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Explore the question of when it is necessary to separate from brethren in the context of preserving the unity of the body of Christ. Discover biblical guidelines and examples for maintaining unity while dealing with disagreements and sinful behavior.
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Un-denominating Christianity Must We Ever Divide?
When Do WE Separate From Brethren? • Regardless of our wishes to be united, there will be some times when we must separate from our brethren for the sake of the gospel. • Not as often as has been done in the past, perhaps, but according to clear guidelines in Scripture. • When are those times?
We Are Commanded To Be United • John 17:23 -- I in them and You in Me, that they may be perfected in unity, so that the world may know that You sent Me, and loved them, even as You have loved Me. • Christ prays that we will be perfected in unity.
Diligent in unity • Ephesians 4:2-3 – “…with all humility and gentleness, with patience, showing tolerance for one another in love, being diligent to preserve the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace. • Unity requires tolerance and diligence.
Has Christ Been Divided? • I Corinthians 1:13 -- Has Christ been divided? Paul was not crucified for you, was he? Or were you baptized in the name of Paul? • Any dividing of the body of Christ is forbidden, because Christ Himself is not divided!
When We Disagree… • Colossians 3:13 -- “…bearing with one another, and forgiving each other, whoever has a complaint against anyone; just as the Lord forgave you, so also should you.” • Forgiving every complaint!
When Should We Shun Brethren? • Many divisions come over so-called doctrinal issues. • Most are not really doctrinal! • Can we tell the difference between binding doctrine and Scriptural understandings which are not able to be bound?
Illustration: Aylette Raines • 1800s preacher convicted by Walter Scott, but holding a universalist viewpoint for the end of times. • Viewpoint is that even the wicked will eventually be saved – a heretical viewpoint and contrary to pure doctrine. • Was baptized, without initially surrendering the wrong viewpoint.
What Was The End Result? • In a council led by Alexander Campbell and consisting of many of the leading restoration preachers, Raines was welcomed despite his false understandings. • Because of this charity, within 10 months Raines changed his mind and counted that teaching among other errors he left behind.
Good concepts • RupertusMedenius: “Unity in essentials; liberty in non-essentials; charity in all things.” • Thomas Campbell: “In faith, unity; in opinions liberty; in all things charity.”
Only Trouble is… • What constitutes matters of faith? • Is it anything we think is biblical? • Is it core gospel? Or lifestyle gospel as well? • Can we gain understanding from Scripture?
2 John 1:9-11 • “Anyone who goes too far and does not abide in the teaching of Christ, does not have God; the one who abides in the teaching, he has both the Father and the Son. If anyone comes to you and does not bring this teaching, do not receive him into your house, and do not give him a greeting; for the one who gives him a greeting participates in his evil deeds.” • What are the parameters of “this teaching”
Matthew 18:15-17 • “If your brother sins, go and show him his fault in private; if he listens to you, you have won your brother. But if he does not listen to you, take one or two more with you, so that by the mouth of two or three witnesses every fact may be confirmed. If he refuses to listen to them, tell it to the church; and if he refuses to listen even to the church, let him be to you as a Gentile and a tax collector.” • A matter of unresolved sin.
1 Corinthians 5:1-2 • “It is actually reported that there is immorality among you, and immorality of such a kind as does not exist even among the Gentiles, that someone has his father’s wife. You have become arrogant and have not mourned instead, so that the one who had done this deed would be removed from your midst.”
Yet, With Repentance… • 2 Corinthians 2:6-8 --Sufficient for such a one is this punishment which was inflicted by the majority, so that on the contrary you should rather forgive and comfort him, otherwise such a one might be overwhelmed by excessive sorrow. Wherefore I urge you to reaffirm your love for him.
Not Denominating The Body! • None of these teachings involves dividing the body, but rather disciplining the sinning individual through isolation from the church. • Can we gain some insights from past leaders of the restoration movement?
Concerning Instrumental Music • Isaac Errett, quoted by F.G. Allen (opposed to instrumental music, Oct. 1880 in The Old Path Guide • “The threatening of division does not enter into this controversy. We have planted ourselves firmly on this motto: we make nothing a test of fellowship that Christ has not made a condition of salvation.”
What causes many divisions? • ReuelLemmons, 1974 – “Much of our trouble over fellowship has arisen because government in the congregation seeks to usurp individual freedom and impose the law of the government upon the private faith of the constituents. If individuals in a congregation surrender their faith to the government of the congregation…then they become slaves of men rather than slaves of Jesus Christ.”
