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Lesson 3July 8-14/14The Unity of the Gospel
Red Script = Main Point / Blue Script= Directive / Double underline= Important to remember / Boxed= Biblical Text & SDA Commentary Reference / Green Script: A Possible AnswerMemory Text:“Complete my joy by being of the same mind, having the same love, being in full accord and of one mind” (Philippians 2:2, ESV).
Protestant reformer John Calvin believed that disunity and division were the devil’s chief device against the church, and he warned that Christians should avoid schism like the plague.
But should unity be preserved at the cost of truth? Imagine if Martin Luther, the father of the Protestant Reformation, had in the name of unity chosen to recant his views on salvation by faith alone when he was brought to trial at the Diet of Worms.
“Had the Reformer yielded a single point, Satan and his hosts would have gained the victory. But his unwavering firmness was the means of emancipating the church, and beginning a new and better era.” — Ellen G. White, The Great Controversy, p. 166.
In Galatians 2:1-14, we find the apostle doing all in his power to maintain the unity of the apostolic circle in the midst of attempts by some believers to destroy it. But as important as that unity was to Paul, he refused to allow the truth of the gospel to be compromised to achieve it.While there is room for diversity within unity, the gospel must never be compromised in the process.
Sunday, July 9The Importance of Unity
Read 1 Corinthians 1:10-13 (Sectarianism Is Sin) 10Now I plead with you, brethren, by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that you all speak the same thing, andthatthere be no divisions among you, butthatyou be perfectly joined together in the same mind and in the same judgment.11For it has been declared to me concerning you, my brethren, by those of Chloe’shousehold,that there are contentions among you.12Now I say this, that each of you says, “I am of Paul,” or “I am of Apollos,” or “I am of Cephas,” or “I am of Christ.”13Is Christ divided? Was Paul crucified for you? Or were you baptized in the name of Paul?
What does this passage tell us about how important Paul believed unity in the church was?A Possible Answer: We see here in this passage how important unity was to Paul by the intensity of his earnestness in his appeal and the fact that he calls for unity in the name of the highest power that exists, Jesus... the founder of the church. ‘This earnest plea for unity in the church strikes a note that is heard repeatedly in the preaching of Jesus and the apostles (see John 17:21–23; Rom. 12:16; 15:5, 6; 2 Cor. 13:11; Phil. 2:2; 1 Peter 3:8).’ [1]
Having refuted the allegations that his gospel was not God-given, Paul directs his attention in Galatians 2:1, 2 to another charge being made against him. The false teachers in Galatia claimed that Paul’s gospel was not in harmony with what Peter and the other apostles taught.Paul, they were saying, was a renegade.
In response to this charge, Paul recounts a trip he made to Jerusalem at least fourteen years after his conversion. Though we’re not totally sure when that trip took place, no trip in antiquity was an easy affair. If he traveled by land from Antioch to Jerusalem, the three-hundred-mile trip would have taken at least three weeks and would have involved all kinds of hardships and dangers. Yet, in spite of such difficulties, Paul undertook the journey, not because the apostles had summoned him but because the Spirit had. And while he was there, he set his gospel before the apostles.
Why did he do that? Certainly not because he had any doubt about what he was teaching. He certainly did not need any kind of reassurance from them. After all, he already had been proclaiming the same gospel for fourteen years. And though he did not need their permission or approval, either, he highly valued the other apostles’ support and encouragement.
Thus, the accusation that his message was different was not only an attack on Paul but also an attack on the unity of the apostles, and on the church itself.Maintaining apostolic unity was vital, because a division between Paul’s Gentile mission and the mother-church in Jerusalem would have had disastrous consequences. With no fellowship between the Gentile and Jewish Christians, then “Christ would be divided, and all the energy which Paul had devoted, and hoped to devote, to the evangelizing of the Gentile world would be frustrated.” — F. F. Bruce, The Epistle to the Galatians (Grand Rapids, Mich.: William B. Eerdmans Publishing Company, 1982), p. 111.
What are some issues that threaten the unity of the church today? A Possible Answer:Among Christians there should always exist the harmony that results from a common purpose, common hopes, and common desires.Harmony among believers and unity of action require a basic unity with respect to fundamental beliefs and to the objectives and methods of the church. But unity does not require absolute uniformity in every detail. As long as men think at all there are bound to be differences of opinion on minor points. But despite this diversity there can still be common agreement concerning principles and working policy. In fact, unity is more a matter of the heart than of the mind. Christians should be able to work together harmoniously despite differences in viewpoint if the spirit of pride is suppressed by a genuine desire to work together. Then, differences between men will decrease and a cordial bond of fellowship will unite all (see on John 17:21; Rom. 12:10, 16).Hence, depending on the geographical area, issues include that of...1) the very understanding of unity itself... is it a principle, uniformity in idea or expression, exactness? 2) the place, role and power of the human femalespecie (women) in ministry. 2) The degree to which culture should impact and be portrayed in the ministry and life of the church. 3) The expression of worship styles that would be acceptable to God. 4) The place and right of certain type of music within the church. 5)
More important, after we define them, how do we deal with them? A Possible Answer: D) surrender personal biases or preferences to that which reflects the will of the larger body and is in harmony with the administration/government of God. C) See the issue for what it is.... is it a matter of universal law, a principle or doctrinal correctness or is it a matter of preference or custom. B) Prayerfully come together and discuss the issues. A) Have an intentional mind or disposition to be united.
What issues are more important than unity itself?A Possible Answer: In some ways nothing is more important than unity itself. But as a precursor and threat to experiencing unity the following things are primary... A) Having the mind and spirit of Christ as seen in conversion. B) Being led by the Spirit. C) Having the will and mind to be united.
MondayJuly 10Circumcision and the False Brothers
Why was circumcision such a focal point in the dispute between Paul and certain Jewish Christians? A Possible Answer: It was such a focal point because... A) It was highly valued by its adherents. Here, Paul demonstrated greater allegiance to the Gospel and its freedom than to the traditions and customs of the Jewish nation. B) There was a prevailing feeling that they were defenders of the ‘truth’ plus it was felt that they had the responsibility to teach it to all new adherents. What Paul was teaching was believed to be falsehood, heresy and worthy of damnation.
See.... Genesis 17:1-22 (The Sign of the Covenant) 1When Abram was ninety-nine years old, theLordappeared to Abram and said to him, “IamAlmighty God; walk before Me and be blameless.2And I will make My covenant between Me and you, and will multiply you exceedingly.”3Then Abram fell on his face, and God talked with him, saying:4“As for Me, behold, My covenant is with you, and you shall be a father of many nations.5No longer shall your name be called Abram, but your name shall be Abraham; for I have made you a father of many nations.6I will make you exceedingly fruitful; and I will make nations of you, and kings shall come from you.7And I will establish My covenant between Me and you and your descendants after you in their generations, for an everlasting covenant, to be God to you and your descendants after you.8Also I give to you and your descendants after you the land in which you are a stranger, all the land of Canaan, as an everlasting possession; and I will be their God.” 9And God said to Abraham: “As for you, you shall keep My covenant, you and your descendants after you throughout their generations.10ThisisMy covenant which you shall keep, between Me and you and your descendants after you: Every male child among you shall be circumcised;11and you shall be circumcised in the flesh of your foreskins, and it shall be a sign of the covenant between Me and you.12He who is eight days old among you shall be circumcised, every male child in your generations, he who is born in your house or bought with money from any foreigner who is not your descendant.13He who is born in your house and he who is bought with your money must be circumcised, and My covenant shall be in your flesh for an everlasting covenant.14And the uncircumcised male child, who is not circumcised in the flesh of his foreskin, that person shall be cut off from his people; he has broken My covenant.” 15Then God said to Abraham, “As for Sarai your wife, you shall not call her name Sarai, but Sarahshall beher name.16And I will bless her and also give you a son by her; then I will bless her, and she shall bea mother ofnations; kings of peoples shall be from her.” 17Then Abraham fell on his face and laughed, and said in his heart, “Shalla childbe born to a man who is one hundred years old? And shall Sarah, who is ninety years old, beara child?”18And Abraham said to God, “Oh, that Ishmael might live before You!” 19Then God said: “No, Sarah your wife shall bear you a son, and you shall call his name Isaac; I will establish My covenant with him for an everlasting covenant,andwith his descendants after him.20And as for Ishmael, I have heard you. Behold, I have blessed him, and will make him fruitful, and will multiply him exceedingly. He shall beget twelve princes, and I will make him a great nation.21But My covenant I will establish with Isaac, whom Sarah shall bear to you at this set time next year.”22Then He finished talking with him, and God went up from Abraham. Galatians 2:3-5 3Yet not even Titus whowaswith me, being a Greek, was compelled to be circumcised.4Andthis occurredbecause of false brethren secretly brought in (who came in by stealth to spy out our liberty which we have in Christ Jesus, that they might bring us into bondage),5to whom we did not yield submission even for an hour, that the truth of the gospel might continue with you. Galatians 5:2Indeed I, Paul, say to you that if you become circumcised, Christ will profit you nothing. Galatians 5:6For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision nor uncircumcision avails anything, but faith working through love. Acts 15:1 (Conflict over Circumcision) 1And certainmencame down from Judea and taught the brethren, “Unless you are circumcised according to the custom of Moses, you cannot be saved.” Acts 15:5But some of the sect of the Pharisees who believed rose up, saying, “It is necessary to circumcise them, and to commandthemto keep the law of Moses.”
Why is it not that hard to understand how some could have believed that even the Gentiles needed to undergo it?A Possible Answer:It would not be hard to understand that because they saw it as a part of their responsibility to teach and enforce it. It was also a part of their thinking that it was a necessity for salvation and a prerequisite for being engrafted into the Jewish faith.
Circumcision was the sign of the covenant relationship that God established with Abraham, the father of the Jewish nation. Although circumcision was only for Abraham’s male descendants, everyone was invited into the covenant relationship with God. The sign of circumcision was given to Abraham in Genesis 17. This occurred after Abraham’s disastrous attempt — by fathering a child with his wife’s Egyptian slave — to help God fulfill His promise to him of a son.
Circumcision was a fitting sign of the covenant. It was a reminder that the best-laid plans of humans can never accomplish what God has promised. Outward circumcision was to be a symbol of circumcision of the heart (Deut. 10:16, 30:6, Jer. 4:4, Rom. 2:29). It represents a stripping away of our confidence in ourselves and a faithful dependence on God instead.
During Paul’s time, however, circumcision had become a prized sign of national and religious identity — not what it was originally intended to signify. About one hundred fifty years before Jesus’ birth, some overly zealous patriots not only forced all uncircumcised Jews in Palestine to be circumcised, but they also required it of all men living in the surrounding nations who fell under their jurisdiction. Some even believed circumcision was a passport to salvation. This can be seen in ancient epigrams that confidently declare things such as, “ ‘Circumcised men do not descend into Gehenna [hell].’ ” — C. E. B. Cranfield, A Critical and Exegetical Commentary on the Epistle to the Romans (Edinburgh: T. & T. Clark Ltd., 1975), p. 172.
It would be a mistake to assume that Paul was opposed to circumcision itself.What Paul objected to was the insistence that Gentiles had to submit to circumcision. The false teachers said: “ ‘Unless you are circumcised according to the custom of Moses, you cannot be saved’ ” (Acts 15:1, NKJV). The issue, then, was not really about circumcision but about salvation.Salvation is either by faith in Christ alone, or it is something earned by human obedience.
Maybe today circumcision isn’t the issue. But what (if anything) do we as a church struggle with that parallels this problem? A Possible Answer: For some of our members, it struggle with... A) The relationship between being a vegetarian and salvation. B) The acceptance of the writings of Ellen G. White in the process of sanctification. Does it carry the same authority as the Bible or not. C) To what degree does a person have to know and except all of the fundamental beliefs of the church over against the ABC’s of salvation (Accept/Believe/Confess). D) The relationship between righteousness and works in the salvationary process.
TuesdayJuly 11Unity in Diversity
ReadGalatians 2:1-10 (Defending the Gospel) 1Then after fourteen years I went up again to Jerusalem with Barnabas, and also took Titus withme.2And I went up by revelation, and communicated to them that gospel which I preach among the Gentiles, but privately to those who were of reputation, lest by any means I might run, or had run, in vain.3Yet not even Titus whowaswith me, being a Greek, was compelled to be circumcised.4Andthis occurredbecause of false brethren secretly brought in (who came in by stealth to spy out our liberty which we have in Christ Jesus, that they might bring us into bondage),5to whom we did not yield submission even for an hour, that the truth of the gospel might continue with you. 6But from those who seemed to be something—whatever they were, it makes no difference to me; God shows personal favoritism to no man—for those who seemedto be somethingadded nothing to me.7But on the contrary, when they saw that the gospel for the uncircumcised had been committed to me, asthe gospelfor the circumcisedwasto Peter8(for He who worked effectively in Peter for the apostleship to the circumcised also worked effectively in me toward the Gentiles),9and when James, Cephas, and John, who seemed to be pillars, perceived the grace that had been given to me, they gave me and Barnabas the right hand of fellowship, that weshould goto the Gentiles and they to the circumcised.10They desiredonly that we should remember the poor, the very thing which I also was eager to do.
Bondage. That is, to the requirements of the ritual law and to legalism (see chs. 4:3, 9, 24, 25, 31; 5:1, 2). All who adopt the principle of legalism—that salvation can be earned by conformity to a prescribed code—obviously bind themselves to comply with every requirement of that code. They become bondservants of the law, obliged to do “all things which are written in the book of the law” (ch. 3:10). Should the Judaizers have their way, the liberty of the gospel would be exchanged for the bondage that comes from dependence on works.
Paul says that the false brothers “slipped in to spy out our freedom that we have in Christ Jesus, so that they might bring us into slavery” (Gal. 2:4, ESV). What are Christians free from? A Possible Answer: That is, freedom from the requirements of the ritual law and from legalism as a means of salvation.