In the decisions and judgments we make in life, there is a vital difference between making hasty assumptions and practicing true, spiritual discernment. We avoid making assumptions by putting off the self and relying on the truth of God as our standard - using God’s spirit to understand the heart and core of a matter.

The Bible, like a cow, provides us with two primary sources of nourishment – milk and meat.  When it comes to our spiritual development, we need to be learning and growing by the milk and the meat of God’s word.

A misguided emphasis on unity will lead to compromising personal and doctrinal integrity. Unity is described as a spiritual byproduct of being led by the God’s holy spirit. The true path to unity involves being of the same mind as Jesus Christ, to be in agreement, to be humble and submissive, and to seek to grow in spiritual maturity by developing the substance of unity - true, Godly love.

This sermon examines how a lack of personal and doctrinal integrity has fueled divisions in the Church of God, drawing lessons from modern church history. Integrity is defined as undivided completeness and consistency between belief and action, with a single focus on God’s righteousness. Personal and doctrinal integrity are inseparably linked, and believers must grow in both through God’s spirit to remain spiritually healthy and unified.

Doctrine is simply the formalized teaching of the Church that begins with what Jesus taught, was understood and passed on by the apostles, and continues to be preserved and taught by God’s people. Far from being secondary to behavior, sound doctrine is essential because it shapes understanding, protects against deception, and ultimately leads to salvation for both the teacher and the hearer. In a time of widespread confusion and division, believers must therefore take heed to doctrine, hold fast the pattern of sound words, and ensure that what they believe and teach remains firmly rooted in the entire biblical record.