The Problem with Division

Division

The first of many problems that Paul addressed in his first letter to Corinth was that of division. There were factions that had developed within the church as the brethren became loyal to different teachers (1 Corinthians 1:12). Paul appealed for them to have unity. He did so by explaining what the problem is with division.

Now I exhort you, brethren, by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that you all agree and that there be no divisions among you, but that you be made complete in the same mind and in the same judgment” (1 Corinthians 1:10).

Let us consider what Paul taught in the passage above.Continue Reading

Freedom and Slavery

Man, in his natural state as created by God, is free – free in speech, thought, action, association, and religion (though this does not mean that we are unaccountable for how we use our freedom – Ecclesiastes 11:9). But Satan, from the beginning, has worked diligently to bring man into bondage.

Why would Satan be concerned about and hostile toward man’s freedom? It is because the lack of freedom – which is the state of bondage or tyranny – hinders one from serving God and having a relationship with Him. Let us notice some ways in which man may become enslaved.
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Dealing with Threats to Unity within a Local Church

Recently I’ve preached  a few lessons about things that threaten unity within a local church. The outlines have been posted on my other site – DIY Sermon Outlines. Below is a list with links to the various lessons in that series.
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Fellowship Questions and MDR

Marriage, divorce and remarriage (MDR) has been and always will be a source of controversy among God’s people. Some have taught that those who have divorced and remarried prior to becoming a Christian can remain in their current relationship after obeying the gospel. Recently there has been controversy over whether or not one who has been put away by his/her mate for just any cause can put away his/her spouse for fornication and remarry. There are other MDR questions, but recently I have seen these two lumped together and placed in the category of Romans 14.

Whenever questions like these arise, it is important for us to determine whether or not a certain disagreement relating to MDR ought to be a test of fellowship. Can we agree to disagree? Or must there be division? There are times for both. In matters of opinion, we must agree to disagree. In matters of the faith, we must not tolerate sin and error.Continue Reading

Romans 14

The “grace-unity” doctrine is one of the biggest dangers facing the church today. It is sometimes called “unity-in-diversity.” It is the old denominational concept that we can each have our own understanding of the Bible and we cannot say that one is right and the other is wrong. Sin and error can be overlooked because of spiritual weakness and differences of understanding. This idea is popular among the religious world. As time goes on, its popularity is increasing in the Lord’s church.

Romans 14 is often used to try to defend the concept of unity-in-diversity. Because of the sharp disagreements that exist, I believe many brethren think that Romans 14 is a difficult passage to understand. It may be true that it is not as simple as some passages (i.e. Mark 16:16), but we certainly can understand what Romans 14 is teaching. I hope this article will help make it a little clearer.
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