Denominations Dream - UBM [David Eells]

In a dream, we were at a school where the classes were decided by the color construction paper you had. The colors were red, blue, yellow and white. Most students were in the red, blue and yellow groups. I believe I started in the red group but I am not sure. Only 3 students started in the white class and it was located in a hallway on the other side of the school from the rest. In the classes we were instructed on how to bring others into our class because our class was number 1. (Except the white room, their teacher instructed them to listen to the others and share their paper with the other students but to not argue.)

After school, we wandered the halls and talked people into joining our class. If they decided to join our class we would touch our construction paper to theirs and it would change to our color. Sometimes we would decide that we wanted to be in a different class and the colors would mix, making the secondary colors of green, purple, orange and etc. (Some of the reasons given for a class being better were: hair in pony tails, everyone wearing the same color, names containing certain letters or amount of letters). I tried most of the colors, about 10 or 12, of construction paper because I never stayed satisfied with their reason for being the best.

The white group was different because they did not touch our construction paper but tore a piece of theirs off and gave to us; we then threw the old construction paper away. Every morning we were served breakfast in our classrooms; in all the rooms we had donuts and soda except in the white room. In the white room we ate fruit, meat trays and water. When the people in the white room returned to their class then their construction paper would be made whole again so that they could go out and give more away. The teacher had a white piece of paper also and that is where the original three students got their paper was from being torn off the teacher's. The white room grew to be a popular room for a while, then many started changing their colors to the other construction paper again.

Interpretation by Matt Weller:

This dream is a portrayal of the different denominations of the church system. All of us are in "school" learning what it means to follow the Lord. The denominations are represented by the different colors, white being the true Church of God.

Each denomination thinks it has the truth and is the elect, or number 1, in God's eyes. The reasons usually follow some legalistic or doctrinal pattern. In the dream, some had their hair in pony tails, some had everyone wearing the same color, etc. The reasons for them being split up into such divisions are, frankly, ridiculous. They are each trying to win others to their side of things, and there are some who have been in a number of denominations and form other denominations out of this mixture, usually due to disagreements about the prior denominations. These are represented by the secondary colors.

Breakfast in these classrooms consist of spiritual junk food. Donuts are circular and have holes in them, much like the doctrines and arguments of these denominations. Sodas are pleasing to the flesh, but quickly go flat and become tasteless once they are opened up and the carbonation wears off. Plus, if you shake them up they unleash themselves all over you. J They would rather avoid arguments over scripture in order to keep the peace.

The most interesting part of this dream involves the class with the white construction paper. These are a remnant of true believers who are separate from the other sects. Their teacher is the Lord Jesus, who was broken and gave of Himself and taught us to do the same. Their construction paper did not touch the other colors, which kept them pure and spotless. After they had broken and given themselves to others, they would return to their teacher and renew themselves in order to pour themselves out once again to those around them. Those who received of the torn white construction paper would forsake their old ways, symbolized by the colored construction paper, and follow the Lord's. Their food consisted of fruit meaning spiritual works that evidence faith, meat meaning deeper revelations/understanding, as opposed to the milk, and water meaning the Word of God. The color white has all of the other colors in it, just as light can be broken down into its various colors with a prism or via a rainbow. The bits of truth that each denomination has are a part of the whole truth the white construction paper class has. Also, the reason "construction" paper was used is because we are being "built" up into a holy habitation for our Lord. The denominations are building their kingdoms and the sons of God are building His Kingdom through the sacrifice and resurrection of Jesus Christ. While the class with the white construction paper grew and became popular, there was eventually a falling away as many returned to their old ways and forsook the narrow path leading to righteousness.

Galatians 5:19-20 - "Now the works of the flesh are manifest, which are these: fornication, uncleanness, lasciviousness, idolatry, sorcery, enmities, strife, jealousies, wraths, factions, divisions, parties", (Also read verses 21 through 24.)

1Corinthians 3:1-3 - "And I, brethren, could not speak unto you as unto spiritual, but as unto carnal, as unto babes in Christ. I fed you with milk, not with meat; for ye were not yet able to bear it: nay, not even now are ye able; for ye are yet carnal: for whereas there is among you jealousy and strife, are ye not carnal, and do ye not walk after the manner of men?" (Also read verses 4 through 11.)

Titus 2:11-14 - "For the grace of God hath appeared, bringing salvation to all men, instructing us, to the intent that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly and righteously and godly in this present world; looking for the blessed hope and appearing of the glory of the great God and our Savior Jesus Christ; who gave himself for us, that he might redeem us from all iniquity, and purify unto himself a people for his own possession, zealous of good works".

Mark 14:22 - "And as they were eating, he took bread, and when he had blessed, he brake it, and gave to them, and said, Take ye: this is my body".

1Peter 2:5 - "ye also, as living stones, are built up a spiritual house, to be a holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices, acceptable to God through Jesus Christ".

Hebrews 3:12-14 - "Take heed, brethren, lest haply there shall be in any one of you an evil heart of unbelief, in falling away from the living God: but exhort one another day by day, so long as it is called To-day; lest any one of you be hardened by the deceitfulness of sin: for we are become partakers of Christ, if we hold fast the beginning of our confidence firm unto the end:"

Also listen to Avoiding Faction in the Church.

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