The point about Christianity is that it is the illustration, or exhibition of the purpose of Christ fulfilled. By Christ, I mean the Messiah promised and foretold in the scriptures by Prophets centuries before. ('Christ' is the Greek word for the Hebrew Messiah meaning the Anointed one - the appointed Saviour)
The argument often made that the Church (i.e. the body of believers) is nothing like Christ might be true in some ways, but I would argue that is precisely the point of 'Christ' fulfilled. The purpose of a saviour was to bring sinners to YHWH so they may be transformed by his life transplanted into their spirits and souls. It is only from that rebirth, that the re-culturing begins. It is from that point of putting down our lives, with its habits and mindsets and all else, at the cross of His death and burial that a resurrection to new life occurs. It is from that point a Christian arises - one perfected, but starting a brand new journey of growth and orientation into YHWH's ways of thinking, doing, and rightness. So, arguably, the flaws of the Christian life obvious in the missteps and failings of his church are a testament to the plan of God fulfilled in Christ - i.e. that men would come to trust in the promise and power of God to save, clean and preserve them for himself for all eternity. The trust is in his integrity and ability to actually carry through this great intention (plan) he engineered and established by Jesus' sacrificial crucifixion - his death in our place, burial - as our representative, and resurrection - a victory obtained on our behalf to enable us to be re-born as new beings and continue as such!
''Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come: The old has gone, the new is here! All this is from God, who reconciled us to himself through Christ and gave us the ministry of reconciliation:'' 2 Corinthians 5:17-18
Understanding what the Christian is and isn't is so important. He is not a person learning to be good. Neither is he a 'good' person displaying his religious tenets to the world. He is someone reborn as a baby in God who needs to be fed the very words of his father to live, continue living, and grow. This imperative means if he is not fed the very words of his father, he either dies, has a shortened lifespan, or a stunted growth. A Christian does not live by church attendance or Christian charitable activities - his very supernatural life (acquired at the resurrection and operational from his willing acceptance of Jesus as his Lord) is dependent on the constant flow of YHWH's words into his soul.
''Jesus answered, “It is written: ‘Man shall not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes from the mouth of God.’” Matthew 4:4
''He humbled you, causing you to hunger and then feeding you with manna, which neither you nor your ancestors had known, to teach you that man does not live on bread alone but on every word that comes from the mouth of the Lord.'' Deuteronomy 8:3
Some say we are emphasizing legalism when we emphasize the place of the scriptures in a believer's life -but the point that is forgotten is that that Christian in our church or group is NOT our child. He is God's child and as caretakers, we do not have the liberty to determine that the prescriptions of the one responsible for their supernatural birth is wrong. The re-born human grows only by the nourishment that comes from his Father YHWH and progenitor Jesus the Messiah.
The goal and prayer of Jesus Christ that we may be one as he and the Father are one is only achievable when we all realize that the mind we are re-born with is 'the mind of the Messiah' - i.e. the ways of thinking that the messiah Jesus possessed and exhibited.
''for,
“Who has known the mind of the Lord
so as to instruct him?”
But we have the mind of Christ.'' 1 Corinthians 2:16
To be as Paul expressed in 1 Corinthians 1:10, ' perfectly united in mind and thought', we must all be working and thinking with that 'mind of Christ'. The mind of Christ is nothing ambiguous, it is the mind of the scriptures. It is the mind full of and ordered by the very thinking pattern of God as expressed through his words in the Bible and inspired by his spirit of Truth living in us. That is why the only way to achieve unity is not just in prayers and collaborative activities, it is first in our commitment to knowing and growing individually and collectively in the knowledge of the scriptures. A life-giving growth is not based on legality but on an intimate relationship with YHWH our Father and Jesus the Messiah through their words and (holy) spirit.
As Paul said:
''So Christ himself gave the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, the pastors and teachers, to equip his people for works of service, so that the body of Christ may be built up until we all reach unity in the faith and in the knowledge of the Son of God and become mature, attaining to the whole measure of the fullness of Christ. Then we will no longer be infants, tossed back and forth by the waves, and blown here and there by every wind of teaching and by the cunning and craftiness of people in their deceitful scheming. Instead, speaking the truth in love, we will grow to become in every respect the mature body of him who is the head, that is, Christ.''
Hence 'Unity of faith' is linked to growth (being built up) and 'Maturity' is what causes us to exhibit Christ in his fullness; as Peter said in 1Peter 2:2, this growth only comes from the very words of YHWH and his son Christ Jesus in the scripture.
For all denominations and Christians therefore, the prioritization of personal and collective bible intimacy becomes a must in correctly fulfilling our callings and in achieving a unified and mature Kingdom of God on this earth.
Amen
''Like newborn babies, crave pure spiritual milk, so that by it you may grow up in your salvation,'' 1Peter 2:2
“My prayer is not for them alone. I pray also for those who will believe in me through their message, that all of them may be one, Father, just as you are in me and I am in you. May they also be in us so that the world may believe that you have sent me. I have given them the glory that you gave me, that they may be one as we are one— I in them and you in me—so that they may be brought to complete unity. Then the world will know that you sent me and have loved them even as you have loved me.'' - Jesus John 17:20 -22
''For the mind controlled by the old nature is hostile to God, because it does not submit itself to God’s Torah — indeed, it cannot. Thus, those who identify with their old nature cannot please God.
But you, you do not identify with your old nature but with the Spirit — provided the Spirit of God is living inside you, for anyone who doesn’t have the Spirit of the Messiah doesn’t belong to him.'' Romans 8: 7 -9
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