Settling Divisions in the Church

March 10 – 16, 2024

Key Text

“Now the apostles and elders came together to consider this matter [the Gentile converts and circumcision].” Acts 15:6

Study Help: The Acts of the Apostles, 187–200

Introduction

“Not until you feel that you could sacrifice your own self-dignity, and even lay down your life in order to save an erring brother, have you cast the beam out of your own eye so that you are prepared to help your brother.” Thoughts from the Mount of Blessing, 128

Sunday

1 RESOLVING PERSONAL OFFENSES

1.a. How are personal conflicts or private offenses between church members to be settled? Matthew 18:15, 20

Note: “No church officer should advise, no committee should recommend, nor should any church vote, that the name of a wrongdoer shall be removed from the church books, until the instruction given by Christ has been faithfully followed. When this has been done, the church has cleared herself before God. The evil must then be made to appear as it is, and must be removed, that it may not become more and more widespread. The health and purity of the church must be preserved, that she may stand before God unsullied, clad in the robes of Christ’s righteousness.” Gospel Workers, 501

1.b. How does God view those who resolve difficulties by His method? James 5:19, 20

Note: “No one has ever been reclaimed from a wrong position by censure and reproach; but many have thus been driven from Christ and led to seal their hearts against conviction. A tender spirit, a gentle, winning deportment, may save the erring and hide a multitude of sins.” Thoughts from the Mount of Blessing, 12

Monday

2 OPEN SIN AND DOUBT

2.a. How may a private sin become open and require church discipline? Matthew 18:16–18. What action may be needed on special occasions? 1 Timothy 5:20

Note: “In dealing with erring church members, God’s people are carefully to follow the instruction given by the Saviour in the eighteenth chapter of Matthew.” Gospel Workers, 498

2.b. How are church members to resolve personal issues that do not require disciplinary action? 1 Corinthians 6:1–4

Note: “Christians should not appeal to civil tribunals to settle differences that may arise among church members. Such differences should be settled among themselves, or by the church, in harmony with Christ’s instruction. Even though injustice may have been done, the follower of the meek and lowly Jesus will suffer himself ‘to be defrauded’ rather than open before the world the sins of his brethren in the church.

“Lawsuits between brethren are a reproach to the cause of truth. Christians who go to law with one another expose the church to the ridicule of her enemies and cause the powers of darkness to triumph. They are wounding Christ afresh and putting Him to open shame. By ignoring the authority of the church, they show contempt for God, who gave to the church its authority.” The Acts of the Apostles, 305, 306

“Those church members who appeal to the courts of the world show that they have chosen the world as their judge, and their names are registered in heaven as one with unbelievers.” Selected Messages, Book 3, 302, 303

2.c. As we near the end of the great controversy, what can we often expect to see? Matthew 15:14; Acts 20:28–31; 2 Timothy 4:3, 4

Note: “It has been the continual endeavor of the enemy to introduce into the church persons who assent to much that is truth, but who are not converted. Professed Christians who are false to their trust are channels through whom Satan works. He can use unconverted church members to advance his own ideas and retard the work of God. Their influence is always on the side of wrong. They place criticism and doubt as stumbling blocks in the way of reform.” Selected Messages, Book 2, 159

“Evil angels in the form of believers will work in our ranks to bring in a strong spirit of unbelief.” Ibid., Book 3, 410

Tuesday

3 DIVISIONS

3.a. What is one of the greatest evidences that Jesus is the one and only true Messiah? John 17:17–21; 13:34, 35; 1 Corinthians 1:13

Note: “Jesus knew that [the jealous priests and rabbis] would spare no effort to create a division between His own disciples and those of John [the Baptist]. … Wishing to avoid all occasion for misunderstanding or dissension, He quietly ceased His labors, and withdrew to Galilee. We also, while loyal to truth, should try to avoid all that may lead to discord and misapprehension. For whenever these arise, they result in the loss of souls. Whenever circumstances occur that threaten to cause division, we should follow the example of Jesus and of John the Baptist.” The Desire of Ages, 181

“The followers of Christ … should take every proper precaution to avoid disagreement; for in every division of interest, resulting in disputation and unhappy differences in the church, souls are lost that might have been saved in the kingdom of Heaven. In the occurrence of a religious crisis, leading men who profess to be God’s instruments should follow the example of the great Master and that of the noble prophet John. They should stand firm and united in defense of the truth, while they carefully labor to avoid all injurious dissensions.” The Spirit of Prophecy, Vol. 2, 139, 140

3.b. What creates divisions in the church? 1 Corinthians 11:18, 19

Note: “The cause of division and discord in families and in the church is separation from Christ. To come near to Christ is to come near to one another. The secret of true unity in the church and in the family is not diplomacy, not management, not a superhuman effort to overcome difficulties—though there will be much of this to do—but union with Christ.

“Picture a large circle, from the edge of which are many lines all running to the center. The nearer these lines approach the center, the nearer they are to one another.

“Thus it is in the Christian life. The closer we come to Christ, the nearer we shall be to one another. God is glorified as His people unite in harmonious action.” The Adventist Home, 179

3.c. What should be done with the one who creates such divisions? Romans 16:17, 18

Wednesday

4 THREATENED DIVISION IN ANTIOCH

4.a. What serious problem developed in the church at Antioch that could have hurt the church as a whole? Acts 15:1, 5

Note: “They [certain Jews from Judea] asserted, with great assurance, that none could be saved without being circumcised, and keeping the entire ceremonial law.

“This was an important question, and one which affected the church in a very great degree. Paul and Barnabas met it with promptness, and opposed introducing the subject to the Gentiles. They were opposed in this by the believing Jews of Antioch, who favored the position of those from Judea. The matter resulted in much discussion and want of harmony in the church, until finally the church at Antioch, apprehending that a division among them would occur from any further discussion of the question, decided to send Paul and Barnabas, together with some responsible men of Antioch, to Jerusalem, and lay the matter before the apostles and elders.” The Spirit of Prophecy, Vol. 3, 369

4.b. What resolution was proposed to settle the division in the church? Who attended this general council? Acts 15:2, 6–20

Note: “The council which decided this case [of the new Gentile believers] was composed of the founders of the Jewish and Gentile Christian churches. Elders from Jerusalem and deputies from Antioch were present, and the most influential churches were represented. The council did not claim infallibility in their deliberations, but moved from the dictates of enlightened judgment, and with the dignity of a church established by the divine will. They saw that God Himself had decided this question by favoring the Gentiles with the Holy Ghost; and it was left for them to follow the guidance of the Spirit.” The Spirit of Prophecy, Vol. 3, 376

“There [at Jerusalem] they [Paul and Barnabas and other responsible men of Antioch] were to meet delegates from the different churches, and those who had come to attend the approaching annual festivals. Meanwhile all controversy was to cease, until a final decision should be made by the responsible men of the church. This decision was then to be universally accepted by the various churches throughout the country.” Ibid., 369

4.c. Why did this conference also inspire great rejoicing? Acts 15:3, 4

Thursday

5 SETTLING DOCTRINAL ISSUES

5.a. How did the early Christians settle matters that threatened to create divisions? Acts 15:22

Note: “When dissension arose in a local church, as later it did arise in Antioch and elsewhere, and the believers were unable to come to an agreement among themselves, such matters were not permitted to create a division in the church, but were referred to a general council of the entire body of believers, made up of appointed delegates from the various local churches, with the apostles and elders in positions of leading responsibility.” The Acts of the Apostles, 96

“At times, when a small group of men entrusted with the general management of the work have, in the name of the General Conference, sought to carry out unwise plans and to restrict God’s work, I have said that I could no longer regard the voice of the General Conference, represented by these few men, as the voice of God. But this is not saying that the decisions of a General Conference composed of an assembly of duly appointed, representative men from all parts of the field, should not be respected. God has ordained that the representatives of His church from all parts of the earth, when assembled in a General Conference, shall have authority.” Gospel Workers, 490

5.b. How was the whole body informed about the decision of the general council? Acts 15:19–23. Who heeded the resolution? Acts 15:30–33

Note: “The entire body of Christians were not called to vote upon the question [that had been raised at Antioch]. The apostles and elders—men of influence and judgment—framed and issued the decree, which was thereupon generally accepted by the Christian churches. All were not pleased, however, with this decision; there was a faction of false brethren who assumed to engage in a work on their own responsibility. They indulged in murmuring and faultfinding, proposing new plans and seeking to pull down the work of the experienced men whom God had ordained to teach the doctrine of Christ. The church has had such obstacles to meet from the first and will ever have them to the close of time.” The Spirit of Prophecy, Vol. 3, 376

“Unless the advice and counsel of the church can be respected, it is indeed powerless. God has placed a voice in the church which must control its members.” Testimonies, Vol. 5, 108

5.c. What results followed this method? Acts 15:24–28, 34, 35; 16:4, 5

Friday

PERSONAL REVIEW QUESTIONS

1 How are we to deal with problems among members of the church?

2 What type of influence is Satan trying to exert in our churches? How can we be sure not to be sidetracked from the message given us?

3 What is the major cause of divisions among God’s professed people?

4 In the early church, who was sent to Jerusalem from different parts of the world to settle divisive issues?

5 What type of authority has God given to this type of worldwide representative body?