Why unity? The idea of unity is a very important concept. Paul especially stresses the importance of unity to the Church in Ephesus: “I, therefore, the prisoner of the Lord, beseech you to walk worthy of the calling with which you were called, 2 with all lowliness and gentleness, with longsuffering, bearing with one another in love, 3 endeavoring to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace. 4 There is one body and one Spirit, just as you were called in one hope of your calling; 5 one Lord, one faith, one baptism; 6 one God and Father of all, who is above all, and through all, and in you all” (Ephesians 4:1-6).
Paul also instructed Titus on how to manage those in the Church that cause division: “But avoid foolish disputes, genealogies, contentions, and strivings about the law; for they are unprofitable and useless. 10 Reject a divisive man after the first and second admonition” (Titus 3:9-10). So, we all need to understand what division is, what causes it, how to recognize it within ourselves and how to root it out.
- What is Division Within the Church?
There are two Greek words that are used in scripture for division. One is schísma from which we get the English word schism. This Greek word defines the result of division.
The other Greek word that best defines division is dichostasia. It comes from combining two Greek words. The first word dis means twice and the second word is stasia which means to stand. The word itself literally means “standing apart” or separate as “standing together as a group“. It is translated both as division and sedition in the King James Version. The Merriam-Webster Dictionary defines sedition as “incitement or resistance to, or insurrection against lawful authority.”
Thus, God views division within His Church as sedition, resistance, or insurrection against Him. Division undermines God’s purpose and destroys His holy resolve for peace, harmony, and unity between Himself and man, and man to man.
Peace is the goal of God’s Kingdom. Jesus Christ, its King, is called Prince of Peace, Prince of Unity. Division hinders the restoration and the reconciliation of people and His Kingdom, and it directly opposes Christ’s leadership as the Head of the Church. So, if we participate in divisive behavior, we are participating in sedition against His rulership. God’s people are to seek peace and unity with Him and each other (Psalms 24:11-14; Romans 12:17-21).
If we willingly set our minds on living peaceably with our brothers, our neighbors, and God, if we willingly overcome evil with good, God will crush Satan’s plot against us. He is the adversary who broadcasts division and sedition against the Creator God. He’s the one who will pay the price of being the seditious one. But we, by seeking peace, can crush his plot through Jesus Christ. That is another reason why we must avoid all forms of division and those who continually cause it (Romans 16:17,20).
Knowing how our Father and Christ view division should cause each and every one of us to stop and think about our actions. If any of our thoughts or our actions are causing, allowing, or even perpetuating any level of division and sedition against God, we must identify and root them out of our lives. To do this, we must know what causes division.
- What is the basic cause of division?
“And I, brethren, could not speak to you as to spiritual people but as to carnal, as to babes in Christ. 2 I fed you with milk and not with solid food; for until now you were not able to receive it, and even now you are still not able; 3 for you are still carnal. For where there are envy, strife, and divisions among you, are you not carnal and behaving like mere men? 4 For when one says, ‘I am of Paul,’ and another, ‘I am of Apollos’ are you not carnal?’ ” (1 Corinthians 3:1-4 ).
In Paul’s correction to the Corinthians, he reveals that the root cause of division is carnality. This congregation was walking “in the flesh” rather than following the lead of the Holy Spirit. The fact that Paul relates division to ‘”behaving like mere men” tells us that these members missed something concerning God’s purpose. Something had not changed within them to distinguish them from those of the world. They were still living as babes in Christ unable to progress in their maturity. Paul tells us plainly that the hindrance to their progress was their carnality.
The Dictionary of Biblical Language defines the Greek for ‘carnal’ as human, material, natural, and worldly. In stating that the Corinthians were carnal, Paul was saying they were focused on and driven by this physical material world with its intellect and its worldly wisdom rather than on the spiritual. They were more motivated by their five senses, their bellies, their touch, their sight, their hearing than they were by seeking spiritual maturity.
- What carnality looks like
“Now the works of the flesh are evident, which are: adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lewdness, 20 idolatry, sorcery, hatred, contentions, jealousies, outbursts of wrath, selfish ambitions, dissensions, heresies, 21 envy, murders, drunkenness, revelries, and the like; of which I tell you beforehand, just as I also told you in time past, that those who practice such things will not inherit the kingdom of God” (Galatians 5:19-21).
When we are untrained in using the Spirit of God, carnality will naturally rule us rather than the Holy Spirit. If carnality rules us, then division will follow. And we need to recognize that each of us have some degree of carnality. Consequently, we all have qualities that contribute to division. Let’s consider 8 of the “works of the flesh” and their impact on unity.
- Hatred
The Greek word used for hatred means enmity, or the cause of enmity. Its root word means hostile and opposing another as in enmity against God because of sin or against man as an enemy or competitor. It’s a feeling of hatred based upon how you view somebody as an enemy or a competitor. Specifically, it means to have an antagonistic mindset of ‘you against me’ where it’s a win/lose and the only result is you’re going to win. Or you both want the same thing and “I’m going to come out on top.” (Romans 8:5-8; James 4:1-4). It is interesting that both scriptures put enmity in the context of division.
- Contentions
The Greek word for contentions means strife, quarrel, especially rivalry, contention, and wrangling. Contentions arise when individuals have opposing points of views or paradigms or ways of thinking. Contentions come from striving to prove one’s point of view to be correct, proving who is right and who is wrong. What does God say about this? (Titus 3:9). We need to understand how our own thoughts can be contentious toward others. We must strive to prove what is good and acceptable to God, not our own ideas. We are to put our ideas aside and search for God’s mind on any topic (Romans 12:1-2).
- Jealousies
The Greek word means earnest concern and deeply devoted zeal. Sounds pretty positive, right? However that’s if it’s being used spiritually. But if it’s being used carnally it means jealousy, envy, resentment, extreme, intensity, fierce, and rage. According to the Theological Dictionary of the New Testament, this word is normally translated zeal.
The King James Version translates this word as ‘emulations’ meaning ambition or endeavor to equal or excel others in achievement. In other words, it means, “Keeping up with the Jones.” This is a trap that divides because someone always feels left out or underprivileged and another feels justified. The problem stems from a frame of mind that measures success, worth and value by the physical possessions, achievements, and especially the accolades that they receive.
Our Father does not want us to measure our or our brother’s value by intellectual capacity, physical strengths, or material possessions. God desires that we aggressively strive to know and understand Him. We are to have a spiritual mindset, not carnal.
What we need to do is to examine whether we have tinges of jealousies when we see someone who we perceive as better off or less deserving than ourselves. Instead, we must be people who are content and thank God for not only our gifts but the gifts of our brother because God gives gifts for the strengthening and edification and unity of the Church.
- Outbursts of Wrath
The King James Version translates this phrase as merely wrath. It doesn’t put outbursts in front of it. The Greek word means passion, anger quickly boiling up and then dropping off. This differs from jealousies in that wrath not only denotes strong intenseness, but it also relates this to the displaying of anger. It is referring to the good old-fashioned thing we call ‘temper’.
It relates to jealousy because anger is caused by smoldering strong, intense emotions. That means, if you go up to a smoldering fire you can put your hands close to it. It feels warm, but if you put your hand down inside where it’s smoldering, it is hot. The anger may be short-lived but it will return under the same circumstances.
This type of anger normally excuses itself by thanking others for allowing them to vent. Afterwards they apologize, they continue on merrily thinking everything is okay failing to realize that they damaged a relationship in its wake.
Whenever we feel angry, we must ask ourselves if we should feel so intensely over whatever the situation is. Often the intenseness is uncalled for. We can be angry but we are told to not let it consume us to the point of sin (Ephesians 4:26). We cannot justify our anger thinking it is righteous. God is the only One who can be righteously angry without sinning (James 1:19–20). Truthfully, all anger of men results in division. We should seek God’s guidance to a resolution so both parties are closer together. Putting the matter in His hands and repenting of our anger is the way to peace and unity in most matters.
- Selfish Ambitions
The Greek word literally means electioneering or lobbying for an office, a desire to put oneself forward, a self-seeking pursuit of a political office by unfair means. Specifically, it means seeking self-glorification through acquisition of influence and power.
Christ stated that selfish ambition is not to be the motivation of Christians (Mark 10:42-45). We are to be servants of our fellow man. To be willing to wash all mankind’s feet just as Christ washed Judas’ (Philippians 2:1-4). We need to examine our hearts to discover how we may act in ways that “lord it over” another in whatever role or responsibility we may have. And we should be searching how we might be exemplifying selfish ambition in our lives. We can seek God’s input on how to become selfless servants of humanity motivated by a humbled repentant heart that is not motivated by personal gain.
- Dissensions
The Greek word means division, discord, or sedition. It is viewed as sedition, resistance, or insurrection against God. It is a lack of harmony and agreement caused by one or more individuals with a differing idea lobbying others to their point of view. These are dissensions. This is the discord. Instead, we are to be respectful of privacy, of boundaries including simple personal respect toward everyone.
We must practice the laws that bring resolution and reconciliation with our brothers and sisters. Love dictates how we do that (1 Corinthians 13: 4-7). But it has to be done from a humble mind with reconciliation at the heart. We should want that relationship to be rebuilt and strong. It’s the Holy Spirit through Jesus Christ that accomplishes that change and leads it to reconciled relationships with God and others.
- Heresies
The Greek word means a group of people following their own tenets or dissensions arising from diversity of opinions and goals. This is where it moves from just individuals to where it’s a group of people who start following their own ways and defining what those are. That grows to having their own opinions and goals that are outside of God’s goals or the groups goals. Individuals, or groups, or sects attempt to change or dilute the revealed intentions of God as well as true doctrine.
There can also be small sects within a congregation commonly called cliques. Cliques have the flaw of creating separate identities within church congregations. They could center around religious ideas, or different understanding or interpretation of a scripture. Or on which minister is better to follow. But, we are to walk with Jesus Christ and the Father. And it’s through that fellowship that we gain an identity and not by allowing ourselves to gain identities through some group that goes off to the side with divisive ideas. These people forget that it is God’s Spirit that defines and unites His people.
- Envy
Envy is the feeling of discontent and resentment aroused by and in conjunction with desire for the possessions or qualities of another . Envy is based on viewing someone else as standing in the way of our desires. This way of thinking is wrong. Nothing can stand between God and you receiving the good gifts that He wants you to have. We’re talking about spiritual gifts that He gives each of us. For instance, Barnabas was called the Son of Encouragement. That was a gift. Every person he came in contact with was encouraged by him. Every good and perfect gift comes down from the Father of Lights (James 1:17). There’s no room in God’s Church for envy because it does divide.
All works of the flesh destroy unity. We need to ask God to help us to recognize them and to empower us to root them out because unity is a requirement of our Father. Christ came to this earth to open a way to unity with the Father. His life exemplified unity with the Father. And He died in our stead so that we could have unity with the Father and Himself, and then with one another.
While Paul does speak about “works of the flesh” in Galatians, he also defines the “fruits of the Spirit”: “But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering (patience), kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control. Against such there is no law“ (Galatians 5:22–23). These traits are devoid of division and sedition.
The fruits of the Spirit are to replace the works of the flesh in our thoughts, motivation and behavior. Thus producing a mature spiritual unity with God the Father and His Son Jesus Christ, and with each other.
Bill Hutchison