In this sermon, the speaker emphasizes the importance of unity among Christians. He warns against engaging in arguments and disputes over words, as it only leads to division and harm to the hearers. The speaker encourages believers to walk worthy of their calling, with humility, patience, and love for one another. He urges them to strive diligently to preserve the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace. The sermon emphasizes the need for Christians to focus on Jesus and His teachings, rather than getting caught up in theological debates or personal opinions.

In trying to be considerate of the time restraints, I didn't really finish all that was on my heart from the last time we looked at, two weeks ago, the unity of the spirit. And I'd like to just touch upon that again today, and I'm grateful we have quite a bit of time. We're a little bit early, and it takes some time to really consider these things appropriately. And if you will, read with me, from the first part of Ephesians chapter 4, verse 1. I'll start there. I therefore, the prisoner of the Lord, beseech you to walk worthy of the calling with which you were called, with all holiness and meekness, with long-suffering, forbearing with one another in love, endeavoring, striving, being diligent, different ways to translate that Greek word. Endeavoring to preserve the unity of the spirit in the bond of peace. And we spoke last time about the unity of the spirit, but I want to make sure we understand that we have not forgotten this. Because if you understand what the unity of the spirit is, then you might be able to understand how you are in danger of breaking that unity by not walking in the bond of peace. So I want to look at the two together. What's on my heart is to reveal and talk about the danger we have of breaking the bond of peace by not walking, by not preserving the unity of the spirit. So let's look again in simplicity what the unity of the spirit is. If you will, turn to the book of John, chapter 16. You hold your finger on John 16, find verse 13. I want to read another passage that goes along with this from 1 John. But you keep your finger on 1 John 16, verse 13. 1 John chapter 16, verse 13. John, I'm sorry, am I saying 1 John? Excuse me. Thank you. You knew that there were not 16 chapters in that short epistle, didn't you? You know what, see I had 1 John in my mind because that's where I'm going. So that has revealed out of the overflow of the heart the mouth speaks still. You keep your finger in the gospel of John chapter 16, verse 13. And let me read this to you. If, therefore let that abide in you which you have heard from the beginning. If what you heard from the beginning abides in you, you will also abide in the Son and in the Father. These things I have written unto you concerning those who are trying to deceive you. But the anointing which ye have received from Him abides in you. And you do not need that anyone teach you, but as that same anointing teaches you all things. And is true, and is no lie, just as it has taught you, you will abide in Him. This anointing is what Jesus is speaking about. The pouring out of His Spirit here in John chapter 16. This anointing who is truth, who is no lie, because here in John chapter 16, verse 13. However, when that One comes, when He, that One, the Spirit of truth comes. He will guide you into all truth. And why will He guide you into all truth? According to verse 13, what follows? No, in verse 13. Why can you be sure that He will guide you into all truth? He will not speak of Himself. That's the literal, it says, I'll try to read it more of a literal in the Greek. Whenever but that One, the Spirit of truth comes, He will guide you into all truth, for He will not speak from Himself. That's how you can be sure He will guide you into all truth. Because He will not speak, and it's from the Greek, it's from Himself. But He speaks what He hears. Now, you can't hear from yourself. Unless you like to listen to yourself talk, I guess. But if you're, what you hear is not coming from yourself. So the reason that anointing is true and is no lie is the Spirit will not speak anything of Himself. He speaks only what the Father says. That is the unity of the Spirit. Is that which is clearly comes from the Father. And He goes on to say, let's read the verse again, verse 13. However, when He, the Spirit of truth come, He will guide you into all truth, for He will not speak on His own. I like the literal translation, He will not speak from Himself. But whatever He hears, He will speak. And He will tell you things to come. He will glorify Me. How does He take and glorify Jesus? I'll try to read it a little bit more literally from the Greek in verse 14. But that one, He will glorify Me because He will take the things that come from Me and announce it to you. That's how we glorify the Lord Jesus. We take what comes from Him and tell it to others. How do we not glorify the Lord Jesus? We take that which comes from us and tell it to others. If it comes from you, it's not going to be the unity of the Spirit. It's going to be your ideas, your thoughts, and it will not bring glory to the Lord Jesus. Who will it bring glory to if it comes from you? It's going to point back to where it comes from. If it comes from you, it will point men to you. It will be your thoughts, your ideas, it will be your glory. But that one, He will take from the things of Me and He will announce it to you. And that's why He is the Spirit of Truth. Because He will not speak from Himself. Everything He speaks, He will speak from what He hears, so that what He announces brings glory to the source He's heard it from. Now, to see this underscored, look in the same Gospel of John, chapter 7. Find verse 17 and read together with me John 7, 17, and 18. If anyone wills to do his will, he shall know concerning the teaching, whether it comes from God or whether I speak from myself. He who speaks from himself seeks what? His own glory. He who speaks from himself seeks his own glory, but he who seeks the glory of the One who sent him is true. And there is no unrighteousness in him. When we speak from our own thoughts, what we have not heard the Father say, we are seeking our own recognition. Same Gospel of John, chapter 12. The Gospel of John, chapter 12. Find verses 42 and 43. Beginning in verse 42 of John, chapter 12. Nevertheless, even among the rulers many believed in Him, but because of the Pharisees they would not confess Him, which confess means say the same as Him, lest they should be put out of the synagogue, for they loved the glory. It's the same word here. They loved the glory of men more than the glory of God. That's striking. So what did they love? They much preferred to know your thoughts than God's. Why is that? Because they liked this. Here's what I think. See, if I listen to what you think, I get to share what I think. And that's what the Jews loved talking about what they thought. Here's what I believe. Here's what I think. Because that gives you something, doesn't it? You know something. You have something to contribute. That gives you worth, doesn't it? No. What does that do? If that's your way of thinking, what does that do? If you love this, you love to get to put in your two cents worth. What is it when you love that? Vain glory. Yeah, that's what it really does. It's knowledge. And what does knowledge do? Now let's look and see how we can break the unity of the Spirit by this type of speaking from ourself. Turn to Galatians chapter 5. In Galatians chapter 5, right after the fruit of the Spirit, let's read from there so you see the context. Galatians 5 from verse 22 to the end of the chapter. Starting with verse 22. But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, long-suffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control. Why is it called the fruit of the Spirit? So that you know none of these things come from you. There's no such thing as just a good, loving person. If it's love, it's come from God. If it's good, it's come from God. If it's kindness, it's come from God. Now you may be manifesting it and praise the Lord that His grace is manifested through men. But its source is never in men themselves. It's the fruit of His Spirit. And against such there is no law. Those who belong to Christ have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. Now if we live by the Spirit or if we live in the Spirit. It could be in or by. Either way, if you're really living by the Spirit or if you're really living in the Spirit, what are you supposed to do? Keep in step. Walk in step with the Spirit. Be led by the Spirit. Okay? And see, that would preserve what? Unity. You wouldn't speak on your own. Those who walk according to the Spirit have their mindset on the Spirit. The things of the Spirit. So if you're walking in step with the Spirit, you're not going to be speaking your own things. You'll be speaking only the things you receive from Him. He speaks only the things He receives from the Father. It preserves oneness and unity. And the danger of not doing that goes on to the next verse. Let us not become what? Yeah, let us not become... It says here. Get this. It's the word doxa and the word empty together. Empty glory. Vain glory. What's vain glory? What is empty glory? Well, empty would be the opposite of the word for worthy. Worthy comes from the Greek word of axiom. That which is on the same plane. None of us are worthy of glory. And anyone claiming that something is from yourself is good, you're on the wrong plane. There is none good. Not one. We're all liars. We're all evil. The poison of asp is on our tongues. Our minds were continually filled to do evil all the time. There is none righteous, not one. That's why if we glory in anything, it's vain. See in Revelation, if you want to turn there. Revelation, glory is worthy here. Revelation chapter 4 verse 11. If you want to turn there. I'll start with verse 10 from Revelation chapter 4 verse 10. And the 24 elders fall down before Him who sits on the throne and worship Him who lives forever and ever. And cast their crowns before the throne saying, You are, what? Worthy O Lord. That's the only one deserving of recognition for who He is. Because of Him are all these things. You're worthy to receive glory and honor and power. For you created all things and by your will they exist and they are created. Only God the Father is worthy of glory. Any glory we try to share in is vain. Empty. Worthless. It's not worthy. And Christ is also worthy of glory. Revelation chapter 5 verse 11 and 12. Revelation chapter 5, 11 and 12. Then I looked and I heard the voice of many angels around the throne and the living creatures and the elders and the number of them was 10,000 times 10,000 and thousands of thousands saying with a loud voice, Worthy. Deserving. Fitting. Appropriate. Worthy is the Lamb who was slain to receive power and riches and wisdom and strength and honor and glory and blessing. For us, if you would go back to Galatians chapter 5. For us any such recognition is vain. We're not worthy of it. Doesn't come from us. None of us have any goodness that has originated with us. All goodness originates from God. All understanding originates from God. All wisdom originates from Him. All knowledge originates from Him. And He's the only one worthy of any glory and recognition in that. And what happens here. Verse 26 of Galatians chapter 5 where we were. Galatians 5 verse 26. Let us not become vainglorious. What happens when we become vainglorious? When suddenly we feel there is something good within us. What's the next word? Provoking one another. It's interesting. The word means to call forth to yourself. Why would you want to call anyone to your position? Because brother you've got it worked out. You know this one. I mean it's in the Bible. Is that spirit in the Bible? Yeah, I guess it is in a lot of places. You know, if you received it from God. Why do you glory as if you hadn't received it? You received it. You're saying it wasn't from you. It's from the Father. Therefore you have no business taking any part in that. You have no business calling anyone to yourself. The spirit never calls anyone to himself. And it's interesting. Provoking one another and then the same term. Envying. You know where this is used most commonly? It's used there when Pilate says, and he knew that the chief priests and the elders had handed him over, handed Jesus over, because of envy. Now why would anyone be envious of Jesus? Because you know what? He didn't recognize how much they had it all together. He didn't go along with their perfect and near perfect religion. They had traditions well established. They had worked out how many angels could stand on the head of a pen. They had figured out how many steps you could walk on a Sabbath day. They knew you weren't supposed to pick heads of grain on that. They had it down. And they wanted men to look to them to study, to memorize like they had memorized, to dedicate themselves like they had dedicated themselves. And this guy had not even attended their schools. He had not even come to them, and he was calling people to love the Father, and they could tell. They could tell if the people just continued to listen to him, it was going to be trouble, and they were going to lose their place and their temple. That might happen here. We might lose white water someday. It might change and not be like it was in 1611. Oh, we're not 1611. That's a little bit... If it's been here a thousand years, what does it matter? You know, it's not our place. It's not our church. It's not our tradition. If it comes from Him, He received glory. Anything else that we're claiming from ourselves, here's what it ends up doing. It ends up producing animosity between ourselves, and animosity between God. Here they hated the one sent to save them. They envied Him, because they thought goodness was in them. And He correctly, when someone came to Him and said, good teacher, stopped them right then. Why callest thou me good? There is none good to save God. That's what happens. The bond of peace is broken when men speak from and seek to call others to themselves. That's when it's broken. And Paul warns about this. Turn to 1 Timothy. He warns Timothy about this. 1 Timothy chapter 6. 1 Timothy chapter 6. Find verse 3. Let's begin there. 1 Timothy 6.3 If anyone teaches... What? Other than what? Other than what they've received from the Holy Spirit. If anyone teaches anything different than what the Holy Spirit has given His servants, the apostles, and does not consent to healthy words, Where do healthy words come from? The words of our Lord Jesus Christ. Those are healthy words. Because did Jesus ever speak on His own? Never. Jesus never... He said, The words I speak to you are not my words. They are the words of my Father, who has given me not only what to say, but how to say them. Healthy words are the words of our Lord Jesus Christ. And according to the teaching, leading to godliness. And it's interesting. Godliness is... I've told you this before. It comes from the Greek word eusebion. Eusebion means to well. And sebumai means to fall back. That's what godliness is, y'all. It's the ability to recognize where genuine authority is. And you fall back. You don't stand up there like, Oh, great. Here comes the king. I'm sure he's going to say, What a worthy servant I am. Who does God dwell with? He is of a broken and a contrite spirit. I mean, with the lowly. He dwells with the lowly. And when you stand tall before the Lord, and you're not lowly in your own mind, He's not dwelling with you. But the godly man falls back in genuine authority. Like the Roman centurion, with one with great faith. For I am a man under authority. And there are men under me. Just understand that. Well, if anyone teaching differently, because they're speaking from their own thoughts, or from the thoughts, or they're repeating the thoughts that some other guy speaking from himself said. You know, that's what happens nowadays. It's not just you. Well, it's not me. But, you know, I read this great book. You've got to have this book. It is wonderful. Is it really? You know, of writing of books, it's wearisome. Reading of many books is wearisome. Be careful. You know, you realize something. When you give someone a book, and you say, Here, read this. This is great. And you think to your mind, I know there's bones in it. But everyone's got to, you know, eat the meat and spit out the bones. That's fine. They choke on it. Who's responsible? Be careful. Be careful what you share. These teachings have a deadly effect when they are not coming from the Father. But if anyone does not agree that what comes only from the Father is basically what he's saying, if anyone teaches something different than what Jesus is saying, well, he doesn't understand anything. A person doesn't understand anything if he doesn't agree with Jesus. And he's become what? Puffed up. Knowledge has puffed him up. And he is taking credit for something he doesn't deserve. And what results in this? He's puffed up, he understands nothing, but he's diseased. What is he diseased with? Himself. His focus, his thoughts, he's diseased about his own self. He is diseased with pride. And what this results in, what comes from this kind of situation is word battles. It's a literal term. Disputes and word battles. Now, this word for disputes just means intense seekings. Here's how I've come to understand that. It's whatever gets you super excited. And that's what you want to talk about. Because it's your new thing. And you have figured this one out. Man, you've seen it. And you've just got to tell the world about it. And you want everyone to do it with you. Now, here's what I'm excited about. I want all of you all to get up at such and such time in the morning. Because I have discovered that it's in the morning you've got to seek God. And if you seek Him early at this time, so what you do, you're excited about that because it's blessed you. And it's been wonderful. And you've grown for it. So you're going to turn everyone else into you. Everyone else needs to be getting up in the morning. Come on. I'll show you in the Scripture. Jesus did it. He rose a great while before day. They had to go find... I mean, you can support these things with Scripture because they're exciting. And if it's not that, it's what you discovered on how to dress. You've got it now. You understand modesty now. You used to dress like the harlot, but now, now you've seen it. And now it's important that everyone gets converted as your understanding. You see, it's just a seeking. And what does it produce? They translate it disputes. It produces disputes among people. How come the Holy Spirit didn't put the whole list on how modesty is supposed to look like? Just be modest. You know? Not much there, but do it. He'll tell you how. He'll guide you into all the truth about modesty. He'll let you know exactly what you need to do. And for you ladies, most of that's going to come right from your husband. So you can dwell with him in that. And word battles. Isn't that what Christians love to do? I mean, we can't fight the world, so we get to fight each other. Because it's important to be content for the faith. And this way you get to use your strength and the guys that are really good at memorizing and can quote the Word and be there. Man, I mean, you can... Is your sword as sharp as mine? I've been polishing mine. I can't wait to get to use it. I'll cut your arguments to pieces. Look, that's not God. That's not our Lord Jesus. That's not come from Him. And when our focus is on self, when people are seeking to draw men, call them to themselves and speak from themselves, what are you going to run into a guy seeking the same thing? What's it going to produce? A fight. Strife. Dispute. Quarrels. And you're going to lose the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace. Now, there's a couple of other verses on it, and then I want to sum it up. In 2 Timothy 2, Paul also warned Timothy. Look at me in verse 14. 2 Timothy 2 verse 14. Remind them of these things. What Paul had just said. If we die with Him, we'll live with Him. If we endure with Him, we'll reign with Him. If we deny Him, He'll deny us. If we're faithless, He will remain faithful. He cannot deny Himself. Remind them of these things, charging them before the Lord not to strive about words unto nothing useful, but unto the ruin, the catastrophe of the hearer. You know what Christian word fighting does? It produces catastrophe to the hearers. That's what it does. It's not... And it's interesting. Unto nothing useful. Now, it does produce things. Christian word fighting does produce things, but it's not useful. It's not... It's not... In this word here, it's... The Greek word here is... Nothing krasimon, from the same word of krestos, for my yoke is easy. Nothing easy. Nothing useful. The Greek word for krestos actually means it's perfectly fitting for everything. Have you ever noticed how the doctrines of men are just not perfectly fitted for everything? You know, walk up to some high... I believe in double predestination. Are you one of them damned ones or one of the elect? You know, it's not fitting for everything. You know, when you have doctrines of men, they divide people because you just can't... You can't find unity there. You know what? When Christ is the focus, you can find unity in diversity. And I'll show you that here in a minute from the Scripture as we wrap this up. However, these things, when you're not speaking from only the Spirit, from only the healthy words of Lord Jesus Christ, it ruins. It ruins the hearer. And there's one other verse in the same chapter. I'll start with verse 23. 2 Timothy 2 verse 23. But avoid... The Greek word there is reject. But reject foolish and... What did your Bible say? Ignorant? Unlearned is a good word. Or stupid? And here's the word. Seekings again. Disputes. Reject them. You know what? These... Here's what unlearned about them. If they have not learned, that if it's not come from the Spirit, they don't need to be saying it. You know what? And really, even if it has come from the Spirit, is it the right time? You remember when Jesus to His own disciples said, I have much more to say to you, but more than ye can now bear. So even if it's true, is it timely? How good is a timely word? And the Spirit knows whether it's timely or not. You know, a word aptly spoken is like apples of gold and setting of silver. And the Spirit knows these things. You can't just know them. Not every fact will minister health or blessing to people. Not every Scripture will be appropriate or minister grace to people. Especially not if you're giving it to make them be drawn to you. Especially not in that case. Because it says, these unlearned, untrained disputes produce fights, quarrels. Men against men. Those who have the correct doctrine over here, fighting. Those who have the correct doctrine over here. Both of them contending for the faith. Both of them. And it happens. Here's the warning. Look in Colossians chapter 2 and two other passages and you'll be done. Colossians chapter 2. Let's start with verse 6. As you have therefore received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk in Him, rooted and built up in Him, established in the faith as you have been taught, abounding in it with thanksgiving. Beware lest anyone cheat you through what? The love of wisdom. That's what philosophy is. It's brotherly wisdom. The brotherly love of wisdom. Beware of that. And empty deceit. There's that word again. This time it's vain deceit. Beware lest anyone cheat you through philosophy and empty deceit. According to the tradition of men. According to the basic principles of the world and not according to Christ. Do you see by that? If it's traditions of men, they are going to be able to say, this has been handed down to us for some length of time. We have done it this way for this long. Beware. Some of those are good and should be held fast to. But test all things. Hold fast to that which is good. If a tradition stands the test of having come from Him, get a hold of that. But if it's come from men, beware. Jesus said that by the traditions of men, you make void the Word of God. And according to the basic principles of the world. Some of these things even line up with the elementary principles of the world. They sound right. Because it says in verse 9, For in Him dwells all the fullness of the Godhead bodily, and you are complete in one place. In Him. That's where you'll be complete. Who is the head of all principality and power. In Him you were also circumcised with a circumcision made without hands by putting off the body of the sins of the flesh and by the circumcision of Christ, buried with Him in baptism, in which you were also raised with Him through faith in the working of God, who raised Him from the dead. And you being dead in your trespasses and the uncircumcision of your flesh, He has made alive together with Him, having forgiven you all trespasses, having wiped out the handwriting of requirements that was against us, which was contrary to us, and He has taken it out of the way, having nailed it to the cross, having disarmed principalities and powers, He made a public spectacle of them, triumphing over them in it. So then, let no one do what? Act as your judge. The Greek word here, so then, so let no one judge you in regard to meat or drink or a matter of festival or a new moon or Sabbath, which are only a shadow of the coming things, but the actual body is of Christ. And then He says again, let no one judge you in these matters. And the word krinomai is to make a distinction. And here's what I encourage all of you in the faith. Listen to me carefully. Don't let anyone peg you on an area. What do you believe about this? I believe in Jesus. What do you believe about predestination? It's in the Bible. What do you believe about being known for Christ? Be like Paul. I have resolved to know nothing but Christ Jesus and Him crucified. Don't claim to know beyond. The Bible says, therefore each of us ought to judge ourselves soberly in accordance with the measure of grace been given unto us. Do not think more highly of yourself than you ought. Just a sober judgment that you receive some grace, you begin to see a little bit, you look into a glass dimly, you only know in part, you only prophesy in part, you have not come to the fullness yet. And in fear and trembling, you can testify of the grace you believe you receive humbly. And don't let anyone, verse 18, it would mean give an unfavorable decision. Now why would someone give you an unfavorable decision? Because they have something figured out that you're not measuring up to. They have got something figured out that you are not measuring up to and what they're doing, you'll never make it buddy. In their heart. They may actually do it with their mouth but from in them, they're saying, you are missing it here. You cannot qualify if you just continue on this way. And this type of person, look at verse 18, this type of person, let no one give you an unfavorable decision, cheating you of your reward. Here's what this person does. They take delight in false humility and the worship of angels. Now what are angels? Messengers. Oh, that's a big thing today. Who did you hear this from? Wow. Man, I heard this from brother so and so. I heard this message. I heard this message. Be careful. Be careful. You better test all things. Hold fast only to that message that has come from the Lord Jesus Christ. The Spirit who is in you will help you test all things. He'll guide you into all truth. I don't care who says it, including me. You better test it by the help of the Holy Spirit. And if it comes from the Father, you can hold on to it. Because what does this person do? He intrudes into those things which he has what? How can you intrude into things you haven't seen? Because they're not really there. It's amazing how long someone can go on talking about something that's not even there. But they've seen it. I've seen it. It's right here. No, you haven't. If it's producing death in others, if it's producing strife and division in others, if it's not preserving the unity of the Spirit and the bond of peace, if it's not ministering grace to the hearer, if it's not edifying others up, you've seen it in your carnal mind. And that carnal mind does what? It puffs up. Because look what it says when it comes from the head. When this person does this, he intrudes into the things he's not seen, being puffed up in his carnal mind. He's not holding to the head. Because look what happens from the head. From the head, all the body is joined together. Look, if you're the hand, you don't need to tell the foot what to do. He gets this instruction from the head. The head will tell the foot what to do. The head will tell the hand what to do. You know what? I am actually, get this, I'm actually glad that a lot of you are not like me. Be who you are. Get your instruction from the head. Do what the head tells you to do. Walk in the direction the head tells you. I'm glad all the parts of the body are different. But you can live in unity when you are taking instructions from the head. And the head is guiding you. And you'll be doing something different than the hand or the ear. But it's in harmony. And it flows together. But when someone is speaking from themselves, drawing men to themselves, it cuts, it divides, it produces fights, it produces quarrels. And the unity of the spirit is broken through the strife of men. And we do not want to be a part of it. We do not want to partake of that. Wisdom that's come from above means it's actually come from the Father. Means Christ has actually received this from the Father. And the Spirit is taking it actually from Christ. That's wisdom from above. If it's wisdom from above, it's first of all what? Pure. Pure of what? Pure of self. It's not your thoughts. It's not your ideas. It's come from Him. And those are rare things. When we're able to communicate something that is not tainted by our carnality. Wisdom from above is pure. The second thing it is, is peaceable. And the third thing it is, is it's very easily persuaded. Isn't that amazing? Wisdom from above tends to yield whenever it can. Yield it. And just as a word of warning, the same kind of warning that Paul said, I urge you therefore brothers to watch out for those among you who cause divisions. If their ministry is Mr. Division, it says avoid them. Stand away from them. Pray for them. But don't join them. And watch for them. I urge you, this is in Romans 16, chapter 16 verse 17, I urge you therefore brothers to watch out for them that cause divisions among you. And it says, and offenses contrary to the doctrine which you learned, and avoid them. If you've learned of Christ, if you've been trained from Christ, this is what it says, Wisdom from above is first of all pure, peaceable, considerate, full of mercy and good fruit, impartial and sincere, peacemakers who sow in peace raise a harvest of righteousness. The fruit of righteousness is sown in peace of them that make peace. We preserve the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace. So what do we do when we hear something we're not sure has come from the Spirit? Fight about it? No. You bear with one another. And you pray, and you strive to get to where that person can hear that they're off. See that? Don't turn it into a fight. Unless this person will not receive correction. This person is so puffed up, because you know, contention comes only by pride. And if they are proud, they're walking in one of the abominations that God hates. He resists the proud. And it says, you know, there are six things, an abomination of the Lord, yea, seven that He hates. What's the first one? A proud look. And the last one is, He who sows discord among brethren. From that kind of person, back away. Stand aside. Pray for them, but don't join with them. We need to preserve the unity of the Spirit and the bond of peace. Now this won't answer all your questions about what to do in this matter. It's not supposed to. We have to search these things out diligently. But we need to be careful that we are not so confident of our own understanding that we speak it as if it's coming from us. What about those situations when you're not sure? How did Paul do it? Here's how Paul did it. I, not the Lord. I think, now you can follow my judgment as one that has wisdom, but it's not the Lord. We need the wisdom to say, I think this might be the way. But when we know it's the Lord, we can be a faithful witness to that. And this is something that's going to take time to grow into fully. This is a mature man who can walk in the Spirit and keep in step with the Spirit, who has just as much joy in being quiet as he does in speaking. And if it serves the purpose of the preservation of the unity of Spirit, he'd just as soon be wronged. And we need to make sure. Here's where it comes to, and I'm speaking to those that I'm calling you to this. As far as it lieth within you, be at peace with all men. To the degree that you can, you do not be the source of strife. You do not be the source of contention. Follow after peace with all men and holiness. Without which, no man shall see the Lord. We all know that without holiness, no man shall see the Lord. But what about without peace? Come, my children. I will teach you the fear of the Lord. What does it say? Turn from evil, do good. Put away perversity from your mouth. Keep corrupt talk far from your lips. Let him turn from evil and do good. We know that part. Let him seek peace and pursue it. Seek peace. Pursue peace. Follow after peace. And none of us do not let strife and contention be found coming from us. Amen? Alright, let's soberly consider this. Let's just be quiet a minute. Consider these things. Repent. If these things have been coming from you, repent. Be changed. Be humbled before the Lord. And ask the Father by His Spirit to put the fear of God upon you, upon me, so that we will not utter things that have not come from Him. If by love we show the world that we are His disciples, I can take it lightly. I commit my love to You. I will tear down all the walls I've built to crucify it. I commit my love to You. Because when we are divided, I can hear Him crying. And I won't. I just can't do it anymore. So brother, I commit my love to You. To You. Let's sing this together and we'll be dismissed. Bind us together, Lord. Bind us together with cord that cannot be broken. Bind us together, Lord. Bind us together, Lord. Bind us together. That is why we can sing. Bind us... Brian Davis, would you close us with a word of prayer?