Good morning saints! Today I would like for us look at the effects of divisions and disentions and it's effects. Divisions and disentions have been part of human "social existence". Arguments and divisions are common in families, communities, countries and the world at large! It has been to the large extent, the source of many wars and misunderstandings in the world today.
Divisions are a common occurrence and some how, it has affected the effectiveness of the church as an institution. It hinders many churches from effectively reaching out to the lost and preaching the gospel. In the book of Acts, Barnabas and Paul experienced a separation, over the role Mark should play, when they decided to return to the places they had preached the gospel. Barnabas wanted to take Mark on the journey, but Paul was convinced it was not a good idea because, Mark had abandoned them during their first journey. Luke describes the rift in this way: “There arose a sharp disagreement, so that they separated from each other” (Acts 15:39)
Let us start by looking at the case of ancient Israel and how divisions among themselves, affected the will and plan of God over the chosen nation.
THE DIVIDED KINGDOM
Just after 300 years of the establishment of the nation of Israel, under the leadership of Joshua, a once unified people, seperated into two nations; Judah in the south and Israel on the North. This was due to divisions among themselves.
This division became so bad, so toxic and so bitter that, they found themselves in a civil war; neighbour rises against neighbour, father against son, mother against daughter, tribe against tribe, and brother against brother.
Not long after the reign of Saul, David and Solomon, the Kingdom of Israel is divided into two kingdoms. Despite warnings from many prophets, both kingdoms repeatedly turn from God.
The once pride and joy of the ancient world, that had survived 400 years of Egyptian bondage, and 40 years of wondering in the wilderness, to come and establish a promised nation, became so engrossed in fighting each another.
While they were fighting each other, the nations around them were rising and strengthening themselves, looking for an opportunity to strike the "chosen nation". The Assyrians are growing in strength and preparing to attack, taking advantage of the disunity, while Israel has no idea of what is coming next.
They are so focused on hating and hurting each other, so focused on disagreements among themselves, such that, they are blinded to the true enemy, that is preparing to advance and strike.
Assyria and Babylon attacked and forced the divided kingdoms into exile. Jerusalem and the Temple are destroyed
The division and destruction we see in 1st Kings happened because God allowed it, not because He wanted. God has called us to live with all humility and gentleness, with patience, bearing with one another in love, making every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace.
A HOUSE DIVIDED AGAINST ITSELF CANNOT STAND
The words of Jesus Christ in the book of Matthew, 12:25: “And Jesus knew their thoughts, and said unto them, Every kingdom divided against itself is brought to desolation; and every city or house divided against itself shall not stand.”
Unity is a choice that you make when you decide that the mission of the Church, nation, marriage or family is more important than the preferences of the hour. Nothing destroys family, church, community, or a nation than the malignant cancer of unaddressed disunity, that slowly eats away at the common fibre of oneness. Borrowing the words of the Lord Jesus Christ, ‘a house divided against itself cannot stand’. Success comes from sticking together and to do anything else is to invite disaster.
The key is not to avoid conflict, but for conflict to remind us of that which really matters, in order to recommit to be part of the the solution, instead of pointing fingers at each other's mistakes
For example, marriages and communities don't fall apart because of conflicts, but due to unresolved frictions - small doses of seeds of disunity.
DIVISION IS A TOOL IN THE HANDS OF THE ENEMY
Division is nothing less than the enemy's tool.
Lucifer managed to put a wedge of division between Adam and Eve and their creator, in the garden of Eden,.
DIVISIONS TURNS BELIEVER AGAINST BELIEVER
The Devil uses division as the tool to divide and conquer the forces of light against him. He knows very well that, if the church can be united, then his kingdom of darkness, is doomed. Each time believers are fighting and attacking each other, they are not threatening Satan, but shooting each other in the back, disrupting the work of the Great Commission.
Every church that has been through infightings and squabbles, have temporarily or completely lost their focus on reaching out to non-believers. Divisions are inwardly focused - they are self centred. It is an offshoot of pride. It is as a result of clinging to things we have refused to let go such as; selfishness, pride, unforgiving, hate. It is connected to our personal desires and preferences, fighting for things that matter little in eternity. We selfishly cling to what we want, with no regard for others. It is a form of idolatry.
DIVISIONS ARE DEMORALISING
Divisions demoralise members, even the best leaders can be discouraged. The anguish of divisions can leave a long-lasting pain that negatively influences the rest of the ministry. They can turn the young generation from their faith. Most young people grow up not even understanding what the divisions were about, but will vividly remember, how church members acted and attacked each other.
Unity Is A Witness Of The Work Of The Holy Spirit; Division Is An Evidence Of The Work Of The Enemy.
Divisions in church gives the enemy a victory. Paul says "we wrestle not against flesh and blood (human beings), but against principalities and powers (Eph 6:12). Jesus prayed for us to be one, and unity is a gift and the work of the holy spirit. The church should always pray to God to help believers to stand together against the enemy in these day.
In the case of Paul and John Mark, we don't know why John Mark decided to abandon the team for instance. May be he lost the enthusiasm, or the work was harder than he expected. Perhaps they disagreed on the issue of reaching out to the Gentiles or he got sick. We simply don’t know. What we know is that, Paul didn’t want to take John Mark with him again. Things got so heated that Paul and Barnabas engaged a “sharp disagreement” that led to a separation into two teams; Paul and Silas on one team, Barnabas and John Mark on the other, instead of one. We are not told which one was right. But that the conflict resulted in two teams.
We are told that, Paul reconciled later with both Barnabas and John Mark. He mentions them both in a positive way in his letters; 1 Corinthians 9:6; and 2 Timothy 4:11. This may not be the best of all ways of getting the work done, but in the providence and grace of Holy Spirit, the result is sometimes beneficial.
It is good for the Church to recognise the source of the conflict and seek help.
In Acts 15:1-5, a conflict arose in the local church because certain men who came from Judea, taught what they believed was a required doctrine for the church, not in accordance with the local church’s teaching. Paul and Barnabas contended with them. Rather than cause a division in the church or “agree to disagree,” the church leaders sent a group to Jerusalem to seek help. They knew that this doctrinal issue had significance beyond their local church and they sought wisdom from the broader church.
Conclusion
When conflict, divisions, arguments or disentions, arise in the local church, in the family, in the community or the nation, we must recognize that it is best to seek a resolution instead of letting that conflict grow and cause seperations. In the case of the church, we must always look to the work of the Holy Spirit, within the church to help us in our faith and practice.
