LETTERS: AS CHRISTIANS, WE SHOULD ALL BE ONE

To the editor:

How many times have you heard, "Jesus saves. He is my Savior, my buddy, my pal"? This is true, but them ask if Jesus is also their Lord, and they will say, "Well, sometimes."

Jesus is Lord and Savior. How do we know if he is Lord in our life? Very simple. What is most important in your life? What do you life for? What is your ultimate goal above all things? Does money rank first? Does sex rank first? Does personal glory rank first? Does praising the Lord and spreading the Gospel rank first?

In today's society, it is very difficult to keep focused on what is important to Jesus. TV, movies, video games, politicians and the rich and famous who should be setting a good example for our children and all of us continue to glorify sin as a very acceptable way of life. Recently, I switched the TV channel, and it took three seconds for the show to make sexual suggestions. I switched again, and this time it took five seconds to make fornication OK. I wonder if the producers of these shows realize that the Bible says 39 times that adultery is wrong and 29 times that fornication is wrong. Why so many times? Maybe the Lord is trying to give us a message.

I feel that is we are to combat the evil ravaging the world, the Christian community must do as Jesus Christ intended. When he sent out his disciples, he did not send them out to form 11 different denominations. He sent them out to be one. In the Acts of the Apostles, at the Council of Jerusalem, the apostles met to discuss different opinions and tell what was right and what was wrong so all could be "one mind and one body."

The idea of oneness is one reason that I stayed in the Roman Catholic church. I do not mean the following to cause ill feelings in any way, so I apologize now if I offend anyone.

A very dear friend who isn't a Catholic told me that baptism means absolutely nothing when it comes to salvation.

Another friend was told by another group that during baptism, if you are not totally submerged, it doesn't count.

My question is not theology. My question is, where is the one mind? Why are we not speaking the same thing as the Bible authors and Jesus want us to do? Where are we one worldwide?

I am not condemning other Christian denominations, believe me. The Holy Spirit is working wonders in all Christian churches, but the divisions are not what Jesus wanted.

It is time for all to stop allowing pride, ill feelings and downright lies to control our words and actions. We must allow the Holy Spirit to gather us together in one voice, one heart and one mind to praise the Lord Jesus Christ as he intended.

GERARD MACKE

Leopold, Mo.