SOWING
DISCORD
Mt.
13:24-30 PARABLE
OF WHEAT & TARES
COMPARE
THIS PARABLE TO
THE SOWING OF DISCORD
Prov.
6:16-19 Six
things the Lord hates, yes,
seven are an abomination
to Him.
DISCORD
[medan]
(med-awn') Discord, Strife. A form of (another Hebrew word) [madown]
(maw-doun') A contest or quarrel: brawling, contention
(-ious), strife.
IN
THE NEW TESTAMENT,
THE WORD WE FIND IS STRIFE
Gal.
5:20 A
WORK OF THE FLESH
SELFISH
AMBITION
(Strife, kjv)
LISTED
WITH: "CONTENTIONS" [erithia]
(Faction, asv) Denotes ambition, self-seeking,
rivalry (self-will being an underlying idea); hence, it
denotes party
making, seeking
to win followers. Faction is the fruit of jealousy.
ALSO
WITH: "HERESIES" [hairesis]
denotes a choosing, choice; then, that which
is chosen, and hence, an
opinion,
especially as self-willed
opinion. (False doctrine is not inherently associated
with the word. One can be doctrinally
right and
still be guilty of heresy.)
2
Cor. 12:20 PAUL FEARED HE WOULD COME
TO THEM AND FIND THESE
PROBLEMS STILL AMONG THEM.
NOTE ESPECIALLY:
Contentions,
Selfish ambitions
(strife),
backbitings, whisperings.
WORDS
OF WISDOM ABOUT STRIFE (SELFISH AMBITION)
Prov.
15:18 "The
wrathful man stirs up strife, but he
who is slow to anger allays
contention.
Prov.
16:28 "A
perverse man sows strife, and a
whisperer separates the best of
friends."
A
DESCRIPTION OF THOSE WHO ARE GUILTY OF CAUSING DIVISION & THE
CERTAIN
JUDGMENT THEY WILL FACE.
Jude
14-19 NOTE:
While the previous verses have
reference to those who teach
false doctrine,
those who are
described here as worthy of
judgment are guilty
of causing
division, by whatever method it
is accomplished.
vs.
19 (kjv) "These
be they who separate
themselves..."
vs.
19 (asv) "These
are they who make
separations..."
NOTE:
This designates one who draws a line through the church and sets one
part over against another. THESE
ARE THOSE WHO ASK "WHICH SIDE ARE YOU ON?"
SOWING
OF DISCORD IS A WORK OF THE TONGUE
Jas.
3:1-12 ITS
INFLUENCE - THE DANGER OF
ITS DESTRUCTION
vss.
13-ff THIS
LOGICALLY FOLLOWS THE
PRECEDING WORDS. THE
MISUSE OF
THE TONGUE IS BROUGHT ON BY
BITTERNESS,
ENVY, & SELF-
SEEKING.
4:11-12 DO
NOT SPEAK EVIL OF ANYONE. No
scripture allows us to backbite
or speak
slanderously against our brethren, not even
those
who have been marked or withdrawn
from.
See 2
Thess. 3:14-15
5:9 DO
NOT GRUMBLE AGAINST ONE
ANOTHER. GOD HEARS!
IT
TAKES A LISTENING EAR FOR THE TONGUE TO DO ITS DIRTY WORK
Prov.
26:20-22 "Where
there is no wood, the fire
goes out; and where there is no
talebearer,
strife ceases. [21]
As
charcoal is to burning coals, and
wood
to fire, so is a contentious man
to kindle strife. [22]
The words of
a
talebearer are like tasty trifles
[gossip], and they go down into the
inmost
body."
1
Tim. 4:1-7 NOTE:
vs. 1, "giving
heed (not taking
heed) results in "departing
from the faith."
vs. 3, "commanding to abstain
from foods which God created
to be received..." refers to
matters of OPINION.
See
Rom.
14:1-13
vs. 7, REJECT ....fables.
IF
YOU ARE ON THE RECEIVING END OF SOWN DISCORD - DO THIS
Mt.
18:15-17 GO
TO THE SOURCE, ONE ON
ONE. IF UNSUCCESSFUL THEN
WITH ONE OR TWO WITNESSES.
IF UNSUCCESSFUL THEN
GO
BEFORE THE CHURCH.
Tit.
3:10 REJECT
A DIVISIVE MAN (HERETIC) -
HE IS SELF-CONDEMNED.
DIVISIVE
(HERETIC,kjv) Causing division
(factious). Not necessarily divisive
because of false doctrine.
IF
YOU ARE PERSONALLY GUILTY OF SOWING DISCORD - DO THIS
Eph.
4:31-32 PUT
BITTERNESS AWAY -
REPLACE IT WITH KINDNESS &
FORGIVENESS.
BEWARE
OF THE WARNING OF THE DANGER OF ETERNAL LOSS.
Mt.
18:6-9 Woe
to that man by whom offenses
come...BETTER TO LOSE AN ARM
OR
AN EYE THAN OUR SOUL IN
HELL.
OFFENSES
[skandalon]
(from which we
get our word skandal) Originally was
"the
name of the part of a trap to which the
bait is
attached," hence, a trap or snare.
INVITATION
Jas.
5:16 "Confess
your trespasses to one another,
and pray for one another, that you may
be healed. The effective, fervent prayer of
a righteous man avails
much."
1
Jn. 1:9 "If
we confess our sins, He is faithful and
just to forgive us our sins
and to cleanse
us from all unrighteousness."