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Maintaining Our Unique Identity

Maintaining Our Unique Identity. Text: Revelation 11:1 December 31, 2006 David Pike. Introduction. The strength of the church (“called out”) has always rested upon its unique identity and distinction from: The world (Ph. 2:16) Religious groups (Mt. 15:8-9)

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Maintaining Our Unique Identity

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  1. Maintaining Our Unique Identity Text: Revelation 11:1 December 31, 2006 David Pike

  2. Introduction • The strength of the church (“called out”) has always rested upon its unique identity and distinction from: • The world (Ph. 2:16) • Religious groups (Mt. 15:8-9) • Each faithful member is responsible to uphold the distinct character of the Lord’s church (I Pt. 2:5-10). • A local church can loose its uniqueness by adapting human names, creeds, practices and organizations. • Key Issues: • With so many cults, sects and denominations (division) in religion, how can we determine which is the New Testament church? • What are the dangers and remedies for maintaining our unique identity?

  3. Key Issue:With so many cults, sects and denominations (division) in religion, how can we determine which is the New Testament church?

  4. How is the church measured? • Re. 11:1 – Measuring the church, alter and worshippers. • The temple of God (church) is measured by: • It’s origin – Da. 2:44; Mt. 16:18; Mk. 9:1; Ac. 2 • It’s foundation – Isa. 28:16; Mt. 16:18; I Co. 3:10; Ep. 2:20 • It’s organization – Ph. 1:1; Ac. 20:28; I Tm. 3:8-13; Ep. 3:21; 4:11-16 • It’s name (universal/local) – Hb. 12:23; Ro. 16:16 • Laws of admission such as faith (Hb. 11:6), repentance (Ac. 17:30), confession (Ro. 10:9-10), baptism (Ga. 3:27), conversion examples (Acts)

  5. How is worship measured? • The alter (worship) is measured by: • Apostles doctrine (Ac. 2:42) • Prayer (I Tm. 2:8) • Kind of music (Ep. 5:19; Hb. 13:15) • Lord’s Supper (I Co. 11:23-25) • Plan of raising money (I Co. 16:1-2; II Co. 8-9)

  6. How are worshippers measured? • The worshippers - “them that worship therein” are measured by: • Name: saints, elect, sons, children, etc. • Christian (Ac. 11:26): ian = “belonging to” • Character: holy priesthood (I Pt. 2:5), obedience to God (I Jh. 5:3), kind, patient, longsuffering with one another (Ep. 4:2) • Right Attitude according to truth (Jh. 4:23-24) • If we are right in these things, then we can’t be the wrong church.

  7. Key Issue:What are the dangers and remedies for maintaining our unique identity?

  8. Dangers • Modernism (II Tm. 4:1-4) • Common among denominations (i.e. social, M&D, gays) • The devil employs governments, educators, and religionists to destroy the fundamentals of the Bible (i.e. virgin birth, inspiration of the Bible, evolution, etc.). • “If a fair maiden kisses a frog which instantly changes into a handsome prince we would call it a fairy tale. But if the frog takes 40 million years to turn into a prince we call it evolution.” – The Interactive Bible • Sectarianism (I Co. 1:10-13) • What is a sect? Who or what is sectarian? • Loyalty to man or a group (Martin Luther / Lutherans). • Church creeds fuel religious division. • Religious division is over human opinions and doctrines, not over what the Bible teaches (Mt. 15:8-9). • Jesus prayer and plea is for unity, not division (Jh. 17).

  9. Dangers • Calvinism • Includes all the false tenets of John Calvin and adapting any or all of them. • Westminister Confession of Faith is used by many denominations and contains the tenets of Calvinism. • The core of Calvinism is the TULIP, but there is more. • Many religious groups teach aspects of Calvinism or “The deadly TULIP.” • BEWARE: Many members of the church came out of denominationalism. Aspects of Calvinism have impacted the Lord’s Church! (i.e. once saved, always saved, Rev. 2-3)

  10. The TULIP - “Domino Theory”

  11. Dangers • Pentecostalism (Mk. 16:20; Ac. 2; I Co.14) • Emphasizes the Holy Spirit miraculous manifestations (i.e. tongues, healing, etc.). • Attributed to cold formalization & ho-hum worship service (Re. 2,“Full-gospel” churches). • Conditions of Salvation (Source – Statements of Fundamental Truths -Revised 1983): • Salvation is received through repentance toward God and faith toward the Lord Jesus Christ. • The inward evidence of salvation is the direct witness of the Spirit. • The ordinance of baptism by immersion is commanded in the Scriptures.

  12. Dangers • Pentecostalism – con’t (Mk. 16:20; Ac. 2; I Co. 14) • Convert testimony of a Pentecostal pastor: • “I had read the Bible all my life .... I preached that which I had been taught .. when I doubted I was always told of "new revelations" received from God. In the "Pentecostal" church one is taught that the "Pastor" is the authority within the church .. and only knowledge is gained by adherence to "God’s man" and in the leading of the "Holy spirit" directly. Accept that which you doubt with your faith.” • “Only until I realized that in order to understand the "Gospel" one must study with an open heart ... prepared to accept the truth of the "Gospel" ... and with this truth ... obey the word of God. The Bible really is a simple book to understand ... but when man attempts to add to it ... his opinion ... his feelings .... he begins to lose the truth and believe a lie.” • “Trust this word completely .... obey it! It contains all that man needs to get him into eternity with Jesus Christ.”

  13. Dangers • Tendency to lose our sight for our distinctive pleas (I Pt. 4:11) • How can we plea, if we are ignorant of the oracles? • Our plea is to restore New Testament Christianity. • If we practice the same things, then we will be the New Testament Church (Lk. 8:11; Jh. 17:17; I Tm. 3:15). • Our plea is, “To speak where the Bible speaks and to keep silent where it is silent.” • Tendencies toward inherited membership. • We should raise children properly (Ep. 6:4). We must impart knowledge which produces conviction. • We must be concerned about 1st and 2nd generation Christians (Ph. 3:1-6) and growth by member moves. • Many people’s faith is based on what their parents or others taught, and may not be the truth. • We follow God, man or self.

  14. Dangers • Worldliness in the church (Ro. 12) • We must adhere to the standard in Ro. 12 or the standard of the world (I Co. 5). • “…the worry of the world, and deceitfulness of riches choke the word, and it becomes unfruitful…” (Mt. 13:22). • Tendencies toward compromise (Hb. 2:1-3; Jude 3) • Lack of personal courage – “Contend earnestly for the faith.” • Compromise looks like hypocrisy - Peter (Ga. 2:11-15). • Many modify the truth in order to protect others feelings in order to be considered popular.

  15. Dangers • Lack of personal consecration (II Tm. 2:2; Ga. 2:19) • Preaching canned sermons • Laziness of Bible class teachers and students • Not teaching others by word or example • Only study and read the Bible at church services (i.e. 3x a week). • All of our time & money is spent on recreation, movies, TV, friends, etc. and not spiritual things. • Unwilling to make necessary sacrifices

  16. Remedies • Maintain our identity of separation (II Co. 6:17; Mt. 5:20) – How? • In Speech: Speak where the Bible speaks (I Pt. 4:11) • In Doctrine: Sound Doctrine (Ac. 2:42; Ti. 2:1) • In Work, Worship and Organization (Jh. 4:24; Ph. 1:1) • Maintain our identity of warfare (II Co. 10:4-5) • Case Studies: Paul, Peter, Stephen • “Is there not a cause?” (I Sm. 17:29) • We must take a stand against sin, and false teachers and false doctrines (Ep. 6:10-17).

  17. Remedies • Maintain our identity of sound preaching • Paul’s example (Ac. 20:26-27) • Not preaching truth for fear of driving away visitors. We must “speak the truth in love” (Ep. 4:15). • We should use the pulpit and classes to expose false doctrines of various denominations, popular social practices (i.e. immodest dress, drinking, M & D, gambling, etc.) • We must preach and teach the whole counsel of God such as the fruit of the spirit and the condemning the works of the flesh (Ga. 5:19-23). • We should be concerned about preaching the truth and less concerned about whether someone judges the message negative or positive. “Preach the word!” • Sometimes “speaking the truth in love” hurts - "You are seeking to kill Me, a man who has told you the truth." (Jh 8:40; Ep. 4:16)

  18. Final Thoughts • Maintaining our unique identity requires: • Conforming to the pattern of the work, worship and organization of the New Testament church. • Prevent dangers by maintaining separation, warfare and sound doctrine. • The church is a divine organization built by a divine pattern which must not be corrupted. • We are laborers together with God (I Co. 3:9) • Everyone must take heed how they build (I Co. 3:10) • Don’t defile the temple of God (I Co. 3:17) • What are we doing to help maintain the unique identity of the church?

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