mark them

[BroMatt]

"which cause divisions, and offences"

The doctrine was to NOT cause divisions and offenses. If some are unlearned or unskilled in the scriptures, teach them. However, if you have oneness and baptism down pat, yet you cause divisions and offenses, I would mark you, and I would avoid you.

6.1 Timothy 6:20
O Timothy, keep that which is committed to thy trust, avoiding profane and vain babblings, and oppositions of science falsely so called:

7.2 Timothy 2:23
But foolish and unlearned questions avoid, knowing that they do gender strifes.

8.Titus 3:9
But avoid foolish questions, and genealogies, and contentions, and strivings about the law; for they are unprofitable and vain.

31.Romans 13:13
Let us walk honestly, as in the day; not in rioting and drunkenness, not in chambering and wantonness, not in strife and envying.

32.1 Corinthians 3:3
For ye are yet carnal: for whereas there is among you envying, and strife, and divisions, are ye not carnal, and walk as men?

33.2 Corinthians 12:20
For I fear, lest, when I come, I shall not find you such as I would, and that I shall be found unto you such as ye would not: lest there be debates, envyings, wraths, strifes, backbitings, whisperings, swellings, tumults

36.Philippians 2:3
Let nothing be done through strife or vainglory; but in lowliness of mind let each esteem other better than themselves.

To seperate ourselves from others that believe in Jesus Christ, to form permanant divisions is unscriptural and when we begin with an unscriptural position, we must either repent of it or justify it, you choose.

Is Christ divided? was Paul crucified for you? or were ye baptized in the name of Paul?

[BroMatt]

Originally Posted by Michael The Disciple

I think if you disagreed with the apostles on anything they said they would draw a line there.

That is really off the wall incorrect.

They were sweet spirited, slow to wrath, apt to teach, patient, kind, merciful, gentle, and NOT quick to judge.

[canam]

Originally Posted by Rob McKee

Are you kidding...there's a line in being a believer? Seems like it's popular to draw the line just shy of Hitler, Judas and Obama. Everyone else gets in by grace...

I would definitely draw the line short of Obama !

[NotforSale]

Originally Posted by faithit166

romans 16;17 Now i beseech you brethren, mark them which cause divisions, and offences contrary to the doctrine which ye have learned and avoid them. just where do we draw the line

Jesus himself caused much division and offenses. A couple of things to consider:

Jesus called a woman a dog.

Jesus said let the dead bury the dead.

Jesus chose 12 men who appear to have been Non-Church goers, or with little or no attachment to the Temple or Priests (other than Paul).

Jesus overthrew tables and then whipped people, in the Church.

Jesus broke the Sabbath.

Jesus chose a mountain side over a building, and harshly rebuked those who thought they were "Saved".

Jesus stopped the stoning of a woman who broke the Law, her offense worthy of this execution.

Jesus called a sinner justified, over the man who was righteous.

Jesus forgave a Thief in his dying breath.

Jesus turned water into wine.

Jesus called those who supported and worked in the Church in doctrine and deed, unmerciful, blind guides, hypocrites, fools, whited sepulchers, a generation of vipers, full of iniquity, and told them they were full of dead men’s bones.

[Michael The Disciple]

Originally Posted by BroMatt

That is really off the wall incorrect.

They were sweet spirited, slow to wrath, apt to teach, patient, kind, merciful, gentle, and NOT quick to judge.

Why did Paul say that in the first place then? Was he being mean spirited? People now days have no comprehension about how serious keeping the gospel pure is.

Why do you think we are in all this mess anyway? Because error crept in unawares just like the Holy Spirit said through Jude.

1:3 Beloved, when I gave all diligence to write unto you of the common salvation, it was needful for me to write unto you, and exhort you that ye should earnestly contend for the faith which was once delivered unto the saints.
1:4 For there are certain men crept in unawares, who were before of old ordained to this condemnation, ungodly men, turning the grace of our God into lasciviousness, and denying the only Lord God, and our Lord Jesus Christ. Jude 1:3-4

This is what compromise does.

The reason I said the Apostles drew the line with anyone who disagreed with them is because thats exactly what John the noted "apostle of love" said!

1 John 4:6-7

4:6 We are of God: he that knoweth God heareth us; he that is not of God heareth not us. Hereby know we the spirit of truth, and the spirit of error.
4:7 Beloved, let us love one another: for love is of God; and every one that loveth is born of God, and knoweth God.

Yes John was a nice man. He was a kind man. He was a loving man.

Yet he held responsibilty to keeping the gospel pure for the sake of the coming generations. The more we compromise it today the harder it will be for our children and grandchildren to find down the road.

Being nice without having the truth leads to destruction.

Ever heard of the word "appeasment"?

[onefaith2]

Originally Posted by Sam

In my opinion:

There is only one Church, God's Church, the Body of Christ, and it is made up of all who have believed in the death burial and resurrection of Jesus.

Those who cause divisions are those who:
1. either gather a little group around them and anathemize all others who do not belong to that organization/denomination/union
or
2. add requirements for salvation such as being baptized in water, speaking with tongues, being water baptized with certain words spoken during the ritual, requiring certain dress codes, etc. and regarding all who do not accept and conform to these extra-biblical requirements as not being saved.

Making such a statement Sam, I would say, you had better hope your right. If not then teaching the opposite would cause division from the true gospel.

Its best to preach what the Bible says and leave the judging to God.

[OneAccord]

Originally Posted by faithit166

romans 16;17 Now i beseech you brethren, mark them which cause divisions, and offences contrary to the doctrine which ye have learned and avoid them. just where do we draw the line

Well, if you've bee around Aff very long at all, you would probably know I'm all about unity in the Body of Christ. Those that cause division in the Body of Christ are to be avoided. It is our duty as God's people to strive for unity among us. When someone comes in and begins dividing God's people by whatever means, even teaching things that are against the local churches doctrine, they should be marked and avoided.

[Godsdrummer]

Originally Posted by OneAccord

Well, if you've bee around Aff very long at all, you would probably know I'm all about unity in the Body of Christ. Those that cause division in the Body of Christ are to be avoided. It is our duty as God's people to strive for unity among us. When someone comes in and begins dividing God's people by whatever means, even teaching things that are against the local churches doctrine, they should be marked and avoided.

What about God's doctrine. It's not the doctrine of Christ or what is in the bible. It is what our church teaches, or our religion, or our church bylaws.

For those of you that teach division of the word, ie, OT Law, gospels time between the law and new covenant, Acts history of the church (plan of salvation) epistles letters written to those saved. Think about this.
The teachings of Christ are found in the gospels not epistles or the law.

[Godsdrummer]

Originally Posted by onefaith2

Making such a statement Sam, I would say, you had better hope your right. If not then teaching the opposite would cause division from the true gospel.

Its best to preach what the Bible says and leave the judging to God.

Practice what you preach. Salvation and the birth of the spirit is by faith, John 3:1-16 I realy think it is a shame how the religious world adds to the word of God putting greivious weights on the child of God that are not in the word of God.

(the religious rulers of Christ day had done the same thing, so much so that they had to write a whole new book to define the law.)

[Godsdrummer]

Originally Posted by Michael The Disciple

Why did Paul say that in the first place then? Was he being mean spirited? People now days have no comprehension about how serious keeping the gospel pure is.

Why do you think we are in all this mess anyway? Because error crept in unawares just like the Holy Spirit said through Jude.

1:3 Beloved, when I gave all diligence to write unto you of the common salvation, it was needful for me to write unto you, and exhort you that ye should earnestly contend for the faith which was once delivered unto the saints.
1:4 For there are certain men crept in unawares, who were before of old ordained to this condemnation, ungodly men, turning the grace of our God into lasciviousness, and denying the only Lord God, and our Lord Jesus Christ. Jude 1:3-4

This is what compromise does.

The reason I said the Apostles drew the line with anyone who disagreed with them is because thats exactly what John the noted "apostle of love" said!

1 John 4:6-7

4:6 We are of God: he that knoweth God heareth us; he that is not of God heareth not us. Hereby know we the spirit of truth, and the spirit of error.
4:7 Beloved, let us love one another: for love is of God; and every one that loveth is born of God, and knoweth God.

Yes John was a nice man. He was a kind man. He was a loving man.

Yet he held responsibilty to keeping the gospel pure for the sake of the coming generations. The more we compromise it today the harder it will be for our children and grandchildren to find down the road.

Being nice without having the truth leads to destruction.

Ever heard of the word "appeasment"?

You must realize that those that the church were being warned about were Jews that did not accept this gosple of faith. They were comming in trying to get the early church to go back to the keeping of the law. Ie (works based salvation)

Paul also speaks of not judging ones brother or sister in the lord for God is their judge. Romans 14.