The acts of the flesh are obvious: … dissensions, factions …
Summary: Dissension and factions are not only “acts of the flesh,” they are also an indicator of the absence of our Lord when they infect the church.
Dissensions and factions are not uncommon among people. All we have to do is turn on the day’s news to see an example of this truth. But is this also true for the church? It shouldn’t be.
Unity among believers is a hallmark of unity with Christ. Before he went to the cross, Jesus prayed for all of us who have come to believe in him. He said:
“My prayer is not for them alone. I pray also for those who will believe in me through their message, that all of them may be one, Father, just as you are in me and I am in you. May they also be in us so that the world may believe that you have sent me. I have given them the glory that you gave me, that they may be one as we are one — I in them and you in me — so that they may be brought to complete unity. Then the world will know that you sent me and have loved them even as you have loved me.” (John 17:20-23)
When it comes to people who are not believers, “the acts of the flesh are obvious.” Dissensions and factions are common in secular life. Unfortunately, they are common in church life, too.
What does that tell us?
Jesus says that he and the Father are one (John 10:30). He tells us that the Father is in him and he is in the Father (John 17:21). Then he tells us that he wants to be in “them,” meaning you and me.
Is Jesus in you and me?
The measuring stick of how much Jesus is in us is unity. When there is unity among believers, there is nothing better. When that unity is missing, there is nothing worse. Dissensions and factions are the hallmarks of disunity. More than simply being an “act of the flesh,” when it comes to our fellowships; dissension and factions are a sign that Jesus is missing.
Fortunately, if we find ourselves in that situation, Jesus has some encouragement for us. He says, “But take heart! I have overcome the world.” (John 16:33)
Indeed, he has!
Application: Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways submit to him, and he will make your paths straight. (Proverbs 3:5-7)
Food for Thought: Dissension and faction are rarely intentional. Usually, both sides believe that their view is “right.” How does Jesus bring us together as one?
Dissension and faction are rarely intentional. Usually, both sides believe that their view is “right.” How does Jesus bring us together as one?
One God, One Spirit, one faith, one gospel, one baptism…. something like that. He gave us so much common ground. He told us how to restore a wayward brother. He instructed love without condemnation. Not no confrontation, not no disagreements, but our common ground is bigger than any of those.
In all of this we still made denominations that bicker. (bicker is the problem word) And congregations that pit themselves against each other. The world, ironically, doesn’t see denominations or unconnected buildings, they see Christians. The one time I think the world gets it better than us is only because the devil wants to point at our biggest flaw: disunity. We act like the pharisees with our made up lines being more important than God.
Thank you, A!
I love your point about how “the world gets it better than us.” I agree. From the outside looking in, Christians are Christians. From the inside we see the minutia that divides.
I can never think about dissention in the church without the thought of oyster crackers popping in my head (little small crackers you can buy at the store, about the size of a nickel, you get like 6 million for $1.99). As a boy in church, a huge dissention erupted in church because of oyster crackers being used in the communion service, and afterwards all us kids would go to the kitchen and eat the leftovers. It turned into a rather large “to do,” and some people left the church and others held resentment about it for years after. Keep in mind too, I came from a small town.
From what I could ascertain from it, the base of the dissension was what honored Christ and what didn’t honor Christ. People unpacked all manner of scripture to support their position (which became their agenda).
When I look back on it, I believe what was missing from the conversation was “do this in remembrance of me.” Communion is a time to truly reflect on the immense sacrifice of Christ, the reason the sacrifice was needed, and the grace of God. Remembering the life of Christ, the death of Christ, and the resurrection of Christ places everyone on the common ground that A speaks of. I believe when we read His Word, it needs to be more than nodding our head and saying “yep, that’s good.” We need to ask the Holy Spirit “help me to understand what is being said here, how this applies to my life, how it builds up the body of Christ.” Then we can have understanding, become more like Christ, and work together to further His Kingdom. I believe that is how Jesus brings us together as one.
Matthew 7:24-27 “Everyone then who hears these words of mine and does them will be like a wise man who built his house on the rock. And the rain fell, and the floods came, and the winds blew and beat on that house, but it did not fall, because it had been founded on the rock. And everyone who hears these words of mine and does not do them will be like a foolish man who built his house on the sand. And the rain fell, and the floods came, and the winds blew and beat against that house, and it fell, and great was the fall of it.”
Chris,
I really like your “oyster cracker” story! Thank you for sharing that. 🙂
I get it. People sometimes confuse the appearance of religion with what God considers real religion:
“Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress and to keep oneself from being polluted by the world.” — James 1:27
It is a sad thing to see because it indicates a much deeper problem.
Dissension and faction are rarely intentional. Usually, both sides believe that their view is “right.” How does Jesus bring us together as one?
Jesus teaches and prays for all Christians in John 17:20-23
Around fifty times in the New Testament, Jesus and the apostles tell us to feel, say, or do something to “one another.” We are to care for one another and bear with one another, honor one another and sing to one another, do good to one another and forgive one another. Then there is the overarching, most-repeated one-another, command that binds everything together in God’s perfect harmony, Love one another.
Beyond all these things put on and wrap yourselves in [unselfish] love, which is the perfect bond of unity [for everything is bound together in agreement when each one seeks the best for others]. Colossians 3:14. AMP
There are times we as different parts of the body of Christ, may disagree, we have different gifts, different ministries. But we are all held together by the love of our one and only Savior, Jesus Christ who is the power uniting and empowering us in our service to Him to this world around us, as one body .
Ron,
That is a beautiful summary of the power of our Lord to change hearts! When a follower of Jesus “one anothers” another, then the other is blessed and both are brought closer to unity in Christ.