The process of re-opening society and re-gathering as churches has been filled with questions and anxieties – and, I’m learning as I speak with church leaders, divisive conversations in some congregations. Must we wear masks or not? Should we sing? Should we be gathering at all yet? Or, why did we ever stop gathering in the first place?
This reality shouldn’t surprise us. While division may at times be necessary for the sake of the gospel, much division is nothing less than a tool of the enemy – the one who enticed Adam to blame Eve in the Garden of Eden. Here are some reasons division is one of the enemy’s primary strategies—and why we must guard against it.
- Division typically turns believer against believer. That’s the nature of division, of course – but it’s also Satan’s tool to divide and conquer the forces of light against him. We don’t threaten Satan when we’re shooting each other in the back.
- Division distracts from the work of the Great Commission. Every church I’ve seen that fought through an issue of division at least temporarily lost their focus on reaching non-believers. Division is most often an inwardly-focused diversion.
- Division harms our witness before a fractured world. Jesus indicated, in fact, that our oneness would be one way the world would know the Son had come (John 17:20-23). Supernatural unity is a witness of the work of the Spirit; division is an evidence of the work of the enemy.
- Division is often tied to our clinging to our idols. Too often, division is connected to our personal desires or preferences, and we fight for things that matter little in eternity. We selfishly cling to what we want without regard for others, including God—and that’s idolatry.
- Division demoralizes even the best leaders. Few veteran church leaders bear no scars of some kind of church division in the past (or the present). And, the anguish of division can be long-lasting pain that negatively influences the rest of one’s ministry.
- Division can turn young generations from the church. In my experience, they now can’t even remember what the division was about – but they surely still remember how church members acted. Wrong though it may be, they still use those fights as an excuse to avoid church today.
- Division gives the enemy a victory. Paul was clear that we wrestle not against flesh and blood (that is, other human beings), but against principalities and powers (Eph 6:12). So, we ignore their wiles – in fact, we give in to them and follow the enemy’s lead – when we turn against each other.
There’s a reason Jesus prayed for us to be one: unity is a gift and work of God. Let’s ask God to help us stand together against the enemy these days.
What about KJV only-ism (KJVO)? It has split churches and Families!
I’ve called them out as satan’s excuse for laughing at the Body and God’s sadness for us. Yet they firmly and unwaveringly believe they’re on a mission from God.
“God’s word speaks loudly that this battle is His to fight if He chooses.
“And when he was come into the house, the blind men came to him: and Jesus saith unto them, Believe ye that I am able to do this? They said unto him, Yea, Lord. Then touched he their eyes, saying, According to your faith be it unto you.” Matthew 9:28-29 KJV
“And when he was come into the house, the blind men came to him: and Jesus saith unto them, Believe ye that I am able to do this? They said unto him, Yea, Lord. Then touched he their eyes, saying, According to your faith be it unto you.”
Matthew 9:28-29 KJV
“Jesus answered and said unto them, Verily I say unto you, If ye have faith, and doubt not, ye shall not only do this which is done to the fig tree, but also if ye shall say unto this mountain, Be thou removed, and be thou cast into the sea; it shall be done. And all things, whatsoever ye shall ask in prayer, believing, ye shall receive.”
Matthew 21:21-22 KJV
“And in that day ye shall ask me nothing. Verily, verily, I say unto you, Whatsoever ye shall ask the Father in my name, he will give it you. Hitherto have ye asked nothing in my name: ask, and ye shall receive, that your joy may be full.”
John 16:23-24 KJV
If the KJ is EVERYTHING you’re SO certain it is, per the above passages, you MUST “pray” the other translations off the face of the earth. Harassing holders of the other translations on FB pages and YT videos slamming other translations are off the table – IF, IF, IF it’s God will He WILL take care of it. But you don’t trust God to do your fleshly biding. So you persist…
All that said, God is telling you either:
a. “go do something else” or
b. “what is in their hearts* is wrong or of the flesh**
thus God denies ‘giving you the desires** of your heart.’”
* “…For the Lord sees not as man sees: man looks on the outward appearance, but the Lord looks on the heart.” 1 Samuel 16:7b
** “Delight yourself in the Lord, and he will give you the desires of your heart.” Psalm 37:4
IF YOU HAVE THE FAITH YOU CLAIM, AND YOU BELIEVE W/all your heart, mind, and strength that attacking your fellow Christians w/whom you WILL be w/in heaven one day is the right thing to do, before you strike the first key on your keyboard, go to your knees in fervent prayer to the almighty God begging forgiveness.
Satan is behind KJVO. They can’t love a Christian that either
1. doesn’t use the KJ TRANSLATION exclusively as I use it w/many others
2. Not at all
They “troll” modern translation FB pages. In the 1/3 of cases – really nasty KJVOs I’ve gone so far as:
1. reporting them to page admin saying “they’re hurting your business” or
2. directly say “lighten or leave.” or “My only reason for engaging is make you leave.”
I’ve repeatedly witnessed gross ignorance on several levels. The harmless is history and/or how the KJ came to be. The not-so-harmless is:
1: perfection – no translation is
2. Inspired – if it’s not perfect it’s not inspired
3. Authoritative – see 1 & 2
And the tap-dances in the lame but failed attempts to support their beliefs. When you really get right down to it – I DON’T CARE! Occasionally I’ve called them cultic. More often I’ve them out for acting like Catholics!
The rest of my family are die hard Catholics but that has ZERO effect on our relationships – why can’t the KJVOs “play nice” w/otherwise God-fearing, Jesus-lovin’ Christians?! I usually start w/an “olive branch” saying “I like it too but…” the “but” erases the former.
I feel sorry for their cultic bondage. “I have Christ, you have a pile of paper w/ink on the pages. Maybe we’ll be together w/Jesus in heaven…”
I pray for them.