By Rob Pue
December 30, 2025
In the first century, after Jesus’ life, death and resurrection, His followers were known as “The Way,” before eventually being referred to as “Christians.” The Way echoes the words of our Lord from John 14:6, “I am the way, the truth and the life.”
We read about what was, perhaps, the first gathering of Jesus’ Church in Acts, Chapter 1. After Jesus ascended to heaven, the disciples returned to Jerusalem and stayed together in an upper room. In verse 14, we read, “These all continued with one accord in prayer and supplication, with the women, and Mary, the mother of Jesus, and with His brethren.” Scripture tells us there were about 120 gathered together — and they were all in agreement, all in “one accord.”
Those who followed The Way remained in one accord for some time, and their numbers grew as people learned the way, the truth and the life found in repentance and faith in Christ. The 12 apostles decided to choose seven faithful men, filled with the Holy Spirit, to help care for widows and manage other practical needs of Jesus’ followers. Among them was Stephen. In Acts 7, Stephen gave a long speech to the Jewish religious leaders, recounting Israel’s history and accusing the Sanhedrin of resisting the Holy Spirit, rejecting God’s messengers and betraying and killing the Messiah.
Enraged by his words, the religious leaders dragged Stephen outside the city and stoned him to death. As he died, Stephen saw a vision of Jesus standing (not sitting, but instead we read that Jesus stood up during this time) at the right hand of God. And he prayed for forgiveness of his executioners, just as Jesus did on the cross.
Persecution of Christ-followers then began to intensify, which only caused The Way to grow in numbers as the early Church dispersed to other areas.
Scripture also tells us about a man in the crowd who held the coat of one of Stephen’s killers. That man, Saul, was a devout Jew with an intense religious hatred for these members of The Way. But Saul was eventually radically transformed by Jesus Himself as he traveled the road to Damascus. He was going there to arrest and persecute more of Christ’s followers. Saul received a new heart and a new name (Paul), and went on to write much of the New Testament, instructing individual apostles and entire churches on the teachings of Christ. Perhaps the most amazing transformation and salvation story in history.
We should note that the letters to the Ephesians, the Philippians, the Colossians, Timothy and Philemon were written by Paul while he was in prison. Paul needed to instruct and correct the early Church frequently, because it didn’t take long before The Way was no longer in “one accord.” He repeatedly appealed for unity among the believers.
In Philippians, he wrote, “Complete my joy by being of the same mind, having the same love, being in full accord and of one mind.” In Romans he wrote, “So we, though many, are one body in Christ, and individually members one of another.” And, “That together you may with one voice glorify the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ.” To the Corinthians, he wrote, “I appeal to you, brothers, by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that all of you agree, and that there be no divisions among you, but that you be united in the same mind and the same judgment.” Clearly, God is pleased when His followers know, understand and follow the simple truths of the Scriptures He’s given us.
Yet, throughout the centuries and especially today, there are many professing Christians who are in error. Perhaps we all need to take heed of Galatians 1:6-10, “I am astonished that you are so quickly deserting Him who called you in the grace of Christ and are turning to a different gospel— not that there is another one, but there are some who trouble you and want to distort the gospel of Christ. But even if we or an angel from heaven should preach to you a gospel contrary to the one we preached to you, let him be accursed…For am I now seeking the approval of man, or of God? Or am I trying to please man? If I were still trying to please man, I would not be a servant of Christ.”
So many today are trying to please man. And The Way has become so fractured that there are now an estimated 50,000 different “Christian” denominations in the world. And each one believes they have it all figured out. I have to wonder how so many people — all reading the same Bible — can come to such different and often abominable interpretations and conclusions. How can they possibly justify and bless things like homosexuality, “transgenderism,” same-sex unions, and abortion, while many others deny the very deity of Jesus Christ?
Apparently, many are still seeking the approval of man, rather than God. These are not servants of Christ, but rather deceivers, finding ways to justify sin and reject God’s commandments. And if the truth be told, sadly, it’s not just to create a license to continue on in their own sins and filthy perversions, but also for the sake of financial profit, as they assure those with reprobate minds of a false salvation, allowing them to ease their guilty consciences and continue in error and deadly sin. Jesus called these people “ravenous wolves.” And in Acts 20, we have this: “from among your own selves will arise men speaking twisted things, to draw away the disciples after them.”
And so it is. What was once clearly The Way, has now become “many ways to God.” Sound doctrine and theology is essential. We are to study the Scriptures diligently, and show ourselves approved, workmen that need not be ashamed because we know how to rightly divide the Word of Truth.
But I dare say that none of us, even the most diligent students of Scripture, can completely comprehend everything in God’s Word and understand everything completely. Much will remain a mystery until we reach our Lord’s presence and He reveals all the mysteries of His perfect will to us. But we certainly can and must understand and know for certain the essentials of Scripture, God’s commandments and the way of salvation.
These are the essentials of our faith and should be clearly understood by those who name the name of Christ. Likewise, we should be trained up for the work of the ministry, so we can lead others to The Way.
Let me be clear: God’s Word is truth. All Scripture is God-breathed. It’s important to study all of it. However, many needless quarrels and divisions take place between believers over topics we need not argue about. For example, I’ve seen many break fellowship with their Christian brothers and sisters over the question of whether or not we should celebrate Jesus’ birth, or remember His death, burial and resurrection.
There are thousands of prophecy teachers out there, each one believing they have it all figured out. Many have even set dates for Christ’s return — something the Bible explicitly warns us not to do. Many argue over things like the rapture and end times events and churches split over this. All firmly believe they fully understand Bible prophecy, that they’re right and others are wrong. And as time wears on and knowledge increases, perhaps there will come a day when those things written in God’s Book will be abundantly clear. But for now, arguing is fruitless and breaking fellowship with others over this is not God’s will. It’s a distraction that paralyzes many Christians into doing nothing of value for the Kingdom of God while they simply wait for Christ’s return.
Others will argue and separate over Bible translations. I can’t tell you the number of times I’ve been strictly admonished for not quoting only the King James Version. I’ve also been told that people will not read my messages if I do use the King James Version. A note I received recently stated, “It’s not the 1600s anymore. If you expect people to read anything you write, use a version of the Bible people can understand!”
As a child, I grew up memorizing Scripture from the King James Version, and that’s the version I know best. However, those who declare this to be the only acceptable version, because it’s the oldest, might be surprised to learn that were at least 6 other versions in the English language which were published prior to the King James in 1611. These include the Wycliffe Bible in 1382, the Tyndale Bible and Coverdale Bible in 1525, Matthew’s Bible in 1537, the Great Bible in 1539 and the Geneva Bible in 1560.
When I write or speak, I now use the version that gets the point across in the clearest way, though having grown up with the King James, I still tend to lean toward that version and always check to make sure the language I’m quoting carries the proper weight and doesn’t change the meaning. Still, the criticism and contention will continue, no matter what I do. Christians do seem to be predisposed to want to fight one another.
There are so many who love to argue and debate theology, stubbornly adhering to what they so firmly believe, piously correcting others, but most of these are needless arguments that only bring division. Titus 3:9-11, “But avoid foolish debates, genealogies, quarrels, and disputes about the law, for they are unprofitable and worthless. Reject a divisive person after a first and second warning, knowing that such a person is perverted and sins, being self-condemned.”
From 2nd Timothy: “This saying is trustworthy, for if we have died with Him, we will also live with Him; if we endure, we will also reign with Him; if we deny Him, He also will deny us.” These are things we should all agree on. Later in the same chapter, we read, “Remind them of these things, and charge them before God not to quarrel about words, which does no good, but only ruins the hearers.” From 1st Timothy, “…nor give heed to fables and endless genealogies, which cause disputes rather than godly edification which is in faith.”
And from 1st Timothy 6, “If anyone teaches a different doctrine and does not agree with the sound words of our Lord Jesus Christ and the teaching that accords with godliness, he is puffed up with conceit and understands nothing. He has an unhealthy craving for controversy and for quarrels about words, which produce envy, dissension, slander, evil suspicions, and constant friction among people who are depraved in mind and deprived of the truth, imagining that godliness is a means of gain.” I’ve seen divisive people like this in action many times, and they’ve broken many fellowships, many families and many hearts. Again, this is not God’s will for us.
So, what should we be focusing on as Christians, regarding our personal lives? We can start with Romans 12:2, “And be not conformed to this world: but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.”
And Titus 2:11-12, “For the grace of God that bringeth salvation hath appeared to all men, teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly, in this present world.”
What would Jesus do? What did Jesus do? During His prayer time in the Garden prior to His arrest, He prayed to His Father for His disciples — and all believers. This is His prayer: “I pray not only for these, but also for those who believe in Me through their message. May they all be one, as You, Father, are in Me and I am in You. May they also be one in Us, so the world may believe You sent Me. I have given them the glory You have given Me. May they be one as We are one. I am in them and You are in Me. May they be made completely one, so the world may know You have sent Me and have loved them as You have loved Me.” It’s time we stopped being a house so divided, get back to basics and come together as true Christ-followers. And if we don’t know The Way, we must examine our hearts to see if we’re really in the faith.
© 2025 Rob Pue – All Rights Reserved
E-Mail Rob Pue: robatwcn@icloud.com
