In normal social conversation the words “division” and “unity” are mutually exclusive–they occupy the opposite ends of the English language spectrum. However, in the spiritual realm, they can produce a singular result. This series of postings highlights such an example.

Let us first determine the Biblical enemy of anyone and everyone whose passion is to please the Biblical God by obeying Him. The enemy of God’s saint is God’s enemy–Satan–the one who “deceiveth the whole world” (Rev. 12:9). In 12:12 we are warned that every human ever born will be continually attacked by Satan the devil. Contrary to “I’m just a sinner saved by grace” proponents, one either withers under his onslaught or overcomes it. Since the Garden of Eden the devil has overcome the vast majority of human beings. Uncountable masses of mankind have succumbed to him, most of whom do not know that they are under attack. But there has always been a remnant of true believers who have successfully resisted/overcome him. Not wanting even a “few” (Mat. 7:12,13) to escape his clutches, Satan has put forth extra effort in his attempt to destroy the Church of God (12:13). In these end times, knowing that his time is about up (12:12), God’s enemy is doing everything he can to destroy, disrupt or degrade anything God is doing. Proof of this is evidenced by the number of people who have tried to hack into this website in order to shut it down. The last thing the devil wants people to hear or read is God’s Truth. He uses those in his church system to cause as much trouble as possible for those who are shedding God’s light on the darkness in which he holds professing Christendom.

One of those areas of darkness involves the concept of “unity”–the belief that God would never cause division among members of either the church or the family. Above all things, we are told, there must be unity among believers and within the family setting. What is not understood is that there are two very distinct groups that make up “believers”: 1) Those who possess God’s Word but neither believe nor obey it and, 2) those who both believe it and obey it. One group has entered the strait gate and is walking the narrow path leading to eternal life; the other group isn’t but believes it is. Satan has so deceived members of “the church” that they do not believe what the Lord said relative to spiritual relations among the biological families within those two groups. Rejection of God’s Word relative to church and family relationships has caused the downfall of many well-meaning God-seekers.

Jesus issues a hard command in Luke 14:26: “If any man comes to Me and hates not his father, and mother, and wife, and children, and brethren, and sisters, yea, and his own life also, he cannot be My disciple.” Admittedly, this is a hard spiritual pill to swallow. We love our family members enough to gladly “take a bullet” for them. Yet God requires that, compared to our dedication to and love for Him, they are to be treated as spiritual strangers IF THEY DO NOT SHARE OUR LOVE FOR AND DEDICATION TO HIM, which is usually the case. Note in Jeremiah 3:14 that God prophesied that people would turn to Him “one of a city, two of a family.” It has been my observation that when a man or woman turns to God his/her family normally does not join him/her. They not only stay the religious course of Institutional Christendom, but turn against God’s saint on the spiritual level. Relationships normally remain as before on the social level. Spiritually, however, a great gulf tends to develop between the saint and his/her religious family members. In some cases this results in divorce.

“But God would never separate members of a family” is the standard response to this scenario. The Lord, knowing the power that Satan would exercise within both the church and the family, corrects this doctrinal error in Matthew 10:34-38: “Think not that I am come to send peace on earth: I came not to send peace, but a sword (His Word–Eph. 6:17).” Note where He warned the greatest division would take place: “For I am come to set a man at variance against his father, and the daughter against her mother, and the daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law. And a man’s foes shall be they of his own household. He that loveth father or mother more than Me is not worthy of me; and he that loveth son or daughter more than Me is not worthy of Me. and he that taketh not his cross (the burden of separation from beloved family members) and followeth after Me is not worthy of Me.” And what is the instrument He uses to separate sheep from goats/wheat from tares? HIS WORD–THE SWORD OF THE SPIRIT.

In today’s church era we are witnessing a repeat of what happened earlier in the church during the original Laodicean era (Rev. 3). Second Thessalonians 2 reveals that division within the church and the family results when Satan entices parishioners to stop loving God’s Word and holding onto (obeying) it. Matthew 24:12 states that in such cases parishioners’ love for God’s Word (and therefore Him) “waxes cold.” The parable in Matthew 25 shows that when love for God waxes cold, parishioners’ lamps go out, causing division in the church. Some church members were welcomed by the Lord; some were not. The same is true in the family. CHURCH AND FAMILY DIVISION IS NOT GOD’S WILL. However, when spiritual push comes to spiritual shove, one must make a choice–one either stands WITH God or AGAINST God. In the vast majority of cases, making the choice causes division in the family and the church. “Counting the cost” of discipleship requires a blunt, honest assessment of one’s spiritual spine. True discipleship is not for everyone. Jesus warned that only a “few” would make the cut. To be continued. L.J.