INCLUSION IN THE CHURCH

                                                    James 2:1-8

 

 

I.  INTRODUCTION                

 

    A.   Our lesson today is about INCLUSION IN THE CHURCH

 

    B.   We will look at two major points:  1)  the necessity for inclusion in

           the church and 2) going overboard on inclusion

 

 

II.  THE NECESSITY FOR INCLUSION IN THE CHURCH

 

     A.              Summit has always practiced the philosophy of inclusion; that is, the

           involvement of every member in the congregation.

    

     B.  We have always preached that whatever the job you choose to do is

           an important one.  We have also preached that one person or 

           one group of persons know all the answers nor are they able to carry

           out all of the Lord's work.

 

            1.  That's the reason we have maintained over the years a

                 Membership Involvement Profile

 

             2.  If you have not done so, we encourage you to complete one of 

                  these forms and keep it current.

 

             3.  Very soon you will be able to access this profile via our web site

 

     C.  Why do we insist on inclusion

           

           1.  It is our moral and scriptural obligation

 

                 John 3:16 -- Jesus died to save the world, not one individual. 

                  Notice the word "whosoever" -- not Americans alone, not whites

                  or blacks alone, but whosoever.

 

                 Galatians 3:26-28 -- Paul says we are all one in Christ Jesus.  "For

                  you are all sons of God through faith in Christ Jesus.  For as

                  many of you as were baptized into Christ have put on Christ. 

                  There is neither slave nor free, there is neither male nor female;

                  for you are all one in Christ Jesus."

 

                  Jesus constantly had to teach this principle.  The Jewish leaders

                  did not want to accept others into the fellowship.

 

 

 

            2.  We insist on inclusion because we need to avoid favoritism.

     

                  a.  It is natural for us to show favorites; we pick our spouse;

                       we pick a car, we pick a house, we pick the food to eat, we

                       pick our clothes.   

 

                  b.  If we are not careful, that natural tendency can spill over to

                       the church.

 

                  c.  This is exactly what James was addressing in James 2:1-8

 

                        1)  Showing partiality violates the royal law "You shall love

                              your neighbor as yourself."

 

                        2)  James says it is a sin to show partiality (verse 9)

 

                        3)  Conclusion is in verses 12-13 of that same chapter: 

                              favoritism will not hold up at judgment time.     

 

 

III.  GOING OVERBOARD WITH INCLUSION

 

      A.  We live in a society that preaches inclusion

 

            1.  Our educational system for the past 25 years has transformed

                 itself into an inclusive body for the education of the handicapped. 

                 That's good!

 

            2.  Our employment laws have been rewritten to make sure we have

                 an inclusive staff.  That's good!

 

            3.  We want to make sure that we have diversity in our society. 

                 That's good!

 

      B.   There is nothing wrong with diversity in the church -- in fact,

             it's demanded by Scripture -- as long as we do not hide behind the

             cloak of diversity, or inclusion, as we violate the Scriptures.  We

             have that violation in the religious world, and even in the church of

             Christ, today.

 

      C.  One of the most recent and deadly issues to arise in the religious

            world is the ACCEPTANCE of a homosexual lifestyle

 

 

            1.  Tom has preached for the past two Sundays about  sexual

                 sins, about homosexuality.

 

            2.  We know that homosexuality is a sin -- in the Old Testament, it

                 was cause for death of both individuals (Leviticus 20:13); in the

                 New Testament, God through Paul says that they were deserving

                 of death, but God just gave them over to depraved minds.

                 (Romans 1:26, 32)

 

            3.  We know that the homosexual world is preaching a lie when they

                  preach acceptance, diversity, alternative life style, justice,

                  inclusion, etc. when it comes to their sexual sins. 

 

                  a.  They even say that God made them that way.  That's a lie -- on

                       the one hand, God condemns homosexuality; on the other

                       hand, he says that He is not willing that any should perish but

                       that all should come to repentance. 

 

                  b.  II Peter 3:9 "The Lord is not slack concerning His promise, as

                       some count slackness, but is longsuffering toward us, not

                       willing that any should perish but that all should come to

                       repentance."

 

                  c.  A good web site that exposes this lie is "Christians No Longer

                       Gay Living For God."  The address is

                        http://www.thebible.net/cnlglfg/

 

            4.  Today, I want to focus on the phrase in Rom 1:32 -- "but also

                 APPROVE of those who practice them."

 

                 a.  On July 4, 2005 the United Church of Christ by an 8-2 margin 

                      voted to accept same-sex marriage.

 

                 b.  "I believe the General Synod has acted both out of a concern

                       for justice . . . as well as out of a theological conviction that

                       same-gender couples are as capable of fulfilling the vocation

                       of marriage as heterosexual couples."  John Thomas, general

                       minister and president of the United Church of Christ

 

                 c.  One of the local ministers of the UCC:  "My basic position is

                      that God smiles on any committed relationship."

 

                 d.  These statements are not in accord with the Word of God.

 

 

 

 

 

IV.  APPLICATION OF TODAY'S LESSON

 

       A.  Inclusion is a must.  Inclusion means acceptance of persons

             different than we. 

           

             1.  Yes, we accept persons who are homosexuals, just as we accept

                  persons who commit other sins.

 

            2.  But we help this person overcome the sin of homosexuality, just

                 as we help the person who gossips to overcome the sin of

                 gossiping.

 

       B.  We must be vigilant about the future of the church.  Will we be

             accepting same-sex marriages in 25 years?  WE MUST ALWAYS

             REMEMBER THAT INCLUSION NEVER INVOLVES THE VIOLATION

             OF GOD'S WORD.  Homosexuality is a sin; therefore, SAME-SEX

             MARRIAGE IS A SIN.

 

       C.  Could it happen to Summit that we would be accepting of same-sex

             marriage?    YES. 

 

             1.  Example:  Who would have believed 25 years ago that churches

                  of Christ would be accepting sprinkling in lieu of immersion for

                  baptism.   This is starting to creep into the churches of Christ

                  today.

 

             2.  We must be careful in the selection of persons who preach and

                  persons who are appointed as elders.  THEY CANNOT CONFUSE

                  INCLUSION OR TOLERANCE OR JUSTICE OR EQUALITY WITH

                  THE VIOLATION OF GOD'S WORD.

 

 

V.   INVITATION TO BECOME A CHRISTIAN OR TO ASK FOR PRAYERS OF

      THE CHURCH.