A Common Confession – “One Faith”
Ephesians 4: 3-5 (NCV), “As a prisoner of the Lord, I beg you to live in a way that is worthy of the people God has chosen to be his own. Always be humble and gentle. Patiently put up with each other and love each other. Try your best to let God's Spirit keep your hearts united. Do this by living at peace. All of you are part of the same body. There is only one Spirit of God, just as you were given one hope when you were chosen to be God's people. We have only one Lord, one faith, and one baptism.”
Jude 3 (NLT) “Dear friends, I have been trying to write to you about what God did for us when He saved us from the punishment of sin. Now I must write to you and tell you to fight hard for the faith which was once and for all given to the holy people of God.”
1. The Bible should determine What we Fight For
Hebrews 11:6 (CEV), “Without faith, no one can please God.”
2 Peter 3:3 (NCV), “It is most important for you to understand what will happen in the last days. People will laugh at you. They will live doing the evil things they want to do.”
Jude 1:18 (NCV), “In the last times there will be people who laugh about God, following their own evil desires which are against God.”
2. The Bible should determine What we Believe
1 Timothy 6:3-5 (NCV), “Anyone who has a different teaching does not agree with the true teaching of our Lord Jesus Christ and the teaching that shows the true way to serve God. This person is full of pride and understands nothing but is sick with a love for arguing and fighting about words. This brings jealousy, fighting, speaking against others, evil mistrust, and constant quarrels from those who have evil minds and have lost the truth. They think that serving God is a way to get rich.”
2 Corinthians 11:13-15 (NCV), “Such men are not true apostles but are workers who lie. They change themselves to look like apostles of Christ. This does not surprise us. Even Satan changes himself to look like an angel of light. So, it does not surprise us
if Satan’s servants also make themselves look like servants who work for what is right. But in the end, they will be punished for what they do.”
1 Corinthians 1:10-12 (NLT), “I appeal to you, dear brothers and sisters, by the authority of our Lord Jesus Christ, to live in harmony with each other.”
