Church that Jesus Built

Distinction

The church (body of believers) can vary much in what they look like, but there are issues of distinction in the Church that Jesus built.

Distinction: the act of distinguishing; differentiation; the condition or fact of being dissimilar or distinct; difference; A distinguishing factor, attribute, or characteristic.

Issues of distinction are those things which distinguish one from others in some way.

There are distinctions in the church that Jesus built that relate to matters of truth and error.

Solomon said ( turn to Pro23:23)

Proverbs 23:23 NASB95

23 Buy truth, and do not sell it, Get wisdom and instruction and understanding.

Jesus declared value of truth (turn to Jn8:31-32)

John 8:31–32 NASB95

31 So Jesus was saying to those Jews who had believed Him, “If you continue in My word, then you are truly disciples of Mine; 32 and you will know the truth, and the truth will make you free.”

Jesus said He is truth (turn to Jn14:6)

John 14:6 NASB95

6 Jesus said to him, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life; no one comes to the Father but through Me.

Devotion to the truth, in seeking the truth, in walking in the truth and the truth will distinguish one from those who may be misled, misguided, or believe something that is not necessarily the truth, and is error.

(Transition) purpose of this series is to look at items of distinction not to bring division. You may waver in your opinions on some of the things in this series, but the bible does not so will try to stay to scripture as much as possible. This morning is the introduction to this series so laying the groundwork for the sermons to follow over the next few weeks.

Distinction: Existence of God.

You may think this is silly, but it is not there are those who do not believe in or question the existence of God, others of misinformation, belief.

Atheist: a person who disbelieves or lacks belief in the existence of God or gods.

Agnostic: a person who believes that nothing is known or can be known of the existence or nature of God or of anything beyond material phenomena; a person who claims neither faith nor disbelief in God.

Distinctions if belief of God

While these are common and very distinctive there are others that believe in the existence of God:

Jews, Muslims, Buddhists, Hindus, and yes Christians

Reasons for belief: Evidence by nature, fulfilled prophesy in Scriptures, Evidence and belief in the resurrection of Jesus Christ.

We can try to love and respect people who do not have a belief in God “supreme being, creator,” the differences in belief cause distinctions:

Jews and Muslims believe because of Moses and the prophets. But do not believe Jesus is the Son of God

Christians believe because those things and Jesus Christ as the only begotten Son of God (Jn3:16). We should confess Him as Peter and the others did (Mt16:13-16 as read before).

Jesus was more than a good man (Buddhists)

Jesus was more than a god (Hindus)

Jesus was more than a prophet (Jews)

To the Christian we are to hold to the belief of the resurrection (turn to Rom10:9)

Romans 10:9 NASB95

9 that if you confess with your mouth Jesus as Lord, and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved;

Jesus prayer was that all would believe and be united (Turn to Jn17:20-21)

John 17:20–21 NASB95

20 “I do not ask on behalf of these alone, but for those also who believe in Me through their word; 21 that they may all be one; even as You, Father, are in Me and I in You, that they also may be in Us, so that the world may believe that You sent Me.

As you know there are many issues of distinction that differentiate even those who believe in Jesus Christ.

Distinction: Sufficiency of Scripture

We know what scripture says:

turn to 2Tim3:16-17

2 Timothy 3:16–17 NASB95

16 All Scripture is inspired by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, for training in righteousness; 17 so that the man of God may be adequate, equipped for every good work.

But there are religions, that do not believe that:

Catholics, Greek orthodox believe in Papal or ecclesiastical decrees

Mormons, Jehovah Witnesses, Seventh-day Adventists, Christian Scientists, Pentecostals: have mixed beliefs about Latter-day prophets, and modern day revelations

Many denominations have added creeds to come along side the bible.

Christians believe in the sufficiency of the bible (again think 2Tim3:16-17) and that it has been revealed one time for all time (turn to Jude3)

Jude 3 NASB95

3 Beloved, while I was making every effort to write you about our common salvation, I felt the necessity to write to you appealing that you contend earnestly for the faith which was once for all handed down to the saints.

(Transition) can you see distinctions here, where we are to be of one mind, one heart there is yet more distinctions in the church that Jesus built.

Distinction: Purpose of Baptism

Many denominations deny baptism has anything to do with Salvation using such scripture as

Jn3:16; Rom10:9-10, 13, the common belief is that it is faith alone (Eph2:8), and that baptism is a confession of faith only and not necessarily to salvation.

While others believe it is for salvation, Catholics, Methodists, Presbyterians, yet belief has nothing to do with it.

While the church that Jesus built shows the purpose (quote Act2:38, turn to Mk16:15-16)

Mark 16:15–16 NASB95

15 And He said to them, “Go into all the world and preach the gospel to all creation. 16 “He who has believed and has been baptized shall be saved; but he who has disbelieved shall be condemned.

Jesus said repent and believe the gospel (Mk1:15); The gospel is the death, burial and resurrection (1Cor15:1-3) and that is what happens when you are baptized (Turn to Rom6:1-4)

Romans 6:1–4 NASB95

1 What shall we say then? Are we to continue in sin so that grace may increase? 2 May it never be! How shall we who died to sin still live in it? 3 Or do you not know that all of us who have been baptized into Christ Jesus have been baptized into His death? 4 Therefore we have been buried with Him through baptism into death, so that as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, so we too might walk in newness of life.

We know Paul warned about a perverted gospel is not a gospel at all (ref: Gal1:8-9)

(Transition) even in the church that Jesus built people are wavering, changing from it and is making it another denomination like the United Church of Christ, the International Church of Christ that by changing the nature of the body (the church) it is making itself to be a denomination by embracing things the bible does not, and not keeping the anonymity of a local church with local Elders.

Conclusion to our introduction:

Our love for God and truth must be more than our love for man. It is truth that will bring about true love for man with the truth.

There are distinctions in the church that Jesus built, and we need to know that the distinctions are and to stand in them by faith and be ready to share with others.

We need to be people who speak the truth in Love (i.e Eph4:15) and with gentleness and humility (2Tim2:24-25)

This series maybe a little uncomfortable at times, but the truth often is.

But there is comfort available to all who come to know, belief and act in the truth.

Truth (Invitation)

Some simple truths

Bible is the Word of God

Jesus is the Son of God

Jesus is the way to God

Jesus identifies His Children by His Spirit in them.

Are you in Him? Have you been hidden in Christ?