CONTROVERSY

2 Timothy 2:22-26

2:22 But keep away from youthful passions, and pursue righteousness, faithfulness, love, and peace, in company with others ¹ who call on the Lord from a pure heart. ² 2:23 But reject foolish and ignorant ³ controversies, because you know they breed infighting. ⁴ 2:24 And the Lord’s slave ⁵ must not engage in heated disputes ⁶ but be kind toward all, an apt teacher, patient, 2:25 correcting ⁷ opponents with gentleness. Perhaps God will grant them repentance and then knowledge of the truth ⁸ 2:26 and they will come to their senses and escape the devil’s trap where they are held captive ⁹ to do his will. <sup>10
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Staying away from controversies may have become harder since the advent of the committee in churches, but it is still very plain that the Bible tells us in more than one place that heated or silly arguments shouldn't be a part of church life. Using the fruits of the spirit such as the patience and gentleness mentioned here can bring the true believer back into agreement with the group quite efficiently. To me the key here is the company that is being kept in that it describes them as those who call on the Lord in a pure heart.
If you are going to church meetings with the intent of creating a fire of controversy, once again I end by saying, check the motives and pureness of your heart!</sup>

SEARCHING ALL HEARTS

I John 4:19-21 (KJV)
We love him, because he first loved us.
If a man say, I love God, and hateth his brother, he is a liar: for he that loveth not his brother whom he hath seen, how can he love God whom he hath not seen?
And this commandment have we from him, That he who loveth God love his brother also.

This is a challenge for a heart search! The scripture quoted is addressed to the church in which we are called to be brothers. Too often men will claim to love God, but here are a few questions to answer about what you would do concerning God:
Would you ever speak trash about God?
Would you gossip about God's friends?
Would you try to bring God down by criticizing or belittling Him to His Face?
Would you fail to praise and uplift God?
Would you ever turn your back on God?
Would you refuse God if He said He needed you?
Naturally we all want to puff up and say of course I wouldn't do any of those things! I love God!
I would only do those things if I hated God! But wait, Did you:
trash a brother?
gossip about a sister?
criticize the preacher?
let a friend stay in sorrow?
turn the other way when people in the church family are in need?
refused to call a brother or sister back because you don't have time?
Well, the scripture just said if you hate your brother and say you love God, you are a liar!
Think about it, some repentance may be in order.

YOLKED WITH WHO?

II Corinthians 6:14-18 (NIV) Do not be yoked together with unbelievers. For what do righteousness and wickedness have in common? Or what fellowship can light have with darkness? What harmony is there between Christ and Belial? What does a believer have in common with an unbeliever? What agreement is there between the temple of God and idols? For we are the temple of the living God. As God has said: "I will live with them and walk among them, and I will be their God, and they will be my people." "Therefore come out from them and be separate, says the Lord. Touch no unclean thing, and I will receive you." "I will be a Father to you, and you will be my sons and daughters, says the Lord Almighty."

This scripture is often used as referring to marriage and while indeed it certainly can apply there as well, there is much more involved. It is an intense warning to not mix other religions with that of the Christian faith. It tells us to be separate. Bluntly, it asks what does a believer have in common with an unbeliever? This isn't talking about liking the same football team, this is talking about spiritual matters.
It tells us that as Christians we are the temple of the living God. That doesn't mean that you can't invite the lost to church to hear about salvation, but it does mean that you don't bring their things into your minds and hearts, for you are where the Holy Spirit of God resides and to do so would be an abomination.
As sons and daughters of God through our faith in Jesus Christ we have an obligation to make disciples in the world but in the truth and knowledge of the Holy Word of God, not in making it acceptable together with what is already their world view and beliefs.
When my sons were small, we often discussed the term, 'junk in, junk out'. It means that what you feed your mind is what will come out of your heart, mouth and life.

THE HEART OF THINGS

Hebrews 4:12-16 (NIV) For the word of God is living and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart. Nothing in all creation is hidden from God's sight. Everything is uncovered and laid bare before the eyes of him to whom we must give account. Therefore, since we have a great high priest who has gone through the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold firmly to the faith we profess. For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but we have one who has been tempted in every way, just as we are—yet was without sin. Let us then approach the throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need.

Do you ever stop to think that as you are angry at someone and railing on them within yourself that you are showing God just who you really are? We can go around acting pious but the living word of God says that nothing is hidden from Him and all will be laid bare and we will have to give account to Him.
Wow, if that doesn't cause you to ask forgiveness for the things you know are true about yourself that other people don't know, I can't think of anything that would EXCEPT that God sent His Son to save us from our own personal sin (of which no man can deny having because God knows our hearts!)
This scripture tells us that Jesus was tempted in every way we are but did not sin and we may go to the throne of grace and mercy because of Jesus.
A great man of God explained to his congregation many times that the difference in grace and mercy is this. Grace is when you receive something you don't deserve (forgiveness). Mercy is when you don't receive something you do deserve (punishment).
Please think about these scriptures today as you go through your day and when you become tempted, even if it is in your heart where only God can see, give it to the Lord that it might not become sin. The sin is not in the temptation, but in the acting on it even if it is in your head and heart that you are acting on it.

CAN WE BE HOLY?

I Peter 1:13-16 Therefore, prepare your minds for action; be self-controlled; set your hope fully on the grace to be given you when Jesus Christ is revealed. As obedient children, do not conform to the evil desires you had when you lived in ignorance. But just as he who called you is holy, so be holy in all you do; for it is written: "Be holy, because I am holy."

The apostles were with Jesus & the Biblical disciples were with the apostles. We, on the other hand, can be with Jesus through the Holy Spirit and we can experience what He and the apostles said through the Word. (See also John 1-the entire chapter to understand who and what the Word is).
God has given us the truth through His Word and in it Jesus tells us to be holy because He is holy. When the truth is revealed to us through the Word, and we repent from our sin and believe in Jesus as our Lord and Savior, then the Holy Spirit can come and reside within us. Through the guidance and prompting of the Spirit we then can cultivate the fruits of the Spirit through study of the Word in preparation of our minds, prayer and fellowship with the Lord and by listening to the bidding on our hearts and minds to do His will and not our previous unrighteous acts.
The Holy Scriptures of God make us witnesses to what He has done for us that we might be prepared as His disciples to go out and make other disciples. (see Matthew 28)
The only way we can be holy is through Jesus Christ who is holy.