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Welcome!. We Are Glad You Are Here!. Welcome!. Questions? Just Let Us Know!. II Corinthians 6:14-18.
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Welcome! We Are Glad You Are Here!
Welcome! Questions? Just Let Us Know!
II Corinthians 6:14-18 “Be ye not unequally yoked together with unbelievers: for what fellowship hath righteousness with unrighteousness? and what communion hath light with darkness? (15) And what concord hath Christ with Belial? or what part hath he that believeth with an infidel?”
(16) And what agreement hath the temple of God with idols? for ye are the temple of the living God; as God hath said, I will dwell in them, and walk in them; and I will be their God, and they shall be my people.”
(17) Wherefore come out from among them, and be ye separate, saith the Lord, and touch not the unclean thing; and I will receive you, (18) And will be a Father unto you, and ye shall be my sons and daughters, saith the Lord Almighty.”
II Corinthians 6:14 Paul forbids Christians being joined in fellowship with non-Christians. Under what figures? The distinction between light & darkness!
It Is Our Responsibility To Be True Restorationists. • There is the example of King Hezekiah, II Chronicles 29-32, who, in spite of an idolatrous father, cleansed the temple, restored temple worship, the priesthood, & the Passover. • Then the example of King Josiah, II Kings 22,23, who had to do the same thing less than 70 years later. • There’s the N.T. example of Paul, I Cor.11, who restored the Lord’s supper at Corinth.
Corruption and apostasy demanded a return to God’s way. • “Restoration” – a putting or bringing back into a former, normal, or unimpaired state or condition through repairing, rebuilding, and altering. • Jeremiah 1:10 “See, I have this day set thee over the nations and over the kingdoms, to root out, and to pull down, and to destroy, and to throw down, to build, and to plant.”
The Same Was True In Early 1800’s Therefore, those in the light can have no fellowship with those in the darkness! • The Restoration Movement began as a move out of the darkness of denominational division into one church, enlightened in obedience to God’s will revealed in Scripture. • Being united in this faith demanded dividing from all who did not share this conviction! Why? • Faith in the Bible provided then and still provides now a clear definition of who was in the church and who was not in the church! • Only those who submit to God’s way of salvation presented in Scripture are Christians!
Clear, But Unpleasant! Many do not share our conviction! We have friends, neighbors, and family members who reject such. The pressure to keep peace with other religious people can causecompromising to occur.
The Lunenburg Letter • “The Millennial Harbinger” Sept.1837 • “Are there Christians among all Protestant sects?”lady from Virginia • “But who is a Christian? I answer, every one that believes in his heart that Jesus of Nazareth is the Messiah, the Son of God; repents of his sins, and obeys Him in all things according to his measure of knowledge of his will.” p.411
“There is no occasion, then, for making immersion, on a profession of the faith, absolutely essential to a Christian - though it may be greatly essential to his sanctification and comfort…But he that thence infers that none are Christians but the immersed, as greatly errs as he who affirms that none are alive but those of clear and full vision” p.414.
The Door Was Opened! • While Campbell tried to retract the obvious full impact of the statement, open fellowship with other religious groups was pronounced by him as socially attractive. • Future generations of leaders would expand on this spirit of compromise. • P. Y. Pendleton, Campbell’s grandson, accepted infant sprinkling and ecumenism in just about every form @ Vine St., Nashville.
Does Truth Matter? • Not all leaders were willing to embrace the spirit of the age. • It was and it is a clear choice! • Galatians 1:10 • Even as a desire to please friends, neighbors, and family is an enticement to soften doctrinal positions, a desire to please God leads to doctrinal distinctiveness.
Concerning The Conflict Between Pleasing The World & Pleasing God “God is the only law-making power. Any act of worship not ordained by God, the observance of any ordinance or the performance of any act as religious service not provided for by the authority of God, is treason against God…the proposition to form a church, or to unite with anyone on anything else than complete surrender to the will of God, and a full obedience to His requirements, is treason of the grossest type,” GA 1885, p.402
The Church Had To Choose Vs. Faithfulness Acceptance by the to God religious community Faithfulness Acceptance by the to God religious community The Church Has To Choose Vs.
The Church Had To Choose Vs. Faithfulness Acceptance by the to God religious community Faithfulness Acceptance by the to God religious community The Church Has To Choose Vs. The Same Choice Is Dividing The Church Today!
The Call For Open Fellowship • The Jesus Proposal by Rubel Shelly & John York “fellowship denominationalism”p.171 • Down In The River To Pray by John Mark Hicks “Those who respond to the gospel in any way may be part of God’s family” p.197 • This approach cuts to the very heart of the distinctive nature of the Lord’s church! • If we cannot know who is lost, we cannot know who is saved.
Think About This Seriously! “When everyone is somebody, then no one’s anybody.” Either water baptism is an essential part of the new birth into Christ or it is not! Which Is It?
Falling Into Error Is Usually Gradual A “small” compromise here. A “little” concession there. Before you know it, the whole is changed! Apostasy by attrition – slowly wearing away, erosion.
Examples & Warnings Aplenty Acts 2:42; II John 9-11 Galatians 5:7; Galatians 6:7-9 Hebrews 2:1-3; 5:12-14 I Corinthians 15:58 I Peter 2:2; II Peter 3:18
A Great Temptation • Blur the lines between who is and who is not in the Christ. • Between who is and is not a Christian, a disciple of Christ. • People want to go along to get along with anyone and everyone. It’s more pleasant.
Is it appropriate to attend denominational services to visit children or grandchildren who worship there? “To go with them is to affiliate with and build up the wrong and to encourage them in the way that leads to ruin…It will be no alleviation of the torments of hell to us or them to think we encouraged our children and friends in the course of rebellion by going with them.” Queries & Answers, p. 229
What Is Our Responsibility? • We must treat people of all religions with respect & kindness. • We must treat people of no religion with respect & kindness. • We must never blur the lines that make being a Christian distinct from being anything else.
The Simple Plan • HEAR –Rom.10:17; Jno.20:30,31 • BELIEVE –John 8:24; Hebrews 11:6 • REPENT –Luke 13:3; Acts 17:30,31 • CONFESS –Rom/10:10; Acts 8:37 • BE BAPTIZED –Mk.16:16; Acts 22:16 • ADDED TO CHURCH (Acts 2:41,47) • LIVE A FAITHFUL LIFE (Rev.2:10)
