The Danger of Divisions

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Blessed is the man who remains steadfast under trial, for when he has stood the test he will receive the crown of life, which God has promised to those who love him. --James 1:12 Like it or not, suffering is a required course in God’s curriculum. He had one Son who was without sin, yet suffered. So why should we live life thinking we should be exempt from suffering? It is impossible to pass through this life as a believer without passing through dark valleys. Now, those valleys look different for each person and they look different depending on the culture in which we find ourselves. But all Christians will suffer. The question is, how do you respond when life gets hard? Some people… when the heat is on… fold up their tents and go home. They can’t take it. It’s not what they bargained for… and they turn their backs on God. Other people… and I pray that you fall into this camp… look at their suffering as a time of learning… as a time of testing and proving of their faith. It’s not that these people like to suffer or would choose to suffer… it’s just that their peace and contentment in God is disconnected from their circumstances in life.  Today, I pray… no matter where you find yourself in life… that you will remember that Jesus has His eye on the clock and His hand on the thermostat! He won’t let you suffer beyond what you can bear.  So cheer up, knowing that He’s in control and that He only wants what’s ultimately best for you. JESUS WON’T LET YOU SUFFER BEYOND WHAT YOU CAN BEAR.

The Danger of Divisions

Friday, September 20, 2019

by Dr. Paul Chappell

“And I, brethren, could not speak unto you as unto spiritual, but as unto carnal, even as unto babes in Christ. I have fed you with milk, and not with meat: for hitherto ye were not able to bear it, neither yet now are ye able. For ye are yet carnal: for whereas there is among you envying, and strife, and divisions, are ye not carnal, and walk as men?”

1 Corinthians 3:1–3

Though we look back now on the American Revolution from the standpoint of history and see it as settled, at the time of those events the future was very uncertain. There were many different competing and conflicting interests represented by the men who gathered in Philadelphia to consider declaring independence from England. As those divisions threatened the decision making process, Benjamin Franklin reminded everyone of exactly what was at stake when he said, “We must, indeed, all hang together or, most assuredly, we shall all hang separately.”

The Christian life is not meant to be lived in division, but in unity. “Endeavouring to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace. There is one body, and one Spirit, even as ye are called in one hope of your calling” (Ephesians 4:3–4). Yet if we are not careful, it will be easy for us to divide over trivial matters. We should never compromise the truth, and there are some lines which we cannot cross in order to keep peace.

But the church at Corinth was not divided because of strong doctrinal positions. Instead, they were bickering over preferences in minor things. The Corinthian church was characterized by their carnality. The reason they were not growing and becoming mature believers was that they could not handle sound teaching of the truth. Their divisions kept them from developing their spiritual lives, and both the church and the city of Corinth suffered as a result. We must do all that we can to “hang together.”

Today's Growth Principle: 

Being divisive and contentious keeps us from growing spiritually as God intends.