October 9, 2022
“I appeal to you, dear brothers and sisters, by the authority of our Lord Jesus Christ, to live in harmony with each other. Let there be no divisions in the church. Rather, be of one mind, united in thought and purpose.” 1 Corinthians 1:10 (NLT)
“Make every effort to keep yourselves united in the Spirit, binding yourselves together with peace.” Ephesians 4:3 (NLT)
“Instead, we will speak the truth in love, growing in every way more and more like Christ, who is the head of his body, the church.” Ephesians 4:15 (NLT)
We live in turbulent times. Yes, I believe that we are living in the last days that are clearly written in the Word of God! Never, have we witnessed such overt hatred, division, and vengeance across our nation and world. I just love the Word of God, written centuries ago, and how relevant it is to our issues today!
I had breakfast yesterday with Dr. Mary Segars a good friend of my mine and one of the things we shared with each other was how blessed we are by the Word of God through BSF an international Bible Study Fellowship. We are currently studying the Old Testament and our study this year is “The Kingdom Divided.” There were three keywords in last week’s lesson that painted a dismal picture of deterioration, division, and decline. The history of the nation of Israel is a vivid picture of the impact of rejecting God. It also reminded me of the “Downward Spiral Chart” in biblical counseling, how sin corrupts the hearts and appetites of those who willingly choose a destructive path of ignoring God’s call to repentance and restoration. I am sure my cousin Shirley is enjoying the BSF this year!
What does the Word of God have to say about divisions? What causes divisions, in people, families, churches, communities, political parties, and others? We who are Believers in Christ should not allow personal preferences related to politics, education styles, sports, favorite speakers, or anything else to divide us, especially to the point that we are known more for what we disagree on than what we agree on. Christians should first and foremost be known as a unified group of people who worship and praise the Lord Jesus as the Son of God who came to die for the sins of the world.
In 1 Corinthians 1:10, the Apostle Paul spoke to the reality of divisions in the church, not to adversaries, in the most authoritative fashion, but in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ. In the first 10 verses, he referenced Christ, leaving no doubt as to the One Paul believed should be the source and focus of Corinthian unity. He appealed for harmony, not the elimination of diversity. He desired unity of all the parts, like a quilt of various colors and patterns blended together in a harmonious whole. He urged believers to let there be no divisions among you.” Paul encourages believers to be united as the church as they share the gospel throughout the world.
What Does The Word of God Have To Say About The Causes of Division Among People?
Division Often Arise When We Take A Stand For The TRUTH! 1 Corinthians 4:6-13! Make no mistake, There is no middle of the road with Jesus! You either obey the Word of God, or you walk away from the truth. People walked away from Jesus when He told them the TRUTH! The more the people heard Jesus’ real message, the more they divided into two camps-the honest seekers who wanted to understand more, and those who rejected Jesus because they didn’t like what they had heard. Though there are many philosophies and self-styled authorities, JESUS alone has the words of eternal life.
Divisions Often Arise from Misplaced Loyalty. Misplaced loyalty is one of the leading causes of various cliques. It is easy to become attached to a spiritual leader. The Apostle Paul wrote about this problem in the Corinthian church, by following their favorite preacher, each one believing they were the one who had the whole truth and therefore feeling spiritually proud. Paul wrote to this saying, in essence, not to boast about being tied to a particular preacher because each God-called preacher must be simply a humble servant sharing the message of salvation in Jesus Christ. No preacher of God has more status than another. Any true God-called leader of God’s people is a representative of Christ and has nothing to offer that God hasn’t given him or her.
We as Believers in Christ must make sure that our deepest loyalties are to Christ and not to any human agents! Christ must be our top priority!
Divisions Often Arise from Jealousy. Human jealousy is a sin! It is a demand for someone else’s sole affection or loyalty. It can destroy relationships. God alone has the right to be jealous and to carry out vengeance. The book of Nahum 1:2, says “The LORD is a jealous God, filled with vengeance and wrath. He takes revenge on all who oppose him and furiously destroys his enemies!” Saul’s appreciation for David turned to jealousy as people began to applaud David’s adventures. In a jealous rage, Saul attempted to murder David by hurling his spear at him. Beware of letting jealousy get a foothold in your life. Love is the best weapon against jealousy.
RX: A NON-DIVISIVE 
HEART One of the reasons to fight against division is that it hinders our ability to grow and mature spiritually. Ephesians 4:3, Paul commands believers to “make every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace.” The Apostle Paul goes on to say in Ephesians 4:15 that believers, as the united Body of Christ, will “grow to become in every respect the mature body of him who is the head, that is, Christ.” In other words, if there are divisions among us as Believers in Christ, we will not mature the way God desires us to. Spiritual growth happens when Believers are united as they gather and worship God.
~ HOW ABOUT YOU? Are you growing spiritually? Or are you allowing the division to cause you to be stunted in your walk with Christ?
FATHER GOD: Thank You for Your Word that gives us clear instructions on how to live and glorify YOU. Father, we need You every moment of our lives. Without You heavenly Father in our hearts and the guidance and control of the Holy Spirit to HELP us with our thoughts, motives, and actions, we are capable of almost anything. Thank You, Father, in the Precious, Powerful and Preeminent Name of Jesus Christ our Savior and Lord, Amen.