the same spirit of Denominationalism that stood before Christ the Word and called Him a blasphemer.
John 19:7 “ The Jews answered him, We have a law, and by our law he ought to die, because he made himself the Son of God.”
The Son of God is a blasphemer because He made Himself the Son of God.
The Spirit of Denominationalism always look to kill the Word. Remember Abel was a type of the true believer, the one who has lined up with the Word. Jesus Christ is the Word.
Mark 14:63-64 “Then the high priest rent his clothes, and saith, What need we any further witnesses? [64] Ye have heard the blasphemy: what think ye? And they all condemned him to be guilty of death.”
Like Abel, like Jesus Christ, like Stephen, the spirit of Denominationalism seeks to kill. That’s exactly what these Ephraimites want to do with Jephthah.
We continue our reading:
Judges 12:2-3 “And Jephthah said unto them, I and my people were at great strife with the children of Ammon; and when I called you, ye delivered me not out of their hands. [3] And when I saw that ye delivered me not, I put my life in my hands, and passed over against the children of Ammon, and the LORD delivered them into my hand: wherefore then are ye come up unto me this day, to fight against me?”
“The LORD delivered them into my hands.”
The true believer takes credit for nothing. They point to the LORD. The denominational believer points to the denominational creed and doctrine in addition to the Word.
The Catholic church has their Bible. The Mormon has their Bible. The Jehovah witnesses have their Bible, and the list goes on. Different translations, different interpretations.
How do we know who is right and who is wrong?
We conclude our reading:
Judges 12:4-15 “Then Jephthah gathered together all the men of Gilead, and fought with Ephraim: and the men of Gilead smote Ephraim, because they said, Ye Gileadites are fugitives of Ephraim among the Ephraimites, and among the Manassites. [5] And the Gileadites took the passages of Jordan before the Ephraimites: and it was so, that when those Ephraimites which were escaped said, Let me go over; that the men of Gilead said unto him, Art thou an Ephraimite? If he said, Nay; [6] Then said they unto him, Say now Shibboleth: and he said Sibboleth: for he could not frame to pronounce it right. Then they took him, and slew him at the passages of Jordan: and there fell at that time of the Ephraimites forty and two thousand. [7] And Jephthah judged Israel six years. Then died Jephthah the Gileadite, and was buried in one of the cities of Gilead. [8] And after him Ibzan of Beth–lehem judged Israel. [9] And he had thirty sons, and thirty daughters, whom he sent abroad, and took in thirty daughters from abroad for his sons. And he judged Israel seven years. [10] Then died Ibzan, and was buried at Beth–lehem. [11] And after him Elon, a Zebulonite, judged Israel; and he judged Israel ten years. [12] And Elon the Zebulonite died, and was buried in Aijalon in the country of Zebulun. [13] And after him Abdon the son of Hillel, a Pirathonite, judged Israel. [14] And he had forty sons and thirty nephews, that rode on threescore and ten ass colts: and he judged Israel eight years. [15] And Abdon the son of Hillel the Pirathonite died, and was buried in Pirathon in the land of Ephraim, in the mount of the Amalekites.”
The denominational believer believes and preaches a historical Jesus Christ. The true believer is the one who can call Jesus Christ to the scene. They do not look to a denomination. They do not preach a historical but a risen Christ Who is dwelling among His people, healing and saving them today, now. Making Him the same Jesus Christ yesterday, today, and forever.
Mr. Catholic, Jehovah Witness, Mormon, Baptist, Pentecostal, can you call Jesus Christ to the scene today to heal the sick, to open a blind eye just like He did when walked on earth? He did not belong to a denomination.
If you cannot, then you just have a historical Jesus Christ. For He said these signs shall follow them that believe.
Mark 16:17 “And these signs shall follow them that believe; In my name shall they cast out devils; they shall speak with new tongues;”
Either He is the same yesterday, today and tomorrow or you have historical denominational Jesus Christ.
Let the Word draw you out of Denominationalism. BELIEVE and confess Christ the Word as we’ve revealed Him from the First Adam. He’s the same yesterday, today, and forever, in Christ!
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