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Makestraightpaths.com examines the teachings of the religious
group variously known as “the Family,” “The Family International,” the “Children
of God,” or the “Family of Love,” and evaluates these teachings from a Christian
perspective.
This page is one
of a series examining the position of the Bible in Family theology.
Doctrinal Unity
The Family is not a
‘regular’
church. Despite official Family insistence that it is merely an
extremely dedicated albeit unconventional Christian group, there can be
no question that the differences between the Family and mainstream
Christian churches are far greater than depth of conviction or
enthusiasm. There are a
number of doctrines peculiar to the Family, in which portions of
Scripture are or have been interpreted in ways that are completely
different to mainstream Christianity. These doctrines are then codified
into action. That is, Family members act in ways completely different
from
‘regular’ church members because of the doctrine they
have been taught.
The Family
strenuously defends its own teachings both internally, to its own
members, and publicly when necessary. Depending on the doctrine in
question, their position is either that different groups may hold to
different doctrines “according to their faith,” or that their own
doctrines are new, deeper truths, revealed to them because of their
obedience, and presumably which other Christians will eventually accept,
given enough time. It is clear, however, that many Family teachings are
totally incompatible with those held by mainstream Christians, who will
never conform to Family viewpoints. Certain Family doctrines are
diametrically opposite to those held by most Christian churches. There
is no middle ground, no room for compromise, no possibility of both
being right.
Therefore, the question
necessarily arises whether it is legitimate for different
Christian groups to hold contrasting views on Scripture. Does the Bible
allow for different churches to hold diametrically opposing
interpretations of Scripture?
This web page looks
at the doctrinal aspect of Christian unity, to what degree Christians
are supposed to agree in matters of faith.
Unity of
faith
To the early church, unity meant
unity of heart, mind, soul and spirit. There either was unity of faith,
or there was no unity. Likewise in the Family, there is tremendous
emphasis placed upon internal unity: a great deal of material has been
published, vigorously urging its members to strive for internal
doctrinal unity, to defend at all costs the uncompromised faith that
arises from all members believing the same doctrines. On the other hand,
there has also been a great deal of material published vigorously urging
members to remain separate from the churches. The Family claims that
their internal unity results in whole-hearted commitment. In other
words, in order to remain a whole-hearted Family disciple, it is
necessary to remain separate from churches who do not believe the same
way. This is not a matter of petty inter-church squabbles over matters
of administration. Rather, the Family clings to certain doctrines that
cause permanent separation from the rest of Christianity, and
steadfastly maintains that those doctrines are correct.
Therefore, the Family believes that
unity of faith is only necessary within a particular church group, not
to the entire body of true believers.
The issue here concerns the particular
doctrines that separate the Family from mainstream Christianity. There
are always numerous doctrinal issues where one church differs from the
next, but most of these are minor. One church imposes a strict dress
code upon its members, while the next allows casual dress. One church
forbids women to teach men, while the next has female ministers. One
church baptises by full immersion, while the next baptises by
sprinkling. Within the Family, there are also numerous minor issues
which in themselves are insufficient to cause an insurmountable
division. An example of this would be the Family’s insistence on the
return of Jesus and rapture of the saints occurring after the
tribulation. There are some churches who agree with the Family, and many
who do not, but few would be so dogmatic as to exclude the Family from
their fellowship on the basis of that point alone.
However, there are doctrines
that separate the Family from almost all other Christian churches or
groups, to which the Family clings in the face of united opposition from
most other believers. In particular, the Family’s teachings on sex,
spirit helpers and the ‘keys of the kingdom’ all place an impenetrable
barrier between the Family and the churches.
No
divisions among you
1 Cor 1:10 Now I
exhort you, brethren, by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that you all
agree and that there be no divisions among you, but that you be made
complete in the same mind and in the same judgment. NASU
First Corinthians
is a letter of correction written by the apostle Paul to the believers
in the cosmopolitan, decadent city of Corinth. Paul addresses numerous
different issues which have come to his attention. Some of these matters
were reported to him (1 Cor 1:11), and others were issues that the
Corinthians themselves wrote to him about (1 Cor 7:1). Paul had written
to the Corinthians before (1 Cor 5:9), and it appears that his previous
counsel had, in many cases been rejected. This produced factional
arguments (quarrels, or “rivalries, disputes” 1 Cor 1:11 NET Bible
footnote) within the church over which leader the believers were to
follow:
1 Cor 1:11-12
11 For I have been
informed concerning you, my brethren, by Chloe’s people, that there are
quarrels among you. 12 Now I mean this, that each one of you is saying,
“I am of Paul,” and “I of Apollos,” and “I of Cephas,” and “I of
Christ.”
NASU
Paul’s immediate
response was to remind the Corinthians that they are one in Christ, not
in any earthly leader.
1 Cor 1:13 Has Christ
been divided? Paul was not crucified for you, was he? Or were you
baptized in the name of Paul? NASU
It is Christ
Himself that unites believers, not allegiance to a particular teacher.
Paul continues the topic of leadership in chapter three, emphasising
that each leader is merely a servant accomplishing a task given to him
by the Lord.
1 Cor 3:3-5
3 You are still
worldly. For since there is jealousy and quarreling among you, are you
not worldly? Are you not acting like mere men? 4 For when one says, “I
follow Paul,” and another, “I follow Apollos,” are you not mere men?
5 What, after all, is
Apollos? And what is Paul? Only servants, through whom you came to
believe — as the Lord has assigned to each his task.
NIV
First century
Christians who gave their loyalty to a particular leader instead of to
the Lord were guilty of worldliness (vs.3). So, one of the ways
worldliness is manifested is in loyalty to a particular group or person
over loyalty to Christ.
Gifts for
unity
Later on in the
same letter, Paul discusses spiritual gifts.
1 Cor 12:4-11
4 Now there are
varieties of gifts, but the same Spirit. 5 And there are varieties of
ministries, and the same Lord. 6 There are varieties of effects, but the
same God who works all things in all persons. 7 But to each one is given
the manifestation of the Spirit for the common good. 8 For to one is
given the word of wisdom through the Spirit, and to another the word of
knowledge according to the same Spirit; 9 to another faith by the same
Spirit, and to another gifts of healing by the one Spirit, 10 and to
another the effecting of miracles, and to another prophecy, and to
another the distinguishing of spirits, to another various kinds of
tongues, and to another the interpretation of tongues. 11 But one and
the same Spirit works all these things, distributing to each one
individually just as He wills.
NASU
In this list of
various spiritual gifts, Paul repeatedly stresses that all gifts come
from the same, single source. Notice how many times he says, “the same
Spirit” or “the one Spirit.”
It is the Holy
Spirit who distributes different gifts to individual Christians “just as
He wills” (vs.11). One of the reasons for this emphasis is the fact that
the Corinthians had been engaging in a certain amount of spiritual
one-upmanship. Paul rebuked them in chapter one for their factional
disputes over preferred leadership (“I am of Apollos” “I am of Paul” 1
Cor 1:12). Here, Paul stresses that no particular gift is more important
than any other gift because they all originate from the same Holy
Spirit. There is no particular hierarchy of gifts. One person may be
given the gift of prophecy, while another may receive the gift of the
word of knowledge and the prophet is not above the one with knowledge.
The next topic
(vs.12-26) presents the analogy of the human body as representative of
the church, in which each member depends on all the others.
1 Cor 12:12-13
12 For even as the
body is one and yet has many members, and all the members of the body,
though they are many, are one body, so also is Christ. 13 For by one
Spirit we were all baptized into one body, whether Jews or Greeks,
whether slaves or free, and we were all made to drink of one Spirit.
NASU
Notice how many
times Paul uses the word ‘one.’ There is one body and one Spirit.
1 Cor 12:14-27
14 For the body is
not one member, but many. 15 If the foot says, “Because I am not a hand,
I am not a part of the body,” it is not for this reason any the less a
part of the body. 16 And if the ear says, “Because I am not an eye, I am
not a part of the body,” it is not for this reason any the less a part
of the body. 17 If the whole body were an eye, where would the hearing
be? If the whole were hearing, where would the sense of smell be? 18 But
now God has placed the members, each one of them, in the body, just as
He desired. 19 If they were all one member, where would the body be? 20
But now there are many members, but one body. 21 And the eye cannot say
to the hand, “I have no need of you”; or again the head to the feet, “I
have no need of you.” 22 On the contrary, it is much truer that the
members of the body which seem to be weaker are necessary; 23 and those
members of the body which we deem less honorable, on these we bestow
more abundant honor, and our less presentable members become much more
presentable, 24 whereas our more presentable members have no need of it.
But God has so composed the body, giving more abundant honor to that
member which lacked, 25 so that there may be no division in the body,
but that the members may have the same care for one another. 26 And if
one member suffers, all the members suffer with it; if one member is
honored, all the members rejoice with it.
27 Now you are
Christ’s body, and individually members of it.
NASU
The church is Christ’s body, and
Christians are like his hands, his feet or his eyes and so on. Now, the
first point that needs to be made is that Christ has one body. In
other words, it was not as though the Corinthian church was one body and
the Ephesian church was another body. On the contrary, all Christians
who have ever lived in any part of the world comprise His body.
Therefore, people are either a part of this single, united body or they
are not.
Second, Christians only have
functionality as part of the body. Cut off a hand, and that hand no
longer lives. Therefore Christians must act in subservience to Christ
Himself as the head, because without Him they have no life, and in
unison with the rest of the body. If they attempt to operate apart from
the body, they immediately begin to die.
Third, Christians depend on each
other for survival. Without feet, the hands would not get very far.
Without the stomach, the eyes would die of starvation. Without this
interdependence, death is inevitable. If a group of ‘believers’
continues to exist, while remaining separate from the rest of the
believers, this merely proves that they are not members of Christ’s body
at all.
Fourth, all truth proceeds from
Christ Himself, who is the head (Eph 4:15); He is the truth (John 14:6).
Therefore, everyone who is a member of His body must of necessity hold
to the same truth. Those who have different ‘truths’ are therefore not
members of His body.
The body possesses an
organic unity. There is a common life principle that brings all of its
diversity together so that it becomes a whole, a unit. And Paul realized
that the church is no different. The basic intrinsic definition of the
church is that it is one organic whole, a plurality of members with a
common life principle. And in that plurality of members there is only
one kind of Christian. The body of Christ does not possess two or more
brands of Christian, some with more of the Holy Spirit than others. We
are all members of the body of Christ. We are all a part of the organic
whole through which pulses the very life blood of Christ Himself.
(Macarthur, The Charismatics)
It is important to remember that the
word ‘church’ in 1 Corinthians does not refer to ‘the denomination’ or
the ‘group of believers in Corinth’ or ‘those who follow Paul.’ Rather,
the ‘church’ is the universal body of all believers, regardless of their
location, the historical time they live, or the particular group they
are organised into. If they are true believers, then they are members of
the church. Therefore, the unity that is an integral part of the gifts
of the Spirit means cross-denominational unity. Unity that is confined
to a particular location or denomination or group is no unity.
Christians who want to remain separate from other Christians actually
desire amputation from the body of Christ, and therefore from Christ
Himself.
Therefore, as long as the Family
holds to doctrines that separate it from other churches, it will remain
separate from the body of Christ, unless, of course, it chooses to
believe that Family members alone comprise the body of Christ.
Such separation effectively prevents
spiritual growth, functionality and strength, and ultimately causes
spiritual death, as the individual believers are separated not only from
other Christians, but also from Christ the head.
After discussing the human body as
an analogy of the church, Paul returns to his earlier topic, with
another list of various roles and spiritual gifts that may be present in
the church.
1 Cor 12:28-31
28 And God has
appointed in the church, first apostles, second prophets, third
teachers, then miracles, then gifts of healings, helps, administrations,
various kinds of tongues. 29 All are not apostles, are they? All are
not prophets, are they? All are not teachers, are they? All are not
workers of miracles, are they? 30 All do not have gifts of healings, do
they? All do not speak with tongues, do they? All do not interpret, do
they? 31 But earnestly desire the greater gifts.
NASU
Not every Christian needs to fill
every role, because within the body of believers, God will have
appointed people with the roles or gifts that are needed. So, one of the
points we may get from this passage is that the church consists of unity
within diversity.
Despite the Family’s emphasis
on the gift of prophecy, it is clear that prophecy is not more important
than any other gift, and it is also clear that true prophecy will not
cause division. In fact, the theme of unity is so strong in this passage
that we may say that true gifts or ministries within the church will
never separate believers from each other. If anyone’s teaching or
prophecy causes division, that is a sure sign that that message was not
inspired by the Holy Spirit. True prophecy or teaching will always bring
about unity.
Unity and
maturity
The book of
Ephesians tells a similar story. It is God who appoints His people into
various roles:
Eph 4:11-16
11 And He gave some
as apostles, and some as prophets, and some as evangelists, and some as
pastors and teachers, 12 for the equipping of the saints for the work of
service, to the building up of the body of Christ; 13 until we all
attain to the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of
God, to a mature man, to the measure of the stature which belongs to the
fullness of Christ. 14 As a result, we are no longer to be children,
tossed here and there by waves and carried about by every wind of
doctrine, by the trickery of men, by craftiness in deceitful scheming;
15 but speaking the truth in love, we are to grow up in all aspects into
Him who is the head, even Christ, 16 from whom the whole body, being
fitted and held together by what every joint supplies, according to the
proper working of each individual part, causes the growth of the body
for the building up of itself in love.
NASU
Note that the purpose of the
apostles, prophets, evangelists, pastors and teachers is to equip the
saints “for the work of ministry” (vs.12 NET Bible), “until we all
attain to the unity of the faith” (vs.13). Apostles, prophets,
evangelists pastors and teachers build up the church in order to bring
unity of faith and unity in knowledge of the Son of God. In fact, this
unity is a measure of Christian maturity: “Until we all reach unity in
the faith… and become mature” (vs.13 NIV).
This unity of faith will protect us
from being “tossed here and there by waves and carried about by every
wind of doctrine” (vs.14). Therefore, one of the ways to tell if someone
is giving a false prophecy is if that prophecy causes division within
the universal body of Christ. The body of Christ is “held together”
(vs.16) that it may grow and mature, and the result of true prophecy
will be unity and growth.
Christians
are responsible for each other
One of the ways Christian unity is to
be manifested is in the care that believers are to show each other.
Jesus left His disciples with the command to love each other (John
15:12) and severely warned those who had so little care that they would
cause young believers to stumble (Matthew 18:6). This is also the point
that Paul makes in his counsel to some people who were quarrelling over
petty issues.
The fourteenth chapter of Romans
contains some counsel on how to handle differences of opinion in matters
of conscience. There are two relatively minor issues mentioned, one
concerning which food Christians are allowed to eat, and the other
concerning holy days. Paul says that each person should act according to
his own conscience, if he is “fully convinced in his own mind” (Rom
14:5).
There are two important points to
bear in mind when applying this passage. First, the particular issues
mentioned are not major doctrines. Paul in no way implies that his
advice in this chapter may be applied to any doctrine or teaching. That
is, we may not use this passage to justify actions that are elsewhere
described as sinful. For example, the Bible categorically and repeatedly
condemns extra-marital sex as sin, therefore we cannot use these
scriptures to justify such an act, saying that we are “fully convinced”.
On the other hand, when we are considering minor issues that are not
specifically addressed in Scripture, we may prayerfully consider the
counsel given here.
The second important point about
this passage is that Paul actually spends very little time explaining
how people are to act according to their own conscience, or how to
ensure they are fully convinced. Rather, the bulk of the chapter deals
with the impact our decisions may have upon other believers. In fact,
Paul says that when it comes to making decisions, the effect we may have
on other believers takes precedence over our own conscience.
We are not to
judge, or look down on other believers:
Rom 14:10 But you,
why do you judge your brother? Or you again, why do you regard your
brother with contempt? For we will all stand before the judgment seat of
God. NASU
Regardless of our
decisions, we are neither to despise other believers, nor judge them.
Rom 14:13-15
13 Therefore let us
not judge one another anymore, but rather determine this — not to put
an obstacle or a stumbling block in a brother’s way. 14 I know and am
convinced in the Lord Jesus that nothing is unclean in itself; but to
him who thinks anything to be unclean, to him it is unclean. 15 For if
because of food your brother is hurt, you are no longer walking
according to love. Do not destroy with your food him for whom Christ
died.
NASU
Here is Paul’s
key message: we are “not to put an obstacle or a stumbling block in a
brother’s way” (vs.13). Regardless of one’s personal persuasion, “if
your brother is distressed because of what you eat, you are no longer
acting in love” (vs.15 NIV). The command is clear: “Do not destroy with
your food him for whom Christ died” (vs.15).
Rom 14:19-23
19 So then we pursue
the things which make for peace and the building up of one another. 20
Do not tear down the work of God for the sake of food. All things indeed
are clean, but they are evil for the man who eats and gives offense. 21
It is good not to eat meat or to drink wine, or to do anything by which
your brother stumbles. 22 The faith which you have, have as your own
conviction before God. Happy is he who does not condemn himself in what
he approves. 23 But he who doubts is condemned if he eats, because his
eating is not from faith; and whatever is not from faith is sin.
NASU
Christians are accountable for their
effect on other believers. It is interesting to note that the final
phrase, “whatever is not from faith is sin” (vs.23) does not in fact
summarise the main point of the chapter. One’s personal faith plays a
vital role in making personal decisions, but if we neglect the effect we
may have on other believers, we may be guilty of tearing down the work
of God (vs.20) or even contributing towards a fellow believer’s
spiritual destruction (vs.15).
To apply this principle, Family
members who neglect their membership in the universal body of Christ, or
who disregard their effect upon other believers will be required to
answer for their actions before Christ Himself (vs.10). In fact the
‘Judgement Seat of Christ’ invoked in verse ten specifically relates to
Christians’ relationships with other Christians (“why do you regard your
brother with contempt?”).
Moreover, even if we are
personally convinced that God would allow us to do something, our
responsibility to other believers takes precedence over our own liberty.
In fact, the very thing that we are sure is permitted by God actually
becomes evil if our indulgence “causes someone else to stumble” (vs.20
NIV). Liberties become sin for us if we stubbornly cling to them despite
offending our brothers and sisters in Christ.
Divisive
teachers
The final chapter
of Romans contains numerous greetings sent from Paul and others to the
believers in Rome. Sandwiched in the middle of these final salutations
is a short final warning to the Roman Christians to stay way from anyone
who contradicts true doctrine.
Rom 16:17-18
17 Now I urge you,
brethren, keep your eye on those who cause dissensions and hindrances
contrary to the teaching which you learned, and turn away from them. 18
For such men are slaves, not of our Lord Christ but of their own
appetites; and by their smooth and flattering speech they deceive the
hearts of the unsuspecting.
NASU
Christians who
“cause divisions” (NKJV, NIV) do not serve Christ. What are we to do?
“Avoid them!” (NKJV, NET).
Paul ended his
first epistle to Timothy with a similar caution.
1 Tim 6:3-5
3 If anyone advocates
a different doctrine and does not agree with sound words, those of our
Lord Jesus Christ, and with the doctrine conforming to godliness, 4 he
is conceited and understands nothing; but he has a morbid interest in
controversial questions and disputes about words, out of which arise
envy, strife, abusive language, evil suspicions, 5 and constant friction
between men of depraved mind and deprived of the truth, who suppose that
godliness is a means of gain.
NASU
Beware, says
Paul, of those who “teach false doctrine” (vs. 3 NIV). This false
teaching is specifically designated as that which is different from
apostolic teaching. The application is straightforward: Beware of those
who teach doctrines that differ from those of the New Testament. Stay
away from teachers who reject the spiritual authority of Paul, Peter,
James, and the other New Testament writers.
In Galatians,
Paul says that if anyone teaches anything different, he is “accursed.”
Gal 1:8-9
8 But even if we, or
an angel from heaven, should preach to you a gospel contrary to what we
have preached to you, he is to be accursed! 9 As we have said before, so
I say again now, if any man is preaching to you a gospel contrary to
what you received, he is to be accursed!
NASU
There are similar
warnings in Matthew 7:15, Titus 3:10, 2 Thessalonians 6:4,14 and 2 John
10.
Conclusion
Christians are members of the body
of Christ first and foremost. Membership in a particular church,
denomination or Christian group may be acceptable provided that group
does not separate itself from the body of Christ through unscriptural
teachings. Christian leaders who wish to be separate from the body of
Christ, or who teach doctrines contrary to apostolic teaching are
strongly condemned by the Bible.
The Family is at particular risk,
adhering as it does to certain doctrines that can only cause division
from mainstream Christianity. Those doctrines not only cause division
from Christians and from churches, but also cause separation from Jesus
Christ Himself as the head of the church.
The biblical solution is to reject
unscriptural doctrines together with the people who teach them.
Unity that exists only within the
Family is no unity.
See also
The Standard of
Measurement
The Authority of
the Bible
The Word of God
References
John Macarthur,
The Charismatics, 1978, Zondervan.
© 2006-2009 Make Straight Paths
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