"Unifying Message"

"For He Himself is our peace, who has made the two groups one and has destroyed the barrier, the dividing wall of hostility, by setting aside in His flesh the law with its commands and regulations. His purpose was to create in Himself one new humanity out of the two, thus making peace" ~ Ephesians 2:14-15

We talk a lot about the fact that we, the church, make up ONE body. It is true that this is Christ's desire and is specifically what He prayed for while He communed with the Father at Gethsemane before His arrest. However, it doesn't just happen by osmosis. In order for us to live the reality of the unity we have in Christ, we must be intentional about cultivating relationships with other believers and working through any differences or disagreements. This can be hard work, but it is necessary, especially when the difference is theological regarding how a person becomes right with God. This is what the early church dealt with, as some sought to convince the Gentile believers that, in order to be saved, they had to accept Jesus and also do their best to keep and obey the Law of Moses. Knowing how significant of an issue this was, the leaders in the early church had to address it Biblically, being led by the Holy Spirit. In the end, their determination was what preacher Jonathan Edwards declared centuries later: "You contribute nothing to your salvation except the sin that made it necessary". This week at Friendship, we'll talk about the "Unifying Message" sent out by the early church leaders in Acts 15, how they arrived at their conclusion, and what it means for those who are saved. Join us to learn about the best way to handle legitimate conflict between brothers and sisters in the church, with humility, love, and truth.