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Discussion Forum : Articles and Sermons : Causing Division and Disunity in the Church

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 Causing Division and Disunity in the Church


I urge you, brothers and sisters, to watch out for those who cause divisions and put obstacles in your way that are contrary to the teaching you have learned. Keep away from them. - Romans 16:17

Causing division is a hurtful thing and never something we should seek to do. Our did say: "Do you think I came to bring peace on earth? No, I tell you, but division" (Luke 12:51). Yet, these words were shared by the very Son of God who came to preach the true way of the kingdom of God. There will be division in the world over his words, those who hate the light will reject his way and words. But in the Church, amongst those who believe in the words of our Lord and are true disciples we should never seek to cause division amongst them. Some people take liberty, even an individual, to speak in a way to promote division and disunity in the Church. They take this liberty from the example of Christ that division will come, but they never consider verses and truths about how the Lord died a martyr death to have a unified people of God. When we cause division amongst that called out people that the Lord bought with His blood we give our Lord a double-smart and injury to his already wounded holy body. Early Church believers were mindful and very protective against causing disunity. False teachers were considered those who promoted such things in the New Testament scriptures.

Paul the Apostle expressed in the verse before the unity that existed in the Church in his day with the statement: "All the churches of Christ send greetings" (Romans 16:16). What a beautiful picture we see that he conveyed greetings from if not "all" but many or "most" of the established assemblies in different cities of the Roman Empire. In our modern day situation we would have to say: "All the churches of Christ send their doctrinal differences and grave concerns for your group." What has probably encouraged more individualistic dividing of the body of Christ is the internet known as the printing press of the 21st century. With a few clicks of a button anyone can post a blog or writing that can be read by thousands with teachings that cause disunity or words that speak against different parts of the body of Christ. Many of these individuals who do this are not part of a larger movement of believers and therefore find it easy to not agree with anyone. Though we can find ourselves not in the place where we are strongly connected with a larger movement of believers this should not be an occasion to cause divisions or hurt. Christianity was never meant to be lived alone but as a community. Though Christianity is divided into larger groups we can seek to be unified with all believers who are disciples and have Jesus Christ in them. It is hurtful to the cause of God in the earth to speak against all organized Christian groups as apostate or non-ideal. Such thinking has never been healthy and rarely promoted the true gathering of God's people as the body of Christ.


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SI Moderator - Greg Gordon

 2015/4/23 11:59Profile
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 Re: Causing Division and Disunity in the Church

Our Lord prayed that we may be one, just like He and the Father are One. It saddens me to see that His prayer is still in a large part unanswered, not because of any failure in His prayer or in the Father's power, but because we fail to live with our brethren in the Spirit. Jesus said that our being one and loving one another is a sign to the lost that we are His. They are definitely not seeing that in America.

However, there is a difference between unity and uniformity. Just because someone believes differently on the non-essentials (there ia already a thread on this) does not mean they are causing division in the body. It all depends on the method and tone of the disagreement, as well as what the doctrinal issue is. I know that this requires discernment, as does everything else in life, because some "doctrines" are outright dangerous.

I say that we must be careful to know the difference between unity and uniformity because I was recently asked to leave the church I have been attending for a year and a half because they found out I have a different understanding than they do on WHEN Jesus is returning (it is irrelevant which position they or I take). It was framed under the idea that I am not "united" with the leadership and that I cannot sincerely walk in love with them if I disagree on them about this. I was also told that I was sowing "discord" in the church, even though I had made a point NEVER to discuss this matter with any of the church members precisely because I did not want to undermine the authority of the leadership. It was not until the leadership made an issue of this that anyone else was aware of the difference.

Is this church "united"? Maybe. But if this is their pattern (and from things that the pastor said in our conversation it may be) I would ask if this is true unity if you cannot accept to walk closely with those who may disagree on non-essentials, but still hold to the Lordship of Christ in all areas of life, separation from the world, pursuit of holiness, dying to self for the sake of Christ.

Obtaining unity, as Art Katz said, is a painful process of everyone being willing to make changes for the sake OF CHRIST and learning to live with one another in spite of our differences. It is how we live as husbands and wives, as children, as mothers and fathers, brothers and sisters.


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Natalie

 2015/4/24 13:43Profile
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 Re:

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Obtaining unity, as Art Katz said, is a painful process of everyone being willing to make changes for the sake OF CHRIST and learning to live with one another in spite of our differences. It is how we live as husbands and wives, as children, as mothers and fathers, brothers and sisters.



Well said sister, a blessing to read all you shared.


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 2015/4/24 14:52Profile





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