SWORD OF THE SPIRIT                                                                                               1390

“Is Christ Divided?”

What I mean is that each one of you says, “I follow Paul,” or “I follow Apollos,” or “I follow Cephas,” or “I follow Christ.” Is Christ divided? – 1 Corinthians 1:12-13

Divided from the World. Jesus came to divide us from worldliness and sin. He came to sanctify us and set us apart from the world.

I came to cast fire on the earth and would that it were already kindled! … Do you think that I have come to give peace on earth? No, I tell you, but rather division. – Luke 12:49-51

Divided from the World – United in Christ. Jesus came to unite us as the Body of Christ: His Bride, His church. We hear His heart for our unity in His prayer:

I do not ask for these only, but also for those who will believe in me through their word, that they may all be one, just as you, Father, are in me, and I in you, that they also may be in us, so that the world may believe that you have sent me. The glory that you have given me I have given to them, that they may be one even as we are one, I in them and you in me, that they may become perfectly one, so that the world may know that you sent me and loved them even as you loved me. – John 17:20-23

For just as the body is one and has many members, and all the members of the body, though many, are one body, so it is with Christ. For in one Spirit, we were all baptized into one body—Jews or Greeks, slaves or free—and all were made to drink of one Spirit… Now you are the body of Christ and individually members of it…– 1 Corinthians 12: 12-31

Divided Affections. In our worldliness we choose whom we follow, which denominational division we fellowship in, and what doctrines appeal to our flesh, much like we choose one of a myriad of ice cream flavors: ‘What does my flesh desire, today?’

When we carry our divided heart into the church fellowship, we are prone to plant the seeds of division as we seek to have the church conform to our worldly way of thinking, believing, and acting.

Then Jesus told his disciples, “If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me; No one can serve two masters, for either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other…. – Matthew 16:24; 6:24

We must be wholly devoted to following Jesus, allowing Him to circumcise our hearts from our worldliness so that we no longer seek to be self-serving but rather to serve Him and others in His Name to His glory.

Teach me your way, O Lord, that I may walk in your truth; unite my heart to fear your name. – Psalm 86:11

Divided Doctrines. There are plethora of church denominations in the world, divided by doctrinal beliefs and practices. Not all are founded on the solid Rock of Jesus and His Word of Truth. When we have a heart divided with worldliness the enemy is quick to counterfeit church fellowships that have doctrines that appeal to the flesh, but with serious compromise of the Truth of the Gospel of Jesus.

For such men are false apostles, deceitful workmen, disguising themselves as apostles of Christ. And no wonder, for even Satan disguises himself as an angel of light. So, it is no surprise if his servants, also, disguise themselves as servants of righteousness. Their end will correspond to their deeds. – 2 Corinthians 11:13-15

This people honors me with their lips, but their heart is far from me; in vain do they worship me, teaching as doctrines the commandments of men. – Matthew 15:8-9

I appeal to you, brothers, to watch out for those who cause divisions and create obstacles contrary to the doctrine that you have been taught; avoid them. – Romans 16:17

Divisions in the Church.  It is our worldliness that creates factions and divisions within the church. It is our worldliness that divides our heart with compromise on the Truth of God’s Word.

I appeal to you, brothers, by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that all of you agree, and that there be no divisions among you, but that you be united in the same mind and the same judgment. – 1 Corinthians 1:10

We do well to take note of the seriousness of dissensions and divisions as God’s Word groups these among the list of the works of the flesh.

Now the works of the flesh are evident: sexual immorality, impurity, sensuality, idolatry, sorcery, enmity, strife, jealousy, fits of anger, rivalries, dissensions, divisions, envy, drunkenness, orgies, and things like these. I warn you, as I warned you before, that those who do such things will not inherit the kingdom of God. – Galatians 5:19-21

May you yield to the Holy Spirit transformation and renewal of heart. May you be sanctified, divided, and set apart from worldliness as you are born-again into the unity of the Body of Christ.

And I will give you a new heart, and a new spirit I will put within you. And I will remove the heart of stone from your flesh and give you a heart of flesh. And I will put my Spirit within you and cause you to walk in my statutes and be careful to obey my rules. You shall dwell in the land that I gave to your fathers, and you shall be my people, and I will be your God. – Ezekiel 36:26-28