Certain people came down from Judea to Antioch and were teaching the believers: “Unless you are circumcised, according to the custom taught by Moses, you cannot be saved.” This brought Paul and Barnabas into sharp dispute and debate with them. So Paul and Barnabas were appointed, along with some other believers, to go up to Jerusalem to see the apostles and elders about this question. (Acts 15: 1-2)
There were both Jewish and Gentile believers in the church of Antioch. Although their original backgrounds and beliefs were different, they all lived in harmony with each other because they all believed in Jesus Christ. Several believers from Judea taught those in the church at Antioch that salvation is not through Jesus, a teaching that returned the church to legalism. Of course Paul and Barnabas rejected this teaching and did not compromise or unite with them in the slightest. Because the two sides could not agree they went to the church in Jerusalem to see the apostles and elders. But Paul and Barnabas still held to the truth, preaching and arguing for the truth along the way.
In this last age, the church is facing both external and internal challenges, but those within the church are the larger. The biggest challenge to the church is the constant battle against emerging heresies. Even the slightest mistake can cause the whole church to stray from the truth and fall into heresy. This is true not just for the church in this age; various heresies appeared in the early days of the church. But to maintain so-called unity, even though many churches know there are wrong teachings and error, they dare not point out the mistakes or argue for the truth like Paul and Barnabas.
In fact, these people often worry that conflicts lead to a decrease in the number of believers, and then a decrease in offerings. Another kind of unity which is contrary to the truth is caused by ignorance. So Christians must have a bottom line when they speak of unity, and not concede basic truths in the quest for unity. If others are in error and violate Biblical truth, there can be no unity. Rather you need to contend with others and strive for the truth.
(Note: The author of this article is a full-time co-worker of a grassroots church in Fujian)
-Translated by Abigail Wu
使徒行传灵修系列：合一是有底线的
有几个人从犹太下来，教训弟兄们说：“你们若不按摩西的规条受割礼，不能得救。” Paul，巴拿巴与他们大大地纷争辩论；众门徒就定规，叫保罗，巴拿巴和本会中几个人为所辩论的，上耶路撒冷去见使徒和长老。（使徒行传15：1-2）
安提阿教会里几乎有犹太信徒，也有外邦信徒，虽然他们原本的背景与信仰都不一样，但是现今都因着相信耶稣基督，彼此和睦相处。可是从犹太来的几个信徒却教训他们因为犹太来的信徒所教训的是违背福音真理的，是要否定耶稣基督的救赎，是要将安提阿教会重新拉回到律法主义里面。保罗与巴拿巴自然是很明显地拒绝这种违背福音真理的教导，不愿意跟他们有丝毫妥协，也不要这种违背真理的合一。双方争执不下，只好到耶路撒冷教会去见使徒和长老，但是保罗与巴拿巴在沿路途中仍旧坚守真理，传讲真理，为真理而争辩。
现今这个末后的时代里，教会所面临的外部挑战，也有内部的挑战，甚至内部的危机要大过于外部。因为内部最大的挑战就是各种异端邪说不断的涌现，稍有不慎，整个教会就会偏离真实道，被带入异端。其实这并不是现今这个时代的教会才有，在教会初期就已经出现了各种异端。因为现今许多教会为了所谓的合一，在真理上毫明知道对方的错误谬所在，却不敢指出错谬，不敢像保罗和巴拿巴那样为真理而竭力争辩。
其实这些人经常担心因为争辩导致信徒减少了，然后奉献也减少了。另一种违背真理的合一，是因为不认识真理的缘故造成的。可见基督徒不可为了合一，而不必要底线，不可为了合一，而在基要真理上做出让步。若是对方在真理上出现了错谬，违背了圣经真理，就绝不可与对方合一，甚至要为了真道与对方竭力争辩。
（注：本文作者为福建一基层教会全职同工）
Certain people came down from Judea to Antioch and were teaching the believers: “Unless you are circumcised, according to the custom taught by Moses, you cannot be saved.” This brought Paul and Barnabas into sharp dispute and debate with them. So Paul and Barnabas were appointed, along with some other believers, to go up to Jerusalem to see the apostles and elders about this question. (Acts 15: 1-2)
There were both Jewish and Gentile believers in the church of Antioch. Although their original backgrounds and beliefs were different, they all lived in harmony with each other because they all believed in Jesus Christ. Several believers from Judea taught those in the church at Antioch that salvation is not through Jesus, a teaching that returned the church to legalism. Of course Paul and Barnabas rejected this teaching and did not compromise or unite with them in the slightest. Because the two sides could not agree they went to the church in Jerusalem to see the apostles and elders. But Paul and Barnabas still held to the truth, preaching and arguing for the truth along the way.
In this last age, the church is facing both external and internal challenges, but those within the church are the larger. The biggest challenge to the church is the constant battle against emerging heresies. Even the slightest mistake can cause the whole church to stray from the truth and fall into heresy. This is true not just for the church in this age; various heresies appeared in the early days of the church. But to maintain so-called unity, even though many churches know there are wrong teachings and error, they dare not point out the mistakes or argue for the truth like Paul and Barnabas.
In fact, these people often worry that conflicts lead to a decrease in the number of believers, and then a decrease in offerings. Another kind of unity which is contrary to the truth is caused by ignorance. So Christians must have a bottom line when they speak of unity, and not concede basic truths in the quest for unity. If others are in error and violate Biblical truth, there can be no unity. Rather you need to contend with others and strive for the truth.
(Note: The author of this article is a full-time co-worker of a grassroots church in Fujian)
-Translated by Abigail Wu
