A Church that is Unified

I like Math, I guess it fits better with my personality type, it has concrete rational participles that can be tested. In short, it has rules. Contrasted to grammar, which seems to me to have hundreds of exceptions and exceptions to the exceptions. 2 + 2 is always 4. Yet even in math, there is are negatives. Adding and subtracting are basic and needed. Multiplication is fun and exciting. Division, however, is not so good. That is especially true in the church.

There is a place for addition in the church. Adding to God’s word is wrong (Rev. 22:18). But there are still so many good additions to be made in the church. It was – and is – always a blessing to have members added to the body of Christ (Acts 2:41, 47; 5:14; 11:24). Adding to our faith is necessary and good (II Peter 1:5ff).

There is a place for subtraction in the church. Taking away from God’s word is wrong (Rev. 22:19). But there are still so many good subtractions made in the church. Through Christ, we can have our sins subtracted (Rom. 11:27; I John 3:5). The veil that separated us from God has been taken away (II Cor. 3:16). The Old Covenant was taken away for a better one (Heb. 10:9).

There is a place for multiplication in the church. It is great when the word of God is multiplied (Acts 12:24). It is great that a knowledge of that word multiplies grace and peace (II Pet. 1:2). It is great that God can take what little we can offer and multiply it to great things (II Cor. 9:10). Through Christ, mercy, peace, and love are multiplied (Jude 2). Yet, in the church, division is never, ever good.

Division is caused because people will not accept nor submit to Christ. Division within the church – no matter the reason we might use to try and justify it – is always condemned. Jesus said that a divided house cannot stand (Mt. 12:25). Evil forces work to divide our country and our communities. I don’t believe that it is worse than it has ever been – people have been divided since Cain and Able. But the fact we are allowing it to fester in the church, though, is truly sad. This is also not new. From the Jew-Gentile struggles of the First Century to the obvious challenges of today, we keep trying to bring selfish division into the Lord’s Church. Still, in the Church, division is never, ever good.

×Note: To download, click the button. If it doesn't work, right click, then click "Save Link As." Download only works if media is stored within this site. Download Video
Download PDF
Back to top