Handling Disunity on the Sidewalk (Part 2)

WEBVTT 1 00:00:00.560 --> 00:00:06.440 I Am Yours, I am yours, I am yours and me, Lord, 2 00:00:06.919 --> 00:00:10.509 I am your. Welcome to the Gospel Center, Pray Life podcast. 3 00:00:10.949 --> 00:00:14.310 This week's episode is taking up where we left off on last week's episode. 4 00:00:14.630 --> 00:00:19.910 So this is part two of dealing with disunity on the sidewalk. Stay tuned, 5 00:00:20.550 --> 00:00:32.579 Lord, I felt show passish touch your heart. Use Me, Lord, 6 00:00:35.929 --> 00:00:39.210 in this next section. What we did was we kind of make a 7 00:00:39.289 --> 00:00:44.729 summary Statement and then talk about the verse that supports that statement and maybe you 8 00:00:44.810 --> 00:00:47.850 might have some stuff to add. Sure, with each of those. So 9 00:00:48.009 --> 00:00:53.600 the first one participate fully in the same spirit. You have the same spirit 10 00:00:53.640 --> 00:00:56.439 in the verse. That, I think, exemplifies that, or one of 11 00:00:56.479 --> 00:01:00.479 them is Philippians two, one, twenty three. Therefore, if there's any 12 00:01:00.560 --> 00:01:03.950 consolation in Christ, if any comfort of love, if any fellowship of the 13 00:01:03.989 --> 00:01:08.310 spirit, if any affection and mercy, fulfill my joy by being like minded, 14 00:01:08.349 --> 00:01:11.189 having the same love, being of one accord and of one mind, 15 00:01:11.790 --> 00:01:17.310 letting nothing be done in selfish ambition or through selfish ambition or conceit, but 16 00:01:17.430 --> 00:01:22.420 in lowliness of mind. Let each esteem others better than himself. Yeah, 17 00:01:23.180 --> 00:01:26.340 one of the points with this passage and with the passes that we read in 18 00:01:26.459 --> 00:01:33.170 Ephesians. Is Humility? Yeah, not thinking ourselves to be more important because, 19 00:01:33.170 --> 00:01:36.329 after all, we've got it all figured out theologically. Yeah, that's 20 00:01:36.370 --> 00:01:41.930 a point of pride. A lot of a lot of times our theology can 21 00:01:42.129 --> 00:01:46.370 really get ahead of our heart, like it's our head in front of our 22 00:01:46.450 --> 00:01:49.319 heart rather than being led by the Holy Spirit. Now I don't mean to 23 00:01:49.400 --> 00:01:53.439 say that we just be led by our feelings, our emotions. We need 24 00:01:53.480 --> 00:01:56.799 to be led by the word of God. But if you imagine that, 25 00:01:57.079 --> 00:02:00.790 or if you're deceived enough to believe that you've got it all figured out theologically, 26 00:02:01.310 --> 00:02:06.629 then relationally you ain't got it all figured out. In this life currently, 27 00:02:06.750 --> 00:02:15.069 with our fallen minds and our incomplete understanding of certain theological truths, we 28 00:02:15.270 --> 00:02:17.340 have to be willing to say in humility, I ain't got it all figured 29 00:02:17.340 --> 00:02:20.659 out. I got some stuff figured out, I got some plain truths in 30 00:02:20.699 --> 00:02:23.860 God's word. But even Paul says in First Corinthians, believe chapter thirteen, 31 00:02:23.900 --> 00:02:29.259 it says now we see in a glass or in a mirror dimly like we 32 00:02:29.340 --> 00:02:31.889 don't have the full picture. We've got what God has given us in his 33 00:02:32.009 --> 00:02:37.650 word and it's sufficient. God's Word is sufficient for us to live and too 34 00:02:37.810 --> 00:02:39.449 and to do the things that God has called us to do. But we 35 00:02:39.610 --> 00:02:43.969 don't have all these things figured out. There's still some stuff that's yet to 36 00:02:44.009 --> 00:02:46.560 be figured out. We have to leave allowance for that with other brothers and 37 00:02:46.599 --> 00:02:51.240 sisters in the Lord so that we don't just in pride, disunify with people 38 00:02:51.240 --> 00:02:54.759 because, after all, or not of our same theological or as cutological or 39 00:02:54.800 --> 00:02:59.590 so teological stripe or whatever they they can't possibly know as much as I do. 40 00:02:59.710 --> 00:03:02.669 My mom always taught us to to say, you might be right, 41 00:03:02.710 --> 00:03:07.750 yeah, you might be right. She said those were important words to learn 42 00:03:07.789 --> 00:03:10.030 to express to another human being instead of just saying you're wrong, I'm right. 43 00:03:10.069 --> 00:03:14.219 Yeah, you might be right, and then a discussion can follow that. 44 00:03:14.500 --> 00:03:20.539 Yeah, so, okay, aim for restoration, peace, comfort and 45 00:03:20.620 --> 00:03:28.530 agreement. And and the verse that specifically says that is Second Corinthians Thirteen, 46 00:03:28.530 --> 00:03:34.129 verse eleven. Okay, it say it's finally, brethren, Farewell, become 47 00:03:34.289 --> 00:03:37.729 complete, be of good comfort, be of one mind, live in peace, 48 00:03:38.250 --> 00:03:40.090 and the God of love and peace will be with you. HMM. 49 00:03:40.639 --> 00:03:45.080 BE OF ONE MIND, agree with one another. Mind says yeah, and 50 00:03:45.240 --> 00:03:47.879 also says in verse twelve, Greek one another with a holy kiss, right. 51 00:03:49.080 --> 00:03:51.120 So, yeah, you to do that too. You need yeah, 52 00:03:51.280 --> 00:03:53.599 no, I'm just not in the covid days. And Not in the covid 53 00:03:53.639 --> 00:03:59.509 days you can greet one another with the air kiss, right, you're with 54 00:03:59.629 --> 00:04:03.870 your mask bump. All Right, okay. So Romans fifteen, five to 55 00:04:04.069 --> 00:04:10.659 six. Okay. Points out another main point which we started touched on. 56 00:04:11.219 --> 00:04:15.620 What is the goal? And the goal is to glorify God. Yeah, 57 00:04:15.819 --> 00:04:18.100 absolutely so, you got that right. Should be always five the goal. 58 00:04:18.339 --> 00:04:21.620 That should always be the goal. Now, may the God of patience and 59 00:04:21.699 --> 00:04:26.689 comfort grant you to be like minded toward one another, according to Christ Jesus, 60 00:04:27.370 --> 00:04:30.370 that you may, with one mind and one mouth, glorify God and 61 00:04:30.490 --> 00:04:34.370 the father of our Lord, Jesus Christ. Yeah, so, I mean 62 00:04:34.449 --> 00:04:39.240 I think we're giving you guys enough scripture to know that unity is important, 63 00:04:39.639 --> 00:04:43.600 that this is important to God, and it's not something that even in the 64 00:04:43.720 --> 00:04:47.480 early years of Christianity they didn't have to do with and an address. They 65 00:04:47.560 --> 00:04:51.240 had to address it constantly, Paul. That's why I mentioned so many times. 66 00:04:51.319 --> 00:04:55.829 If it's such a pervasive issue, then there's going to be a lot 67 00:04:55.870 --> 00:04:58.470 of scripture yeah, talking about how to guide, do it that, and 68 00:04:58.709 --> 00:05:00.829 you've got this done amic going on that I mentioned when we first started. 69 00:05:01.110 --> 00:05:04.670 The Devil knows how to divide and conquer. Yeah, you know, and 70 00:05:04.870 --> 00:05:09.500 so he's sadly very good at it. He is very good at it and 71 00:05:10.300 --> 00:05:13.980 more often than I think we would cared to admit, we fall prey to 72 00:05:14.060 --> 00:05:15.259 some of those some of those tactics. Yeah, we got to fight that, 73 00:05:15.379 --> 00:05:18.459 we got to fight this unity, because it's it we're we're green with 74 00:05:18.540 --> 00:05:21.810 Satan if we allow it to continue. Yeah, so, especially if we're 75 00:05:21.850 --> 00:05:25.449 the cause of it. Yeah. But so the next two are kind of 76 00:05:25.490 --> 00:05:28.689 the I'm going to combine them. Don't be haughty, shoot for harmony and 77 00:05:28.769 --> 00:05:30.730 don't be arrogant. They kind of hear the same thing. Yeah, and 78 00:05:31.329 --> 00:05:36.160 a good one. Romans twelve. Two verses in Romans twelve actually addressed that. 79 00:05:36.839 --> 00:05:42.639 Romans twelve three maybe might be the best one. Okay, for I 80 00:05:42.720 --> 00:05:45.800 say, through the grace given to me to everyone who is among you, 81 00:05:45.920 --> 00:05:48.399 not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think, but to 82 00:05:48.519 --> 00:05:51.990 think soberly, as God has dealt to each one a measure of faith. 83 00:05:53.029 --> 00:05:57.589 Yeah, thanking soberly, thinking rightly viewing ourselves rightly that yeah, I'm not 84 00:05:57.790 --> 00:06:00.629 perfect. Ain't got it all figured out. I'm doing my best to try 85 00:06:00.629 --> 00:06:04.660 to figure out and with the guidance of the Scripture and the Holy Spirit and 86 00:06:04.819 --> 00:06:09.579 the accountability of my local church, I'm trying to do the best I can 87 00:06:09.660 --> 00:06:12.339 to figure these things out before the Lord. But I ain't got it all 88 00:06:12.379 --> 00:06:15.699 figured out. Yeah, be humble, yeah, and don't be arrogant. 89 00:06:15.180 --> 00:06:20.089 Next, love lavishly. Collect Colossians three fourteen. There's plenty of verses, 90 00:06:20.290 --> 00:06:24.490 yeah, in the Bible that talk about the power of love, but Colossians 91 00:06:24.490 --> 00:06:28.370 three and fourteen is is a is a really good one. Okay, but 92 00:06:28.490 --> 00:06:30.970 above all these things, put on love, which is the bond of perfection. 93 00:06:31.529 --> 00:06:34.759 Love is the bond of perfection. Yeah, mind sets, which binds 94 00:06:34.800 --> 00:06:39.519 everything together in perfect harmony, and harmony is what we're seeking. Yeah, 95 00:06:39.600 --> 00:06:42.839 but to be bound together and perfect. You know, I'll say pect harmony. 96 00:06:43.079 --> 00:06:46.470 The word perfection actually can mean maturity as well, and it is a 97 00:06:46.629 --> 00:06:51.310 mark of maturity for the believer to be able to seek unity, to be 98 00:06:51.350 --> 00:06:57.149 able to unify, even in spite of certain flaws and in whatever these things 99 00:06:57.189 --> 00:07:00.069 might be, to be able to seek unity to be able to overlook other 100 00:07:00.189 --> 00:07:04.339 people's flaws, or at least apparent flaws to you, because some people's flaws 101 00:07:04.420 --> 00:07:08.500 to us, or actually flaws in the way that we see right, they're 102 00:07:08.500 --> 00:07:12.740 not like us and therefore we see flaws. Yeah, but a mark of 103 00:07:12.860 --> 00:07:16.490 Christian maturity is to be able to unify even in spite of those things and 104 00:07:16.569 --> 00:07:19.689 meet people where they are, you know, and so we need to see 105 00:07:19.730 --> 00:07:23.930 unity by meeting people where they are and you never know where you might bring 106 00:07:24.129 --> 00:07:27.769 them. If you can recognize that, hey, maybe you're not as far 107 00:07:27.889 --> 00:07:30.240 long as you should be, but but you recognize with the spirit of unity, 108 00:07:30.839 --> 00:07:34.360 you can disciple and possibly, and I think we're going to get there 109 00:07:34.399 --> 00:07:39.360 with Paul and Barnabas. That's one of the issues that happens as a result 110 00:07:39.639 --> 00:07:46.269 of how that issue of disunity was dealt with. Pursue peace and mutual understanding 111 00:07:46.310 --> 00:07:55.029 in Romans Fourteen nineteen is a good verse for looking at that goal, to 112 00:07:55.269 --> 00:08:00.740 pursue peace and mutual I'm sorry, up building, not not understanding. Okay, 113 00:08:01.180 --> 00:08:03.660 yeah, so, therefore, let us pursue the things which make for 114 00:08:03.819 --> 00:08:09.779 peace and the things by which one may edify another, Edifi for an and 115 00:08:09.180 --> 00:08:13.089 mind set up building, but I like edify, yeah, that you're edifying. 116 00:08:13.129 --> 00:08:16.410 You're building them up for the work so that they can continue in the 117 00:08:16.490 --> 00:08:22.129 work. So recognize in Romans Twelve, four twenty five, this is an 118 00:08:22.129 --> 00:08:31.839 important one. Recognize the differences may have a God ordained purpose. Differences may 119 00:08:31.000 --> 00:08:37.799 not necessarily be a bad thing. They may be something God has specifically planned. 120 00:08:37.840 --> 00:08:45.149 Yeah, in bringing you together. I know that I've personally experienced growth 121 00:08:45.309 --> 00:08:48.110 in my life and my walk with the Lord by being around people that maybe 122 00:08:48.230 --> 00:08:54.350 necessarily aren't of the same denomination as me. I mean, you can learn 123 00:08:54.350 --> 00:08:58.419 a like to be eclectic in the things that I listened to as far as 124 00:08:58.980 --> 00:09:03.580 preachers and teachers like. I listened to people that I don't necessarily align with. 125 00:09:03.379 --> 00:09:07.340 So triologically, their doctrine of salvations maybe not the same as mine, 126 00:09:07.419 --> 00:09:11.090 but I listened to them because I can learn stuff from them. Right, 127 00:09:11.450 --> 00:09:15.809 and we're always going to have people that don't exactly align with everything that we 128 00:09:16.450 --> 00:09:20.769 agree with or the we believe theologically. Again, I'm talking about peripheral issues, 129 00:09:20.889 --> 00:09:24.000 things that are not necessarily the central tenets of the faith. Yeah, 130 00:09:24.480 --> 00:09:31.279 and this scripture speaks to that. Who are you to judge another man's servant 131 00:09:31.440 --> 00:09:35.039 to his own master? He stands or falls. Indeed, he will stand, 132 00:09:35.200 --> 00:09:37.519 he will be made to stand, for God is able to make him 133 00:09:37.519 --> 00:09:43.429 stand. One person esteems one day above another and another esteems every day alike. 134 00:09:43.789 --> 00:09:48.509 Let each be fully convinced in his own mind. And so again this 135 00:09:48.590 --> 00:09:52.590 is kind of this issue of these peripheral things, and maybe we could apply 136 00:09:52.669 --> 00:09:56.019 it directly to people who think that you should worship on Sunday or you should 137 00:09:56.019 --> 00:10:01.860 worship on Saturday. There are people who would think that maybe we should the 138 00:10:01.980 --> 00:10:05.340 Lord's Day is actually the Sabbath is actually on Saturday. There's Ay. Well 139 00:10:05.460 --> 00:10:09.169 know, the Lord's Day actually is on Sunday, and so he's maybe talking 140 00:10:09.210 --> 00:10:11.570 particularly about that, and that is a sense. That is a point of 141 00:10:11.649 --> 00:10:18.649 disunity sometimes, but it's not a gospel issue. Now, of course, 142 00:10:18.690 --> 00:10:22.559 if people are saying unless you worship on the Sabbath, unless you worship on 143 00:10:22.639 --> 00:10:26.759 Saturday, you're not saved, will Paul directly addresses that? He's talking about 144 00:10:26.759 --> 00:10:28.960 that actually here and he talks about that in other places, and that will 145 00:10:28.960 --> 00:10:33.279 be an issue of contention. Yeah, but if just is an issue of 146 00:10:33.399 --> 00:10:37.669 preference, that should not be something that disunifies us right, right, and 147 00:10:37.909 --> 00:10:43.470 and sometimes even differences can can point out something that God really wants us to 148 00:10:43.590 --> 00:10:46.190 know about you. So how about this one? Stir one another two good 149 00:10:46.389 --> 00:10:52.820 works and encourage and so encouraging each other is very important when you're in a 150 00:10:52.980 --> 00:10:58.340 very difficult ministry like abortion, sidelock ministry is so this is he brews ten, 151 00:10:58.500 --> 00:11:03.690 twenty three and twenty five. But we all need encouragement and one of 152 00:11:03.730 --> 00:11:09.450 the horrible parts of disunity is it causes great discouragement, and we know that 153 00:11:09.649 --> 00:11:13.409 from talking to our many missionaries have told us this is an issue. So 154 00:11:13.490 --> 00:11:16.250 did you have that one? He Brews? Hebrews ten, twenty three to 155 00:11:16.450 --> 00:11:20.320 twenty five. Yeah, let us hold fast the confession of our hope without 156 00:11:20.399 --> 00:11:24.559 wavering for he who promised his faithful. Let us consider one another in order 157 00:11:24.559 --> 00:11:30.279 to stir up love and good works. MMM Yeah, can unity does that 158 00:11:30.440 --> 00:11:33.629 helps us encourage one another, to stir each other up in love and good 159 00:11:33.669 --> 00:11:39.110 works? Yeah, yeah, okay, see, can speak truth. He 160 00:11:39.230 --> 00:11:45.629 can speak truth. Is is definitely important in learning how to help us all 161 00:11:45.750 --> 00:11:50.419 to UNIFIGH. So Effesians for hundred and twenty five. Okay, speak to 162 00:11:50.500 --> 00:11:54.019 that issue. Therefore putting away lying, that each one of you speak the 163 00:11:54.059 --> 00:11:58.899 truth with his neighbor, if we are members of one another, if they're 164 00:11:58.899 --> 00:12:01.889 out there lying, yeah, we need to we need to to address it. 165 00:12:03.370 --> 00:12:05.409 It does need to be addressed, that's for sure. That's a point 166 00:12:05.490 --> 00:12:09.009 of I won't say contention, but that's the point that we need to address. 167 00:12:09.049 --> 00:12:13.090 Yeah, but there's a way to address that in such a way that 168 00:12:13.169 --> 00:12:20.159 that honors the Lord and doesn't lend itself to this that just disunified spirit that's 169 00:12:20.200 --> 00:12:22.600 out there. One of the things that we teach, because there are times 170 00:12:22.720 --> 00:12:26.399 when people need to be addressed, even people who are volunteers with us. 171 00:12:26.559 --> 00:12:33.190 We were under our charge, but still addressing those things in a matthew eighteen 172 00:12:33.190 --> 00:12:37.710 spirit where you know, Jesus is saying, if you find fault in your 173 00:12:37.750 --> 00:12:39.990 brother, between you and him, go and deal with it and then, 174 00:12:41.029 --> 00:12:43.860 if he doesn't repent, then you bring another brother and then if he doesn't 175 00:12:43.899 --> 00:12:46.419 repent, then you bring it before the church. Right. And so if 176 00:12:46.460 --> 00:12:50.539 you find a false of some money's out there on the sidewalk lying or whatever 177 00:12:50.620 --> 00:12:54.100 they might be doing, this dishonoring the Lord. A unifying way to deal 178 00:12:54.100 --> 00:12:58.090 with that is the take them to the side and talk to them just between 179 00:12:58.129 --> 00:13:01.529 you and them. Now this is somebody who maybe is volunteered under you, 180 00:13:01.769 --> 00:13:03.409 but maybe it's someone who's not, who's just out there on the side of 181 00:13:03.409 --> 00:13:07.809 what they're doing, their thing. I have seen these situations play out and 182 00:13:07.889 --> 00:13:13.600 it's not where someone lied, but someone was saying something that was not theologically 183 00:13:13.679 --> 00:13:16.639 in line and maybe they didn't know. It's possible they didn't know and they 184 00:13:16.639 --> 00:13:20.080 didn't know. Okay, and in a situation where they were addressed out loud 185 00:13:20.200 --> 00:13:24.840 publicly and it just added to the confusion, it offended the person even more, 186 00:13:24.919 --> 00:13:28.710 rather than just addressing it. Now I've seen it done in the way 187 00:13:28.750 --> 00:13:31.190 I'm talking about, to where it's been addressed to the side. That person 188 00:13:31.309 --> 00:13:35.309 was not embarrassed because they whatever they were doing that was wrong was not called 189 00:13:35.309 --> 00:13:39.070 out in front of everybody, and the situation turned out far better in that 190 00:13:39.190 --> 00:13:43.580 scenario than the one where, Hey, your mother Blahah but you know, 191 00:13:43.779 --> 00:13:48.740 yeah, there's a matthew eighteen progression of the way to deal with these things. 192 00:13:48.899 --> 00:13:52.899 God's words always the best. Yeah, and and I believe that's the 193 00:13:52.940 --> 00:13:56.250 way to do with it. When you when you finding fault and someone's Heather's 194 00:13:56.450 --> 00:13:58.210 lying, and something that I thought of when I as I was just reading 195 00:13:58.289 --> 00:14:03.210 it, is that sometimes we're lying, not purposely. I honestly never tell, 196 00:14:03.409 --> 00:14:07.409 as far as I know, a purposeful lie out on the sideback, 197 00:14:07.450 --> 00:14:11.679 but sometimes even a pro abortion person will tell me, well, you just 198 00:14:11.759 --> 00:14:16.279 said, it's not true. Most of the time they're wrong. Yeah, 199 00:14:16.360 --> 00:14:20.200 what I've said is true, but I had been saying something that I actually 200 00:14:20.399 --> 00:14:22.519 was all off. I went home and checked it and and I was off 201 00:14:22.639 --> 00:14:26.669 by a few weeks and what I was saying and I and I corrected it. 202 00:14:26.870 --> 00:14:31.629 Yeah, so never discount the possibility that you could be yourself. Make 203 00:14:31.669 --> 00:14:35.789 sure that what you are speaking is truth. Be Aware of that. This 204 00:14:35.990 --> 00:14:39.419 is similar to that. Be Wary of those who spread false doctrine, and 205 00:14:39.700 --> 00:14:46.220 Romans six seventeen deals with that, because when, when you when there are 206 00:14:46.299 --> 00:14:50.700 people spreading false doctrine, because false doctrine is not of God, and so 207 00:14:50.019 --> 00:14:54.250 that's going to be that's going to be a source of disunity. Yeah, 208 00:14:54.330 --> 00:14:58.289 absolutely, and you know, there's a sense in which it needs to be 209 00:14:58.330 --> 00:15:01.450 a source of disuse. Exactly. People are spreading false doctrine. We should 210 00:15:01.450 --> 00:15:05.409 not unify with that. That's right, but those issues again, can be 211 00:15:05.450 --> 00:15:09.960 addressed in such a way that honors Lord, rather than just pointed out and 212 00:15:09.120 --> 00:15:13.879 just in front of everybody or whatever. These can be dealt with in a 213 00:15:13.000 --> 00:15:18.559 one on one basis and I believe that lends itself more to actually a restorative 214 00:15:18.600 --> 00:15:24.789 yeah, situation where things turn out better than just calling people out. Yeah, 215 00:15:24.029 --> 00:15:30.190 and so it's important again that our motives ultimately are not just to correct 216 00:15:30.309 --> 00:15:33.870 people but to bring glory to the name of Jesus. And course, correcting 217 00:15:33.950 --> 00:15:37.259 false doctrine does bring glory to the name of Jesus, but there's a way 218 00:15:37.299 --> 00:15:41.860 to do it. One man said, you can be practically right and relationally 219 00:15:41.019 --> 00:15:46.220 wrong, and we want to make sure that we're relationally right and practically you 220 00:15:46.340 --> 00:15:50.690 with well, theologically biblically right in the way that we deal with these things. 221 00:15:50.730 --> 00:15:54.610 And so Paul says in this passage is the Romans sixteen, verse seventeen. 222 00:15:54.649 --> 00:15:58.529 I urge you, brethren, note those who are who cause divisions and 223 00:15:58.690 --> 00:16:02.370 offenses contrary to the doctrine which you learned and avoid them. So there is 224 00:16:02.370 --> 00:16:06.279 an avoidance, and I'll say one of the reasons why, personally, I 225 00:16:06.399 --> 00:16:10.080 am so strong and so heavy on this idea that you've got to be a 226 00:16:10.159 --> 00:16:14.279 part of a local church to volunteer with us to be one of our sidewalk 227 00:16:14.360 --> 00:16:18.269 missionaries and come and train here at our boot camp here in Charlotte, you've 228 00:16:18.309 --> 00:16:21.549 got to be a part of a local church. I want to talk to 229 00:16:21.590 --> 00:16:25.549 your pastor. That's one of the references when people fill out our application to 230 00:16:25.710 --> 00:16:27.990 become a sidewalk missionary, for for us to consider to take them on as 231 00:16:27.990 --> 00:16:32.940 a sidewalk missionary, they've got to give us their pastoral reference. I've got 232 00:16:33.019 --> 00:16:36.019 to call their pastor. I'm going to have a conversation with him. That's 233 00:16:36.019 --> 00:16:41.100 important to me so that if they slip into this, I can hold them 234 00:16:41.139 --> 00:16:44.299 accountable. I can go to their pastor and I can talk with their pastor 235 00:16:44.659 --> 00:16:48.049 about holding them accountable. And so that's a that's a point that to me, 236 00:16:48.210 --> 00:16:53.649 is very important because I've seen people with this sort of spirit who come 237 00:16:53.730 --> 00:16:59.370 out there and they cause disunity and cause division, do some real damage and 238 00:16:59.450 --> 00:17:03.680 if they can't be dealt with in a church context, it's really hard to 239 00:17:03.720 --> 00:17:07.599 deal with those people. Right now, that suits I say the all that 240 00:17:07.759 --> 00:17:11.319 to say that there is a point where we need to disunify and say that 241 00:17:11.440 --> 00:17:15.869 person's not with us, but yet still to have that as our constant mantra. 242 00:17:17.069 --> 00:17:18.789 Like I wouldn't make up a sign that said this person's not with me, 243 00:17:19.069 --> 00:17:22.710 with a narrow yeah, with an Arrow. I've been tempted to do 244 00:17:22.829 --> 00:17:26.390 that, I have to, but I wouldn't do that because I don't think 245 00:17:26.430 --> 00:17:30.819 it would help the scenario. I don't think it would bring more more clarity 246 00:17:30.859 --> 00:17:33.740 to the situation. It would bring more confusion. Yeah, but that is 247 00:17:33.779 --> 00:17:37.819 a powerful verse. Avoid them. Yeah, those that cause because of false 248 00:17:37.940 --> 00:17:41.819 do false doctrine, are creating division on the any wherever you are. Avoid 249 00:17:41.900 --> 00:17:45.730 them. Yeah, I guess you've gone through the Matthew eighteen process, you 250 00:17:45.769 --> 00:17:48.769 would assume. Yeah, and and if that has been in effective, avoid 251 00:17:48.849 --> 00:17:55.970 them. So it's a serious issue. Yeah, so critical in in restoring 252 00:17:56.049 --> 00:18:00.319 unity. Always, Collossians three hundred and thirteen talks about this. Yeah, 253 00:18:00.319 --> 00:18:04.720 it's forgiveness, to forgive graciously. If someone has wronged you in a spirit 254 00:18:04.759 --> 00:18:10.559 of disunity, to forgive them and if you have wrong someone yourself in a 255 00:18:10.680 --> 00:18:15.230 spirit of disunity, that you ask for forgiveness. One of the things that 256 00:18:17.029 --> 00:18:18.990 I have experienced over the years. I know you have as well that as 257 00:18:19.069 --> 00:18:23.269 much as you strive for unity, as much as you want to be unified, 258 00:18:23.710 --> 00:18:26.700 and as much as our teams are on the same page, I mean 259 00:18:26.779 --> 00:18:30.539 we're we're together, we're connected, we love each other, we care about 260 00:18:30.539 --> 00:18:34.539 you each other. There's going to be times where people are going to argue. 261 00:18:34.579 --> 00:18:38.420 There's going to be times where someone talks over another person and somebody just 262 00:18:38.500 --> 00:18:41.730 in a bad mood and they get offended in there like yeah, and and 263 00:18:42.210 --> 00:18:45.609 they want to come to you or come to me and say, Hey, 264 00:18:45.690 --> 00:18:48.809 this person did that and it's not we're always wanting them to matthew eighteen. 265 00:18:48.930 --> 00:18:51.369 Deal with it between you and them. Right, but we have to be 266 00:18:51.490 --> 00:18:55.250 aware that these things are going to come up and there's going to be in 267 00:18:55.329 --> 00:18:57.480 the midst of the battle, there's going to be maybe some friendly fire, 268 00:18:57.680 --> 00:19:02.480 whatever. That's why we have to be understanding, like this passage is talking 269 00:19:02.480 --> 00:19:06.880 about. Be Gracious, be patient, be willing to forgive. Yeah, 270 00:19:06.920 --> 00:19:10.269 that person might have said something that offended you. Hey, listen, it's 271 00:19:10.390 --> 00:19:12.109 life. It's going to happen. Yeah, and and deal with it in 272 00:19:12.150 --> 00:19:17.470 a biblical way. Don't just internalize it and stew over it, deal with 273 00:19:17.549 --> 00:19:21.990 it and then forgive. Yeah, your wife recommended. I read a book 274 00:19:22.029 --> 00:19:25.380 called the Bait of Satan. Yeah, because and that deals with this. 275 00:19:25.700 --> 00:19:29.380 That that the the problem. If you don't have a forgiving spirit, if 276 00:19:29.380 --> 00:19:33.180 you're holding grudges, if you let those things fester, it grows into bitterness 277 00:19:33.259 --> 00:19:37.460 and it is, it is one of Satan's greatest tools. Yeah, and 278 00:19:37.740 --> 00:19:41.849 so you need to learn to just let that go in the forgiveness. Being 279 00:19:41.970 --> 00:19:47.049 able to forgive others is critical. Yeah, and absolutely process. Yeah, 280 00:19:47.450 --> 00:19:51.329 so be grounded in truth. That's kind of I hope we have made it 281 00:19:51.450 --> 00:19:56.799 clear how important that is. Colosshoms to eight directly deals with that, but 282 00:19:56.720 --> 00:20:00.599 to to speak the truth. And the only way you can speak the truth 283 00:20:00.640 --> 00:20:03.240 and be grounded in truth as if you know the truth. Yeah, where 284 00:20:03.240 --> 00:20:06.720 do we find that, Daniel? We find it in the word of God. 285 00:20:06.880 --> 00:20:11.109 That's right, always, always, and and that's the only place to 286 00:20:11.150 --> 00:20:15.190 find it. And we've already talked about the matthew eighteen approach when all else 287 00:20:15.230 --> 00:20:18.950 fails, and I think that is kind of to if you're going to be 288 00:20:18.150 --> 00:20:26.539 calling through the whole process of Matthew Eighteen. Hopefully you've tried other ways before 289 00:20:26.579 --> 00:20:32.180 you go into calling a pastor or witness or whatever to come against a fellow 290 00:20:32.180 --> 00:20:36.730 Christian, but seek wisdom and assistance from the church. Yeah, and when 291 00:20:36.809 --> 00:20:44.529 all else fails, absolutely so practical suggestions derived from all of this. Now 292 00:20:44.769 --> 00:20:49.559 you've you've gone over the sources of disunity, you've gone over the goals of 293 00:20:51.319 --> 00:20:56.559 the people that are out there, you've gone over the biblical rationale for unity. 294 00:20:57.160 --> 00:21:00.720 What do we do with with all of that? And I think I 295 00:21:02.960 --> 00:21:07.309 wrote eight main areas and I don't know. I can read them and if 296 00:21:07.309 --> 00:21:11.549 you feel like you want to answer on any of the the first one asked 297 00:21:11.589 --> 00:21:18.190 questions of the group to help them clarify their goals. Just don't do and 298 00:21:18.309 --> 00:21:22.660 assume that they're evil or assume you know their motivation. Ask Them Questions, 299 00:21:22.859 --> 00:21:26.259 sure, find out they're, what their goals are and why they're doing what 300 00:21:26.339 --> 00:21:30.380 they're doing. Secondly, to commend any positives in the group that you're conf 301 00:21:30.539 --> 00:21:34.210 fronting. Okay, people always respond better when they first of all hear a 302 00:21:34.210 --> 00:21:41.849 kind word before you last them pray with and for each other. Sometimes we 303 00:21:41.970 --> 00:21:45.569 forget about doing that with with groups that we're not really unified with. Yeah, 304 00:21:45.730 --> 00:21:49.519 but praying with them can make a world of difference. Seek compromise, 305 00:21:49.599 --> 00:21:53.680 but be careful on this one. Seek compromise, but never a biblical truth. 306 00:21:53.839 --> 00:21:57.039 Yeah, you can't compromise on Biblical truth, but maybe there are other 307 00:21:57.160 --> 00:22:02.509 things you can compromise on. Maybe you can compromise on where they stand, 308 00:22:02.750 --> 00:22:07.349 yeah, or or where they hold the sign that you would prefer they not 309 00:22:07.549 --> 00:22:11.029 hold it. Maybe you could compromise on a different position up the street or 310 00:22:11.069 --> 00:22:17.420 whatever. Yeah, with that sign number five affirmed their purpose, if not 311 00:22:17.539 --> 00:22:19.140 their methods. I've heard you do that so many times, Daniel, with 312 00:22:19.420 --> 00:22:23.099 some of our our friends out there that are not the same as us. 313 00:22:23.299 --> 00:22:29.220 Yeah, we really don't agree with their methods, but I've heard you thank 314 00:22:29.339 --> 00:22:33.369 them for for just their faithfulness and being there, for their zeal. Yeah, 315 00:22:33.769 --> 00:22:37.490 if not how they bring things about, how they how they do things. 316 00:22:37.369 --> 00:22:41.609 Rebuke privately, not publicly. We've said that many times. People will 317 00:22:41.650 --> 00:22:48.440 always receive it better. Very important discern if it's disunity or diversity and always, 318 00:22:48.440 --> 00:22:51.559 always go to scripture. Yes, just support your views. And the 319 00:22:51.599 --> 00:22:56.079 other point here that I think hopefully we touched. o't. We thoroughly touched 320 00:22:56.119 --> 00:23:00.789 don't. Is that just because you perceive this unity doesn't mean that it's actually 321 00:23:00.789 --> 00:23:03.950 this unity. We have to check our own hearts, right, because again, 322 00:23:03.990 --> 00:23:08.190 if just because somebody's not doing it like you would do it, doesn't 323 00:23:08.269 --> 00:23:11.980 necessarily mean they're doing it wrong, because that can be prideful, right. 324 00:23:12.259 --> 00:23:15.619 Just just remember that point, right. And so now we're going to end 325 00:23:15.819 --> 00:23:22.180 with talking about what happened, okay, with Barnabass and and Paul, because 326 00:23:22.220 --> 00:23:26.779 they I love what one author and I put in the article that we will 327 00:23:26.819 --> 00:23:30.289 post. You'll be able to find this article, but he summarized. Paul 328 00:23:30.369 --> 00:23:36.009 and Barnabass did have different gifts, different perspectives and even different callings, but 329 00:23:36.170 --> 00:23:37.930 they remain to the end, one in the faith and in the bonds of 330 00:23:38.049 --> 00:23:44.119 love. Their parting was a division, but not a divorce. I love 331 00:23:44.200 --> 00:23:45.640 that line. Yeah, it was a division, not a divorce. So, 332 00:23:47.119 --> 00:23:51.440 but they still spoke with one one voice and one love, which was 333 00:23:51.519 --> 00:23:56.069 Jesus Christ. But so, what happened? What happened to these two? 334 00:23:56.190 --> 00:24:00.950 They separated. Yeah, they went in their different ways. And what was 335 00:24:00.990 --> 00:24:04.029 the result of that? Was that good? Bad? In different yeah, 336 00:24:04.029 --> 00:24:07.269 I mean I think it was a good thing. It seems that well, 337 00:24:07.390 --> 00:24:11.220 I mean in one sense they were able to get more work done. Yeah, 338 00:24:11.339 --> 00:24:14.900 so Barnabas is able to go with John Mark in one direction, Paul 339 00:24:14.940 --> 00:24:21.380 and Silas go in another direction, and seems, all things said and all 340 00:24:21.460 --> 00:24:25.009 things done, that at the end then, toward the end of Paul's life, 341 00:24:25.089 --> 00:24:30.650 he actually wants John Mark to come and in commends him. Yeah, 342 00:24:30.210 --> 00:24:37.210 so that a wonderful example of God's redemptive power through yeah, unifying and in 343 00:24:37.410 --> 00:24:40.960 love and a voys absolutely, it's awesome. You know, it's an awesome 344 00:24:41.160 --> 00:24:45.640 it's that awesome reality that if we'll seek with pure motives to honor the Lord, 345 00:24:47.160 --> 00:24:51.039 to do what's right in his side, to seek unity, to strive, 346 00:24:51.200 --> 00:24:53.670 to endeavor to keep the unity the spirit in the bond of peace, 347 00:24:55.150 --> 00:24:57.549 got all onto that and there will be unity. Yeah, even though there's 348 00:24:57.549 --> 00:25:00.869 going to be diversity, there can be unity in the midst of that diversity. 349 00:25:00.990 --> 00:25:03.829 So here's a great quote I love. I love this quote from it. 350 00:25:04.029 --> 00:25:07.460 I think it was a quote. I don't have it in quotes. 351 00:25:07.539 --> 00:25:11.420 Maybe I came up with this. Wow, it's really good yourself. So, 352 00:25:11.460 --> 00:25:15.059 yeah, in the division of Pallen Barnabass, just as you said, 353 00:25:15.059 --> 00:25:18.900 the result was positive and in fact mark was restored to become a leader in 354 00:25:18.299 --> 00:25:22.730 the early church and to successful ministry ventures were accomplished through that. But listen 355 00:25:22.769 --> 00:25:32.250 to this. Disunity divides, but diversity multiplies. So diversity multiplied the effects 356 00:25:32.490 --> 00:25:37.319 of the ministry so that more people were reached for the Lord when those diverse 357 00:25:37.759 --> 00:25:45.240 gifts, rather than just being shut down, were were encouraged. Yeah, 358 00:25:45.440 --> 00:25:48.920 and we went, they did go in different directions. Yeah, but the 359 00:25:48.319 --> 00:25:52.829 the fine no, result was God was further glorified. Yeah, and that 360 00:25:53.190 --> 00:25:59.150 is ultimately the goal, that Jesus Christ is glorified and what we do. 361 00:25:59.509 --> 00:26:03.710 Yeah. So, guys, we appreciate Y'all just tuning in and sharing this 362 00:26:03.869 --> 00:26:07.259 podcast and we appreciate if you guys would shoot us over an email let us 363 00:26:07.259 --> 00:26:10.579 know what you think of the podcastle let us let us know some ideas that 364 00:26:10.700 --> 00:26:14.900 you have, some guests that maybe we should have on to interview. Let 365 00:26:14.940 --> 00:26:18.059 us know maybe some of the questions that you have that you'd like for us 366 00:26:18.099 --> 00:26:22.250 to try to tackle from a Gospel Center perspective. So you can reach out 367 00:26:22.250 --> 00:26:23.930 to me, D parks, at cities for lifecom. You can reach her 368 00:26:23.970 --> 00:26:33.680 vcassey Org, at cities for Lifecom and until next time. God bless give 369 00:26:33.839 --> 00:26:45.680 me our love for love. Give me our love for gratitude. I know 370 00:26:47.000 --> 00:26:56.029 it will cost me my life. Nothing's too precious, and some that you