#756

The Growing Christian Divide

Social Wars

It used to be that you could have disagreements with other Christians and just agree to disagree on things and still remain civil and even work together on evangelism and charity work. Unfortunately, it seems those days are gone. Is it because we have access to social media and can carry on disputes publicly with memes, short videos and the like and carry on theological hit and runs? Or is there more to it than that. Certainly the accuser of the brethren is sowing seeds of discord since we know how good he is at causing a stir between Christians. And we know that he has more than willing accomplices in the lamestream media and Hollywood who incessantly portray Christians in a bad light without any hesitation. My wife and are streaming once crime show that never, and I mean never portray Christianity in a good light. But there is more to this current crop of disagreements than I’ve ever seen before. I’m not exaggerating when I say that the spirit of antichrist is fully engaged in dividing believers, even some who used to be good friends with each other in times past. The divides now after the November 2024 elections are more than just mild skirmishes. The growing schisms are getting very dangerous and, if not addressed could fracture whole denominations and movements and potentially derail the billion soul revival that’s been prophesied about. Of course we know unequivocally that Satan wants and is promoting that.

Pick Your Poison

So many topics are now breeding grounds for division, disagreement, disharmony, and discord. Prophecy was always a good topic to cause arguments and even church splits. And doctrines like salvation, water baptism, and the Holy Spirit were issues to stir the theological pot and heat it to a boiling over. But I recall getting involved in such discussions and left still being good friends with others. Not now. I have a sizable amount of what I call Facebook friends and the banter and discourse there is not a pretty thing to see. Daily I watch as Christians post comments that you can’t be a Christian is you support this or don’t support that. These posts are usually reposts of something a person saw and thought it captured their feeling well. Some actually composed these diatribes on their own which is commendable all by itself. You see, because I have a plethora of public pundits opining ad nauseum I see the same posts over and over again with most people not taking the time to give proper attribution to the sentiments. If anyone dare offer an opposing opinion, well then the verbal hounds are released on them. And I’m not jesting, these respondents don’t take prisoners. Name calling and foul language are not verboten either when believers are clearly told that its not to be condoned or used. And these are people I know are

Christians, some I know personally and have ministered along side of for years. Many are also ministers who I labored with in outreaches preaching the Gospel to the lost. And now they consider me to be the enemy. How did we get to this point?

The Bible Didn’t Change

So, so many are even quoting Scripture to support their spewing of anger at those who don’t agree with them on issues like abortion, immigration, and social mores like what is a woman. Things I thought the Bible was crystal clear on apparently became a tad more blurry. Of course some also are more than willing to challenge the words of Jesus which I find more than a tad disturbing considering I’m seeing people who have more Bible degrees than a thermometer twisting and turning to contort simple Bible doctrines to mean what they now believe. I know that even heroes of the faith from times past disagreed on eternal salvation and being baptized to be saved and the list goes on and on. Revivalists like the Wesley brothers, George Whitfield, and Johnathan Edwards all had their squabbles, but all worked for the kingdom of God, often together. Not today. We have access to more Bible knowledge than all the previous generations combined and rather than being more unified we’re more divided. Why is that? One reason is the ability to develop group think since we can get people of like minds together from around the globe. It used to be a one on one conversation where minds were challenged, but now if one person throws out a criticism of a person or a doctrine, well 30-40 other people can pig pile on and make it look like they are speaking for all of Christianity. I’ve made the mistake of challenging these online mobs and barely got out alive. To be honest, many of them have been Christians for a short amount of time, however others have been believers for decades, but longevity apparently doesn’t engender wisdom. What centuries of Christians have held to and proclaimed means nothing in this day and age. The Bible hasn’t changed, but the ability to challenge it has. Can we bridge this growing divide and unify on anything?

Being Conformed

And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God. (Rom 12:2, KJV)

Don’t copy the behavior and customs of this world, but be a new and different person with a fresh newness in all you do and think. Then you will learn from your own experience how his ways will really satisfy you. (Rom 12:2, TLB)

Do not be conformed to this world (this age), [fashioned after and adapted to its external, superficial customs], but be transformed (changed) by the [entire] renewal of your mind [by its new ideals and its new attitude], so that you may prove [for yourselves] what is the good and acceptable and perfect will of God, even the thing which is good and acceptable and perfect [in His sight for you]. (Rom 12:2, AMPC)

All too often Christians who really should know better are letting others determine what is right and wrong, sometimes even Biblically. Rather than being transformed, they are being conformed to these opinions and interpretations when the truth is more available now than ever before. The word for conformed is like putting a square peg into a round whole or like clay being forced into a small mold. In the case of the peg something has to give and usually the corners are forced off to make it fit. In a spiritual and Biblical sense, what it lost or cut off is sound doctrine and common sense based on Holy Spirit given wisdom. As for the mold, well being pushed into a shape we weren’t meant to look like is what we see happening now. The world and ungodly governments are telling Christians what they can and can’t do, how they should act and not act, what they can say and not say and on it goes. And now they have willing partners such as pastors and so-called Christian leaders and yes, influencers who say that Bible is wrong on this issues of that. But even more, they castigate those who tell them they are wrong. Friends, we can and should fight back. But how?

Don’t Be Conformed

Going back to the verse cited above, we need to be transformed. The world wants to force you into its changing mold. But God wants to transform you much like the process of going from a caterpillar to a butterfly. He wants to change you into something completely different, so radically altered that you are something totally different that those who knew you before can’t even recognize you. And this isn’t a one time event, but an ongoing process. You should be going from glory to ever increasing glory:

Whenever, though, they turn to face God as Moses did, God removes the veil and there they are—face-to-face! They suddenly recognize that God is a living, personal presence, not a piece of chiseled stone. And when God is personally present, a living Spirit, that old, constricting legislation is recognized as obsolete. We’re free of it! All of us! Nothing between us and God, our faces shining with the brightness of his face. And so we are transfigured much like the Messiah, our lives gradually becoming brighter and more beautiful as God enters our lives and we become like him. (2 Cor 3:16-18, TMG)

And this transforming will make us stand out like a bright light exposing the darkness and shining a path for anyone to see and follow. We will do that not only in a physical sense, but in all manner of communication. Do we need to answer every radically unbiblical rant? Let Holy Spirit guide when to and not to so you avoid throwing your pearls before swine and wasting your precious time. And endeavor to keep the unity of the brethren whenever you can. Often silence is golden and prayer eternally effective. Intercede before intervening and I am certain things can change.