Diversity vs. Disunity
The first allows us to be individuals in Christ, the latter
divides and destroys. Which are we?
The Corinthians had divided themselves into quarreling
parties, employing the pretenses of human arrogance and worldly wisdom to fight
one another. This behavior revealed that they lived by the principles of the
world rather than by the teaching of the Spirit.
To specify his complaint even further, the apostle quoted the
claims of factions within the church. In 1 Corinthians 3:4 Paul wrote:
“For when one says ‘I follow Paul’, and another ‘I follow
Apollos’ are you not being merely human?”
Apparently, these words struck deeply into Paul’s heart—he
had already recalled them in this letter and would do so again later (3:22;
4:6). Earlier, Paul argued that such divisions were unthinkable for a variety
of reasons (1:13–17). Here he described them as worldly.
By resorting to such contentious practices, the Corinthians
behaved just like the unbelievers around them. In Christ they were called to
fellowship. By quarreling and dividing, they lived as mere men who did not have
the Spirit or the gospel. They were striving against the goals of the gospel
and of Christ.
Today, there are at least 217 Christian denominations in the
US, and at least 60+ different types of Baptists in US. Many are under the
impression that their own particular Christian denomination is going to Heaven,
and the others are lost. All too often we look at our differences instead of
what we share in common. I often wonder what Jesus thinks of all of this.
- Denominations are based on disagreements over the interpretation of Scripture, and sadly, race. The USA is never more segregated than it is on Sunday morning.
- Disagreements over the interpretation of Scripture are taken personally and become points of contention.
- Today the media uses our differences against us to demonstrate that we are not unified in thought or purpose.
Some Examples from Paul on
Divisions and Quarreling: Rom 13:13; 14:1; 1 Cor 1:10-11; 11:18-19;
12:25; Gal 5:19-21; Titus 3:2, 9-11; 1 Tim 6:4; 2 Tim 2:14; 23
Lastly, this quote seems appropriate:
“As far as the devil is concerned, the next best thing to
keeping you chained in spiritual darkness or having you live as an emotional
wreck is confusing your belief system. He lost you in the eternal sense when
you became a child of God. If he can muddy your mind and weaken your faith with
partial truths, however, he can neutralize your effectiveness for God and stunt
your growth as a Christian.”
Anderson, Neil T.. Victory Over the Darkness: Realize the
Power of Your Identity in Christ (p. 139). Baker Publishing Group. Kindle
Edition.
The question remains, are we setting examples of diversity or
disunity?
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