https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/08\/LimitedSphere.mp3<\/a><\/audio>\n\tby Jeffrey W. Hamilton<\/p>\n\t
Text: II Corinthians 10:7-18<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
I. Without a doubt unity is important to God and His people – John 17:17-21<\/p>\n
A. It is something to strive for – Ephesians 4:1-3<\/p>\n
B. Division is condemned – I Corinthians 1:10-13<\/p>\n
C. Paul, when he entered Jerusalem wanted to join with other Christians – Acts 9:26-28<\/p>\n
II. All unity is not approved<\/p>\n A. The church in Jerusalem was selective in whom they accepted. Churches should be\n\tselective.\n
B. Pergamos accepted people who taught a false doctrine – Revelation 2:14-15<\/p>\n
C. Thyatira allowed a false prophetess in their number – Revelation 2:20<\/p>\n
III. All division is not condemned<\/p>\n
A. Ephesus was praised for not bearing with the evil – Revelation 2:2<\/p>\n
B. Dividers are not to be accepted – Romans 16:17-18<\/p>\n
C. The disorderly are not to be among brethren – II Thessalonians 3:6-15<\/p>\n
D. Division must exist – I Corinthians 11:17-19<\/p>\n
IV. Where are the boundaries?<\/p>\n
A. First, there must be fellowship with God – I John 1:3<\/p>\n
1. Not just a claim, but a true fellowship with God.<\/p>\n
2. We know there are liars, hypocrites who claim what they do not have<\/p>\n 3. But some wrongly believe they have fellowship with God and do not, such\n\tas the 12 men in Ephesus – Acts 19:1-7\n
4. A claim of being a Christian is insufficient grounds to extend fellowship<\/p>\n
B. Unity comes by being in Christ – Galatians 3:26-29<\/p>\n
1. Only those born again are in the kingdom – John 3:3-5<\/p>\n
2. The limits are placed by God, not man.<\/p>\n 3. Unless one is baptized in obedience to Christ’s command, he is not in\n\tChrist.\n
4. He does not have salvation – II Timothy 2:10<\/p>\n
5. If he is not in Christ, he doesn’t have fellowship with God or His people.<\/p>\n
C. If a man in not in Christ, then he is still a child of Satan – I John 3:4-10<\/p>\n
D. Notice also that continued obedience is required as well.<\/p>\n
1. We cannot fellowship sin – I Timothy 5:21-22<\/p>\n
2. Do not be partakers with them – Ephesians 5:6-11<\/p>\n
E. But for those in Christ, doing His will, there ought to be fellowship – III John 5-8<\/p>\n
V. We are not to break the boundaries<\/p>\n
A. Blending of right and wrong is forbidden – II Corinthians 6:14-18<\/p>\n B. The children of God have no right to extend fellowship to the children of Satan –\n\tEphesians 5:11\n
C. Why? – I Corinthians 15:33<\/p>\n
D. To do so would be an act of rebellion against God<\/p>\n
E. A distinction must exist – II John 9-11<\/p>\n
F. I Thessalonians 5:21-22<\/p>\n\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
by Jeffrey W. Hamilton Text: II Corinthians 10:7-18 I. Without a doubt unity is important to God and His people – John 17:17-21 A. It is something to strive for – Ephesians 4:1-3 B. Division is condemned – I Corinthians 1:10-13 C. Paul, when he entered Jerusalem wanted to join with other Christians – Acts 9:26-28 II. All unity…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"advanced_seo_description":"","jetpack_seo_html_title":"","jetpack_seo_noindex":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false},"categories":[119,32],"tags":[456],"class_list":["post-53790","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-audio","category-sermon","tag-unity"],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_likes_enabled":true,"jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":62870,"url":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/is-there-unity-in-diversity\/","url_meta":{"origin":53790,"position":0},"title":"Is There Unity in Diversity?","author":"Jeffrey Hamilton","date":"February 1, 2026","format":false,"excerpt":"by Jeffrey W. Hamilton Download Audio Text: Romans 12:3-16 \u00a0 I.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0You find the motto of the United States in many places, \u201ce pluribus unum,\u201d \u201cfrom many, one\u201d \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0A.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0It describes the sentiment that people from all over the world can come, settle here, make a life for themselves, and be united\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Audio"","block_context":{"text":"Audio","link":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/category\/audio\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":52330,"url":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/perfected-in-unity\/","url_meta":{"origin":53790,"position":1},"title":"Perfected in Unity","author":"Jeffrey Hamilton","date":"January 7, 2018","format":false,"excerpt":"by Jeffrey W. Hamilton Text: John 17:13-26 \u00a0 I.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0In Jesus\u2019 final prayer to the Father before his arrest, Jesus expressed his desire that his followers be united, just as he and the Father were one - John 17:22-23 \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0A.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0That \u201cone\u201d is not numerical, but a unity in purpose and action.\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Audio"","block_context":{"text":"Audio","link":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/category\/audio\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":36453,"url":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/keep-the-unity\/","url_meta":{"origin":53790,"position":2},"title":"Keep the Unity","author":"Jeffrey Hamilton","date":"February 1, 2026","format":false,"excerpt":"by Jeffrey W. Hamilton Download Audio Text: Ephesians 4:1-6 \u00a0 I.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0The wedding day comes and a couple joins together in a covenant due to their love for each other. \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0A.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0The two become one flesh. They are united and now see everything from the same point of view. \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a01.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0Some of you\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Audio"","block_context":{"text":"Audio","link":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/category\/audio\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":24264,"url":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/unity\/","url_meta":{"origin":53790,"position":3},"title":"Unity","author":"Jeffrey Hamilton","date":"November 14, 2017","format":false,"excerpt":"by Raymond Warfel","rel":"","context":"In "Audio"","block_context":{"text":"Audio","link":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/category\/audio\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":24258,"url":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/the-unity\/","url_meta":{"origin":53790,"position":4},"title":"The Unity","author":"Jeffrey Hamilton","date":"August 5, 2018","format":false,"excerpt":"by Jeffrey W. Hamilton Text: Ephesians 4:1-6 \u00a0 I.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0Our Lord\u2019s desire was that his followers would be united - John 17:20-23 \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0A.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0In the intervening years, the world has accepted lies. \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0B.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0They believe that as long as we agree on something, then there is unity II.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0The attitude of unity - Ephesians\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Audio"","block_context":{"text":"Audio","link":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/category\/audio\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":52405,"url":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/unity-fulfilled\/","url_meta":{"origin":53790,"position":5},"title":"Unity Fulfilled","author":"Jeffrey Hamilton","date":"January 21, 2018","format":false,"excerpt":"by Raymond Warfel","rel":"","context":"In "Audio"","block_context":{"text":"Audio","link":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/category\/audio\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]}],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/53790","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=53790"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/53790\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=53790"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=53790"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=53790"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}