Dear Pastor..

(This might appear long ,but it's readable and you should please read it )How the Apostles handled doctrinal issues./ differences -lessons to learnMany times ministers need to be taught what to do when anyone teaches or emphasizes what you don't teach or say .The usual practice is either to call such error or just simply say " we don't agree " (maybe a mild expression of the former )But let's get help from scriptures ..As an aside we can glean from something Jesus did in the four gospelsLuke 9:49 KJV[49] And John answered and said, Master, we saw one casting out devils in thy name; and we forbad him, because he followeth not with us.His disciple spoke of a fellow who didn't belong to their caucus etc yet cast out demons ..His response is very instructive todayLuke 9:50 KJV[50] And Jesus said unto him, Forbid him not: for he that is not against us is for us.That's it ,we need not associate to speak well of each other ,he's not against the gospel ,he is for us .Read this again ,this is Jesus speaking .Now to issues of doctrineThe first was peter ..Acts 11:1-3 KJV[1] And the apostles and brethren that were in Judaea heard that the Gentiles had also received the word of God.[2] And when Peter was come up to Jerusalem, they that were of the circumcision contended with him,3] Saying, Thou wentest in to men uncircumcised, and didst eat with them.This was doctrinal has they hadn't taught the Gentiles could receive the gospel ,the Holy Ghost .It was new ,hence the contention .Acts 11:4 KJV[4] But Peter rehearsed the matter from the beginning, and expounded it byorder unto them, saying,Peter was beckoned to explain .That is very critical ,a debate isn't un spiritual as long as it's honest and it's to find truthActs 11:18 KJV[18] When they heard these things, they held their peace, and glorified God, saying, Then hath God also to the Gentiles granted repentance unto life.They glorified GodIt must be noted that earlier in the four gospels ,they were asked not to go to the Gentiles ,Matthew 10:5 KJV[5] These twelve Jesus sent forth, and commanded them, saying, Go not into the way of the Gentiles, and into any city of the Samaritans enter ye not:Which Jesus affirmed in a way tooMatthew 15:24,26 KJV[24] But he answered and said, I am not sent but unto the lost sheep of the house of Israel. [26] But he answered and said, It is not meet to take the children's bread, and to cast it to dogs.Yet he much later instructed them to go into all the worldMatthew 28:19 KJV[19] Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost:Luke 24:47 KJV[47] And that repentance and remission of sins should be preached in his name among all nations, beginning at Jerusalem.All nations refers to Jews and Non Jews.This easily gets lost because of what we had known earlier ,change can bevery difficult .Back to Acts,After peters defenseActs 11:19 KJV[19] Now they which were scattered abroad upon the persecution that arose about Stephen travelled as far as Phenice, and Cyprus, and Antioch, preaching the word to none but unto the Jews only.No adjustment still , it must have been seen like " that's peter ".When we don't trash out doctrinal issues well,it eventually creates sects .This reared its ugly head.Acts 15:1 KJV[1] And certain men which came down from Judaea taught the brethren, and said , Except ye be circumcised after the manner of Moses, ye cannot be saved.These were teachers ,they taught the church ,preaching from scriptures but wrongly so,Moses is a weighty figure .Acts 15:2 KJV[2] When therefore Paul and Barnabas had no small dissension and disputation with them, they determined that Paul and Barnabas, and certain other of them, should go up to Jerusalem unto the apostles and elders about this question.A debate ensued ,again this is very healthy .Notice audience is always given for each party to explain their teaching .Acts 15:4 KJV[4] And when they were come to Jerusalem, they were received of the church, and of the apostles and elders, and they declared all things that God had done with them.They were received ,no black outs,no blackmails .Now something very crucial here ..Acts 15:5 KJV[5] But there rose up certain of the sect of the Pharisees which believed, saying, That it was needful to circumcise them, and to command them to keep the law of Moses.Pharisees yet believers ..Acts 6:7 KJV[7] And the word of God increased; and the number of the disciples multiplied in Jerusalem greatly; and a great company of the priests were obedient to the faith.Priests believed,these like Pharisees were schooled in scriptures but albeit wrongly taught ,unlike paul who counted his earlier persuasion as rubbishPhilippians 3:5,7 KJV[5] Circumcised the eighth day, of the stock of Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin, an Hebrew of the Hebrews; as touching the law, a Pharisee;[7] But what things were gain to me, those I counted loss for Christ.They didn't ,they saw their experience as an edge over others ,this can be very misleadingNotice again ,they taught that believers still needed legalism .They didn't reject the gospel but called for more ..,yes ,faith plus..Acts 15:6 KJV[6] And the apostles and elders came together for to consider of this matter.Again ,a debate isn't unhealthy ...It must have gone on for days or weeks .It's serious ,we shouldn't shy away from this ,Acts 15:7 KJV[7] And when there had been much disputing, Peter rose up, and said unto them, Men and brethren, ye know how that a good while ago God made choice among us, that the Gentiles by my mouth should hear the word of the gospel, and believe.Till peter spoke ,re affirming what he said earlier but with greater depth andfacts .Some ministers need to know ,you might be in need to learn more and more than your experience ,peter knew thisActs 15:12 KJV[12] Then all the multitude kept silence, and gave audience to Barnabas and Paul, declaring what miracles and wonders God had wrought among the Gentiles by them.Once again paul and Barnabas were given audienceIt's ungodly not to allow people be heard " claiming to be shielding the sheep from error ",whereas you know it's more of a selfish agenda you are pushingCensure is tyranny .We shall revert here soon but let's see what happens when doctrinal issuesaren't well dealt withThis happened again when paul returned to Jerusalem.Acts 21:20-21 KJV[20] And when they heard it , they glorified the Lord, and said unto him, Thou seest, brother, how many thousands of Jews there are which believe;and they are all zealous of the law:[21] And they are informed of thee, that thou teachest all the Jews which are among the Gentiles to forsake Moses, saying that they ought not to circumcise their children, neither to walk after the customs.Notice believers zealous of the law, the sect grew stronger and so its influence and clout and defiantly so ..Why was this still so, in all earlier instances the matter was never concludedActs 15:19-21,24-29 KJV[19] Wherefore my sentence is, that we trouble not them, which from among the Gentiles are turned to God:[20] But that we write unto them, that they abstain from pollutions of idols, and from fornication, and from things strangled, and from blood. [21] For Moses of old time hath in every city them that preach him, being read in the synagogues every sabbath day.[24] Forasmuch as we have heard, that certain which went out from us have troubled you with words, subverting your souls, saying, Ye must be circumcised, and keep the law: to whom we gave no such commandment:[25] It seemed good unto us, being assembled with one accord, to send chosen men unto you with our beloved Barnabas and Paul,[26] Men that have hazarded their lives for the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.27] We have sent therefore Judas and Silas, who shall also tell you the same things by mouth. [28] For it seemed good to the Holy Ghost, and to us, to lay upon you no greater burden than these necessary things;29] That ye abstain from meats offered to idols, and from blood, and from things strangled, and from fornication: from which if ye keep yourselves, ye shall do well. Fare ye well.They resolved it 50:50Keep some law and stay with the gospel !Moses was still the issue..despite Jesus deviating from Moses' writing several times ,That left a sect active and vibrant ..So legalism was left in new robes ,call it ..balance !Justification by faith is one and once ,in Christ alone ..Their rigidity allowed the sect to fester more ..It grew bad and very badActs 21:31,36 KJV[31] And as they went about to kill him, tidings came unto the chief captainof the band, that all Jerusalem was in an uproar.[36] For the multitude of the people followed after, crying, Away with him.Stop the preachers at all cost ,paul in particular even if it's to kill him ..There was no debate again ,it was obvious they couldn't win any of such ..Pauls defense was unassailableBut what could he do in the midst of institutionalized religion ?Acts 26:22-23 KJV[22] Having therefore obtained help of God, I continue unto this day, witnessing both to small and great, saying none other things than those which the prophets and Moses did say should come:[23] That Christ should suffer, and that he should be the first that should rise from the dead, and should shew light unto the people, and to the Gentiles.He taught from Moses and the prophets intelligently .When we give room to such opportunity to hear out folks,we usually get a rethinkObjective folks saw thisActs 26:31 KJV[31] And when they were gone aside, they talked between themselves, saying, This man doeth nothing worthy of death or of bonds.Festus and Agrippa saw this !Doctrinal issues must never be left to be subsumed under emotions,sentiments,lies,subterfuge ,defamation .Be objectivePopularity isn't the validation of truth neither is obscurity .Truth is true ALL by itself .One major take away is ..THERE MUST BE AUDIENCE AND DEBATE ..it shouldn't be termed as wrongThe Epistles shed further light here on these happenstances ,.Paul gave a vivid accountGalatians 2:2 KJV[2] And I went up by revelation, and communicated unto them that gospel which I preach among the Gentiles, but privately to them which were of reputation, lest by any means I should run, or had run, in vain.He was heardGalatians 2:9 KJV[9] And when James, Cephas, and John, who seemed to be pillars, perceived the grace that was given unto me, they gave to me and Barnabas the right hands of fellowship; that we should go unto the heathen, and they unto the circumcision.Despite not teaching what he taught ,they acknowledged it ,objectively so..It's worthy of note that this wasn't a compromised acknowledgementGalatians 2:6 KJV[6] But of these who seemed to be somewhat, (whatsoever they were, it maketh no matter to me: God accepteth no man's person:) for they who seemed to be somewhat in conference added nothing to me:Paul didn't seek for human acceptance or platform ,he let them know their gospel wasn't exact !This he reinforced with his confrontation of peterGalatians 2:11,14 KJV[11] But when Peter was come to Antioch, I withstood him to the face, because he was to be blamed.[14] But when I saw that they walked not uprightly according to the truth of the gospel, I said unto Peter before them all, If thou, being a Jew, livest after the manner of Gentiles, and not as do the Jews, why compellest thou the Gentiles to live as do the Jews?This is worthy of note .Peter was a major force to be reckoned with .But it doesn't matter ,it's about Jesus .However ,noteworthy is the fact that paul's language was without petulance or irreverence .Again ,notice audience ,not censure ,debate not attacks .That's the spirit of New Testament apostolic Christianity .A view into peters Epistle crowns it all for us all ..His very last2 Peter 3:15 KJV[15] And account that the longsuffering of our Lord is salvation; even as our beloved brother Paul also according to the wisdom given unto him hath written unto you;Pay attention to details here ,He once again and publicly so acknowledges paul's insight ,this isn't Privately ,but to his own flock !No single strand of insecurity ..,that's Christ Like ,no flesh .Look at the subject matter ,Salvation !That's all the gospel is about .The next verse is instructive2 Peter 3:16 KJV[16] As also in all his epistles, speaking in them of these things; in which are some things hard to be understood, which they that are unlearned and unstable wrest, as they do also the other scriptures, unto their own destruction.He says " am still coming to terms with the things he teaches "!Wow, wow .He didn't call it error ,so and so didn't teach it this way ,or it doesn't conform with so and so ..He admits reading them and classified them as authoritative.Now much more ,he acknowledges some folks aren't teaching them well ..Now see ,the fact that some reading paul's letters teach them wrongly doesn't invalidate the truth ,Peter read them himself !!!!!And refers to such men as bad students of paul's letters .It's disingenuous to use folks who twist a teaching or Handle it immaturelyas benchmarks of it .Every preacher always has hyperventilating and active students who mishandle what he says ,It's dishonest to so brandish it as error by this..Doctrine is the life of Christianity.Emotions must not get in the way .Sentiments must never be the judgeNor lies .Let's be objective ,reflective and above all,be sincere !I NEVER comment on things I haven't heard very well.For example we have done defense of the message of faith ,grace and even the charismatic ministry by taking very intelligent note of its opposition..For instance ,In a series "So Great Salvation" ,particularly series 3-5, we took a proper critique of Salvation theories like Calvinism ,Universalism and even Many Pentecostal views on salvation, anyone who has listened to them would know ,it wasn't emotional or sentimental but objective ,It's astudy not an attack ,and it does justice to the subject of salvationWhy get sentimental over doctrine, it's needlessTruth has not emotion .Let's handle issues well not repeat errors that could hinder the church ..Hope this helps ,Let me know what you sa