I have not posted on this or my other blog in a long time and a friend suggested I start posting on them again.
I want to start with some thoughts on causing division as it came up in a discussion on Facebook. In that discussion, someone was falsely accused of causing division. Well, at least one form of causing division. If I remember the conversation correctly which sadly I could not find when writing this was Romans 16:17, which says: “Now I beseech you, brethren, mark them which cause divisions and offences contrary to the doctrine which ye have learned; and avoid them.“. Using that verse is what makes the accusation false however someone else pointed out to me that we have 2 kinds of divisions. One good and one bad. The one in that verse is bad and this is the type of division that is done on purpose to make people fight each other or to deliberately divide people. Kind of like the whole idea of divide and conqure. The other kind of division is unintentional and will happen when speaking the truth in love or correcting other people or doing what God has asked you to do which is found in verse, Matthew 10:34 which says “Think not that I am come to send peace on earth: I came not to send peace, but a sword.”. This verse the person who was falsely accused would actually be guilty of but not the other.
Fred, that was a good post with which I wholeheartedly agree. Division truly happens if we speak the truth in love to people who still follow their soulish and carnal nature. Those Christians are not yet indwelt by the Holy Spirit and therefore are not (yet) part of the Body of Christ. But if we meet Christians who are also indwelt by the Holy Spirit and thus try (often very hard!) to follow the leading of their Head, which is Christ, we are to “make every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace.” (Eph 4:3 NIV)
Good to hear from you again! You may know that you and your family have been in my prayers.