The Cause and Cure of All Strife

Strife and conflict are too often the experience of relationships in our world. Likely most every adult and even young adult in this room knows something of what it’s like to be at odds with other persons even close loved ones. It could show in the form of estrangement from family members, or enmity with co-workers, and all too often and most tragically it shows itself in the Church. Church splits, Church plants are often (not always) the result of unresolved conflict and bitter strife in God’s people.

However, it’s hard to imagine a conflict so intense and prolonged as that in Paul’s day between the Jews and Gentiles. There were deep ingrained patterns of thought and living that so penetrated the life of believers in that day that it took some time and work, even after conversion to correct these patterns. (We are like that too, in need of progressive sanctification)

Example by Mcarthur: But instead of reflecting the gracious love and forgiveness of the God who called and blessed them, the Jews most often vented their own resentment and hatred back against their persecutors. Like Jonah, they wanted Gentiles to be judged, not forgiven. Some Jews believed that God created the Gentiles to use as fuel for hell. Many believed that He loved Israel and hated every other nation. Consequently, some Jewish women refused to help a non-Jewish woman give birth, because to do so would make them responsible for bringing another despised Gentile into the world.

When a Jew entered Palestine he would often shake the dust off his sandals and clothing in order not to contaminate the Holy Land with Gentile dust. Because Samaritans were partly Gentile, most Jews would go far out of their way to avoid traveling through Samaria. If a young Jewish man or woman married a Gentile, their families would have a funeral service, symbolizing the death of their child as far as religion, race, and family were concerned. For fear of contamination, many Jews would not enter a Gentile home or allow a Gentile to enter theirs.

Peter is the premier example of this...Our Text today gets at the root of this issue. We see that the cure for strife at it’s root is the cross of Christ. We all are humbled and dependent at the foot of the cross. We all stand on equal footing.

Alienated from God (Your main problem)

Paul doesn’t play mediator between the Jew and Gentile conflict. He could have, he has connections to both. He supersedes the arguments to point to a greater concern, you enmity with God.

The primary issue with all men, is that they are estranged from God. They are at enmity with God. All interpersonal conflict ultimately is the result of this one broken relationship.

Example: When Adam and Even sinned, the first thing that happened when conflict came was strife.

Clarify: This doesn’t mean that having conflict always means your are sinning, usually does, but that all conflict is at least the result of Adam’s sin.

Under the OT, Gentiles did not have the Covenant Priveldges afforded the people of God. They were estranged from God and his people, the covenant community.

5 Characteristics of Gentile Lostness (All Lostness)

-uncircumcised (today in heart)

-separated from Christ, promise of messiah. (today without Christ as your savior.

-alienated from commonwealth… (today outside of the covenant community, the Church)

-stangers to the covenant of promise (today unconcerned with God’s promises, not resting in them, foreign)

-without hope and God (today living without hope is to live without God)

Illustrated in the Temple Worship Building

Holy of Holies-Holy Place-Courtyard-Court of Women-Court of the Gentiles

Not everyone had equal access, and no one had full access.

All Illustrates the Nature of Sin

Sin causes estrangement from God and therefore others. At the heart of sin is selfishness.

Gentiles were selfish by trying to come to God their own way.

Jews were selfish by using the law as means to prop themselves up instead of pointing to the holiness of God.

Isaiah 53:6 ESV

All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned—every one—to his own way; and the Lord has laid on him the iniquity of us all.

Isaiah 53:6 ESV

All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned—every one—to his own way; and the Lord has laid on him the iniquity of us all.

Every attempt at peace apart from God is like a band-aide on a terminal disease. It’s only a temporary fix.

Application

Do you seek reconciliation with your enemies by turning them to Christ? Be careful that you are not satisfied with a band-aide (winning an argument)

Unitied in Christ vs.13-18

Jesus’s Death Destroys Enmity

-Paid the Debt our Sins Owe

-Purified us to now have access to God

-The Result Is Peace with God, and open access

Jesus’s Sacrifice Annuls the Separation Ordinances

-No longer separation based upon ritual or ethnicity or gender. All have free and open access to Christ.

We are now united together

We are not just saved as individual, but were are together united with Christ.

“one new man” a new race

Believers enjoy a special bond. We are one in Christ. In God’s sight we are now one. This was the work of the Gospel. Uniting together people under a common lord. This magnifies the greatness of God. This shows the treasure that Christ is.

It doesn’t matter if we were enemies before, we are now one in Christ.

Radical Culture Change for Jews and Gentiles

CPA’s

We must seek to live in harmony with all believers, to handle conflicts biblically so that Christ’s name is not maligned.

We must seek to live at harmony with

We must be guilty of never disowning other believers. We are in God’s sight one in Christ.

We must seek to live out this oneness in a local congregation.

2. We must never limit our Gospel outreach on any social distinction

3. While we seek peaceful solutions to present conflicts, we must remember that true peace hasn’t happened till Christ is Lord.