DIVISION

Now I beseech you, brethren, mark them which cause divisions and offences contrary to the doctrine which ye have learned; and avoid them.

For they that are such serve not our Lord Jesus Christ, but their own belly; and by good words, and fair speeches deceive the hearts of the simple.

Romans 16: 17-18

In the United States of America, there has never been a time of more apparent division than there is now. We seem to be anything but united. Our political discourse is emblematic of the actual condition of the country. Within our own two party system, there is even rampant division within each of the parties. The result is devastating to what should be a United States. With respect to politics, the outcome is that out of our divisive nature, men have been placed in authority not because they are the best to represent the people; but they are generally put in place because they are the “lesser evil.” They become the compromise candidate that neither side really wants but they are who we can live with. We generally send men and women to Washington who are not men and women of conviction. Rather, they are men and women who offend the least. That is because, in our divisive state, we have become a nation where morality is relative and strong convictions are ridiculed.

This “political” division has crept into the church. However, we oftentimes don’t really understand what division is, or at least the division that Paul spoke of in its truest sense. We need to understand what true division is if we are ever going to understand how to fight against it to obtain true unity. By not having the right understanding, we may go out “marking” people for all the wrong reasons and with the wrong attitudes. The greek word for divisions in Romans 16: 17 is dichostasia which means disunion. Other words to describe this disunion are dissension and sedition. The word dissension means a disagreement that leads to discord. Sedition means conduct or speech inciting people to rebel against the authority of a state or monarch. This type of division or disunion, as stated before, is the exact opposite of unity. It also goes far beyond a general disagreement. This type of disunion causes people to separate amongst themselves and also against any authority that is over them. In a worldly sense, this division can be likened unto a revolution or an insurrection. In a spiritual sense, revolutions or insurrections are never good in the kingdom of God. The type of division that Paul speaks of in Romans challenges the very authority of God … and can do it when talking very shrewdly, even using “fair speech.” Paul was not concerned about simple disagreements between brethren. He was more concerned about deceptive intentions that were willing to challenge the authority of God while influencing “the simple” to separate and agree with that challenge.

So we see that divisions are not just disagreements. Divisions are not just differences in doctrine. Divisions are not having a disagreement with even those that may have authority over us. We are not to “mark” people just because they don’t see things the same way we see them. This seems simple to understand. However, there has been a lot of marking over the years that has been done over simple disagreements or misunderstandings. That form of marking has caused the very divisions that they were trying to expose…and many people have been hurt and damaged in the process. Whole churches have divided over issues that, if handled correctly, could have been resolved. However, instead of dealing with the disagreements and allowing the Holy Spirit to judge the matter, there was “marking” that took place and a falling-out occurred and generations have been lost because of lack of understanding of what division really is and how to really handle disagreements. By the way, the word “mark” in Romans 16: 17 comes from the greek word skopeo which means to take aim at or spy. That seems pretty strong. However, in further looking at the word it figuratively means to regard, to consider, take heed or to look on. This is more of a reflective attitude than what usually comes across as a hard stance or action. When Paul says for us to mark them, he is saying that from the standpoint of taking heed, consider their actions, watch what they are doing and avoid them so that we do not get caught up in the same spirit of revolution and insurrection. Paul is acknowledging that divisions, and those that cause them, are wrong. However, he is trying to help those that are not causing division to take heed and to not follow down the same path. Paul’s burden was to maintain the unity of God’s people through Jesus Christ. Those that were causing division were using very fair speech to destroy not only the unity of God’s people but, more importantly, the unity of God’s people with God.

Division vs. Disagreement

I heard a message, not too long ago, entitled, “Becoming Men of Understanding,” that really opened my eyes to the difference between disagreement and division. I was able to not only gain understanding of the differences but also how to handle strong disagreements. The text of the message was taken from Acts 15: 1-35. The issue of disagreement was over requiring of the newly saved Gentiles to become circumcised as a confirmation of their faith. Verse 2 explains that there was “no small dissension and disputation with them;” describing the difference between Paul and Barnabas and those men who came down to Judea to teach about circumcision. This issue was so foundational to the furtherance of the gospel, that they sent Paul, Barnabas and others to Jerusalem to obtain clarity on this issue.

When they got to Jerusalem, they were well received. There were in the company a group of believing Pharisees that brought to question the issue of circumcision of the Gentiles. There was much disputing. However, each one was able to stand and make their plea … and all listened intently. As each one spake, there was a degree of respect afforded so that none were cut-off or chided for their opinion. Can you imagine a meeting where Peter, Paul, Barnabas, and James were not only in attendance but were afforded the opportunity to state their case … and everyone not only listened but kept silence? Their respect for each other, coupled with the presence of the Holy Ghost, helped them to forge through their differences to obtain understanding that we benefit from today. Thank the Lord! They were able to use sound judgement and reasoning to gain understanding that made salvation available to all without putting “a yoke upon the neck of the disciples, which neither our fathers nor we were able to bear.”

Once the matter was settled, letters were sent to the Gentiles by the hands of Paul, Barnabas and Silas confirming the issue that had been settled. There was no falling out. There was no need to establish another work. There was no new light or doctrine. The disagreement over the circumcision of the Gentiles though it was very strong, did not cause division! In fact, it produced just the opposite. It produced unity among the believers. No divisions; No walls. The only wall that was being built was the wall of salvation. The devil was working to divide. However, revival was maintained.

In today’s church, how do we handle disagreements? Do we strive to understand or do we really just strive to be understood? Are we willing to respect someone who may think differently than we do and at least listen? Or do we “mark” them because we assume that their difference is really division ( I am not saying to disregard the truth of God’s word to allow any and every thought to come in). Even the disciples struggled with this issue. Luke 9: 49-50 states:

And John answered and said, Master, we saw one casting out devils in thy name; and forbad him, because he followed not us.

And Jesus said unto him, Forbid him not: for he that is not against us is for us.

Disagreements are a way of life. Even strong disagreements are not sin. In Acts 15: 36-41, Paul and Barnabas had such a strong disagreement over the use of John Mark that they separated in the work. Some would say that one of them caused division. However, at the end of the letter to the Colossians, Paul exhorts the brethren to receive Barnabas. At the end of the second letter to Timothy, he requests that Timothy bring Mark to him, “for he is profitable to me for the ministry.” This does not sound like division to me. It sounds like strong disagreement but also respect. A physical separation did take place. However, they remained in spiritual unity. They were all working for the same cause … Jesus Christ. And they never lost sight of that mission.

We can have physical separation and remain in unity if we allow God’s Spirit to control and help us to work towards the same purpose. We don’t have to “fall-out” with one another and start new “churches.” We don’t have to allow our differences to build walls between us that seem insurmountable. We don’t have to allow our doctrines (teachings) to provide the building materials for those separation walls to be built. And we don’t have to “mark” in a dogmatic sense in order to prove our “side” to be right. The doctrine that Paul speaks of in Romans 16: 17 is the doctrine of Jesus Christ. It’s not our own interpretation that we use to cause differences and eventually division. What they were being taught was the same thing that the Apostles were instructing the Gentiles in Acts 15: 20. These were much more weightier issues than some of “our” doctrines today. These were issues that if not followed would cause division.

Don’t get me wrong the issue of circumcision was used to cause division (read Galatians). But oftentimes it was used by men who wanted to undermine the progress of the Gospel. Their hearts were not right. In Acts Chapter 15, even though the Pharisees brought up the issue of circumcision, they were considered believers; they were not about tearing the work of God down or causing division. There is a difference … and the difference remains the same today. We need to understand the difference between disagreements and division and the motivation behind each. We need to mark or acknowledge those that cause division while striving with those whose intent may not be to divide but we may be in disagreement with. Unity is not everyone agreeing for the sake of being together. True unity comes in the midst of disagreements when striving to gain understanding by God’s Spirit.

Our country will never be in unity as long as Jesus Christ is left out. It’s interesting after the events of 911, their seemed to be some hope along these lines. We, as a nation, were devastated and more people were seemingly turning to Christ, or at least, religion at that time. Our disagreements seemed trivial in comparison to what the nation was facing. There did seem to be a degree of civility arising “in the air.” However, as time past, and people started to turn back to their familiar patterns of life that civility began to wane and the spirit of the age began to creep back in. Today, we are facing a new “silent” enemy. The world is in a very unsettled state in the midst of this worldwide pandemic. Will hearts turn back to God as we face more perilous times? Could revival spring out of devastation? Will we see the walls of disagreement and even division start to crumble … Only time will tell!