Good morning and welcome in today. Today we’re going to take a look at a passage of scripture but before we do that I wanted to tell you a little story.
Many years ago I had to take a long drive to Rapid City South Dakota for work. I used to have to travel all over the country and had to be at my job at a certain time, which required that I planned out my driving time accordingly so I would make it there for work. After driving through Minnesota, I entered South Dakota, but it wasn’t too far past Sioux Falls that I ran into problems and a major delay on the interstate. An orange sign told me that there was construction for the next 44 miles. The interstate that was normally 65 miles an hour had now dropped to 40 and became a divided highway with cones dividing the traffic and sharing one side of the interstate. I can remember listening to my CB to all of the people who were very upset at the division that had happened on the highway because of the construction.
This reminds me of the Christian Life.
Just like people in the world don’t like division on a highway, God doesn’t like division in the church. Instead of going two different directions on a highway, God wants everyone in the church to be heading the same way. Like a divided highway, division is defined in the dictionary as the action of separating something into parts or the process of being separated, something that has happened to a large part of Christianity because of their rejection of scriptural truth.
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.
Notice that the Apostle didn’t want any divisions in the church. He says no divisions. The thing that joins us all together perfectly in the church are the teachings of our Lord Jesus Christ. We are unified as one through the teachings of Holy writ. It is belief and trust in the scriptures that keeps us unified. When we have one mind, that means that even though there are many of us in the church, we all agree with the same things that are taught in God’s Word, sharing oneness through the teachings of our faith. True unity is only found when each of us believe the teachings found in Gods Holy Word, because it is the truth that joins us in fellowship with each other.
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.
I’ve always taught my family for 25 years that you might make a mistake along the way but you can never deny what the scriptures teach, otherwise you will reside in a state of impenitence with God. We have to be capable of admitting fault with God or with each other. The Bible is not wrong, and we have to accept the fact that we are in error. It is the acceptance of the teachings of scripture that brings unity in the church, and God hates when people sow discord among the brethren. This is what the devil did in the garden of Eden, and He wants to lead people away from the one true faith.
Proverbs 6:16-19 16 These six things doth the Lord hate: yea, seven are an abomination unto him: 17 A proud look, a lying tongue, and hands that shed innocent blood, 18 An heart that deviseth wicked imaginations, feet that be swift in running to mischief, 19 A false witness that speaketh lies, and he that soweth discord among brethren.
The Bible teaches that the church is many members, but we are all part of the same body. This means we are to share one mind together.
1 cor 12:25 That there should be no schism in the body; but that the members should have the same care one for another.
A schism is a split or division between strongly opposed sections or parties, caused by differences in opinion or belief. Any opinions that we have are supposed to be formed through the teachings of scripture. Those who are outside the teachings of our faith might try to create division in the church and lead others away from the will of God, but we must strive to be united through our mutual faith that is found in the teachings of Christ.
1 Cor 11:18 For first of all, when ye come together in the church, I hear that there be divisions among you; and I partly believe it.
Instead of division, we are to seek unity. Unity is being together or at one with someone or something. It’s the opposite of being divided.
Ephesians 4:3-6 – Endeavouring to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace.
Psalms 133:1 Behold, how good and how pleasant it is for brethren to dwell together in unity!
Jesus prayed for unity.
John 17:21 – That they all may be one; as thou, Father, art in me, and I in thee, that they also may be one in us: that the world may believe that thou hast sent me.
Obviously we are supposed to keep our distance from false brethren and those who willfully reject the will of God. That is a division that is commanded, but the division that we are speaking of today are those who maliciously make the attempt to come in between the close relationships of faithful and obedient people in the church. Those who do this are not Spiritual, they are carnal.
1 Cor 3:3 For ye are yet carnal: for whereas there is among you envying, and strife, and divisions, are ye not carnal, and walk as men?
In the church we are supposed to be like minded. We are supposed to be focused together on doing the will of God together.
Philippians 2:2 – Fulfil ye my joy, that ye be likeminded, having the same love, being of one accord, of one mind.
Philippians 1:27 – Only let your conversation be as it becometh the gospel of Christ: that whether I come and see you, or else be absent, I may hear of your affairs, that ye stand fast in one spirit, with one mind striving together for the faith of the gospel;
God does not want division, He wants unity in the church, but it is a unity that can only be obtained when everyone believes the teachings of scripture. Not everybody is going to do that, and because of their faithlessness they will try to lead other people astray with them. This is what grievous wolves do, trying to destroy the faith of God’s sheep, but we must abide in the truth, even when the devil tries to make us go another…..
…….44 Miles
Let’s think about these things for right now. We can be found on your web browser by searching, tlkjbc where you can find our diaries distributed through various platforms. We are not associated, nor affiliated with any other religious groups. You can get our entire podcast feeds directly, along with transcripts at tlkjbc.com or I suppose that you could find us somewhere up here, in the Great Northern Minnesota woods. Peace to you all, and Lord willing, we will talk with you some more tomorrow. Till then, bye bye everybody.❤️
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