I will be preaching on Rom. 16:17-20 this week. As Paul addresses division in the church he suggests using doctrine as the tool for deciding what is truly divisive. This idea of using doctrine to define what "causing division" looks like is perfectly reasonable, but contradicts modern liberal ideas that would see doctrine/theology as the cause of division rather than the means for diagnosing and correcting it. Consider the following errors of theology regarding division and please share your insights or other examples of this common and dangerous error.
We put people over doctrine!
We put unity over theology!
We love people too much to take some parts of the Bible literally!
We want to be graceful like Jesus, so we don't teach things that might hurt people's feelings!
Consider for a moment if taking scripture very serious on all matters, including the call to unity in Christ as taught in His word, would really be the cause of church splits, denominations and false churches? Or, is it more likely that where doctrine is taught and embraced true unity exists and it is the rejection of Christ's teaching that leads to division?
As the Apostle John suggested: 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. (John 2:19 KJV)
Thinking we could achieve true unity or love folks better by ignoring God's word and His definition of love is prideful, foolish and an act of idolatry!
Important theme, as this is a rampant problem I'm sure, no less than it was back then. The man of God bringing a corrective, convicting, admonishing teaching will all too often face opposition from growing numbers of professing Christians who believe that all behaviors and attitudes should be tolerated and even accepted in the name of "love". If God allows, I'll address the 4 above errors with God's Word and not much else(as if more was neccesary). If that is insufficient to us, than we need to throw the book away and start calling ourselves by another name, for the True God reveals Himself by His Word.
ReplyDelete1) Placing people over doctrine is wrong because if we truly care for them, we will do all we can to saturate them in the Word. I suggest James 5:19-20. Sounds more like love to me than ignoring me obviously in error of the truth. And since God's Word IS truth, that's th source of correction. Please also read 1 Cor.5:9-11. If I am stuck in one or more of these, I really need someone to lovingly confront me with this Scripture. While not doing any of those things will in no way make me more righteous before God, perhaps it would diagnose that something is seriously wrong, even that I am outside of Christ and need to examine myself. And if I AM in Christ, a little reminding of Whose I am can never hurt (v.11). Finally, I direct you to harsh Scripture lest we think people are more important than God's Word. 1 Cor. chapter 5-the whole chapter. More tomorrow, Lord willing. tj