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Jesus Christ made no distinction, Katie. You should know that. He said:
Judge not, and ye shall not be judged: condemn not, and ye shall not be condemned: forgive, and ye shall be forgiven: Give, and it shall be given unto you; good measure, pressed down, and shaken together, and running over, shall men give into your bosom. For with the same measure that ye mete withal it shall be measured to you again.
That sounds pretty straightforward to me. Besides, who qualifies as an "outsider"? Many Christians consider Mormons to be "outsiders," and yet they feel totally justified in judging and condemning them. It sounds to me as if categorizing people as "outsiders" is, in and of itself, pretty judgmental.
I'm thinking Katie is talking about ones own specific "congregation / assembly".
Katie might have had this part of scripture in mind -
1 Corinthians 5 1It is actually reported that there is sexual immorality among you, and of a kind that does not occur even among pagans: A man has his father’s wife. 2And you are proud! Shouldn’t you rather have been filled with grief and have put out of your fellowship the man who did this?3Even though I am not physically present, I am with you in spirit. And I have already passed judgment on the one who did this, just as if I were present. 4When you are assembled in the name of our Lord Jesus and I am with you in spirit, and the power of our Lord Jesus is present, 5hand this man over to Satan, so that the sinful naturea may be destroyed and his spirit saved on the day of the Lord. 6Your boasting is not good. Don’t you know that a little yeast works through the whole batch of dough? 7Get rid of the old yeast that you may be a new batch without yeast—as you really are. For Christ, our Passover lamb, has been sacrificed. 8Therefore let us keep the Festival, not with the old yeast, the yeast of malice and wickedness, but with bread without yeast, the bread of sincerity and truth. 9I have written you in my letter not to associate with sexually immoral people— 10not at all meaning the people of this world who are immoral, or the greedy and swindlers, or idolaters. In that case you would have to leave this world. 11But now I am writing you that you must not associate with anyone who calls himself a brother but is sexually immoral or greedy, an idolater or a slanderer, a drunkard or a swindler. With such a man do not even eat. 12What business is it of mine to judge those outside the church? Are you not to judge those inside?13God will judge those outside. “Expel the wicked man from among you.”b
Do you (or where do you) draw lines for Christian unity?
What do you think are the "essential issues" when it comes to Christian unity?
Should we unite or divide over doctrine? If so, which ones?
What does unity even mean for Christians?
How much do you have to agree on, and what can you disagree on, to have fellowship together?
Do these questions even matter? Why/why not?
I tend to look at unity within the core structure of someones intent as opposed to a structure composed of doctrinal assertions or labels, even if a person applies those labels to themselves.
I can be in unity with an atheist when I learn that they want to know what true love really is, they seek to better their own character. Despite their own professed label, to me the fact they approach the pursuit of what is true differently than me is irrelevant.
That doesn't stop someone from refusing to find unity with me, since most love their labels and doctrines that they carry to define who they are.
I believe you can find unity even if you do not agree on everything. I believe that most people can find something to agree upon, fellowship about and learn from one another.
Let us also not confuse unity with emotional hostage taking where someone asserts or implies that someone is not unified because they will not lay down like a door mat to that persons belief system.
Teachings of Jesus are core teachings. I gave you one example, which is why I used the "such as".
You are trying hard to disagree, which makes you a prime example of what the OP is talking about.
Actually, Finn, I'm among the ones who are most commonly excluded from the family of Christians. I would like nothing more than to see us all unified in those things upon which we can agree.
In order to experience true spiritual unity and the accompanying power of God, I believe we need to return to the historic Christian faith, and by this I mean what the very early churches understood and practiced. Holy living and a very simple rule of faith. Those who are disciples of Jesus are not those who say that holy living is not required or those who pay Him mere lipservice, so the church would be quickly purified... perhaps even drastically whittled down at first. Our obedience to Jesus will knit our hearts together in a supernatural unity that the world does not understand, and we will experience God's power. The church will be a city on a hill which cannot be hidden, shining the light of the glorious gospel into this dark world. The poor and widowed and orphaned would be cared for, not only within the church but also without. People would be drawn to the truth instead of repelled by Christianity. I am longing for this reality, and I hope you are too.
Due to increasing heresies over time, and a departure from APOSTOLIC tradition and teaching, churches' "rule of faith" eventually became more and more complicated and detailed to try and clarify what was believed. Now, 1700 or 1800 years later, we sit and debate all these points of difference instead of returning to well researched and documented testimony of the power and unity held by and between the churches in the ante-nicene period.
The apostles laid foundations for the church, and while they also waged war against gnosticism and other heresies, and addressed the beginnings of divisions in certain churches, they prevailed and the churches grew mighty in unity and love as they continued in the apostles' traditions.
Ahh, but what about doctrine...? Well what is the teaching that accords with sound doctrine? Titus 2 explains that it is godliness. I'm quite certain that what we need to "know" will fall into place if we take this seriously instead of trying to hammer out our statements of faith.
For those that see religion and Christianity as a way of life rather than a mere weekend activity, The Bible is the true word of Almighty God, and was written to appeal to our hearts. So all Christians must assume their responsibility to promote unity. How? By ensuring that their conduct is in harmony with the Bible. Hence, the apostle Paul wrote to Christians: “Put away the old personality which conforms to your former course of conduct,” and “put on the new personality.”—Ephesians 4:22-32.
God wants us to show that we love him by becoming like him. “Become imitators of God, as beloved children, and go on walking in love,” says Ephesians 5:1,2. “Walking in love” includes loving people as God does, regardless of their circumstance, nationality, religion or ethnicity.—Mark 12:31. God will not accept as his servants those whose hearts are filled with badness, including hatred and prejudice. (1 John 3:15) In fact, the time is fast approaching when God will wipe all wicked people off the face of the earth. Only those who imitate his qualities will remain. Then mankind will truly be just one family—physically and spiritually.—Psalm 37:29,34,38.
For those that see religion and Christianity as a way of life rather than a mere weekend activity, The Bible is the true word of Almighty God, and was written to appeal to our hearts. So all Christians must assume their responsibility to promote unity. How? By ensuring that their conduct is in harmony with the Bible. Hence, the apostle Paul wrote to Christians: “Put away the old personality which conforms to your former course of conduct,” and “put on the new personality.”—Ephesians 4:22-32.
God wants us to show that we love him by becoming like him. “Become imitators of God, as beloved children, and go on walking in love,” says Ephesians 5:1,2. “Walking in love” includes loving people as God does, regardless of their circumstance, nationality, religion or ethnicity.—Mark 12:31. God will not accept as his servants those whose hearts are filled with badness, including hatred and prejudice. (1 John 3:15) In fact, the time is fast approaching when God will wipe all wicked people off the face of the earth. Only those who imitate his qualities will remain. Then mankind will truly be just one family—physically and spiritually.—Psalm 37:29,34,38.
That is the correct way to treat others, even those who disagree with you. However, the issue is not how we should treat people, but who we shoud unite with. Would you unite (worship with) with a satanist? You can discuss issues with satanists, and tell them about your beliefs, but should you 'unite' with them? So, while you should treat others with love and respect, you need to be careful with who you 'unite' with. Or maybe it comes down to people's definition of "unite with".
That is the correct way to treat others, even those who disagree with you. However, the issue is not how we should treat people, but who we shoud unite with. Would you unite (worship with) with a satanist? You can discuss issues with satanists, and tell them about your beliefs, but should you 'unite' with them? So, while you should treat others with love and respect, you need to be careful with who you 'unite' with. Or maybe it comes down to people's definition of "unite with".
2 Timothy 2 1But mark this: There will be terrible times in the last days. 2People will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boastful, proud, abusive, disobedient to their parents, ungrateful, unholy, 3without love, unforgiving, slanderous, without self-control, brutal, not lovers of the good, 4treacherous, rash, conceited, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God— 5having a form of godliness but denying its power. Have nothing to do with them.
1 Corinthians 5 9I have written you in my letter not to associate with sexually immoral people— 10not at all meaning the people of this world who are immoral, or the greedy and swindlers, or idolaters. In that case you would have to leave this world. 11But now I am writing you that you must not associate with anyone who calls himself a brother but is sexually immoral or greedy, an idolater or a slanderer, a drunkard or a swindler. With such a man do not even eat.
2 Timothy 2 1But mark this: There will be terrible times in the last days. 2People will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boastful, proud, abusive, disobedient to their parents, ungrateful, unholy, 3without love, unforgiving, slanderous, without self-control, brutal, not lovers of the good, 4treacherous, rash, conceited, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God— 5having a form of godliness but denying its power. Have nothing to do with them.
1 Corinthians 5 9I have written you in my letter not to associate with sexually immoral people— 10not at all meaning the people of this world who are immoral, or the greedy and swindlers, or idolaters. In that case you would have to leave this world. 11But now I am writing you that you must not associate with anyone who calls himself a brother but is sexually immoral or greedy, an idolater or a slanderer, a drunkard or a swindler. With such a man do not even eat.
There is a balance between the above verses, and spreading the good news to unbelievers, and I think the key issue is "uniting". The Bible says spread the good news, but it also says to not "unite with" or "identify with" sexually immoral or greedy, an idolater or a slanderer, a drunkard or a swindler etc.... I believe there is a balance.
There is a balance between the above verses, and spreading the good news to unbelievers, and I think the key issue is "uniting". The Bible says spread the good news, but it also says to not "unite with" or "identify with" sexually immoral or greedy, an idolater or a slanderer, a drunkard or a swindler etc.... I believe there is a balance.
Besides that, we are in fact to judge false teachers.
It is not true that the early Christian Church did not have a "Bible".
People who make such a claim aren't at all familier with the Bible to be taken seriously. All one need to do is read it to find out that:
Jesus replied, “Are you not in error because you do not know the Scriptures or the power of God?
( apparently the "no-bible folks" are )
Luke 24:27
And beginning with Moses and all the Prophets, he explained to them what was said in all theScriptures concerning himself.
John 5:39
You diligently study the Scriptures because you think that by them you possess eternal life. These are the Scriptures that testify about me
Then there are these "Bibleans"
Acts 17:2
As his custom was, Paul went into the synagogue, and on three Sabbath days he reasoned with them from theScriptures,
Acts 18:24
Meanwhile a Jew named Apollos, a native of Alexandria, came to Ephesus. He was a learned man, with a thorough knowledge of the Scriptures
Acts 18:28
For he (Paul) vigorously refuted the Jews in public debate, proving from the Scripturesthat Jesus was the Christ.
Acts 17:11
Now the Bereans were of more noble character than the Thessalonians, for they received the message with great eagerness and examined the Scriptures every day to see if what Paul said was true.
How did Paul just do that Acts 18:28 if there was no "Bible"
Then there is good old Peter who claimed that Paul's writting were "scriptures" 2 Peter 3:16
So 2 Peter 3:16 really puts the "no-Bible" folks in a bigger funk. Now the early church had more of "the Bible"
OT the Jesus refered to as scriptures
and
Paul's letters refered to as scriptures
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