Division Among the People

Introduction

Today the church is fractured.

I read that in the US there are over 200 different denominations, and over 40,000 throughout the world.

Jesus said: Mark 3:25 “And if a house be divided against itself, that house cannot stand.”

I think that this is a problem that most can agree upon. The question is, what do we do about it? Other than ignoring it, there are two ways to approach it.

Ecumenicism

Many believe that the commonality that we have in Christ is more important than the divisions we have doctrinally.

(Ill.) One of the great proponents of this mindset in our lifetime was Billy Graham. (I’m not badmouthing him, but making an observation). Mr. Graham was a Southern Baptist, but when he had his crusades, he had all local churches affiliated - and if a Catholic would get saved, he would send them right back to that false church as if it was equal.

He also believed that you could be from the muslim or buddhist faith and be saved because you’re part of the body of Christ.

As such, he was quite revered by many. Most people - in the church and outside - have a deep appreciation and respect for Billy Graham… He literally has his own star on the Hollywood walk of fame. But I’d remind you that Jesus said: John 15:18–20 “If the world hate you, ye know that it hated me before it hated you. If ye were of the world, the world would love his own: but because ye are not of the world, but I have chosen you out of the world, therefore the world hateth you. Remember the word that I said unto you, The servant is not greater than his lord. If they have persecuted me, they will also persecute you; if they have kept my saying, they will keep yours also.”

So you have Ecumenicism on the one hand, on the other you have Separation

Separation

These are those that believe that you must separate from those whose doctrinal differences are too great to overcome. And really the doctrinal differences would only fall into three categories:

The Scriptures - the Word of Life

As a Bible believing Christian - this is my foundation. It is the source. Without this, we have nothing.

Romans 10:17 “So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.”

Salvation - the Way to Life

If you don’t agree on this, it doesn’t matter about anything else.

Oftentimes, what you believe about Salvation stems from how you feel about the Scriptures

Sanctification - the Walk of Life

Evidence of Salvation

Demonstration of the Spirit of God or the spirit of rebellion

I believe the prudent & Biblical approach to be that of separation. For a few reasons:

First, It’s Biblical:

Amos 3:3 “Can two walk together, except they be agreed?”

Romans 16:17 “Now I beseech you, brethren, mark them which cause divisions and offences contrary to the doctrine which ye have learned; and avoid them.”

Galatians 1:6–9 “I marvel that ye are so soon removed from him that called you into the grace of Christ unto another gospel: Which is not another; but there be some that trouble you, and would pervert the gospel of Christ. But though we, or an angel from heaven, preach any other gospel unto you than that which we have preached unto you, let him be accursed. As we said before, so say I now again, If any man preach any other gospel unto you than that ye have received, let him be accursed.”

Talk about harsh words!

Secondly, in order to be united, you must have something to unite for.

Then someone might say ‘Jesus’ - we unite around Jesus - but my question then is, which Jesus?

Matthew 24:23–24 “Then if any man shall say unto you, Lo, here is Christ, or there; believe it not. For there shall arise false Christs, and false prophets, and shall shew great signs and wonders; insomuch that, if it were possible, they shall deceive the very elect.”

The Jesus of the mormons isn’t the Jesus of the Bible

Today we’re going to examine the root causes for the Division that leads to the separation.

Now I want to make something clear: I’m not saying to you that everyone that doesn’t believe just like I do, or that is a IFB type Baptist is going to Hell.

I have no doubt that there are plenty of saved people in other denominations & churches, and plenty of lost people in baptist churches.

I’m not even saying that I’m right about everything.

I don’t think I’m wrong about anything, but that doesn’t mean that I’m not. There’s been several things that I’ve had to change my mind about since I’ve been saved.

So why is there division found? First off, because of Unbelief

I. Unbelief

v2-5

Related but not Associated

In these verses, we see that ‘his brethren’ was prodding him to go to the feast.

Note: This is his brothers - they would be half-brothers as Jesus and they didn’t have the same Father. We see them named in Mark 6:3 “Is not this the carpenter, the son of Mary, the brother of James, and Joses, and of Juda, and Simon? and are not his sisters here with us? And they were offended at him.”

So we see that Jesus and his brothers were Related, but they were not associated.

In other words, they had some commonality, but they were not of the same company - that being God’s children (at this time at least).

Why is there division in the churches? First - and most obvious is unbelief. Unbelief in the Word of God - both the Scriptures, and the ‘Word made flesh’ (Joh. 1:14).

I alluded to this a moment ago, but it bears repeating: One reason for the division is that some are related, but not associated.

They might have the same church membership on the roll books, but they don’t on the Lamb’s book of Life!

See this is important - because an unregenerate man does not seek to refine or perfect their walk. They ignore calls to Sanctification because they’ve never experienced Salvation.

Because Salvation comes by Faith in Jesus Christ, and without that, you have nothing!

They are Related in a sense, but not Associated.

Unbelief in His Person & Purpose

Jesus’ brothers acted as though He came to be seen. (v3-4) Maybe they thought He was after fame and fortune. His mother was the same way at the wedding in Cana John 2:3–4 “And when they wanted wine, the mother of Jesus saith unto him, They have no wine. Jesus saith unto her, Woman, what have I to do with thee? mine hour is not yet come.”

Jesus did not come to do party tricks

Jesus did not come to make a shew

The Bible tells us why:

Matthew 5:17 “Think not that I am come to destroy the law, or the prophets: I am not come to destroy, but to fulfil.”

Luke 5:32 “I came not to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance.”

John 18:37 “Pilate therefore said unto him, Art thou a king then? Jesus answered, Thou sayest that I am a king. To this end was I born, and for this cause came I into the world, that I should bear witness unto the truth. Every one that is of the truth heareth my voice.”

Luke 19:10 “For the Son of man is come to seek and to save that which was lost.”

Luke 12:51–53 “Suppose ye that I am come to give peace on earth? I tell you, Nay; but rather division: For from henceforth there shall be five in one house divided, three against two, and two against three. The father shall be divided against the son, and the son against the father; the mother against the daughter, and the daughter against the mother; the mother in law against her daughter in law, and the daughter in law against her mother in law.”

Some do not understand the person or purpose of Christ. They do not believe in the truth of Christ, therefore we have division.

Unbelief brings Division. Secondly, Hypocrisy

II. Hypocrisy

v19-24

In these verses, we see Jesus explaining the hypocrisy of the Jews who sought to kill Him for healing on the Sabbath.

Hypocrisy is the epitome of division, for hypocrisy is division even within oneself!

Hypocrisy we see is Rooted in Pride

Rooted in Pride (v19)

These Jews thought that they were the keepers of the Law when in fact they were the breakers thereof - and instead they hated Jesus who actually did keep the Law.

They were a prideful bunch.

We find this error predominant amongst two different groups: the works salvation crowd, as well as the Calvinists.

The Calvinists

Calvinism believes that God controls all - including the decisions of man - and has preselected the saved and the damned alike.

But you know - I’ve never met a Calvinist who thought they weren’t one of the chosen. That takes a special kind of arrogance.

The Works Salvation crowd is a prideful bunch as well.

Why? They apply the Word of God by Preference

Applied by Preference (v23)

We see Jesus calling them out on their hypocrisy - telling Jesus that He sinned by healing a man on the Sabbath, while they circumcise on the Sabbath if it would fall on the 8th day - WHICH WAS A SYMBOL OF THE SANCTIFIED IN CHRIST TO BEGIN WITH!

They hypocrites will often do this: They think that your sin is condemning, but theirs is ok.

(Ill.) I spoke to a young man not long ago and he believed that he was without sin entirely.

This was the problem of the Pharisees - and Jesus told them so! Matthew 23:25–28 “Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye make clean the outside of the cup and of the platter, but within they are full of extortion and excess. Thou blind Pharisee, cleanse first that which is within the cup and platter, that the outside of them may be clean also. Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye are like unto whited sepulchres, which indeed appear beautiful outward, but are within full of dead men’s bones, and of all uncleanness. Even so ye also outwardly appear righteous unto men, but within ye are full of hypocrisy and iniquity.”

Hypocrites will apply sin per preference

Often Received through Inheritance (v22)

We see that circumcision was a practice that was passed down - but somewhere along the way, the reason & purpose got twisted - and then that was passed down from generation to generation.

There’s a lot of people who are living under false doctrine, not because it’s right, but because ‘it’s the way my daddy & grand daddy was!’

(Ill.) My witnessing to Mike @ Hickory Truss - he was a self-professing ‘cradle Catholic’ and had no interest in the truth.

What’s sad is that he might well lift up his eyes in Hell because his daddy & grand-daddy did!

It’s often recieved through Inheritance

Unbelief brings Division. Secondly, Hypocrisy, next Self-Righteousness

III. Self-Righteousness

v32-36

First - Know that there is overlap in all these:

You’ll find unbelief within Self-Righteousness & Hypocrisy.

Now - in these verses we see the Pharisees come into view.

And here we also see that they felt Superior to Christ

They Felt Superior to Christ

They felt as though they had the authority to send officers & apprehend Jesus. (v32)

They felt superior to the gentiles (v35

They felt insulted that Jesus said that they couldn’t come where He was.

All of these indicated that these men felt superior to Christ.

Paul said in Romans 10:1–4 “Brethren, my heart’s desire and prayer to God for Israel is, that they might be saved. For I bear them record that they have a zeal of God, but not according to knowledge. For they being ignorant of God’s righteousness, and going about to establish their own righteousness, have not submitted themselves unto the righteousness of God. For Christ is the end of the law for righteousness to every one that believeth.”

The self-righteous says that what Christ did was not sufficient - I must do something to complete it

Yet were Alienated from Christ

I mentioned this morning that I’ve spoken with a many a people who when asked why they are going to Heaven, they will say ‘because I’m a good person’. Do you know what that is? That is Self-Righteousness. And the self-righteous are alienated from Christ.

Jesus said John 10:1–2 “Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that entereth not by the door into the sheepfold, but climbeth up some other way, the same is a thief and a robber. But he that entereth in by the door is the shepherd of the sheep.” John 10:9 “I am the door: by me if any man enter in, he shall be saved, and shall go in and out, and find pasture.”

You can’t be righteous without Christ - and if you try to get in based on your own righteousness, you’ll lift up your eyes in Hell!

Yet they were Alienated from Christ

Unbelief brings Division. Hypocrisy, Self-Righteousness, lastly - why is there division? Ignorance

IV. Ignorance

Ignorance is often used or considered in a pejorative sense, but ignorance itself is just a ‘lack of knowledge’.

I’m ignorant about a multitude of things - it doesn’t mean I’m stupid, nor does it mean that I can’t learn - it simply means that I don’t know.

There’s division within the church because of ignorance.

Some simply don’t know what the Bible says about various things.

They’ve never been taught to ‘Rightly Divide’ the Word

They’ve never been told anything other than Jesus Saves.

They’re divided because of their ignorance. Now I want to speak on that for a few moments, because there’s a distinction we must point out.

There’s Innocent Ignorance

Innocent Ignorance

You don’t fault a child for not knowing how to operate the oven.

I don’t expect a foreigner to understand the idiosyncrasies we have in America

Many just don’t know - because they’ve never been told.

There’s Innocent Ignorance - but what’s bad is Willful Ignorance

Willful Ignorance

This is dangerous. This is sin. It’s the mindset that ‘I don’t know, and I don’t care’.

Frankly, it’s not one that I understand, but prevalent just the same.

It’s possible breeding grounds stem from:

I’m comfortable, so I don’t bother with it

This is familiar, so I prefer it

I’m too busy to look into it

Either way - James 4:17 “Therefore to him that knoweth to do good, and doeth it not, to him it is sin.”

So because of familiarity, comfort or just being busy, we further stay divided - and that’s a shame.

Willful Ignorance

Conclusion

As we conclude, I would just encourage you - not to be united simply in thought with me - but to be diligent about searching the Scriptures, and teachable / pliable to the molding from the Word.

And if we do that - we’ll do all we can to lesson the division.