Unity: Division in the church is blasphemy against the unity of God.

Intro

I’m going to hit you with a ton of scripture because I’m trying to build a biblical lens for us to view the next sermon series.

Also because this is going to push at your inherent understanding, it’s going to go against “common sense”. I’m going to make some big statements.

I want you to feel like you disagree with God, not with me, who cares if you think I’m wrong, but if you see it in His word there is power to change.

Thought of the day: Division in the church is blasphemy against the unity of God.

All positive relationships are manifestations of God’s relationship within the trinity

Marriage Ephesians 5:25-33

Ephesians 5:25–33 NIV

Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her to make her holy, cleansing her by the washing with water through the word, and to present her to himself as a radiant church, without stain or wrinkle or any other blemish, but holy and blameless. In this same way, husbands ought to love their wives as their own bodies. He who loves his wife loves himself. After all, no one ever hated their own body, but they feed and care for their body, just as Christ does the church—for we are members of his body. “For this reason a man will leave his father and mother and be united to his wife, and the two will become one flesh.” This is a profound mystery—but I am talking about Christ and the church. However, each one of you also must love his wife as he loves himself, and the wife must respect her husband.

Define compromise: an agreement or a settlement of a dispute that is reached by each side making concessions.

We should never compromise in our marriages because we should not worried about what we are getting, instead worried about what we are giving.

I keep my nails longer than I like them so that I’m better at back scratches.

I’ll do the dishes if you do the yard work, fine. That’s working together. I won’t do the dishes unless you do the yard work - sin. I don’t do the dishes because he won’t do the yard work - sin.

Why sin? Because that’s not how the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit would speak with each other.

1 Peter 3:1–7 (NIV)

Wives, in the same way submit yourselves to your own husbands so that, if any of them do not believe the word, they may be won over without words by the behavior of their wives, when they see the purity and reverence of your lives. Your beauty should not come from outward adornment, such as elaborate hairstyles and the wearing of gold jewelry or fine clothes. Rather, it should be that of your inner self, the unfading beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which is of great worth in God’s sight. For this is the way the holy women of the past who put their hope in God used to adorn themselves. They submitted themselves to their own husbands, like Sarah, who obeyed Abraham and called him her lord. You are her daughters if you do what is right and do not give way to fear.

Husbands, in the same way be considerate as you live with your wives, and treat them with respect as the weaker partner and as heirs with you of the gracious gift of life, so that nothing will hinder your prayers.

Weaker - physically, don’t let the fact that you can physically dominate the situation decide.

Because a breaking in that relationship could hinder your prayers.

Parent/child: Ephesians 6:1-4

Ephesians 6:1–4 (NIV)

Children, obey your parents in the Lord, for this is right. “Honor your father and mother”—which is the first commandment with a promise—“so that it may go well with you and that you may enjoy long life on the earth.”

Fathers, do not exasperate your children; instead, bring them up in the training and instruction of the Lord.

Worker/Boss: Ephesians 6:5-9

Ephesians 6:5–9 (NIV)

Slaves, obey your earthly masters with respect and fear, and with sincerity of heart, just as you would obey Christ. Obey them not only to win their favor when their eye is on you, but as slaves of Christ, doing the will of God from your heart. Serve wholeheartedly, as if you were serving the Lord, not people, because you know that the Lord will reward each one for whatever good they do, whether they are slave or free.

And masters, treat your slaves in the same way. Do not threaten them, since you know that he who is both their Master and yours is in heaven, and there is no favoritism with him.

Church: John 17:20-23

John 17:20–23 (NIV)

“My prayer is not for them alone. I pray also for those who will believe in me through their message, that all of them may be one, Father, just as you are in me and I am in you. May they also be in us so that the world may believe that you have sent me. I have given them the glory that you gave me, that they may be one as we are one—I in them and you in me—so that they may be brought to complete unity. Then the world will know that you sent me and have loved them even as you have loved me.

The church is not about what you can get, but what you can give

1 Thessalonians 5:1–11 (NIV)

Now, brothers and sisters, about times and dates we do not need to write to you, for you know very well that the day of the Lord will come like a thief in the night. While people are saying, “Peace and safety,” destruction will come on them suddenly, as labor pains on a pregnant woman, and they will not escape.

But you, brothers and sisters, are not in darkness so that this day should surprise you like a thief. You are all children of the light and children of the day. We do not belong to the night or to the darkness. So then, let us not be like others, who are asleep, but let us be awake and sober. For those who sleep, sleep at night, and those who get drunk, get drunk at night. But since we belong to the day, let us be sober, putting on faith and love as a breastplate, and the hope of salvation as a helmet. For God did not appoint us to suffer wrath but to receive salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ. He died for us so that, whether we are awake or asleep, we may live together with him. Therefore encourage one another and build each other up, just as in fact you are doing.

It’s not a compromise

Marriage is a compromise, relationships are a compromise, church is a compromise - relationships are a two way street - it’s not biblical. Marriage, Work/boss, Parent/child, church member is a competition of honor and love.

Romans 12:9–13 (NIV)

Love must be sincere. Hate what is evil; cling to what is good. Be devoted to one another in love. Honor one another above yourselves. Never be lacking in zeal, but keep your spiritual fervor, serving the Lord. Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer. Share with the Lord’s people who are in need. Practice hospitality.

ESV: 10 outdo one another in brotherly affection

Relationships are not an equal partnership, it’s a pouring out. A spending of yourself.

I am a slave example

God hates division

Romans 16:17–18 (NIV)

I urge you, brothers and sisters, to watch out for those who cause divisions and put obstacles in your way that are contrary to the teaching you have learned. Keep away from them. For such people are not serving our Lord Christ, but their own appetites. By smooth talk and flattery they deceive the minds of naive people.

1 Corinthians 1:10 (NIV)

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.

Jude 16–19 (NIV)

These people are grumblers and faultfinders; they follow their own evil desires; they boast about themselves and flatter others for their own advantage.

But, dear friends, remember what the apostles of our Lord Jesus Christ foretold. They said to you, “In the last times there will be scoffers who will follow their own ungodly desires.” These are the people who divide you, who follow mere natural instincts and do not have the Spirit.

Proverbs 6:16–19 (NIV)

There are six things the Lord hates,

seven that are detestable to him:

haughty eyes,

a lying tongue,

hands that shed innocent blood,

a heart that devises wicked schemes,

feet that are quick to rush into evil,

a false witness who pours out lies

and a person who stirs up conflict in the community.

I could give you 10 more scriptures.

God commands unity.

God dwells in our unity

Ephesians 2:20–22 (NIV)

built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, with Christ Jesus himself as the chief cornerstone. In him the whole building is joined together and rises to become a holy temple in the Lord. And in him you too are being built together to become a dwelling in which God lives by his Spirit.

Pulling away from the family and pulling away from God are synonomous. Your relationship with God and your relationship with His people are not segregated. Don’t over-correct with individualism.

That does not mean that you cannot be a Christian if you aren’t in a productive church relationship but it does mean that if you have the opportunity and you aren’t then you are a disobedient Christian.

Outro

There will be days that you think about leaving the church. I’m not talking about Faithbridge, I’m talking The Church. And those thoughts are sinful.

There will be days that you think about leaving Faithbridge, maybe I did something wrong, maybe I said something wrong, maybe I preached a sermon that you disagreed with, maybe you have a different theological understanding of our will, end time, whatever - Maybe you did something wrong and your embarrassed, maybe you don’t want to fess up, maybe you don’t want to face it… The truth is there is only one God-honoring way to leave a church and that is to be called by God and sent by the body.

That means if God calls you and we don’t send then we have sinned against you and if God has not called you and you have abandoned us then you have sinned against us.

We are members of a body, a reflection of the unity within the trinity, for someone to leave Faithbridge, without a loving sending should feel like a limb being torn from our flesh.

This community is not a game, it’s not a club, it’s not an institution of ideas… it is a unity, a temple of God.

The next series is about keeping unity during hard times, what to do when sin is the reason we want to abandon the local gathering.

What are the weapons of division and how do we do better?

Thought of the day: Division in the church is blasphemy against the unity of God.

If you leave The Church you have blasphemed the love of God.