Seven Things God Hates-one who sows discord among brothers

The Need For Unity

Unity is needed in every organization, no one can survive in disunity. Marriages fail without it. Businesses fail without it. Churches fail without it. Throughout the scriptures, we can read that there is a need for unity.

When Jesus prayed His high priestly prayer, He prayed for unity. the reason was so that the world might believe in Him. John 17:20–21 “20 “I do not ask for these only, but also for those who will believe in me through their word, 21 that they may all be one, just as you, Father, are in me, and I in you, that they also may be in us, so that the world may believe that you have sent me.” We cannot expect the world to believe that the Lord is real if we cannot be unified by our faith.

In Matthew 12, Jesus was casting out demons and people were claiming that He was casting them out in the name of Beelzebub. Jesus points out that it does not make sense that He would do such a thing. Matthew 12:25–27 “25 Knowing their thoughts, he said to them, “Every kingdom divided against itself is laid waste, and no city or house divided against itself will stand. 26 And if Satan casts out Satan, he is divided against himself. How then will his kingdom stand? 27 And if I cast out demons by Beelzebul, by whom do your sons cast them out? Therefore they will be your judges.” Jesus makes it clear, you cannot succeed if you are divided.

Unity is not something easily attained because it requires effort. People can be selfish and selfishness breeds division. Do we really try to make an effort to keep unity? Ephesians 4:1 “1 I therefore, a prisoner for the Lord, urge you to walk in a manner worthy of the calling to which you have been called,”

Discord we are sowing in the church

Politics. Politics are dividing the church. One group says if you vote for X party you cannot call yourself a Christian. The other group says if you vote for Y party then you support hatred. We all forget that these are worldly organizations and both support things that God consider evil.

Traditions. This is a generalization. This is something that many churches don’t necessarily struggle with, they just have strange hills they consider to die on. Really, we just need to learn to discern what can stand and what can fall.

Generations. If we are not careful, this will kill a congregation. There is so much hatred towards different generations that I have personally seen and recieved. Go on social media and you can see Christians saying that this next generation is useless, worthless, uncaring, they don’t respect old people, they don’t care about getting advice from older people, they don’t want to work, they don’t care about God, and so on. I have been told to my face by a member of the church every one of those things about my generation. Do you think I want to associate with that person? Why would I want to be around someone who thinks so low of me, and we are supposed to be one in Christ?

Why Some Sow Discord

A. They’re more interested in their own agenda than the Lord’s

Pride will destroy you. If you cannot humble yourself, you will not be able to make compromises to keep peace. If you are so full of yourself that it is your way or the highway, you will confuse your will for God’s will. Philippians 2:3–4 “3 Do nothing from selfish ambition or conceit, but in humility count others more significant than yourselves. 4 Let each of you look not only to his own interests, but also to the interests of others.” We are always taught from a young age to look out for number one, and unfortunately, some people come to Christ forgetting they are to let everything go. My number one concern is to be my brother. When I married Karleigh, she became my concern. I am the head of my household, but I don’t make a decision without first consulting her. I can make whatever decision I want, but it is not going to be without some discourse. The church is the same way. God demands humility and without it, we can go ahead and shut the doors.

B. They are Bored

Some people are just bored. We know the phrase “An idle mind is the devil’s playground.” This relates to one of the other things that God hates. Some people just look for ways to cause troubles in the church simply to cause trouble. Look at how many times that Jesus was tested by the Pharisees. Do you think that the lawyer really wanted to know “who is my neighbor?” or “what is the greatest command?” No. They were bored and were looking to catch Jesus.

C. Some have simply failed to develop the mind of Christ

Some have simply adopted Christian by name only. They have no care to do the things that God commands and run their own will. Philippians 2:5–8 “5 Have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus, 6 who, though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, 7 but emptied himself, by taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men. 8 And being found in human form, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross.” If every person would adopt the mindset “I am ready to lay my life down for you” 99% of problems would cease to exist. Jesus gave up all the glory of Heaven in order to be here on this earth. If the Lord can do this, why can’t we?

Ephesians 4:31–32 “31 Let all bitterness and wrath and anger and clamor and slander be put away from you, along with all malice. 32 Be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, as God in Christ forgave you.”

Solutions to this issue

A. Pray, Bless, and do Good to them

This is difficult, but still something expected of us. When someone does us wrong, we are to be kind to them. Matthew 5:43–45 “43 “You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’ 44 But I say to you, Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, 45 so that you may be sons of your Father who is in heaven. For he makes his sun rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the just and on the unjust.”

The reason we are this way is so that the other person just might change. Romans 12:20–21 “20 To the contrary, “if your enemy is hungry, feed him; if he is thirsty, give him something to drink; for by so doing you will heap burning coals on his head.” 21 Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.”

B. Don’t be drug down to the same level

We must take care not to be drug down to the same level. Hebrews 13:1 “1 Let brotherly love continue.” This is such a simple statement that we can’t help but consider not following the same path as a divisive person. We know some people are just full of hatred, but we cannot allow ourselves to be filled with the same hatred that encompasses the divisive person.

C. Avoid such a person

Romans 16:17 “17 I appeal to you, brothers, to watch out for those who cause divisions and create obstacles contrary to the doctrine that you have been taught; avoid them.”

Titus 3:10–11 “10 As for a person who stirs up division, after warning him once and then twice, have nothing more to do with him, 11 knowing that such a person is warped and sinful; he is self-condemned.”

2 Timothy 3: