UNITY VS. DIVISION

UNITY VS. DIVISION

 It’s amazing that the Apostle Paul once known as Saul who persecuted the church would write 1 Corinthians 12 &13.

 The number 12 represents God’s Government, power and divine authority that was freely given as “broken bread” to the Lord’s people in diversity of spiritual gifts and callings to make one body/loaf/church complete in Christ for the edification of the brethren.

 Ephesians 4:1–16 (AMP)

I THEREFORE, the prisoner for the Lord, appeal to and beg you to walk (lead a life) worthy of the [divine] calling to which you have been called [with behavior that is a credit to the summons to God’s service,

2 Living as becomes you] with complete lowliness of mind (humility) and meekness (unselfishness, gentleness, mildness), with patience, bearing with one another and making allowances because you love one another.

3 Be eager and strive earnestly to guard and keep the harmony and oneness of [and produced by] the Spirit in the binding power of peace.

4 [There is] one body and one Spirit—just as there is also one hope [that belongs] to the calling you received—

5 [There is] one Lord, one faith, one baptism,

6 One God and Father of [us] all, Who is above all [Sovereign over all], pervading all and [living] in [us] all.

7 Yet grace (God’s unmerited favor) was given to each of us individually [not indiscriminately, but in different ways] in proportion to the measure of Christ’s [rich and bounteous] gift.

8 Therefore it is said, When He ascended on high, He led captivity captive [He led a train of vanquished foes] and He bestowed gifts on men. [Ps. 68:18.]

9 [But He ascended?] Now what can this, He ascended, mean but that He had previously descended from [the heights of] heaven into [the depths], the lower parts of the earth?

10 He Who descended is the [very] same as He Who also has ascended high above all the heavens, that He [His presence] might fill all things (the whole universe, from the lowest to the highest).

11 And His gifts were [varied; He Himself appointed and gave men to us] some to be apostles (special messengers), some prophets (inspired preachers and expounders), some evangelists (preachers of the Gospel, traveling missionaries), some pastors (shepherds of His flock) and teachers.

12 His intention was the perfecting and the full equipping of the saints (His consecrated people), [that they should do] the work of ministering toward building up Christ’s body (the church),

13 [That it might develop] until we all attain oneness in the faith and in the comprehension of the [full and accurate] knowledge of the Son of God, that [we might arrive] at really mature manhood (the completeness of personality which is nothing less than the standard height of Christ’s own perfection), the measure of the stature of the fullness of the Christ and the completeness found in Him.

14 So then, we may no longer be children, tossed [like ships] to and fro between chance gusts of teaching and wavering with every changing wind of doctrine, [the prey of] the cunning and cleverness of unscrupulous men, [gamblers engaged] in every shifting form of trickery in inventing errors to mislead.

15 Rather, let our lives lovingly express truth [in all things, speaking truly, dealing truly, living truly]. Enfolded in love, let us grow up in every way and in all things into Him Who is the Head, [even] Christ (the Messiah, the Anointed One).

16 For because of Him the whole body (the church, in all its various parts), closely joined and firmly knit together by the joints and ligaments with which it is supplied, when each part [with power adapted to its need] is working properly [in all its functions], grows to full maturity, building itself up in love.

The number 13 biblically represents rebellion and lawlessness against God. So why have we “the church” created and allowed the division of people/brethren/church by eliminating and creating the division of the spiritual gifts, callings and offices of the Government and divinity of God within the church and amongst ourselves? Thus Paul writes in the 13th Chapter about Love, without the love of Christ which brings unity none of the spiritual gifting, offices, callings matter if there is no love. If you truly love Christ wouldn’t you love Christ in others?

 2 Timothy 3:2 (AMP) 2 For people will be lovers of self and [utterly] self-centered, lovers of money and aroused by an inordinate [greedy] desire for wealth, proud and arrogant and contemptuous boasters. They will be abusive (blasphemous, scoffing), disobedient to parents, ungrateful, unholy and profane.

 There is only one God that rules and if that same God isn’t ruling and reigning in the hearts of His people the results will be division and the loss of unity, humility and Agape Love.

So how do we preach or reveal the reality and revelation of John 3:16 and/or John 15:13 when we ourselves don’t walk in love? Could it be that we foolishly love ourselves above loving God, could it be that we idolize gifting, calling, power rather than being bondservants?

 John 3:16 (AMP)

16 For God so greatly loved and dearly prized the world that He [even] gave up His only begotten (unique) Son, so that whoever believes in (trusts in, clings to, relies on) Him shall not perish (come to destruction, be lost) but have eternal (everlasting) life.

John 15:13 (AMP)

13 No one has greater love [no one has shown stronger affection] than to lay down (give up) his own life for his friends.

Have we reduced Godly love to “can’t we all just get along/co-exist”? Paul did not say that he himself could do all things, nor did Paul say that he lived for himself but for Christ. Perhaps the reason the world is so divided is a result of the division from within the true church and representation of Christ.

Matthew 6:33 (AMP) 33 But seek (aim at and strive after) first of all His kingdom and His righteousness (His way of doing and being right), and then all these things taken together will be given you besides.

Philippians 4:12–13 (AMP) 12 I know how to be abased and live humbly in straitened circumstances, and I know also how to enjoy plenty and live in abundance. I have learned in any and all circumstances the secret of facing every situation, whether well-fed or going hungry, having a sufficiency and enough to spare or going without and being in want. 13 I have strength for all things in Christ Who empowers me [I am ready for anything and equal to anything through Him Who infuses inner strength into me; I am self-sufficient in Christ’s sufficiency].

Galatians 2:20 (AMP) 20 I have been crucified with Christ [in Him I have shared His crucifixion]; it is no longer I who live, but Christ (the Messiah) lives in me; and the life I now live in the body I live by faith in (by adherence to and reliance on and complete trust in) the Son of God, Who loved me and gave Himself up for me.

Luke 3:5–9 (AMP) 5 Every valley and ravine shall be filled up, and every mountain and hill shall be leveled; and the crooked places shall be made straight, and the rough roads shall be made smooth; 6 And all mankind shall see (behold and understand and at last acknowledge) the salvation of God (the deliverance from eternal death decreed by God). [Isa. 40:3-5.] 7 So he said to the crowds who came out to be baptized by him, You offspring of vipers! Who secretly warned you to flee from the coming wrath? 8 Bear fruits that are deserving and consistent with [your] repentance [that is, conduct worthy of a heart changed, a heart abhorring sin]. And do not begin to say to yourselves, We have Abraham as our father; for I tell you that God is able from these stones to raise up descendants for Abraham. 9 Even now the ax is laid to the root of the trees, so that every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and cast into the fire.

1 Peter 4:17 (AMP) 17 For the time [has arrived] for judgment to begin with the household of God; and if it begins with us, what will [be] the end of those who do not respect or believe or obey the good news (the Gospel) of God?

Whether you believe or not that the Lord’s judgment and second coming is soon coming upon the earth let us not forget where this judgment originates first and foremost, in the house of the Lord.  The Lord is coming for a bride without spot or wrinkle.

Ephesians 5:27 (AMP)

27 That He might present the church to Himself in glorious splendor, without spot or wrinkle or any such things [that she might be holy and faultless].

Division happened in heaven with Lucifer and his fallen angels and once again in the garden when Satan tempted Adam and Eve. There has always been division and there will always be division but that should NOT be happening within the Body and Church of Christ Jesus. If it is happening one must pray for the Lord’s guidance, wisdom and discernment as only Satan comes to kill, steal and destroy.  Let us not forget that even Satan masks himself as an angel of light able to deceive even the very elect.  Jesus must not be merely one’s savior but Jesus must also be one’s Lord just as it is written in Romans 10.  Jesus spoke himself that we are to deny ourselves, pick up our cross and follow Him.  It is the son’s/daughter’s of Christ that are lead by the Spirit of God and not the works of the flesh. 

Matthew 10:34–42 (AMP) 34 Do not think that I have come to bring peace upon the earth; I have not come to bring peace, but a sword. 35 For I have come to part asunder a man from his father, and a daughter from her mother, and a newly married wife from her mother-in-law— 36 And a man’s foes will be they of his own household. [Mic. 7:6.] 37 He who loves [and takes more pleasure in] father or mother more than [in] Me is not worthy of Me; and he who loves [and takes more pleasure in] son or daughter more than [in] Me is not worthy of Me; 38 And he who does not take up his cross and follow Me [cleave steadfastly to Me, conforming wholly to My example in living and, if need be, in dying also] is not worthy of Me. 39 Whoever finds his [lower] life will lose it [the higher life], and whoever loses his [lower] life on My account will find it [the higher life]. 40 He who receives and welcomes and accepts you receives and welcomes and accepts Me, and he who receives and welcomes and accepts Me receives and welcomes and accepts Him Who sent Me. 41 He who receives and welcomes and accepts a prophet because he is a prophet shall receive a prophet’s reward, and he who receives and welcomes and accepts a righteous man because he is a righteous man shall receive a righteous man’s reward. 42 And whoever gives to one of these little ones [in rank or influence] even a cup of cold water because he is My disciple, surely I declare to you, he shall not lose his reward.

John 15:5–7 (AMP)

5 I am the Vine; you are the branches. Whoever lives in Me and I in him bears much (abundant) fruit. However, apart from Me [cut off from vital union with Me] you can do nothing.

6 If a person does not dwell in Me, he is thrown out like a [broken-off] branch, and withers; such branches are gathered up and thrown into the fire, and they are burned.

7 If you live in Me [abide vitally united to Me] and My words remain in you and continue to live in your hearts, ask whatever you will, and it shall be done for you.

Revelation 3:22 (AMP)

22 He who is able to hear, let him listen to and heed what the [Holy] Spirit says to the assemblies (churches).

Let us pray and submit to the Lord Jesus so that just as Christ glorified the Father that Christ in us the Hope of Glory shall be glorified through us and that the light of Christ shall not be restricted or dimmed by works of the flesh but manifested by the quickening of the Holy Spirit.

Matthew 5:13 (AMP)

13 You are the salt of the earth, but if salt has lost its taste (its strength, its quality), how can its saltness be restored? It is not good for anything any longer but to be thrown out and trodden underfoot by men.

Blessings in Christ Jesus as every good gift comes from above, let us praise His Holy name!