Shulammite
Member
Naaaaahhh. Differences show who is and is not approved. There is no real infighting amongst the approved. Edifying one another is simply sharing gifts with one another according to each one's instrumentality. We grow wiser for it.Are we Christians our own worse enemies? It sometimes looks that way. Some critics of Christianity have pointed out that there is no Christianity (singular) but actually "Christianities." Christian sects number in the ten-thousands many of these sects denouncing many other sects as "cults" full of phony ignoramuses hard at work for the enemy. Of course, if any Christians are untrue believing in false doctrine, it is almost always some other Christians who are so--never we--oh no.
In any case, unbelievers have a field day over all this infighting. They say we are all confused over our own Bible and theology without even realizing it. They point out that this Christian vs. Christian fighting has destroyed the lives of many Christians. To them we are fools who kill and maim for no good reason.
So does Christianity need to be defended from Christians? It sure looks that way to me. I'd recommend that we Christians be a bit more tolerant about our differences and be more willing to recognize our common ground.
Proverbs 9:8 Do not rebuke a mocker, or he will hate you; rebuke a wise man, and he will love you.
Ever experience those ones? They profess to be followers and as soon as you show them with scripture something isn't right with their doctrinal belief, they deny the obvious truth and then try to put scripture against scripture as if God is a house divided. Then mock and run around in circles continuously mocking the very word of truth! It never occurs to them, that to rightly divide the word does not mean against itself. God is not the author of confusion but of peace. Rightly dividing the word means knowing what the verses actually mean and applying them appropriately. They are not Christian.
They are, however, wolves in sheep's clothing-(using the title of Christian). Jesus is the Man there is a war going on out there and He did not come to bring peace but a sword! Everyone wants a piece of the Man that is why there are so many haters and phony shepherds.
Matthew 10:33-35
The Sword of the Gospel
33But whoever denies Me before men, I will also deny him before My Father in heaven. 34Do not assume that I have come to bring peace to the earth; I have not come to bring peace, but a sword. 35For I have come to turn ‘a man against his father, a daughter against her mother, a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law.…
Some who say they are Christian will always be shown to not be approved:
1 Corinthians 11:
Sharing in the Lord's Supper
17In the following instructions I have no praise to offer, because your gatherings do more harm than good. 18 First of all, I hear that when you come together as a church, there are divisions among you, and in part I believe it. 19And indeed, there must be differences among you to show which of you are approved.…
What does Paul mean by this when other parts of scripture say be likeminded?
1 Peter 3:
8 Finally, all of you, be like-minded and sympathetic, love as brothers, be tenderhearted and humble. 9Do not repay evil with evil or insult with insult, but with blessing, because to this you were called so that you may inherit a blessing.…
– Philippians 2:1–4
So if there is any encouragement in Christ, any comfort from love, any participation in the Spirit, any affection and sympathy, complete my joy by being of the same mind, having the same love, being in full accord and of one mind. Do nothing from selfish ambition or conceit, but in humility count others more significant than yourselves. Let each of you look not only to his own interests, but also to the interests of others.
The division is from Christ who separates and exposes the wolves in sheep's clothing- (Using the title Christian). The like-minded will hear a voice of the household of God.
The wolves actually betray and hand Christianity over to destructive sects and are in essence Judas's. They taste heavenly things but are for personal gain. They recline at table with believers professing to believe, but their actions speak louder than their words. They plot behind your back with their "good intentions". How does that saying go ?...... " the path to hell is paved with good intentions". Point is, Judas's think they have a better way. They deceive with kisses and make deals with your enemies with "good intentions". They presume to know better than the Lord when the Lord is clear about what is to be followed-Him. They always return to their own vomit like a dog. Their final state turns out worse than when they were first found. Why? Because the unapproved know what the Truth is but still think their "truth" is the better way. So, as Pilot said, "What is truth?" Christians know for this reason their Christ was born and no loyalty to any other will be accepted.
Christ said: "
Jesus the Good Shepherd
…13The man runs away because he is a hired servant and is unconcerned for the sheep. 14I am the good shepherd. I know My sheep and My sheep know Me, 15just as the Father knows Me and I know the Father. And I lay down My life for the sheep.…- John 10:13-15
John 8:46-47
The Children of the Devil
…46Which of you can prove Me guilty of sin? If I speak the truth, why do you not believe Me? 47Whoever belongs to God hears the words of God. The reason you do not hear is that you do not belong to God.”
There are so many (for instances) when a believer speaks with ' the pretenders' . We meet them along the way at crossroads. They are the passersby professing to know Christ with their doctrines but when put to the test, are found to simply be self-serving Judas's not interested in truth. For they will profess one part of truth- in part, but when confronted with all they must uphold they reject it for some denominational loyalty or some doctrine they self -approve. Truth is truth, and that means all of it. For half a truth is the greatest lie of all- it is meant to deceive. Bold faced liars are recognized as such, deceivers on the other hand will speak some truth and malign the rest. That is in essence to reject all truth really and they will do it with kisses.
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