At Ephesus, the apostle Paul called the elders to come meet with him because Paul knew they would never see him again and Paul had a "charge" to give them concerning the church.
Acts 20:25-30 And now, behold, I know that ye all, among whom I have gone preaching the kingdom of God, shall see my face no more. Wherefore I take you to record this day, that I am pure from the blood of all men. For I have not shunned to declare unto you all the counsel of God.
Take heed therefore unto yourselves, and to all the flock, over the which the Holy Ghost hath made you overseers, to feed the church of God, which HE hath purchased with His own blood. For I know this, that after my departing shall grievous wolves enter in among you, not sparing the flock. Also of your own selves shall men arise, speaking perverse things, to draw away disciples after them.
The early church was already to feel division by those persons who were "antichrist".
The apostle John explains: I John 2:18-19 Little children, it is the last time: and as ye have heard that antichrist shall come, even now are there many antichrists; whereby we know that it is the last time.
They went out from us, but they were not of us; for if they had been of us, they would no doubt have continued with us: but they went out, that they might be made manifest that they were not all of us.
They went out from us, but they were not of us; for if they had been of us, they would no doubt have continued with us: but they went out, that they might be made manifest that they were not all of us.
And the apostle Paul explains the way some were trying to worship the preachers, which divides the body of Christ.
I Corinthians 3:1-4 And I, brethren, could not speak unto you as unto spiritual, but as unto carnal, even as unto babes in Christ. I have fed you with milk, and not with meat: for hitherto ye were not able to bear it, neither yet now are ye able. For ye are yet carnal: for whereas there is among you envying, and strife, and divisions, are ye not carnal, and walk as men? For while one saith, I am of Paul; and another, I am of Apollos; are ye not carnal?
(One says, "I'm Baptist." and another says, "I'm Methodist.")
Ephesians 4:4-6 There is one body, and one Spirit, even as ye are called in one hope of your calling;
One Lord, one faith, one baptism, One God and Father of all, who is above all, and through all, and in you all.
One Lord, one faith, one baptism, One God and Father of all, who is above all, and through all, and in you all.
(To try to keep from dividing the church, we can just say, "I'm a Christian," if we feel we must identify ourselves.)
But often the person who hears this will ask, "What church?" for that person is carnal, failing to know there is only one church and that church has nothing to do with all these denominations set up by man to divide the body of Christ.
The division in the church comes because some people put themselves into the church without having the spirit of God.
Jude 17-19 But, beloved, remember ye the words which were spoken before of the apostles of our Lord Jesus Christ; How that they told you there should be mockers (copiers/imitators) in the last time, who should walk after their own ungodly lusts. These be they who separate themselves, sensual, having not the Spirit.
Such in the church groups are just waiting to have opportunity to say what they think. And without the Spirit, they speak their ideas to the church, what they think, and these are "perverse" things as Paul knew they would speak after his departure from the church at Ephesus.
And Paul knew they were just waiting for an opportunity to draw away disciples after themselves.
And by these the various denominations began where the church was divided one from another through their churches.
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