The Danger of Church Division

 Temple Baptist Church - 2-26-2023

I Corinthians 3:1-3

 

Introduction: 

 

A.  This is not one of my favorite topics but one of the more needful ones in our day.  The most important unit on the face of the earth other than the family is the local church.  It is the vehicle through which God works to evangelize the world, teach the convert, and to edify and encourage the believer.  Satan hates the local assembly!

 

1.  The Greatest Enemy Of The Church Is Not Satan, Though he is a great enemy. 

 

1 Peter 5:8  Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour:  (Because of his strength and power; also because of his rage, malice, and cruelty.)

 

2.  The Greatest Enemy Of The Church Is Not Finances, Though money is important and our economy is being devastated.  Just look at your grocery bill.

 

Philippians 4:19  But my God shall supply all your need according to his riches in glory by Christ Jesus.  (For God is not broke and the faithful with financial integrity are not poor.)

 

3.  The Greatest Enemy Of The Church Is Not Circumstances.  Though it rains on the just and the unjust.

 

2 Timothy 3:1  This know also, that in the last days perilous times shall come. 

 

Psalms 56:2-4  Mine enemies would daily swallow me up: for they be many that fight against me, O thou most High.  (3)  What time I am afraid, I will trust in thee.  (4)  In God I will praise his word, in God I have put my trust; I will not fear what flesh can do unto me.

 

4.  The Greatest Enemy Of The Church Is The Enemy From Within. 

 

2 Corinthians 12:20  For I fear, lest, when I come, I shall not find you such as I would, and that I shall be found unto you such as ye would not: lest there be debates, envyings, wraths, strifes, backbitings, whisperings, swellings, tumults:

 

Galatians 5:15  But if ye bite and devour one another, take heed that ye be not consumed one of another.

 

James 3:14-16  But if ye have bitter envying and strife in your hearts, glory not, and lie not against the truth.  (15)  This wisdom descendeth not from above, but is earthly, sensual, devilish.  (16)  For where envying and strife is, there is confusion and every evil work.

 

James 4:1  From whence come wars and fightings among you? come they not hence, even of your lusts that war in your members? (The greatest enemy of the local church occupy the pulpits and sit upon the pews.) 

 

B.  God hates division from Genesis 4 to the present.  Much is said about both the causes and results of division in the Bible.  Satan has “devices” that he uses effectively against the believer, and we are not to be ignorant of them.  Though I do not believe that either Satan or devils can indwell the believer, I do believe that they can greatly influence their thinking and actions.

 

2 Corinthians 2:10-11  To whom ye forgive any thing, I forgive also: for if I forgave any thing, to whom I forgave it, for your sakes forgave I it in the person of Christ;  (11)  Lest Satan should get an advantage of us: for we are not ignorant of his devices.

 

C.  Our Lord said all that needs to be said about the result of division.  Mark 3:24-27  And if a kingdom be divided against itself, that kingdom cannot stand.  (25)  And if a house be divided against itself, that house cannot stand.  (26)  And if Satan rise up against himself, and be divided, he cannot stand, but hath an end.  (27)  No man can enter into a strong man's house, and spoil his goods, except he will first bind the strong man; and then he will spoil his house.

 

D.  This morning, I want to look at some of the results of divisions within the church. 

 

1.  Division Destroys The Fellowship Of The Church.  People sit on the pews of the church with malice and unforgiveness in their hearts. People often sit in certain places because of who sits in other places.

 

2.  Division Destroys The Commission Of The Church.  Missions has been damaged because of gaining a family and then loosing a family through carnality and spiritual nonsense!

 

3.  Division Destroys The Testimony Of The Church. Church fights and splits have been detrimental to the prosperity of the church, both physically and financially.  The carnal reputation of a local church is well known withing the community.

 

4.  Division Destroys The Posterity Of The Church.  Children both see and hear the ungodliness of the parents.  It affects their spirituality and, eventually, they are lost because of the carnal condition of the parents.

 

5.  Division Destroys The Worship Of The Church.  A divided people and CANNOT worship God in spirit and truth.  God and His Holy Spirit are grieved with this division and worship is neither holy nor acceptable.

 

6.  Division Destroys The Evangelism Of The Church.  Instead of keeping our eyes upon the harvest and doing all that we can to win souls, our time is spent in division, bitterness, and souls are lost.

 

7.  Division Hinders The Prayers Of The Saints.  Malice and unforgiveness are sins of iniquity and, when we regard iniquity in our hearts, our prayers go unheard and unanswered.

 

Conclusion:  We must have unity in the church for it to function properly  !

 

1.  Unified in love.  

 

2.  Unified in purpose.

 

3.  Unified in doctrine.