教会可以经历在基督里的合一，直到发生导致教会分裂的事情为止. 教会中的分裂时常发生. 但是什么导致了教会的分裂, 谁负责? 你做什么, when someone causes a division in the church? Let’s look at what the Bible says about divisions in the church and how to prevent them.
The Bible provides knowledge and insight in the spiritual realm
The Bible is the Word of God and possesses all the elements to gain knowledge and get insight into the spiritual realm. 因此，重要的是 进入精神领域 through the Word and not through your own insights, 经验, and human revelations.
Every insight and revelation, that a person receives must line up with the Word. If this isn’t the case, you should reject the insight or revelation.
Because the devil doesn’t present himself and comes as a horrible monster. But the devil presents himself and comes as an angel of light and uses the words of God to mislead people. The devil comes and presents himself as ‘Jesus’.
这里有很多人, who have received a revelation of ‘Jesus’ that has led them and their followers astray and caused them to depart from the faith. That’s why it’s important to stay awake and watch and not believe every spirit, but rather test the spirits by the Word, whether they are from God or not (1 约翰 4:1).
A revelation from the devil always leads to pride, self-importance, self-righteousness, 和罪恶.
We have received the Word and the Holy Spirit from God to lead and guide us into all truth. We need the Word and the Holy Spirit to test everything in this life to keep walking on the right path.
The responsibility of the church leaders
This also applies to everything that happens in the church. The leaders of a church are appointed to keep the body of Christ holy, 纯的, 和正义的. The leaders are responsible for keeping and protecting the souls of the church.
They are the spiritual caretakers of the children of God. They are responsible for raising the children of God unto spiritual maturity. So that they walk with integrity, 圣洁和公义, 遵照神的旨意, and act as mature sons of God (男性和女性), 就像耶稣一样.
Most churches focus on signs and wonders instead of sanctification, 纪律, 并培养敬虔的品格. But the development of a godly character is more important than the signs and wonders, that follow the believers.
If believers don’t develop a godly character but only focus on signs and wonders, they shall eventually fall.
That’s because they are more focused on the natural manifestations than the things of the Spirit. 正因为如此, it’s easy for the devil to deceive believers.
Divisions are also the work of the devil. Before divisions take place in a church, a lot of things have already taken place in the spiritual realm.
If a church leader is spiritual and awake, the leader will notice the signals and take action to prevent a division. 但不幸的是, not all church leaders are born again and spiritual.
Many church leaders are carnal and are led by their natural senses and rely on their human intellect. 正因为如此, many church leaders don’t see divisions coming.
是什么导致教会分裂?
但, 心爱, 你们还记得我们主耶稣基督的使徒们之前说过的话吗？; 他们上次告诉你应该有嘲笑者, 谁应该随从自己不敬虔的私欲而行. 这些就是那些把自己分开的人, 感性的, 没有圣灵 (裘德 1:17-18)
What does the Bible say about the cause of divisions in the church? 神的话说, that divisions are caused by mockers; 假教师, deceivers, ETC. These mockers can be church leaders but also members of the church.
Don’t underestimate the power of church members. 经常发生这种情况, that manipulative people quietly enter the church and become members of the church. Then they attract and influence as many people as possible with their flattering and manipulative words.
They come with their own insights, 知识, and theories. They speak evil of others, 包括教会的领袖, 以便, they set people up against each other or the leader(s) of the church and cause divisions.
These mockers are workers of the devil and have his character. Their purpose is to disrupt the unity in Christ and change the truth of God into lies.
The mockers, 在教堂任命的
But leaders and ministers, like preachers, 使徒, 传福音者, 先知, 别处, 执事, ETC。, 在教堂任命的, can also cause divisions in the church. In Isaiah chapter three, we read about the mockers aka the unspiritual leaders of the people.
These mockers were not appointed by God, didn’t walk in God’s ways, and didn’t preach His words and truth. But these mockers mislead the people and cause the people of God to go astray.
What are the characteristics of mockers (unspiritual leaders)?
Woe unto them that draw iniquity with cords of vanity, and sin as it were with a cart rope: That say, Let him make speed, and hasten his work, that we may see it: and let the counsel of the Holy One of Israel draw nigh and come, that we may know it Woe unto them that call evil good, 和善恶; 以黑暗为光明, 和光明代替黑暗; 把苦换成甜, 又甜又苦! 那些自以为有智慧的人有祸了, 并在自己看来谨慎! (以赛亚 5:18-21)
The characteristics of mockers are, that they are unspiritual (肉体的人) 跟从肉体而行. They’re not born again and don’t have the Holy Spirit of God abiding in them. But they are natural man, who have the mind of this world.
They speak according to their own insight. Their words and deeds go against the Word of God and His will.
Mockers turn the truth of God into a lie. 这边走, they and the church members can keep living after the flesh in sin.
They are full of pride and consider themselves wise and prudent. And the people, who listen to them exalt them and consider them wise as well.
然而, 他们 使主疲倦 with their words, by calling good evil and evil good.
Mockers put darkness for light and light for darkness. They justify and approve the sins and iniquities of people in the church.
Through their worldly knowledge and wisdom, their charismatic appearance, eloquence, their flattering and motivational words, and possibly their PhD, they are allowed and appointed in the church. From their position they’ll deceive the believers.
Mockers use the Bible for the lusts and desires of the flesh
These mockers walk after the flesh according to their own insight, ungodly lusts, 和欲望. 他们很骄傲, 叛逆的, and stubborn, 并做他们想做的事, whereby they reject the true Word of God.
Mockers twist the words of God in such a way, that it seems like it is indeed written in the Word of God. They don’t use and apply the words of God to the spiritual man (新人). But they use and apply the words of God to the carnal man (那个老人).
这边走, they can keep living after the lusts and desires of the flesh. They can keep doing those things, that they love, but go against the 神的旨意.
Think about Jesus, when the devil tried to tempt Him in the wilderness. 魔鬼没有用他自己的话. But the devil tried to tempt Jesus by using the words of God.
The devil tried to tempt Jesus by using the words of God to fulfill the lusts and desires of the flesh.
But Jesus knew the will of God. He knew that the Kingdom of God and the words of God were not meant to fulfill the lusts and desires of the flesh. 所以, the devil didn’t succeed in tempting Jesus to sin.
Jesus defeated the devil with the spiritual truth of God’s Word. 耶稣没有向魔鬼低头, the lusts and desires of the flesh, 力量, 和财富. But Jesus stayed faithful to the will and the words of God (哦. 马修 4:1-11, 卢克 4:1-13 ) 另请阅读: 我会给你全世界的财富)).
How to prevent divisions in the church?
耶稣是我们的榜样. He showed us how to prevent divisions in the church. 即, by staying faithful to God’s Word and walking after the Spirit in the will of God and the 神的爱.
You don’t stay in the love of God by accepting everyone and everything and by allowing sin in the church. That is a false love. But you stay in the love of God by keeping His commandments, building yourself up in your most holy faith, and by praying in the Holy Spirit.
只有那时, 你会留在他里面, and remain spiritually awake, and discern good (the works of the Kingdom of God) 远离邪恶 (the works of the kingdom of darkness).
When you walk after the Spirit and stay faithful to the Word, you shall be warned in the Spirit for these dangerous persons, these mockers, who cause a lot of sorrow, 混乱, and divisions in the church.
Not only shall they cause a lot of harm in the church. But to the outside world, they shall put a blemish on the church and the Kingdom of God. They shall mock the faith, and damage the Name of Jesus Christ and the Father.
现在我恳求你, 弟兄们, mark them which cause divisions and offences contrary to the doctrine which you have learned; 并避开他们. 因为这样的人不侍奉我们的主耶稣基督, 但他们自己的肚子; 用美好的言辞和公平的言论来欺骗单纯的人的心 (罗马书 16:17-18)
你与一个人做什么, who causes divisions in the church?
神的话说, that you should admonish a person, who is a heretic and causes divisions in the church. If the person is not willing to listen after the second admonition, you should reject the person and remove the person from the congregation.
A man that is an heretick after the first and second admonition reject; Knowing that he that is such is subverted, and sinneth, being condemned of himself (提图斯 3:10-11)
Stay faithful to Jesus; 这个单词
As long as the church stays faithful to Jesus; the Word and walks after the Spirit in holiness and righteousness and bears the 圣灵的果子, and leaves the spirits of the world, that operates in ungodly carnal people, outside the church, then divisions will be prevented in the church.
所以, watch and stay awake! Ensure that you will not be misled and deceived by 错误的教义 of those, who misuse the words of God for the fulfilling of the lusts and desires of the flesh (2 彼得 3). Because when you allow these false doctrines into your heart, you shall not be unshakable and unwavering anymore, but you shall depart from the faith, just like the preachers of these false doctrines.
这就是为什么, it is important to be重生 充满圣灵, and study and apply the Word of God in your life, so that you grow up into the full knowledge of Jesus Christ; 这个单词.
‘成为地球之盐’
