OceanSide church of Christ

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THE DAMAGE OF DIVISION

Victor M. Eskew

 

INTRODUCTION

 

A.                I am on my side; you are on your side.

I have my views; you have your views.

I stand firmly against you; you stand firmly against me.

I try to influence people to my position; you try to influence people to your position.

I can’t fellowship you; you can’t fellowship me.

 

B.                  The above is a snapshot of division.  It not only involves a separation.  Usually, there is a building up of forces in opposition to one another.

 

C.                 Division can happen between two brethren.

Division can happen in the local congregation.

Division can happen within the brotherhood.

 

D.                Division is dangerous.  It causes a massive amount of damage.  In this lesson, we will examine the topic:  “The Damage of Division.”

 

I.                   DISOBEDIENCE TO GOD

 

A.    The will of God is for His people to be united.

1.      Jesus prayed for the “oneness” of His followers in His high priestly prayer (John 17:20-23)

 

Neither pray I for these alone, but for them also which shall believe on me though their word; that they all may be one; as thou Father, art in me, and I in thee, that they also may be one in us:  that the world may believe that thou hast sent me.  And the glory which thou gavest me I have given them; that they may be one, even as we are one:  I in them, and thou in me, that they may be made perfect in one; and that the world may know that thou hast sent me, and hast loved them, as thou hast loved me.

 

2.      The divided church at Corinth was exhorted to restore they unity (I Cor. 1:10).

 

Now I beseech you, brethren, by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that ye all speak the same thing, and that there be no divisions among you; but that ye be perfectly joined together in the same mind and in the same judgment.

 

B.      If the Lord desires unity and commands unity, division is disobedience to His will. 

1.      It is missing the mark.

2.      It is transgressing God’s commands

3.      It is rebellion against God’s law.

4.      It is lawlessness, iniquity, and sin.

 

C.     Sin is always damaging.

1.      It separates us from God (Isa. 59:1-2).

2.      It stains the soul (Isa. 1:16).

3.      It subject man to condemnation (Matt. 7:23).

 

 

 

 

II.                DAMAGED RELATIONSHIPS

 

A.    Division involves at least two people who separate one from another (Ex., Paul and Barnabas, Acts 15:36-41).

 

B.      Divisive situations usually involve:

1.      Selfishness:  I want what I want. (See Phil. 2:3-4)

2.      Anger:  A response to a perceived threat in order to protect one’s interest. (See Eph. 4:31-32)

3.      Arguing:  Begins as a discussion, but turns into a dispute. (See James 3:14-16)

4.      Evil speaking:  Bad language can often be heard in these conversations. (See I Pet. 2:1)

5.      Name-calling:  Instead of dealing with the issues, individuals attach one another.  (See Matt. 5:22)

6.      Character assassination:  We want others to see the flaws we believe are in the other person.  (See Prov. 16:28)

7.      Hatred:  Instead of loving one another, hatred develops in the heart.  Those involved in the dispute can no longer talk kindly to or about each other.  (I John 2:11)

 

C.     These evils usually damage relationships in such a way that the relationships are harmed permanently.

 

III.             DESTRUCTION OF THE CHURCH

 

A.    Depression

1.      Because of division, churches can enter into a period of depression.

a.      There is sadness and emotional dejection and withdrawal.

b.      There is a period of dullness and inactivity in the congregation.

2.      This is a horrible period in the life of a church because the church is not fulfilling its God-given responsibilities.

a.      Romans 12:11

 

Not slothful in business; fervent in spirit; serving the Lord.

 

b.      John 15:8

 

Herein is my Father glorified, that ye bear much fruit; so shall ye be my disciples.

 

B.      Disillusion

1.      To be disillusioned is to be free of conviction.

2.      Individuals begin to as questions:

a.      Is this what church is all about?

b.      Is this what Christianity is all about?

c.       Is this how people of God behave?

3.      The disillusionment comes from the fact that they hear one thing, unity (Phil. 2:2), and see something else being practiced, division.

4.      Paul addressed the hypocrisy of the Jews in Romans 2:24.

 

For the name of God is blasphemed among the Gentiles through you, as it is written.

 

 

 

C.     Desertion

1.      When things begin to go badly, there is a tendency for individuals to leave the congregation.

a.      They go to other churches.

b.      They leave the church and turn to man-made religions.

c.       They just become unfaithful.

2.      In two of the options listed, the souls of those who desert the church are put in grave danger (II Pet. 2:20).

 

For if after they have escaped the pollutions of the world through the knowledge of the Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, they are again entangled therein, and overcome, the latter end is worse with them than the beginning.

 

D.    Darkness

1.      When church ceases living according to the precepts of God’s word, they have left path of light and have turn toward darkness.

2.      This is not the course we have been called to follow (Eph. 5:8).

 

For ye were sometimes darkness, but now are ye light in the Lord:  walk as children of light.

 

IV.             DAMNATION OF SOULS

 

A.    The divisive (practitioners)

1.      Those who cause division in any way will lose their souls unless they repent.

2.      Solomon tells us that those who sow discord among the brethren are engaged in an activity that God hates (Prov. 6:19).

3.      What God hates, He punishes (Ps. 5:4-5).

 

For thou art not a God that hath pleasure in wickedness:  neither shall evil dwell with thee.  The foolish shall not stand in thy sight:  thou hatest all workers of iniquity.

 

B.      The devout (the innocent)

1.      We have already noted that division causes some Christians to become depressed and disillusioned. 

a.      They are not the ones in the struggle.

b.      They had no dog in the fight.

c.       They are innocent.

d.      But, their faith is shaken.

2.      Hebrews 6:8

 

But that which beareth thorns and briers is rejected, and is nigh unto cursing; whose end is to be burned.

 

C.     The dead (alien sinners)

1.      The world watches the church.

2.      When we do not live up to our ideals, they laugh at us and turn a deaf ear to our message (Lam. 2:15).

 

All that pass by clap their hands at thee; they hiss and wag their head at the daughter of Jerusalem, saying, Is this the city that men call the perfection of beauty, the joy of the whole earth?

 

3.      In other words, they remain dead in their sins and continue in a lost condition.

V.                DELIGHT OF THE ENEMY

 

A.    As the enemy of God, Satan rejoices in every action that causes men to be lost. 

 

B.      One of the common tactics of warfare is “divide and conquer.” 

 

C.     Even Jesus taught that a house divided against itself cannot stand (Mark 3:25).

 

D.    I Peter 5:8

 

Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as roaring lion, walketh about seeking whom he may devour.

 

CONCLUSION

 

A.    When Jesus prays for something, do you think that something is important?  Think about that.  This is something that the Son of God took before the throne of God.

 

B.      Oneness is one of the things for which Jesus prayed (John 17:20-21).

 

Neither pray I for these alone, but for them also which shall believe on me through their word; that they all may be one; as thou, Father, art in me, and I in thee, that they also may be one in us:  that the world may believe that thou hast sent me.

 

C.     Jesus understands the damage that division brings to mankind.

1.      Disobedience to God

2.      Damaged relationships

3.      Destruction of the church

4.      Damnation of souls

5.      Delight of the enemy

 

D.    Every Christian ought to be doing all he can possibly do to promote unity in the church (Eph. 4:3).

 

Endeavoring to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace.