Bible Unity

[0:00] Psalm 133 Had some blessed fellowship, I think, of these days together and it's been encouraging.

[0:21] ! We see that in Psalm 133, Bible unity, Bible togetherness that we can enjoy as brothers and sisters in Christ.

[0:42] As we have relationship with the Father, we have relationship together with our brothers and sisters as well. And so it follows on in that regard. Psalm 133 Let's rise and as we read the Word of God together shall we?

[0:58] Psalm 133 From verse 1 through to 3 Behold how good and how pleasant it is for brethren to dwell together in unity.

[1:11] It is like the precious ointment upon the head that ran down upon the beard, even Aaron's beard that went down to the skirts of his garments as the Jew of Hermon and as the Jew that descended upon the mountains of Zion.

[1:26] For there the Lord commanded the blessing, even life forevermore. Let us pray. Lord, we thank you for our word, your word that is our word.

[1:37] Lord, the word that you give to us that we treasure and for our fellowship together. Help us, Lord, to learn of you and to put it into our lives, we pray. For your glory, Lord Jesus, we pray.

[1:50] Amen. Amen. Amen. Please be seated. Bible unity. Bible togetherness. Brethren in unity. Contrast that with unity at all costs.

[2:05] We're living in a serious hour today on the church scene. There's much compromise and apostasy. Where Bible truth is not the foundation and the starting point.

[2:16] there's danger. Truth is fallen in the stream we read in Isaiah 59 14. There's a battle for truth. There's a call for returning to the old paths of sound doctrine, of biblical Christianity, of doctrine and practice that's founded upon his word.

[2:38] Godly unity is what we read off here in Psalm 133. That's what we want to aspire to. Godly unity, biblical unity where we're joining together as brothers and sisters.

[2:49] Not a joining together that the ecumenical movement would put where it's a tolerance of all manner of doctrinal confusion. Really that is an attack on God's church. Ecumenism it means literally the whole world.

[3:06] It's the spirit of end times apostasy. An unholy alliance we've seen that where some leading evangelists now regularly send Roman Catholic converts so called back to the Roman Catholic Church.

[3:19] We're seeing Roman Catholic priests as members of many ministers fraternals and Anglican uniting and Catholic churches banding together forming their own theological school in Adelaide.

[3:32] The sixth state of the ecumenical church. Brothers and sisters and it's endemic now. We're seeing same-sex relationships so called occurring amongst the clergy of these churches yet they take no action.

[3:47] The Bible says, Amos 3.3 How can two walk together unless they be agreed? In Psalm 133 it's brethren dwelling together in unity. It's not some unity at the expense of biblical truth where the walls of separation are broken down between truth and error. Friends, the Roman Catholic Church for example has turned Christianity into a kind of idolatry with its mass and papacy, the saints and Mary worship. Yet Christians too are getting swept along by this as if they can join forces with such error. And yet friends today we cannot, we must not, we must hold fast to the truth and follow the Bible. Because true unity is based on the Word of God. It's based on a common stand, on God's Word, a common salvation, a common faith.

[4:51] As Paul said, Speak thou the things that become. Sound doctrine. Titus 2.1 And the Word foretells the Antichrist and the false unity that will come under his control in Revelation 17 and 18. And we're forewarn of an apostasy of falling away in many verses. For example, in 2 Thessalonians 2.3 Let no man deceive you by any means, for that day shall not come except there come a falling away first. 2 Thessalonians 2.3 1 Timothy 4.1 it says, Now the Spirit speaketh expressly that in the latter times some shall depart from the faith, giving heed to seducing spirits and doctrines of devils. 2 Timothy 3.13 But evil men and seducers shall wax worse and worse, deceiving and being deceived.

[5:47] 2 Timothy 4.3-4 For the time shall come when they will not endure sound doctrine, but after their own lusts shall they heap to themselves teachers having itching ears. 3 And they shall turn away their ears from the truth and shall be turned unto fables. As John warns, Beloved, believe not every spirit, but try the spirits, whether they are of God, because many false prophets are gone out into the world. And Revelation 17 tells us, Of a woman on a scarlet-coloured beast, upon her forehead was a name written, Mystery Babylon, the mother of harlots and abominations of the earth. And I saw the woman drunken with the blood of the saints and with the blood of the martyrs of Jesus. There is a unity, a false unity, an ecumenical unity. For God's people we reject that. We want instead Bible unity, Bible-based unity. And so Bible-based unity is very different because it's got a foundation on Bible truth. On Bible truth.

[6:58] If you want to find some meaning or a standard spelling of a word, you go to the dictionary. The dictionary sets the standard for our spelling. Why is there a Bible? It sets the standard for our faith.

[7:12] The word must be our foundation, not man's views or the latest facts or thinking of men or philosophies or training of men, but the word must be the foundation. Bible unity comes true, Bible truth. And we can be certain of our faith. This is not some hope so or think so or suppose so. We know so. We know with the apostle. We know the only true God. We know the Son of God has come. We know that judgment of God is against iniquity. We know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ. We know the Father. We know the Spirit of God. We know the voice of the Shepherd. We know that we have passed from death unto life. We know whom we have believed. We can know so. We can know because we have the Word of God to instruct us so and we are certain of what we believe because of the Bible basis for it. The Bible alone is the basis for it.

[8:11] The Bible alone is the basis for the unity that we enjoy as a church of God. That we stand fast with one spirit, with one mind. With one mind. Philippians 1 verse 27. That we speak the same things. Being perfectly joined together in the same mind and in the same judgment. 1 Corinthians 1 10.

[8:31] Philippians 2 2. We are like minded. Having the same love. Being of one accord of one mind. What a wonderful bond there is. It's a bond. Not a bondage but a bonding together. A brother and brother. Of sister and sister. Of that blessed unity.

[8:48] How blessed unity. How blessed it is. How good it is. How pleasant it is. The psalmist says when Bible unites believers in the bonds of love and peace. In the one church.

[9:02] Of course there is different churches represented here this morning. Because we are like minded in the faith. Assembling separately yet of that one church of God. Bible truth. It leads to Bible unity.

[9:18] Paul writes in Ephesians 4. Endeavouring to keep the unity of the spirit in the bond of peace. There is a unity in the Holy Spirit. There is a unity in that one faith.

[9:28] of Ephesians 4. So we all come in the unity of the faith.

[9:58] the doctrine of the doctrine of it. And God makes us a symphony together. Different ones playing different parts. As we like as a church for everyone to play some role. Where we can exercise biblical doctrine and practice.

[10:12] And be playing together as a symphony of different instruments in harmony. And so as a Bible church. We want to guard against disunity.

[10:23] We know for example in 1 Corinthians there was much of that. From for example 1 verse 12. There are contentions among you. We need to be guarded about that. And as we have brotherly love.

[10:36] As we exercise brotherly love. We can overcome such disunity. In Romans 14.1 it talks about doubtful disputations. Personal preferences that again can be a cause for conflict.

[10:51] True Bible unity comes as not necessarily that we are clones of one another. All exactly practicing the same things. But that we are in accord with the word of God.

[11:03] That the word of God sets the course for our lives. That we are in a sound Bible based church. Where we care about the Bible. We care about truth.

[11:14] And purpose that God will give to us. We care about our relationship with God. Which is the ultimate objective. And we uphold his word. And spread the gospel.

[11:25] It's like someone puts it. Ten men banded together in love and unity. Can do what ten thousand separately would fail to do. Unity in the church is something we long for.

[11:36] We hunger for. That blessed unity of Psalm 133. How good. How pleasant it is. For brethren. It's well together in unity. And it comes as we have the love of his word.

[11:51] The love of the truth. It changes our whole life. Our whole lifestyle. Back in the early church days. There was a martyr called Lucian of Antioch.

[12:04] And the persecutors said to Lucian. Where do you come from? He replied. I am a Christian. What's your business?

[12:15] Who's your family? I am a Christian. I am a Christian. To Lucian Christ was all. Christ was all. Whether of country.

[12:26] Of occupation. Of family. The cross revolutionizes our lives. The cross revolutionizes our relationships and our life. And like Lucian.

[12:37] We have that one allegiance. To Christ alone. To Christ alone. That brings that unity for our lives. And that's what the word shows to us. As the early church.

[12:49] They were standing fast in one spirit. With one mind. Striving together. For the faith of the gospel. Working together. Bible truth. Underpins that Bible unity.

[13:01] And when we've got Bible truth. It leads to Bible contention. Contention. Now that sounds like a contradiction really. Doesn't it? Unity. But contention.

[13:13] Of course we're talking about godly contention. There is such a thing as godly contention. And I'm not talking about argumentativeness. For argument's sake. Or people trying to outwit one another.

[13:26] With theological debate. But Jude 3. Jude 1.3. That familiar one. Beloved. When I gave all diligence to write unto you. Of the common salvation.

[13:38] It was needful for me. To write unto you. That you should earnestly contend. For the faith. Which was once delivered. To the saints. There's a contention for Bible faith.

[13:51] A contention for the truth. To stand strongly for it. To stand for the absolute truth of it. As Paul did. I have not shunned to declare unto you.

[14:02] All the counsel of God. You know. Sadly. These days. There's much. To be desired. On the church front. Compromised.

[14:12] Softness. Wishy-washiness. Weakness. Watered down words. There's gospels being preached. That aren't the gospel. There's converts. Being claimed. That aren't converts.

[14:24] We need more than ever before. To stand. To rise up and stand. As Jude urged. The people. To contend. Earnestly.

[14:35] For the faith. For the faith. We're contending for something. We're contending for. The cause of righteousness. And truth. To call sin.

[14:46] Sin. To declare the absolute truth. Of God's word. We've got something worth fighting for. Fighting for. Truth on fire.

[14:57] Be willing to carry. The reproach of the cross. Be willing to be outspoken. Not that we're out to. Put. People under condemnation. Or tie them up. In knots.

[15:08] But we've got something that. Is worth. Contending for. To plead with people. To be saved. To cry out. The message. To extend his grace.

[15:21] To extend his invitation. To reach out. In his love. In his compassion. To those that know him not. To be willing to be outspoken. Bold.

[15:32] Angry at the devil. What the devil is doing to our nation. To what the devil is doing. To our communities. To be zealous for the truth. To stand for it.

[15:43] To reprove. To rebuke. To exhort. They're contending words. Contending words. It means to fight. To combat. To battle. And we are to do it.

[15:55] Half heartedly. Half heartedly. Does he say. Consent. Half heartedly. For the faith. He says. Consent. Earnestly. For the faith. Have you lost your earnestness. For the kingdom. That earnestness.

[16:06] That longing to be his. To be. About. What he would have you to be about. That relationship. That he longs for. I've been challenged.

[16:17] Already this morning. By that. Just the thought of that. That earnestness. Have we lost it? Phinehas. In Numbers 25. He was.

[16:28] Zealous. For his God. Zealous. For his God. Are we like those. In Jeremiah 9. Verse 3. When they're looking for some men. They couldn't find hardly any men.

[16:40] Valiant. For the truth. Valiant. For the truth. Men who are willing to be. Part of the army. Of God. Not as conscripts. Not as drafted.

[16:51] But as. Volunteers. To say. Yes Lord. Yes Lord. Send me. Use me. To step. Forward. For the fight. The fight against sin.

[17:02] In our own lives. To fight against sin. In the churches. As we see. 1 Corinthians. It's all about that. To fight against false teachers. And false doctrine.

[17:13] As Paul. In Galatians. Against hypocrisy. And evil. Among Christian leaders. There's a time to contend. Bible contention.

[17:24] Truth has fallen in the streets. We need. More than ever. To be zealous. For our God. To be valiant. For the truth. Because the quicksand. Of compromise.

[17:35] Is all about us. Where some. Have just lost. Complete sight. Of it. The truth. The truth. Has got so watered down. It's hard to discern it. In many places today.

[17:47] And we ought to be militant. For what matters. Friends. We've talked about Bible truth. That must be the foundation stone.

[17:58] Bible contention. It's not a contending. To make argument. To cause squabbles. And petty differences. Amongst believers. We'll always have that. We'll always have.

[18:09] Different views. Different learnings. Different backgrounds. Different ways of seeing things. And that's not an unhealthy thing. It's like a diamond. It's got many facets. We can see.

[18:20] From different angles. But that. Said. There are things. We must say. Thus saith the Lord. There are some things. There's no questioning about.

[18:30] And for those. We must contend. And lastly. Bible truth leads us. To Bible separation. Bible separation. That's a bit of a dirty word too.

[18:41] Some mock at that. Some would say. Almost mockingly. Be ye separate. You know. As if it's some. Weird kind of thing. Some kind of. Not trendy.

[18:51] To be separate anymore. But there is a biblical separation. And again. It's not. That we've got to. Walk around like the Amish. Or be in something.

[19:03] That looks. Strange or weird. But we need to. Find for ourselves. What does the Bible say to me. And I must obey it. And. Who cares what others might think.

[19:14] I will be true to my conscience. I will be true to the Bible truth. That. Even if I'm unpopular. And even if. Others might neglect it. I will be true to it.

[19:24] I will be true to what God. Instructs me to do. As I understand it. To be. And Bible separation. It. Is a very important. Bible doctrine. It's an important.

[19:36] Responsibility for us. As we urged in 1 John 5. Keep yourselves from idols. We must keep separate from idols. We've heard how even. Religious things can become idols.

[19:47] We must ensure a purity. In our relationship with God. And be aware that the God of this world. Is always about. To attract and snare us. Be separate from worldliness.

[19:58] That feeds the old nature. Have no fellowship. With anyone or anything. That's disobedient to the word of God. In Ephesians 5.11. Paul says.

[20:09] But rather. Reprove them. Reprove them. Those things that are. Out of accord with him. We are to reprove. To speak against. We are to reject.

[20:21] Heretics. Titus 3. Verse 10. And that is one who denies Bible truth. Of course. The word. Urges us to restore people too. It's not that we are to.

[20:32] View another as if. They're beyond redemption. But to restore. Those that might. Have false teaching. To. Urge them to Bible truth.

[20:42] To guide them. To be. Understanding the word. Yet there are some. Of whom. That words are likened to a canker. That means a spreading.

[20:54] Eating sore. We don't want. The body to be. Harmed. By that which would. Hurt. As a spreading.

[21:06] Eating sore would. As a canker would. And 2 Timothy 2.16. To 17. Says. That that is something. We need to be guarded against. In the. In the church of God. And being separate.

[21:18] It means. We're drawing from. Doctrinal error. We're not to be yoked together with that. To be identified with that. But rather to be identified. With the holiness of God.

[21:29] Instead. A love for that. A separation to Christ. And from the world. And so friends. We. Liken it to the Israelites. They were separate.

[21:40] From the heathen nations. We're a nation. As it were. A new nation. God's people. We're commanded to. To not be. Unequally yoked. Or tied together.

[21:51] With unbelievers. But to come out. And to cleanse ourselves. To perfect holiness. In the fear of God. So. For every one of us. We all need to. Consider. What does that mean?

[22:01] What is God speaking to me? In my life? How can I be. More separated. Unto God? How can I be more. Avoiding of sin. In my life. How can. I rather seek.

[22:12] To please the Lord. With how I live. To honour him. Not something that I. Can do so that I can brag about it. But because I hold the book dear. Because I hold.

[22:24] The demands of that book. Dear. And true. I will obey them. And so. For all of us. Through our lives. We need to exercise.

[22:34] That discernment. As Paul urged. Prove all things. Hold fast that which is good. 1 Thessalonians 5. Verse 21. To judge between the true.

[22:44] And the false. And to obey that scripture. In Revelation. 18. Verse 4. Come out of her. My people. That you be not partakers. Of her sins. And that you receive not.

[22:57] Her plagues. There is a command there. Come out. Come out. How good. And pleasant it is.

[23:07] For brethren. To dwell together. In unity. We've had. Some lovely fellowship. We've had. New brothers and sisters. We've met. Through these days. Of the camp.

[23:17] We want. We want that unity. That unity. Biblical unity. A unity that's. Based on a love. For the Bible truth.

[23:28] Bible truth. And that Bible truth. Is something we want to have. Bible contention for. To contend. For the faith. Earnestly for it.

[23:40] And to have. That Bible. Fellowship. That. Is a separation.

[23:52] A separation. Unto God. Because we want to be. A holy people. A holy people. Again. Not that we have anything to brag about. That we're holier than thou.

[24:03] That our church. Or our churches. Are any. More. Needing. Of his grace. Than any other church. Because.

[24:13] Ultimately. And absolutely. We're all weak. And every church. Can find. A fault. And. Every man.

[24:24] Can be faulty. And the minute we think. We've got it all together. Is the minute. That we'll fall. As the Bible says. If you think. You're not going to fall. Take heed.

[24:35] You know. To yourself. Take heed. If you think. You're not going to fall. Because you will. And so. At all times. We need to have. That humility of mind.

[24:45] That marks the people of God. Friends. To close. Bible truth. It means a faith. That's founded in Christ. In his word. In what he tells us. A Bible.

[24:57] Unity. That is. Prompting us to contend. To cry out. To urge. Others to see Christ. To receive. His truth.

[25:08] To know his salvation. And a Bible. Separation. That. We want to be his. And live like it. To.

[25:18] To know. His grace. And to. Make it. Real. In our lives. There the Lord commanded the blessing. Even life.

[25:29] Forevermore. Let's pray. Shall we. Heavenly Father. We thank you that. We can come. In the. Mercy of God. We can come. Because you've made the way.

[25:40] Open to us. By your blood. We can have access. Into the holiest. We can have relationship. With you Lord. Despite. Our. Unworthiness.

[25:51] Despite. Our. Worthlessness. Of ourselves. Yet Lord. You've made us worthy. Because of the blood. That you shed for us. And Lord. Help us to.

[26:01] Be stirred. Help us to be a biblical people. Help us to be a people. That count your truth. Important. That apply it. In our lives.

[26:12] We pray. If there's any here. That. Have yet to trust you. That even now. They might. See their great lack. Their great need. And bow their hearts. And bow their will to you.

[26:24] And for all of us Lord. That we would humble ourselves. Under your mighty hand. That none of us would think of ourselves. More highly than we ought to think. But that we would all. Be subject.

[26:36] One to another. That we would be. Brothers and sisters. Growing together. Exhorting one another. Edifying one another. In bible truth. And to bible separation.

[26:48] In Jesus name we pray. Amen. Thank you.