Devotionals

Is being right more important than maintaining unity?

by Robert Randle
05/19/17
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There are some Christian Churches or congregations who have withdrawn fellowship from one another based upon doctrinal differences, and decisions arrived at by a consensus of the membership and their congregational leaders; but is this the way it should be done? This brief study will examine whether the New Testament authorizes such an action as to ex-communicate entire faith communities over issues that may or may not be all that serious.

Acts 15: 1-2a, 12-13, 19-21, 28
Certain people came down from Judea to Antioch and were teaching the believers: “Unless you are circumcised, according to the custom taught by Moses, you cannot be saved.” This brought Paul and Barnabas into sharp dispute and debate with them. The whole assembly became silent as they listened to Barnabas and Paul telling about the signs and wonders God had done among the Gentiles through them. When they finished, James spoke up. “Brothers,” he said, “listen to me. It is my judgment, therefore, that we should not make it difficult for the Gentiles who are turning to God. ²⁰ Instead we should write to them, telling them to abstain from food polluted by idols, from sexual immorality, from the meat of strangled animals and from blood.  It seemed good to the Holy Spirit and to us not to burden you with anything beyond the following requirements: 

Acts 16: 1a, 4
Paul came to Derbe and then to Lystra, where a disciple named Timothy lived.  As they traveled from town to town, they delivered the decisions reached by the apostles and elders in Jerusalem for the people to obey.

1 Corinthians 8: 1, 4, 7-8
Now about food sacrificed to idols: We know that “We all possess knowledge.” But knowledge puffs up while love builds up. So then, about eating food sacrificed to idols: We know that “An idol is nothing at all in the world” and that “There is no God but one.”  But not everyone possesses this knowledge. Some people are still so accustomed to idols that when they eat sacrificial food they think of it as having been sacrificed to a god, and since their conscience is weak, it is defiled. But food does not bring us near to God; we are no worse if we do not eat and no better if we do.

Acts 21: 17-18, 25
When we arrived at Jerusalem, the brothers and sisters received us warmly. The next day Paul and the rest of us went to see James, and all the elders were present. As for the Gentile believers, we have written to them our decision that they should abstain from food sacrificed to idols, from blood, from the meat of strangled animals and from sexual immorality.”

NOTE: The leadership of the Church in Jerusalem had heard some disturbing news about the Apostle Paul’s teachings and they wanted to know whether the things they heard were true; and they were which was in odds with the decrees that all who were present back in Acts chapter 15 agreed upon. So, should the believers separate or disassociate from the Apostle Paul and those he led to Christ because he no longer taught the same thing as they did in this matter?

Here’s another example:

Galatians 2: 15-16a
We who are Jews by birth and not sinful Gentiles know that a person is not justified by the works of the law, but by faith in Jesus Christ. 

Galatians 3: 11
Clearly no one who relies on the law is justified before God, because “the righteous will live by faith.”

James 2: 18, 21-24
Yea, a man may say, Thou hast faith, and I have works: shew me thy faith without thy works, and I will shew thee my faith by my works. Was not Abraham our father justified by works, when he had offered Isaac his son upon the altar? Seest thou how faith wrought with his works and by works was faith made perfect? And the scripture was fulfilled which said, Abraham believed God, and it was imputed unto him for righteousness: and he was called the Friend of God. Ye see then how that by works a man is justified, and not by faith only.

Now, what would the Apostle Paul’s reply be to James interpretation?

Romans 4: 1-3
What shall we say then that Abraham our father, as pertaining to the flesh, hath found? For if Abraham were justified by works, he hath whereof to glory; but not before God. For what saith the scripture? Abraham believed God, and it was counted unto him for righteousness.

Romans 4: 18-24
Who (Abraham) against hope believed in hope, that he might become the father of many nations, according to that which was spoken, so shall thy seed be. And being not weak in faith, he considered not his own body now dead, when he was about an hundred years old, neither yet the deadness of Sarah's womb: He staggered not at the promise of God through unbelief; but was strong in faith, giving glory to God; And being fully persuaded that, what he had promised, he was able also to perform. And therefore it was imputed to him for righteousness. Now it was not written for his sake alone, that it was imputed to him; But for us also, to whom it shall be imputed, if we believe on him that raised up Jesus our Lord from the dead;

NOTE: Should the congregations that are taught justification by works separate from those who are taught justification by faith; I mean, who is right, Paul or James- can both of them be right?

Ok, one more point:

Acts 21: 17b, 20-21
Thou seest, brother, how many thousands of Jews there are which believe; and they are all zealous of the law: And they are informed of thee, that thou teachest all the Jews which are among the Gentiles to forsake Moses, saying that they ought not to circumcise their children, neither to walk after the customs.

Well, what did the Apostle Paul teach and were these rumors true?

Galatians 5: 6a, 12
For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision nor uncircumcision has any value.  As for those agitators, I wish they would go the whole way and emasculate themselves!

Galatians 6: 15
Neither circumcision nor uncircumcision means anything; what counts is the new creation.

Colossians 2: 11, 6
In Him you were also circumcised with a circumcision not performed by human hands. Your whole self ruled by the fleshwas put off when you were circumcised byChrist; therefore do not let anyone judge you by what you eat or drink, or with regard to a religious festival, a New Moon celebration or a Sabbath day. 

CONCLUSION:
The apostles and early leaders of the Christian movement didn’t always agree on everything, even after Paul admonished the believers in Corinth “I appeal to you, brothers and sisters, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that all of you agree with one another in what you say and that there be no divisions among you, but that you be perfectly united in mind and thought” (1 Corinthians 1: 10). There are examples of instructions to withdraw from any believer who lives in a manner contrary to the teachings of Christ or the indwelling Holy Spirit, but that is only as a measure to bring the individual to repentance and to be welcomed back into the fellowship and support of the local congregation. The practice of splitting and forming a separate group or church is without authorization in the New Testament and is counter to the injunction against divisions, factions, and violates the spirit of unity. You can be right but if the price is withdrawing from other believers over perhaps some small matter of Biblical interpretation, then that might be too high a price to pay. The thing that the Lord wants is, again, not to have division or cause a stumbling block for other believers (Cp. Romans 14: 13; 1 Corinthians 8: 9; 10: 23; Galatians 5: 19a; and Proverbs 6: 16, 19b). Even the Apostle Paul wrote that all things are lawful for him but all things are not expedient (Cp. 1 Corinthians 6: 12; 10: 23).

Robert Randle
776 Commerce St Apt 701
Tacoma, WA 98402
May 19, 2017
[email protected]