## There must be heresies?

## I Corinthians 11:17-31

Someone recently asked me this question about our church, "Is it just me, or does there seem to be many more problems now than there used to be?" My answer, yes there seems to be more problems today than there were before, but that is not really unusual.

Tonight I want us to look at a passage of Scripture and attempt to understand why there are so many more problems, and what to do about them.

Before we get to I Cor 11, let's paint a familar scene found in the Book of Phil. (Phil 4:2-3) When we read carefully we discover Paul stressing unity of believers, and joy under trials. It is in the last chapter that you find Paul specifically dealing with one of the reasons for the letter and perhaps the primary occasion for it.

(PHIL 4:2-3) "I BESEECH EUODIAS, AND BESEECH SYNTYCHE, THAT THEY BE OF THE SAME MIND IN THE LORD. {3} AND I ENTREAT THEE ALSO, TRUE YOKEFELLOW, HELP THOSE WOMEN WHICH LABOURED WITH ME IN THE GOSPEL, WITH CLEMENT ALSO, AND WITH OTHER MY FELLOWLABOURERS, WHOSE NAMES ARE IN THE BOOK OF LIFE."

- They once were close friends working side by side in the church.
- Now they are separated, close yet distant - growing even more distant.
- Euodia (whose name means "Prosperous Journey") and Syntyche (whose name means "Pleasant Acquaintance") fell now far short of their name meanings.
- Paul makes no mention of why they were having problems.
- The details were not important to Paul right now.
- The fact of the distance between two Christians laid heavy on his heart.
- He (vs 3) entreats the faithful in the church to help those women.
- We could change the names and the time and place and yet repeat this story over and over in churches down through the ages.
- For some the very mention of the word "conflict" strikes fear.
- Aren't conflicts to be avoided at all costs?
- Aren't they the enemy?
- Isn't it better to just ignore Euodia and Syntyche?
- Isn't it better to leave them alone than to try to bring them together and run the risk of more conflict?

(1 COR 11:18-19) "FOR FIRST OF ALL, WHEN YE COME TOGETHER IN THE CHURCH, I HEAR THAT THERE BE DIVISIONS AMONG YOU; AND I PARTLY BELIEVE IT. {19} FOR THERE MUST BE ALSO HERESIES AMONG YOU, THAT THEY WHICH ARE APPROVED MAY BE MADE MANIFEST AMONG YOU."

The phrase in verse 18 is not so hard to understand, but what about the phrase in v19? Those words "There must be heresies" are the ones that bother me. Why "must"?

I. What does he mean?

A. Vs 17 - I praise you not - in contrast to the praise in 11:2

1. It is very interesting that in vs 18, Paul says first of all but never gives any other charge - this is the main one, it is the only one in this area.

2. This is a grave and great issue.

B. Vs 18 - divisions - "Schismata" (schism - I Cor 12:25)

1. From old word "to rent, split" used as splinter of wood.

2. Schisms naturally become factions or parties.

a. 1:11 - ‘contentions’ instead of discussions.

b. 1:10 - I beseech you that ye all speak the same thing.

c. 1:10 - that the divisions may not continue as they already existed.

d. 1:10 - Be ye perfectly joined together

1) like the mending of torn nets and

2) As the surgeon mends the joint.

3) Same word in Gal 6:1 "restore"

4) Eph 4:12 "perfecting of the saints" - the mending of the broken nets of people's lives.

e. 1:10 - Mind - frame of mind, state of mind. It's the idea that all of us should have the same direction of thought.

f. It's God whom we seek to please and glorify.

3. We are constantly called on to choose a side...we need to choose God’s side!

4. 11:18, I hear - I keep on hearing! Rumors were constant! That is nothing new!

C. Vs 19 - Heresies

1. Notice the word used elsewhere

a. II Pet 2:1 "But there were false prophets also among the people, even as there shall be false teachers among you, who privily shall bring in damnable heresies," Note that destructive heresies - signifies "leading to ruin".

b. Sect - Acts 5:17 as the sect of the Sadducees or Pharisees

c. Titus 3:10 heretic - "A man that is an heretic, after the first and second admonition, reject." (in context this is talking about one who causing division).

2. A Choosing of sides: taking sides or holding the views of one party or an erroneous opinion is heresy.

a. Erroneous opinions are the outcome of personal preference.

b. Especially a self willed opinion, which is substituted for submission to the truth.

c. This leads to division and the formation of sects.

3. There is that good choosing, that good holding to a position.

"BUT THIS I CONFESS UNTO THEE, THAT AFTER THE WAY WHICH THEY CALL HERESY, SO WORSHIP I THE GOD OF MY FATHERS, BELIEVING ALL THINGS WHICH ARE WRITTEN IN THE LAW AND IN THE PROPHETS:" (ACTS 24:14)

4. Note that it is a position supported by the Written Word.

II. That's what the words mean but why the word "must"?

If we understand the "must" we will gain a whole new perspective on conflicts that come into our life.

A. vs 19 - God's purpose in the factions makes the proved ones become manifest.

1. vs 19 - manifest

"THEY WENT OUT FROM US, BUT THEY WERE NOT OF US; FOR IF THEY HAD BEEN OF US, THEY WOULD NO DOUBT HAVE CONTINUED WITH US: BUT THEY WENT OUT, THAT THEY MIGHT BE MADE MANIFEST THAT THEY WERE NOT ALL OF US." (1 JOHN 2:19)

a. They went out of our membership; they were not of us.

1) Meaning they were not of the same spirit and life!

2) They had lost the inner fellowship and now apparently broke the outer fellowship.

3) They weren't on God's side.

4) Antichrists are revealed in their true light.

b. The way we deal with problem solving reveals much about us.

2. Manifest - to open to sight, visible

B. I Cor 11:19 - they who are approved "approved" - from an old word indicating "tested by fire".

1. "Approved" - signifies "to prove" as with metals.

2. Proved as by fire to see the genuineness and worth.

"BLESSED IS THE MAN THAT ENDURETH TEMPTATION: FOR WHEN HE IS TRIED, HE SHALL RECEIVE THE CROWN OF LIFE, WHICH THE LORD HATH PROMISED TO THEM THAT LOVE HIM." (JAMES 1:12)

3. Those who stand with God…Those who choose His side of issues…Those who come down on God's side.

a. It could have been in the church of Philippi that many had secretly began to chose sides.

b. Some felt Euodia was the more wrong, or Syntyche.

c. But Paul does not chose either side of the particular issue but demands that they stop letting the sides be chosen up and factions formed.

d. He demands that they all come down on God's side.

e. They were both wrong now!

f. Paul entreats them to show their maturity and come down on God's side and help these women.

4. Remember that the word "heresy" means - "a choosing", holding an opinion to the lack of submission to the truth.

C. Paul is saying that there must be issues that arise that cause us to choose whose side we will be on.

1. These issues, heresies are there so that we can demonstrate to all that we are not interested in choosing sides.

2. Not Euodia's side or Syntyche's side but rather our commitment to come down on God's side of the issue.

D. Because heresies and divisions are inevitable, we must constantly be alert.

1. Deacons must be on the lookout for those who cause divisions as well as those who teach false doctrines.

2. It is not the divisions from false doctrines that Paul has in mind here.

3. Many times rivalries and issues are disguised as such!

4. One person on the phone constantly for one week, can destroy a work it has taken years to build.

I will close for now, next week we will continue to look at what we must do in response to such heresies that exist. God has specific instructions concerning how we must handle such instances.

Tonight will we honestly allow God to search our hearts? When we are confronted with such heresies do we choose sides? Or do we determine to come down on the side of God and His Word?

I have yet to experience a church split, but I have gone into ministries after there has been one and spent much time cleaning up the mess. The saddest thought is that there is no way to salvage the damage done to a church’s testimony in a community.

The world delights in seeing disharmony in the local church, because it affirms that we are no different from them! God has called us to be different. We are to be a light in the sin darkened world.

"BY THIS SHALL ALL MEN KNOW THAT YE ARE MY DISCIPLES, IF YE HAVE LOVE ONE TO ANOTHER." (JOHN 13:35)