Division in a Local Church
by Robert L. McDonald
via Expository Review, November 1984
"And I, brethren, could not speak unto you as unto spiritual, but as unto carnal, even as unto babes in Christ. I have fed you with milk, and not with meat: for hitherto ye were not able to bear it, neither yet now are ye able. For ye are yet carnal; for whereas there is among you envying, and strife, and division, are ye not carnal, and walk as babes?" (I Corinthians 3:1-3).
Every Bible student is aware of the sinful condition of the church at Corinth, with factions associated with the erroneous positions advanced. Ambitious men evidently assumed the role of influence, leading to the formation of parties within the congregation. Surely, every sincere reader of the book to the Corinthians is moved with sadness by the spiritual condition that existed there in the first century.
When the apostle Paul wrote that the brethren at Corinth were carnal, he used a word (sarkinois) that literally means "of flesh" (Analytical Greek Lexicon). Even though they were composed of flesh, the use of the word is to illustrate their spiritual condition by the figure of speech to show they were worldly-minded. In I Corinthians 3:3, he uses a variation of the word (sarkikoi), "carnal, low in spiritual knowledge and frame" (ibid). Such was the attitude of most of those seen in the strife and division. What happened at Corinth cannot be of God, but through the influence of Satan! They had spiritually grown but little, having been fed milk, but not sufficiently able to receive the meat of the word. Then Paul uses the strong word, carnal (sarkokoi), in I Corinthians 3:3, which conveys the idea of being dominated by the flesh. Their hearts were not set on things above with a sincere desire to please our God. Ambitious men wanted to have their own way at the cost of dividing the people of God, forcing those who were determined to stand for the truth to be separated. Division in the first century was sinful, and it is sinful today!
I have been preaching the gospel for almost thirty-five years. Over this period, I have known of brethren to be alienated, jealousies to arise, and congregations to be divided. It is the same old story since the days of Corinth. Some are ambitious for personal gain and determined to press their position to the point of dividing the churches. In those years of preaching, I have fought for the truth of our Lord in any number of battles as related to different issues. Still, I can say without any reservation that I have never been involved in pressing an "opinion" to divide a congregation. In fact, no congregation where I have ever labored has suffered a division as long as I labored with them. Some who would disagree with the truth I preached have left, but there has never been an open division. This is not an unusual thing--there are any number of gospel preachers among us who can say the same thing.
Paul said of the Corinthians, "For ye are yet carnal" (I Corinthians 3:3). These were dominated by the flesh. They loved their ways better than the ways of God. They pressed positions that were not true, most of which are mentioned in the first epistle. Other positions were somewhat questionable, resulting in an unsettled situation. Instead of trying to heal schisms in the body, they festered the sore until reconciliation was almost impossible. Impossible? As long as you have people who are dominated by the flesh, there will be division.
When I lived in Houston, Texas, in the late 50s, I visited with the late A. Hugh Clark one day at the time he lived in Baytown. We were talking about the institutional controversy on the minds of almost every gospel preacher. Brother Clark told me that he had seen two major apostasies in the Lord’s church. The first was at the turn of the century, when the instruments of music and missionary societies were the major issues. Brother Clark said that brethren fought hard for the truth in those days, but when the cleavage was realized, they turned on each other. He warned that this same thing would probably happen after the division of the 1950s and 60s. And he was right!
There was a story making the rounds about a sister talking to a gospel preacher. She said the preacher was needed to help solve a serious problem in the church. Upon inquiry, she said the church was divided over a passage of scripture (Acts 7:54) where there is recorded the persecution of Stephen. The passage reads, "When they heard these things, they were cut to the heart, and they gnashed on him with their teeth." The sister said some contended that these Jews bit Stephen. Others denied this interpretation. There were "biters" and "anti-biters"—a real division in the church.
And this is about how silly some problems in congregations can be. Just let someone take issue with a teacher in a Bible class, and he will kick up all sorts of dust because he has been challenged. And if one differs with the preacher—well, that is almost unpardonable! Brethren will fight for their "interpretation" without even considering a different view of the meaning of the passage.
Why can’t brethren be satisfied with doing the things of God in His arrangement? Why do we think we can improve upon God’s scheme for the salvation of men? Words of yesteryear were "let the church be the church!" This sounds good, but is most frequently ignored as an empty platitude.
Back in the 40s, I am told that Curtis Porter debated Charley Reese in Arizona over whether one must "break the bread" or could one just "pinch the bread" when eating supper. I understand that Reese contended that the soft, unleavened bread that some used back then could not be broken; therefore, it was unscriptural.
Brethren have pressed for the dividing of congregations on the proper order of worship. Some have been greatly troubled by the "posture in prayer," that is, whether one must kneel, sit, or stand. The necessity for women to wear a head covering in worship has been a source of contention in many congregations, leading some to divide. I remember when brethren would make a test of fellowship over the issue of ownership of a television. But in time, after years of fighting and division, it seemed that churches would overcome their reverses and build toward the glory of God.
What I saw fifteen years ago, I fear, is on the horizon to be repeated in untold numbers of churches. Issues are being raised in congregations that are pressed out of proportion to their importance. Brethren become so concerned as to whether or not sisters can wear "pant-suits" to the point of threatening to publicly withdraw from them. Whether Christians can pray to Jesus has been a cause of division. Others believe that the communion is to be served only once on the Lord’s day, and press that the congregation should make no provisions to serve the communion at the evening hour if service was made in the morning. Then the question arises whether an elder with only one child is qualified to serve in the role he has held for several years. And congregations divide!
"But if ye bite and devour one another, take heed that ye be not consumed one of another" (Galatians 5:15) is to destroy one another’s character by unholy wrangling. James urges disciples of Christ to properly equip themselves as teachers of truth, and at the same time shows that the work of unqualified teachers results in envy and strife, confusion, and every evil work (James 3:16).
It is sad, but so many innocent brethren are hurt when the devilish deeds of ambitious men press their "opinions" to division. Members who are not party to the division are disturbed in their relationships with members of the division to the point of discouragement, which frequently leads to inactivity and apostasy. Those who lead the movement toward division are responsible for destroying him for whom Christ died.
As one makes a study of division, as it is spoken of in the Bible, he cannot help but see how God feels. "These six things doth the Lord hate: yea, seven are an abomination unto him: a proud look, a lying tongue, and hands that shed innocent blood, an heart that deviseth wicked imaginations, feet that be swift in running to mischief, a false witness that speaketh lies, and he that soweth discord among brethren" (Proverbs 6:16-19). In this category of reprobates is listed the sowing of discord among brethren! Such a person causes disruption in the church of our Lord and, in some instances, the loss of men's souls. In addition, division prevents spiritual development, and those who are responsible for the factions have not developed beyond the stage of babes in Christ, for they are "carnal," being dominated by the flesh. They are more concerned with "their ways" than "the ways of God."
David of old sang for the unity of God’s people, "Behold, how good and how pleasant it is for brethren to dwell together in unity" (Psalms 133:1). Paul urged, "Now I beseech you, brethren, by the name of the Lord Jesus Christ, that ye all speak the same thing, and that there be no divisions among you; but that ye be perfectly joined together in the same mind and in the same judgment" (I Corinthians 1:10). Peter exhorted, "Finally, be ye all of one mind, having compassion one of another, love as brethren, be pitiful, be courteous: not rendering evil for evil, or railing for railing: but contrariwise blessing...." (I Peter 3:8-9). And especially in the prayer of our Lord, "Neither pray I for these alone, but for them also which shall believe on me through their word; that they all may be one...." (John 17:20-21).
And so today, we should work to that end, wherever we are!
