Sift Week 2 – David Nasser

Overview:

Sift: In Essentials Unity/ In Non-Essentials Liberty/ In All Things Charity – R Meldenius

Last week: In all things charity

Charity = LOVE – Greek word is “Agape”

2 examples of charity:

The benefit of the doubt
The benefit of a conversation (Mathew 18:15)

“If your brother or sister sins, go and point out their fault, just between the two of you. If they listen to you, you have won them over.

The goal must be to win the person not the point (Both the lost and the weaker brother)

As we enter into week two of this three week series, the goal is to help us view doctrine through the lens of three perspectives; Essentials, non-essentials, and in all things love. The early church in Rome started out with the purity that Christ had intended but then people began muddying the waters of doctrine by adding, to what Christ had instructed, their personal preferences from their previous religious experiences. Sadly, the issues that the early church experienced have carried over throughout the centuries and have reared their ugly heads in our churches today. The point isn’t that we all be united on everything rather united in the essentials that are vital to the Gospel!

This week: In non-essentials liberty

Essentials: “An essential is any truth which, if denied or misrepresented, nullifies the gospel. Examples of essentials would be belief in the deity of Christ, the Trinity, the virgin birth or the inspiration and authority of the Bible. Essentials do not require a seminary degree to understand. They are plainly revealed in Scripture and accessible to believers of all maturity levels. Essentials are what you find in the historic creeds of the church. They define orthodox belief” (Jen Wilkin)

Vital organs: the main organs inside the human body, such as the heart, lungs and brain that are necessary for life. (Cambridge Dictionary)

Non-essentials: a doctrinal conviction taught in scripture that although important is not vital to attain eternal life. Non-essentials can vary in degree of importance but none the less, our salvation is not dependent on them.

Convictions and conscience/stumbling block

Hat in building/ dancing/ alcohol.

Verses:

Romans 14:1-Context/ Jews & gentiles

14 “As for the one who is weak in faith, welcome him, but not to quarrel over opinions. 2 One person believes he may eat anything, while the weak person eats only vegetables. 3 Let not the one who eats despise the one who abstains, and let not the one who abstains pass judgment on the one who eats, for God has welcomed him. 4 Who are you to pass judgment on the servant of another? It is before his own master that he stands or falls. And he will be upheld, for the Lord is able to make him stand.”

Quotes:

“The kingdom of god is unique, not dispute its diversity but because of it!”

”We are called by God to be a mosaic and not a melting pot.

Different but the same! United as one.”

“There was a time in my life when I had a position that life was so rigid I would fight for every jot and tittle. I mean, I couldn’t list enough things that I’d die for. The older I get, the shorter that list gets” (Chuck Swindoll /Grace Awakening).

”I love the gospel too much to equate it to speaking in tongues.”

“We dilute the essentials when we try to sneak in a non-essential or a preference to it.”

“Some things are written in pencil. Some things are written in pen. Some things are written in blood. We devalue the things written in blood when we insert something less.”

“The posture with which you choose to break unity with someone can never buck the idea of charity.”

“If your theology makes you mean, then you are reading your Bible wrong!”

Questions:

1) Discuss what it means to make “the major things the major things and the minor be minor” in relation to your faith.

2) The church is like a “mosaic piece” what does that mean to you?

3) The weaker brother is the one who is struggling with the brother who is walking in Liberty. What does that look like in your circle of community?

4) Discuss how the Gospel is about “getting something greater” and by how submitting to the authority you are under is a part of that?

5) Discuss what you understand the essentials of the faith are in comparison to the non-essentials? In what spirit should we discuss, correct, and instruct each other in these area?

6) What is meant by “I am trying to win the person rather than the point? Give some examples from your own life or when you have seen this being demonstrated.