Lest We Forget

No one will ever forget those horrific images that have been burned into our memories and our nation’s history. Six years ago today the American people began their mornings glued to television sets in total trepidation. On the sixth year anniversary of the September 11, 2001 attacks on our soil, let us never forget what happened to us on that day. From that day our country has been entangled in so many personal and national conflicts that we have been sidetracked. We have become a divided nation where parties have been pitted against one another. The damage that has occurred over these last six years from our words has created a huge schism in our nation. Instead of a nation rallying around a cause, we have become sidetracked with personal vendettas and agendas.

I wonder how much of this same mentality has seeped into the church. Within the first few years of the church’s existence, divisions have been one of the major causes why we fail to carry out the church’s mission. What the Apostle Paul had to say to the Corinthians is very relevant to the church today. Especially in a time as ours, how has the church shown itself any different than the world?

“Now I exhort you, brethren, by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that you all agree and that there be no divisions among you, but that you be made complete in the same mind and in the same judgment.” 1 Corinthians 1:10

Why is there division within the church?

1. Maybe we set our eyes on men rather than God. Paul surmised the Corinthian thought, “Now I mean this, that each one of you is saying, ‘I am of Paul,’ and ‘I of Apollos,’ and ‘I of Cephas,’ and ‘I of Christ.’ Has Christ been divided? Paul was not crucified for you, was he? Or were you baptized in the name of Paul?” (1 Corinthians 1:12-13)

2. Maybe we have become too comfortable as Christians. “I was with you in weakness and in fear and in much trembling, and my message and my preaching were not in persuasive words of wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power, so that your faith would not rest on the wisdom of men, but on the power of God.” (1 Corinthians 2:3-5)

Can you think of any other reasons why we have so much division in the church?