Handling Unwanted Pursuit and Church Opposition
Handling Unwanted Pursuit and Church Opposition
The biblical concept of handling unwanted pursuit and church opposition is rooted in the teachings of the apostles and the early Christian church. In Philippians 3:6, Paul recounts his past zeal for persecuting the church, highlighting the need for Christians to be aware of opposition and to respond appropriately [1].
One key aspect of handling opposition is to identify and avoid those who cause dissensions and hindrances contrary to the teachings of the church. The apostle Paul instructs believers to "keep your eye on those who cause dissensions and hindrances contrary to the teaching which you learned, and turn away from them" (Romans 16:17) [2]. This instruction emphasizes the importance of maintaining unity and avoiding those who seek to disrupt it.
The early church fathers also addressed the issue of handling opposition. Augustine, for example, wrote about the importance of perseverance in the face of persecution and the need to seek the salvation of those who oppose the church [4]. In his letter to Festus, Augustine argued that those who maintain the truth of Christian peace and unity should persevere in the face of opposition, even when it comes from within the church [8].
The Reformed tradition has also contributed to the understanding of handling church opposition. John Calvin emphasized the importance of church discipline in maintaining the purity and unity of the church. According to Calvin, discipline is "the sinews" of the church, and it is necessary for correcting those who err and for maintaining the authority of the church [5]. Calvin also noted that the church should not be afraid to excommunicate those who are guilty of flagrant sins, as Paul did with the incestuous Corinthian (1 Corinthians 5:4) [9].
In addition to these theological perspectives, the biblical text provides guidance on how to respond to unwanted pursuit and opposition. The book of Psalms, for example, encourages believers to seek God and to avoid procrastination in their devotion to Him [3]. The New Testament also teaches that believers should be aware of the spiritual warfare that they face and should be prepared to resist the attacks of Satan and his minions [6].
The Catholic tradition, as represented by Thomas Aquinas, also offers insights into handling opposition. Aquinas argued that the justification of the ungodly requires a movement of the free will towards God, and that this movement is facilitated by the grace of God [7].
Sources
- Philippians “Philippians 3:6 (Geneva1599) — Concerning zeale, I persecuted ye Church: touching the righteousnesse which is in the Law, I was vnrebukeable.”
- Romans “Romans 16:17 (NASB) — 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.”
- Torrey's Topical Textbook “Torrey's Topical Textbook: Procrastination — Condemned by Christ -- Lu 9:59-62. Saints avoid -- Ps 27:8; 119:60. To be avoided in Hearkening to God. -- Ps 95:7,8; Heb 3:7,8. Seeking God. -- Isa 55:6. Glorifying God. -- Jer 13:16. Keeping God's commandments. -- Ps 119:60. Making offerings to God. -- Ex 22:29. Performance of vows. -- De 23:21; Ec 5:4. Motives for avoiding The present the accepted time. -- 2Co 6:2. The present the best time. -- Ec 12:1. The uncertainty of life. -- Pr 27:1. Danger of illustrated -- Mt 5:25; Lu 13:25. Exemplified Lot. -- Ge 19:16. Felix. -- Ac 24:25.”
- Schaff ANF/NPNF (Patristic) “NPNF1 Vol 4: Augustine — Anti-Manichaean, Anti-Donatist — CHAP. 2.--6. I would add, moreover, that they themselves, by making it the subject of an accusation, referred the case of Caecilianus to the decision of the Emperor Constantine; and that, even after t (part 4): persecution, or for which he suffers it, but think that it is a sufficient sign of a true Christian that he does not 637 inflict persecution, but suffers it, then beyond all question they include Caecilianus in that definition, who did not inflict, but suffered persecution; and they equally exclude their own fathers from the defi”
- CCEL (Reformed) “John Calvin, Institutes of the Christian Religion, section 94: and then proceed to the clergy, who have besides that common discipline one peculiar to themselves. But as some, from hatred of discipline, are averse to the very name, for their sake we observe,—If no society, nay, no house with even a moderate family, can be kept in a right state without discipline, much more necessary is it in the Church, whose state ought to be the best ordered possible. Hence as the saving doctrine of Christ is the life of the Church, so discipline is, as it were, its sinews; for to it it is owing that the mem”
- CCEL (Reformed) “John Calvin, Institutes of the Christian Religion, section 30: more wicked than itself, and resume the vacant possession. Nay, one man is said to have been possessed by a whole legion. 115 115 Mark 16:9 ; Mt. 12:43 ; Luke 8:30 . By this, then, we are taught that the number of enemies with whom we have to war is almost infinite, that we may not, from a contemptuous idea of the fewness of their numbers, be more remiss in the contest, or from imagining that an occasional truce is given us, indulge in sloth. In one Satan or devil being often mentioned in the singular number, the thing denoted is t”
- theology (Catholic (Scholastic)) “Aquinas, Summa Theologica, First Part of the Second Part (Prima Secundae), Of the Effects of Grace, Art. 5: Article: Whether for the justification of the ungodly there is required a movement of the free-will towards sin? I answer that, As stated above (Article [1]), the justification of the ungodly is a certain movement whereby the human mind is moved by God from the state of sin to the state of justice. Hence it is necessary for the human mind to regard both extremes by an act of free-will, as a body in local movement is related to both terms of the movement. Now it is clear that in local mov”
- Schaff ANF/NPNF (Patristic) “NPNF1 Vol 1: Augustine — Confessions, Letters — TO FESTUS, MY LORD WELL BELOVED, MY SON HONOURABLE AND WORTHY OF ESTEEM, AUGUSTIN SENDS GREETING IN THE LORD. (part 1): 1. If, on behalf of error and inexcusable dissension, and falsehoods which have been in every way possible disproved, men are so presumptuous as to persevere in boldly assailing and threatening the Catholic Church, which seeks their salvation, how much more is it reasonable and right for those who maintain the truth of Christian peace and unity,- truth which commends itself even to those who profess to deny it or attempt to resi”
- CCEL (Reformed) “John Calvin, Institutes of the Christian Religion, section 94: at once to solemn correction by the Church. 4. Another distinction to be attended to is, that some sins are mere delinquencies, others crimes and flagrant iniquities. In correcting the latter, it is necessary to employ not only admonition or 2455 rebuke, but a sharper remedy, as Paul shows when he not only verbally rebukes the incestuous Corinthian, but punishes him with excommunication, as soon as he was informed of his crime ( 1 Cor. 5:4 ). Now then we begin better to perceive how the spiritual jurisdiction of the Church, which a”