WEBVTT

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 I, therefore, a prisoner for the Lord, urge you to walk in a manner worthy of the calling to which

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 you've been called, with all humility and gentleness, with patience, bearing with one

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 another in love, eager to maintain the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace. There is one body

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 and one Spirit, just as you were called to the one hope that belongs to your call, one Lord,

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 one faith, one baptism, one God and Father of all, who is over all and through all and in all. Amen.

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 Now, we're all familiar with the issue of disunity in churches, aren't we? Most of us probably have

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 some type of church hurt story. We've got some type of catastrophic, traumatic event in our past in

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 relation to our church history that we understand what this does and what it looks like, don't we?

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 The symptoms of disunity among Christians are typically very obvious, sometimes even explosive,

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 and those contentions are never random. They're never spontaneous. Disunity is not like spontaneous

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 combustion. It doesn't just happen. There is something going on underneath the surface for

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 quite some time before those explosions take place. Long before a congregation goes to war with itself,

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 long before subsets of Christian groups and traditions fire shots at each other in public,

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 a spirit of division first invades and then eventually pervades the hearts of the individuals involved.

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 The issues that Christians often fight about are hardly the real problem.

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 The problem is an issue of the heart that is left unattended, unrepentant for a significant amount

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 of time, and it always goes back to the subtle ways that we diminish Christ and his gospel as the

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 foundation of our unity with one another. This heart issue, if I can illustrate it this way in kind of a

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 generic way, the heart issue is often revealed in even the subtle way that we shape our prayers.

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 Perhaps you've prayed for God at some point or another to put another Christian in your path,

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 assuming that because that person is a Christian, they will see everything from your perspective and

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 help you to achieve a desired outcome. And that's not necessarily a bad thing. Of course,

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 when it comes to things that are explicitly Christian, that the Bible gives explicit instruction for,

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 and we're in need, we want to pray that God will bless us with other people that will help us and that

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 will encourage us in those processes. Sometimes we let this bleed over into non-essential areas, don't we?

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 What happens when your case, in a particular instance, lands on the desk of a faithful Christian

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 who just simply disagrees with you on the issue at hand?

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 What happens when Christian integrity for the salesperson means that his conscience will not allow

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 him to agree to agree to your particular request in whatever it is that you're discussing or negotiating?

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 When we pray that way and things don't go our way, our tendency then is to assume that either that

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 individual wasn't actually a true Christian or else they would have thought like I think and acted as I

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 wanted them to act instead of acknowledging that faithful Christians sometimes disagree.

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 You see what I'm getting at? Sometimes we assume that if a person is a Christian, he or she must think

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 like us on every issue, even those things unrelated to the essential truth of the gospel.

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 We say that we're gospel people, yet at times we judge someone else's standing with God

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 based on things that are not the gospel. And it shows itself in subtle ways, ways that we don't

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 always comprehend without somebody helping us to see them. It's a hard issue.

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 Kind of divisiveness, it peaked during the pandemic years, didn't it? People started equating Christianity

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 to particular stances on vaccinations and mask mandates and political strategies for dealing

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 with the outbreak. The issue wasn't that there were disagreements among Christians, but that some

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 believers started to insinuate that if someone took an opposing view to theirs, that person must not be a

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 true Christian or at least not a faithful one who's really serious about their Christian experience.

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 Sometimes it's like we just can't comprehend how other Christians could think differently than we do

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 on things. Then we get married and we find out real quick it happens a lot.

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 In the process of that, in the pandemic years, people left their churches that they loved.

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 Some of them, they'd been there for decades. Why? Because they would have rathered worship with

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 someone who responded to COVID according to their preference. Disunity surfaced that was totally

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 unrelated to the gospel. Loved ones, this is a tragedy.

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 We ought not look at those situations with sympathy and say, well, they were just really passionate.

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 No, they were being sinful. This is tragic. It's disunity. Of course, the divisive spirit,

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 it reveals itself in what seems like an infinite amount of ways, doesn't it?

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 We may judge other congregations not on their gospel fidelity, but on how they employ production

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 elements in their worship services. Turning our noses up at committed believers who take approaches

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 to worship that make us uncomfortable. And then we like to make them our favorite punching bags when it

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 comes to ecclesial conversations with people who think like we think. Making other faithful churches,

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 gospel churches, the butt of our jokes.

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 We may denigrate other Christians because of disagreements on secondary and tertiary doctrines,

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 like divine election, like the continuing work of the Holy Spirit, like the age and mode of baptism,

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 like Bible translations, like denominational and network affiliations, like style of preaching,

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 and countless other things. And from there, we tend to create these factions. I'm speaking as

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 Christians at large. We create these factions and these events and these conferences that aren't

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 known primarily for their faithfulness to the gospel, but they're primarily mostly known for the way that

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 they want to distinguish themselves from other Christians. And the worst of it is seen when those

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 disagreements become slanderous and believers begin to wage war on one another, oftentimes with deceptive

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 means and harmful rhetoric. And don't misunderstand me. I don't want you to. I don't mean to say that

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 these disagreements are unimportant. Of course they're important. I don't mean to say that we should soften

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 our convictions to achieve some lowest common denominator type of unity because that's not actually

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 real unity. Still, it is ungodly and sinful to belittle, disparage, and castigate other true Christians.

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 And of course the disunity is as much an issue inside local churches as it is between local churches.

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 We tend to take matters that fit the dynamics of Christian freedom and individual conscience of

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 Romans 14 and we treat them as cases that demand correction and separation.

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 Rather than letting the love and the grace of God rule our hearts, we draw lines of fellowship

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 based on what someone does or does not eat or drink. That's directly from Romans 14.

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 Which media companies we allow our kids to enjoy for entertainment?

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 Whether we use traditional or natural medicines. How we choose to educate our kids.

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 What celebrity preachers or networks we want to associate with.

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 In what ways we respond to issues of race in our community.

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 And on and on and on the list of issues goes.

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 Again, it's not that these things are unimportant.

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 But neither are they the things that bind us together as a people.

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 To make these matters issues of Christian fellowship

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 is to significantly diminish and functionally deny the centrality of the gospel

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 in the unity of God's people.

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 Again, we say we're gospel people.

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 We say we're centered on the gospel in all things.

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 And yet, the way that we relate to one another,

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 the way that we relate to other believers outside of our congregation even,

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 is not based on gospel unity.

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 It's based on secondary unity and secondary divisions

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 that are unrelated to the gospel message.

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 This ought not be so.

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 I'm happy to be a Calvinist.

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 Arminians are not lesser Christians.

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 And they are not less serious about Bible doctrine than I am.

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 They are not my enemies.

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 They are my brothers and sisters.

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 And they're yours too.

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 If you're in Christ as they are.

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 I am Baptist by conviction.

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 If I can be honest,

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 one of my biggest regrets for when we started the church

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 is that we didn't just say that we're a Baptist church.

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 And we can save that conversation for another day.

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 But I'm Baptist by conviction.

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 But the many denominations and churches

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 that practice infant baptism

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 or follow other forms of church polity

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 that aren't congregationalism,

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 look, they're not our enemies.

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 They're our brothers.

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 Continuationists.

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 They're not my enemies.

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 Congregations with more contemporary worship styles.

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 They're not my enemies.

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 What binds us together is not these things.

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 What binds us together is God's work of grace

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 in our common salvation.

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 I love that Spurgeon quote.

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 I'm sure you've heard it before.

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 Spurgeon said,

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 I would propose that the subject of the ministry in this house,

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 that is the Metropolitan Tabernacle

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 where he pastored in London,

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 as long as this platform shall stand

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 and as long as this house shall be frequented by worshipers,

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 shall be the person of Jesus Christ.

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 I'm never ashamed to avow myself a Calvinist.

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 I do not hesitate to take the name Baptist.

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 But if I am asked what is my creed,

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 I reply,

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 it is Jesus Christ.

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 Now Spurgeon had deep convictions.

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 Spurgeon was honest about those convictions.

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 Yet he understood that the basis of Christian unity

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 is not those things.

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 unity is not uniformity.

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 Unity is not freedom from disagreement.

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 So if you're looking for a church

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 where everybody's gonna agree with you

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 and think like you,

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 you might as well just do it at home

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 because you're never gonna find it.

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 You're not meant to.

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 Unity is freedom from unnecessary divisions.

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 among true Christians.

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 It's freedom from a derisive spirit

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 regarding things unrelated

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 to what God has used to bring us together.

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 Namely, the gospel of Jesus.

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 And these six verses in Ephesians 4

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 provide explicit instruction.

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 This is not implicit.

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 It is straightforward.

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 Explicit.

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 On how to relate to one another in the church.

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 And to unbelievers outside of the church.

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 And I want you to notice that this command

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 leads off with tremendous urgency.

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 Look again at verse one.

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 Paul says,

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 I therefore, a prisoner for the Lord,

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 urge you to walk in a manner

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 worthy of the calling

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 to which you have been called.

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 There's nothing casual about this.

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 Obedience to this instruction is not optional.

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 Urge here, of course,

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 is the root word for urgency.

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 Emphasizing the critical importance

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 of the concerns Paul addressed

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 in the final three chapters of this letter.

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 This urgency that he speaks of here,

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 it implies that what follows

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 are matters of success and failure.

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 We might even say matters of life and death

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 when it comes to local churches.

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 And the umbrella principle

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 that he introduces in verse one

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 and is gonna continue,

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 everything in chapters four through six

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 is gonna follow underneath

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 this first verse in chapter four.

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 The principle thing that he introduces here

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 is the necessity of walking worthy of our call.

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 Living up to the reality of who we are in Christ.

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 That's the umbrella thing.

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 Walk worthy of your call.

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 Walk, of course, it indicates motion.

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 You know this.

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 It refers to our manner of life.

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 Walking worthy, in this case,

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 means that our lives are characterized by our call.

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 But what exactly is our call?

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 Well, that was answered for us.

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 Beginning first in chapter one in verse five.

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 Just set your eyes on it.

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 Notice what Paul says.

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 God predestined us for adoption to himself

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 as sons through Jesus Christ

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 according to the purpose of his will.

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 What is our call?

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 We were chosen.

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 We were called by God

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 to adoption as sons through Jesus Christ.

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 In other words, our call from God

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 is to be his children,

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 taking his name as our own,

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 living in a manner that is worthy of that name

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 that we receive through the gracious work

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 of Jesus Christ in his death and resurrection.

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 This text and text like it always reminds me

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 of something that my dad used to say

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 when we were growing up.

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 Whenever I went somewhere without him,

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 perhaps your parents did something like this.

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 He understood the potential of embarrassment

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 that I might bring on the family name.

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 And dad would always ask me to tell him my full name

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 and we would go,

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 we would rehearse this whole process

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 and he would remind me

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 that everything that I did

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 was a reflection on the name

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 that he and I share.

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 The Blankenship name.

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 As Harold Blankenship's son,

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 I represent him to some extent.

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 And he wanted me to be mindful of that

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 whenever he wasn't around

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 in case I did something stupid.

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 But he would always follow the statement

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 by arguing from the lesser to the greater.

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 That's what the writer of Hebrews so often does.

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 First, he would say,

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 what's your name?

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 I'd say, Jared Blankenship,

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 you need to remember that you and I share a name

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 and what you do reflects on me.

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 He said, but more important than that,

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 you're a child of God.

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 You share his name.

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 And living worthy of that name

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 is far more important

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 than living worthy of the Blankenship name.

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 As Christians, everything we do,

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 it reflects on the name of our Father,

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 on the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.

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 And this is the idea Paul was conveying here

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 with such urgency in this opening verse.

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 He's saying,

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 Christians, live worthy of the name

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 to which you have been called

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 and adopted into the family of God.

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 And eventually, Paul's gonna get to

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 various areas of purity and holiness in this book.

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 Areas that must be tended to

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 if we are going to walk worthy of our call.

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 But the very first issue he tackled

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 is Christian unity.

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 Many of you know my brother.

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 And you know that there's a lot of things

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 that Jonathan and I are similar in.

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 There's a lot of things that Jonathan and I

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 are dissimilar in.

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 And you know us both well enough to know that.

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 We can argue.

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 We can annoy each other to no end.

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 But on Thursday,

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 when I called and said,

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 hey, Julie had to be taken to the hospital.

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 I'm not there.

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 Can you help me get the girls?

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 You know what he did?

00:19:23.319 --> 00:19:24.079
 He didn't say,

00:19:24.359 --> 00:19:26.440
 well, if you had a better perspective

00:19:26.440 --> 00:19:27.799
 of the plurality of elders

00:19:27.799 --> 00:19:29.059
 in a local congregation,

00:19:29.480 --> 00:19:32.079
 maybe I would consider helping you.

00:19:34.660 --> 00:19:36.240
 No, he said, I'll be right there.

00:19:36.440 --> 00:19:36.960
 You know why?

00:19:37.700 --> 00:19:38.799
 Because he's my brother.

00:19:40.519 --> 00:19:42.319
 What binds us together

00:19:42.319 --> 00:19:45.900
 is our family name.

00:19:46.980 --> 00:19:49.299
 And Paul's saying right from the very beginning,

00:19:49.819 --> 00:19:51.480
 what binds us together

00:19:51.480 --> 00:19:53.720
 is our call,

00:19:54.639 --> 00:19:57.859
 our common call to salvation in Jesus Christ

00:19:57.859 --> 00:20:00.619
 that we share the same Father.

00:20:01.420 --> 00:20:02.879
 And it is with that understanding

00:20:02.879 --> 00:20:05.259
 that he works into these principles

00:20:05.259 --> 00:20:06.119
 of Christian unity.

00:20:06.339 --> 00:20:07.960
 Just three basic ones

00:20:07.960 --> 00:20:09.519
 that are easy to figure out.

00:20:09.519 --> 00:20:11.059
 You can, you're sensible people.

00:20:11.400 --> 00:20:13.099
 You can sort this out on your own.

00:20:13.180 --> 00:20:14.759
 But let me just give you some direction here.

00:20:14.819 --> 00:20:15.879
 The first thing I want you to see

00:20:15.879 --> 00:20:17.920
 is the mandate for unity.

00:20:18.440 --> 00:20:19.539
 The mandate for unity.

00:20:19.799 --> 00:20:20.200
 And for this,

00:20:20.259 --> 00:20:22.500
 we're going to directly to verse three.

00:20:22.799 --> 00:20:23.799
 We're going to come back to verse two,

00:20:23.960 --> 00:20:25.359
 but we're going to go first to verse three.

00:20:25.759 --> 00:20:26.960
 Notice what Paul says.

00:20:27.319 --> 00:20:28.359
 We are to be eager

00:20:28.359 --> 00:20:31.700
 to maintain the unity of the spirit

00:20:31.700 --> 00:20:34.700
 in the bond of peace.

00:20:34.700 --> 00:20:38.160
 All of the instruction in these verses here,

00:20:38.220 --> 00:20:39.360
 in verses two through six,

00:20:39.440 --> 00:20:42.240
 all of them revolve around this statement.

00:20:43.299 --> 00:20:44.860
 Pay very close attention

00:20:44.860 --> 00:20:47.180
 to the language that he's using.

00:20:48.140 --> 00:20:50.319
 Notice that the Christian's task

00:20:50.319 --> 00:20:53.019
 is not to achieve unity,

00:20:53.680 --> 00:20:56.160
 but to maintain the unity

00:20:56.160 --> 00:20:59.299
 that the Holy Spirit has already provided.

00:20:59.759 --> 00:21:00.640
 Do you see that?

00:21:00.640 --> 00:21:02.420
 Just look at the verse again.

00:21:03.780 --> 00:21:09.660
 Eager to maintain the unity of the spirit.

00:21:11.620 --> 00:21:14.000
 No Christian can create unity.

00:21:14.500 --> 00:21:15.440
 And if you're here today

00:21:15.440 --> 00:21:16.580
 and you're not a Christian,

00:21:16.840 --> 00:21:18.220
 I'm glad you're here.

00:21:18.480 --> 00:21:19.660
 I really am.

00:21:20.580 --> 00:21:22.300
 We have the greatest news

00:21:22.300 --> 00:21:23.680
 in the gospel of Jesus Christ.

00:21:23.740 --> 00:21:25.140
 It will change your life.

00:21:25.140 --> 00:21:28.240
 But you cannot create

00:21:28.240 --> 00:21:30.820
 what Paul is talking about here.

00:21:31.360 --> 00:21:32.520
 It's not possible.

00:21:33.380 --> 00:21:36.120
 It is something that is provided to us

00:21:36.120 --> 00:21:37.960
 in Christ.

00:21:39.180 --> 00:21:42.520
 God himself is the creator

00:21:42.520 --> 00:21:44.980
 and sustainer of the church's unity.

00:21:45.720 --> 00:21:48.140
 The Father determined it

00:21:48.140 --> 00:21:49.540
 in divine election.

00:21:49.940 --> 00:21:51.140
 That's chapter one.

00:21:51.700 --> 00:21:53.880
 The Son secured it

00:21:53.880 --> 00:21:55.680
 through his death and resurrection.

00:21:56.280 --> 00:21:57.760
 That's chapter two.

00:21:58.860 --> 00:22:01.360
 The Holy Spirit supplies it

00:22:01.360 --> 00:22:03.780
 as he regenerates,

00:22:04.720 --> 00:22:05.280
 seals,

00:22:06.040 --> 00:22:08.100
 and indwells each believer.

00:22:08.520 --> 00:22:10.140
 That's all through the letter.

00:22:11.600 --> 00:22:12.680
 The mandate here

00:22:12.680 --> 00:22:14.760
 is not for us to create something

00:22:14.760 --> 00:22:15.600
 that isn't there.

00:22:16.140 --> 00:22:16.900
 The mandate

00:22:16.900 --> 00:22:19.080
 is to maintain something

00:22:19.080 --> 00:22:21.740
 that God has already supplied.

00:22:21.740 --> 00:22:24.880
 It is already ours

00:22:24.880 --> 00:22:26.599
 in Christ.

00:22:27.259 --> 00:22:28.799
 We are united.

00:22:29.859 --> 00:22:31.319
 We are one.

00:22:32.460 --> 00:22:33.460
 We are brothers

00:22:33.460 --> 00:22:34.960
 and sisters.

00:22:35.960 --> 00:22:37.559
 He has done that.

00:22:40.559 --> 00:22:41.799
 Now I want you to notice

00:22:41.799 --> 00:22:42.539
 the spirit

00:22:42.539 --> 00:22:43.779
 with which

00:22:43.779 --> 00:22:45.200
 we are to maintain

00:22:45.200 --> 00:22:46.339
 the unity of the spirit.

00:22:46.480 --> 00:22:47.559
 Look again at the verse.

00:22:47.559 --> 00:22:49.059
 Paul says

00:22:49.059 --> 00:22:50.240
 we are to be

00:22:50.240 --> 00:22:51.740
 eager.

00:22:52.399 --> 00:22:54.200
 This is important language.

00:22:55.200 --> 00:22:56.539
 What does he mean here?

00:22:57.279 --> 00:22:57.740
 Eager.

00:22:59.079 --> 00:23:00.039
 Enthusiastic.

00:23:02.079 --> 00:23:03.000
 Ambitious.

00:23:05.119 --> 00:23:05.659
 Yearning

00:23:05.659 --> 00:23:08.159
 to pursue

00:23:08.159 --> 00:23:09.819
 this unity.

00:23:09.819 --> 00:23:09.919
 unity.

00:23:12.000 --> 00:23:13.240
 We are all eager

00:23:13.240 --> 00:23:14.919
 about a lot of things.

00:23:15.019 --> 00:23:15.980
 We have a lot of passions.

00:23:17.200 --> 00:23:18.179
 Many really

00:23:18.179 --> 00:23:19.200
 good

00:23:19.200 --> 00:23:20.939
 and important

00:23:20.939 --> 00:23:21.579
 things.

00:23:22.960 --> 00:23:23.960
 But when was

00:23:23.960 --> 00:23:25.099
 the last time

00:23:25.099 --> 00:23:26.220
 that you

00:23:26.220 --> 00:23:27.159
 yearned

00:23:27.159 --> 00:23:29.720
 to maintain

00:23:29.720 --> 00:23:30.259
 unity

00:23:30.259 --> 00:23:31.259
 and peace

00:23:31.259 --> 00:23:32.619
 with other

00:23:32.619 --> 00:23:32.980
 believers?

00:23:32.980 --> 00:23:33.180
 believers.

00:23:39.120 --> 00:23:40.220
 Most of the time

00:23:40.220 --> 00:23:41.220
 our objective

00:23:41.220 --> 00:23:41.660
 with other

00:23:41.660 --> 00:23:42.180
 believers

00:23:42.180 --> 00:23:42.940
 in relation

00:23:42.940 --> 00:23:43.680
 to disagreement

00:23:43.680 --> 00:23:46.500
 is to try

00:23:46.500 --> 00:23:47.000
 to win them

00:23:47.000 --> 00:23:47.779
 to our side.

00:23:49.759 --> 00:23:50.339
 And there's

00:23:50.339 --> 00:23:50.759
 a place

00:23:50.759 --> 00:23:51.240
 for that.

00:23:53.000 --> 00:23:53.660
 But when's

00:23:53.660 --> 00:23:54.299
 the last time

00:23:54.299 --> 00:23:54.720
 you entered

00:23:54.720 --> 00:23:55.720
 in a conversation

00:23:55.720 --> 00:23:56.960
 with a believer

00:23:56.960 --> 00:23:57.519
 with whom you

00:23:57.519 --> 00:23:58.220
 have a significant

00:23:58.220 --> 00:23:58.779
 disagreement

00:23:58.779 --> 00:24:01.160
 and your goal

00:24:01.160 --> 00:24:03.019
 was to find

00:24:03.019 --> 00:24:03.620
 the path

00:24:03.620 --> 00:24:04.460
 of peace.

00:24:06.380 --> 00:24:07.200
 That what you

00:24:07.200 --> 00:24:07.900
 were enthusiastic

00:24:07.900 --> 00:24:08.800
 about in that

00:24:08.800 --> 00:24:09.560
 moment was not

00:24:09.560 --> 00:24:10.060
 whether or not

00:24:10.060 --> 00:24:10.580
 they believed

00:24:10.580 --> 00:24:11.140
 the same thing

00:24:11.140 --> 00:24:11.660
 about the Holy

00:24:11.660 --> 00:24:12.400
 Spirit and his

00:24:12.400 --> 00:24:13.080
 continuing work

00:24:13.080 --> 00:24:13.340
 as you.

00:24:13.500 --> 00:24:14.120
 What you wanted

00:24:14.120 --> 00:24:14.580
 to find

00:24:14.580 --> 00:24:15.440
 was a way

00:24:15.440 --> 00:24:16.019
 that despite

00:24:16.019 --> 00:24:16.759
 your disagreement

00:24:16.759 --> 00:24:18.100
 you can maintain

00:24:18.100 --> 00:24:18.820
 the unity

00:24:18.820 --> 00:24:19.600
 of the body.

00:24:21.560 --> 00:24:22.140
 That's what

00:24:22.140 --> 00:24:22.640
 he's saying.

00:24:23.779 --> 00:24:24.500
 When was the

00:24:24.500 --> 00:24:25.080
 last time

00:24:25.080 --> 00:24:25.480
 you went out

00:24:25.480 --> 00:24:26.100
 of your way

00:24:26.100 --> 00:24:27.040
 to pursue

00:24:27.040 --> 00:24:27.660
 peace

00:24:27.660 --> 00:24:28.560
 because your

00:24:28.560 --> 00:24:29.160
 heart's

00:24:29.160 --> 00:24:29.800
 longing

00:24:29.799 --> 00:24:31.659
 is to

00:24:31.659 --> 00:24:32.240
 preserve

00:24:32.240 --> 00:24:32.940
 the unity

00:24:32.940 --> 00:24:33.379
 with your

00:24:33.379 --> 00:24:33.819
 Christian

00:24:33.819 --> 00:24:34.460
 brothers and

00:24:34.460 --> 00:24:34.819
 sisters

00:24:34.819 --> 00:24:35.759
 that was

00:24:35.759 --> 00:24:36.940
 won for you

00:24:36.940 --> 00:24:38.319
 on the cross

00:24:38.319 --> 00:24:39.500
 and supplied

00:24:39.500 --> 00:24:40.039
 to you

00:24:40.039 --> 00:24:41.139
 by the gift

00:24:41.139 --> 00:24:42.259
 of the Holy

00:24:42.259 --> 00:24:42.639
 Spirit.

00:24:43.859 --> 00:24:44.779
 In our

00:24:44.779 --> 00:24:45.579
 zeal for

00:24:45.579 --> 00:24:46.180
 truth

00:24:46.180 --> 00:24:47.419
 we must

00:24:47.419 --> 00:24:47.940
 remain

00:24:47.940 --> 00:24:48.960
 zealous

00:24:48.960 --> 00:24:50.139
 for the

00:24:50.139 --> 00:24:50.519
 unity

00:24:50.519 --> 00:24:51.460
 of the

00:24:51.460 --> 00:24:51.799
 Spirit.

00:24:52.700 --> 00:24:53.619
 That's the

00:24:53.619 --> 00:24:54.539
 mandate here.

00:24:55.319 --> 00:24:55.759
 Eager

00:24:55.759 --> 00:24:57.559
 enthusiastic

00:24:57.559 --> 00:24:59.240
 pursuant

00:24:59.240 --> 00:25:00.180
 of.

00:25:01.380 --> 00:25:01.920
 Finally

00:25:01.920 --> 00:25:03.200
 notice the

00:25:03.200 --> 00:25:03.920
 expression

00:25:03.920 --> 00:25:04.720
 of unity

00:25:04.720 --> 00:25:07.059
 is listed

00:25:07.059 --> 00:25:07.559
 as the

00:25:07.559 --> 00:25:08.160
 bond

00:25:08.160 --> 00:25:09.420
 of peace.

00:25:11.220 --> 00:25:12.180
 When was

00:25:12.180 --> 00:25:12.599
 the last

00:25:12.599 --> 00:25:13.019
 time

00:25:13.019 --> 00:25:14.380
 that other

00:25:14.380 --> 00:25:14.900
 believers

00:25:14.900 --> 00:25:15.579
 could genuinely

00:25:15.579 --> 00:25:16.380
 refer to you

00:25:16.380 --> 00:25:17.319
 as peaceful?

00:25:18.599 --> 00:25:19.779
 A peacemaker

00:25:19.779 --> 00:25:21.099
 that Jesus

00:25:21.099 --> 00:25:21.740
 said will

00:25:21.740 --> 00:25:22.299
 inherit the

00:25:22.299 --> 00:25:22.660
 earth

00:25:22.660 --> 00:25:25.019
 and will

00:25:25.019 --> 00:25:25.539
 be blessed.

00:25:25.539 --> 00:25:25.659
 peace.

00:25:26.659 --> 00:25:27.240
 Of course

00:25:27.240 --> 00:25:27.680
 the peace

00:25:27.680 --> 00:25:28.079
 that Paul

00:25:28.079 --> 00:25:28.579
 is referring

00:25:28.579 --> 00:25:29.099
 to here

00:25:29.099 --> 00:25:30.039
 is first

00:25:30.039 --> 00:25:30.420
 of all

00:25:30.420 --> 00:25:31.680
 peace with

00:25:31.680 --> 00:25:32.079
 God.

00:25:32.680 --> 00:25:33.059
 Isn't it?

00:25:33.599 --> 00:25:34.220
 It's all

00:25:34.220 --> 00:25:34.680
 rooted in

00:25:34.680 --> 00:25:35.139
 the gospel.

00:25:36.839 --> 00:25:37.420
 This peace

00:25:37.420 --> 00:25:37.859
 with God

00:25:37.859 --> 00:25:38.180
 is what

00:25:38.180 --> 00:25:38.440
 makes

00:25:38.440 --> 00:25:39.079
 possible

00:25:39.079 --> 00:25:40.500
 our peace

00:25:40.500 --> 00:25:40.859
 with one

00:25:40.859 --> 00:25:41.159
 another.

00:25:41.480 --> 00:25:41.920
 That's what

00:25:41.920 --> 00:25:42.599
 John says

00:25:42.599 --> 00:25:43.200
 in 1 John

00:25:43.200 --> 00:25:43.659
 chapter 1.

00:25:43.720 --> 00:25:44.059
 He uses

00:25:44.059 --> 00:25:44.720
 that koinonia

00:25:44.720 --> 00:25:45.420
 word that I

00:25:45.420 --> 00:25:46.039
 like so much.

00:25:46.319 --> 00:25:46.720
 He says

00:25:46.720 --> 00:25:47.700
 as we have

00:25:47.700 --> 00:25:48.299
 koinonia

00:25:48.299 --> 00:25:48.960
 fellowship

00:25:48.960 --> 00:25:50.420
 unity with

00:25:50.420 --> 00:25:51.039
 the Father

00:25:51.039 --> 00:25:51.920
 through Jesus

00:25:51.920 --> 00:25:52.460
 Christ

00:25:52.460 --> 00:25:53.400
 we then

00:25:53.400 --> 00:25:53.720
 have

00:25:53.720 --> 00:25:54.580
 fellowship

00:25:54.580 --> 00:25:55.880
 with one

00:25:55.880 --> 00:25:56.320
 another.

00:25:57.700 --> 00:25:58.420
 And how

00:25:58.420 --> 00:25:58.880
 is it that

00:25:58.880 --> 00:25:59.240
 God has

00:25:59.240 --> 00:25:59.720
 made this

00:25:59.720 --> 00:25:59.960
 peace

00:25:59.960 --> 00:26:00.400
 possible?

00:26:01.400 --> 00:26:02.039
 Through the

00:26:02.039 --> 00:26:02.440
 gospel.

00:26:03.340 --> 00:26:03.740
 Through the

00:26:03.740 --> 00:26:04.240
 death and

00:26:04.240 --> 00:26:04.620
 resurrection

00:26:04.620 --> 00:26:05.400
 of Jesus

00:26:05.400 --> 00:26:06.060
 for those

00:26:06.060 --> 00:26:06.380
 who are

00:26:06.380 --> 00:26:07.000
 called to

00:26:07.000 --> 00:26:08.180
 be God's

00:26:08.180 --> 00:26:08.620
 children.

00:26:09.759 --> 00:26:09.980
 This

00:26:09.980 --> 00:26:10.759
 gospel of

00:26:10.759 --> 00:26:11.140
 peace

00:26:11.140 --> 00:26:12.060
 Paul says

00:26:12.060 --> 00:26:13.240
 is our

00:26:13.240 --> 00:26:14.039
 bond.

00:26:15.180 --> 00:26:15.720
 The gospel

00:26:15.720 --> 00:26:16.720
 is sticky.

00:26:18.600 --> 00:26:19.340
 That even

00:26:19.340 --> 00:26:19.680
 when we're

00:26:19.680 --> 00:26:19.900
 running

00:26:19.900 --> 00:26:20.259
 different

00:26:20.259 --> 00:26:20.759
 directions

00:26:20.759 --> 00:26:21.240
 the thing

00:26:21.240 --> 00:26:21.680
 that keeps

00:26:21.680 --> 00:26:22.220
 pulling us

00:26:22.220 --> 00:26:22.779
 back together

00:26:22.779 --> 00:26:23.180
 like a

00:26:23.180 --> 00:26:23.539
 magnet

00:26:23.539 --> 00:26:25.099
 is the

00:26:25.099 --> 00:26:25.599
 bond of

00:26:25.599 --> 00:26:26.120
 the peace

00:26:26.120 --> 00:26:26.660
 of Jesus

00:26:26.660 --> 00:26:27.180
 Christ

00:26:27.180 --> 00:26:27.880
 provided

00:26:27.880 --> 00:26:28.640
 on the

00:26:28.640 --> 00:26:29.160
 cross.

00:26:30.579 --> 00:26:30.960
 And God

00:26:30.960 --> 00:26:31.500
 has called

00:26:31.500 --> 00:26:32.140
 us to it.

00:26:32.779 --> 00:26:33.099
 And he

00:26:33.099 --> 00:26:33.720
 has saved

00:26:33.720 --> 00:26:34.180
 us.

00:26:34.740 --> 00:26:35.039
 And he

00:26:35.039 --> 00:26:35.440
 has made

00:26:35.440 --> 00:26:35.839
 us one

00:26:35.839 --> 00:26:36.259
 with him

00:26:36.259 --> 00:26:36.599
 so that

00:26:36.599 --> 00:26:36.960
 we might

00:26:36.960 --> 00:26:37.299
 now be

00:26:37.299 --> 00:26:37.819
 one with

00:26:37.819 --> 00:26:38.339
 one another.

00:26:38.519 --> 00:26:38.660
 It's

00:26:38.660 --> 00:26:39.279
 peace.

00:26:39.519 --> 00:26:40.000
 It's our

00:26:40.000 --> 00:26:40.759
 bond.

00:26:41.620 --> 00:26:42.079
 It's the

00:26:42.079 --> 00:26:42.519
 gospel.

00:26:44.299 --> 00:26:44.880
 Paul didn't

00:26:44.880 --> 00:26:45.539
 say that we

00:26:45.539 --> 00:26:45.940
 are to be

00:26:45.940 --> 00:26:46.500
 eager for

00:26:46.500 --> 00:26:46.960
 the bond

00:26:46.960 --> 00:26:47.779
 of Calvinism.

00:26:48.579 --> 00:26:49.279
 He didn't

00:26:49.279 --> 00:26:49.900
 say we have

00:26:49.900 --> 00:26:50.500
 to be eager

00:26:50.500 --> 00:26:50.920
 for the

00:26:50.920 --> 00:26:51.539
 bond of

00:26:51.539 --> 00:26:52.980
 denominationalism

00:26:52.980 --> 00:26:53.920
 or non

00:26:53.920 --> 00:26:54.980
 denominationalism.

00:26:55.759 --> 00:26:56.420
 He didn't

00:26:56.420 --> 00:26:57.019
 say we need

00:26:57.019 --> 00:26:57.560
 to be eager

00:26:57.560 --> 00:26:57.920
 for the

00:26:57.920 --> 00:26:58.320
 bond of

00:26:58.320 --> 00:26:59.200
 cessationism

00:26:59.200 --> 00:27:00.860
 or continuationism

00:27:00.860 --> 00:27:01.380
 or whatever.

00:27:01.539 --> 00:27:01.940
 Fill in the

00:27:01.940 --> 00:27:02.279
 blank with

00:27:02.279 --> 00:27:02.920
 whatever isms.

00:27:03.240 --> 00:27:03.779
 He said we

00:27:03.779 --> 00:27:04.259
 are to be

00:27:04.259 --> 00:27:05.440
 eager for

00:27:05.440 --> 00:27:06.100
 the bond

00:27:06.100 --> 00:27:06.660
 of the

00:27:06.660 --> 00:27:07.120
 peace,

00:27:07.680 --> 00:27:08.240
 the gospel

00:27:08.240 --> 00:27:09.279
 of Jesus

00:27:09.279 --> 00:27:09.779
 Christ,

00:27:10.279 --> 00:27:10.960
 pursuant

00:27:10.960 --> 00:27:11.940
 of it.

00:27:14.000 --> 00:27:14.400
 Now if

00:27:14.400 --> 00:27:14.740
 that isn't

00:27:14.740 --> 00:27:15.160
 enough for

00:27:15.160 --> 00:27:15.400
 you to

00:27:15.400 --> 00:27:16.220
 recognize how

00:27:16.220 --> 00:27:16.900
 serious of a

00:27:16.900 --> 00:27:17.300
 matter

00:27:17.300 --> 00:27:18.620
 Christian unity

00:27:18.620 --> 00:27:19.220
 is,

00:27:19.220 --> 00:27:19.839
 let me

00:27:19.839 --> 00:27:20.140
 just give

00:27:20.140 --> 00:27:20.500
 you a few

00:27:20.500 --> 00:27:21.140
 other examples

00:27:21.140 --> 00:27:21.420
 in the

00:27:21.420 --> 00:27:21.940
 New Testament.

00:27:23.059 --> 00:27:23.620
 John chapter

00:27:23.620 --> 00:27:24.039
 10 and

00:27:24.039 --> 00:27:24.620
 verse 16.

00:27:25.600 --> 00:27:26.180
 Jesus said I

00:27:26.180 --> 00:27:26.579
 have other

00:27:26.579 --> 00:27:27.059
 sheep that

00:27:27.059 --> 00:27:27.440
 are not of

00:27:27.440 --> 00:27:27.940
 this fold.

00:27:28.319 --> 00:27:28.819
 I must

00:27:28.819 --> 00:27:29.259
 bring them

00:27:29.259 --> 00:27:29.680
 also.

00:27:30.759 --> 00:27:31.079
 They will

00:27:31.079 --> 00:27:31.519
 listen to

00:27:31.519 --> 00:27:32.120
 my voice.

00:27:33.259 --> 00:27:33.779
 So there

00:27:33.779 --> 00:27:34.539
 will be one

00:27:34.539 --> 00:27:35.100
 flock,

00:27:36.220 --> 00:27:37.640
 one shepherd.

00:27:39.120 --> 00:27:39.799
 In the

00:27:39.799 --> 00:27:40.180
 end,

00:27:41.000 --> 00:27:41.600
 there is one

00:27:41.600 --> 00:27:42.059
 flock,

00:27:42.880 --> 00:27:43.839
 there is one

00:27:43.839 --> 00:27:44.380
 bride,

00:27:45.380 --> 00:27:46.279
 there is one

00:27:46.279 --> 00:27:47.599
 people of

00:27:47.599 --> 00:27:47.859
 God.

00:27:49.000 --> 00:27:49.740
 John 17.

00:27:50.859 --> 00:27:51.279
 I do not

00:27:51.279 --> 00:27:51.660
 ask for

00:27:51.660 --> 00:27:52.180
 these only,

00:27:52.980 --> 00:27:53.680
 but also for

00:27:53.680 --> 00:27:54.059
 those who

00:27:54.059 --> 00:27:54.539
 will believe

00:27:54.539 --> 00:27:54.879
 in me

00:27:54.879 --> 00:27:55.259
 through their

00:27:55.259 --> 00:27:55.599
 word,

00:27:56.200 --> 00:27:56.720
 that they

00:27:56.720 --> 00:27:57.500
 may all

00:27:57.500 --> 00:27:58.579
 be one.

00:27:59.339 --> 00:27:59.660
 Why?

00:28:00.299 --> 00:28:00.660
 How?

00:28:01.559 --> 00:28:02.339
 Just as

00:28:02.339 --> 00:28:02.740
 you,

00:28:02.960 --> 00:28:03.240
 Father,

00:28:03.379 --> 00:28:03.799
 are in

00:28:03.799 --> 00:28:04.200
 me,

00:28:04.460 --> 00:28:05.039
 and I

00:28:05.039 --> 00:28:05.660
 in you,

00:28:05.899 --> 00:28:06.519
 that they

00:28:06.519 --> 00:28:07.379
 also may

00:28:07.379 --> 00:28:07.779
 be in

00:28:07.779 --> 00:28:08.240
 us,

00:28:08.480 --> 00:28:09.059
 so that

00:28:09.059 --> 00:28:09.519
 the world

00:28:09.519 --> 00:28:10.119
 may believe

00:28:10.119 --> 00:28:10.420
 that you

00:28:10.420 --> 00:28:10.700
 have sent

00:28:10.700 --> 00:28:10.960
 me.

00:28:11.660 --> 00:28:12.319
 The glory

00:28:12.319 --> 00:28:12.639
 that you

00:28:12.639 --> 00:28:12.940
 have given

00:28:12.940 --> 00:28:13.099
 me,

00:28:13.160 --> 00:28:13.440
 I have

00:28:13.440 --> 00:28:13.859
 given to

00:28:13.859 --> 00:28:14.180
 them,

00:28:14.339 --> 00:28:14.920
 that they

00:28:14.920 --> 00:28:15.420
 may be

00:28:15.420 --> 00:28:16.019
 one.

00:28:16.279 --> 00:28:17.119
 Even as

00:28:17.119 --> 00:28:17.579
 we are

00:28:17.579 --> 00:28:18.039
 one,

00:28:18.660 --> 00:28:19.119
 I in

00:28:19.119 --> 00:28:19.500
 them,

00:28:19.980 --> 00:28:20.319
 you in

00:28:20.319 --> 00:28:20.700
 me,

00:28:21.200 --> 00:28:21.599
 that they

00:28:21.599 --> 00:28:22.119
 may become

00:28:22.119 --> 00:28:22.680
 perfectly

00:28:22.680 --> 00:28:23.879
 one,

00:28:24.720 --> 00:28:25.099
 so that

00:28:25.099 --> 00:28:25.539
 the world

00:28:25.539 --> 00:28:26.019
 may know

00:28:26.019 --> 00:28:26.359
 that you

00:28:26.359 --> 00:28:26.779
 sent me

00:28:26.779 --> 00:28:27.180
 and loved

00:28:27.180 --> 00:28:27.519
 them as

00:28:27.519 --> 00:28:27.899
 you love

00:28:27.899 --> 00:28:28.160
 me.

00:28:28.940 --> 00:28:29.180
 Oh,

00:28:29.240 --> 00:28:29.539
 that's a

00:28:29.539 --> 00:28:29.879
 powerful

00:28:29.879 --> 00:28:30.379
 passage.

00:28:30.960 --> 00:28:31.899
 What is

00:28:31.899 --> 00:28:32.259
 Jesus'

00:28:32.680 --> 00:28:33.779
 illustration

00:28:33.779 --> 00:28:34.559
 for our

00:28:34.559 --> 00:28:35.339
 unity together?

00:28:35.799 --> 00:28:36.480
 His unity

00:28:36.480 --> 00:28:36.839
 with the

00:28:36.839 --> 00:28:37.279
 Father and

00:28:37.279 --> 00:28:37.720
 the Spirit.

00:28:39.399 --> 00:28:40.019
 1 Corinthians

00:28:40.019 --> 00:28:40.519
 1,

00:28:40.639 --> 00:28:41.240
 verse 2,

00:28:41.759 --> 00:28:42.000
 to the

00:28:42.000 --> 00:28:42.379
 church of

00:28:42.379 --> 00:28:42.720
 God that

00:28:42.720 --> 00:28:43.000
 is in

00:28:43.000 --> 00:28:43.359
 Corinth,

00:28:43.680 --> 00:28:44.059
 to the

00:28:44.059 --> 00:28:44.839
 sanctified in

00:28:44.839 --> 00:28:45.460
 Christ Jesus,

00:28:45.460 --> 00:28:46.579
 called to

00:28:46.579 --> 00:28:47.180
 be saints

00:28:47.180 --> 00:28:48.900
 together with

00:28:48.900 --> 00:28:50.039
 all those

00:28:50.039 --> 00:28:50.840
 who in

00:28:50.840 --> 00:28:51.880
 every place

00:28:51.880 --> 00:28:53.039
 call upon

00:28:53.039 --> 00:28:53.600
 the name of

00:28:53.600 --> 00:28:53.960
 our Lord

00:28:53.960 --> 00:28:54.759
 Jesus Christ,

00:28:54.920 --> 00:28:55.960
 both their

00:28:55.960 --> 00:28:57.259
 Lord and

00:28:57.259 --> 00:28:57.740
 ours.

00:28:58.819 --> 00:28:59.500
 1 Corinthians

00:28:59.500 --> 00:29:00.400
 1,

00:29:00.500 --> 00:29:01.140
 10-13,

00:29:01.259 --> 00:29:01.799
 I appeal to

00:29:01.799 --> 00:29:01.940
 you,

00:29:02.019 --> 00:29:02.240
 brothers,

00:29:02.400 --> 00:29:03.039
 by the name

00:29:03.039 --> 00:29:03.519
 of our Lord

00:29:03.519 --> 00:29:04.160
 Jesus Christ,

00:29:04.240 --> 00:29:04.740
 that all of

00:29:04.740 --> 00:29:05.319
 you agree

00:29:05.319 --> 00:29:05.900
 that there be

00:29:05.900 --> 00:29:06.960
 no divisions

00:29:06.960 --> 00:29:07.660
 among you,

00:29:08.059 --> 00:29:08.500
 but that you

00:29:08.500 --> 00:29:09.279
 be united

00:29:09.279 --> 00:29:09.960
 in the same

00:29:09.960 --> 00:29:10.819
 mind and the

00:29:10.819 --> 00:29:11.480
 same judgment.

00:29:11.480 --> 00:29:12.900
 for it's

00:29:12.900 --> 00:29:13.400
 been reported

00:29:13.400 --> 00:29:14.440
 to me by

00:29:14.440 --> 00:29:15.200
 Chloe's people

00:29:15.200 --> 00:29:15.700
 that there is

00:29:15.700 --> 00:29:16.519
 quarreling among

00:29:16.519 --> 00:29:16.680
 you,

00:29:16.740 --> 00:29:17.160
 my brothers.

00:29:17.779 --> 00:29:18.240
 What I mean

00:29:18.240 --> 00:29:18.620
 is that each

00:29:18.620 --> 00:29:18.980
 one of you

00:29:18.980 --> 00:29:19.160
 says,

00:29:19.279 --> 00:29:19.599
 I follow

00:29:19.599 --> 00:29:19.940
 Paul,

00:29:20.019 --> 00:29:20.259
 or I

00:29:20.259 --> 00:29:20.559
 follow

00:29:20.559 --> 00:29:21.099
 Apollos,

00:29:21.160 --> 00:29:21.380
 or I

00:29:21.380 --> 00:29:21.740
 follow

00:29:21.740 --> 00:29:22.480
 Cephas,

00:29:22.660 --> 00:29:22.920
 or the

00:29:22.920 --> 00:29:23.559
 really spiritual

00:29:23.559 --> 00:29:23.799
 ones,

00:29:23.860 --> 00:29:24.240
 I follow

00:29:24.240 --> 00:29:24.640
 Christ.

00:29:24.860 --> 00:29:25.420
 Is Christ

00:29:25.420 --> 00:29:25.900
 divided?

00:29:26.799 --> 00:29:27.299
 Was Paul

00:29:27.299 --> 00:29:28.140
 crucified for

00:29:28.140 --> 00:29:28.480
 you?

00:29:29.160 --> 00:29:29.519
 Were you

00:29:29.519 --> 00:29:30.299
 baptized in

00:29:30.299 --> 00:29:30.559
 the name

00:29:30.559 --> 00:29:31.059
 of Paul?

00:29:32.059 --> 00:29:32.539
 What's he

00:29:32.539 --> 00:29:33.240
 getting at?

00:29:33.440 --> 00:29:33.900
 To a church

00:29:33.900 --> 00:29:34.660
 that really

00:29:34.660 --> 00:29:35.420
 struggled with

00:29:35.420 --> 00:29:35.960
 this unity,

00:29:36.519 --> 00:29:36.980
 he said,

00:29:36.980 --> 00:29:37.500
 this ought

00:29:37.500 --> 00:29:37.960
 not be

00:29:37.960 --> 00:29:38.319
 so.

00:29:39.920 --> 00:29:40.700
 1 Corinthians

00:29:40.700 --> 00:29:41.059
 10,

00:29:41.140 --> 00:29:41.559
 17,

00:29:41.680 --> 00:29:42.160
 because there

00:29:42.160 --> 00:29:42.539
 is one

00:29:42.539 --> 00:29:42.779
 bread,

00:29:42.839 --> 00:29:43.200
 this is a

00:29:43.200 --> 00:29:43.799
 reflection on

00:29:43.799 --> 00:29:44.140
 communion,

00:29:44.539 --> 00:29:45.019
 because there's

00:29:45.019 --> 00:29:45.500
 one bread,

00:29:45.599 --> 00:29:46.059
 we who are

00:29:46.059 --> 00:29:46.500
 many are

00:29:46.500 --> 00:29:47.079
 one body,

00:29:47.180 --> 00:29:47.440
 for we

00:29:47.440 --> 00:29:47.880
 partake of

00:29:47.880 --> 00:29:48.099
 the one

00:29:48.099 --> 00:29:48.380
 bread.

00:29:49.559 --> 00:29:50.039
 Philippians

00:29:50.039 --> 00:29:50.259
 2,

00:29:50.360 --> 00:29:50.500
 2,

00:29:50.599 --> 00:29:51.160
 complete my

00:29:51.160 --> 00:29:51.500
 joy,

00:29:51.620 --> 00:29:51.940
 being of

00:29:51.940 --> 00:29:52.319
 the same

00:29:52.319 --> 00:29:52.700
 mind,

00:29:52.960 --> 00:29:53.420
 having the

00:29:53.420 --> 00:29:54.140
 same love,

00:29:54.440 --> 00:29:54.920
 being in

00:29:54.920 --> 00:29:55.640
 full accord

00:29:55.640 --> 00:29:55.940
 and of

00:29:55.940 --> 00:29:56.559
 one mind.

00:29:57.059 --> 00:29:57.539
 Philippians

00:29:57.539 --> 00:29:57.940
 4,

00:29:58.059 --> 00:29:58.700
 2-3,

00:29:59.160 --> 00:29:59.779
 I entreat

00:29:59.779 --> 00:30:00.519
 Yodia and

00:30:00.519 --> 00:30:01.900
 Syntyche to

00:30:01.900 --> 00:30:02.880
 agree in the

00:30:02.880 --> 00:30:03.220
 Lord.

00:30:03.559 --> 00:30:03.880
 And then he

00:30:03.880 --> 00:30:04.160
 says,

00:30:04.860 --> 00:30:05.400
 and I also

00:30:05.400 --> 00:30:05.900
 ask you,

00:30:06.019 --> 00:30:06.640
 true companion,

00:30:06.980 --> 00:30:07.779
 help these

00:30:07.779 --> 00:30:08.799
 women who

00:30:08.799 --> 00:30:09.420
 have labored

00:30:09.420 --> 00:30:09.980
 side by

00:30:09.980 --> 00:30:10.460
 side with

00:30:10.460 --> 00:30:10.720
 me in

00:30:10.720 --> 00:30:11.200
 the gospel.

00:30:12.200 --> 00:30:12.819
 How would

00:30:12.819 --> 00:30:13.180
 you like to

00:30:13.180 --> 00:30:13.599
 be the ones

00:30:13.599 --> 00:30:14.099
 Paul called

00:30:14.099 --> 00:30:14.380
 out in

00:30:14.380 --> 00:30:14.720
 the letter?

00:30:17.299 --> 00:30:17.779
 Romans

00:30:17.779 --> 00:30:18.140
 12,

00:30:18.240 --> 00:30:18.700
 16,

00:30:19.319 --> 00:30:19.779
 live in

00:30:19.779 --> 00:30:20.160
 harmony

00:30:20.160 --> 00:30:20.599
 with one

00:30:20.599 --> 00:30:20.900
 another.

00:30:21.660 --> 00:30:22.099
 Do not

00:30:22.099 --> 00:30:23.000
 be haughty,

00:30:23.839 --> 00:30:24.299
 associate

00:30:24.299 --> 00:30:24.680
 with the

00:30:24.680 --> 00:30:25.039
 lowly.

00:30:25.339 --> 00:30:25.539
 Oh,

00:30:25.620 --> 00:30:26.000
 here's the

00:30:26.000 --> 00:30:26.360
 hard one,

00:30:26.400 --> 00:30:26.740
 isn't it?

00:30:27.000 --> 00:30:27.700
 Never be

00:30:27.700 --> 00:30:28.420
 wise in

00:30:28.420 --> 00:30:28.860
 your own

00:30:28.860 --> 00:30:29.319
 sight.

00:30:30.799 --> 00:30:31.120
 Isn't

00:30:31.120 --> 00:30:31.579
 that where

00:30:31.579 --> 00:30:32.460
 these divisions

00:30:32.460 --> 00:30:33.180
 typically come

00:30:33.180 --> 00:30:33.460
 from?

00:30:33.640 --> 00:30:34.240
 I just

00:30:34.240 --> 00:30:34.779
 think that

00:30:34.779 --> 00:30:35.500
 I'm smarter

00:30:35.500 --> 00:30:35.880
 than you.

00:30:36.980 --> 00:30:37.539
 And maybe

00:30:37.539 --> 00:30:38.079
 I am.

00:30:40.079 --> 00:30:40.799
 But that's

00:30:40.799 --> 00:30:41.079
 not the

00:30:41.079 --> 00:30:41.480
 spirit with

00:30:41.480 --> 00:30:41.779
 which we

00:30:41.779 --> 00:30:42.019
 are to

00:30:42.019 --> 00:30:42.599
 approach one

00:30:42.599 --> 00:30:42.860
 another,

00:30:42.960 --> 00:30:43.180
 is it?

00:30:43.599 --> 00:30:44.440
 Romans 14,

00:30:44.579 --> 00:30:45.099
 17 to

00:30:45.099 --> 00:30:45.400
 19,

00:30:45.500 --> 00:30:45.860
 the kingdom

00:30:45.860 --> 00:30:46.319
 of God

00:30:46.319 --> 00:30:46.779
 is not a

00:30:46.779 --> 00:30:47.180
 matter of

00:30:47.180 --> 00:30:47.599
 eating and

00:30:47.599 --> 00:30:47.940
 drinking,

00:30:48.279 --> 00:30:48.819
 but of

00:30:48.819 --> 00:30:49.200
 righteousness

00:30:49.200 --> 00:30:49.880
 and peace

00:30:49.880 --> 00:30:50.420
 and joy

00:30:50.420 --> 00:30:51.360
 in the

00:30:51.360 --> 00:30:51.940
 Holy Spirit.

00:30:52.980 --> 00:30:53.200
 Whoever

00:30:53.200 --> 00:30:53.920
 thus serves

00:30:53.920 --> 00:30:54.819
 Christ is

00:30:54.819 --> 00:30:56.039
 acceptable to

00:30:56.039 --> 00:30:56.420
 God and

00:30:56.420 --> 00:30:56.920
 approved by

00:30:56.920 --> 00:30:57.160
 men.

00:30:57.519 --> 00:30:58.140
 So then let

00:30:58.140 --> 00:30:58.960
 us pursue

00:30:58.960 --> 00:31:00.059
 what makes

00:31:00.059 --> 00:31:00.900
 for peace

00:31:00.900 --> 00:31:02.620
 and for

00:31:02.620 --> 00:31:03.000
 mutual

00:31:03.000 --> 00:31:03.579
 upbuilding.

00:31:04.519 --> 00:31:05.460
 Romans 16,

00:31:05.460 --> 00:31:06.259
 I appeal

00:31:06.259 --> 00:31:06.559
 to you

00:31:06.559 --> 00:31:06.880
 brothers,

00:31:07.460 --> 00:31:07.960
 watch out

00:31:07.960 --> 00:31:08.420
 for those

00:31:08.420 --> 00:31:08.880
 who cause

00:31:08.880 --> 00:31:09.299
 divisions

00:31:09.299 --> 00:31:09.940
 and create

00:31:09.940 --> 00:31:10.480
 obstacles

00:31:10.480 --> 00:31:11.259
 contrary to

00:31:11.259 --> 00:31:11.740
 the doctrine

00:31:11.740 --> 00:31:12.579
 that you've

00:31:12.579 --> 00:31:13.019
 been taught.

00:31:13.160 --> 00:31:13.440
 Avoid

00:31:13.440 --> 00:31:13.779
 them.

00:31:14.680 --> 00:31:14.980
 They don't

00:31:14.980 --> 00:31:15.380
 serve the

00:31:15.380 --> 00:31:15.960
 Lord Christ.

00:31:16.579 --> 00:31:17.319
 Galatians 2,

00:31:17.400 --> 00:31:17.840
 11 through

00:31:17.840 --> 00:31:18.319
 14,

00:31:18.440 --> 00:31:19.539
 Paul confronts

00:31:19.539 --> 00:31:19.980
 Peter,

00:31:20.140 --> 00:31:20.660
 but when

00:31:20.660 --> 00:31:21.279
 Cephas came

00:31:21.279 --> 00:31:21.940
 to Antioch,

00:31:22.019 --> 00:31:22.559
 I opposed

00:31:22.559 --> 00:31:22.799
 him to

00:31:22.799 --> 00:31:23.299
 the face

00:31:23.299 --> 00:31:23.980
 because he

00:31:23.980 --> 00:31:24.200
 stood

00:31:24.200 --> 00:31:24.720
 condemned.

00:31:25.360 --> 00:31:25.880
 For before

00:31:25.880 --> 00:31:26.539
 certain men

00:31:26.539 --> 00:31:27.039
 came from

00:31:27.039 --> 00:31:27.579
 James,

00:31:28.100 --> 00:31:28.539
 those were

00:31:28.539 --> 00:31:28.960
 Jews,

00:31:29.299 --> 00:31:29.819
 he was eating

00:31:29.819 --> 00:31:30.100
 with the

00:31:30.100 --> 00:31:30.579
 Gentiles,

00:31:30.700 --> 00:31:31.100
 but when

00:31:31.100 --> 00:31:31.740
 they came,

00:31:32.059 --> 00:31:32.380
 he drew

00:31:32.380 --> 00:31:32.960
 back and

00:31:32.960 --> 00:31:33.460
 separated

00:31:33.460 --> 00:31:33.960
 himself,

00:31:34.220 --> 00:31:34.980
 fearing the

00:31:34.980 --> 00:31:35.579
 circumcision

00:31:35.579 --> 00:31:36.039
 party,

00:31:36.600 --> 00:31:37.059
 and the

00:31:37.059 --> 00:31:37.400
 rest of

00:31:37.400 --> 00:31:37.759
 the Jews

00:31:37.759 --> 00:31:38.079
 acted

00:31:38.079 --> 00:31:38.740
 hypocritically

00:31:38.740 --> 00:31:39.240
 along with

00:31:39.240 --> 00:31:39.460
 them,

00:31:40.019 --> 00:31:40.400
 so that

00:31:40.400 --> 00:31:40.640
 even

00:31:40.640 --> 00:31:41.360
 Barnabas

00:31:41.360 --> 00:31:42.259
 was led

00:31:42.259 --> 00:31:42.720
 astray

00:31:42.720 --> 00:31:43.160
 by their

00:31:43.160 --> 00:31:43.880
 hypocrisy.

00:31:44.980 --> 00:31:45.240
 But when

00:31:45.240 --> 00:31:45.600
 I saw

00:31:45.600 --> 00:31:45.940
 that their

00:31:45.940 --> 00:31:46.319
 conduct

00:31:46.319 --> 00:31:46.819
 was not

00:31:46.819 --> 00:31:47.220
 in step

00:31:47.220 --> 00:31:47.519
 with the

00:31:47.519 --> 00:31:47.860
 truth of

00:31:47.860 --> 00:31:48.279
 the gospel,

00:31:48.620 --> 00:31:49.079
 I said

00:31:49.079 --> 00:31:49.480
 to Peter

00:31:49.480 --> 00:31:50.000
 before them

00:31:50.000 --> 00:31:50.240
 all,

00:31:50.620 --> 00:31:51.140
 if you

00:31:51.140 --> 00:31:51.600
 though a

00:31:51.600 --> 00:31:51.860
 Jew

00:31:51.860 --> 00:31:52.680
 live like

00:31:52.680 --> 00:31:53.279
 a Gentile

00:31:53.279 --> 00:31:53.600
 and not

00:31:53.600 --> 00:31:53.940
 like a

00:31:53.940 --> 00:31:54.079
 Jew,

00:31:54.160 --> 00:31:54.480
 how can

00:31:54.480 --> 00:31:54.860
 you force

00:31:54.860 --> 00:31:55.559
 the Gentiles

00:31:55.559 --> 00:31:56.480
 to live

00:31:56.480 --> 00:31:58.000
 like Jews?

00:31:58.620 --> 00:31:59.059
 Significant

00:31:59.059 --> 00:31:59.340
 issue.

00:31:59.440 --> 00:31:59.940
 You can study

00:31:59.940 --> 00:32:00.259
 that on

00:32:00.259 --> 00:32:00.620
 your own.

00:32:00.900 --> 00:32:01.140
 How about

00:32:01.140 --> 00:32:01.640
 Galatians

00:32:01.640 --> 00:32:02.220
 chapter 5?

00:32:02.240 --> 00:32:02.600
 Are you tired

00:32:02.599 --> 00:32:03.039
 of these yet?

00:32:03.199 --> 00:32:03.659
 I could go

00:32:03.659 --> 00:32:04.019
 on and

00:32:04.019 --> 00:32:04.379
 on and

00:32:04.379 --> 00:32:04.559
 on.

00:32:04.779 --> 00:32:05.179
 Galatians

00:32:05.179 --> 00:32:05.740
 chapter 5.

00:32:05.919 --> 00:32:06.219
 Now the

00:32:06.219 --> 00:32:06.599
 works of

00:32:06.599 --> 00:32:06.980
 the flesh

00:32:06.980 --> 00:32:07.339
 are this,

00:32:07.379 --> 00:32:07.539
 and he

00:32:07.539 --> 00:32:07.819
 lists a

00:32:07.819 --> 00:32:08.039
 bunch of

00:32:08.039 --> 00:32:08.259
 things.

00:32:08.500 --> 00:32:08.759
 Right in

00:32:08.759 --> 00:32:09.019
 the middle

00:32:09.019 --> 00:32:09.439
 he says

00:32:09.439 --> 00:32:10.219
 enmity,

00:32:11.319 --> 00:32:12.019
 strife,

00:32:13.279 --> 00:32:13.740
 jealousy,

00:32:14.919 --> 00:32:15.699
 fits of

00:32:15.699 --> 00:32:16.099
 anger,

00:32:17.319 --> 00:32:18.299
 rivalries,

00:32:19.199 --> 00:32:20.019
 dissensions,

00:32:21.059 --> 00:32:21.679
 divisions,

00:32:22.899 --> 00:32:23.259
 envy,

00:32:24.139 --> 00:32:24.459
 and then

00:32:24.459 --> 00:32:24.879
 he says

00:32:24.879 --> 00:32:25.339
 just in

00:32:25.339 --> 00:32:25.719
 case he

00:32:25.719 --> 00:32:25.939
 missed

00:32:25.939 --> 00:32:26.279
 something

00:32:26.279 --> 00:32:26.579
 that we

00:32:26.579 --> 00:32:26.899
 would try

00:32:26.899 --> 00:32:27.419
 to excuse

00:32:27.419 --> 00:32:27.959
 he says

00:32:27.959 --> 00:32:28.399
 and all

00:32:28.399 --> 00:32:28.859
 the things

00:32:28.859 --> 00:32:29.219
 that are

00:32:29.219 --> 00:32:29.879
 like these

00:32:29.879 --> 00:32:30.459
 things.

00:32:32.599 --> 00:32:33.159
 These

00:32:33.159 --> 00:32:33.419
 are the

00:32:33.419 --> 00:32:33.759
 works of

00:32:33.759 --> 00:32:34.159
 the flesh

00:32:34.159 --> 00:32:34.699
 he says

00:32:34.699 --> 00:32:36.119
 but instead

00:32:36.119 --> 00:32:36.839
 we are to

00:32:36.839 --> 00:32:37.299
 be filled

00:32:37.299 --> 00:32:37.619
 with the

00:32:37.619 --> 00:32:37.879
 fruit of

00:32:37.879 --> 00:32:38.259
 the spirit

00:32:38.259 --> 00:32:38.799
 which is

00:32:38.799 --> 00:32:39.299
 the opposite

00:32:39.299 --> 00:32:39.599
 of these

00:32:39.599 --> 00:32:39.779
 things.

00:32:39.879 --> 00:32:39.980
 It's

00:32:39.980 --> 00:32:40.439
 love,

00:32:42.119 --> 00:32:42.500
 joy,

00:32:44.539 --> 00:32:45.159
 peace,

00:32:46.919 --> 00:32:47.519
 kindness,

00:32:48.859 --> 00:32:49.299
 goodness,

00:32:50.359 --> 00:32:51.259
 faithfulness,

00:32:51.879 --> 00:32:52.839
 gentleness,

00:32:53.659 --> 00:32:54.639
 self-control.

00:32:55.539 --> 00:32:56.279
 There are many

00:32:56.279 --> 00:32:57.839
 more but is this

00:32:57.839 --> 00:32:58.459
 not enough?

00:32:58.460 --> 00:32:59.819
 is this not

00:32:59.819 --> 00:33:00.400
 enough for us

00:33:00.400 --> 00:33:01.380
 to see what

00:33:01.380 --> 00:33:01.799
 it is that

00:33:01.799 --> 00:33:02.340
 God actually

00:33:02.340 --> 00:33:03.000
 desires of

00:33:03.000 --> 00:33:03.400
 his people?

00:33:05.620 --> 00:33:06.059
 Need we

00:33:06.059 --> 00:33:06.460
 any more

00:33:06.460 --> 00:33:07.620
 proof that

00:33:07.620 --> 00:33:08.440
 walking worthy

00:33:08.440 --> 00:33:08.900
 as a

00:33:08.900 --> 00:33:09.960
 Christian means

00:33:09.960 --> 00:33:11.039
 being ambitious

00:33:11.039 --> 00:33:12.360
 to maintain

00:33:12.360 --> 00:33:13.039
 the peace

00:33:13.039 --> 00:33:13.400
 that the

00:33:13.400 --> 00:33:13.880
 Holy Spirit

00:33:13.880 --> 00:33:14.700
 has supplied

00:33:14.700 --> 00:33:15.860
 through the

00:33:15.860 --> 00:33:16.220
 gospel?

00:33:16.920 --> 00:33:17.440
 That's the

00:33:17.440 --> 00:33:17.819
 mandate.

00:33:18.579 --> 00:33:19.740
 Maintain what

00:33:19.740 --> 00:33:20.299
 is already

00:33:20.299 --> 00:33:21.480
 yours in

00:33:21.480 --> 00:33:22.519
 Christ and

00:33:22.519 --> 00:33:23.079
 maintain it

00:33:23.079 --> 00:33:24.480
 with joy and

00:33:24.480 --> 00:33:25.799
 eagerness and

00:33:25.799 --> 00:33:26.180
 ambition.

00:33:27.380 --> 00:33:27.600
 Second,

00:33:27.599 --> 00:33:28.899
 notice the

00:33:28.899 --> 00:33:30.379
 method for

00:33:30.379 --> 00:33:30.899
 maintaining

00:33:30.899 --> 00:33:31.740
 Christian unity.

00:33:32.359 --> 00:33:32.819
 This is where

00:33:32.819 --> 00:33:33.379
 we go back to

00:33:33.379 --> 00:33:33.899
 verse 2.

00:33:34.639 --> 00:33:34.980
 Look at it

00:33:34.980 --> 00:33:35.299
 with me.

00:33:36.740 --> 00:33:37.279
 We do this

00:33:37.279 --> 00:33:37.980
 with all

00:33:37.980 --> 00:33:39.159
 humility.

00:33:39.579 --> 00:33:40.000
 See,

00:33:40.359 --> 00:33:40.819
 this is hard.

00:33:40.899 --> 00:33:41.219
 These little

00:33:41.219 --> 00:33:41.539
 words,

00:33:41.619 --> 00:33:41.980
 they make a

00:33:41.980 --> 00:33:42.199
 difference,

00:33:42.279 --> 00:33:42.480
 don't they?

00:33:42.699 --> 00:33:43.059
 He doesn't

00:33:43.059 --> 00:33:43.299
 say,

00:33:43.419 --> 00:33:44.000
 we do this

00:33:44.000 --> 00:33:44.740
 with a

00:33:44.740 --> 00:33:45.039
 little bit

00:33:45.039 --> 00:33:45.480
 of humility.

00:33:47.299 --> 00:33:47.740
 Oh,

00:33:47.819 --> 00:33:48.039
 no.

00:33:48.159 --> 00:33:48.539
 He says,

00:33:48.619 --> 00:33:49.419
 all humility

00:33:49.419 --> 00:33:51.599
 and gentleness

00:33:51.599 --> 00:33:53.539
 with patience,

00:33:54.719 --> 00:33:55.359
 bearing with

00:33:55.359 --> 00:33:55.980
 one another

00:33:55.980 --> 00:33:57.279
 in love.

00:33:57.599 --> 00:34:00.559
 eagerness to

00:34:00.559 --> 00:34:01.419
 maintain the

00:34:01.419 --> 00:34:02.059
 unity of the

00:34:02.059 --> 00:34:03.459
 spirit is a

00:34:03.459 --> 00:34:04.959
 fundamental mark

00:34:04.959 --> 00:34:05.879
 of Christian

00:34:05.879 --> 00:34:06.379
 maturity.

00:34:06.899 --> 00:34:07.480
 Just set your

00:34:07.480 --> 00:34:08.119
 eyes on verses

00:34:08.119 --> 00:34:09.159
 12 and 13 to

00:34:09.159 --> 00:34:10.239
 see that in

00:34:10.239 --> 00:34:10.539
 the same

00:34:10.539 --> 00:34:10.900
 chapter.

00:34:12.579 --> 00:34:13.559
 That Christ

00:34:13.559 --> 00:34:14.619
 gives leaders

00:34:14.619 --> 00:34:15.539
 to equip the

00:34:15.539 --> 00:34:16.159
 saints for the

00:34:16.159 --> 00:34:16.579
 work of the

00:34:16.579 --> 00:34:17.599
 ministry, for

00:34:17.599 --> 00:34:18.239
 the building up

00:34:18.239 --> 00:34:18.839
 of the body

00:34:18.839 --> 00:34:19.400
 of Christ,

00:34:19.799 --> 00:34:20.900
 until we all

00:34:20.900 --> 00:34:23.019
 attain to the

00:34:23.019 --> 00:34:24.219
 unity of the

00:34:24.219 --> 00:34:25.699
 faith and of

00:34:25.699 --> 00:34:26.380
 the knowledge of

00:34:26.380 --> 00:34:26.880
 the Son of

00:34:26.880 --> 00:34:28.140
 God, to

00:34:28.140 --> 00:34:29.920
 mature manhood,

00:34:30.300 --> 00:34:31.420
 to the measure

00:34:31.420 --> 00:34:32.160
 of the stature

00:34:32.160 --> 00:34:32.700
 of the fullness

00:34:32.700 --> 00:34:33.420
 of Christ.

00:34:34.740 --> 00:34:35.400
 Disunity,

00:34:35.599 --> 00:34:37.660
 then, is a

00:34:37.660 --> 00:34:38.140
 mark of

00:34:38.140 --> 00:34:38.780
 spiritual

00:34:38.780 --> 00:34:40.079
 immaturity.

00:34:41.340 --> 00:34:42.440
 No matter

00:34:42.440 --> 00:34:43.519
 how well-versed

00:34:43.519 --> 00:34:44.500
 one may be in

00:34:44.500 --> 00:34:45.099
 their doctrinal

00:34:45.099 --> 00:34:46.160
 understanding and

00:34:46.160 --> 00:34:46.720
 convictions,

00:34:47.660 --> 00:34:48.280
 disunity

00:34:48.280 --> 00:34:49.660
 reveals

00:34:49.660 --> 00:34:51.220
 spiritual

00:34:51.220 --> 00:34:52.660
 immaturity.

00:34:52.659 --> 00:34:52.739
 humility.

00:34:54.980 --> 00:34:55.619
 Fortunately

00:34:55.619 --> 00:34:56.399
 for us,

00:34:56.940 --> 00:34:57.599
 God doesn't

00:34:57.599 --> 00:34:58.039
 make the

00:34:58.039 --> 00:34:58.759
 demand for

00:34:58.759 --> 00:34:59.199
 maintaining

00:34:59.199 --> 00:35:00.039
 unity without

00:35:00.039 --> 00:35:00.619
 telling us how

00:35:00.619 --> 00:35:01.119
 to do it.

00:35:02.399 --> 00:35:03.059
 Five

00:35:03.059 --> 00:35:03.799
 intentional

00:35:03.799 --> 00:35:04.599
 attitudes of

00:35:04.599 --> 00:35:05.159
 the heart are

00:35:05.159 --> 00:35:05.699
 listed here.

00:35:06.440 --> 00:35:07.099
 The first,

00:35:08.139 --> 00:35:08.619
 humility.

00:35:10.179 --> 00:35:10.500
 Unity

00:35:10.500 --> 00:35:11.839
 cannot exist

00:35:11.839 --> 00:35:12.739
 apart from

00:35:12.739 --> 00:35:12.940
 it.

00:35:14.199 --> 00:35:14.739
 Disunity

00:35:14.739 --> 00:35:16.279
 is always,

00:35:16.839 --> 00:35:19.219
 always the

00:35:19.219 --> 00:35:19.799
 result of

00:35:19.800 --> 00:35:20.560
 pride,

00:35:21.600 --> 00:35:22.560
 self-promoting

00:35:22.560 --> 00:35:23.580
 arrogance.

00:35:25.080 --> 00:35:25.960
 The one

00:35:25.960 --> 00:35:26.300
 who is

00:35:26.300 --> 00:35:27.300
 humble is

00:35:27.300 --> 00:35:27.620
 the one

00:35:27.620 --> 00:35:28.380
 who constantly

00:35:28.380 --> 00:35:29.240
 understands

00:35:29.240 --> 00:35:30.260
 himself in

00:35:30.260 --> 00:35:30.960
 relation to

00:35:30.960 --> 00:35:31.500
 the gospel

00:35:31.500 --> 00:35:32.440
 and therefore

00:35:32.440 --> 00:35:33.440
 never sees

00:35:33.440 --> 00:35:35.320
 himself as

00:35:35.320 --> 00:35:36.160
 better or

00:35:36.160 --> 00:35:36.980
 more significant

00:35:36.980 --> 00:35:37.500
 than anyone

00:35:37.500 --> 00:35:38.019
 else.

00:35:40.580 --> 00:35:41.380
 Good

00:35:41.380 --> 00:35:42.100
 theology

00:35:42.100 --> 00:35:42.860
 has

00:35:42.860 --> 00:35:43.300
 produced

00:35:43.300 --> 00:35:43.800
 many

00:35:43.800 --> 00:35:45.360
 arrogant

00:35:45.360 --> 00:35:46.460
 jerks,

00:35:46.460 --> 00:35:46.519
 others.

00:35:48.599 --> 00:35:49.440
 But the

00:35:49.440 --> 00:35:50.579
 gospel always

00:35:50.579 --> 00:35:51.679
 leads to

00:35:51.679 --> 00:35:52.340
 humility of

00:35:52.340 --> 00:35:52.559
 heart.

00:35:53.659 --> 00:35:54.119
 It can

00:35:54.119 --> 00:35:54.920
 only lead

00:35:54.920 --> 00:35:55.720
 to

00:35:55.720 --> 00:35:56.360
 humility of

00:35:56.360 --> 00:35:56.599
 heart.

00:35:57.980 --> 00:35:58.260
 Paul

00:35:58.260 --> 00:35:58.800
 described it

00:35:58.800 --> 00:35:59.099
 this way

00:35:59.099 --> 00:35:59.380
 to the

00:35:59.380 --> 00:35:59.860
 Philippians,

00:36:00.599 --> 00:36:01.039
 do nothing

00:36:01.039 --> 00:36:01.960
 from selfish

00:36:01.960 --> 00:36:02.980
 ambition or

00:36:02.980 --> 00:36:03.599
 conceit,

00:36:04.400 --> 00:36:05.159
 but in

00:36:05.159 --> 00:36:05.760
 humility

00:36:05.760 --> 00:36:07.240
 count

00:36:07.240 --> 00:36:07.900
 others

00:36:07.900 --> 00:36:09.280
 more

00:36:09.280 --> 00:36:10.079
 significant

00:36:10.079 --> 00:36:11.880
 than

00:36:11.880 --> 00:36:12.300
 yourself.

00:36:12.300 --> 00:36:15.000
 let each

00:36:15.000 --> 00:36:15.240
 of you

00:36:15.240 --> 00:36:15.720
 look not

00:36:15.720 --> 00:36:16.120
 only on

00:36:16.120 --> 00:36:16.400
 his own

00:36:16.400 --> 00:36:16.800
 interests,

00:36:17.200 --> 00:36:18.539
 but also

00:36:18.539 --> 00:36:18.880
 to the

00:36:18.880 --> 00:36:19.340
 interest of

00:36:19.340 --> 00:36:19.700
 others.

00:36:20.380 --> 00:36:20.500
 Oh,

00:36:20.539 --> 00:36:20.940
 and here's

00:36:20.940 --> 00:36:21.340
 the nail

00:36:21.340 --> 00:36:21.580
 in the

00:36:21.580 --> 00:36:21.820
 coffin,

00:36:21.940 --> 00:36:22.240
 isn't it?

00:36:22.700 --> 00:36:23.060
 Have

00:36:23.060 --> 00:36:23.640
 this mind

00:36:23.640 --> 00:36:23.940
 among

00:36:23.940 --> 00:36:24.519
 yourselves,

00:36:24.820 --> 00:36:25.880
 which is

00:36:25.880 --> 00:36:26.420
 yours in

00:36:26.420 --> 00:36:27.280
 Christ Jesus.

00:36:28.060 --> 00:36:28.700
 And that's

00:36:28.700 --> 00:36:28.900
 when he

00:36:28.900 --> 00:36:29.180
 gives us

00:36:29.180 --> 00:36:29.840
 that wonderful

00:36:29.840 --> 00:36:30.480
 Christology,

00:36:30.600 --> 00:36:30.840
 isn't it?

00:36:31.039 --> 00:36:31.480
 He says,

00:36:31.740 --> 00:36:32.160
 be humble

00:36:32.160 --> 00:36:34.019
 like Jesus

00:36:34.019 --> 00:36:35.519
 is humble.

00:36:37.720 --> 00:36:38.200
 The

00:36:38.200 --> 00:36:38.820
 second one

00:36:38.820 --> 00:36:40.000
 is gentleness.

00:36:41.300 --> 00:36:41.740
 Gentleness.

00:36:42.300 --> 00:36:43.160
 This word is

00:36:43.160 --> 00:36:44.260
 often translated

00:36:44.260 --> 00:36:45.160
 as meekness,

00:36:45.260 --> 00:36:45.519
 isn't it?

00:36:46.760 --> 00:36:47.220
 Biblical

00:36:47.220 --> 00:36:48.160
 gentleness is

00:36:48.160 --> 00:36:49.340
 often misunderstood.

00:36:49.720 --> 00:36:50.140
 It doesn't

00:36:50.140 --> 00:36:50.820
 mean soft.

00:36:51.200 --> 00:36:51.680
 It doesn't

00:36:51.680 --> 00:36:52.300
 mean delicate.

00:36:52.740 --> 00:36:53.200
 It doesn't

00:36:53.200 --> 00:36:53.780
 mean weak.

00:36:54.840 --> 00:36:55.500
 It's the

00:36:55.500 --> 00:36:56.060
 same word

00:36:56.060 --> 00:36:56.640
 we used

00:36:56.640 --> 00:36:57.620
 for taming

00:36:57.620 --> 00:36:58.100
 a horse.

00:36:58.260 --> 00:36:58.680
 Sometimes we

00:36:58.680 --> 00:36:59.160
 may call it

00:36:59.160 --> 00:37:00.000
 gentling a

00:37:00.000 --> 00:37:00.360
 horse,

00:37:00.519 --> 00:37:00.840
 don't we?

00:37:01.860 --> 00:37:02.460
 To gentle

00:37:02.460 --> 00:37:02.920
 a horse

00:37:02.920 --> 00:37:03.380
 does not

00:37:03.380 --> 00:37:03.840
 remove its

00:37:03.840 --> 00:37:04.240
 power.

00:37:04.980 --> 00:37:05.360
 It doesn't

00:37:05.360 --> 00:37:05.920
 remove its

00:37:05.920 --> 00:37:06.420
 knowledge.

00:37:06.860 --> 00:37:07.180
 It doesn't

00:37:07.180 --> 00:37:07.860
 handicap it.

00:37:08.500 --> 00:37:09.220
 It brings

00:37:09.220 --> 00:37:09.880
 all of those

00:37:09.880 --> 00:37:11.180
 things under

00:37:11.180 --> 00:37:11.620
 control,

00:37:11.700 --> 00:37:12.080
 doesn't it?

00:37:12.300 --> 00:37:13.240
 That's the

00:37:13.240 --> 00:37:13.720
 word Paul's

00:37:13.720 --> 00:37:14.160
 using here.

00:37:14.260 --> 00:37:14.460
 It's the

00:37:14.460 --> 00:37:14.860
 word that's

00:37:14.860 --> 00:37:15.400
 often employed

00:37:15.400 --> 00:37:15.780
 in the New

00:37:15.780 --> 00:37:16.180
 Testament.

00:37:17.740 --> 00:37:18.820
 So it is

00:37:18.820 --> 00:37:19.060
 what the

00:37:19.060 --> 00:37:19.440
 essential

00:37:19.440 --> 00:37:20.080
 characteristic

00:37:20.080 --> 00:37:21.000
 of gentleness

00:37:21.000 --> 00:37:21.680
 among Christians.

00:37:22.160 --> 00:37:22.980
 It is power

00:37:22.980 --> 00:37:24.300
 under control.

00:37:25.300 --> 00:37:26.220
 It is zeal

00:37:26.220 --> 00:37:28.460
 that is ruled

00:37:28.460 --> 00:37:30.280
 by humility.

00:37:31.080 --> 00:37:31.900
 That's gentleness.

00:37:32.980 --> 00:37:33.760
 It's the

00:37:33.760 --> 00:37:34.620
 opposite of

00:37:34.620 --> 00:37:35.000
 harsh.

00:37:35.820 --> 00:37:36.640
 It's the

00:37:36.640 --> 00:37:37.380
 opposite of

00:37:37.380 --> 00:37:38.060
 judgmental.

00:37:38.800 --> 00:37:39.480
 It's the

00:37:39.480 --> 00:37:40.260
 opposite of

00:37:40.260 --> 00:37:40.900
 sarcastic.

00:37:40.900 --> 00:37:42.240
 It's the

00:37:42.240 --> 00:37:43.280
 opposite of

00:37:43.280 --> 00:37:44.139
 degrading.

00:37:45.740 --> 00:37:46.200
 It's

00:37:46.200 --> 00:37:47.039
 self-control.

00:37:49.480 --> 00:37:49.920
 Thirdly,

00:37:50.019 --> 00:37:50.639
 and fourthly,

00:37:50.700 --> 00:37:51.000
 we'll bring

00:37:51.000 --> 00:37:51.360
 these two

00:37:51.360 --> 00:37:51.800
 together.

00:37:52.700 --> 00:37:53.440
 He says we

00:37:53.440 --> 00:37:53.940
 do this with

00:37:53.940 --> 00:37:55.820
 patience and

00:37:55.820 --> 00:37:56.460
 with bearing

00:37:56.460 --> 00:37:56.900
 with one

00:37:56.900 --> 00:37:57.160
 another.

00:37:57.320 --> 00:37:57.639
 And here's

00:37:57.639 --> 00:37:58.000
 the thing that

00:37:58.000 --> 00:37:58.400
 I want to

00:37:58.400 --> 00:37:58.780
 note about

00:37:58.780 --> 00:37:59.059
 this.

00:37:59.059 --> 00:37:59.920
 These twin

00:37:59.920 --> 00:38:00.599
 characteristics,

00:38:00.840 --> 00:38:01.500
 they expose

00:38:01.500 --> 00:38:03.139
 the work that

00:38:03.139 --> 00:38:03.740
 it takes to

00:38:03.740 --> 00:38:04.500
 maintain unity.

00:38:06.160 --> 00:38:06.940
 Patience is

00:38:06.940 --> 00:38:07.740
 endurance,

00:38:07.739 --> 00:38:10.219
 which implies

00:38:10.219 --> 00:38:11.819
 suffering.

00:38:13.179 --> 00:38:13.599
 Oh, give me

00:38:13.599 --> 00:38:14.139
 your eyes on

00:38:14.139 --> 00:38:14.459
 this one.

00:38:15.219 --> 00:38:16.019
 What Paul is

00:38:16.019 --> 00:38:16.719
 calling us to

00:38:16.719 --> 00:38:17.179
 in Christian

00:38:17.179 --> 00:38:19.159
 unity is a

00:38:19.159 --> 00:38:19.719
 call to

00:38:19.719 --> 00:38:20.119
 willingly

00:38:20.119 --> 00:38:21.799
 suffer,

00:38:22.799 --> 00:38:25.159
 to bear with

00:38:25.159 --> 00:38:25.739
 one another.

00:38:27.819 --> 00:38:28.479
 Forbearance,

00:38:28.519 --> 00:38:29.399
 it indicates the

00:38:29.399 --> 00:38:30.899
 reality that we

00:38:30.899 --> 00:38:32.000
 will encounter

00:38:32.000 --> 00:38:33.079
 irritating,

00:38:33.079 --> 00:38:34.920
 annoying,

00:38:36.500 --> 00:38:37.159
 difficult

00:38:37.159 --> 00:38:39.099
 people

00:38:39.099 --> 00:38:40.079
 in our

00:38:40.079 --> 00:38:40.400
 faith

00:38:40.400 --> 00:38:42.139
 that belong

00:38:42.139 --> 00:38:42.639
 to Jesus

00:38:42.639 --> 00:38:43.259
 the same way

00:38:43.259 --> 00:38:43.799
 that we belong

00:38:43.799 --> 00:38:44.299
 to Jesus.

00:38:45.880 --> 00:38:46.719
 That's hard.

00:38:48.420 --> 00:38:49.340
 If unity

00:38:49.340 --> 00:38:50.019
 were an easy

00:38:50.019 --> 00:38:50.400
 thing,

00:38:51.400 --> 00:38:52.819
 if it was

00:38:52.819 --> 00:38:53.299
 something that

00:38:53.299 --> 00:38:53.819
 we could just

00:38:53.819 --> 00:38:55.039
 put on autopilot

00:38:55.039 --> 00:38:56.259
 and it just

00:38:56.259 --> 00:38:56.980
 work out,

00:38:57.679 --> 00:38:59.679
 there would be

00:38:59.679 --> 00:39:00.500
 no threat of

00:39:00.500 --> 00:39:01.239
 disunity among

00:39:01.239 --> 00:39:01.699
 Christians.

00:39:03.079 --> 00:39:03.920
 And while some

00:39:03.920 --> 00:39:04.639
 of us battle

00:39:04.639 --> 00:39:06.480
 more with

00:39:06.480 --> 00:39:07.420
 arrogance or

00:39:07.420 --> 00:39:08.019
 harshness,

00:39:08.619 --> 00:39:09.319
 others of us

00:39:09.319 --> 00:39:09.880
 battle with

00:39:09.880 --> 00:39:11.539
 more of a

00:39:11.539 --> 00:39:12.579
 persevering

00:39:12.579 --> 00:39:14.219
 kindness with

00:39:14.219 --> 00:39:14.739
 people that,

00:39:14.900 --> 00:39:15.259
 let's just be

00:39:15.259 --> 00:39:15.519
 honest,

00:39:15.719 --> 00:39:16.480
 we just really

00:39:16.480 --> 00:39:17.179
 don't like that

00:39:17.179 --> 00:39:17.519
 much.

00:39:18.880 --> 00:39:19.519
 Some people are

00:39:19.519 --> 00:39:20.380
 just hard to

00:39:20.380 --> 00:39:20.759
 like.

00:39:24.940 --> 00:39:25.639
 Paul says,

00:39:25.719 --> 00:39:26.639
 no, if we're

00:39:26.639 --> 00:39:27.079
 going to do

00:39:27.079 --> 00:39:27.519
 this, we're

00:39:27.519 --> 00:39:27.799
 going to have

00:39:27.799 --> 00:39:28.440
 to be patient.

00:39:29.099 --> 00:39:29.480
 We're going

00:39:29.480 --> 00:39:29.779
 to have to

00:39:29.779 --> 00:39:30.360
 suffer through

00:39:30.360 --> 00:39:31.139
 some difficult

00:39:31.139 --> 00:39:31.739
 relationships.

00:39:31.739 --> 00:39:31.899
 relationships.

00:39:32.479 --> 00:39:32.979
 We're going

00:39:32.979 --> 00:39:33.419
 to have to

00:39:33.419 --> 00:39:34.419
 bring a

00:39:34.419 --> 00:39:36.159
 burden, and

00:39:36.159 --> 00:39:36.719
 that burden

00:39:36.719 --> 00:39:37.139
 is other

00:39:37.139 --> 00:39:37.500
 Christians

00:39:37.500 --> 00:39:38.500
 sometimes, and

00:39:38.500 --> 00:39:38.639
 we're going

00:39:38.639 --> 00:39:38.919
 to have to

00:39:38.919 --> 00:39:39.859
 bear it in

00:39:39.859 --> 00:39:40.579
 order that we

00:39:40.579 --> 00:39:41.979
 might enthusiastically

00:39:41.979 --> 00:39:44.219
 maintain the

00:39:44.219 --> 00:39:44.859
 unity of the

00:39:44.859 --> 00:39:45.099
 Spirit.

00:39:45.799 --> 00:39:46.339
 And then finally,

00:39:46.439 --> 00:39:46.979
 the fifth one

00:39:46.979 --> 00:39:47.919
 is love.

00:39:48.679 --> 00:39:49.239
 Bearing with

00:39:49.239 --> 00:39:49.839
 one another in

00:39:49.839 --> 00:39:50.079
 love.

00:39:51.039 --> 00:39:51.659
 Love is what

00:39:51.659 --> 00:39:52.159
 binds it all

00:39:52.159 --> 00:39:52.739
 together, isn't

00:39:52.739 --> 00:39:52.899
 it?

00:39:54.500 --> 00:39:55.059
 Of course, we

00:39:55.059 --> 00:39:55.639
 have to understand

00:39:55.639 --> 00:39:56.199
 love the right

00:39:56.199 --> 00:39:56.500
 way.

00:39:56.799 --> 00:39:57.199
 We can't

00:39:57.199 --> 00:39:58.099
 understand it as

00:39:58.099 --> 00:40:00.099
 an emotional

00:40:00.099 --> 00:40:00.519
 state.

00:40:00.519 --> 00:40:00.940
 We have to

00:40:00.940 --> 00:40:01.639
 understand it as

00:40:01.639 --> 00:40:02.199
 a relational

00:40:02.199 --> 00:40:02.699
 commitment.

00:40:03.099 --> 00:40:03.579
 That's the

00:40:03.579 --> 00:40:04.320
 biblical presentation

00:40:04.320 --> 00:40:05.019
 of love.

00:40:05.519 --> 00:40:05.920
 And if we're

00:40:05.920 --> 00:40:06.360
 going to be

00:40:06.360 --> 00:40:07.079
 obedient to the

00:40:07.079 --> 00:40:07.840
 Lord, we're

00:40:07.840 --> 00:40:08.059
 going to have

00:40:08.059 --> 00:40:08.440
 to get over

00:40:08.440 --> 00:40:09.039
 the fact that

00:40:09.039 --> 00:40:09.599
 sometimes our

00:40:09.599 --> 00:40:10.300
 emotions just

00:40:10.300 --> 00:40:10.800
 don't want to

00:40:10.800 --> 00:40:11.239
 like other

00:40:11.239 --> 00:40:13.000
 people, or

00:40:13.000 --> 00:40:13.460
 we're moody,

00:40:13.599 --> 00:40:13.980
 or whatever.

00:40:15.599 --> 00:40:16.159
 It's a

00:40:16.159 --> 00:40:16.619
 relational

00:40:16.619 --> 00:40:17.239
 commitment.

00:40:18.159 --> 00:40:18.699
 It's a

00:40:18.699 --> 00:40:19.099
 choice.

00:40:20.739 --> 00:40:21.400
 Choosing to

00:40:21.400 --> 00:40:22.360
 love other

00:40:22.360 --> 00:40:23.380
 believers is the

00:40:23.380 --> 00:40:24.519
 only heart

00:40:24.519 --> 00:40:26.079
 attitude that

00:40:26.079 --> 00:40:26.940
 can possibly

00:40:26.940 --> 00:40:27.980
 produce humility,

00:40:28.579 --> 00:40:28.980
 gentleness,

00:40:29.400 --> 00:40:30.139
 patience, and

00:40:30.139 --> 00:40:30.699
 forbearance.

00:40:31.599 --> 00:40:32.400
 And if you're

00:40:32.400 --> 00:40:33.099
 struggling with

00:40:33.099 --> 00:40:33.879
 those areas, as

00:40:33.879 --> 00:40:35.900
 I often do, it

00:40:35.900 --> 00:40:36.619
 is undoubtedly

00:40:36.619 --> 00:40:37.659
 because you have

00:40:37.659 --> 00:40:38.799
 not loved others

00:40:38.799 --> 00:40:40.219
 the way Christ has

00:40:40.219 --> 00:40:41.559
 loved you and

00:40:41.559 --> 00:40:42.319
 commanded you to

00:40:42.319 --> 00:40:42.599
 love.

00:40:47.319 --> 00:40:50.000
 John 13, a new

00:40:50.000 --> 00:40:50.699
 commandment I give

00:40:50.699 --> 00:40:52.559
 to you, that you

00:40:52.559 --> 00:40:53.299
 love one another.

00:40:53.300 --> 00:40:55.560
 just as I have

00:40:55.560 --> 00:40:57.840
 loved you, you

00:40:57.840 --> 00:40:58.580
 also are to love

00:40:58.580 --> 00:40:59.100
 one another.

00:41:00.100 --> 00:41:00.800
 By this all

00:41:00.800 --> 00:41:01.600
 people will know

00:41:01.600 --> 00:41:02.120
 that you're my

00:41:02.120 --> 00:41:05.760
 disciples, if you

00:41:05.760 --> 00:41:06.539
 have love for one

00:41:06.539 --> 00:41:06.880
 another.

00:41:08.019 --> 00:41:10.260
 Romans 12, let

00:41:10.260 --> 00:41:11.080
 this love be

00:41:11.080 --> 00:41:11.500
 genuine.

00:41:13.039 --> 00:41:13.760
 Oh, this isn't a

00:41:13.760 --> 00:41:14.360
 fake it till you

00:41:14.360 --> 00:41:14.840
 make it.

00:41:14.840 --> 00:41:15.840
 love for one

00:41:15.840 --> 00:41:16.300
 else.

00:41:16.300 --> 00:41:18.019
 No, this is

00:41:18.019 --> 00:41:19.160
 supplied to us

00:41:19.160 --> 00:41:20.920
 when we focus on

00:41:20.920 --> 00:41:21.720
 the gospel above

00:41:21.720 --> 00:41:22.340
 all else.

00:41:22.740 --> 00:41:23.579
 That's where this

00:41:23.579 --> 00:41:24.059
 comes.

00:41:25.140 --> 00:41:26.120
 When in humility

00:41:26.120 --> 00:41:27.220
 we set aside the

00:41:27.220 --> 00:41:27.780
 things that are

00:41:27.780 --> 00:41:28.740
 dividing us.

00:41:29.480 --> 00:41:30.260
 Abhor what's evil,

00:41:30.340 --> 00:41:31.039
 hold fast to what's

00:41:31.039 --> 00:41:31.200
 good.

00:41:31.680 --> 00:41:32.640
 Love one another

00:41:32.640 --> 00:41:33.880
 with brotherly

00:41:33.880 --> 00:41:34.460
 affection.

00:41:36.460 --> 00:41:37.320
 Outdo one

00:41:37.320 --> 00:41:38.940
 another in

00:41:38.940 --> 00:41:39.579
 showing honor.

00:41:39.579 --> 00:41:41.699
 That's the

00:41:41.699 --> 00:41:41.940
 method.

00:41:42.380 --> 00:41:43.039
 Finally, and

00:41:43.039 --> 00:41:43.500
 we'll be done,

00:41:44.279 --> 00:41:45.099
 the motivations

00:41:45.099 --> 00:41:45.639
 for it.

00:41:46.380 --> 00:41:47.119
 The motivation

00:41:47.119 --> 00:41:47.739
 for Christian

00:41:47.739 --> 00:41:48.039
 unity.

00:41:48.679 --> 00:41:49.219
 This is verses

00:41:49.219 --> 00:41:49.679
 four through

00:41:49.679 --> 00:41:50.019
 six.

00:41:51.239 --> 00:41:52.199
 There is one

00:41:52.199 --> 00:41:53.699
 body and one

00:41:53.699 --> 00:41:55.519
 spirit, just as

00:41:55.519 --> 00:41:56.079
 you were called

00:41:56.079 --> 00:41:57.039
 to the one hope

00:41:57.039 --> 00:41:58.019
 that belongs to

00:41:58.019 --> 00:41:58.500
 your call.

00:41:59.539 --> 00:42:01.400
 One Lord, one

00:42:01.400 --> 00:42:02.920
 faith, one

00:42:02.920 --> 00:42:04.299
 baptism, one

00:42:04.299 --> 00:42:05.099
 God and Father

00:42:05.099 --> 00:42:06.179
 of all who is

00:42:06.179 --> 00:42:07.319
 over all and

00:42:07.319 --> 00:42:09.159
 through all and

00:42:09.159 --> 00:42:09.559
 in all.

00:42:09.579 --> 00:42:12.159
 There are seven

00:42:12.159 --> 00:42:13.719
 one statements

00:42:13.719 --> 00:42:15.619
 that show the

00:42:15.619 --> 00:42:16.579
 reason why we

00:42:16.579 --> 00:42:17.340
 should be eager

00:42:17.340 --> 00:42:18.360
 to maintain the

00:42:18.360 --> 00:42:18.920
 unity of the

00:42:18.920 --> 00:42:19.420
 spirit and the

00:42:19.420 --> 00:42:20.039
 bond of peace.

00:42:20.440 --> 00:42:21.360
 Just briefly note

00:42:21.360 --> 00:42:21.559
 them.

00:42:22.380 --> 00:42:23.099
 First he says

00:42:23.099 --> 00:42:24.000
 there's one body.

00:42:24.380 --> 00:42:24.880
 What is that?

00:42:25.940 --> 00:42:26.599
 It's the church.

00:42:28.079 --> 00:42:29.539
 One church.

00:42:30.500 --> 00:42:31.039
 Now the reality

00:42:31.039 --> 00:42:31.779
 is that we have

00:42:31.779 --> 00:42:32.299
 separations.

00:42:32.400 --> 00:42:32.960
 We have lots of

00:42:32.960 --> 00:42:33.559
 churches, don't we?

00:42:33.599 --> 00:42:34.420
 We have lots of

00:42:34.420 --> 00:42:35.179
 churches that disagree

00:42:35.179 --> 00:42:35.819
 on things that are

00:42:35.819 --> 00:42:36.699
 important and

00:42:36.699 --> 00:42:37.539
 sometimes it's

00:42:37.539 --> 00:42:38.099
 necessary.

00:42:38.559 --> 00:42:39.340
 We see this even

00:42:39.340 --> 00:42:39.980
 in Paul's own

00:42:39.980 --> 00:42:40.380
 ministry.

00:42:40.740 --> 00:42:41.680
 It's necessary to

00:42:41.680 --> 00:42:42.519
 make amicable

00:42:42.519 --> 00:42:44.000
 separations in

00:42:44.000 --> 00:42:44.840
 order for us to

00:42:44.840 --> 00:42:45.840
 best pursue peace

00:42:45.840 --> 00:42:46.740
 with one another

00:42:46.740 --> 00:42:48.400
 and faithfulness to

00:42:48.400 --> 00:42:48.720
 the Lord.

00:42:48.860 --> 00:42:49.440
 I understand that.

00:42:49.440 --> 00:42:49.960
 I'm not denying

00:42:49.960 --> 00:42:50.579
 that all of that's

00:42:50.579 --> 00:42:50.740
 true.

00:42:50.960 --> 00:42:51.519
 But at the end of

00:42:51.519 --> 00:42:52.300
 the day, there's

00:42:52.300 --> 00:42:53.019
 only one of us.

00:42:53.120 --> 00:42:53.559
 There's only one

00:42:53.559 --> 00:42:53.920
 church.

00:42:54.680 --> 00:42:55.160
 There's only one

00:42:55.160 --> 00:42:55.539
 body.

00:42:55.539 --> 00:43:00.159
 That's a reason for

00:43:00.159 --> 00:43:00.779
 us to take this

00:43:00.779 --> 00:43:01.579
 serious, he says.

00:43:01.940 --> 00:43:02.880
 Second, he says

00:43:02.880 --> 00:43:03.860
 there's one spirit.

00:43:04.380 --> 00:43:04.820
 What is that?

00:43:05.159 --> 00:43:05.699
 It's the Holy

00:43:05.699 --> 00:43:06.059
 Spirit.

00:43:06.739 --> 00:43:07.559
 The Holy Spirit

00:43:07.559 --> 00:43:08.679
 that regenerates,

00:43:09.579 --> 00:43:11.159
 seals, guarantees,

00:43:11.880 --> 00:43:13.380
 enables, unifies

00:43:13.380 --> 00:43:14.179
 all the things.

00:43:14.759 --> 00:43:15.380
 There's only one of

00:43:15.380 --> 00:43:15.579
 those.

00:43:15.659 --> 00:43:16.320
 There's not multiple

00:43:16.320 --> 00:43:16.619
 of them.

00:43:16.679 --> 00:43:17.259
 There's not like the

00:43:17.259 --> 00:43:18.079
 Baptist one that's

00:43:18.079 --> 00:43:18.639
 over here and he

00:43:18.639 --> 00:43:19.199
 does kind of this

00:43:19.199 --> 00:43:20.000
 thing over here and

00:43:20.000 --> 00:43:20.400
 then there's the

00:43:20.400 --> 00:43:21.340
 Presbyterian one and

00:43:21.340 --> 00:43:21.820
 then there's the

00:43:21.820 --> 00:43:22.759
 non-denominational one.

00:43:22.760 --> 00:43:24.020
 No, there's one

00:43:24.020 --> 00:43:25.540
 spirit and he's at

00:43:25.540 --> 00:43:26.440
 work in all of them.

00:43:28.100 --> 00:43:29.460
 Third, let me just

00:43:29.460 --> 00:43:30.120
 give you a verse on

00:43:30.120 --> 00:43:30.340
 that.

00:43:30.680 --> 00:43:32.160
 1 Corinthians 12, 13.

00:43:32.740 --> 00:43:34.300
 For in one spirit we

00:43:34.300 --> 00:43:35.380
 were all baptized into

00:43:35.380 --> 00:43:35.920
 one body.

00:43:36.800 --> 00:43:38.160
 What brings us into

00:43:38.160 --> 00:43:38.740
 the church?

00:43:39.820 --> 00:43:40.600
 Baptism of the

00:43:40.600 --> 00:43:40.940
 Spirit.

00:43:41.280 --> 00:43:41.820
 Same spirit.

00:43:42.180 --> 00:43:42.800
 Jews, Greeks,

00:43:42.940 --> 00:43:44.140
 slaves, free, all

00:43:44.140 --> 00:43:45.080
 were made to drink of

00:43:45.080 --> 00:43:46.280
 one spirit.

00:43:46.560 --> 00:43:46.980
 It's clear.

00:43:47.660 --> 00:43:48.800
 Third, one hope.

00:43:49.740 --> 00:43:50.480
 What's the hope?

00:43:51.260 --> 00:43:51.840
 The gospel.

00:43:52.760 --> 00:43:53.780
 The gospel through

00:43:53.780 --> 00:43:54.520
 Jesus Christ.

00:43:55.020 --> 00:43:55.760
 One Lord.

00:43:56.140 --> 00:43:56.740
 Who is that?

00:43:57.580 --> 00:43:58.000
 Jesus.

00:43:58.700 --> 00:43:59.740
 Jesus is our Lord.

00:44:00.280 --> 00:44:01.280
 One faith.

00:44:01.820 --> 00:44:03.020
 This is sound doctrine

00:44:03.020 --> 00:44:04.800
 especially on first

00:44:04.800 --> 00:44:06.360
 order issues related to

00:44:06.360 --> 00:44:07.300
 the gospel.

00:44:08.260 --> 00:44:09.540
 One baptism.

00:44:09.960 --> 00:44:10.740
 What is this?

00:44:11.380 --> 00:44:12.060
 Well, it's water

00:44:12.060 --> 00:44:13.420
 baptism but not like

00:44:13.420 --> 00:44:13.780
 you think.

00:44:13.920 --> 00:44:16.580
 This is not about age

00:44:16.580 --> 00:44:17.700
 and mode and all those

00:44:17.700 --> 00:44:18.020
 things.

00:44:18.180 --> 00:44:18.980
 This is about being

00:44:18.980 --> 00:44:20.740
 baptized in the name of

00:44:20.740 --> 00:44:21.740
 the Father and Son and

00:44:21.740 --> 00:44:22.040
 Spirit.

00:44:22.039 --> 00:44:23.239
 Whether that happened to

00:44:23.239 --> 00:44:24.079
 you as a baby or whether

00:44:24.079 --> 00:44:24.779
 it happened post

00:44:24.779 --> 00:44:25.279
 conversion.

00:44:25.699 --> 00:44:26.579
 That's the emphasis

00:44:26.579 --> 00:44:26.940
 here.

00:44:27.860 --> 00:44:28.460
 Let me give you a verse

00:44:28.460 --> 00:44:28.759
 on that.

00:44:28.820 --> 00:44:29.539
 Galatians 3.

00:44:30.059 --> 00:44:31.400
 For as many of you as

00:44:31.400 --> 00:44:32.840
 were baptized into

00:44:32.840 --> 00:44:34.300
 Christ, that is into the

00:44:34.300 --> 00:44:35.800
 name of Christ, have put

00:44:35.800 --> 00:44:36.460
 on Christ.

00:44:37.599 --> 00:44:38.539
 And in Christ there is

00:44:38.539 --> 00:44:39.559
 neither Jew or Greek,

00:44:40.119 --> 00:44:41.119
 neither slave nor free,

00:44:41.239 --> 00:44:42.159
 neither male nor female,

00:44:42.340 --> 00:44:43.199
 for you are all one in

00:44:43.199 --> 00:44:43.719
 Christ Jesus.

00:44:43.880 --> 00:44:45.599
 There's one baptism in the

00:44:45.599 --> 00:44:46.900
 name of Jesus Christ.

00:44:47.400 --> 00:44:48.460
 And then finally there's

00:44:48.460 --> 00:44:49.699
 one God and Father.

00:44:49.699 --> 00:44:51.960
 He is the one to whom we

00:44:51.960 --> 00:44:52.539
 all belong.

00:44:52.960 --> 00:44:54.039
 Now what's the point Paul's

00:44:54.039 --> 00:44:54.279
 making?

00:44:55.839 --> 00:44:57.199
 We should be eager to

00:44:57.199 --> 00:44:58.439
 maintain the unity of the

00:44:58.439 --> 00:45:00.500
 Spirit because unified is

00:45:00.500 --> 00:45:01.619
 what we are in Christ.

00:45:02.980 --> 00:45:04.299
 This is who we are.

00:45:05.239 --> 00:45:06.960
 And what is the guidelines

00:45:06.960 --> 00:45:10.539
 for this unity and kindness

00:45:10.539 --> 00:45:12.579
 and love amongst Christians

00:45:12.579 --> 00:45:13.219
 that disagree?

00:45:13.219 --> 00:45:16.919
 It's these seven marks.

00:45:18.980 --> 00:45:20.599
 These seven characteristics

00:45:20.599 --> 00:45:22.639
 is the basis of all

00:45:22.639 --> 00:45:23.399
 Christian unity.

00:45:23.799 --> 00:45:24.679
 Nothing more and nothing

00:45:24.679 --> 00:45:25.199
 less.

00:45:26.299 --> 00:45:27.119
 Again, that doesn't mean

00:45:27.119 --> 00:45:28.139
 that we don't have important

00:45:28.139 --> 00:45:29.119
 points of disagreement

00:45:29.119 --> 00:45:31.299
 that sometimes demand a

00:45:31.299 --> 00:45:32.480
 measure of ecclesial

00:45:32.480 --> 00:45:33.459
 separation.

00:45:33.719 --> 00:45:34.699
 I understand that.

00:45:35.619 --> 00:45:36.939
 Still, it doesn't mean,

00:45:37.139 --> 00:45:38.500
 it does mean that we must

00:45:38.500 --> 00:45:41.159
 be ambitious about loving

00:45:41.159 --> 00:45:42.279
 and displaying Christian

00:45:42.279 --> 00:45:43.519
 unity with all people

00:45:43.519 --> 00:45:45.179
 that share these seven

00:45:45.179 --> 00:45:46.099
 characteristics with us.

00:45:46.159 --> 00:45:47.119
 You say, well how am I

00:45:47.119 --> 00:45:48.019
 supposed to know how

00:45:48.019 --> 00:45:50.679
 friendly I am to be with

00:45:50.679 --> 00:45:51.559
 this other person that

00:45:51.559 --> 00:45:52.500
 claims to be a Christian?

00:45:52.839 --> 00:45:54.839
 Well, are they a part of

00:45:54.839 --> 00:45:55.420
 the one body?

00:45:57.359 --> 00:45:58.420
 Do they have the one

00:45:58.420 --> 00:45:58.739
 spirit?

00:45:59.839 --> 00:46:01.219
 Do they maintain the one

00:46:01.219 --> 00:46:01.559
 hope?

00:46:02.559 --> 00:46:03.839
 Do they follow the one

00:46:03.839 --> 00:46:04.119
 Lord?

00:46:05.159 --> 00:46:06.279
 Do they have the one

00:46:06.279 --> 00:46:07.579
 faith, the gospel faith?

00:46:08.460 --> 00:46:09.480
 Do they have the one

00:46:09.480 --> 00:46:10.539
 baptism in the name of

00:46:10.539 --> 00:46:10.860
 Jesus?

00:46:11.820 --> 00:46:13.079
 Are they a child of the

00:46:13.079 --> 00:46:14.179
 one God and Father?

00:46:15.179 --> 00:46:16.840
 And if that's true, all

00:46:16.840 --> 00:46:17.300
 of those other

00:46:17.300 --> 00:46:18.000
 disagreements are

00:46:18.000 --> 00:46:19.360
 non-essential to our

00:46:19.360 --> 00:46:20.719
 unity together.

00:46:22.159 --> 00:46:23.219
 Everett Ferguson has

00:46:23.219 --> 00:46:24.000
 such a wonderful

00:46:24.000 --> 00:46:24.679
 statement here.

00:46:25.219 --> 00:46:26.300
 These seven items are

00:46:26.300 --> 00:46:27.579
 givens of Christianity.

00:46:28.840 --> 00:46:29.699
 Unity is already

00:46:29.699 --> 00:46:31.099
 provided by God in the

00:46:31.099 --> 00:46:32.099
 most important things.

00:46:32.599 --> 00:46:33.719
 Sharing them gives a

00:46:33.719 --> 00:46:35.360
 broad and strong basis

00:46:35.360 --> 00:46:35.960
 for unity.

00:46:36.920 --> 00:46:37.800
 And in view of what

00:46:37.800 --> 00:46:39.619
 unites, the things that

00:46:39.619 --> 00:46:40.839
 divide seem less

00:46:40.839 --> 00:46:41.400
 formidable.

00:46:42.400 --> 00:46:44.719
 In a sense, to be

00:46:44.719 --> 00:46:47.319
 divided, unnecessarily

00:46:47.319 --> 00:46:48.759
 that is, to be divided

00:46:48.759 --> 00:46:50.599
 is to say God has not

00:46:50.599 --> 00:46:52.900
 done enough to produce

00:46:52.900 --> 00:46:53.779
 unity.

00:46:54.579 --> 00:46:56.460
 It is to minimize the

00:46:56.460 --> 00:46:58.179
 most important aspects of

00:46:58.179 --> 00:46:59.079
 the Christian faith.

00:46:59.359 --> 00:47:01.639
 That is the gospel of

00:47:01.639 --> 00:47:01.880
 Jesus.

00:47:03.579 --> 00:47:04.599
 You've been patient with

00:47:04.599 --> 00:47:05.860
 me and you have

00:47:05.860 --> 00:47:08.219
 forborne me for the

00:47:08.219 --> 00:47:08.759
 last hour.

00:47:09.219 --> 00:47:10.219
 Let me just finish with

00:47:10.219 --> 00:47:10.480
 this.

00:47:12.980 --> 00:47:14.339
 I truly believe we have

00:47:14.339 --> 00:47:15.480
 a congregation here that

00:47:15.480 --> 00:47:17.759
 is generally faithful

00:47:17.759 --> 00:47:19.420
 and pure.

00:47:21.199 --> 00:47:22.940
 That doesn't mean that we

00:47:22.940 --> 00:47:24.759
 can survive or withstand

00:47:24.759 --> 00:47:26.960
 certain measures of

00:47:26.960 --> 00:47:27.440
 disunity.

00:47:27.980 --> 00:47:29.059
 Because the truth is we

00:47:29.059 --> 00:47:29.480
 can't.

00:47:29.559 --> 00:47:30.860
 That's the urgency that

00:47:30.860 --> 00:47:31.780
 Paul is giving here.

00:47:35.000 --> 00:47:37.039
 We expect that less

00:47:37.039 --> 00:47:38.599
 pure churches like

00:47:38.599 --> 00:47:40.579
 Corinth will have

00:47:40.579 --> 00:47:41.260
 these problems.

00:47:42.000 --> 00:47:42.860
 But we need to

00:47:42.860 --> 00:47:44.220
 remember that the

00:47:44.220 --> 00:47:46.120
 danger of disunity was

00:47:46.120 --> 00:47:47.620
 addressed even in the

00:47:47.620 --> 00:47:48.960
 most pure churches in

00:47:48.960 --> 00:47:49.539
 the New Testament.

00:47:50.360 --> 00:47:51.280
 One of them being

00:47:51.280 --> 00:47:52.000
 Philippians.

00:47:52.180 --> 00:47:53.099
 And the main issue Paul

00:47:53.099 --> 00:47:54.120
 has to deal with there is

00:47:54.120 --> 00:47:55.039
 this issue of disunity.

00:47:55.640 --> 00:47:56.360
 We're going to get into

00:47:56.360 --> 00:47:57.420
 the Thessalonian letters.

00:47:57.880 --> 00:47:59.940
 It was a very pure group

00:47:59.940 --> 00:48:00.460
 of churches.

00:48:01.460 --> 00:48:02.440
 Disunity was still a

00:48:02.440 --> 00:48:02.720
 threat.

00:48:04.079 --> 00:48:05.059
 The church in Ephesus

00:48:05.059 --> 00:48:06.420
 obviously was a faithful,

00:48:06.619 --> 00:48:07.320
 faithful church.

00:48:08.380 --> 00:48:09.780
 And they had issues with

00:48:09.780 --> 00:48:10.179
 disunity.

00:48:10.619 --> 00:48:12.440
 This is not an issue that

00:48:12.440 --> 00:48:13.579
 only belongs to churches

00:48:13.579 --> 00:48:14.360
 that are less pure.

00:48:14.820 --> 00:48:15.099
 No.

00:48:15.760 --> 00:48:17.320
 It's a danger for all of

00:48:17.320 --> 00:48:17.579
 us.

00:48:17.920 --> 00:48:18.900
 That's the point in me

00:48:18.900 --> 00:48:19.780
 bringing it up today.

00:48:21.139 --> 00:48:23.159
 If we don't continually

00:48:23.159 --> 00:48:25.400
 repent of and give

00:48:25.400 --> 00:48:26.780
 attention to the issues

00:48:26.780 --> 00:48:29.920
 of our hearts, we will

00:48:29.920 --> 00:48:31.420
 destroy ourselves.

00:48:32.700 --> 00:48:34.280
 We will destroy this

00:48:34.280 --> 00:48:34.659
 church.

00:48:37.740 --> 00:48:39.340
 All the right theology

00:48:39.340 --> 00:48:40.760
 will not save a

00:48:40.760 --> 00:48:42.840
 congregation that is

00:48:42.840 --> 00:48:45.059
 ruled by pride and

00:48:45.059 --> 00:48:45.460
 division.

00:48:46.559 --> 00:48:48.380
 So I implore you,

00:48:49.380 --> 00:48:53.760
 loved ones, be eager to

00:48:53.760 --> 00:48:55.119
 maintain the unity of the

00:48:55.119 --> 00:48:56.019
 spirit and the bond of

00:48:56.019 --> 00:48:56.320
 peace.

00:48:56.320 --> 00:48:56.420
 peace.

00:48:57.420 --> 00:48:59.660
 With one another, yes,

00:49:00.280 --> 00:49:02.559
 it will be hardest with

00:49:02.559 --> 00:49:03.019
 one another.

00:49:04.420 --> 00:49:06.019
 Do it with others outside

00:49:06.019 --> 00:49:07.120
 of this congregation too.

00:49:08.180 --> 00:49:10.740
 And if you do, you will

00:49:10.740 --> 00:49:13.420
 walk worthy of your call.

00:49:13.420 --> 00:49:14.050
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