Know: Explain the principles used by the early church to resolve internal conflicts.
Feel: Appreciate that internal conflicts undermine the unity and witness of the church.
Do: Seek guidance from the Holy Spirit and Scripture when conflicts arise.
Learning Outline:
Know: Principles for Conflict Resolution
What was the basis of the conflicts faced by the early church?
What principles of conflict resolution are present in all the conflicts examined in this lesson? Are there some principles that are unique to the individual examples that were examined? Explain.
What factors contributed to the success of the apostles in their attempts at conflict resolution?
Feel: Protecting the Witness of the Church
Often church conflicts are ignored for long periods of time. How important is it to resolve church conflicts quickly, and why?
What clues are there in each example of conflict that indicate that the unity and witness of the church was being compromised?
Do: The Leading of the Holy Spirit
How can we be sure of the Holy Spirit’s leading as we attempt to resolve conflicts today?
How can we prevent our own biases from getting in the way of the direction in which the Holy Spirit is leading?
Summary: The relational and theological conflicts faced by the early church were resolved promptly by the leaders of the church as they submitted to the teaching of the apostles and recognized the leading of the Holy Spirit.
STEP 1—Motivate
Spotlight on Scripture: Acts 15:1–22
Key Concept for Spiritual Growth: While conflicts are best avoided, our response to church conflicts provides opportunities for church members to recognize the leading of the Holy Spirit and grow together.
Just for Teachers: Conflict and theological disagreement are a consistent feature of the history of the Christian church. However, a review of history suggests that positive results can come from potentially divisive situations. As you consider the provided story, help students to recognize that growth occurred when disagreement sent the church back to study the Scriptures.
Opening Discussion: Marcion was a second-century Christian who developed beliefs about God that placed him in direct conflict with the church. He separated Jesus and His Father from the Old Testament God, in part, because he could not reconcile a God of justice with a God of love. He also denied that Christ was truly human, and he claimed that Christ did not suffer on the cross. Using his beliefs about God as a basis for correct doctrine, he compiled a collection of writings that he considered were inspired and useful for the Christian. He did not consider the Hebrew Scriptures useful for the Christian, and he composed his canon from selected epistles by Paul and a heavily edited Gospel of Luke. In response to Marcion’s theology, the scholars of the church used the Hebrew Scriptures and the writings of the apostles to clarify the character and nature of God, in particular showing that God could be both just and loving. Marcion’s theology also helped the church to recognize that Christians still needed the Hebrew Scriptures and, further, that they needed to identify which Christian writings were inspired and thus should be considered as Scripture.
Questions for Discussion: The story of Marcion shows that conflicts and even heresy can provide the church with opportunities to study and clarify its beliefs. In what ways has the Seventh-day Adventist Church grown from the result of conflict and theological disagreement? Can you think of conflicts in which the church does not seem to have found a way to grow? Why do you think that some events have led to growth and others have merely torn the church apart?
STEP 2—Explore
Just for Teachers: As you examine the stories of conflict in Acts, help your class to understand why the apostles were successful in their conflict resolution. Focus particularly on the role of the Holy Spirit and how we can move past our own biases.
Bible Commentary
I. Searching for a Resolution (Review Acts 6:1–6, Acts 11:1–18, and Acts 15:1–22 with your class.)
It may seem surprising that conflict erupted so quickly after the establishment of the Christian church, but the reality is that wherever there are people there is potential for conflict. The conflicts of the early church included both theological dilemmas and relational issues arising from the diverse backgrounds of those accepting Christ. The apostles did not ignore the conflicts that arose in their midst. They set out to resolve them so that nothing got in the way of the mission of the church. Several important principles can be seen in their approach to conflict.
+ The problems were acknowledged openly. Too often conflicts are ignored in the hope that, by doing so, the conflicts would disappear on their own. Conflicts need to be acknowledged and dealt with promptly.
+ One or more people were appointed to seek a solution for the problem. The individuals chosen were well known and trusted by the congregation.
+ The stories and opinions of those involved on both sides of the conflict were heard.
+ Scripture was considered. For instance, at the Jerusalem Council, the leaders considered both the law of Moses, which talked about circumcision, and the prophets, who predicted that there would be Gentile believers.
+ Evidence of the leading of God was both presented and sought after.
+ Finally, the decision was communicated, along with the reasons for the decision. When this could not be done directly by the leaders who had made the decision, a message was sent with an individual trusted by the church.
By following this process, major divisions were avoided, and transparency and accountability were provided.
Consider This: Are all these principles transferable to the twenty-first century church? Explain. Which of the above principles causes the most difficulties in attempts to resolve conflict? Why do you think the principle you identified is problematic?
II. Following the Lead of the Holy Spirit (Review Acts 11:12-17 with your class.)
The Holy Spirit figures prominently in the story of Peter and Cornelius and at the Jerusalem Council. Peter was acutely aware of God’s paving the way for his encounter with Cornelius. He notes that “ ‘the Spirit told me to have no hesitation about going with them’ ” (Acts 11:12, NIV), and after the Holy Spirit visibly was poured out on the Gentiles, Peter concluded: “ ‘So if God gave them the same gift that he gave us, who believed in the Lord Jesus Christ, who was I to think that I could stand in God’s way?’ ” (Acts 11:17, NIV). While the visible manifestation of the Holy Spirit provided unassailable evidence of God’s leading, Peter already had identified that God was leading him to Cornelius. Likewise, at the Jerusalem Council, James identified God’s hand intervening to show His approval of Gentile believers. The apostles were clearly convinced that the Holy Spirit was guiding them in truth, as Jesus had promised before His death (John 16:13, 14).
Consider This: How did Peter know the Spirit was leading prior to seeing visible confirmation of the Spirit? The apostles followed the leading of the Spirit without hesitation. What is your reaction when you believe God is leading you to do something?
III. Changing Perceptions (Review Acts 15:1, 2, 13–20 and Acts 11:18 with your class.)
Following the leading of the Spirit is not always easy. We risk having to give up our cherished ideas, having to admit that we are wrong, and having to adjust our lives to God’s plans. This adjustment is particularly difficult in a conflict situation, because we feel the need to save face. In Acts, the Jewish believers found themselves having to give up firmly entrenched beliefs about circumcision and Gentiles that touched upon the core of their identity. There was predictable opposition; and yet, Luke also records that when believers heard the full story of how the Holy Spirit had been poured out on the Gentiles, they realized God truly was leading (Acts 11:18). The visible nature of God’s acceptance of the Gentiles helped to ease the transition in the practices of the church.
Consider This: Why did the group traveling to Jerusalem in Acts 15 take the time to tell the story of the Gentile conversion to those in Phoenicia and Samaria? Why do you think Peter framed the issue around the idea of God’s choice of the Gentiles? Were there any factors other than the visible nature of the Holy Spirit’s presence that helped the early church to accept the fact that believers did not need to become Jews before they became Christians?
STEP 3—Apply
Just for Teachers: Although the lesson has reviewed church conflicts rather than personal conflicts, individual members are inevitably impacted by churchwide conflicts. This section focuses on how individual members respond when they are surrounded by conflict. Encourage members to examine personally their own cultural biases and seek God’s will when disagreements arise.
Application Questions:
What is your normal response to conflict around you? Do you jump in and join in the argument, or do you do your best to avoid conflict? What should be your personal response when conflict erupts in the church?
How can we find God’s will in the midst of disagreement?
The way that early Christians understood their Jewish heritage got in the way of their understanding that Gentiles could be part of the church. How might our culture get in the way of recognizing God’s leading or how might it impact our interpretation of Scripture? Pray that God will help you to identify some of your own biases that provide obstacles to interpreting Scripture.
STEP 4—Create
Just for Teachers: The activities section contains options for communicating the lesson’s key ideas or for delving deeper into a case study in Adventist history. Each activity is designed to reinforce the importance of identifying God’s leading in the church.
Activities:
Develop a talk or visual presentation for the youth in your church that outlines how a Christian can identify God’s leading in his or her life and in the church.
As a class, perform an impromptu skit in which you demonstrate an understanding of how the early church resolved conflict.
Examine Ellen G. White’s counsel to the attendees of the 1888 General Conference session who found themselves embroiled in an emotional conflict over the law in Galatians. A good starting place is Manuscript 15, which can be found on pages 163-175 of The Ellen G. White 1888 Materials. Look specifically for any principles she outlines for moving forward. Compare these principles with those used by the apostles.
Adjust My Preferences
Welcome! Please set your reading preferences below.
You can access this panel later by clicking the
preference icon
in the top right of the page.
Key Text: Acts 11:17
The Student Will:
Learning Outline:
Know: Principles for Conflict Resolution
Feel: Protecting the Witness of the Church
Do: The Leading of the Holy Spirit
Summary: The relational and theological conflicts faced by the early church were resolved promptly by the leaders of the church as they submitted to the teaching of the apostles and recognized the leading of the Holy Spirit.
STEP 1—Motivate
Spotlight on Scripture: Acts 15:1–22
Key Concept for Spiritual Growth: While conflicts are best avoided, our response to church conflicts provides opportunities for church members to recognize the leading of the Holy Spirit and grow together.
Just for Teachers: Conflict and theological disagreement are a consistent feature of the history of the Christian church. However, a review of history suggests that positive results can come from potentially divisive situations. As you consider the provided story, help students to recognize that growth occurred when disagreement sent the church back to study the Scriptures.
Opening Discussion: Marcion was a second-century Christian who developed beliefs about God that placed him in direct conflict with the church. He separated Jesus and His Father from the Old Testament God, in part, because he could not reconcile a God of justice with a God of love. He also denied that Christ was truly human, and he claimed that Christ did not suffer on the cross. Using his beliefs about God as a basis for correct doctrine, he compiled a collection of writings that he considered were inspired and useful for the Christian. He did not consider the Hebrew Scriptures useful for the Christian, and he composed his canon from selected epistles by Paul and a heavily edited Gospel of Luke. In response to Marcion’s theology, the scholars of the church used the Hebrew Scriptures and the writings of the apostles to clarify the character and nature of God, in particular showing that God could be both just and loving. Marcion’s theology also helped the church to recognize that Christians still needed the Hebrew Scriptures and, further, that they needed to identify which Christian writings were inspired and thus should be considered as Scripture.
Questions for Discussion: The story of Marcion shows that conflicts and even heresy can provide the church with opportunities to study and clarify its beliefs. In what ways has the Seventh-day Adventist Church grown from the result of conflict and theological disagreement? Can you think of conflicts in which the church does not seem to have found a way to grow? Why do you think that some events have led to growth and others have merely torn the church apart?
STEP 2—Explore
Just for Teachers: As you examine the stories of conflict in Acts, help your class to understand why the apostles were successful in their conflict resolution. Focus particularly on the role of the Holy Spirit and how we can move past our own biases.
Bible Commentary
I. Searching for a Resolution (Review Acts 6:1–6, Acts 11:1–18, and Acts 15:1–22 with your class.)
It may seem surprising that conflict erupted so quickly after the establishment of the Christian church, but the reality is that wherever there are people there is potential for conflict. The conflicts of the early church included both theological dilemmas and relational issues arising from the diverse backgrounds of those accepting Christ. The apostles did not ignore the conflicts that arose in their midst. They set out to resolve them so that nothing got in the way of the mission of the church. Several important principles can be seen in their approach to conflict. + The problems were acknowledged openly. Too often conflicts are ignored in the hope that, by doing so, the conflicts would disappear on their own. Conflicts need to be acknowledged and dealt with promptly. + One or more people were appointed to seek a solution for the problem. The individuals chosen were well known and trusted by the congregation. + The stories and opinions of those involved on both sides of the conflict were heard. + Scripture was considered. For instance, at the Jerusalem Council, the leaders considered both the law of Moses, which talked about circumcision, and the prophets, who predicted that there would be Gentile believers. + Evidence of the leading of God was both presented and sought after. + Finally, the decision was communicated, along with the reasons for the decision. When this could not be done directly by the leaders who had made the decision, a message was sent with an individual trusted by the church.
By following this process, major divisions were avoided, and transparency and accountability were provided.
Consider This: Are all these principles transferable to the twenty-first century church? Explain. Which of the above principles causes the most difficulties in attempts to resolve conflict? Why do you think the principle you identified is problematic?
II. Following the Lead of the Holy Spirit (Review Acts 11:12-17 with your class.)
The Holy Spirit figures prominently in the story of Peter and Cornelius and at the Jerusalem Council. Peter was acutely aware of God’s paving the way for his encounter with Cornelius. He notes that “ ‘the Spirit told me to have no hesitation about going with them’ ” (Acts 11:12, NIV), and after the Holy Spirit visibly was poured out on the Gentiles, Peter concluded: “ ‘So if God gave them the same gift that he gave us, who believed in the Lord Jesus Christ, who was I to think that I could stand in God’s way?’ ” (Acts 11:17, NIV). While the visible manifestation of the Holy Spirit provided unassailable evidence of God’s leading, Peter already had identified that God was leading him to Cornelius. Likewise, at the Jerusalem Council, James identified God’s hand intervening to show His approval of Gentile believers. The apostles were clearly convinced that the Holy Spirit was guiding them in truth, as Jesus had promised before His death (John 16:13, 14).
Consider This: How did Peter know the Spirit was leading prior to seeing visible confirmation of the Spirit? The apostles followed the leading of the Spirit without hesitation. What is your reaction when you believe God is leading you to do something?
III. Changing Perceptions (Review Acts 15:1, 2, 13–20 and Acts 11:18 with your class.)
Following the leading of the Spirit is not always easy. We risk having to give up our cherished ideas, having to admit that we are wrong, and having to adjust our lives to God’s plans. This adjustment is particularly difficult in a conflict situation, because we feel the need to save face. In Acts, the Jewish believers found themselves having to give up firmly entrenched beliefs about circumcision and Gentiles that touched upon the core of their identity. There was predictable opposition; and yet, Luke also records that when believers heard the full story of how the Holy Spirit had been poured out on the Gentiles, they realized God truly was leading (Acts 11:18). The visible nature of God’s acceptance of the Gentiles helped to ease the transition in the practices of the church.
Consider This: Why did the group traveling to Jerusalem in Acts 15 take the time to tell the story of the Gentile conversion to those in Phoenicia and Samaria? Why do you think Peter framed the issue around the idea of God’s choice of the Gentiles? Were there any factors other than the visible nature of the Holy Spirit’s presence that helped the early church to accept the fact that believers did not need to become Jews before they became Christians?
STEP 3—Apply
Just for Teachers: Although the lesson has reviewed church conflicts rather than personal conflicts, individual members are inevitably impacted by churchwide conflicts. This section focuses on how individual members respond when they are surrounded by conflict. Encourage members to examine personally their own cultural biases and seek God’s will when disagreements arise.
Application Questions:
STEP 4—Create
Just for Teachers: The activities section contains options for communicating the lesson’s key ideas or for delving deeper into a case study in Adventist history. Each activity is designed to reinforce the importance of identifying God’s leading in the church.
Activities: