Unity of the Faith. Unity in the essentials, charity in the non-essentials

Transcription

1 Unity of the Faith Unity in the essentials, charity in the non-essentials 1

2 ROMANS 14: Now accept the one who is weak in faith, but not for the purpose of passing judgment on his opinions. 2. One person has faith that he may eat all things, but he who is weak eats vegetables only. 3. The one who eats is not to regard with contempt the one who does not eat, and the one who does not eat is not to judge the one who eats, for God has accepted him. 4. Who are you to judge the servant of another? To his own master he stands or falls; and he will stand, for the Lord is able to make him stand. 5. One person regards one day above another, another regards every day alike. Each person must be fully convinced in his own mind. 2

3 ROMANS 14:1 διακρίσεις διαλογισμῶν diakriseis dialogismon KJV, Him that is weak in the faith receive ye, but not to doubtful disputations. NKJV, Receive one who is weak in the faith, but not to disputes over doubtful things. NIV, Accept him whose faith is weak, without passing judgment on disputable matters. RSV, As for the man who is weak in faith, welcome him, but not for disputes over opinions. NRSV, Welcome those who are weak in faith, but not for the purpose of quarreling over opinions. NASB, Now accept the one who is weak in faith, but not for the purpose of passing judgment on his opinions. 3

4 Disagreements are okay If a discussion of an issue does not bring one closer to Christ or unite the brethren, then perhaps the discussion should be avoided. Jesus said, By this all men will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another, (John 13:35). Emotions are good except when they are bad. Emotions can blind a person to the truth Proclaiming and defending the essentials is worth dying for. Discussing the non-essentials is where we show our love for one another. 4

5 Essentials of the Christian Faith Don t mess with these Primary Essentials Directly stated in Scripture with a warning/penalty for denying them 1. Monotheism, Exodus 20:1-3; Isaiah Deity of Christ, John 8:24,58; Col. 2:9 3. Bodily Resurrection of Jesus, 1 Cor. 15:14,17 4. Salvation by Grace through Faith, Gal. 5:4 5. The Gospel, Gal. 1: Gospel defined in 1 Cor. 15:1-4 Secondary Essentials Not directly taught in Scripture. No warning given. 1. Trinity 2. Virgin Birth 3. Divinity and humanity of Christ 4. Sinlessness of Christ 5. Jesus is the only way 6. Ascension of Jesus 7. Jesus mediatorship 5

6 Primary Essentials Directly stated in Scripture. Has warning statement 1. Monotheism, 1. Exodus 20:1-3, You shall have no other gods before Me. 4 You shall not make for yourself an idol, or any likeness of what is in heaven above or on the earth beneath or in the water under the earth. 5 You shall not worship them or serve them; for I, the LORD your God, am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers on the children, on the third and the fourth generations of those who hate Me. See also Isaiah 43:10; 44:6,8; 45:5 2. Deity of Christ, 1. John 8:24, 58, Therefore I said to you that you will die in your sins; for unless you believe that I am, you will die in your sins. 3. Resurrection of Christ, 1. 1 Cor. 15:14,17, and if Christ has not been raised, then our preaching is vain, your faith also is vain 17 and if Christ has not been raised, your faith is worthless; you are still in your sins. 6

7 Primary Essentials Directly stated in Scripture 4. Salvation by Grace through Faith 1. Gal. 5:4, You have been severed from Christ, you who are seeking to be justified by law; you have fallen from grace. See also Rom. 3:28; 4:1-5; 5:1; Eph. 2: The Gospel 1. Gal. 1:8-9, But even if we, or an angel from heaven, should preach to you a gospel contrary to what we have preached to you, he is to be accursed! 9 As we have said before, so I say again now, if any man is preaching to you a gospel contrary to what you received, he is to be accursed! 1. Gospel is defined in 1 Cor. 15:1-4, Now I make known to you, brethren, the gospel which I preached to you, which also you received, in which also you stand, 2 by which also you are saved, if you hold fast the word which I preached to you, unless you believed in vain. 3 For I delivered to you as of first importance what I also received, that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, 4 and that He was buried, and that He was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures. 7

8 Secondary Essentials Not directly stated in Scripture as essential. Has no warning statement. 1. Trinity - One God in three distinct, simultaneous persons: The Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. 2. Virgin Birth Supports the two natures of Christ: divine and human (Isaiah 7:14) 3. Divinity and humanity of Christ (John 1:1,14; Col. 2:9) 4. Sinlessness of Christ Without his sinlessness, his sacrifice would not count (Deut. 17:1) 5. Jesus is the only way God has only one provision for our salvation, Jesus (John 14:6) 6. Ascension of Jesus Jesus ascension is also a promise of his return (Acts 1:11) 7. Jesus mediatorship As a high priest he mediates for us (1 Tim. 2:5; Heb. 6:20; 7:25) 8

9 Non Essentials Debatable Issues 1. According to Romans 14:1-5, the debatable issues were Sabbath Days and Foods 2. Other Debatable Issues 1. Amillennialism, Premillennialism, Postmillennialism 2. Pre-tribulation Rapture, Mid-tribulation Rapture, Post-tribulation Rapture 3. Continuation of the Charismatic Gifts or Cessation of the Charismatic Gifts 4. Infant Baptism (not for salvation), or Believer s Baptism 5. Cannot lose our salvation or Can lose salvation (apart from keeping law to be saved) 6. Limited Atonement or Universal Atonement 7. Infralapasarianism or Supralapsarianism 8. Covenantalism or Dispensationalism 9. Egalitarianism or Compatiblism 10. Praise music or Hymns 11. Musical instruments in worship or no musical instruments in worship 12. Baptism by sprinkling or Baptism by emersion 9