I've never seen a more divided America in my lifetime.
Everyone is pitted against everyone else. We are all under the assumption that the other person is wrong, that there is no value to their opinions, that they are idiots for thinking something different than us. We’re a laughingstock to many other nations, and even if there was to be a “unified” America again, what would it look like after this “culture civil war” of types?
It’s a pity what’s happening to our nation, that no one can sit down and hold conversations and try and work together without calling names.
In the same way, I’ve never seen more divided Christians in my lifetime.
Every denomination—every political party within the church—is pitted against everyone else. We are all under the assumption that the other sect, the other person is wrong, that there is no value in their opinions, that they are hell-bound idiots for thinking something different than us. We’re a laughingstock to many other people—mostly, atheists—and even if there was to be a “unified” church again, what would it look like after this “culture civil war” of types?
It’s a pity what’s happening to our faith, that no one can sit down and hold conversations and try and work together without calling names.
I love America, but I weep more when I read online comments that say: “I don’t know why I should believe in Christianity when the Christians themselves can’t agree on anything.”
Which is a true story—I saw that comment years ago and haven’t ever been able to shake it since.
We are losing our witness due to our constant fighting and denominations!
Just like in Captain America: Civil War, the Avengers fell apart because they couldn't agree. Whatever good they accomplish was suddenly sidelined by bickering, backstabbing, and betrayal. Their mission and members were compromised, and because of that, they weren't ready to present a unified front when the real enemy, Thanos, appeared.
And this isn’t a current problem. This was a problem even back when the apostles themselves were still around, and they talked to Jesus firsthand in His earthly body. 1 Corinthians 3:4-9 says this: “For when one says, ‘I follow Paul,’ and another, ‘I follow Apollos,’ are you not mere human beings?
What, after all, is Apollos? And what is Paul? Only servants, through whom you came to believe—as the Lord has assigned to each his task. I planted the seed, Apollos watered it, but God has been making it grow. So neither the one who plants nor the one who waters is anything, but only God, who makes things grow. The one who plants and the one who waters have one purpose, and they will each be rewarded according to their own labor. For we are co-workers in God’s service; you are God’s field, God’s building.”
Even back in the early church, people were wanting to split apart: one to follow Paul, one to follow Apollos, and later on, some to follow Peter or any of the other disciples. But Paul says firmly here: we should not have this division! We should be united as Christians, with a solid, unified message...but even our message about salvation is mixed. What you hear in one church isn’t congruent with another church, and that leads people to think that everyone that doesn’t follow the exact creed and dogma and denomination that they do is a hell-bound sinner—unless, of course, they turn around and start to think like you!
“Okay, then, what’s your idea? Everyone turn around and believe like you?” you might ask me.
Well, no. Not like me. I think that everyone should turn around and read the Bible and believe like Jesus did.
I am not perfect—but He is.
I don’t know everything—but He does.
I can’t tell someone they are or aren’t going to Hell—only He can.
Anything I say with authority doesn’t come from me. It comes from God. And the only foolproof thing that we can base our faith on is the Bible. It is inerrant; it is the Holy Word of God; it is what we can base our lives on.
And it encourages us to try and get along with one another—not just in interpersonal relationships, but in doctrine as well.
Ephesians 4:1-6 says this: “As a prisoner for the Lord, then, I urge you to live a life worthy of the calling you have received. Be completely humble and gentle; be patient, bearing with one another in love. Make every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace. There is one body and one Spirit, just as you were called to one hope when you were called; one Lord, one faith, one baptism; one God and Father of all, who is over all and through all and in all.”
So, according to these verses, let’s look at some characteristics true Christianity will have:
Humility
Gentleness
Patience
Love
Peace
And what we are supposed to focus on—the things we should be unifed about:
One Body (one church of Christ)
One Spirit (the same Holy Spirit in all of us)
One Hope (hope of life in Jesus Christ)
One Lord (well...this is self-explanatory!)
One Faith (faith that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of the Living God)
One Baptism (we are all baptized into family of God)
One God the Father (there aren’t multiple gods)
When we break it down like that, it doesn’t sound so divisive, does it? And if we all approached each other with a bit of humility, gentleness, and most of all, love and peace, then we would have a much easier time presenting a cohesive message to unbelievers out there. We would be able to get our message back to its simplest form, found in John 3:16-17: “For God so loved the world He gave His One and Only Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish but have everlasting life. For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn it but to save the world through Him.”
And what happens if we fail to present a cohesive message for salvation? We isolate people. We lose doctrine. We lose what gives Christianity its power in the first place. When we start to become more like the world, then we become less like Christ: whether it is by compromising Biblical authority, by arguing with each other, or by confusing Christians, both new and old.
Again, this isn’t a new struggle. Unity is written about many times, and it wouldn’t have been spoken about if it wasn’t an issue that people were having.
1 Corinthians 1:10: “I appeal to you, brothers, by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that all of you agree, and that there be no divisions among you, but that you be united in the same mind and the same judgment.”
1 Peter 3:8: “Finally, all of you, have unity of mind, sympathy, brotherly love, a tender heart, and a humble mind.”
Philippians 2:2: “Complete my joy by being of the same mind, having the same love, being in full accord and of one mind.”
Colossians 3:14: “And above all these put on love, which binds everything together in perfect harmony.”
2 Corinthians 13:11: “Finally, brothers, rejoice. Aim for restoration, comfort one another, agree with one another, live in peace; and the God of love and peace will be with you.”
I could go on and on and copy and paste a thousand Bible verses that all speak of this same thing. But you get the gist: we are to live together in peace. Accept each other. Love each other. Be brothers and sisters in Christ to each other. Don’t isolate each other from the body of Christ. Don’t become so prideful or insist that we are right that we lose sight of what’s actually important: that Jesus is right!
And while I’m not saying that we should tolerate heresy or blatantly false doctrine (like someone claiming to be a Christian that says Jesus was just a good teacher or something similar), let’s do what 2 Corinthians 13:11 says and aim for restoration. The beautiful thing is that, if we all go back to the Bible—and not just what we think or feel—then everything becomes much clearer. If we all aim for restoration, then Christianity will flourish and a cohesive message will be presented. If we all just love a bit more, then Christianity will flourish and people will recognize our hearts and see our light.
Let me leave you with a final thought that’s actually not mine at all.
I work for an English teaching company, and one of my fellow teachers said this while trying to be humorous in an otherwise loaded discussion: “...and if you look to your left, you’ll see a hill I’d rather not die on today.” (I take no credit for his words, but I did find them hilarious and wise.)
What if we have this attitude with issues that aren’t imperative to our faith? Okay, so you like Christian rap music and I prefer hymns—this is a hill I would rather not die on today. (Instead of sending someone to Hell because of their music preferences.) Okay, so you prefer to dress a different way than me—this is a hill I would rather not die on today. You think we shouldn’t have music at all in church—this is a hill I would rather not die on today.
And why?
Because this is the hill that I would rather not the Gospel die on today.
Instead, I want, if at possible, to live in peace with my brothers and sisters in Christ, so that the Gospel is on the forefront: not our own squabbles.
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