Bible Question: Why mark and AVOID them causing divisions in Romans 16:17?

Question

Would this include "Jesus": "division" and not peace
(Matthew 10:34; Luke 12:51; John 7:43; 9:16)

Would them causing division include Atheists vs X-ians?

Would "division" be contrary to doctrine of "unity"?
Would alienation be contrary to doctrine of reconciliation?

Can God be one by division, or is God one by unity?

God on high? Seems to be divided: left/right heavens.

Unity of the Ghost(Law) or of the Spirit(Grace)?

Answer 1

The divisions that are referred to here was a prediction of the various denominations that would be founded and would teach concepts that are in contrast to the scriptures. Jesus founded his church, one church, not 400 different denominations.

The church of the New Testament, also called the church of Christ is not a denomination. Any "churches" that were founded by men and follow teachings of men (creeds, edicts, etc.) are the divisions that are warned against.

Answer 2

Romans 16:17, Now I beseech you, Brethren, mark them which cause divisions, and offences contrary to the doctrine which you have learned. (refers to the fact that false teachers are to be identified); and avoid them(turn way from and shun these). The scripture says contrary to the doctrine which you have learned, meaning false teachers are the cause of division, dividing people from God by not teaching the True Scripture. Matt 10:34, (means division in the familys, When part of the family is belivers and part is not this causes a division in the family. Luke 12:51 (means Christ is not the cause of division, but the occasion of it; division is caused by the rebellion of men against the Gospel[11Cor. 2:14-17]) John 7:43; 9:16 (the division was caused by a lack of understanding of the Scriptures, plus a desire on the part of some to win the approval of the religious leaders[Jn. 7:48]), (This provides a dilemma for the Pharisees because the truth is that a sinner could not do such Miracles.,And there was a division among them (proclaims the obvious)
All of these Scriptures are an example of how men are divided. Believers and NonBelivers in Jesus Christ. Wheather it is strangers, friends, family, ect.

Answer 3

The division will be between Christians and non-Christians. The verse in John 9:16 was the result of the legalism that had come into Judaism and the fact that Jesus was taking power from the Pharisees.

Answer 4

There were and still are those who work to destroy the congregations from within causing upset where ever they can.

One of the marks of true Christians is as 1Cor. 1:10 says, "all speak in agreement. Not having divisions among you, but that you may be fitly united in the same mind and line of thought."

Unity of worship. There is one way the God of the Bible accepts worship. It is outlined in the Bible. It is not vague or shadowy.

Those who will not change must be tossed out to protect the rest of the congregation just as they did in the 1st century. Their purpose was not to upbuild anyone anyway.

Answer 5

You're question is somewhat confused... but a short answer to it is:

That passage also says I believe that those causing division should be noted but not rejected, rather admonished as a brother. No, it's not referring to the "unsaved". Scripture teaches not to keep company with the immoral... but not the immoral of the "world", rather we should avoid the immoral of the church.

Sorry, kinda' a confusing answer to a confusing question.

Answer 6

dude, take all those stay thoughts, roll them into a ball, and try for one question that makes sense....

Answer 7

Our Lord founded a Church (Matthew 16:18-19), not a book, which was to be the pillar and ground of Truth (1 Timothy 3:15). We can know what this Church teaches by looking not only at Sacred Scripture, but into History and by reading what the earliest Christians have written, what those who've sat on the Chair of Peter have spoken consistently with Scripture and Tradition, and what they've solemnly defined. To believe that the Bible is our only source of Christian Truth is unbiblical and illogical.

During the Reformation, primarily for doctrinal reasons, Protestants removed seven books from the Old Testament: 1 and 2 Maccabees, Sirach, Wisdom, Baruch, Tobit, and Judith, and parts of two others, Daniel and Esther. They did so even though these books had been regarded as canonical since the beginning of Church history.

When examining the question of what books were originally included in the Old Testament canon, it is important to note that some of the books of the Bible have been known by more than one name. Sirach is also known as Ecclesiasticus, 1 and 2 Chronicles as 1 and 2 Paralipomenon, Ezra and Nehemiah as 1 and 2 Esdras, and 1 and 2 Samuel with 1 and 2 Kings as 1, 2, 3, and 4 Kings—that is, 1 and 2 Samuel are named 1 and 2 Kings, and 1 and 2 Kings are named 3 and 4 Kings. The history and use of these designations is explained more fully in Scripture reference works.


"To get the full flavor of an herb, it must be pressed between the fingers, so it is the same with the Scriptures; the more familiar they become, the more they reveal their hidden treasures and yield their indescribable riches."-- St. John Chrysostom, A.D. 347-407



The Process of Lectio Divina
A VERY ANCIENT art, practiced at one time by all Christians, is the technique known as lectio divina - a slow, contemplative praying of the Scriptures which enables the Bible, the Word of God, to become a means of union with God. This ancient practice has been kept alive in the Christian monastic tradition. Together with the Liturgy and daily manual labor, time set aside in a special way for lectio divina enables us to discover in our daily life an underlying spiritual rhythm. Within this rhythm we discover an increasing ability to offer more of ourselves and our relationships to God, and to accept the embrace that God is continuously extending to us in the person of Jesus Christ.

Lectio - reading/listening
THE ART of lectio divina begins with cultivating the ability to listen deeply. When we read the Scriptures we should try to imitate the prophet Elijah. We should allow ourselves to become women and men who are able to listen for the still, small voice of God (I Kings 19:12); the "faint murmuring sound" which is God's word for us, God's voice touching our hearts. This gentle listening is an "attunement" to the presence of God in that special part of God's creation which is the Scriptures.

THE CRY of the prophets to ancient Israel was the joy-filled command to "Listen!" "Sh'ma Israel: Hear, O Israel!" In lectio divina we, too, heed that command and turn to the Scriptures, knowing that we must "hear" - listen- to the voice of God, which often speaks very softly. In order to hear someone speaking softly we must learn to be silent. We must learn to love silence. If we are constantly speaking or if we are surrounded with noise, we cannot hear gentle sounds. The practice of lectio divina, therefore, requires that we first quiet down in order to hear God's word to us. This is the first step of lectio divina, appropriately called lectio - reading.

THE READING or listening which is the first step in lectio divina is very different from the speed reading which modern Christians apply to newspapers, books and even to the Bible. Lectio is reverential listening; listening both in a spirit of silence and of awe. We are listening for the still, small voice of God that will speak to us personally - not loudly, but intimately. In lectio we read slowly, attentively, gently listening to hear a word or phrase that is God's word for us this day.

Meditation
ONCE WE have found a word or a passage in the Scriptures which speaks to us in a personal way, we must take it in and "ruminate" on it. The image of the ruminant animal quietly chewing its cud was used in antiquity as a symbol of the Christian pondering the Word of God. Christians have always seen a scriptural invitation to lectio divina in the example of the Virgin Mary "pondering in her heart" what she saw and heard of Christ (Luke 2:19). For us today these images are a reminder that we must take in the word - that is, memorize it - and while gently repeating it to ourselves, allow it to interact with our thoughts, our hopes, our memories, our desires. This is the second step or stage in lectio divina - meditation. Through meditation we allow God's word to become His word for us, a word that touches us and affects us at our deepest levels.

Prayer
THE THIRD step in lectio divina is prayer: prayer understood both as dialogue with God, that is, as loving conversation with the One who has invited us into an embrace; and as consecration, prayer as the priestly offering to God of those parts of ourselves that we have not previously believed God wants. In this consecration-prayer we allow the word that we have taken in and on which we are pondering to touch and change our deepest selves. Just as a priest consecrates the elements of bread and wine at the Eucharist, God invites us in lectio divina to hold up our most difficult and pain-filled experiences, and to gently recite over them the healing word or phrase God has given us in our lectio and meditation. In this prayer, this consecration-prayer, we allow our real selves to be touched and changed by the Word of God.

Contemplation
FINALLY, WE simply rest in the presence of the One who has used the Scripture word as a means of inviting us to accept a transforming embrace. No one who has ever been in love needs to be reminded that there are moments in loving relationships when words are unnecessary. It is the same in our relationship with God. Wordless, quiet rest in the presence of the One who loves us has a name in the Christian tradition - contemplation. Once again we practice silence, letting go of our own words; this time simply enjoying the experience of being in the presence of God.




"Ignorance of Scripture is ignorance of Christ." -- St. Jerome, A.D. 340-420