As unbelievable as it may sound, Jesus tells us in the Bible that the message that He brought to the earth would cause division.  But why should we be surprised?  Jesus Himself told us how it would be.  Let‘s look at what Jesus said, “Do you think I have come to bring peace to the earth?  No, I have come to divide people against each other!  From now on families will be split apart, three in favor of me, and two against or two in favor and three against. ‘Father will be divided against son and son against father; mother against daughter and daughter against mother; and mother-in-law against daughter-in-law and daughter-in-law against mother-in-law.” (Luke 12:51-53). 

  Did not God tell Abraham to separate himself from his family and nation (Genesis 12:1-3)?  

 The gospel message not only separates the lost from the saved, but also, sometimes, the saved from the saved:

1) The gospel divides the world into two groups: the saved and the lost.

2) The gospel also divides the Christians into two groups: those who will be faithful and preach the pure gospel and those who preach and teach a sugar coated, water down gospel.                    

3) The gospel divides the ‘church’ into two groups: the religious and the spiritual.

  There is a division between those that preach the true gospel and those that preach a sugar coated, water downed (perverted or distorted) gospel.  The thing in this is that it oft times sounds like the true gospel but is not.  They’ll add just enough truth to make it sound good and tickle the itching ear.  It may be sweet to the lips but becomes bitter to the soul.  The test of the true gospel is grace.  If the message excludes grace or mixes works with grace as the means to either justification or sanctification, it is “another” gospel, and the preacher of it is under the curse of God.  The Bible clearly says, “Let God’s curse fall on anyone, including us or even an angel from heaven, who preaches a different kind of gospel than the one we preached to you. I say again what we have said before: If anyone preaches any other gospel than the one you welcomed, let that person be cursed.” (Galatians 1:8-9) Therefore, the message that is perverted or distorted is accursed of God, and the one preaching that message is accursed of God. Usually, those who teach and follow a false gospel will persecute those that teach and follow the pure gospel. The Apostle Paul explained this, “Dear brothers and sisters, if I were still preaching that you must be circumcised (follow the law) as some say I do, why would the Jews persecute me?  The fact that I am still being persecuted proves that I am still preaching salvation through the cross of Christ alone..” (Galatians 5:11)  Paul says that the true message of the gospel of salvation apart from human works will bring about persecution, but to mix works with the true gospel takes away the glory and purpose of the cross. Therefore, we are urged to stand on the Lord’s side and separate ourselves from those that distort His word and change His message.

  Wherever Jesus went, His message caused division and persecution.  “When the crowds heard Him say this, some of them declared, “Surely this man is the Prophet we’ve been expecting.”  Others said, “He is the Messiah.”  Still others said, “But He can’t be!  Will the Messiah come from Galilee?  For the Scriptures clearly state that the Messiah will be born of the royal line of David, in Bethlehem, the village where King David was born.”  So the crowd was divided about Him. ” And again…. “When He said these things, the people were again divided in their opinions about Him.”  (John 10:19)  Dear brothers and sisters let us stand as one as He and the Father are One!

   It’s sad but true, you can look from Genesis to Revelation and you won’t see demons fighting with demons or principalites fighting against pricipalites. They stand in unison (legions).  It’s only the church that’s divided and fights with one another.  I’ve heard it said that only the army of God shoot their wounded.  Not only shoot them but leave them lying in the bar ditch slowly bleeding to death.   Lord have mercy on our souls!  

  “I pray that they will all be one, just as You and I are one as, You are in Me, Father, and I am in You. And may they be in Us so that the world will believe You sent Me.” (John 17:21)

In His love,
Elizabeth

* all Bible quotes are from the New Living Translation