The Kingdom of the Heavens > Divisions in the Church

Tag Archive: Divisions in the Church

A Few Comments on the Overall Process

August 21, 2022 0 Comments

Most of the currents of modern Western history can ultimately be traced to the well-meaning decisions of Christian leaders in the early centuries to seek political sponsorship. This led to the inversion of the Gospel message, forced exile of “heretics,” the rise of Islam through the influence of exiled “heretics,” and most of the subsequent upheavals in the Western world.

A God who Speaks, Authority Contests, Changed treatment of each other, Compulsory Christianity, Desire to have our own way, Disrespecting poor believers, Divisions in the Church, Ethnic Division, God Never Stopped Speaking, God Speaks to Us, Heresy, Islam and Christianity, Islam as a Consequence, Peril of Seeking Power, Peril of Seeking Respectability, Religious violence and persecution, Repentance, Salvation, Social control and statecraft, Through the church, Truth and Falsehood, Wars as consequences, What is sin?

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Recognized Leaders May Lapse into Incorrect Positions and Divisiveness

May 27, 2021 2 Comments

“Heresy” cannot be determined by calling anything that goes in a different direction that specific leaders a heresy, because leaders are sometimes wrong. Peter is an example, though he repented when rebuked for his divisiveness in Antioch.

Denominationalism, Divisions in the Church, Ethnic Division, In the Church, Jew versus Gentile, Meaning of Unity, Personality cults

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Factions–Following Human Leaders–Leads to Heresy

October 31, 2020 2 Comments

Christ is not divided. But historically Christianity has been divided into groups following human leaders, past or present, ahead of Christ. The solution is an individual one, letting God perfect our unity with our brothers. It cannot be imposed by a human leader or organization.

Authority Contests, Denominationalism, Divisions in the Church, Personality cults

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The Divisive, Argumentative Teachers in Chapter 6 of First Timothy

August 15, 2020 1 Comment

1 Timothy 6 also warns about people who create arguments in order to exploit them for financial gain and to build their own authority. This warning is presented in the context of teaching about respect for human authority and authority in the Church.

Authority Contests, Church purpose versus church growth, Desire to have our own way, Disputes about words, Divisions in the Church, Greed, Heresy, Our Oneness in Christ book revision, Peril of Seeking Power, Quarrels

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The Real Issue with False Teachers is their Hidden Motivations

August 12, 2020 4 Comments

Like Balaam, false teachers do their work stealthily motivated by greed. They do not openly deny the Lordship of Christ, but deceptively proclaim teachings that permit us to retain our own independence, greed or lust, to seek first our own pleasure, and still, they say, please God. They teach these things not necessarily because they believe them, but to obtain our following and our money.

Desire to have our own way, Disputes about words, Greed, Heresy, Our Oneness in Christ book revision, Peril of Seeking Power, Replacing Relationship with Morality, To live in unity

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Divisions and Factions in 1 Corinthians 11

August 3, 2020 3 Comments

Factions, “hereseis,” as used in 1 Corinthians 11:19, clearly does not refer to divisions caused by false teachers. Instead, in that context, it refers to divisions caused by neglect and humiliation of poor believers and by the formation of personality cults.

Disrespecting poor believers, Divisions in the Church, Greed, Heresy, Our Oneness in Christ book revision, Peril of Seeking Respectability, Personality cults, To live in unity

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