Good morning and welcome in today. Today we are going to take a look at some scripture from 1 cor 1 but before we do that,…
When I was in elementary school, I can remember going into the gymnasium at about 11 in the morning, and there were a couple classes that had to share the gymnasium because they both had gym at the same time.
What they would do is open up these big huge doors in the gym and pulled out these huge dividers that stretched all the way across the width of the gym.
As they pulled them out, you’d hear a clunk clunk clunk, until eventually the gym was divided into two sections.
When you divide something it means to be separated into parts. In the elementary school it was being separated into different classes and categories by our age. Did you know that the Apostle Paul who was one of the leaders of the Christian Church did not want any divisions to happen. He did not want people to be divided into separate parts.
Divide means to disagree or to cause to disagree with each other. The Apostle wanted us all to be joined together in the same mind and in the same judgment. He wanted us all to believe the exact same things together from the holy scriptures.
It was such a concern for him that he taught…..
1 Corinthians 1:10-13 – Now I beseech you, brethren, by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that ye all speak the same thing, and [that] there be no divisions among you; but [that] ye be perfectly joined together in the same mind and in the same judgment.
In the church we are all supposed to be joined together under the teachings of the Holy scriptures. Although some of us might make a mistake along the way we can come boldly to the throne of grace in time of need and get forgiven for it but we all have to be joined together in the truth. We all have to accept the same teachings of Christ together.
There are many different versions of football in the world today. They share common elements, but they are definitely not all alike. There’s rugby, American Football, jorky ball, cycleball, roller soccer, swamp football, blind football, freestyle football, Zorb football, etc. I think hopefully you get the point.
There are many different versions of this game. In the Christian church there are not supposed to be numerous different versions of Christianity. That is why you see many different denominations all over the world today. After the Lord Jesus Christ ascended into heaven there was one Church. It was the church that he started with the Apostle Peter.
How many different denominations are out in the world today? I read that estimations show that there are more than 200 Christian denominations and splinter groups in the US. Many of these denominations begin because they won’t accept the truth of the Christian faith.
What they do, is splinter off and then start their own group somewhere else.
For example, if they don’t accept that women are not supposed to preach and teach in the church, they simply leave and go start up a group somewhere else where they can. Even though they’re involved with heresy, and teaching things that go against Christ, they still start up their own church group. the Apostle Paul did not want these kinds of divisions.
1 Corinthians 1:10-13 – Now I beseech you, brethren, by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that ye all speak the same thing, and [that] there be no divisions among you;….
Now the Apostle says “…in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ.” That’s very serious because he’s teaching that this is a command of Christ to speak the same things.
I’ve taught for 20 years that you might make a mistake or commit a sin in the Christian life but you can come boldly to the throne of grace in time of need. One thing that you can never ever do is deny the teachings of what the Bible says because it is the truth. The scriptures teach that all men are liars. In order to become converted, we must believe the truth in Christ. We have to accept wholeheartedly that the Bible is true and that we are in error. If we cannot do that we’re never going to be converted to the truth. We will simply be deceived and believe a lie.
Why do people divide and leave the church? It’s because they don’t want to change and accept the truth. They want to live their life the way they want to live at. They don’t want to have to be under certain restrictions or controlled by the teachings of the Bible. They don’t want to have to listen to those who are over them in the Lord who are meekly trying to instruct them in the way of Christ.
What they do is they rebel. In order to make themselves feel like they are going to happen, they start up a church somewhere where they allow all kinds of rebellious behavior and heresies that go completely against the teachings of Christ
As I have said before many times, people want to feel like they’re going to heaven but they turn away from the author of life and eternal salvation Jesus Christ and the things that he taught us to obey. There’s a way that seems right unto a man, what’s the way lead to death.
The road to salvation became to hard for Lot’s wife so what she did is turn around and go back to Sodom and Gomorrah. She died. She was turned into a pillar of salt, an example to people who reject the teachings of Jesus Christ. They will die in their sins.
1 Corinthians 1:10-13 – Now I beseech you, brethren, by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that ye all speak the same thing,….
Same means identical and not different. Have you seen identical twins before? They look exactly the same. Same means that someone or something are exactly alike.
He teaches to speak the same thing which means not different. It means to be exactly similar. It’s not supposed to be changed. That’s what’s going on with the version of Christianity in the world today
They have changed it into something that it is not. People are preaching a false Christ and a false Christianity. They are not His teachings anymore.
One other meaning says same means a person or thing which is equal or identical to another. For example, think of some earrings that a woman might wear. They’re identical on both sides. If you were to walk up to a mirror in the morning and take a look, you and the reflection in the mirror are identical. They are exactly the same.
2000 years ago when you went into a church and you met someone and then you went to another church somewhere else, both the people that you had met we’re identical in the teachings of the Christian faith. That is what the apostles wanted. Even though churches can be separated by great distances, we are all joined together in the same spirit of biblical truth.
Think about making chocolate chip cookies at home. You make a recipe and then place them on the cookie sheet together to cook. They all come out tasting exactly alike. They may not look identical on the exterior but when you taste them they are all the same. They all came from the same recipe. That’s just like Christianity. We come from a recipe of the teachings of the Holy scriptures.
Again, there are all kinds of different denominations today who truly have left the truth of Jesus Christ. They need to believe the truth again.
The Apostle says to speak the same thing and that there be no divisions among you. Notice he says NO division. No means no! How many times have your parents told you that?
A division means a disagreement between two or more groups. You cannot turn away from what the scriptures clearly teach. He wanted them to be perfectly joined together in the same mind and in the same judgment. The thing that joins us together in the church are the teachings of Christ.
When you join it means to put into a close association or relationship. In the world one might join clubs such as an athletic club, a book club or even a yachting Club. These people are joined together under things that they like and believe in. They are joined together through a common interest in something. In the church we are joined together in the teachings of Christ. When you join it means to put or to bring together or to unite.
Think about the church as a large train that’s heading down the tracks. Each of us are joined together to a large locomotive. The locomotive is the teachings of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. Each of us are following these teachings and keeping on the narrow track ahead of us. The thing that joins us together is our faith in what he taught. God doesn’t want us to be divided but joined in truth. This was a great concern to the apostle.
Romans 16:17-18 – Now I beseech you, brethren, mark them which cause divisions and offences contrary to the doctrine which ye have learned; and avoid them.
Avoid them and keep away from them. They don’t want to accept biblical truth anymore and then turn away from it. They cause a split and a rift in the church because they don’t want to do God’s will. If they are going to cause division in the church group, you better take note of them because what they’re doing is they’re fighting against God. Avoid means don’t have anything to do with them.
To cause divisions, means that they are the reason why separation happens. We need to believe in everything that is taught in the Holy scriptures and to take note of those who are leading the sheep astray.
I think that’s where I’m going to stop for right now but Lord willing we’ll talk to some more tomorrow. Till then, bye bye everybody.
Teufer Lake King James Bible Church 