Christian Anarchy: How Individualism Undermines God’s Plan: As I sat at my desk preparing this message, I found myself laying my head on the desk, sobbing, crying because of the reality of the truth of the message and how needed it is today. Let’s be brutally honest: much of what passes for “Christianity” today is a fragmented, anemic shadow of what God intended. We’ve bought into a convenient lie – that faith is a private, isolated journey. This message isn’t for the faint of heart; it’s a stark revelation that God’s power, His promises, and His very purpose for us are undeniably, unapologetically “we” promises, not the flimsy “you” illusions we’ve clung to.
The “We” Promise: God’s Design for Corporate Faith
In Ephesians 3:6, the Apostle Paul makes a profound declaration to the mixed Jewish and Gentile congregation in Ephesus: they are “fellow heirs” and “partakers together” of God’s grace, gifts, and redemption through Christ. This emphasis on “we” resonates throughout the book of Ephesians and holds significant implications for believers today. Modern Christian culture often champions individual faith and independence, yet heaven’s call is for us to recognize our place in the many-membered body of Christ. The benefits and authority found in this corporate body are not experienced in the same magnitude by those who choose to be “go-it-alone” Christians.
The Church: Built on “We,” Not Just “You”
Jesus didn’t die for us to be “lone rangers.” When He singled out Peter as the “rock” upon which He would build His church (Matthew 16:18), the emphasis was on the corporate body of Christ, not merely the individual.
[Mat 16:18 KJV] 18 And I say also unto thee, That thou art Peter, and upon this rock I will build my church; and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it.
Jesus didn’t say, “Upon this Rock, I’m going to empower the individual to be a witness to Me throughout the earth.” Rather, He declared, “Upon this Rock, I will build My CHURCH and the gates of Hell will not prevail against it.” Against what? Against the many-membered, corporate body of Christ! Some may interject here, insisting they possess this power individually, regardless of their connection to the community of faith. However, a glance at the current state of Christian culture reveals a landscape in shambles. Disunity is the norm, often masked by benign terms like “diversity.” When individuals claim, “It’s just me and Jesus,” the reality is that a sin-sick world plunging headlong into hell remains unimpressed by an insipid, seeker-sensitive, politicized monstrosity we often call the church. Lost, hell-bound men and women are not moved by fragmented faith.
It is the Church, the Ecclesia of God, against which the gates of hell will not prevail. God is shouting, “I want My Church back!” He desires a many-membered, empowered, unified, and ascendant church that will plunder hell to populate heaven and bring the world and its culture to its knees at the foot of the Cross—just as the church did in the fourth century when Constantine, recognizing the only way forward for mankind, issued the Edict of Milan and surrendered to the claims of Christ. By God’s grace, that day will come again.
The “We” Reality in Ephesians: A Deeper Look
Let’s examine the “we” reality of God’s purposes, so strongly emphasized in the book of Ephesians, which is often sorely lacking today:
Holiness: A “We” Proposition
Holiness, as God calls us to it, is a collective endeavor.
[Eph 1:4 KJV] 4 According as he hath chosen us in him before the foundation of the world, that “we” should be holy and without blame before him in love:
Forgiveness and Redemption: A Unified “We” Dynamic
The forgiveness and redemption Jesus paid for on the cross have a “we” dynamic that insists it must be appropriated by the Body of Christ as a unified whole, not just as a “go-it-alone” provision.
[Eph 1:7 KJV] 7 In whom “we” have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of his grace;
Inheritance: Only in the Corporate “We”
There is an inheritance that only comes to us in the corporate “we” context, an inheritance that independent-minded believers will never fully know.
[Eph 1:11 KJV] 11 In whom also “we” have obtained an inheritance, being predestinated according to the purpose of him who worketh all things after the counsel of his own will:
Praise: A Unified “We” Expression
There is a praise God desires to be brought forth to His name that you are not equipped to give alone. It is a “we” praise and requires a unified Body of Christ on earth to bring it forth.
[Eph 1:12 KJV] 12 That “we” should be to the praise of his glory, who first trusted in Christ.
The Impact of Individual Sin on the Corporate “We”
The only singular “you” emphasis on the individual in the entire book of Ephesians is an exhortation that your sins had to be dealt with in order that we could receive God’s blood-bought provision.
[Eph 2:3, 5, 10, 18 KJV] 3 Among whom also we all had our conversation in times past in the lusts of our flesh, fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the mind; and were by nature the children of wrath, even as others. … 5 Even when we were dead in sins, hath quickened us together with Christ, (by grace ye are saved;)
Your sin, where you fall short of the character of Christ, profoundly impacts the victory that the body of Christ you are called to be a part of either doesn’t receive or doesn’t walk in. We see this throughout the Old Testament, as in Joshua 7:10-11. When there was “sin in the camp”—individual transgression—the people, the nation, or the congregation in the wilderness were unable to stand before their enemies. People died because of transgressors like Achan, who hid his sin in his tent, thinking it was no one’s business but his own. Where are you hiding your “wedge of gold” or your “Babylonian garment,” like Achan did? And then, when the army falls before Ai, do you have the audacity to point at the failure and say, “That’s why I don’t go to church,” when it was your transgression that polluted the body of Christ that you were called to be a part of, even as you so glibly excused yourself from that Church, that Ecclesia that Jesus said He would build? He is building, and building, and you and I are the living stones He is mortaring together. But sometimes, He reaches for the next stone—the stone that you are—and comes back empty-handed, or with hands covered with the putrescence of your sin, your carnality that you have afforded yourself the right to luxuriate in.
The Corporate Masterpiece: A “We” Walk
Jesus is building a “we” work, a corporate masterpiece that you cannot be a part of outside the corporate body of Christ. There is a “we” walk that we can only experience if we walk together.
[Eph 2:10 KJV] 10 For “we” are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them.
Corporate Access to the Father
There is a “we” access, a corporate access to the Father that only we together can take advantage of. The “go-it-alone” believers stand outside, not knocking on the door, because they have relieved themselves of being a part of that Ecclesia Jesus died to build.
[Eph 2:18 KJV] 18 For through him we both have access by one Spirit unto the Father.
“We” Boldness and Prayer
There is a “we” boldness that individuals, however bold, will not experience unless we join together in the “we” prayer life of the Church.
[Eph 3:12, 20 KJV] 12 In whom we have boldness and access with confidence by the faith of him. … 20 Now unto him that is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that worketh in us,
What is this “we” prayer life? Look at Acts 4. When the Jewish leaders threatened the lives of the apostles and came very close to shutting down the fledgling church, notice what “they” did:
[Act 4:29-31 KJV] 29 And now, Lord, behold their threatenings: and grant unto thy servants, that with all boldness they may speak thy word, 30 By stretching forth thine hand to heal; and that signs and wonders may be done by the name of thy holy child Jesus. 31 And when they had prayed, the place was shaken where they were assembled together; and they were all filled with the Holy Ghost, and they spake the word of God with boldness.
This was a church the world trembled before. The only thing their enemies could think to do was to kill and martyr this church because they were powerless to intimidate it. As a result, they came together, and they prayed, and when they assembled together, they experienced a Pentecost-magnitude visitation of the Holy Spirit that absolutely changed human history.
Unity of Faith: Reaching the Stature of Christ
In Ephesians 4, we read that Jesus gave apostles, prophets, pastors, and teachers until “we all” (not just some) “we all” come together—not just into faith, but into unity of faith, and of the knowledge of Jesus, to a perfect, mature corporate expression of the Body of Christ. Unfortunately, today, instead of preaching unity, leaders are often preaching “kingdom”—their own personal fiefdoms and personality cults geared to promote themselves at the expense of those ministries around them that God has called them to connect with and be a part of in the unity of the faith until we (not just “you”) express the fullness of the stature of Christ.
[Eph 4:13-14, 25 KJV] 13 Till we all come in the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ:
What is the fullness of the stature of Christ? What does that look like? Jesus defined it exactly in the Gospel of John:
[Jhn 14:12 KJV] 12 Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that believeth on me, the works that I do shall he do also; and greater [works] than these shall he do; because I go unto my Father.
Lukewarm, insipid leaders have been watering down this verse for centuries, making excuses and twisting Jesus’ words because this not happening is an indictment of the leadership of a church, and the powerless church content to march in place until Jesus comes.
[Eph 4:14 KJV] 14 That “we” [henceforth] be no more children, tossed to and fro, and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the sleight of men, [and] cunning craftiness, whereby they lie in wait to deceive;
This is why in Ephesians 5:25, Paul calls on us as individuals to “put away” the dishonesty of lukewarm faith. Why? Because “we are members one of another,” and the character, nature, and spiritual condition you walk in as an individual has a profound and corporate impact on the church you so resoundingly give yourself permission to criticize and even ostracize yourself from.
[Eph 5:25 KJV] 25 Wherefore putting away lying, speak every man truth with his neighbour: for “we” are members one of another.
“We” Warfare: The Battle for the Corporate Body
Why is Paul drilling down so strongly on this “we” issue? Because there is a “we” warfare that only we together, expressing that many-membered body of Christ, will be effective in waging.
[Eph 5:30 KJV] 30 For “we” are members of his body, of his flesh, and of his bones.
[Eph 6:12 KJV] 12 For “we” wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high [places].
Review and Reflect
You have been shown that the foundational promises and purposes of God for believers are inherently corporate, emphasizing “we” over isolated individuality. We’ve explored how holiness, forgiveness, inheritance, praise, and even spiritual warfare are best experienced and effectively waged as a unified body of Christ. The message has highlighted that individual sin has corporate consequences and that true power, boldness, and the ability to impact history are found when believers come together in unity, as the early church demonstrated. Ultimately, God desires a unified, mature Church that reflects the fullness of Christ and His works on earth, not a collection of independent believers.
Call to Action
- Seek Corporate Connection: Actively pursue meaningful connection and commitment to a local body of believers, recognizing that your spiritual growth and effectiveness are intrinsically linked to the “we” of the church.
- Repent of Individualism: Identify and repent of any attitudes or practices that promote an independent, “go-it-alone” faith, understanding that such a mindset hinders both your personal spiritual journey and the corporate impact of the Church.
- Prioritize Unity: Make unity within the body of Christ a personal and corporate priority. Actively work to reconcile differences, foster harmony, and speak truth in love, recognizing that disunity weakens the Church’s witness.
- Embrace Corporate Prayer: Engage in corporate prayer with other believers, understanding that there is a unique boldness and power released when the Church assembles and prays together.
- Contribute to the “We” Work: Recognize that your unique gifts, talents, and obedience are vital to the collective strength and effectiveness of the Church. Commit to deploying them within the corporate body for God’s glory.
Closing Prayer
Almighty God, we come before You, humbled and broken, for the rampant individualism and disunity that has crippled Your Church. Forgive us, Father, for our arrogance in believing we can fulfill Your divine purposes apart from the corporate body of Christ. Ignite within us a consuming passion for unity, a hunger to be the unified, many-membered Ecclesia that Your Son died to build. Break down every wall of division, expose every spirit of independence, and deliver us from the delusion that our faith is solely a private affair. Raise up a Church, O God, that trembles at Your word, that walks in audacious corporate boldness, and that wages war against the gates of hell as a unified, irresistible force. May Your glory be fully manifested through a Church purged of self, passionately pursuing the “we” reality of Your Kingdom, until the world bows at the feet of Jesus and hell is plundered for heaven’s gain. In the mighty name of Jesus Christ, we pray. Amen.
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