Jesus Christ is my God!
Issued 30.01.2000
Factionalism
Who is a sectarian? What are sects or factions? This word has nowadays a different meaning than it has in the Bible. The words sectarian or dissenter are on the lips of most people disparaging epithets, which are used for religious dissidents. The Bible says that it is a sin that appears in every life's trade. Everybody has committed this sin. Also you have sometimes done factional things. Maybe you are a true member of a party, where you have undertaken to practise this wickedness.
Factionalism is a sin
It is said in the Bible about sins: "The acts of the sinful nature are obvious: sexual immorality, impurity and debauchery; idolatry and witchcraft; hatred, discord, jealousy, fits of rage, selfish ambition, dissensions, factions and envy; drunkenness, orgies, and the like, ..., that those who live like this will not inherit the kingdom of God." Gal.5:19-21
Often the word "faction or sect" is used for a religious group that is not accepted by the public opinion. It is a disparaging word that is used for religious dissidents. In this way a state religion or the religion of the majority tries to subject all people to their sway.
However in the Bible the word faction means as typical a sin for us as is sexual immorality. In the original Greek Bible the word faction is "hairesis" (party, sect, heresy, choice). So the word party has the same meaning as the word faction. It is obvious to all that political parties are heretical to each other. The corresponding virtue is impartiality. It means that you undertake to do good things, though you would be left alone with your views. A single party system is a dream of every factional person. Goodness never establishes a party.
It is said in the Bible about sins: "The acts of the sinful nature are obvious: sexual immorality, impurity and debauchery; idolatry and witchcraft; hatred, discord, jealousy, fits of rage, selfish ambition, dissensions, factions and envy; drunkenness, orgies, and the like, ..., that those who live like this will not inherit the kingdom of God." Gal.5:19-21
Often the word "faction or sect" is used for a religious group that is not accepted by the public opinion. It is a disparaging word that is used for religious dissidents. In this way a state religion or the religion of the majority tries to subject all people to their sway.
However in the Bible the word faction means as typical a sin for us as is sexual immorality. In the original Greek Bible the word faction is "hairesis" (party, sect, heresy, choice). So the word party has the same meaning as the word faction. It is obvious to all that political parties are heretical to each other. The corresponding virtue is impartiality. It means that you undertake to do good things, though you would be left alone with your views. A single party system is a dream of every factional person. Goodness never establishes a party.
Partial mind
All are sectarians, because we have been partial in some life's trade. The sin of partial mind affects in every walk of life. Selfish ambition, dissensions and factions are not only in politics, but the same phenomena are in science and also in art. Scientific schools in ancient Greece were called with the word "hairesis".
One of the qualities of God is that He does not show favouritism. It means that He is impartial. He has a matter-of-fact policy. He judges a sin equally strictly in every case, whoever the sinner is. He also gives His mercy without favouritism to anybody, who believes in Jesus Christ
People intrigue to get better benefits than others. They establish their own associations to drive their own benefits. They establish parties so that they would come to power, either in politics or in science or in art or in economy or in a church. Being proud of our own opinions makes us partial. It blinds us to the facts. Matters are looked through "the glasses of the party". No man owns the truth, but it is the property of God, even when we consider it our own opinion. Jesus is the Truth. Only He is always right.
All are sectarians, because we have been partial in some life's trade. The sin of partial mind affects in every walk of life. Selfish ambition, dissensions and factions are not only in politics, but the same phenomena are in science and also in art. Scientific schools in ancient Greece were called with the word "hairesis".
One of the qualities of God is that He does not show favouritism. It means that He is impartial. He has a matter-of-fact policy. He judges a sin equally strictly in every case, whoever the sinner is. He also gives His mercy without favouritism to anybody, who believes in Jesus Christ
People intrigue to get better benefits than others. They establish their own associations to drive their own benefits. They establish parties so that they would come to power, either in politics or in science or in art or in economy or in a church. Being proud of our own opinions makes us partial. It blinds us to the facts. Matters are looked through "the glasses of the party". No man owns the truth, but it is the property of God, even when we consider it our own opinion. Jesus is the Truth. Only He is always right.
The mind of Jesus
Jesus didn't preach his own opinions, but He spoke the message of His Father. He didn't establish a party, but He came to call everybody to be like-minded in the truth. Uprightness is more than orthodoxy. Jesus says: "My teaching is not my own. It comes from Him who sent me. If anyone chooses to do God's will, he will find out whether my teaching comes from God or whether I speak on my own. He who speaks on his own does so to gain honour for himself, but he who works for the honour of the one who sent him is a man of truth; there is nothing false about him." John.7:16-18
My teaching is not mine, but it comes from Jesus. I am not so much worried about the success of the teaching of Jesus, that I would establish a Jesus -party. The Truth speaks for Himself. He doesn't need a party. Woe, how much God's matters have been tried to advance using injustice.
If a church says that joining it means salvation, it could be said about that church that it is a faction or a sect. We can say in this way because it is possible to be saved only by adopting the mind of Jesus in your heart. Those who have the attitudes of Jesus have a matter-of-fact policy in every life's trade, in other words they follow Jesus in their practical life.
Jesus didn't preach his own opinions, but He spoke the message of His Father. He didn't establish a party, but He came to call everybody to be like-minded in the truth. Uprightness is more than orthodoxy. Jesus says: "My teaching is not my own. It comes from Him who sent me. If anyone chooses to do God's will, he will find out whether my teaching comes from God or whether I speak on my own. He who speaks on his own does so to gain honour for himself, but he who works for the honour of the one who sent him is a man of truth; there is nothing false about him." John.7:16-18
My teaching is not mine, but it comes from Jesus. I am not so much worried about the success of the teaching of Jesus, that I would establish a Jesus -party. The Truth speaks for Himself. He doesn't need a party. Woe, how much God's matters have been tried to advance using injustice.
If a church says that joining it means salvation, it could be said about that church that it is a faction or a sect. We can say in this way because it is possible to be saved only by adopting the mind of Jesus in your heart. Those who have the attitudes of Jesus have a matter-of-fact policy in every life's trade, in other words they follow Jesus in their practical life.
John Wesley's dream
He was standing at the gate of Hell. He knocked at the gate and wanted to question who were inside. "Are there Catholics?" He asked. "Yes", it was answered, "very many". "Are there members of the state church of England?" He asked again. "Yes", it was answered, "very many". - "What about Presbyterians?" "Yes, also them, very many." - "But are there Wesleyans?" "Yes, yes, very many." Especially being terrified at the last answer Wesley hurried to the gate of Heaven, where he made the same questions, though in the different order. "Are there Wesleyans?" He asked hurriedly. "No", it was answered. - "Are there Presbyterians?" "No." - "Are there members of the state church of England?" "No." - "Are there Catholics?" "No." - "Well, who are there then?" Wesley asked terrified and in wonder. He heard the answer: "We do not know any such names which you asked. Here only the name of Christ is known and confessed. We are here a great multitude from all generations, nations and languages, and we have made our clothes white in the blood of the Lamb."
This dream was from God, because it is according to the Bible. It also witnesses that God has especially warned spiritual leaders not to exalt the name of their church to the same level with the name of Jesus, or much less to a higher level. Unfortunately many leaders have not obeyed this warning. Wesley is considered the originator of the Methodist Church. So do not believe in the names of churches, but in the name of Jesus Christ! "Salvation is found in no-one else, for there is no other name under heaven given to men by which we must be saved." Acts.4:12
He was standing at the gate of Hell. He knocked at the gate and wanted to question who were inside. "Are there Catholics?" He asked. "Yes", it was answered, "very many". "Are there members of the state church of England?" He asked again. "Yes", it was answered, "very many". - "What about Presbyterians?" "Yes, also them, very many." - "But are there Wesleyans?" "Yes, yes, very many." Especially being terrified at the last answer Wesley hurried to the gate of Heaven, where he made the same questions, though in the different order. "Are there Wesleyans?" He asked hurriedly. "No", it was answered. - "Are there Presbyterians?" "No." - "Are there members of the state church of England?" "No." - "Are there Catholics?" "No." - "Well, who are there then?" Wesley asked terrified and in wonder. He heard the answer: "We do not know any such names which you asked. Here only the name of Christ is known and confessed. We are here a great multitude from all generations, nations and languages, and we have made our clothes white in the blood of the Lamb."
This dream was from God, because it is according to the Bible. It also witnesses that God has especially warned spiritual leaders not to exalt the name of their church to the same level with the name of Jesus, or much less to a higher level. Unfortunately many leaders have not obeyed this warning. Wesley is considered the originator of the Methodist Church. So do not believe in the names of churches, but in the name of Jesus Christ! "Salvation is found in no-one else, for there is no other name under heaven given to men by which we must be saved." Acts.4:12
The Bible version used in references is NIV