Discussion Questions

In Galatians 5:19–21, Paul lists “enmities, strife, outbursts of anger, disputes, dissensions, factions” alongside adultery, idolatry, and sorcery—what does that grouping reveal about God’s moral seriousness, and what does it expose about what modern “serious Bible-believing” Christians tend to excuse as normal church life? JumpstartAnother way to ask: In Galatians 5:19–21, why does Paul list fighting and division next to sins like adultery and idolatry? What does that say about what “serious Bible-believing” Christians often treat as normal in church?

David Bercot argues that “those who practice such things shall not inherit the kingdom of God” applies to factional, argumentative Christians just as much as to the sexually immoral—how does that warning challenge common evangelical assumptions about assurance, “ticket to heaven” thinking, and what kinds of sin actually endanger a person? JumpstartAnother way to ask: If “will not inherit the kingdom of God” applies to divisive, argumentative Christians too, how does that challenge common ideas like “once saved, always saved” or a “ticket to heaven”? What sins do we wrongly assume don’t really put someone in danger?

Bercot explains that the Greek *hairesis* in Galatians 5 is “faction/school of thought,” not “theological error”—how does that reframe the way Christians use the word “heresy,” and how might that change the way your group treats disagreements where both sides claim biblical fidelity? JumpstartAnother way to ask: If the Greek word in Galatians 5 means “factions” more than “wrong doctrine,” how should that change the way we use the word “heresy”? How should we treat disagreements when both sides think they are being faithful to the Bible?

In 1 Corinthians 3:1–4, Paul calls Christians “carnal” because of envy, strife, and party-spirit (“I am of Paul…Apollos”)—what does it look like today to “behave like mere men” in the way we align with teachers, conferences, networks, or labels, even when we think we’re defending truth? JumpstartAnother way to ask: Paul says believers were acting “worldly” because they formed rival groups around leaders (1 Corinthians 3:1–4). What does that look like today with favorite teachers, conferences, networks, or labels, even when we think we’re defending truth?

Bercot says we “create God in our image,” projecting our “nitpicky rules and theological definitions” onto Him; using his Hooker quote (“God is no nit-picking theologian… but a courteous teacher”), what would need to change in how you imagine God responds to imperfect theology, and what would need to change in how you respond to other Christians’ imperfections? JumpstartAnother way to ask: If we often imagine God as picky like we are, how would you picture God responding to someone with imperfect beliefs? How should that change how you respond to other Christians’ mistakes and weaknesses?

Early Christians had independent congregations with no hierarchy beyond the city level, yet they were interdependent and saw themselves as “one church” in that city (many house churches, one body); what assumptions about authority, control, and unity does that early-church pattern challenge in today’s denominational and “network” models? JumpstartAnother way to ask: Early churches were separate house churches but still saw themselves as one church in a city. What does that challenge about how we think of authority, control, and unity in denominations or church networks today?

Bercot says early Christians held to “simple theology” like the Apostles’ Creed and that Christians expanded creeds mainly because “there are people we want to exclude from God’s kingdom”; where do you see that impulse to exclude operating today, and how does it relate to disputes and splits over language “not language of Scripture”? JumpstartAnother way to ask: If creeds got longer mainly because people wanted to keep others out of God’s kingdom, where do you see that same “exclude them” mindset today? How does it connect to splits over special wording that isn’t straight from Scripture?

Bercot claims churches create division both by nullifying New Testament commandments (his examples: divorce/remarriage, war) and by adding new commandments or overly precise definitions (his examples: icon veneration historically; modern modesty lines turning from voluntary agreement into law); what practices or “applications” in your church context have drifted from helpful agreement into binding law that distances you from other believers? JumpstartAnother way to ask: What church practices or “rules” in your context have changed from a helpful agreement into a must-follow law that pushes other believers away? How has that created distance or division?

When Bercot critiques “ecumenism,” “easy believism,” and “cult-like uniformity,” he’s rejecting both compromise of commandments and coercive unity; what would “Holy Spirit led unity” actually require of a church in handling disagreement—especially when someone believes the leaders’ teaching conflicts with Jesus’ teaching? JumpstartAnother way to ask: If real unity is not “anything goes” and not forced uniformity, what would Holy Spirit–led unity look like during disagreements? What should a church do when someone thinks the leaders’ teaching contradicts Jesus’ teaching?

Bercot highlights the Restoration Movement’s motto (“We speak where the Scriptures speak…”) and then shows how it devolved into being “the one true church,” splitting over instrumental music while dropping commands like head covering, holy kiss, holy hands, and enemy-love; what do those examples suggest about how movements lose their original spiritual aim, and what concrete steps could you take personally to remove “every vestige” of sectarian spirit—especially in the way you treat Christians you expect to see “in the world beyond the grave”? JumpstartAnother way to ask: How do movements that start with “just follow Scripture” end up acting like “the one true church” and splitting over smaller issues? What specific steps can you take to root out a divisive, us-versus-them spirit toward Christians you believe you’ll meet in heaven?