Alliance

Some people form denominations based on adult baptism or meeting traditions, while others form them around prominent spiritual leaders. But now, as a result of the most recent “movement,” people are planning to organize an alliance. The intention is that everyone within these different denominations who has supported the movement is supposed to become allies. It has been proposed that they all wear an emblem on their lapel with the letter “A” to demonstrate that they belong to the alliance. Everyone will remain in their own denomination, but once a month, for example, they will get together and discuss topics which they have previously agreed on. And they have to keep silent on the topics where they disagree. The meetings would preferably be held in a neutral location.

In other words, they have abandoned the fellowship that the Scriptures speak about, the fellowship that was supposed to be a fruit of the baptism of the Spirit—namely, that if we walk in the light as He is in the light, we have fellowship with one another. Instead of fellowship in the Spirit that comes by walking in the light, they want to form a human alliance based on the baptism of the Spirit and the gift of tongues. As long as people support “the movement,” they can proudly display their emblem with its capital “A.” Even in the world these days, they are moving toward phasing out such external decorations, but these people seem to need them.

We have heard more than enough about “the movement” and “world-wide revivals,” etc. What we desperately need from now on is wisdom from God in order to guide everything into safe harbor. A person won’t get anywhere with intellectual arguments and high things that exalt themselves against the knowledge of God. Everything in the spiritual realm is governed by spiritual laws, just as everything in nature is governed by natural laws. If you want to govern and manage things, you must first devote your heart to understanding and ask God for wisdom, which He will give willingly, without reproach.

People talk about being “completely cleansed” and about having received “the full baptism of Pentecost,” etc. From now on, let us strive to partake of what Paul continually prayed that God would grant to the Ephesians and the Colossians—to be filled with the Spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of God. Eph. 1:17; Col. 2:1-3. This will save us from much folly, which we, despite all our objections, would otherwise end up in.