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PEACE (3)

Things That Disrupt Peace

Victor M. Eskew

 

INTRODUCTION

 

A.     The Lord wants His people to be at peace among themselves (I Thess. 5:13).

 

…And be at peace among yourselves.

 

B.     Peace is a wonderful blessing to congregations that possess it. 

 

C.     Peace, however, is a very fragile blessing.  It can be destroy very easily.

 

D.    In this lesson, we want to look at some “Things That Disrupt Peace” in local congregations.

 

I.             SIN

 

A.     The church is defined as “the called out ones.”

1.       We have been called out of a life of sin.

2.       We have been called unto holiness (I Thess. 4:7).

 

For God hath not called us unto uncleanness, but unto holiness.

 

B.     When sin enters into the life of a member of the church, it stains the body.  Too, it can infect the body (I Cor. 5:6).

 

Your glorying is not good.  Know ye not that a little leaven leaveneth the whole lump.

 

C.     Those who are pure and faithful are deeply disturbed by sin.  And, they are called upon to confront it when it manifests itself.

1.       It is to be rebuked (I Tim. 5:20).

 

Them that sin rebuke before all, that others also may fear.

 

2.       If the individual will not repent, the church is to withdraw from the individual (II Thess. 3:6).

 

Now we command you, brethren, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that ye withdraw yourselves from every brother that walketh disorderly, and not after the tradition which he received of us.

 

3.       Sadly, those who have to try to deal with the sin have been referred to as the ones troubling the church.  This is not the case.  If the sin had not been committed, peace would have ensued within the body.

 

II.           FALSE DOCTRINE

 

A.     The unity of a congregation is based upon their adherence to the truth of the Word of God (I Cor. 1:10).

 

Now I beseech you, brethren, by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that ye all speak the same thing, and that there be no divisions among you; but that ye be perfectly joined together in the same mind and in the same judgment.

 

B.     Paul says we are to speak the “same thing.”  That which is to be spoken is truth of God’s Word.

1.       Titus 2:1

 

But speak thou the things which become sound doctrine.

 

2.       I Peter 4:11

 

If any man speak, let him speak as the oracles of God…

 

C.     When someone enters into a congregation and begins to speak things that are not found in God’s Word, he will stir up problems among those who love the truth.  The Bible tells the faithful to confront this individual.

1.       He is to be exhorted and convinced (Tit. 1:9).

 

Holding fast the faithful word as he hath been taught, that he may be able by sound doctrine both to exhort and to convince the gainsayers.

 

2.       He is to be marked and avoided (Rom. 16:17)

 

Now I beseech you, brethren, make them which cause divisions and offences contrary to the doctrine which ye have learned; and avoid them.

 

3.       If he will not repent, he, too, is to be withdrawn from (I Tim. 6:3, 5b).

 

If any man consent not to wholesome words, even the words of our Lord Jesus Christ, and to the doctrine which is according to godliness…from such withdraw thyself.

 

4.       Again, the ones who oppose the error will be charged with disrupting the harmony of the church, but had the error never been taught, peace would have been maintained it the church.

 

III.         REBELLION AGAINST AUTHORITY

 

A.     God is a God of order (I Cor. 14:40).  Because of this, it was He who designed authority.

1.       In the home (Eph. 5:23, 25)

2.       In society (Rom. 13:1)

3.       In the church (Acts 20:28; I Pet. 5:1-3)

 

B.     One of the ideals of authority and submission to authority is peace (I Tim. 2:1-2).

 

I exhort therefore, that first of all, supplications, prayers, intercessions, and giving of thanks be made for all men; for kings, and for all that in authority; that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and honesty.

 

C.     When individuals rebel against authority, peace and harmony are disrupted.

1.       Adam and Eve rebelled against divine authority in the Garden of Eden and their peaceful existence came to an end (Gen. 2:16-17; 3:6).

2.       Miriam and Aaron stood up against the authority of their brother Moses and brought problems into the camp of Israel (Num. 12:1-2).

3.       Korah, Dothan, and Abiram rebelled against Moses and brought sin and death into the camp of Israel (Num. 16:1-3).

4.       Abner set up Ish-bosheth as the king of Israel and divided David’s kingdom for 7-1/2 years (II Sam. 2:8-11).

5.       Absalom sought to take the kingdom from David and brought hardship to David and Israel (II Sam. 15:10-12).

 

D.    Those who rebel against authority cannot be ignored.  The rebellion must be put down and those who have a right to be in authority must be upheld.  If not anarchy and chaos will ensue.

1.       In the ark of the covenant, three interesting items were put therein:  the tablets of stone Moses received on Mt. Sinai, a pot of manna, and Aaron’s rod that budded (Heb. 9:4).

2.       Aaron’s rod goes back to the rebellion of Korah.

a.       Each tribe was to give a staff to Moses.

b.      The rods were put into the tabernacle.

c.       The rod that budded indicated God’s chosen authority (Num. 17:8).

And it came to pass, that on the morrow Moses went into the tabernacle of witness; and, behold, the rod of Aaron for the house of Levi was budded, and brought forth buds, and bloomed blossoms, and yielded almonds.

 

IV.         BELLIGERENT ATTITUDE

 

A.     Definition of belligerent

1.       The word comes from a Latin term that means “to conduct war.”

2.       Dictionary.com:  a warlike character, aggressively hostile

 

B.     Our Lord does not want us to possess a spirit that loves war.  In Ephesians 4:1-3, we are instructed about the kind of qualities that make for peace.

 

I therefore, the prisoner of the Lord, beseech you that ye walk worthy of the vocation wherewith ye are called, with all lowliness and meekness, with longsuffering, forbearing one another in love; endeavoring to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace.

 

C.     A person with a belligerent spirit loves to argue, fight, and stir up problems.  He makes false accusations.  He attacks one’s character.  He constantly confronts and challenges others.  In essence, he practices several works of the flesh:  “…hatred, variance, emulations, wrath, strife…” (Gal. 5:20).

 

D.    If this person is not silenced, he will keep things agitated and stirred up.  Eventually, he will create a group of followers that can harm the church (Ex., Diotrephes, III John 9-10).  Notice John says:  “Wherefore, if I come, I will remember his deeds which he doeth…”

 

V.           SELFISHNESS

 

A.     Selfishness begins with the word “self.” 

1.       The selfish are concerned solely with the needs, wants, and wishes of self. 

2.       If self is not satisfied, these individuals are not happy. 

3.       They let others know that they are not happy.

4.       James 4:1

 

From whence come wars and fightings among you?  come they not hence, even of your lusts that war in your members?

 

a.       Selfishness has destroyed individuals.

b.      Selfishness has destroyed homes.

c.       Selfishness has destroyed friendships.

d.      Selfishness has destroyed nations

e.       Selfishness has destroyed churches.

 

B.     Christianity is not about self.

1.       Romans 12:10

 

Be kindly affectioned one to another with brotherly love; in honour preferring one another.

 

2.       Philippians 2:3-4

 

Let nothing be done through strife or vainglory; but in lowliness of mind let each esteem other better than themselves.  Look not every man on his own things, but every man also on the things of others.

 

C.     When a person is converted to Christ, he must crucify himself.

1.       Paul said:  “I am crucified with Christ…” (Gal. 2:20).

2.       Jesus said:  “If any man will come after me, let him deny himself…” (Luke 9:23).

3.       This must also be done in one’s service to the church. If not, we might just find that we have many churches composed on only one person, self.

CONCLUSION

 

A.     There is hardly anything better that one could experience than peace.

1.       Peace of mind

2.       Peace at home

3.       Peace in one’s community

4.       Peace in the nation

5.       Peace abroad

 

B.     The same can be said of the church.  If this is the case, then each of us needs to make certain we stay away from the disrupters of peace

1.       Sin

2.       False doctrine

3.       Rebellion against authority

4.       A belligerent spirit

5.       Selfishness

 

C.     Romans 14:19

 

Let us therefore follow after the things which make for peace, and thinga wherewith one may edify another.