Valley Bible Fellowship » Ecclesiology

Doctrine of Unity/Separation

Eric Peterman — Mon, 05 Feb 2007 22:25:55 +0000

What is the truly Biblical (not “Christian” cultural) basis for unity among believers and what is the basis for separation from false teaching and apostasy.

NT Passages Warning of & Describing False Teaching, False Prophets, & Apostasy (Abandoning Biblical Faith):

NT Passages Calling Us to Examine the Scriptures, Testing, Examining & Checking Everything; Expose & Oppose Falsehood, & Hold Fast to the Truth, & Contend for the Faith

NT Passages Calling for Christians to Be Separate from False Teaching, False Prophets, Apostasy, & Immorality Among Those Who Call Themselves Bretheren & From Unequal Yokes with Unbelievers (But Not Meaning Isolation):

	Matthew 7:15-23
	Matthew 24:4,5,10,11,23-26
	Acts 13:6-11
	Acts 20:29,30
	Romans 16:17,18
	2 Corinthians 11:12-15
	Galatians 1:6-9; 2:4,5; 5:7-12
	2 Thessalonians 2:3-12
	1 Timothy 1:3-7; 4:1-3
	2 Timothy 2:19; 3:13; 4:3,4
	2 Peter 2:1-3; 3:3,4
	1 John 2:26
	2 John 7
	Jude 17-19
	Revelation 2:14-16; 9:20; 13:12-15; 17:1-18

	Acts 17:11
	1 Corinthians 11:2; 16:13
	2 Corinthians 11:4
	Galatians 2:11-14
	Ephesians 5:11
	Phillipians 1:27,28; 3:2,3
	Colossians 2:4,8, 16-22
	1 Thessalonians 5:21,22
	2 Thessalonians 2:15
	1 Timothy 1:3,4; 4:15,16; 6:20
	2 Timothy 1:13; 2:25,26; 3:16,17; 4:2,14,15
	Titus 1:10-14
	Hebrews 2:1; 13:9
	2 Peter 3:17
	1 John 2:18-23; 4:1
	Jude 3

	Matthew 18:15-17
	Luke 12:51-53
	Romans 16:17
	1 Corinthians 3:13-15; 5:6-8,12; 11:19; 15:33
	2 Corinthians 6:14-18
	Ephesians 5:11
	2 Thessalonians 3:6, 14, 15
	2 Timothy 2:5,19-22; 3:5
	Titus 3:10
	James 3:17
	1 Peter 1:15, 16
	1 John 1:5, 6; 4:1
	2 John 8, 10, 11
	Revelation 2:6, 14, 15 , 20; 18:4

2 Timothy 4:1-4 (NAU) I solemnly charge you in the presence of God and of Christ Jesus, who is to judge the living and the dead, and by His appearing and His kingdom: preach the word; be ready in season and out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort, with great patience and instruction. For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but wanting to have their ears tickled, they will accumulate for themselves teachers in accordance to their own desires, and will turn away their ears from the truth and will turn aside to myths.

1Thessalonians 5:21-22 (NIV)Test everything. Hold on to the good. Avoid every kind of evil. Jude 1:3 (NAU) 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.

2 Timothy 3:1-5 (NAU) But realize this, that in the last days difficult times will come. For men will be lovers of self, lovers of money, boastful, arrogant, revilers, disobedient to parents, ungrateful, unholy, unloving, irreconcilable, malicious gossips, without self-control, brutal, haters of good, treacherous, reckless, conceited, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God, holding to a form of godliness, although they have denied its power; avoid such men as these.

The Biblical Basis of Unity

The Biblical Basis of Unity (cont.)

Biblical Characteristics of Truth:

Ephesians 4:1-6

Verse 1:

live worthy of the calling

Same call for all believers, though each believer has been given a unique gifting (Ephesians 4:7)

Verse 2:

humility

gentleness

patience

forbearance

in love

These reflect the fruit of the Spirit

Verse 3:

diligent to preserve

unity of the Spirit

in the bond of peace

Unity is the Spirit’s creation, and not ours.

We are to preserve, but not to try to create a unity.

Verses 4-6:

one body

one Spirit*

one hope

one Lord (Jesus)*

one faith

one baptism

one God & Father*

*Trinity

I Corinthians 1:10Now I exhort you, brethren, by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that you all agree, and there be no divisions among you, but you be made complete in the same mind and in the same judgment. [NASB] Or in expanded translation… Now I am begging you, brothers, through the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, (my begging is) with the goal that you declare the one same thing, that there be no doctrinal divisions or differing opinions among you, that you may be mended, restored and made whole, perfectly one in your way of thinking and judgment. [per Eric Peterman, Tyndale Seminary Greek student] Though there is a trend among Christians to attempt to bring about unity through setting doctrine aside, that is not Biblical. Biblical unity comes under doctrinal unity, not unifying under varied doctrines.

I have much more to say to you, more than you can now bear. But when he, the Spirit of truth, comes, he will guide you into all truth. John 16:12-13 Sanctify them by the truth; your word is truth. John 17:17 [Love] does not rejoice in unrighteousness, but rejoices with the truth. 1 Corinthians 13:6

Truth is absolute and is the very character of our unchangeable God: Exodus 3:14,15, Hebrews 13:8 Truth is singular: John 8:32; it is stated as “the truth” over 160 times in Scripture, from Genesis to 3 John Truth has been given: 2 Timothy 3:16,17 Truth is knowable: John 8:32, 1 Timothy 4:3, 1 John 2:20,21, 2 John 1:1 Key Points: Service without genuine humility and obedience is human arrogance. It does not glorify God. It is not rewardable in eternity. The productive Spirit-led life of faith requires the regular intervention of God’s grace and provision for success. Love is the fruit of His Spirit. Unity at the expense of Biblical doctrine or morality is not Biblical unity, and is not loving. True spiritual unity occurs when we all agree with God about what is true. Love and truth are not in tension with one another, as though we must balance them out or compromise between one or the other. They are absolute, eternal characteristics of God Himself, and we are not told to choose between them.

What is the purpose of the local church?

Eric Peterman — Sat, 03 Feb 2007 00:41:45 +0000

Many have asked and wondered why the pastors of Valley Bible Fellowship do not regularly issue an “altar call” or ask people to “come forward.” This article helps not only to explain some of our reasons for not doing so, but it is very helpful in explaining our motivation for doing some things and not doing others.

What is the purpose of the local church?

By Rev. George Zeller Assistant Pastor. Middletown Bible Church Middletown, Connecticut

www.MiddletownBibleChurch.org

Revised 12/01

Why do I come to church? What should I expect the church to do for me? Should the regular services of the church be primarily for reaching the lost or for reaching the saved? Compare the two concepts below:

The local church is primarily a

SOUL-WINNING STATION.

The local church is primarily a

SOUL-BUILDING STATION

(Acts 20:28,32).

The local church is here primarily to

GET PEOPLE SAVED (Reaching them).

The local church is here primarily to

GET PEOPLE TAUGHT (Teaching them).

See Matthew 28:19-20; Acts 2:42.

The local church is to

PREACH THE GOSPEL

(by “gospel” we mean that truth which unsaved people need to know in order to be saved, the good news of salvation).

The local church is to

PREACH THE WORD (2 Tim. 4:2)

which would include the gospel but which would not neglect “ALL SCRIPTURE”

(2 Tim. 3:16).

The local church is here primarily for

EVANGELISM (Win them!).

The local church is here primarily for

INDOCTRINATION (Feed them!).

See John 21:15-17; Acts 20:28; 1 Peter 5:2.

BRING THE UNSAVED

TO THE GOSPEL.

BRING THE GOSPEL

TO THE UNSAVED

(Mark 16:15; 2 Cor. 5:20).

The regular services of the local church have a ministry primarily for SINNERS.

The regular services of the local church have a ministry primarily for SAINTS

(Eph. 4:12; Col. 1:28).

Primary goal of the local church:

THAT PEOPLE MIGHT BE SAVED!

(Salvation is the final goal)

Primary goal of the local church:

THAT SAVED PEOPLE MIGHT BE CHRIST-LIKE!

(Salvation is just the first step)

Col. 1:28; Eph. 4:13-15

The Pastor should

PREACH SALVATION MESSAGES.

John 3:16, etc.

The Pastor should

PREACH THE ENTIRE BIBLE from Genesis to Revelation

(Acts 20:27; Matt. 28:20; 2 Tim. 3:16).

The Pastor should give the people

INFORMATION ON

HOW TO BE SAVED.

(How to become a Christian)

The Pastor should give the people

INFORMATION ON

HOW TO LIVE.

(How to be a Christian) See 2 Tim. 3:17

THE PASTOR DOES THE WORK OF THE MINISTRY.

THE SAINTS DO THE WORK OF THE MINISTRY (Eph. 4:12).

THE PASTOR IS THE MINISTER.

ALL ARE MINISTERS (Eph. 4:12).

THE PASTOR IS IN FULL TIME CHRISTIAN SERVICE.

EVERY BELIEVER IS IN FULL TIME CHRISTIAN SERVICE

(1 Cor. 6:19-20; Col. 3:22-25).

THE PASTOR IS THE PREACHER OF THE GOSPEL.

EVERY BELIEVER IS A PREACHER OF THE GOSPEL (2 Cor. 5:20; Mark 16:15).

Ephesians 4:11-12

The ascended Lord Jesus Christ gave certain gifted men to His church, including pastor-teachers (Eph. 4:11). The following may help you understand what Ephesians 4:12 is really saying:

WHY WERE THESE GIFTED MEN GIVEN TO THE CHURCH?

For the purpose of (Greek-pros, with a view towards)

perfecting (equipping, training) the saints

[What are the saints equipped for?]

1. FOR (Greek: eis) the work of the ministry

[SERVING CHRIST EVERY DAY (including evanglism)]

2. FOR (Greek: eis) the edifying of the body of Christ

[BUILDING UP FELLOW BELIEVERS!]

Interpretive Paraphrase: The Pastor-teacher is to equip and train the saints (through a program of total indoctrination involving the whole counsel of God from Genesis to Revelation) so that the saints will go forth throughout the week serving Christ, making known His gospel and building up fellow believers.

THE PURPOSE FOR THE ASSEMBLING

OF THE SAINTS

“And he gave some, apostles; and some, prophets; and some, evangelists; and some, pastors and teachers; For the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ.”

(Ephesians 4:11-12)

The saints assemble together in order to be equipped (perfected) for the work of the ministry. This is the genius of apostolic Christianity, but it is rarely taking place in the churches today. God’s purpose is to train and equip His people by way of His gifted men (”pastor/teachers” etc.). When believers are well-fed and well-taught in the whole counsel of God, then the body (the local assembly) will be healthy, the LIFE of Christ will be manifested, and God will be glorified.

We certainly thank God for every sinner who attends a local assembly of believers, hears the gospel message and receives Christ as his personal Saviour. The main purpose of the local assembly, however, is for the saints, not for sinners. The local assembly, according to God’s pattern, is to be primarily an edification center (1 Cor. 14:26), not an evangelistic center; a soul-building station (Acts 20:28,32), not a soul-winning station. Of course, if the whole counsel of God is preached and if the Bible is faithfully taught then the cross of Christ, the grace of God, justification and God’s so-great salvation would be themes heard repeatedly. How can you preach the Word and not preach the gospel? On the other hand, it is possible to preach the gospel in such a way that fails to provide proper nourishment for the saints. Believers need more than a steady diet of “John 3:16 messages.”

Interestingly enough, the cults do not establish evangelistic centers. Rather they establish edificational centers to train their people to go out and do the work of the ministry. The people are immersed in a program of total indoctrination. The average Jehovah’s Witness, for example, is ready always to give an answer to every man that asks him a reason of the false hope that is within him. The average Bible believer is horribly ignorant of God’s truth. The devil knows which system really works. The cults do not lack for converts.

What do unbelievers notice as they come into local churches today? Do they see a healthy organism? Do they see well-fed members? Do they see “Christ in you”? Are they convicted by the awesome Presence and Person of God (1 Cor. 14:24-25)? The greatest need today is for a lost world to see the Lord Jesus Christ manifesting Himself in and through a healthy assembly of believers. The world needs to see Christ-like believers who understand and practice God’s Word. When God’s people are fully equipped for the work of the ministry (Eph. 4:11-16), they certainly will not be lax in gospel outreach, nor allow mission programs to suffer. When a church makes its priority edification, then true evangelism cannot help but be enhanced, as is well illustrated in 1 Corinthians 14:24-25.

The local church is for the glory of God. On earth each congregation is to function as a body that evidences the power and indwelling of the life of God. Each one is to be seen as a manifestation of Christ in its locality, living the truth as well as preaching it. The bulk of instruction and exhortations in Acts and the Epistles has to do with holiness and honorable interpersonal relationships in the local church (1 Cor. 11:27). Each congregation is to see itself as a “body,” and organism, and not merely as an organization….Unless this is understood and made paramount in the thinking of leaders and members, the local church will fail as a witness. But when this truth is embraced by faith unto edification, the community round about will see a witness. The unsaved who attend its services will come under the conviction of sin (1 Cor. 14:25), and the members will be fed, empowered, and equipped to properly represent Jesus Christ in their daily pursuits (2 Cor. 3:3; Phil. 2:15)….The redeemed-together as the Lord’s assembly-constitute an organism to be treasured. Each believer should be helped to see what the local assembly means to Christ and should become most appreciative of the precious privilege of being part of the local testimony.

–Carlton Helgerson, The Local Church